Let's have a look at the weather forecast...

Since the Enchanting Europe Tour is going to start this week on Sunday, June 29, 2014, we thought it would be a good idea to have a look at your weather forecast for London, Paris and Rome. It might increase your anticipation and also helps you to figure out what to pack in your suitcase.
In case you have not seen it yet, please have a look at our blog entry regarding what to pack and how to pack for your tour.

LONDON - Weather forecast: UK's capital city welcomes you with plenty of sun, highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s. On Wednesday, July 2, 2014 there is some sun with a few showers possible (only a 30% chance of rain). Temperatures are very nice, highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 50s.

PARIS has steady temperatures in the 70s and welcomes you with lots of sun. And ROME has temperatures in the mid 80s and a mix of sunshine and some light showers.

Incantato Tours will also post pictures, videos and updates during the tour on our Facebook page, so please tell you family members and friends at home to have a look there.

Ciao and welcome to Verona and Romeo and Juliet!

Based in Paris and Venice, Thello operates daily night trains from/ to Paris or Dijon and the major cities of North Italy such as Milano, Brescia, Verona, Vicenza and Padova.
The Belcanto Monte Vista HS travelers will arrive in the early morning at the Verona Porta Nuova Station, in the heart of the city where Rome and Juliet took place. During your night in the train, you crossed the Alps and the Po valley without any stress due to crowded airports and roads.

Take your dinner in the dining car and enjoy a pleasant and warm atmosphere.  The catering teams offer menus which suit every budget and taste. A selection of warm and cold dishes, tasty French and Italian Cuisine and a range of carefully selected wines are available. In the morning of your arrival, after you woke up, you can also buy fresh baked pastries and coffee to start your day.

Picture courtsey of www.thello.com

Have you ever crossed a channel with a train?

Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London (St. Pancras) with Paris (Gare du Nord) and Brussels (Midi/Zuid). All its trains use the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel. The service is operated by eighteen-coach trains which run at up to 186 mph on a network of high-speed lines.

Eurostar has been hailed as having set new standards in international rail travel and has won praise several times over, recognising its high standards. The company won the Train Operator of the Year award in the HSBC Rail Awards and it was declared the Best Train Company in the joint Guardian/Observer Travel Awards.

Food and travel are important to Eurostar therefore every travel class has a special menu included. For the standard class for example, the company teamed up with Waitrose, UK’s favorite supermarket, to bring its travelers a fresh menu of delicious food such as sandwiches, salads, hot dishes and sweet treats.

If you are curious and would like to see a video of the Eurostar. Then have a look below:

Safe travels wishes Incantato Tours!

What to see and do in London in your free time?

Many of you might already have an exact plan of what to do during your leisure time at your 2014 Enchanting Europe Performance Tour with Incantato Tours. You will be able to see many of London's famous sights on your half day sightseeing tour on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 such as the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

The recommendations below are only suggestions and include things you might not think about and therefore we would like to bring it to your attention.

1. City of London Festival 2014
The annual City of London summer festival returns with a host of events in some of the capital's grandest settings. This year's program promises something to please every taste, from acclaimed comedy by the hilarious Richard Herring and Katherine Ryan to classical performances by the sensational London Symphony Orchestra, from jazz by Clare Teal and Julian Joseph to a whole host of free family-friendly outdoor performances which will be taking over the city streets from June 22, 2014 to July 17, 2014.

2. Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships 2014
The world of tennis descends on Wimbledon in South West London every summer for two weeks of tennis, strawberries and cream, and good-natured queuing. Wimbledon is one of four famous annual Grand Slam tennis tournaments held around the world. It's the world's longest-running and most prestigious tennis tournament. Games are still played on the original playing surface, grass, and there's a strict white-only dress code for players.

3. The Bowler Hat
See a series of comedy, theatre and cabaret performances within the quirky Bowler Hat venue in Paternoster Square. This unique venue in the heart of London hosts children's theatre, stand-up comedy, circus and cabaret events over three and a half fun-filled weeks.

4. London Eye
This giant ferris wheel is definitely worth a spin. Once you've boarded your glass-sided capsule (each capsule holds 25 people) it will be a half hour before you get back down. London Eye is a very slow ride but from the top of the 443-foot wheel you will be rewarded with gloriously views over London.

5. London Musicals
Why not enjoying an afternoon or night at one of London's great musicals? You can select between the award-winning adaptation of Disney's The Lion King, Andrew Lloyd Webber's epic musical Phantom of the Opera, the tribute to the music of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 named Thriller etc.

Dining with French politicians at Independence Day only at Chez Françoise

What a wonderful way to celebrate Independence Day. Your dinner on Friday, July 4, 2014 will be at Chez Françoise restaurant in Paris. It is located at Les Invalides in the 7th arrondissement and has been a Paris institution since it was founded right after the World War II.

Air France commissioned an elegant meeting place for its travelers, but with the politicians just across the street in the embassy, Chez Françoise rapidly became the canteen of parliamentarians, as well, and so it remains today.

It is a stylish and fine dining restaurant where the entire staff has a passion for gastronomy and a commitment to excellent service. It is set in the ground floor of the Aérogare des Invalides and boasts bright and relaxed terraces for both winter and summer.

pictures are courtesy of http://chezfrancoise.com

Explore Paris, Dine at La Crémaillère 1900

Located on the Place Du Terte, in the heart of Montmartre, positioned at a small square behind Sacré Cœur is the restaurant La Crémaillère 1900, which literally means "housewarming party". The uplifting charm of the Belle Epoque lives on in this non-touristy cabaret restaurant.

It welcomes it guests decorated in a room dedicated to the 1900, with Alphonse Mucha style paintings of female dancers and 1900 inspired decor. Alternatively it also offers a private courtyard garden, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris, with its cobblestones, chestnut trees and and cast iron Wallace fountain, an iconic symbol of Paris. It specialized on traditional French cuisine and seafood. 

This will be your first dinner in the beautiful city of Paris on Thursday, July 3, 2014.

Have you ever eaten in a botanical garden?

Welcome to your third and last restaurant in UK's capital city London. On Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 6:30 pm you will enjoy your dinner at The Folly restaurant. 

The Folly is a stylish venue offering a variety of food and drink highlighting seasonal produce with a look that’s part industrial and part country living. 

The expansive venue is divided into separate areas including a deli and a flower shop during the day, which explains why you have the feeling of dining in a botanical garden. 

Upstairs, an open kitchen opposite an array of long picnic tables serves sharing platters, gourmet sandwiches, sea- and pub food.

The owners take pride in providing their guests with fresh, seasonal, delicious and beautifully presented meals throughout the day. We hope will you enjoy it!

Pictures are courtesy of www.thefollybar.co.uk

Dining like the knights did in London

This second fun and upgraded Incantato Tours dinner at the Medieval Banquet in London for Belcanto will be together with travelers from the Shadow Tour on Tuesday, July 1, 2014.

The Medieval Banquet is a theatrical dinner experience, situated in the beautiful location of Ivory House in St. Katherine Dock which is named after the hospital sited here 900 years ago. The hospital was dedicated to St. Katharine, a 4th century saint who was martyred by the Roman emperor Maximinus. She was particularly influential in the Middle-ages with her saint day celebrated on 25th November.

The restaurant's setting, decoration and details take you back to the old London where knights still existed and jesters entertained the king and the queen. 

The Medieval Banquet opened its doors 40 years ago, and is one of the most special dining experiences in London.



Pictures are a courtesy of http://www.medievalbanquet.com

Belcanto Welcome Dinner in London

Since the 2014 Enchanting Europe Tour departs next month, Incantato Tours would like to share more news with the Belcanto travelers:

We managed to reserve The Counting House exclusively just for the travelers of the main Belcanto Monte Vista HS Tour for their welcome dinner in London on Monday, June 30, 2014 at 7:15 pm.

The impressive restaurant was built in 1893 as a magnificent banking hall, the aptly named Counting House. With chandeliers and high domed ceiling, plus plenty of the old fixtures and fittings still here, it's a stunning place to stop by for dinner, lunch or just a snack. 

The Counting House is famous for its great pie selection, which comes with a choice of mash or chips, including gravy and vegetables but also offers typical London dishes such as fish and chips. What will be on the menu for Belcanto? Join us for the tour meeting on Thursday, May 22 at MVHS in the choir room and you will hear all the details. 

Pictures are a courtesy of http://the-counting-house.com

2014 Belcanto Flight Schedule

1. Air Canada
Departure for Europe
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Air Canada flight AC758 leaves San Francisco (SFO) for Toronto (YYZ), Canada, at 8:50 am, arrival is at 4:45 pm local time. The group then connects from Toronto (YYZ) at 6:30 pm with Air Canada flight AC856 to London (LHR), England, with an arrival of 6:25 am local time on the next day (Monday, June 30, 2014).

Return to the US
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Air Canada flight AC891 departs Rome (FCO), Italy, at 11:20 am for Toronto (YYZ), Canada, to arrive at 3:00 pm local time. The group then connects from Toronto (YYZ) at 8:20 pm with Air Canada flight AC759 to San Francisco (SFO) with an arrival of 10:54 pm local time on the same day. 


2. United Airlines
Departure for Europe
Sunday, June 29, 2014
United Airlines flight UA930 leaves San Francisco for London (LHR) at 7:40 pm, with an arrival of 2:05 pm local time on Monday, June 30, 2014.

Return to the US
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
United Airlines flight UA041 departs Rome (FCO) at 9:50 am for Newark (EWR), to arrive at 1:45 pm local time. The group then connects from Newark (EWR) at 4:20 pm with United Airlines flight UA1284 to San Francisco (SFO), arrival is at 7:37 pm local time on the same day. 

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.

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

Incantato Welcomes You to Bella Italia

Italy has been, since antiquity, the centre of history, culture and art. The museums, collections and archaeological sites reveal countless tokens of the past and the many civilizations that have passed across this country, evidence of which is still inextricably woven into the present day landscape.

Artistic wonders can be found everywhere, and every corner of the country holds countless and wonderful surprises. The artistic and cultural heritage is one of the most valuable in the world. Italy has more cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country. Rome, Florence, Assisi, Venice, Siena, Pisa, and Naples are its most renowned cities of art, but the whole country can boast towns of breathtaking beauty, as these numbers demonstrate: 95,000 monumental churches, 40,000 forts and castles, 30,000 historical residences with 4,000 gardens, 36,000 archives and libraries, 20,000 historical cities and towns, 5,600 museums and archaeological sites, and 1,500 convents.

Tourists can explore and discover the private residences of ancient and noble families; visit world famous museums such as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Capitoline Museums in Rome, or the Brera Art Gallery in Milan; explore impressive archaeological sites, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, to immerse themselves in an exciting, grandiose past. That is by no means all - there are numerous cultural, artistic, and musical events that animate Italian life.

Italy offers a rich combination of masterpieces from different areas, blending landscape and culture, history and art, architecture and city planning - it offers an exciting journey through time, from the Ancient Greeks and Romans to the present day, which is also filled by a wealth of art and culture.


Information courtesy of http://www.italia.it/

Belcanto finale 2010 European Tour Concert takes place at St. Michael's Church in Budapest on July 4 at 3 pm

On Sunday, July 4, at 3 pm, the singers from Danville, CA, are presenting their last formal concert in the heart of Budapest, at the beautiful baroque church of St. Michael.
Here is a short history of the finale concert venue for the ensemble under the direction of Mr. Bruce Koliha:
The Church of St Michael was built in the 18th century on the spot of a medieval dominican church destroyed during turkish wars. A temporary chapel was standing here between 1700 and 1716, present church was finished only by 1765. Figure of Virgin Mary adorning its frontal facade is considered to be created by Donner. Statues of Saint Dominic and Saint Thomas Aquinas carved by Joseph Hebenstreit also decorate this facade. The church had a vivid history in the XIXth century: although destroyed by fire and floods, it managed to survive and got restored. The latest restoration started in 1999. The single-naved church was decorated with ceiling frescoes and side paintings in the middle of the 18th century. The main altar, inlaid benches, furniture of the sacristy date back to 1760, they are works of Dominican monks. The main altar shows St. Dominic with Virgin Mary handing a rosary to him. Statues of important religious persons in connection with the Dominican order can be found around the painting. On the left: statue of Pope Pius V. and St. Antoninus, Archbishop of Florence. On the right: St. Augustine and Pope Innocent V. The first organ of the church was built in 1801 by organ builder Joseph Herodek which was entirely rebuilt by company Rieger in 1893. It was again renovated in 1951. Baroque statues depicting King David playing the harp and two angels are shown on the top of the organ.

Belcanto arrived safely

The Belcanto singers arrived safely in Warsaw, their tour manager Karolína just reported over the phone. They are on their way to the hotel Novotel Warszawa Centrum and are looking forward to meet the land-only travelers. At 8 pm local time they will enjoy their welcome buffet dinner together. The Incantato Tours Team wishes Belcanto a wonderful first night in Europe!

Belcanto Concert Announcements on the Internet

Dear travelers and friends,
Here are some of the announcements about the Belcanto concert at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche in Berlin on Sunday, June 27, as you can find them on the internet:

-> on www.gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de

-> on www.venyoo.de

-> on www.meinestadt.de

Wishing you safe travels to Central Europe!

Dear Members of the 2010 Belcanto Performance Tour to Central Europe,
We wish you safe travels to several beautiful countries. Incantato Tour Manager Karolína Zadrazilová will be welcoming you on Wednesday, June 23, at Warsaw airport. Enjoy your time in Europe, Your Incantato Tours Team

Weather Forecast for Warsaw

With the Belcanto tour to Central Europe just around the corner, the Incantato Tours team had a look at the weather forecast for the next few days in Warsaw, the first stop on the itinerary. On Wednesday (June 23) the sky is mostly cloudy, but the sun is said to show up every now and then. The temperature is between 50°F (lowest) to 69°F (highest). On Thursday, June 24, it is likely to rain in the morning, but the temperature will still be around 69°F during the day.