The Romantic City of Verona

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Prosper in Italy in Verona

veronaVerona is one of the most prosperous cities in Northern Italy. Though the city is best known for its romantic ties to Romeo and Juliet, the town has the largest collection of Roman remains and artifacts in northern Italy

Walking Around the Romantic City

The town has many Roman ruins as well as medieval buildings. In additional to the association with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, there are many other attractions to seek: the Castelvecchio, Skaliger Palace, Piazza della Erbe and the Arena, a Roman amphitheater from the 1st century AD. The 2000 years old arena offers summer a summer of Opera’s hosting over 20,000 viewers.

In addition to the Arena, the Piazza Bra also includes the Palazzo Municipale (town hall), a Baroque exhibition hall and many cafes and boutiques; From the piazza, there is a pedestrian zone – Via Mazzini that leads to more cafes, boutiques antique shops and art galleries. You can find many of Verona’s citizens strolling along the Piazza and pedestrian area.

Romeo and Juliet in Verona

In “Letters to Juliet”, we saw the legendary house in Verona with Juliet’s balcony, located on Via Cappello, formally a 13-century tavern. Additionally, the town of Verona has designated a house for Romeo on the Via Arche Scaligeri and Juliet’s tomb in the Romanesque church of San Francesco al Corso, near the Piazza Bra.

Italy Po River Cruises

Verona is a port stop on many Italy Po River Cruises. Excursions will feature a walking tour of Verona or sometimes excursions of Verona are offered from other ports – such as Polesella and Venice.

For more information contact: Europeanbarging, 888-869-7907, jan@europeanbarging.com

Explore the Flemish City of Ghent

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The Flemish City of Ghent

The beautiful landscape and culture of Belgium can be best seen by a bike and barge or river cruise vessel. While cruising through Belgium, visitors will have some great experiences learning about the history, art, culture, gastronomy and beauty of the country. Europeanbarging offers a couple of itineraries that feature Ghent as a stop from a cruise vessel. The Arosa ship offers 7 night Holland Belgium cruises through the summer and fall months; Amawaterways offers a 7 night Holland Tulip cruise between March and May,  and there are 24 passenger casual bike and barge vessels that offer cruises throughout the year, which will take travelers through the wonderlands of Belgium for an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Experience The Flemish City of Ghent’s Well Known Art Museum for Knowledge Ghentand Culture

The flemish city of Ghent features in the “Art Cities” itinerary of Johanna. Ghent is predominantly a city of art and culture. Ghent takes pride in being home for 8 museums out of which three are most prominent such as S.M.A.K. (housing contemporary art), the Design Museum and the Museum of Industrial Archaeology and Textiles. Also, there are 2 art halls, 7 art centers, 5 theatres and 5 concert halls, 1 music hall, 1 opera and 22 film screens. Additionally there are dozens of subsidized and recognized organizations located either in one of the above or elsewhere in the city.  Check out our video on Ghent.

The central motto of Ghent is “city of knowledge and culture accessible for everyone.” Ghent has a university and 3 university colleges where over 60.000 students of higher education study, making Ghent the education capital of Flanders.

Explore Famous Art in the Flemish City of Ghent

Ghent is world famous for its art and culture and art lovers cherish it fondly. The impressive medieval Castle of the Counts gives visitors a peek into the splendid past of the castle.  The unique masterpieces of the Flemish Primitives will make visitors spellbound as visitors stand staring at them.

Ghent is a famous flemish city, which people know for its Burgundian nature. There are 426 restaurants and eating-houses and 346 cafés and pubs. So the city of Ghent is a nice place to spend time and have a drink with your friends!

Contact Europeanbarging to find the best cruise for you.   info@europeanbarging.com  or  888-869-7907  Barge and River Cruise specialist since 1998.

Flower-Carpet- At Brussel’s Grand Place

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Flower- CarpetBrussel’s Grand Place and its Flower-Carpet

The Grand-Place known as Grote Market in Dutch is the central square of the City of Brussels. This is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe with its architecture dating back to different eras. The Grand Place is famous throughout the world for its decorative and aesthetic treasures. It is surrounded by the guild houses, the City Hall and the Maison du Roi. The Grand-Place of Brussels was registered on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO in 1998 due to its diverse and wide-ranging architecture and style.

Originally, Grand Place was built as a merchants market in the 13th century where traders and residents sold and bought food. That is why all the streets around the square have been named after foods. Over time, the market shelters have been replaced by grand buildings. The Grand Place serves as the city center where you can best enjoy the Belgian hospitality.

Experience the Beautiful Brussel’s Grand Place

The Grand Place holds several events and concerts throughout the year, but the Flower- carpet is the most celebrated and mesmerizing event among them. The event is organized every two years in the month of August. Thousands of visitors throng to the city of Brussels to have a glimpse of the stunning Flower- carpet, consisting of a million begonias laid out across Grand place.

The origin of Flower -carpet dates back to 1971. That is when the first Flower-Carpet of Brussels was created by landscape architect E. Stautemans. He was inspired by other Flower Carpets created in various Flemish cities. What makes the Brussels Flower-carpet special, is its placement on Grand Place.

Enjoy the Incredible Flower-Carpet While on A Belgium Cruise

The astonishing Flower-carpet takes two years for preparation and is realized in several stages. The Flower-carpet is installed just for one weekend when Grand Place becomes suddenly packed with visitors from all over the world.

The Grand Place and its famed Flower-carpet are something you cannot afford to miss. Get aboard one of our Belgium cruises. Visit the beautiful city of Brussels. Get lost in the architectural marvels of the Grand Place as well as the breathtaking beauty of its Flower-carpet!

The Old Town of Salzburg

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The Old Town of Salzburg is a Sight to See

Salzburg, Austria’s fourth largest city, is famous for being the birthplace of Mozart and the film – Sound of Music as well as the annual Salzburg Festival.

the old town of salzburgFrom the river you have a view of the Hohensalzburg Fortress across the skyline behind the old town. Another spectacular site is the gardens and fountains at Schloss Hellbrunn, once the summer palace of the Archbishops. A visit to the Schloss Mirabell offers a chance to view one of the world’s most beautiful wedding halls – The Marble Hall as well as beautiful gardens.

If you want to explore on your own, there is a great bus system in Salzburg and a 24 hour ticket will run about 5 euro. If you want a little more active touring, then bicycles are available to rent around the city

There is Something for Everyone to do in Salzburg

Salzburg’s “Old Town” (Altstadt) has internationally renowned baroque architecture and one of the best-preserved city centers north of the Alps. In 1997 this old town was added to the list of UNESCO World heritage sites. There is great little shops and small cafes that have a special Austrian flavor. There are many boutiques with really stylish clothing and gifts. You can also enjoy another taste of Sacher Torte at the Sacher Cafe.

The old town is full of cobbled streets and tunnels connecting one street to another. Stores are closed on Sundays.

Christmas Market

At Christmastime there is a big Christmas Market offering a magical feeling. There are lots of stalls, offering local crafted items as well as Christmas decor and such tempting cookies, cakes and mulled wines and apple juice.

Several Danube River cruises offer a full day excursion to Salzburg from Vienna or Linz or Passau. The Danube river is a beauty in itself, cruising towards the next destination is a treat on its own.

For more information contact: Europeanbarging, 888-869-7907, jan@europeanbarging.com

The Charming Towns on a Italian Cruise

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Po RiverCharming Towns on an Italian Cruise

The romantic city of Venice serves as the beginning and ending point for many Italian cruise – be it a luxury barge cruise, a river cruise or a casual bike and barge cruise. Your Italian cruise will take you on an exciting journey through some of the Po River in the heart of Northern Italy, as well as the Venice Lagoon and its islands.

Your Italian cruise will provide you a great opportunity to stop at some wonderful ports and visit the amazing cities, such as Padua, Bologna, Verona and Mantua.

Padua is located centrally in the Veneto region. It is famous for being the place where Galileo and Dante studied. There are many beautiful churches, such as Saint Anthony’s Cathedral, St. George’s Oratory, Scrovegni’s Chapel, and so on.

The city boasts of the first Botanic Garden in the World, operated by the University of Padova and listed as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Site since 1997. Padua has some wonderful museums, such as the Belzoni Museo-Laboratorio di Antichi Strumenti Scientifici and I Musei Civici degli Eremitani.

The picturesque city of Bologna is the seventh most populated city in Italy, located in the heart of a metropolitan area. It is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe. Bologna has thousands of students who enrich the social and cultural life of the city. The city is renowned for its towers and lengthy porticoes and has a well-preserved historical center. It is also a cultural and artistic center with a balanced mix of monuments and architectural examples, such as medieval towers, antique buildings, churches, the layout of its historical center, as well as works of art shaped by a first class architectural and artistic history.

The romantic city of Verona is one of the major tourist destinations in northern Italy. The city has been awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO, because of its urban structure and architecture. The city is famous for its artistic heritage, several annual fairs, shows and operas, such as the lyrical season in the Arena, the ancient amphitheatre built by the Romans.

The beautiful city of Mantua is surrounded on three sides by artificial lakes, created during the 12th century. It takes pride in being one of the main artistic, cultural and particularly musical hubs of northern Italy. Mantua is renowned for its significant role in the history of opera. The city has an amazing array of architectural treasures and artifacts, elegant palaces, and medieval and Renaissance cityscape. The city is the proud home for one of the largest castles in Europe – Palazzo Ducale, the setting for the opera Rigoletto.

Charming City and Italian Cruise

All of the above mentioned Italian cities are so marvelous you must visit them. We can assist with an Italian cruise, as well as pre and post travel arrangements around Italy. Call us for more information! Europeanbarging 888-869-7907