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.
 

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 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.

 

Welcome to Paris with Incantato Tours

Paris is the capital and the largest city in France. Situated on the River Seine in Northern France, Paris boasts a population of more than two million. 

The city has been ranked among the three most influential cities in the world, among the Financial Times’ first three “European cities of the future,” and one of the world’s top ten most livable cities. Paris’ influences in business, culture, politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and art contribute to its status as one of the world’s most global cities. Paris ranks among the projected top ten wealthiest cities of the next ten years.

  

Paris reigns as the sixth largest economy in the world, hosting 38 Fortune Global 500 companies. Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the International Chamber of Commerce.

Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Paris region receives approximately 45 million tourists annually, 27 million of whom are foreign visitors. This can be attributed to the region’s numerous iconic landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, as well as its many world-famous institutions and popular parks. 

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia

Discover London with Incantato Tours

London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest and most populous metropolitan area and the largest urban zone in the European Union.

• A major settlement for two millennia, its history goes back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium.
• London is a leading global city being one of the world's largest financial centres.
• London's influence in politics, finance, education, entertainment, media, fashion, the arts and culture in general contributes to its global position.
• London hosted the 1908,1948 and 2012 Summer Olympics 
• London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church.
• Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.
• London has a diverse range of peoples, cultures and religions, and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries.
• In July 2007 it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the boundaries of Greater London, making it the most populous municipality in the European Union.
• The London Underground network, administered by Transport for London, is the oldest and most extensive underground railway network in the world.

Welcome to Rome with Incantato Tours

• Rome's early history is shrouded in legend. According to Roman tradition, the city was founded by the twin Romulus and Remus on April 21st, 753 BC.
  
• Due to its centrality on many levels, the city has been nicknamed "Caput Mundi" (Latin for "Capital of the World") and "The Eternal City".
  
• Its rich artistic heritage and vast amount of ancient, notably architectural and archaeological sites, contribute to the city's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
   
• Rome is the third most visited tourist destination in the European Union.
  
• The city is also an important worldwide hub of the cinematic and filming industry, home to the important and large Cinecitta Studios, which saw the filming of several internationally acclaimed movies, as well as television programs.
  
• The Rome metropolitan area is the world's 35th richest city be purchasing power.
  
• Rome is an important center for music, and it has an intense musical scene, including several prestigious music conservatories and theaters. It hosts the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (founded in 1585), for which new concert halls have been built in the new Parco della Musica, one of the largest musical venues in the world.
  
• A Jewish influence in the Italian dishes can be seen, as Jews have lived in Rome since the 1st Century BC. Examples of these include "Saltimbocca alla Romana," a veal cutlet, Roman-style, topped with raw ham and sage and simmered with white wine and butter, as well as "Carciofi alla giudia" - artichokes fried in olive oil, typical of Roman Jewish cooking.

Welcome to Budapest!

Budapest is the last stop on the Incantato Tours itinerary for Belcanto in 2010. Here are some interesting facts about the vibrating city:

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation center and is considered an important hub in Central Europe. In 2009, Budapest had 1,712,210 inhabitants, down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The Budapest Commuter Area (or Greater Budapest) is home to 3,271,110 people. The city covers an area of 525 square kilometres (202.7 sq mi) within the city limits.
Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with a unification on 17 November 1873 of right (west)-bank Buda and Óbuda with left (east)-bank Pest.
Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement, was the direct ancestor of Budapest, becoming the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Magyars arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241-42. The re-established town became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture in the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a global city after the 1873 unification. It also became the second capital of Austria-Hungary, a great power that dissolved in 1918. Budapest was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Soviet Republic of 1919, Operation Panzerfaust in 1944, the Battle of Budapest of 1945, and the Revolution of 1956.
Regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, its extensive World Heritage Site includes the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue, Heroes' Square and the Millennium Underground Railway, the second oldest in the world. Other highlights include a total of 80 geothermal springs, the world's largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building. The collections of the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are also significant. The city attracts over 20 million visitors a year.

Daytrip to Vienna

Belcanto visits Vienna on Friday, July 2, during the Performance Tour 2010. Incantato Tours discovered some interesting facts about the Austrian city:

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area, more than 25% of Austria's population), and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union. Vienna is host to many major international organizations such as the United Nations and OPEC. Vienna lies in the east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Founded around 500 BC, Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2005 an Economist Intelligence Unit study of 127 world cities ranked it first equal with Vancouver for the quality of life. This assessment was mirrored by the Mercer Survey in 2009.
Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna, including theater, opera, classical music and fine arts. The Burgtheater is considered one of the best theaters in the German-speaking world alongside its branch, the Akademietheater. The Volkstheater Wien and the Theater in der Josefstadt also enjoy good reputations. There is also a multitude of smaller theaters, in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of performing arts, such as modern, experimental plays or cabaret.
Vienna is also home to a number of opera houses, including the Theater an der Wien, the Staatsoper and the Volksoper, the latter being devoted to the typical Viennese operetta. Classical concerts are performed at well known venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Wiener Konzerthaus. Many concert venues offer concerts aimed at tourists, featuring popular highlights of Viennese music (particularly the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss).
In recent years, the Theater an der Wien has become widely known for hosting premieres of musicals, although it has recently devoted itself to the opera again. The most successful musical by far was "Elisabeth", which was later translated into several other languages and performed all over the world. The Haus der Musik ("house of music") opened in 2000.

Thursday, July 1: Belcanto explores Český Krumlov

On the way from Prague (Czech Republic) to Göttweig (Austria), the travelers visit beautiful Český Krumlov, today, July 1. Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle. Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. To learn more about the city, please click here.

Belcanto arrives in Prague on Tuesday, June 29

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. For many decades during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, the city proper is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually.
Prague is traditionally one of the cultural centres of Europe, hosting many cultural events. There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. Prague hosts Music Festivals including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Prague Autumn International Music Festival and the Prague International Organ Festival. Film festivals include the Febiofest, the One World and Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Prague also hosts the Prague Writers' Festival, the Summer Shakespeare Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, the World Roma Festival as well as hundreds of Vernissages and fashion shows.

Belcanto explores Chlumec u Ústí nad Labem on Monday, June 28 - Overnight stay in host homes

Chlumec is a village and municipality in Ústí nad Labem District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. The municipality covers an area of 12.87 square kilometres (4.97 sq mi), and has a population of 4,402. Chlumec lies approximately 9 kilometres (6 mi) north-west of Ústí nad Labem and 76 km (47 mi) north-west of Prague. Ústí nad Labem is the 9th-most populous city in the country. Ústí is situated in a mountainous district at the confluence of the Bílina and the Elbe (Labe) Rivers, and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction. It is the birthplace of the painter Anton Raphael Mengs.
Ústí nad Labem was mentioned as a trading centre as early as 993. The city was founded by King Otakar II of Bohemia in the latter part of the 13th century. In 1423 it was pledged by Emperor Sigismund to Elector Frederick I of Meißen, who occupied it with a Saxon garrison. In 1426 it was besieged by the Hussites, who on June 16, 1426, though only 25,000 strong, defeated with great slaughter a German army of 70,000 which had been sent to its relief; the town was stormed and sacked the next day. After lying waste for three years, it was rebuilt in 1429. It suffered much during the Thirty Years' War and Seven Years' War. Not far from Ústí is the village of Chlumec, where, on August 29-August 30, 1813, a battle took place between the French Empire under Vandamme and an allied army of Austrians, Prussians, and Russians. The French were defeated and Vandamme surrendered with his army of 10,000 men. During the 19th century the city became heavily industrialized and due to the large-scale immigration the number of inhabitants grew from 2,000 to over 40,000 making Ústí one of the biggest cities in Bohemia. Mining, chemical industry and river transport were its most important assets. The local river port became the busiest one in the whole Austro-Hungarian Empire surpassing the seaport in Trieste. Nowadays it is the industrial city with chemical establishments, metallurgy manufacture, machinetool industries, textiles and nutriment industry. Ústí was a center of early German National Socialism. On November 15, 1903, the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei in Österreich ("German Workers' Party in Austria") was formed; it would become the basis for the Sudeten German National Socialist Party and Austrian National Socialism. Much of their literature and books were printed in Ústí. From April 17 to April 19, 1945 the city was bombed by the Allied Forces and over 500 people lost their lives. On July 31, 1945, the Ústí Massacre against German civilians occurred. In 1945 and 1946, over 53,000 ethnic Germans were expelled from the area. Emigrants from the Soviet Union, Slovakia, and Romania settled in the city, among them many Roma and Sinti. During the 1970s-1980s large numbers of paneláks were constructed in Ústí. After the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the city's heavy industry suffered economic troubles. The Střekov castle is located in a southern suburb of the city. Ústí is a center for tourism owing to the romantic landscape of the Bohemian Highlands (České středohoří) and the České Švýcarsko national park.
The picture shows Ústí nad Labem.

Welcome to Berlin!

• Berlin is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the European Union.
• The name Berlin is of unknown origin, but may be related to the Old Polabian, an West Slavic language. The word "berl" means "swamp".
• The famous Brandenburg Gate is an iconic landmark of Berlin and Germany. It also appears on German euro coins.
• In 1963 at the "Rathaus Schöneberg" (city hall of Schöneberg), former president of the US, John F. Kennedy, made his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner!" speech ("I am a citizen of Berlin").
• Berlin maintains official partnerships with 17 cities. Town twinning between Berlin and other cities began with Los Angeles in 1967.
• Young Germans and international artists continue to settle in the city, and Berlin has established itself as a center of youth and popular culture in Europe. Signs of this expanding role was the 2003 announcement that the annual "Popkomm", Europe's largest music industry convention, would move to Berlin after 15 years in Cologne.
• There are seven symphony orchestras in Berlin - The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world.
  
• Berlin is an important center in the European and German film industry. It is home to more than one thousand film and television production companies, 270 movie theaters, and around 300 national and international co-productions are filmed in the region every year.
• Berlin's Botanical Garden includes the Botanic Museum Berlin. With an area of 43 hectares (110 acres) and around 22,000 different plant species it is one of the largest and most diverse gardens in the world.
• Typical Berliner dishes include a "Currywurst" (spiced sausage) which was invented in Berlin in 1949.
• Berlin has established a high profile reputation as a host city of international sporting events. Berlin hosted the 1936 Olympics and was the host city for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final (Soccer).

What's going on in the Czech Republic?

If you would like to know what is going on in the Czech Republic, then take a look at the website CzechTourism. There you can find news about festivals, gallery openings, new exhibitions and many more. For example the Bohemia Jazz Fest, which is an open-air festival taking place in mid July on beautiful medieval squares in seven cities throughout the Czech Republic, featuring top jazz artists from around the world such as Stanley Clarke Quartet, Yellow Jackets, Roy Hargrove Quintet and many others. All concerts are free of charge, more info: www.bohemiajazzfest.cz. And then there is the new Krehky Gallery, which just opened in Prague. The Krehky Gallery will showcase the "Krehky Limited Edition" consisting of contemporary Czech glass and porcelain sculptures by Czech artists. More info: www.krehky.cz.

Springtime in Vienna

Dear travelers of Belcanto,
Long-awaited springtime has finally arrived in Europe. On this occasion the Tourist Board of the Austrian capital, Vienna, launched a new campaign for outdoor & indoor activities in the beautiful city. As you are going to visit Vienna on your Incantato Performance Tour, check out the official website www.wien.info to learn more about what the city has to offer - like Summer Night's Concerts, new exhibitions and the Wiener Festwochen (drama & musical theater). Enjoy!

City Facts about Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly 360 kilometers (224 mi) from the Baltic Sea and 300 kilometers (186 mi) from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of June 2009 was estimated at 1,711,466. Warsaw is known as the "phoenix city", as it received extensive damage during World War II, and rebuilt with the effort of Polish citizens. Warsaw has given its name to the Warsaw Confederation, Warsaw Pact, the Duchy of Warsaw, Warsaw Convention, Treaty of Warsaw and the Warsaw Uprising.
Thanks to numerous musical venues, including the Teatr Wielki, the Polish National Opera, the Chamber Opera, the National Philharmonic Hall and the National Theatre, as well as the Roma and Buffo music theatres and the Congress Hall in the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw hosts many events and festivals. Among the events worth particular attention are: the International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition, the International Contemporary Music Festival Warsaw Autumn, the Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, the International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition, the Mozart Festival, and the Festival of Old Music.

A great way to get to know Budapest: Virtual 3-D Tour

Check out this special link that takes you on a interactive video tour of Budapest.
You can even check out St. Michael Church, the venue for Belcanto's finale tour concert.

Destination Warsaw

Destination Berlin