9.  The food in Italy: It’s not simply pasta and pizza all the time. Travel along the coast and you’ll find plenty of unique and inspired seafood such as ricci di mare or sea urchin. Though it’s not all about pasta and pizza, save a little room, because those are delicious, too!

8.  The Wine of France: When it comes to wine in France, the Localvore movement has been flourishing since the Middle Ages and many French residents take a good deal of pride in their local varietal. Whenever possible, we recommend drinking local. Fortunately, when traveling in France you’re likely to have good luck with the regional vin wherever you happen to be.

7.  The Live Music of Ireland: Sure you should try a Guinness while exploring the Emerald Isle, but try to plan your night on the town so that it coincides with traditional music night. That way you can share a pint and shake a leg with the locals.

6.  The Architecture of the Czech Republic: Both modern and untarnished, historic buildings adorn the streets of Prague and you’ll feel, both, the history and the youth of the city as you tour the Czech Capital. Plus, you’ll never be late because you can hear the bells of the Astronomical Clock throughout the city.

5.  Late Night Snacks in Spain: No need to sacrifice on food quality simply because it’s after 10—That’s just when things start to heat up in Spain. Enjoy a light meal early to tide you over, and when the sun has dipped well below the Mediterranean, let the tapas begin!

4.  The Islands of Croatia: Offering an Eastern European spin on “Island Life”, Croatia boasts some of the most scenic havens on earth. Just ask Condé Nast Traveler magazine, who consistently rates Hvar among the 10 Most Beautiful Islands in the World.

3.  The History of Sicily: Part Greek, part Moorish and wholly Sicilian, this Mediterranean island features fascinating history at every turn. Bring a camera as you ride along its ancient streets and be thankful you’re cycling. It’s much easier to park a bike than it is to park a car on Sicily’s narrow lanes.

2.  The Beers of Belgium: While the French and the Italians have devoted themselves to wine production, brewing has been elevated to an art form in Belgium. When sampling, just keep in mind that beer can be a bit stronger on the other side of the Atlantic.

And the number 1 reason to visit Europe… VBT has 33 Active Vacations there and would love to be your host!

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Pont du Gard

A couple thousand years ago, the Roman Empire was the driving force behind technological innovation and one of their most important claims to fame was the development of the aqueduct. Still, among the sun-drenched, rolling hills of Provence lays a shining example of ancient Roman innovation, and one of our favorite European Monuments, Pont du Gard. It was built in the 1st century and survived the years relatively easily right up to 17th Century when the functioning bridge began to be used as a military passage. Though suitable for hundreds of years’ worth of foot and carriage traffic, apparently the bridge wasn’t quite cut out for the artillery and ammunition of the 1600’s and it quickly fell into disrepair. Luckily, after conflict ceased, Pont du Gard’s Roman roots were enough to draw many admirers, leading the local government to fix things up a bit for the Pont’s pilgrims. Since that time, travelers have continued to flock to the awesome ancient structure and after that one major revamp in the 1800’s, several sporadic restorations have helped Pont du Gard in weathering over two thousand years in the South of France. That certainly gives a little weight to the old adage, “They don’t build ‘em like they used to.” If not for those historic travelers, though, who knows what would have become of the aqueduct?

Cross Pont du Gard when you Travel to Provence with VBT.

Eiffel Tower

For many of us, the Eiffel Tower is the ultimate European monument. Completed in 1889, it has graced Paris’ skyline for well over a century. And today, no vacation in the “City of Light” is complete without a trip to the top to look out on the French capital. However, the Eiffel Tower wasn’t always held in such high esteem. In its early years, many of the city’s residents felt that the modern, lattice tower took away from Paris’ natural beauty. In fact, the French government put serious consideration into removing the Eiffel Tower when its initial lease expired in 1909. Fortunately for all of us, France never went ahead with those plans, but the final decision had little to do with aesthetics. Surprisingly, it was the tower’s integral function in telegraph messaging that ultimately solidified its place in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It seems safe to say, however, that both Parisians and the rest of the world eventually came around to its visual appeal, too.

Visit the Eiffel Tower on one of VBT’s France Vacations.

Château de Chenonceau

Speaking of the importance of travel, the iconic Château de Chenonceau in France’s Loire Valley owes its very survival to it. Originally built in the 11th century, later burnt and rebuilt, the grand chateau certainly has a turbulent past. It’s also seen quite a few owners in the last thousand years. It was passed from King Henry II to his mistress, then from his mistress back to Henry’s wife and eventually taken over by a different line of nobility in the 18th century. Around that time portions of the castle began being sold off, yet commerce came to a halt at the arrival of the French Revolution. Hardly a saving grace for the manor, most prominent symbols of royalty like Château de Chenonceau saw their end during the revolution. This royal residence would have too, had it not been decided by all parties that Chenonceau’s bridge was far too essential for travel to lose. It was spared so that wayfarers could conveniently make their way across the Cher River for years to come. Ironically, today most travelers make their way across that very bridge simply to take in the splendor of Château de Chenonceau itself.

Explore Château de Chenonceau when you bike through the Loire Valley with VBT.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Moving along to Italy, we come upon, perhaps, the most obvious monument that barely made it, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It wasn’t just dumb luck that led this tower to lean, either. In fact, it is thought that “Pisa” actually stems from an ancient Greek word meaning “marshy land”. Given its location between the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it seems logical that the land would be softer and that the large tower would have a hard time remaining upright. Shortly after construction began in the 12th century, the tower began to lean. However, the project continued until complete, and until the tower had succumbed to a full tilt. Extensive restoration efforts over the years have kept it from toppling completely. However, a recent major restoration almost undid hundreds of years’ of work. On one night in September of 1995, the tower’s famed lean grew just about as much as it normally does in the span of a couple years. In fact, back in the mid-nineties, the tower came as close to falling as it ever has throughout its 900-year history. Thanks to prompt action and modern technology the lean was reduced drastically and quickly. Though it was at odds with the initial goal to keep the lean at its original angle, the tower had to lean just a bit less in order to stay safely upright. Despite the historical discrepancy, most travelers agree they’d rather visit The Leaning Tower of Pisa and not the Laying Tower of Pisa.

Travel to the Po River Valley with VBT and lean up against the Tower of Pisa.

Fontana Pretoria

It wasn’t natural disaster or even public opinion that almost prevented our last European monument from lasting. It was simply a case of bad finances. Built in Florence and intended for the garden of Luigi de Toledo, Fontana Pretoria seemed like a sure cinch as far as Renaissance masterpieces were concerned. However, after the sculptures of Fontana Pretoria were completed, the Toledo family flat-out couldn’t afford to pay. But the work was done, and done quite well at that. So the Fontana was put up for auction to pay off the debt and, more importantly, keep the statues from being sold off one by one. Thankfully, the Toledo family found a bidder. The bad news was that it would be leaving mainland Italy, and making its way to Sicily. The Palermo Senate purchased Fontana Pretoria, moved it all the way to Sicily and even commissioned a few locally inspired structures to add to the mix.

Enjoy VBT’s Sicily Vacation and take in the Renaissance Art of Fontana Pretoria.

Make the journey to Europe to stand at the foot of these iconic monuments on one of VBT’s Classic European Vacations.

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New for 2012, our Bicycling Bordeaux & the River Dordogne vacation gives travelers the opportunity to enjoy one of the most notable wine regions in the world. After an exciting, optional Paris extension, travelers will take in lush hillside vistas crowned by elegant chateaux as we cruise by the peaceful Dordogne River below. Our exploration will also include an informative wine tasting and a market visit to help us get a feel for local life here.

Moving east, VBT’s Burgundy: The Wine Route biking vacation begins in Lyon and makes its way along the celebrated, Route des Grand Crus, to Dijon. Along the way we’ll join a local family for a meal in their home, we’ll enjoy medieval remnants speckled throughout the French countryside and, of course, we’ll sample plenty of Burgundy’s delicate namesake. Then, cap off your vacation with an optional two-night stay in Paris.

VBT has captured the subtleties of two distinct regions of France known for their gentle settings and delicious wines. Join us in sampling your way through France on either our Bicycling Bordeaux & the River Dordogne or our Burgundy: The Wine Route vacation. Bon Voyage!

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Gee Gee and Bill have provided us with a very insightful account of their Holland and Belgium Bike & Barge President’s Tour. We hope you enjoy it!

In April we did a wonderful bike and barge trip in Holland and Belgium run by VBT, a bicycle and walking touring company with which we had previously done bike trips in Hawaii (Big Island) and the Loire Valley in France. We did a pre-trip extension of three days in Amsterdam. Checking into the conveniently located Vondel Hotel sometime after noon, we then set out to explore this delightful city, absorbing the atmosphere of the lovely canals. We visited the Rijksmuseum the Van Gogh Museum, and the Amsterdam Historical Museum. We relaxed in Vondel Park and toured through the Anne Frank House.

The beginning of our actual bike and barge trip was a walking tour through parts of Amsterdam conducted by one of our two leaders, Thomas, on the morning of the day we boarded our barge. The tour included a stop at a delightful tulip shop, where we heard an interesting talk on tulips given by the owner of the shop.

In the early afternoon we were welcomed aboard our barge, the Iris, by the crew of four. We discovered as the trip progressed that we could not have asked for a more friendly, helpful, competent crew… who worked very hard to provide us all with a wonderful experience. The owner and the pilot were friends who had designed and retrofitted the barge, their second, to serve in the capacity in which we were using it. The cook was a delight who obviously took great pride in her work and loved preparing meals that were appreciated by all of us. The food was always delicious.

The barge had a storage area for bicycles at the front with an outdoor lounge area also near the front. Inside there was another comfortable lounge area and a beautiful dining area with tables for four on each side and a longer table for eight in the center. The view, sometimes passing and sometimes from our docked positions, could be seen through the many large windows on the sides of the barge.

Our rooms were on the level below, each with a window to access the view outside. Everything on the boat had obviously been very carefully thought out, including good lighting in our rooms, and there was plenty of closet and cabinet storage room for our clothes. Even the attached bathroom had enough shelf and surface areas for toilet articles to be left there. I really loved that barge.

Typically, we would have breakfast on board the barge, which had been docked all night, and then after getting information about the possible routes we would be taking that day (there was usually a short, medium, and sometimes long or extra-long option) and the things to see along the way, we would leave on our bicycles for our next destination, meeting up with the barge which would be docked and waiting for us by the late afternoon. After dinner we would participate in an optional walking tour conducted by one of our two excellent leaders, Dutch natives, of whatever city or town we happened to be in.

Our rides were usually through lovely rural areas, with sheep and lambs close to the bike path or road…. Our first full day of riding ended at Kinderkkijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is a dike with the country’s largest collection (19) of traditional windmills…. In the small town of Tholen… we participated in a special event called the Home Host Program, in which various local people opened their homes to tour participants for an hour or two in the evening. Bill and I and another couple were met at the boat by our host, who gave us a short walking tour of the town and then took us back to his home. We very much enjoyed our time there.

With us for about four days on the tour was the president and owner of VBT, Gregg Marston, who makes it a point to go on a number of VBT trips every year. His daughter Sarah joined us also. Gregg and Sarah participated in our rides each day… and on our farewell dinner on the barge the crew went all out to make it very special.

The tour ended in Bruges, and we enjoyed strolling around this delightful, picturesque city, which includes canals, gardens, and a park with a lake. We visited the church which features Michelangelo’s 1505 sculpture, Madonna and Child. We also visited several museums. It was a wonderful, very educational and absorbing tour, and we were very glad that we had chosen to do it.

If you’ve taken a VBT vacation and you’d like to share a bit about it with us, we’d love to hear from you. You can email us at info@vbt.com and perhaps we can share your story on our blog, too.

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The Czech Republic is a land of complementary contradictions. It is a young country, only 17 years old, and yet it is steeped in history. Its cities feature an array of modern buildings standing among classical structures, and though Czech is a landlocked nation, the prominence of the Vltava River throughout the country will give visitors a sense that wherever you might be, water is rarely far off.

The Czech Republic is technically one of the younger nations in Europe, having been officially established in 1993. However, the Czech or Bohemian state emerged as early as the 9^th century. Sharing borders with Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria, today’s Czech Republic abounds in a variety of historical and cultural influences, especially in its capital, Prague.

A walkable city, Prague boasts some of Europe’s most exciting architecture and is a virtual full-scale, living museum dedicated to the juxtaposition of a variety of architectural styles. Historic structures like the Charles Bridge and Prague castle work to complement very modern buildings like Tancici Dum. One of the most recognizable attractions in Prague, the Astronomical Clock, rests on the Town Hall Tower in the center of the city. The five hundred year old clock is most engaging at the turn of the hour when two doors above the clock open to reveal a brief procession of the 12 Apostles, accompanied by a ringing of bells. Though each hour generally draws an audience, the clock is high enough overhead that any vantage should grant a direct view.

Continuing through the city center, the Charles Bridge is the main thoroughfare leading up to Prague Castle. The bridge offers fantastic photo ops of the city from above the Vltava River. Your best bet is a scenic sunrise or sunset shot, and enjoy breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon beer while the path to the castle gets bit more crowded.

After taking a leisurely trek across the famed Czech bridge, you’ll meander along a cobblestone path to Prague Castle. The 9^th century Castle offers outstanding views of the city, as well as another intriguing display of various types of architecture all in one building. Early visits will also grant a viewing of the changing of the castle’s guard.

Finally, if the bustle of the city has you after a change of pace, seek out one of Prague’s many public gardens. The Golden City features a myriad of relaxing spots to rest and enjoy the scenery. One of the best central escapes is Letná Gardens. Letná offers another tremendous panoramic view of the city, and even has an outdoor beer garden to enjoy in the summer months.

Once you’ve gotten a fair sampling of the Czech capital, continue south along the Vltava River and you’ll eventually come upon the historic city of Český Krumlov. With roots as far back as the 13^th century, Český Krumlov is another architectural treasure and the small city retains an old-world feel through its ornate Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic style buildings. Included in VBT’s Czech Vacation, a guided tour of Krumlov Chateau is a must when visiting the scenic gem of the Southern Czech Republic. The Vltava River also offers a number of exciting and engaging activities like kayaking and canoeing. After seeing the sights of Český Krumlov, be sure to relax and enjoy the bohemian ambiance at one of the city’s inspired restaurants.

The Czech Republic has a number of natural wonders and an abundance of peaceful countryside, all best taken in by bicycle. Join VBT on one of our most popular Bike Tours in Europe: The Czech Republic, Germany & Austria. What’s your favorite spot in the Czech Republic, or where would you most like to visit?

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Yesterday, December 5, was the 220^th anniversary of the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Born on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg Austria, the prolific composer began playing at age three and was writing and performing complete works of music by his fifth year. Influenced by his father, young Mozart spent a good deal of his youth Touring Europe, astonishing audiences with his prodigious talents. Though he spent the latter years of his life in Vienna, it was Salzburg, Austria, that gave one of the greatest composers of classical music his first post as a commissioned musician.

As a court musician in Salzburg, Mozart had the opportunity to explore various musical forms, composing symphonies, serenades and operas. It was also in Salzburg that he developed his only violin concertos, and his first substantial piano concerto, Piano Concerto Number 9 in E flat major. Despite a good deal of success, Mozart eventually left his role in the court to pursue larger and more lucrative positions.

Mozart was, in his early career, an avid traveler. Driven by his pursuit of music, he held brief residences in Milan, Munich, and Paris. Yet, he settled in Vienna in 1781. It was here that he found his greatest patrons, as well as a forum to compose freely. An unprecedented achievement, Mozart eventually composed in every genre of his day and he would ultimately complete over 600 pieces of music. His last great work, The Magic Flute, premiered in Vienna on September 30, 1791, and saw instant success. Though Mozart was quite ill at the time, he lived to see the fruition of his last masterpiece, before finally succumbing to what is believed to have been rheumatic fever on December 5, 1791.

Mozart’s illustrious career began quite early, and he ultimately managed to continue his success throughout his short life, passing at 35 years of age. Celebrate the music and travels of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and walk the very streets that he did on a post-trip extension in Salzburg on our Slovenia, Austria & Italy Bike Tour. Or perhaps enjoy a pre-trip visit to Vienna on VBT’s Czech Republic, Germany & Austria Biking vacation and complement your travels with the rich history of one of the world’s most celebrated composers.

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