Author Archives: Jan European Barging & River Cruises

The Musee d’Orsay: An Fine Impressionist Collection at the Museum

Posted on by

Masterpieces at the Museum

The Musee d’Orsay, is a renowned museum in Paris. It is located on the Left Bank of the Seine. The museum houses an extensive collection of French art dating from 1848 to 1915.  Its collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces is the largest in the world; and includes iconic works by Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Among the paintings on display are many that will seem familiar from your cruise, such as Monet’s series on the Rouen Cathedral and his Blue Water Lilies, and Van Gogh’s The Church at Auvers, Portrait of Dr. Gachet and Bedroom in Arles.

Though largely famous for its collection of impressionist paintings, the museum also exhibits different art forms, including sculptures, engravings, photos, film, architecture and urbanism.

A Museum with an Unusual History

The Musee d’Orsay comes with an unusual history you must know. The museum is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay- a grand railway station built in 1900 and is a masterpiece of industrial architecture. However, in 1939, it stopped operating as a railway station due to its short platforms that were unable to accommodate now much longer trains. It had been totally abandoned in 1961. In 1978, the President Giscard d’Estaing decided to use the Gare d’Orsay as a museum for 19th and 20th century art.

The restoration of the museum started in 1979 and it was inaugurated on November 29th, 1986 by the French president, François Mitterrand.

The museum is a must see destination as you will be mesmerized with countless works of art by great artists. Those interested in art and history will feel particularly delighted at the sight of these works on display. All visitors are thrilled with the experience once they visit the Musee d’Orsay and all it has to offer.

The 2013 Normandy Impressionist Festival is being held from April 27th through September 29th, 2013 highlighting Impressionist works at this museum and others in the area.

A visit to the museum is included in the post cruise land program of the Seine River Cruise on Ama Waterways. Book your trip with us and get ready for a splendid sight!

The April Easter Markets in Vienna

Posted on by

Easter in Vienna

Easter has a great importance in Austria’s capital Vienna. It will be exciting to start spring in one of the most famous and popular Easter markets. The array of markets is so captivating you will want to return to Vienna in springtime year after year.

These Easter markets remain open for several weeks in April. You will be enticed with the lovely open air stalls at several public places in Vienna during Easter time. These stalls offer various attractive items such as seasonal gifts and traditional crafts along with several culinary treats. A variety of entertainment is also available for the little ones in Vienna.

VIENNA Easter Market Schönbrunn Palace

You will be thrilled to see the magnificent setting on the large square directly in front of the Schönbrunn castle. This particular market is considered to be one of the most romantic Easter markets in Vienna. This market focuses on handicrafts and original gifts such as traditional Easter decorations and various hand-made crafts. Exhibitors from all over Austria display their wares along with different types of culinary delights. You will love the market as you enjoy savoring several seasonal treats from the region while enjoying the historically prominent ambience.

  • Dates and Time- Mar 16th till Apr 1st, 2013, daily 10am to 7pm
  • Venue-1130, Main Entrance Schönbrunn Castle, near U4 Schönbrunn, Vienna

VIENNA Easter Market Am Hof

Am Hof is one of the oldest squares in Vienna. The Easter market set up here focuses on handcrafted goods and contemporary artwork. Here you will find artistically decorated Easter eggs, flowers, candles, ceramics and pottery, knitwear, jewelry, metal objects, wood carvings and much more in a romantic yet artistic and creative environment.

  • Dates and Time- Mar 15th till Apr 1st, 2013, daily 11am to 7pm (weekends 8pm)
  • Venue-Am Hoff Square, Vienna

Enjoy the splendor of the Easter markets in Vienna while vacationing on a short river cruise along the Danube River.

Cruising on the Moselle between Metz and Cochem

Posted on by

A Luxury Barge Cruise or A Casual Bike and Barge Cruise – What is your Preference?

The Moselle Valley has a splendid countryside. The cool and delicious wines, the picturesque little towns with rich histories and the excellent conditions for cycling are a few of the high points of this area. Here you can enjoy your vacation whether you want it to be on board a luxury barge cruise or a combination of bike and barge cruise.

Your cruise takes you on a tour of this wonderful region where you come across several interesting places. Metz is designated a ‘town of art and history’ because of its rich historical and cultural background. This is a designation bestowed by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication to specific towns and cities with a purpose to preserve and promote France’s heritage. In Metz, you will discover much art and history! The city is home to some world-class venues such as the Arsenal Concert Hall, the Centre Pompidou-Metz Museum, and the National Opera of Lorraine (along with the Nancy Opera.) Metz has the pride of having 20 miles of landscaped walks along the rivers, canals and ramparts making it a lovely and lushly green city.

Remich is another interesting place. This is one of the quaintest towns in Germany. Remich is surrounded by vineyards that produce the majority of wines in Luxembourg. It is actually known as “la perle de la Moselle”, and is renowned not just for its wines but its riverside esplanade as well.

Trier is the oldest city of Germany founded before the 16th century.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site noted for its Roman monuments, particularly the Imperial Baths and the imposing fortified gate, the Porta Nigra. Trier lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills. This is an important Mosel wine-growing region.

Cochem will be your last stop. Situated deep in the most romantic part of the Moselle River Valley, Cochem is famous for its wine taverns, half-timbered houses, riverside promenades and the magnificent Reichsburg Castle above the town.

A wonderful experience is yours as you cruise through the Moselle Valley while you view and visit charming villages and ravishing towns. You will taste the region’s excellent wines in the welcoming taverns here.  Light whites are a specialty, and Riesling is the best-known variety produced here.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to cruising the Moselle. You can take a casual bike and barge cruise on the 26 passenger “Sailing Home”, the 8 passenger ultra-deluxe La Nouvelle Etoile or numerous other river cruises.

The Gardens at the Dutch Summer Palace of Het Loo

Posted on by

Palace Het Loo – A Holland and Belgium River Cruise Destination

Palace Het Loo, built over three hundred years ago near the town of Apeldoorn, is the most stunning palace in Holland. The decorations inside the palace are as amazing as the gardens outside the palace. In fact, the Het Loo palace gardens are a great highlight of the palace and add a lot to its beauty and charm.

Strict symmetry of the layout is the characteristic feature of the formal 17th-century Het Loo garden. The idea behind designing the garden is as unique as the experience the visitors have on seeing the gardens every time. William and Mary have their private gardens on each side of the palace which have been rightly named the King’s garden and the Queen’s garden. There is a serious collection of centuries-old citrus trees in Mary’s garden which are on display in tubs between May and October. The fruit and blossoms borne on these citrus trees, collectively, represent a symbol of the House of Orange.

Fountains are a big attraction in Het Loo Gardens. Though these gardens were of modest proportions in comparison to those of Versailles, the waterworks were greatly famous for permanently spouting fresh groundwater diverted from the surrounding higher-lying hills. In addition to this, the King’s Fountain at the rear of the Upper Garden which rose to 13 meters was the highest spouting fountain in Europe. The fountains run from April to October.

Garden statues are yet another integral and distinctive part of the Het Loo garden. These statues, from Greek mythology, of Greek gods and goddesses play an important role in the growth and flourishing of the garden. They are fully devoted to reveling in the achievement of creating such a spectacular view in what was actually an arid heathland. Venus, the goddess of love, has the central role as a driving force behind the statue phenomenon.

Het Loo is a garden for all seasons. Some of the plants in the garden change every year, in the summer and spring, with a purpose to attain the most accurate possible reconstruction of the original garden. One pleasing delight to the eye is the splendid color of the flowers in the spring and summer and often in the autumn as well. In the winter, the snow contrasting with the decorative patterns of the box-lined parterres has a marvelous effect.  If you want to have the best view of the garden, you should look at it from the small surrounding banks and, of course, from the palace roof; a view that can only be enjoyed on Wednesdays in June, July, and August.

The Het Loo Palace gardens can be booked as a day tour from Amsterdam, while on a Holland cruise or a Holland and Belgium river cruise a special and unforgettable experience as you breathe in the atmosphere of their seventeenth-century origin with their fountains, statues, and elegantly box-lined parterres!

For more information contact Europeanbarging by email:  jan@europeanbarging.com  or 713-240-6753  / 888-869-7907

 

 

Lisbon

Posted on by

Lisbon – A European River Cruise Destination

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a city of hills with up and down geography that lends a great attraction to it. As Europe’s westernmost capital, Lisbon lies on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. This city is Portugal’s cultural hub with so many attractions associated with it. The city is a wonderful combination of must-see museums, castles and cathedrals. Its charming neighborhoods feature houses decorated with colorful tiled facades, sidewalk cafes along pedestrian thoroughfares and enchantingly original boutiques. The sidewalks are usually paved with black and white volcanic stones in patterns specific to this city.

Lisbon fascinates you with its easy-going charm reflected in its old-fashioned, non- commercial and relaxed atmosphere. One of the oldest cities in the world, Lisbon is rich in Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern and Post-Modern constructions. Lisbon has experienced a renaissance in recent years, with a contemporary culture that is alive and thriving and making its mark in today’s Europe. Lisbon is one of the rare Western European cities that face the ocean and uses water as an element that defines the city.

Many cruise ships dock at several places along the river on the Lisbon side, with variably good access to public transport throughout the city. Many lines offer shuttles to key points nearby. You can get aboard some Europe river cruise such as Porto cruise or Douro River cruise to visit Lisbon. It’s an excellent sightseeing opportunity crossing the river Tagus to Lisbon.

Lisbon is more affordable than many of the other capital cities of Europe when it comes to prices of meals, wine and entrance fees to the main attractions. If you like fish and shellfish, Lisbon is the right city. There are so many pastry shops, usually with lovely storefronts, providing sit-down respite for coffee, tea and something sweet.

With so many attractions held within it, the city is a destination you shouldn’t miss.  Lisbon is also known as the white city due to its unique light. The clear light and the kind climate allow for marvelous walks all over the city. The city possesses a beauty that extends beyond its famous monuments that can be felt in the streets, embraced by all the senses!