Canal barging—Europe’s most relaxing vacation secret
Dear International Living Reader,
From the moment you step onboard a canal boat, you are forced to slow down. There is simply no way to stay wound-up when you spend a week traveling at 5 miles per hour along the canals of Europe. Days are spent dawdling between locks, sampling local food, and wandering to nearby churches and castles.
Barging vacations are gaining popularity as travelers are starting to realize just how cost effective it can be. You can get a boating package in Ireland from just $34 per person per day. Sections of canal systems that had fallen into disuse are now flourishing, as travelers discover hidden treasures that are off the beaten track and often can’t be explored by car.
A two- or three-day trip through the Llangollen Canal will immerse you in the best of rural Wales and its spectacular landscape. Llangollen itself is a fun little town, and the trip includes a breathtaking journey along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct over the valley of the River Dee. You can rent you a four- to six-sleeper boat here from $40 per person per day.
In England, take a trip up to Staffordshire to the Trent and Mersey Canals. Starting from Kings Bromley Wharf, a week could take you to many hidden gems of the English countryside, including Cannock Chase Country Park; Tamworth Castle; the Bosworth Battlefield; and the Ancient High House, England’s tallest wood-framed house dating back to 1595. You can rent a small boat that sleeps four (and at a squeeze, six) available for tours from Kings Bromley Wharf with prices ranging from $920 to $1,800 a week, depending on the season.
On the continent, fresh produce sold by local vendors next to the locks is a real highlight. In Italy, ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella can be bought from the side of your boat as you tour Venice’s canals and lagoon. In France, which is flowing with canal systems, you can pick up a still-warm baguette and local wine as you tour Alsace, Burgundy, Loire, Anjou, Brittany, Burgundy, and the South.
Canal boats generally sleep between four and 12 people, and can be the perfect way to connect with family and friends.
Find out more about Europe’s most relaxing vacation and how you can buy your own barge in Europe from $31,600 in the July issue of International Living Magazine—yours for just $1.
Anna Skellern, for International Living
Editor’s Note All this week, IL’s marketing director, Jackie Flynn, is offering the best deal I’ve seen for the International Living Magazine—you can try a subscription for just one dollar. You’ll never pay a lower amount to read the articles I reserve for magazine subscribers…because when you try the IL Magazine for $1 with this link, not only do you get instant access to the full article on the best places to barge in Europe…and every other July article mentioned below…but you also get instant access to every article in every issue for the past 100 months in the members-only archive.
But remember, Jackie is taking this $1 offer off the table on Friday—you only have five days to try the IL Magazine for a buck.
Dan Prescher, Publisher, International Living Magazine
