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Sailing through the heart of Europe

2020-07-31T18:34:16.131Z


By canoe or by boat, river cruise or excursion with a sailboat ... Six great rivers, 30,000 kilometers of navigable channels and countless lakes allow you to discover, from a different perspective, a continent of green shores, castles, forests and villages fairy tale


  • 1Canal du Midi (France) It is an impressive engineering work and, at the same time, an ideal refuge for those who want to escape the daily bustle. The Canal Du Midi winds through more than 240 kilometers through the south of France and connects the Mediterranean with the Atlantic. Sailing through it is an experience not to be forgotten: parsimoniously passing through the vineyards of the Languedoc region, imposing fortresses like that of Carcassonne or cities like Toulouse, in the shadow of the riverside forests that flank the canal. If, in addition, on a warm afternoon a good French red sparkles in the glass, what more could you ask for. Tuul & Bruno Morandi Getty Images

  • 2 Duero River (Spain and Portugal) Along its 897 kilometers, the third longest river in the Iberian peninsula has become, over time, the master builder of a varied, sometimes imposing, river channel with numerous gorges on whose terraces great wines are grown. The Duero traces its course first through the north of Spain; then it progresses through steep rocky outcrops, olive groves, cork oaks and gentle hills. Finally, before flowing into the Atlantic, the already Portuguese Douro crosses the beautiful and ancient city of Porto (pictured). Pablo Charlon Getty Images

  • 3Göta Channel (Sweden) A wonder that nobody knows? Not quite. In fact, the range of recreational activities on this channel in southern Sweden is fantastic. The Göta Canal, classified as “Swedish public works of the millennium”, connects, with its 190 kilometers, 58 locks and 50 bridges, the Baltic Sea with lakes Vättern and Vänern, two of the largest in Sweden. The cruise on one of the old ships that offer cruises is pleasant and comfortable, and you can also put yourself at the helm on a rented sailboat. And on the banks, incredible nature and beautiful towns. Johner Images Getty Images

  • 4River Elbe (Germany) Farmhouses and three romantic palaces pass by the shore, while in the background you can hear the airy sounds of a dixie band playing live. Beneath the deck, the old 1841 steam engine rumbles. With its nine vintage ships, Dresden's venerable river fleet is the largest and oldest of wheel vapors in the world. It does not matter if one is interested in the naval technology of past times or simply wants to enjoy the impressive scenery from the water: a journey through the Elbe in an ancient steamer will not be forgotten as well. alxpin Getty Images

  • 5Lake in southern Finland Finland is the country of a thousand lakes, but that is saying little: there are tens of thousands. Only the lake region in the south of the country is a dream for sailing fans. Whether on the old steamboat leaving Kuopio or Savonlinna (pictured), or by force of arms and paddles in a canoe, this great blue world in which dense white clouds are reflected, surrounded by the intense green of the forests , is a summer dream that, once the day is over, continues in a rustic cabin overlooking the waters of a lake. Andrea Innocenti Getty Images

  • 6Silk Lake (Switzerland) 100 years ago, the Italian Luigi Giani left to seek his fortune as a fisherman in the alpine lake of Sils, at an altitude of 1,800 meters, but he soon realized that he earned more by transporting tourists across the lake between the towns of Sils Maria and Maloja, one of the highest boat routes in Europe, for a dreamy alpine scenery. At the helm a Giani continues to sit: Franco, Luigi's grandson. Francesco Bergamaschi Getty Images

  • 7Neva River (Russia) The waters of this navigable river in northern Russia (74 kilometers long and 600 meters wide) glide from Lake Ladoga to the Gulf of the Baltic Sea, crossing in its path Saint Petersburg, one of the cities most beautiful in Europe. Numerous canals connect the Neva to other rivers, so the Russian city (pictured) is the ideal place to embark on a long cruise that reaches the Volga. Jon Hicks Getty Images

  • 8Oxford Canal (England, UK) The picturesque Oxford Canal winds its 120 kilometers and 46 locks through the green English countryside. In the past, sailing on it was not a pleasure, as it was mainly used to transport coal and supplies in barges dragged by draft animals or even people. Today it is much more comfortable: on one of the most beautiful waterways in England, one can embark on Narrow Boats, narrow shallow boats. Behind its meanders, typical English towns like Thrupp, Cropredy or Aynho await, with old pubs where you can cool off with a pint of beer. Apexphotos Getty Images

  • 9Venice Lagoon (Italy) To discover an unusual Venice with few tourists, all you have to do is approach the Fondamenta Nuova jetty and get on one of the 'vaporetti' that head towards the islands in the north of the lagoon. After stopping at the colorful Murano and especially Burano (pictured), famous for its crystals and lace, the ship will bow to the melancholic and unreal Torcello: a marsh, four houses and a Byzantine basilica - the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta , of the eleventh century - that reigns in the solitude of the swamp. You can also visit the island of Lido, home to the famous Mostra, the Venice film festival. miner Getty Images

  • 10River Shannon (Ireland) In the deep green meadows cows and sheep graze in their air, giving an apathetic look to the boats that pass by them. A journey of several days on this Irish river is, above all, varied: after hours traversing some beautiful uninhabited places, a small village suddenly offers the opportunity to pause or visit a medieval church. In the past, it was mainly the Guinness brewery that used the river and the many channels that flow from it to distribute its barrels. Today, the placid Shannon has become a paradise for avid people of rest and for nature lovers. Andrea Pistolesi Getty Images

  • 11Danube Knee (Hungary) The Danube bend or knee is a sinuous curve that marks the river right on the border between Hungary and Slovakia, forming sharp meanders and sharply turning south, about 30 kilometers north of Budapest. It is an easily navigable section on whose banks fortresses like that of Mount Visegrád and cities as beautiful as Esztergom stand. OTTO Werner Getty Images

  • 12 Ijssel Lake (Netherlands) Almost 30 kilometers long is the dike that the Dutch built in 1932, stealing Lake Ijssel from the North Sea. This large surface of water, the largest in the country, is today a mecca for lovers of sailing sports, since, due to the flatness of the surrounding terrain, strong winds almost always blow here. Picturesque ports are distributed along its banks where one can peacefully conclude the day after an intense journey. Whoever does not have the title of yacht skipper can put their luck in the hands of an experienced captain and reserve a place in one of the tourist sailboats that sail through its waters. Sjo Getty Images

  • 13 Vltava River (Czech Republic) The Vltava, the largest river in the Czech Republic, runs 430 kilometers until it flows alongside Mělník on the Elbe. It is born at 1,200 meters of altitude, in the wild Bohemian jungle, and crosses the Šumava National Park, passing through charming little towns and cities as beautiful as Prague. Artur Debat Getty Images

  • 14 Lake Müritz (Germany) Müritz comes from a Slavic word meaning little sea. This lake is framed in the incredible virgin nature of the Mecklenburg lake plain and can be explored in the occasional line boats, as a passenger of the only Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania steamer or as a skipper of your own boat. Absolute relaxation among vast forests, swamps and meadows. Westend61 Getty Images

  • 15Channels of Birmingham (England, UK) In the cradle of the Industrial Revolution you can rent a boat to navigate the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. It barely reaches 29 kilometers, but it has 38 locks, and in Fazeley it connects with the Coventry channel, so that the journey extends to 180 kilometers. The skipper is not an overwhelming charge here: it is a matter of going quietly through meadows and fields, through small towns or through the lively Birmingham (in the photo). The pubs are so close there, you could almost order a beer from the boat. mhforephotography Gettyh Images

  • 16 Loire River (France) Let go, relax and relax: this is the credo of river navigation. 'Et voilà': the Nivernés and Loire region would be said to be made for that, since the waters of the Nivernés canal, the Yonne river and the lateral canal of the Loire flow peacefully here. All you have to do is let the wind take care of you over hundreds of kilometers of canals, and castles, vineyards and ancient towns follow one another. And it also fits the bike, for small trips by land. Andrea Pistolesi Getty Images

  • 17Danube Delta (Romania) After a journey of no less than 2,860 kilometers in which the Danube crosses ten countries, at its mouth in the Black Sea still another spectacle awaits: the delta, one of the largest wetlands in Europe, declared world heritage and biosphere reserve. Islands, lakes, riverside forests and dunes offer a protected environment for thousands of animal and plant species. There are three main arms in which the Danube advances towards the Black Sea, but there is also a whole maze of channels that allow you to explore it by boat from the Romanian city of Passau. Paul Biris Getty Images

  • 18Attersee (Austria) In the area near the shore, the clear water glows in a turquoise reminiscent of the Caribbean, while from Lake Attersee a fantastic view of the majestic Austrian Alps opens up. Line ships stop, on their journey, at all points of interest; whoever wants to get off and stays as long as they consider. Only it's often not easy to decide where. And it is that, around this lake, in the middle of the kindly waving Salzkammergut, there are many castles, hamlets and picturesque places. Westend61 Getty Images

  • 19Hurtigruten Line (Norway) Strips of wild coast, steep fjords and, in the distance, snowy peaks. In summer, the midnight sun floods the landscape with a mystical light, and in winter, the northern lights display their multicolored veil in the sky. It does not take a believer to be petrified with reverential fear at the spectacle of the Norwegian west coast from a ship on the Hurtigruten line, the Coast Express, the regular maritime line that since 1893 links the cities of southern Norway with the ports isolated from the Barents Sea. The boats leave Bergen to dock, six days and 36 stops later, after circling the Scandinavian peninsula in Kirkenes, next to the Russian border, where they begin their return. This 2,700 kilometer sea route is one of the most beautiful boat trips possible, and the Norwegians proudly refer to it as their Royal Street. Dieter Meyr Getty Images

  • 20Caledonian Canal (Scotland, United Kingdom) This 100 kilometer canal connects the town of Fort William, in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain, with the northernmost in Inverness, next to the Moray estuary. Strictly speaking, it only takes two and a half days to cross it by boat. Now, why rush if this waterway allows you to calmly enjoy the incomparable nature of the Highlands. Crossing large lakes like the Ness, you feel like you are in the ocean itself, especially if you are kayaking. Fortunately, the towns on the shore are full of pubs and bars where you can regain strength. John Finney Getty Images

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2020-07-31

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