Your home away from home in the eternal city of Rome, Italy

The 4-star Atahotel Villa Pamphili, surrounded by one of the most beautiful parks of Rome, is situated in a strategic position close to the Vatican and will be your last home away from home from July 5, 2014 to July 9, 2014.
The hotel has 247 rooms overlooking the swimming pool open in the summer (from June to September) or the gardens, encircled by the green area of the “Valle dei Casali”. 
All rooms have balconies overlooking the park, garden or pool. General room features are magnetic locks, adjustable control air-conditioning, digital safe  and a direct telephone line. The rooms also offer a radio connected to television and satellite TV with premium channels and Pay TV.
It offers six tennis courts, a children's playground, a fitness center with equipment and a new SPA Wellness Center (including: swimming-pool with hydromassage; sauna and biosauna; Turkish bath;  emotional showers; relaxing area and beauty treatments rooms).

Pictures courtesy of http://www.atahotels.it/en/villa-pamphili

                                                                                                                                                                                           

The new H10 Roma Città Hotel for your group's last few nights in Italy from July 5, 2014 to July 9, 2014. This 4-star hotel is located in the Marconi neighborhood just a short distance from the district of Trastevere and features all amenities travelers enjoy including comfy beds, solarium, national and international newspaper, ice machines, laundry service and also a rooftop swimming pool. Another great perk is free WIFI throughout the hotel - and even in high speed so you can upload all your pictures and videos.
The hotel has 181 rooms, which are equipped with flat-screen LCD TV with international channels, smart temperature control, pillow top , MP3 (audio) and PC connection, safe box and professional hair dryer.

Pictures courtesy of http://www.hotelh10romacitta.com/en

Your first homes away from home with the Belcanto tour

From June 30, 2014 to to July 3, 2014 following two hotels will be your first homes away from home in Croydon, UK.

The Hilton Croydon Hotel, a 4-star hotel, was recently updated and is located in Croydon, which belongs to one of the eleven metropolitan centers in Greater London.

The hotel offers a fitness center, equipped with weights and cardiovascular machines, business rooms, as well as a British restaurant "The Larder Restaurant and Bar" and the "Hilton Croydon's Costa Coffee" café. Click here to take a look at the recent hotel restaurant menu. For families with children, it offers a special children's menu.

The guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and offer internet access, a desk with chair, as well as a 32-inch LCD TV with on-demand movies.

Pictures are courtesy of http://www3.hilton.com/

                                                                                                                                                                                           

 The 4-star Croydon Park Hotel is centrally located and only a 7 minute walk away from Croydon town center. The hotel is family friendly and has its own restaurant, called Oscar’s Brasserie, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week.


The hotel has 211 rooms ranging from standard and executive double rooms to junior suites. All rooms include free WIFI, 24 hour room service, flat-screen digital TV, tea/coffee making facilities, hair dryer, iron and ironing board.

Croydon Park Hotel also offers free use of the H2O Leisure center, which boasts an indoor swimming pool, with children’s pool, Jacuzzi, squash court, sauna, and gymnasium.

Pictures are courtesy of http://www.croydonparkhotel.com/

Your home away from home in France

The 4-star Magic Circus Hotel, built in a manor style in the middle of a garden, is located right near Disneyland® Paris in Marne-la-Vallee and you will stay there from July 3, 2014 to July 5, 2014. It offers a fitness area, heated indoor pool, playground in the garden, and American-style air-conditioning among other amenities. The hotel will be able to accommodate all travelers on the main tour in their preferred rooms, so for two nights, everyone will be together here.

The 396 rooms and suites are reminiscent of the atmosphere of a circus. There are double rooms, family rooms and suites available. All rooms offer a view over the garden, the lake or the surrounding landscape and are equipped with high-speed internet access, flat-screen TV, cable TV with free children’s channels, coffee & tea making facilities, in-room safe, bathroom with bathtub, body care products from L’Occitane, hairdryer and beauty mirror and individually controlled air conditioning.

Breakfast and dinner are served in the restaurant l’Etoile. The restaurant serves traditional, seasonal cuisine and selected wines.

Hotel Overview for the Belcanto Companion Tour

The Hilton London Wembley, is just yards from the world-famous Wembley Stadium and the historic Wembley Arena, located in northwest London. The hotel is only 20 minutes from downtown London and the theater district. It provides an indoor heated pool, whirlpool area, sauna and steam room. The rooms offer individually controlled air-conditioning, Hilton alarm clocks, wireless and wired high speed internet access and Satellite TV. The hotel also offers a laptop safe within the rooms. 

A recently transformed hotel the Pullman Paris Montparnasse, will be the home away from home in Paris. The rooms provide flat screen TV and wireless internet. The hotel is located considerably close to the main attractions such as the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and other city highlights. On the first floor located near the gardens, is the hotels own restaurant, called Justine. Also, there is a wine bar and a cafe where you can slip in for a casual meal or quick drink. 

Taking you back to the time of the Renaissance in Italy, this hotel is set inside of two ancient buildings in the center of Florence, which had belonged to noble Florentine Families. The hotel Boscolo Hotel Astoria is arranged by 98 different rooms, that range from a classic setting to more refined and larger rooms considered to be deluxe rooms. Throughout the hotel there are old frescoes on the walls, art and statues. There is a fine dining restaurant and wine bar, as well as on the 6th floor a panoramic view that gives a wonderful and different look at the Duomo of Florence. 

Modern with an elegant twist, Star Hotels Michelangelo is just a short walk to the Vatican in Rome. 179 rooms and suites, many that provide a look at the Vatican itself. Otherwise the hotel provides WIFI throughout the hotel, air conditioning in the rooms, a restaurant and bar, 24 hour room service and a personal safety deposit box in your room. In 2013 the hotel was given a Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor.

In the footsteps of Mozart...

Soon you will embark on a journey that will take you through some of the worlds most beloved and beautiful cities, not only in Europe, but around the world. Three of the four cities you will be seeing have recently been voted part of the Top 25 Cities in the World. Though we were surprised to not see London on there, we can assure you, it's really worth the visit. London is still one of the most popular tourist destinations, that attracts around 30 million visitors from other parts of the globe each year. People travel to see the great monuments, museums and to take in the theatrical performances that are happening in the West End. With a rich history and stories from the past, we know a musician can really be influenced greatly by a city such as this. In 1764 when Amadeus Mozart was just a boy, at the age of 8 years old, he met his new teacher and soon to be friend Johann Sebastian Bach. With Bach's great understandings of Italian Opera (after having lived in Italy for many years), he was known to have introduced Mozart to the world of Opera and symphony. The two performed together in court, before the King and the Queen of England.

During what people refer to as the "Mozart family grand tour", The Mozart's had also made there way to Paris. Though his first time there, he was just 7 years old, Mozart became very fond of the city and had visited and lived in Paris, three separate times over a fifteen year period. He claimed he would someday find "honor, glory and money." Paris famous for being a city of romance, is also one that is becoming well known for it's exceptional restaurants throughout the center. Maybe it's not restaurants you're looking for, but an eclair or macaroons, famous chocolatier Michel Richart has made a list worth looking at: Best Pastry Shops in Paris, by Michel Richart.

On the way to Rome in 1770, Mozart and his father stopped off in Florence. It was a brief visit, seeing few friends they had met in Vienna, before they got back on the road and set off on a five day journey to finally arrive at their destination, Rome. During the first visit there, Mozart was awarded the Order of the Golden Spur by Pope Clement XIV. Father and son visited the Sistine Chapel, hearing a piece called, Miserere that was composed a century earlier by Gregorio Allegri. Here are 7 things you might not have known about the Sistine Chapel that we thought you would enjoy reading about.

May we introduce you to British Cuisine?

Nothing screams more Great Britain than a 5 o'clock tea in London. Enjoy the famous British pastries such as scones with cream and jam or finger sandwiches. From high-class hotels like the Ritz to The Savoy, you will find the top afternoon tea addresses here. 

Since Great Britain is with 395 people per sq km the most crowded country in Europe, followed by Netherlands and Belgium, the British cuisine has multi-cultural influences from all over the world. You will find a lot of so-called hybrid dishes such as chicken tikka masala or goulash on British restaurant menus.

British cuisine has traditionally been limited in its international recognition to famous fish and chips, and the Christmas dinner including the traditional Christmas pudding. Other famous British dishes include Sunday roast, steak and kidney pie, shepherd'spie, and bangers and mash (bangers and mash are potatoes that have been mashed up). British cuisine has many regional varieties within the broader categories of English, Scottish and Welsh cuisine. Each have developed their own regional or local dishes, many of which are geographically indicated foods such as Cornish pasties, Yorkshire pudding, Arbroath Smokie, and Welsh cakes.

Although some traditional dishes remain popular, there has been a significant shift in eating habits in Britain. Rice and pasta have accounted for the decrease in potato consumption and the consumption of meat has also fallen. Roast beef is still the national culinary pride. It is called a "joint," and is served at midday on Sunday with roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, two vegetables, a good strong horseradish, gravy, and mustard.

"And then to breakfast, with what appetite you have." 

William Shakespeare

The great British breakfast is famous (or notorious) throughout the world. The typical English breakfast is a 19th century invention, when the majority of English people adopted the copious meal of porridge, fish, bacon and eggs, toast and marmalade, that has now appeared on English breakfast tables for 100 years.
The annual consumption in the United Kingdom is 450,000 tonnes of bacon, 5,000 tonnes of sausages and millions of eggs. It has retained its popularity as one of the country's favorite meals, and survived a whole series of eating trends and food fads.
 

VIP Shadow Tour release today, November 7

The Belcanto Enchanting Europe Tour 2014 is designed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the travelers and naturally Mr. Koliha, as his big farewell performance tour from Monte Vista High School. 

In addition to the singers, many people have expressed interest in a companion tour, which Incantato's sister company Inside Europe was more than happy to organize. 
This parallel and so-called VIP Shadow tour is designed more with the family and friends in mind that are traveling with the choir but are not necessarily singers. It will include upgraded accommodations such as central 4 superior hotels as well as additional special activities services not otherwise included in the itinerary, such as specialty tastings, more free time to explore, etc. 

This companion tour may be an attractive option for those not wishing to complete the same itinerary as the performing choir, for those who prefer more convenient hotels, or those simply wishing to have additional free time and less scheduled activities. An expert Inside Europe host is with the shadow group 24/7 to coordinate individual activities, make special reservations etc. The companion tour is operated parallel to the performance tour and participants will have the opportunity to be at all performances. Travelers have the possibility to change from the classic tour to the VIP shadow tour. 

For more information, please email us to info@incantatotours.com. Inside Europe's website is www.inside-europe.com

Please also have a look below at the tour brochure:

Incantato Introduces You to London's Churches

London's magnificent churches create the city's unique skyline and tell the story of the capital's history. One of the oldest of these is the cathedral church of St. Saviour and St. Mary Overy, originally founded in 606 AD. It was in this cathedral that John Harvard was baptized in in 1607, which is why there is the Harvard Chapel. On the north bank is where you will find some of the most famous churches, including Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral. However, with such monumental buildings, it is easy to overlook some of the other churches, such as St. Margaret, the church of the House of Commons. It was founded in the 12th century; the current building dates back to 1523 and is particularly noteworthy for the 15th-century stained glass in the east window. Just a footpath away from Westminster Abbey, this is where Winston Churchill was married. 
Westminster Abbey itself is, of course, no to be overlooked either. Steeped in more than a thousand years of history, Benedictine monks first came to the site in the middle of the 10th century and established a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day. Begun in 1245, it is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is also the final resting place of 17 monarchs. 
Equally imposing is St. Paul's Cathedral. The current building is the fifth to stand on the site since 604 and it was built between 1675 and 1710 after the previous building had been destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Throughout its long history, there have been several commemorating events, such as Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celebrated here in 1897. Catherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur were married here in 1501, as well as the famous wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana in 1981. Most recently, Queen Elizabeth II also celebrated her 80th birthday here in 2006 and her own diamond jubilee in 2012. 

An Incantato Favorite: Florence

Located in Tuscany, the city of Florence is one of the greatest artistic capitals in the world. It is a monument to the Renaissance and the artistic and cultural reawakening of the 15th century. 

The city began as a Roman colony in 59 BC and grew to a trading hub and independent city. In time, power passed to leading noble families of the city, the most influential of which were the Medici, a hugely wealthy banking dynasty. Both Florence and Tuscany remained under the family's rule for three centuries until 1737, and the mark they left can be seen throughout the city even today. It was during this time that Florence was at the cultural and intellectual heart of Europe. 

There are so many sights to see in one of Italy's most visited cities, that it is impossible to present them all here. Therefore, just a few highlights are mentioned, and the rest is left to own exploration. 

The historic part of Florence is a compact area, and the river Arno bisects the city. The oldest surviving bridge in the city that crosses the Arno is the Ponte Vecchio, built in 1345. It is almost exclusively jewelers and goldsmiths that offer items for sale in the shops that line the bridge, a tradition that started back in the 16th century. The Ponte Vecchio is also the only bridge in the city that escaped any destruction during World War II. 

Perhaps the most famous of Florence's landmarks and historical buildings is the richly decorated Duomo, the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore with its orange-tiled dome. The city's geographical and historical focus, the Duomo rises above the heart of Florence and to this day remains the city's tallest building. It has become Florence's most famous symbol and the cathedral is Europe's fourth largest church. The dome was finished by Brunelleschi in 1463 and was the largest of its time to be built without scaffolding. 

The Academy of Fine Arts, the Galleria dell'Accademia, was established in 1563. It was the first school in Europe specifically to teach the techniques of drawing, painting, and sculpture. The art collection displayed here today was formed in 1784. Its most famous work is Michelangelo's David, a colossal nude of the biblical hero who killed the giant Goliath. Created in 1504, it established Michelangelo as the foremost sculptor of his time at the age of 29. Another one of Michelangelo's masterpieces found here is the Quattro Prigioni, the Four Prisoners, a sculpture created between 1521 and 1523 and intended to adorn the tomb of Pope Julius II. 

Built from 1560 to 1580 to house offices, the Uffizi are now one of Italy's leading art galleries. Originally, the upper story was used as a gallery to display the Medici art treasures. Today, it houses the world's greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art and a priceless collection of paintings, including the Birth of Venues, painted by Botticelli in 1485. 

Across the river Arno, the vast Pitti Palace is second only to the Uffizi in its art collection. It was constructed in 1457 and in 1550, it became the main residence of the Medici family and subsequently all rulers of the city of Florence lived here. The Palace's richly decorated rooms exhibit countless treasures from the Medici collections and contain galleries with works by great Renaissance artists including Raphael and Titian. 

Incantato Tour Materials

Dear Belcanto Travelers,

Your most important tour information can be found in your tour brochure. In order to sign up for the tour, you must fill out and submit the original registration form to Incantato Tours (you can find our mailing address on your brochure).

If you would like to download any of the tour materials, we have made both of these available to you as PDFs from our Dropbox account:

Please click here for the 2014 Belcanto Enchanting Europe Tour Brochure

Please click here for the 2014 Belcanto Tour Registration Form

Your Incantato Tours Team

Belcanto Enchanting Europe Tour Route

Belcanto Enchanting Europe Tour 2014: Brochure

Vatican City: an Incantato Favorite

Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares, and a population of just over 800.

Vatican City is a city-state that came into existence in 1929. It is distinct from the Holy See, which dates back to early Christianity and is the main Episcopal see of 1.147 billion Latin and Eastern Catholic adherents around the globe.

Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian; official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; the state of Vatican City issues normal passports. In both cases the passports issued are very few.

Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state, ruled by the bishop of Rome - the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergymen of various nationalities. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace. The Popes have resided in the area, that in 1929 became Vatican City, since the return from Avignon in 1377.

Incantato Welcomes You to St. Peter's

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is the symbolic "Mother Church" of the Catholic Church and is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites in the world. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction of the present basilica, over the old Constantine basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626.

St. Peter's is a famous place of pilgrimage, for its liturgical functions and for its historical associations. It is associated with the papacy, with the Counter-reformation and numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo diLodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564), an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. Michelangelo took over a building site at which four piers, enormous beyond any constructed since the days of Ancient Rome, were rising behind the remaining nave of the old basilica. He also inherited the numerous schemes designed and redesigned by some of the greatest architectural and engineering brains of the 16th century.

Incidentally, there are over 100 tombs within St. Peter's Basilica, many located in the Vatican grotto, beneath the Basilica. These include 91 popes, St. Ignatius of Antioch, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II, and the composer GiovanniPierluigi da Palestrina. Exiled Catholic British royalty James Francis EdwardStuart and his two sons, Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart, are buried here, having been granted asylum by Pope Clement XI. The most recent interment was Pope John Paul II, on April 8, 2005.