Top Events in the Black Forest in 2013

Posted on by

The Black Forest, quite famous for its beautiful cuckoo clocks, is a wooded mountain range located in the southwest corner of Germany in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the border triangle between Germany, France and Switzerland, it extends along the Rhine River for about 100 miles. The Black Forest (in German language “Schwarzwald”) is one of the most popular tourist places in Germany and has much more to offer besides cuckoo clocks. Apart from its beautiful lakes and attractive sites, the Black Forest is well known throughout the rest of the country for its variety of cultural events and festivals.

A Year of Festivals In The Black Forest

The whole year, the Black Forest is busy celebrating festivals. There is a lot of variety ranging from culinary festivals, to flower festivals and wine and mill festivals. During summer season, Black Forest residents celebrate culinary festivals such as the “Oberkircher Erdbeerfest” (Strawberry Festival) on June 25-26 and the “Kaiserstühler Kirschenfest” (Cherry Festival) in Königsschaffhausen from May 24-27. Enzklösterle, a village in the northern part of the Black Forest, is famous for its wild blueberries – also known as “blue gold”. Here, the locals celebrate a traditional “Blueberry Festival” on the July 20-21. The “Bühler Zwetschgenfest” (Plum Festival) celebrated in Bühl from September 6-9, is also dedicated to the sweet, blue regional fruit.

From October 10th to November 11th, the city of Lahr turns into a marvelous colorful sea of flowers composed of glowing chrysanthemums on the occasion of the “Chrysanthema” festival.

Black Forest Wine Festivals

The Black Forest region is famous for its wines and the best Baden wines come from the western edge of the Black Forest. It is wonderful to visit one of the many “Winzerhocks” (wine-grower’s festivals) and wine festivals. There are many wine festivals but the most important among these are the “Freiburger Weinfest” (Wine Festival) from the July 4-9, the “Markgräfler Weinfest” (Wine Festival) in Staufen from August 2-5, the “Breisgauer Weinfest” (Wine Festival) in Emmendingen from the August 16-19, the “Weinfest Kaiserstuhl-Tuniberg” (Wine Festival) in Breisach from the August 30th to September 2nd and the “Ortenauer Weinfest” in Offenburg on September 28-29. At the north-eastern edge of the Black Forest, Pforzheim is going to celebrate its traditional wine festival “Oechslefest” from August 23rd to September 8th with wines from Baden and Württemberg.

Yet another festival to be celebrated in the Black Forest on May 20th is The “Deutsche Mühlentag” (German Mills‘ Day). This is a traditional event and theme day dedicated to the mills and milling industry in Germany. In the northern part of the Black Forest, a particularly large number of these picturesque structures form an integral part of the landscape. So, a highly traditional milling festival is celebrated at and around the “Mühlendorf Ottenhöfen”.

The “Heimattage Baden-Württemberg” is one of the most important festivals over the course of the year. Every year, a special emphasis is placed on a different region. Here you can get a detailed knowledge of the customs and culture of the model region in south-western Germany. In 2013, this festival will be organized by the “Neckar-Erlebnis-Tal” (Neckar Event Valley), which is located at the north-eastern edge of the Black Forest. The traditional “Baden-Württemberg-Day”, scheduled on 5th May 4-5, as well as the “Landesfesttage” (Federal State Festival) scheduled on September 6-8 are other highlights in 2013.

Our many Rhine River Cruise as well as Neckar River Cruise itineraries offer excursions into Germany’s Black Forest. So book your holiday on one of these and visit this wonderful place and its unique festivals!

Chateau de Chantilly Castle Near Paris

Posted on by

Chateau de Chantilly Castle is one of the most popular French monuments. This beautiful Castle is a prominent part of one of the largest forests near Paris. The estate spreads over 7,800 hectares and the castle has a park which is around 155 hectares in size. Since the Middle Ages from the late 1300’s to virtually the end of the 1800’s, the Chateau de Chantilly Castle and the whole estate has been owned, built up and modified by different owners. This French chateau was never sold as it was always in a process of being passed on by inheritance to generation after generation belonging to the same family.

Chantilly Castle Opens To The Public

However, when the Chantilly Castle and the estate came to Duc d’Aumale by inheritance, he had no one to pass it on as his sons were no more and so the place went to Institut de France. Now Chateau Chantilly, the Conde Museum that it houses, along with the Grandes Ecuries, which is home to the La Musée Vivant du Cheval and the Parks and Gardens are a place everyone can visit and enjoy.

Besides the interesting history associated with Chantilly Castle, the place is also renowned for housing one of the finest museums of historical paintings in France and is second only to The Louvre in Paris. Actually, it is the only museum in France not including The Louvre that has 3 Raphael paintings. The castle displays around 1,000 paintings, 2,500 drawings and 2,500 engravings. Also the Chateau Chantilly and the Conde Museum have a library full of rare books and precious manuscripts. There are around 30,000 books and about 1,500 manuscripts in this library.

The Glorious French Garden at Chantilly Castle

The French garden is spectacular with its magnificent fountains and ponds. It was designed by Andre Le Notre, who also designed the gardens at the Chateau de Versailles and is pleasant to walk around and admire! The Chateau’s chapel is dedicated to Saint Louis, where a prominent statue stands that dominates the exterior façade and was constructed in 1882 around the same spot where the old chapel stood before the French Revolution.

The Chateau de Chantilly is a captivating place but often overlooked in favour of places like the Chateau de Versailles. However, you can really enjoy a lot with family at Chateau de Chantilly and you can also book parties here. With so many treasures hidden inside it, the Condé Museum of the Chateau de Chantilly is a prestigious place to entertain and gala dinners can be held for up to 350 people. The Chateau de Chantilly also has a very large park including the French-style garden with fountains and ponds as mentioned above.

With so many attractions associated with it, Chateau de Chantilly is an inviting and mesmerizing place which you can’t miss visiting. Get aboard our France Cruise and visit the very picturesque Chateau de Chantilly Castle for a wonderful experience!

AMA Wine Cruises – The Rhine River Valley

Posted on by

The Rhine River Valley, also known as “the heartland of the Holy Roman Empire”, is an extremely beautiful region and has been a great attraction for wine lovers since long ago. For centuries the region, has inspired poets and great thinkers such as Lord Byron and Goethe who immortalized it in their works. The Rhine River Valley has also inspired several myths and legends. The origin of the beautiful Rhine lies in the Alps whereon it winds its way north through Switzerland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The Rhine River Valley is renowned for fairytale castles and has the distinction of having more castles than in any other river valley in the world.

Begin Your Journey Through The Rhine River Valley

Our Rhine River Valley Cruise is the perfect choice for you to explore the enchanting Rhine wine region while enjoying the comforts of a deluxe river cruise vessel! Your wine cruise starts in vivacious Amsterdam where you enjoy the city’s legendary canals. Cologne is your next destination where you will see one of Europe’s most spectacular cathedrals and sample the city’s famous Kölsch beer. Your cruise takes you further to Koblenz where you can take a walking tour of a 2,000 year-old wine town situated at the conflux of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers.

Your tryst with German wines continues as you further cruise through the Rhine River Valley to the captivating town of Rudesheim where you learn about Rhine wines at a Berg Rottland wine tasting. Then from Speyer, you can take an excursion to the historic university town of Heidelberg and continue to Alsace’s capital of Strasbourg, where you’ll learn about the region’s famous Alsatian wines. From Breisach, another excursion is offered along the Alsatian wine route which takes you to Colmar and the fascinating wine village of Riquewihr.

Basel is your final destination on the cruise, located on the borders of Switzerland, France and Germany.  From Basel, you transfer to Lucerne and then to Zurich where you’ll fall in love with Switzerland’s beautiful and mesmerizing scenery and Alpine view.

Departures on the Rhine River Cruise for 2013 are scheduled on November 15th and 22nd. Prices start from $2,399 per person.

Your Hosts In The Rhine River Valley

Your hosts for these special Rhine River Valley themed cruises are:

  • November 15th: Culture and Wine Legacy of the Rhine with Holly Howell, who is a columnist for the Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester, New York and a well-respected authority on the wines of the Finger Lakes region, particularly Rieslings. She also teaches food and wine classes and makes her own wine
  • November 22nd: Culture and Wine Legacy of the Rhine with Mark Johnson of Chateau Chantal Winery in Michigan. Trained at the Geisenheim Research Institute in Germany, Johnson has been the winemaker at Chateau Chantal since it opened in 1986.

These wine cruises through the Rhine River Valley are great for small wine groups or organizations. As these cruises do book up quickly, please call to book your cruise today!

The Danube Music Festival August 16 – 23, 2013

Posted on by

The Danube Music Festival is an annual, open-air, free music festival happening on Vienna, Austria’s Donauinsel Islands. This is an awesome affair where there is a plenty of entertainment, enjoyment, knowledge, food and craft. The festival offers a variety of music ranging from pop to rock and jazz and hip hop and there are many local bands playing alongside world-famous international acts. The famous groups such as The Backstreet Boys and Simple Minds have been amongst past headline acts here.

A Variety Of Both Music And Food Awaits At The Danube Music Festival

The food offered at the Danube Music Festival is as varied as the music. The food kiosks are scattered all around the festival site and they offer Austrian, Greek, Italian, Indian, Thai and Turkish foods. The ubiquitous burger bars are always there but vegetarians are also always taken care of and are well catered to. There are also a number of useful Information kiosks in addition to stalls selling souvenirs and craft objects.

The Donauinsel Islands were actually man-made between 1972 and 1988 with the foremost purpose of improving Vienna’s anti-flooding measures. The whole area, however, has transformed into a recreational wonderland. Throughout the year, the Donauinsel is a green haven for the people of Vienna, with its bars, restaurants, and skating tracks and there is even a water ski lift.

There is an amazing beach revered by the locals named CopaKagrana. Kagrana is actually the name of the district of Vienna in which it is to be found. For nature lovers, there is a section where nude sunbathing is permissible. However, at the end of the third week in June each year, it is covered by the festival, which becomes just one huge, three-day, party.

Given the crowds of people flocking to Vienna for the Danube Music Festival, it is imperative for visitors to reserve accommodations well in advance, as hotels around the city get booked up quickly. If you’re interested in camping near the festival site, please note that only official camping is permitted and there are three camp-sites at Vienna West, South and Neue Donau.

It is easy to travel to the Danube Music Festival on the underground system; just head for the Donauinsel station. The full information about events is usually available on the official Danube River Festival website beginning around the middle of May. Book your holiday on our Danube River Cruise and be a part of the amazing Danube Music Festival!