European Waterways, Europe’s largest luxury hotel barge cruising company, welcomes the Spring 2015 season with great savings on a variety of cruises that take guests through some of the most historic and culturally rich regions in Europe.
Passengers have the opportunity to stroll through the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland, one of the largest and most enchanting floral gardens in the world. They can also savour fine wines in Burgundy, tour the medieval town and castle of Nérac in Gascony, and sample the famous Lucques olives – all while enjoying savings of up to 20% off per cabin or 10% off a whole boat charter. From March through May 2015, these specials are available on a number of the hotel barges in European Waterways’ extensive fleet.
“Springtime in Europe is magical. The landscape is colourful and picturesque, like it jumped straight out of a Monet painting,” said Derek Banks, managing director of European Waterways. “Cruising the canals and waterways at this time of the year, you immediately understand why Europe in the Spring is so much about celebrating art, literature and culture.”
In the Spring, the 12-passenger hotel barge Panache leisurely cruises Holland’s waterways, past iconic windmills and storybook towns. Passengers will appreciate the nation’s natural beauty, as well as its cultural and artistic treasures. They’ll tour 13th century towns such as Haarlem, where Handel and Mozart played the church organ; and Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt. Guests will also visit the world-famous Royal Delft pottery. An on board master chef will introduce them to the traditional cuisine and gastronomic delights of Holland.
This Spring, in addition to the 10% savings on Panache’s whole boat charters and 10% off per cabin on select cruises in March and April, single supplements are also being waived for passengers travelling alone on Panache’s April 5th departure.
Burgundy is not just a pretty colour. It is a fine wine and a famed region in the heart of France.
The panoramic views on L’Impressionniste make for a unique experience for passengers. Each day, guests have the option to follow the barge, on foot or on a bicycle, along the canal towpath, as well as explore the quaint villages nearby. Then they can accompany their guide to sample a variety of fine Burgundy wines from the cellars of the Domaine Chateau André Ziltener. On another day, they can enjoy a tour of Dijon to see the indoor food markets with their amazing local produce and the famous mustard shops.
In April and May, guests can enjoy up to 20% off per cabin and 10% off whole-boat charters on select departures aboard L’Impressionniste.
Enchanté, an eight-passenger hotel barge that cruises the Canal du Midi, is contemporary and bright in its décor and boasts four very spacious cabin suites. Guests can enjoy the hotel barge’s luxurious hot tub on the sun deck, and absorb the incredible panoramic views of the distant Pyrenées mountains. During the six-day cruise, they can tour the medieval city of Carcassonne and visit an olive oil press to taste the famous Lucques olives, considered among the best in the world. They can also enjoy lunch in beautiful Lagrasse, a small village that is well known for its potters and artists and its 8th century abbey.
From March through May, Enchanté offers up to 20% off per cabin and 10% off whole boat charters on select departures.
Aboard the Rosa, guests will travel through an area of southwest France known as Gascony. An old Dutch “Clipper” barge, the Rosa has been fully restored and refitted to accommodate a more modern taste and level of comfort. It is stocked with enough bicycles for every guest to claim their own and explore the area at their leisure. Among the guided tours, the cruise itinerary includes a winery tour and tasting at the renowned Château Bellevue la Fôret. Other activities include a tour of the medieval town and castle of Nérac, a crossing of a spectacular 1,000 foot long aqueduct and an exclusive tasting at a producer of one of the region’s products, Armagnac.
Throughout March, April and May, Rosa is offering up to 20% per cabin and 10% off whole boat charters on select departures.
For more information on pricing, cruises and schedules on these barges and more, please visit www.gobarging.com or call 1800 828 050.
SOURCE European Waterways