2024 Curated Highlights | January 2024

ACE CULTURAL TRAVEL

2024 CURATED HIGHLIGHTS

Travel for the

Culturally Curious

Welcome Welcome to the first ACE Cultural Tours publication of 2024. We’re looking forward to an exciting year of cultural experiences across the globe, and have curated a range of trips to destinations that we hope will inspire travellers to explore the richness and beauty of the world’s cultural tapestry. This brochure features a selection of varied tours demonstrating the diversity of options for ACE travellers as they venture forth to investigate heritage both closer to home and further afield.

In both spring and autumn we are pleased to be returning to the Douro River Valley for our privately chartered cruise aboard the Spirit of Chartwell, formerly the Royal Barge. This delightful small vessel will be our home as Tour Director and port expert Martin Symington guides us along the beautiful and meandering river. In October, the Iberian Peninsula will once again be the topic of intrigue as historian Steve Mastin leads Moorish Spain: Córdoba & Granada, an exploration of the legacy of the Moors who crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and swept through Hispania giving rise to the great civilisation of Islamic Spain.

2024 is a year full of notable anniversaries, especially in music. The Worcester Three Choirs Festival will honour the 150th year of Gustav Holst and mark 100 years since the death of Charles Villiers Stanford; across two tours taking in the entirety of the festival, we will experiences works by both composers.

In beautiful Derbyshire, Donald Maxwell will lead our International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour to celebrate the landmark birthday edition of this much-loved event. In art history, 2024 marks 250 years since the birth of German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich. Tom Abbott will lead a special anniversary tour across Germany from Greifswald to Dresden tracing the artist’s life and visiting special commemorative exhibitions along the way.

Alongside Caspar David Friedrich at 250: The Age of Romanticism we are excited to highlight another new art history tour for 2024. Those travelling with art historian Alex Koller on Vienna 1900 will observe the shifting attitudes to art, design and urbanism at the turn of the 20th century in the ‘Imperial Capital’ whilst experiencing some hidden gems including Wittgenstein’s house.

Above: Detail from the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb altarpiece Cover: Pergola with Oranges by Thomas Fearnley, 1829-1839

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Many of our departures are currently on sale, while for others we invite you to register your interest to receive more details as the programmes are finalised early in 2024.

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CONTENTS

Tours LATE AVAILABILITY Imogen Cooper & Friends at Crathorne Hall Art Treasures of Dresden: Porcelain & Paintings Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura Music & Opera in Dresden Art in Berlin Sardinia: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi Bavarian Baroque Arles: From the Romans to Van Gogh Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans

3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7

CULTURAL CRUISES Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge

8–9

CULTURAL TOURS Romney Marsh Churches Great Art Collections of Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Ancient & Medieval Cyprus Lucca Villas & Gardens in Lazio The Burren & Inishmore Dutch Masters: Rembrandt & his Legacy Isles of Scilly

10–11 12–13 14–15 16 17 18 19 20

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Houses & Gardens of Northern Ireland 21 Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives 22 Dresden Music Festival 23 Jewels of the Loire: Chateaux & Gardens 24–25 Art on the Côte d’Azur 26–27 Citadels of Transylvania 28 Bach Festival in Leipzig 29 The Shetland Islands 30 Islay, Jura & Colonsay 31 Hungary: Kingdom of the Magyars 32–33 Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels 34–35 Verona Opera Festival 36 Dingle & the Ring of Kerry 37 Churches of Suffolk 38 Medieval Burgundy 39 Buxton International Festival 40 Art & Landscape in Switzerland 41 Swedish Palaces & Castles 42–43 Houses & Gardens of Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders 44–45 The Hanseatic League: An Artistic Legacy 46–47 International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour 48 Worcester Three Choirs Festival 49 Constable & Gainsborough in Suffolk 50 Art & Ceramics of the Industrial Revolution 51 Northumbria in the First Millennium 52–53 Art & Ceramics in Copenhagen & North Zealand 54 Lucca Puccini Festival 55 Scottish Art & Craft in Edinburgh & Dundee 56–57 Caspar David Friedrich at 250: The Age of Romanticism 58 Early Christian & Medieval Rome 59 Turin: Art & Architecture of the Kingdom of Savoy 60 Verdi Festival in Parma 61 Wildlife of Albania 62–63 Palladio & the Villas of the Veneto 64 Connoisseur’s Cambridge 65 Eastern Slovakia: Artistic Treasures at the Foot of the High Tatra Mountains 66–67 The Riviera di Levante 68 Moorish Spain: Córdoba & Granada 69 Roussillon 70 Oxford College Chapels & Organs 71 Bruges 72–73 From Bologna to Parma: A Feast for the Soul & Senses 74–75 Vienna 1900 76–77

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L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Late Availability Limited spaces remain on a number of ACE tours taking place early this year, from Germany’s artistic heritage in Berlin and Bavaria, to the colourful flora and fauna of Crete and Spain’s Extremadura region.

Please see the ACE Cultural Tours website or contact the office for full details of each tour, including the itinerary and information regarding fitness and practicalities.

Wildlife and Walking in Extremadura

L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Imogen Cooper & Friends at Crathorne Hall March 4–7, 2024 with Russell Keable

Stay at Crathorne Hall, one of the UK’s largest Edwardian country houses Visit local historical landmarks and admire the countryside that inspired Delius and Vaughan Williams

“Imogen is one of the greatest musicians England has produced” – Sir Simon Rattle In partnership with the Imogen Cooper Music Trust, we are delighted to invite you to a celebration of the very best music-making in the elegant surroundings of Crathorne Hall Hotel, built between 1904 and 1906 with entertaining in mind.

The musical programme has been devised

by Imogen Cooper, who will herself

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as a soloist at the Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw and the Purcell Room.

Dame Imogen Cooper

© SIM CANETTY

Enjoy an exclusive, private concert series featuring internationally famous pianist Dame Imogen Cooper and two of the most outstanding alumni of the Imogen Cooper Music Trust

perform a signature concert. She will also introduce two outstanding alumni of the Imogen Cooper Music Trust, which was founded to support young musicians at the beginning of their professional careers.

Our musical programme will commence with a concert by the talented young Lithuanian pianist Kasparas Mikužis with works including Haydn, Chopin and Schubert. Our second concert will be performed by Imogen with arrangements of Bach by both Kempff and Busoni complemented by Schubert’s Impromptus Nos 1 & 2 and climaxing in Beethoven’s Sonata in A flat major, Op 110.

Our tour also includes a rare opportunity to experience a high-level masterclass with Imogen Cooper and Kasparas Mikužis, who himself has already performed

We also look forward to a recital by the exciting Canadian pianist Élisabeth Pion, who will introduce us to the compositions of Hélène de Montgeroult (1764-1836) together with Schubert’s Impromptus Nos 3 & 4 and Sonata in C minor, D 958.

We will stay throughout at the four-star Crathorne Hall Hotel, located on the edge of the North York Moors.

Cost of £1495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a deluxe twin or double bedded room, performances as described, three breakfasts, two lunches with water & coffee, three dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £275, superior double room for single use supplement £375, double feature room supplement £75 per person, junior suite (double occupancy) supplement £200 per person, master suite (double occupancy) supplement £300 per person. Please note that the final group size will be limited to 50 participants to preserve an intimate atmosphere for this exclusive series of concerts.

TOUR CODE: ICMT24

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L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Art Treasures of Dresden: Porcelain & Paintings March 18–23, 2024 with Lars Tharp

Enjoy an excursion to Meissen and go behind the scenes at the celebrated porcelain factory Explore the outstanding collections of the refurbished Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden’s Royal Palace, the former seat of the Saxon government, hosts the fabulous Green Vault treasure chamber, while the gilded and mirrored Baroque chambers of the Historic Green Vault reveal items collected by Augustus the Strong.

The Zwinger is a vast complex of formal gardens, ornate fountains and grand pavilions. The Porcelain Room, flooded with natural light, displays the Dresden porcelain collection, also

process. We also hope to include a visit to Charlottenburg Old Palace with its Porcelain Cabinet.

The Dragon Vases in the Porcelain Museum at the Dresden Zwinger JORGE ROYAN / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

Visit the city described as the ‘jewel box’ of Germany, home to magnificent collections of porcelain

assembled by Augustus the Strong. We will visit the refurbished Old Masters Picture Gallery, with works by Raphael, Botticelli, Velázquez, Dürer, Vermeer and Rembrandt.

Meissen, Saxony’s oldest town, was once home to the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, who discovered the formula for creating white porcelain in 1708.

We will tour the Gothic cathedral and visit the celebrated porcelain factory for a demonstration of the manufacturing

An additional highlight of our tour will be an evening spent at Dresden’s historic Semperoper, for a performance of Mozart’s much-loved final opera, The Magic Flute.

This tour will be based at the Hyperion Dresden am Schloss, a stylish hotel conveniently located in Dresden’s old town.

Cost of £2695 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performance ticket, five breakfasts, two lunches (one light), four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £295.

TOUR CODE: ATDR24

L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura March 20–27, 2024 with Kevin Hand Explore the rolling plains of Extremadura with its cork and holm oak dehesas in one of the most untouched areas of Spain

Native Iberian Pigs take shelter below cork oaks

Our tour will also unravel Extremadura’s fascinating regional history, where Romans, Goths, Moors and conquistadors have all left their mark.

Stay in the Parque Natural de Monfragüe and in historic Cáceres Wander through Los Barruecos, extraordinary giant boulders home to nesting storks With its wild mountain ranges and limitless rolling plains, Extremadura boasts an enticing variety of landscapes. In the springtime the region’s cork and holm oak dehesas are abundantly carpeted with rock roses and cistus, while the grasslands boast mile after mile of catchfly and marigold.

Exploring the Via del Plata, an ancient pilgrimage route running from southern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, we will 4

Falcón Rock, accompanied by black storks and rock buntings.

seek bee-eaters, hoopoes, orioles, booted eagles and red-rumped swallows, all the while surrounded by a wealth of wild flowers and majestic oaks.

When summer guests such as the lesser kestrel and pallid swift arrive, and winter visitors begin their migration north, the Parque Natural de Monfragüe can justifiably lay claim to be the finest raptor-watching site in Europe. Colonies of up to 200 vultures – griffon, black and Egyptian – make their home at Peña

We will spend our first three nights in Cáceres at the four-star Hotel NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo, followed by four nights at the fourstar Hospederia Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, in the heart of the Monfragüe National Park.

Cost of £2495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, five lunches (some packed), six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £325.

TOUR CODE: EXTR24

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L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Music & Opera in Dresden Enjoy outstanding concerts by the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Dresden Philharmonic Attend productions of Mozart’s enchanting opera The Magic Flute and Richard Strauss’s Elektra at the world famous Semper Opera House Visit the city described as the ‘jewel box’ of Germany, discovering a wealth of cultural riches Dresden has a long and distinguished musical heritage and has been the home of many famous composers. Our tour to the city begins with a production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, followed by an evening of chamber music, including Richard Strauss’s Cello Sonata in F major Op 6, one of the composer’s most loved works. Dresden held a special place for

Kettle drums in the Semper Opera House

JORGE ROYAN / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

April 2–8, 2024 with Paul Jackson

Strauss, with nine of his fifteen operas premiered in the city.

includes Schubert’s Symphony No 3 and Richard Strauss’s orchestral suite Le bourgeois gentilhomme.

Complementing the musical performances, we will enjoy visits to Dresden’s Historic Green Vault and the refurbished Old Masters Picture Gallery, and an excursion to Leipzig, home of J S Bach.

Our base will be the stylish Hyperion Dresden am Schloss, conveniently located in the heart of Dresden in the city’s old town.

We also look forward to a performance of Richard Strauss’s epic tone poem, Don Quixote, in a concert paired with Max Reger’s most popular piece, the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart.

Cost of £3395 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, six breakfasts, one lunch, six dinners (three cold plates with a glass of wine) with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £395.

TOUR CODE: MODR24

Our tour culminates with a concert at the Kulturpalast featuring the Dresden Philharmonic conducted by Kent Nagano. María Dueñas Fernández is the soloist in Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G minor, in a programme that also L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Art in Berlin April 8–14, 2024 with Tom Abbott

Enjoy an extended visit exploring the collections of the Gemäldegalerie Visit the royal hunting lodge in the Grunewald – Berlin’s oldest existing palace building

Berlin is rightly famed for the wealth of its art collections. These range from the Alte Nationalgalerie’s memorable array of 19th century German painting and sculpture, to the Gemäldegalerie’s absorbing assembly of 13th to 18th century paintings.

The Bode Museum, the ‘moated castle’ on the River Spree, proudly accommodates the world’s largest collection of ancient sculpture, with

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The Garden Bench by Max Liebermann, 1916

exhibits dating from the early Middle Ages to the late 18th century.

Commissioned in 1542 and idyllically situated on the banks of Lake Grunewald, the Jagdschloss was remodelled in a Baroque style in the 18th century and today houses paintings by Lucas Cranach.

The Boros Foundation holds a private collection of contemporary art in a converted bunker in Berlin. Meanwhile,

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

Discover Berlin’s rich art collections and historical architecture

‘Berlin’s newest landmark’, the Humboldt Forum, is located in the reconstructed Berlin Palace and hosts a collection of non-European art.

We will also explore the city’s architectural and historical highlights before our tour concludes with visits to the Schloss Charlottenburg, a magnificent Baroque palace, and the nearby Käthe Kollwitz Museum.

This tour will be based at the three-star Hotel Albrechtshof in Berlin, within walking distance of Museum Island.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, two lunches (one light), four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £395.

TOUR CODE: ABLN24

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L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Sardinia: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi April 9–16, 2024 with Mark Welch & Harriet Allen Discover Sardinia’s wonderful flora and fauna in a variety of habitats including coastal lagoons, cork oak woodland and karstic mountain landscapes

including the Bronze Age circular stone towers – Nuraghi – that are dotted across the landscape. We will also discover the substantial Punic and Roman ruins at Tharros, and the UNESCO-protected complex at Su Nuraxi di Barumini, an unparalleled survival from the ancient world.

The lagoons at Mari e Pauli and Sale Porcus offer opportunities to see uncommon water birds Examine the island’s Bronze Age civilisation through its characteristic circular towers – Nuraghi Based in the lakeside town of Cabras, where local fishermen still set out to sea in traditional reed boats, and Cala Gonone, bordering one of the most scenic stretches of the Mediterranean, this tour takes in Sardinia’s coastal waters and rugged interior on an exploration of its natural history and archaeology.

Flamingoes in the Lagoon of San Teodoro

At the lagoons of Marina di Torre Grande, we are likely to see flamingos, stilts and ospreys. On the high basalt plateau of Gesturi we will meander through forests of cork oaks looking for Mediterranean spring flowers and survey the bountiful streams and pools for migrant birds. We also hope to find a variety of orchids, explore the island’s fascinating insect life and enjoy encounters with its wild ponies.

This tour also touches on the island’s fascinating archaeological remains,

In Cabras we will stay at the three-star Villa Canu, a small and simple family-run hotel, and in Cala Gonone at the four-star Hotel Costa Dorada.

Cost of £2495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £175.

TOUR CODE: SARD24

L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Bavarian Baroque April 16–23, 2024 with Alex Koller Explore the vast collection of Baroque art and architecture to be found in the historical Bavarian lands Visit churches, monasteries and palaces, including Schloss Nymphenburg and Ettal Abbey Take in spectacular scenery as we journey through Alpine territories, past Bavarian lakes and across the Danube Valley

The influence of Italian architects and designers was felt in Bavaria as reconstruction began after the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). In the 18th century, this initial activity turned into what is known as the famous ‘Bauwurm’, the building frenzy that created one of Europe’s great artistic legacies.

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Theatinerkirche as we explore the Baroque churches to be found in Munich.

Further highlights include Schloss Schleissheim, situated in a grand Baroque park and home to works by Flemish Baroque painters including Rubens and Van Dyck.

The former monastery church of St Johann Baptis

Highlights of our tour will include the former monastery church of St Johann Baptist at Steingaden; the Wieskirche, a major example of 18th century German architecture; and Ettal Abbey, which underwent a spectacular rebuilding in the Baroque style to the designs of SwissItalian architect Enrico Zuccalli.

Zuccalli was also involved in an 18th century extension to Schloss Nymphenburg, originally built to the designs of Italian architect Agostino Barelli. We will also see Barelli’s

We will also have time to absorb the picturesque traditional architecture of the UNESCO-listed town of Regensburg.

We will stay at comfortable hotels of four-star standard in Ettal, Munich and Regensburg.

Cost of £3495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £385.

TOUR CODE: BVBA24

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L AT E AVA I L A B I L I T Y

Arles: From the Romans to Van Gogh April 22–28, 2024 with Juliet Heslewood Become immersed in the varied history of the atmospheric city of Arles and its surrounding area

JORGE ROYAN / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

Discover one of the greatest Roman achievements in the world, the Pont du Gard Learn about the life and works of Van Gogh with a visit to St Paul de Mausole Our tour explores the history of Arles, from its Roman origins to its connections with Van Gogh. Favourite of Constantine, Arles contained all that was essential for Roman life: a grid plan of streets gave access to a theatre, amphitheatre, circus and baths.

By the Middle Ages, Arles was one of the major stops for Christian pilgrims travelling to Compostela in northern Spain. The carving on the façade and in

an evocative architectural site revealing a Roman settlement.

The view over Arles

the cloisters of St Trophime reveals the brilliant workmanship of Romanesque sculptors.

Later, Van Gogh stayed in Arles, having departed from Paris to seek a quieter life, and with the intention of founding a colony of artists in the south. We will visit the asylum where he created some of his finest paintings. Nearby lies Glanum,

We also look forward to a visit to the recently renovated Museon Arlaten, whose collections illuminate many aspects of Provençal life and culture.

Our tour will also include opportunities to explore the city at leisure, sampling its cuisine and visiting its celebrated Provençal market.

We will stay at the three-star Hotel Le Calendal in the heart of Arles.

Cost of £2495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £345.

TOUR CODE: ARLE24

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Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans April 30 – May 7, 2024 with Kevin Hand Absorb captivating views across the Cretan landscape from the beautiful Lassithi Plateau, where raptors glide in the valley below

Wildflowers in Crete

Explore the Minoan palace at Knossos in addition to the remains at Gournia and Malia Look out for waders, migrant pipits and larks in the coastal town of Elounda Cost of £2395 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room (Omalos) & double room for single use (Agios Nikolaos) supplement £195, double room for single use (throughout) supplement £215.

TOUR CODE: CRET24

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Its mountains and gorges alive with wildlife, Crete is one of the most exceptional botanical areas in the Mediterranean, boasting a superb flora containing at least 160 endemic species, including ebony, rock lettuce and birthwort. Myriad orchids grace archaeological sites, and fields sparkle with wild gladioli and irises.

Crete is also well known for its fauna, from the kri-kri – the wild ancestor of the domestic goat – to the rare bearded vulture that haunts the island’s mountain

passes. At the head of the Samaria Gorge, where centuries-old cypresses stand sentinel, we will seek out mountain plants such as aubretia and yellow Starof-Bethlehem.

We will also visit the famous Minoan site of Knossos and the smaller remains at Gournia and Malia. The majestic Selinari Gorge offers opportunities to visit an old chapel and newly founded monastery.

Our tour to Crete coincides with Orthodox Easter, and we will take in local events and celebrations during our stay.

Our first five nights are spent at the Miramare Resort & Spa, a small hotel close to the sea near Agios Nikolaos. In Omalos we stay at the Neos Omalos, a mountain resort hotel, for two nights.

This hotel offers a simpler, more basic standard of accommodation, however the surroundings and welcome make for a special atmosphere.

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C U LT U R A L C R U I S E S

Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge

©DOURO AZUL

May 24–31, 2024 | September 6–13, 2024

The Spirirt of Chartwell in the Douro Valley

Take in the vineyards and historical towns of Portugal’s northern valleys Learn about the history of port, Oporto and the Douro Valley Beginning our tour with an exploration of the old town of Oporto, we cast off for our voyage eastwards. Along the way, we will explore one of Europe’s most handsome Renaissance cities, Salamanca, and pay a visit to the 18th century Mateus Palace.

Our tour will also embrace some lesser-known delights, including the picturesque town of Pinhão, strikingly situated at the confluence of the Douro and Pinhão Rivers, and the medieval hilltop town of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo.

Continuing into Spain, we will explore Salamanca, famous for its honeycoloured buildings, ancient university, 18th century Plaza Mayor, and twin 8

Our Tour Director, Martin Symington, BA, is a travel journalist who contributes to The Times and Wanderlust, and is the author of Dorling Kindersley’s guidebook to Portugal.

Martin was born and raised in the region, and is a port expert. cathedrals, perched high above the River Tormes. The city has passed through the conquering hands of Carthaginians, Romans and Moors, a fact that is evident from its mix of architecture.

During an excursion to the pilgrimage town of Lamego, where Baroque mansions and churches grace the skyline, we will enter one of the country’s most majestic shrines – Our Lady of Cures – acclaimed for its monumental Baroque staircase.

Upon our return to Oporto, we will visit the historic Factory House of the British Association, and tour Graham’s Port Lodge – owned by the Symington Family Estates – to discover and taste some of their fine vintage.

We also hope to enjoy some traditional music during the tour, as well as opportunities to learn about local cuisine during an on-board culinary demonstration.

©DOURO AZUL

Sail aboard the Spirit of Chartwell, formerly the Royal Barge, as it cruises along the ‘River of Gold’

The Royal Suite

The Spirit of Chartwell Used by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, the Spirit of Chartwell is the flagship vessel on the River Douro. This royal river barge, now based in Portugal, offers a spacious and sumptuous design with the finest interior furnishings.

The vessel is fully equipped with a restaurant, piano bar, observation deck and 14 comfortable outside-facing cabins, each with private facilities.

Professional and highly attentive crew members provide unequalled service during this calm passage through the Douro River Valley.

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C U LT U R A L C R U I S E S The River Douro and traditional boats in Porto

“It was an outstanding trip – the programme was very well constructed and carried out, the Tour Director [was] excellent… The Spirit of Chartwell was very comfortable… and we were very well looked after by the crew” – ACE customer on a previous Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and mobility, and participants must meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. The sundeck, plus all of the cabins on the boat (aside from the Royal Suite) are accessed by a narrow flight of stairs, and the visit to the Castelo Rodrigo involves walking across steep, cobbled ground, so participants must be prepared for some uneven terrain and possess a good level of stamina, although it is possible to opt out of some visits. Please note that this cruise visits some locations that are remote.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Owing to the special nature of the visits to the Factory House and Graham’s Port Lodge, these will be confirmed nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1200 on TAP Portugal, arriving Porto 1425. Walking tour of Oporto. Embark Spirit of Chartwell for seven nights. Overnight Oporto.

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Tour Director Martin Symington writes: “We’ll be starting in the city of Oporto which is where I was born and grew up. We’ve got some treats such as the Mateus Palace; we go to the port shipping town of Pinhão right in the heart of the port growing area, and after that the scenery just becomes more and more dramatic as we sail up through the port growing area where the vineyards close ever more around this river. On our way up to the Spanish frontier we then spend a day going to the astonishing city of Salamanca.”

Day 2 Cruise up the river through the Douro Valley to Entre-os-Rios. Continue to Régua for the Douro Museum and overnight stay. Evening lecture: Douro River & the Region followed by traditional Portuguese Fado and folk music (subject to confirmation).

Day 3 Visit to Mateus Palace. Cruise to the riverside town of Pinhão for walking tour and overnight stay. Evening lecture: Port.

Day 4 Sail past rolling hills and terraced vineyards to Barca d’Alva. Afternoon excursion to the medieval Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo.

Evening lecture: Portugal’s History. Overnight Barca d’Alva.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Salamanca: Plaza Mayor, Casa de las Conchas, Salamanca University, New Cathedral. Overnight Barca d’Alva.

Day 6 Morning cruise to Régua. Afternoon: Lamego for Cathedral and Sanctuário Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. Evening lecture: Portugal in the 20th Century. Overnight Porto Antigo.

Day 7 Morning cruise down river to Oporto: visit to the historical Factory House of the British Association and visit to Graham’s Port Lodge (Symington Family Estates) for tour and tasting.

Overnight Oporto.

Day 8 Disembark Spirit of Chartwell. Some free time in Oporto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Depart Porto 1755, arriving Gatwick 2010.

Cost of £3995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded cabin, full board with unlimited tea & coffee (whilst on board), wine, beer, soft drinks served with meals, shore excursions & admissions, all gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, supplement for the Royal Suite £395 per person (May departure) / £415 per person (September departure), cabin for single use supplement on request.

TOUR CODE: DRR124 / DRR224

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UNITED KINGDOM

Romney Marsh Churches April 29 – May 3, 2024 | September 23–27, 2024

St Thomas à Becket Church

Trace the fascinating history and geography of Romney Marsh through visits to its evocative churches Gain a glimpse into the Marsh’s medieval past, which abounds with dramatic stories of storms and smugglers Discover less-frequented churches and hidden details, as well as famous examples, such as St Dunstan’s, Snargate, with its ship mural, and the crypt at St Leonard’s, Hythe Much of this tranquil land, positioned between low-lying hills and the English Channel, may not have existed had the Romans and later settlers not reclaimed it from the sea. We are fortunate that they did, because today the landscape is full of natural charm and echoes of the past – not least the famous Romney sheep who have grazed the marshes for centuries, and the smugglers who once considered it a haven for their illicit trades.

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These tours will be led by medieval historian Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil. Imogen obtained a first-class degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent and subsequently an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. Her book Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals was published in 2019. She is an accredited Arts Society lecturer and a Freeman of the Company of Communicators.

on the harbour-front. St Dunstan’s in Snargate possesses a 16th century nave roof and a stunning wall painting of a ‘great ship’, while the Church of St Mary the Virgin, located in St Mary in the Marsh, contains elegant medieval features; it is also the burial place of children’s author and poet Edith Nesbit.

Going back further in time, we will explore All Saints in Lydd, dating back to the 5th century. Meanwhile, evocative stories will come to life as we explore sites such as St George’s in Ivychurch, where it is rumoured that old smugglers’ tunnels connect the church to the pub next door.

There could be no better way to delve into the history of the Marsh than through its churches, which offer beguiling glimpses into the lives of the communities who inhabited it hundreds of years ago.

St Thomas the Martyr Church in Winchelsea was named after Thomas Becket, and St Thomas à Becket Church in Fairfield features original timberwork, as well as demonstrating the iconic structure of the Marsh.

St Clement’s in Old Romney is one of the oldest churches in Kent, with distinctive medieval features, and St Nicholas’s in New Romney traces a fascinating history thanks to its position

We will be based at the four-star Best Western Clifton Hotel, located close to Folkestone’s famous Leas clifftop promenade and occupying stately Victorian buildings.

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UNITED KINGDOM St Clement’s Church, Old Romney

“Imogen, as always, had researched all aspects of our tour and shared her knowledge with us in an informative way both formally and informally – there was never a dull moment!”

– ACE customer on a previous Romney Marsh Churches tour with Imogen Corrigan FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, and participants should meet ACE’s minimum fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Travellers should be particularly prepared for walks across uneven, hilly, steep and grassy terrain in order to access some of the churches – notably at Hythe and Rye. The ground can be slippery underfoot. The churches can be dimly lit and chilly, and not all are easily accessible by coach, which on occasion necessitates a longer (sometimes uphill) walk of up to half a mile at a time.

Tour Director Imogen Corrigan writes: “Over the years it became clear that the Marsh was ideal for producing three things: sheep, smugglers and churches. Without doubt we will see plenty of the first and perhaps hear something of the second, but we will be focusing on the third.

Very little is standard, but we can rejoice in the churches’ quirkiness, whether it’s the free-standing bell tower at Brookland or the pink pews at Old Romney. The delicate ship mural at Snargate and the ancient font at Brookland are famous, as are the Hythe skulls, but we will be looking in detail at what else these churches have to offer.”

ITINERARY

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Due to the nature of the visits, some churches may change their opening arrangements at short notice, and some visits may be time permitting on the day.

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Day 1 Tour assembles at Best Western Clifton Hotel, Folkestone, for four nights. 1400 welcome and introductory lecture: A General Introduction to the Marsh & Surrounding Area followed by visit to St George’s Church, Ivychurch.

Day 2 Morning: Church of St Peter & St Paul, Newchurch and Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Winchelsea. Afternoon: St Eanswith’s Church, Brenzett and St Augustine’s Church, Snave.

Day 3 Morning: All Saints’ Church, Burmarsh and St Mary’s Church, Rye. Afternoon: St Mary the Virgin Church, Stone-in-Oxney and Church of St Peter & St Paul, Appledore.

Day 4 Morning: St Dunstan’s Church, Snargate, St Thomas à Becket Church, Fairfield and All Saints’ Church, Lydd. Afternoon: St Nicholas’s Church, New Romney and St Clement’s Church, Old Romney (one of Kent’s oldest churches, with distinctive medieval features).

Day 5 Please note the visits on this morning are time permitting. St Augustine’s Church, Brookland, St Mary the Virgin Church, St Mary in the Marsh and St Leonard’s Church, Hythe (including crypt). Return to Folkestone where tour disperses approx 1530 at the station followed by the hotel.

Cost of £1395 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £125.

TOUR CODE: RMM124 / RMM224

11

U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

Great Art Collections of Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington

The Boating Party by Mary Cassatt, 1893 – 1894

Explore a handpicked selection of the superlative museums and galleries to be found along America’s East Coast, from bases at high quality hotels ideally located within Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Experience great works of art

by European masters such as Jan van Eyck, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Cézanne, Picasso and Matisse and American artists including Thomas Cole, J M Whistler, Mary Cassatt and Mark Rothko Discover more about some of the extraordinary American collectors whose wealth and philanthropy shaped these collections, including Andrew and Paul Mellon, Alfred Barnes, the Cone sisters and Henry Francis du Pont In spring 2024, we look forward to a brand new tour exploring the outstanding art collections to be found in the American cities of Philadelphia, 12

Baltimore and Washington DC. The rich holdings of paintings, sculpture and works of decorative art at important sites such as the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Baltimore Museum of Art are a must-see for any art lover, and our tour will also explore some lesser-known gems.

We begin our tour in Philadelphia, with a visit to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, founded in 1805 as America’s first art school. We will also explore the city’s extensive Museum of Art with its significant collection of works

by Cézanne, Thomas Eakins, Marcel Duchamp and Cy Twombly. The small, tranquil Rodin Museum, which contains one of the world’s greatest collections of the artist’s work and occupies a beautiful Beaux Arts-style building and garden, will be a further highlight.

At the Barnes Foundation, some of the world’s most important Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Modern paintings

by Seurat, Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse and Picasso are displayed alongside African masks, native American jewellery and Greek antiquities, reflecting

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

May 1–9, 2024 This tour will be led by experienced ACE Tour Director and art history expert Sarah Burles, MA, who developed this new itinerary in collaboration with ACE following a dedicated research trip in spring 2023. Sarah studied History of Art at Cambridge University before gaining a Masters degree at University College London. She enjoyed a career in museum and gallery education which included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum, and is an accredited Arts Society lecturer. Sarah is particularly interested in the lives of the collectors and patrons whose legacies have shaped the museums we see today. the philosophy of the founder, the pharmaceutical philanthropist Dr Albert C Barnes. The collection moved from its original home in 2012 and is now housed in an award-winning Philadelphia building by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, close to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighbourhood is considered one of America’s most “First class tour guide in Sarah who leaves no stone unturned to maximise and enhance guests’ enjoyment and understanding of the works displayed…

I strongly recommend ACE to all my friends with an interest in art. From booking until the end of the tour, ACE looks after its clients immaculately. The itinerary was well planned and managed, and extremely interesting. We went to world class galleries, and benefited from Sarah’s in-depth knowledge… It all went seamlessly and was a memorable experience” – ACE customer on a 2023 art tour in the USA led by Sarah Burles

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U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART / PUBLIC DOMAIN

Wickford Harbor, Rhode Island by William J Glackens, c 1909

distinctive museums, whilst the Winterthur Museum is filled with historical decorative objects collected and arranged according to the aesthetic principles of its visionary, the passionate collector Henry Francis du Pont.

In the American capital, the Renwick Gallery, a branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, displays American craft and decorative arts from the 19th to the 21st centuries, and occupies a National Historic Landmark building constructed as Washington’s first art museum. We will also pay a visit to the Phillips Collection, America’s first museum of modern art.

Also to be found in the city is the National Museum for Women in the Arts, which recently reopened after an exciting transformation. Its collections range from works by Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt to Frida Kahlo and Louise Bourgeois.

Throughout the tour, participants will not only have the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of individual works of art of the highest quality, from famous masterpieces to unexpected treasures, but also to learn about how these collections came into being.

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FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour has a full itinerary to make the most of our time in the USA, so participants should be prepared for a significant amount of time spent on foot, and have a good overall level of fitness and stamina. Stools and benches are sometimes available in galleries but cannot be guaranteed, so it may be necessary to stand for up to an hour and a half, although participants are welcome to opt out of guided tours early if wished.

Furthermore, some sites will involve traversing steps and occasionally uneven ground. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions prior to booking your place.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. The West Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington is due to undergo some renovations in 2024, however, highlights from the closed sections will be on display elsewhere in the gallery and this will not affect the quality of our visit. Please note we cannot guarantee the availability of individual works of art as occasionally they may be taken off display for cleaning, restoration or loan.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1340 on British Airways, arriving Philadelphia 1635.

Transfer to Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia for three nights.

Day 2 Short orientation walking tour followed by visit to Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Afternoon visit to Barnes Foundation.

Day 3 Morning: Philadelphia Museum of Art. Afternoon: Rodin Museum. Free evening.

Accommodation Our accommodation will be in superior standard hotels in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC, chosen for their high quality and to provide comfortable and relaxing bases ideally situated for exploring the cities’ artistic gems.

We begin with three nights at the four-star Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, a sophisticated and elegant property blending traditional design with modern amenities in a 1907 building located within the city’s historic district. We will then continue to Baltimore for two nights at the stylish and refined four-star Hotel Revival Baltimore, dating from the 1920s and located in the historic Mount Vernon neighbourhood, just steps away from the Walters Art Museum. The final two nights of our tour will be spent at the four-star Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC, an upscale hotel housed in a former post office dating from 1839 in the city’s Penn Quarter. The property has been recently refreshed and blends grand period architecture with luxury contemporary design. Our hotels are also conveniently located for enjoying dinners out at local restaurants.

Day 4 Morning: Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art (Andrew Wyeth’s studio).

Afternoon: Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. Continue to Baltimore for two nights at Hotel Revival Baltimore.

Day 5 Morning: Baltimore Museum of Art. Afternoon: Walters Art Museum. Free evening.

Day 6 Transfer to Washington DC for visits to the Freer Gallery of Asian Art (Whistler’s Peacock Room), National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Two nights at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC. Day 7 Further visits in Washington: Kreeger Museum, Phillips Collection, National Museum for Women in the Arts.

Day 8 Visit to the National Gallery of Art. Transfer to Baltimore Washington International Airport for 2050 flight.

Day 9 Arrive Heathrow 0900.

Cost of £5995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities for group services & all taxes.

Not included: ESTA, travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £1095.

TOUR CODE: GPBW24

13

CYPRUS

Ancient & Medieval Cyprus

Mosaic depicting a woman, Kouklia archaeological site

Examine the island’s historic role in the interaction between the cultures of Europe and the Middle East Explore the UNESCO-listed southern sector sites of Paphos, Choirokoitia and some of the painted churches of the Troodos Mountains Visit highlights of the northern sector including the mountaintop St Hilarion Castle, the beautiful Bellapais Abbey and the ancient site of Salamis From prehistoric times onwards, Cyprus has either been contested by invaders or influenced by traders from Anatolia, Greece, Syria, Phoenicia and Egypt. The activities of collectors and archaeologists have filled museums (both in Cyprus and elsewhere) with a rich array of artefacts that reflect the island’s diverse history.

During the classical period, the settlement of Cyprus was essentially Greek in character, and so it remained 14

Our first tour will be led by Philip Kenrick, MA, DPhil, a classical archaeologist and specialist in Roman pottery, who has worked widely in the Mediterranean, and gained his doctorate at Oxford. Our second tour will be led by Gillian Hovell, BA, an archaeologist and expert on the ancient world, whose guide to the archaeological sites of the Mediterranean is due for publication in 2024. She runs online courses as ‘The Muddy Archaeologist’. throughout the Roman era. With the advent of Islam, Cyprus became a contested border zone, and today a wide range of archaeological sites, monuments and museum collections represent the island’s varied heritage.

Our journey will begin in the southern (Greek) sector, which holds some

“Extremely interesting tour” – ACE customer on a previous tour to Cyprus

outstanding sites, from the exceptional classical remains at Kourion and Paphos (whose Roman mosaics are among the most impressive in the world), to medieval castles and painted churches.

All of these are set against a beautiful landscape, from sandy beaches to the luxuriant Troodos Mountains.

We will continue to the divided capital Nicosia, enclosed in its ring of 16th century walls, to explore both its monuments and its museums.

As we venture further into the northern territories, we will discover the mountaintop St Hilarion Castle; the beautiful Bellapais Abbey, made famous by the writing of Lawrence Durrell; and the fortified Kyrenia Castle on the island’s northern seafront (which also houses the famous Kyrenia ship of c 300 BC).

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WISEGUY71 / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

May 9–19, 2024 with Philip Kenrick | October 14–24, 2024, 2024 with Gillian Hovell

CYPRUS Tomb of the Kings

A second day in the Turkish-occupied sector will take us to medieval Famagusta and the impressive nearby site of ancient Salamis.

Our first base will be in Paphos, at the Hotel Aquamare, located close to the beachfront. We will then move to the Poseidonia Beach Hotel in Limassol and the Centrum Hotel in Nicosia.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1110 on British Airways, arriving Larnaca 1655. Transfer to Paphos for three nights at Hotel Aquamare.

Day 2 Morning lecture: Cyprus in Geography & History followed by visit to Paphos District Archaeological Museum. Afternoon: Archaeological Park in Paphos (Roman mosaics, Saranta Kolones medieval castle).

Day 3 Morning in Yeroskipou: Folk Art Museum and Church of Agia Paraskevi (9th to 15th century frescoes). Afternoon in Kouklia (archaeological site) followed by visit to Paphos for Hellenistic ‘Tombs of the Kings’.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour requires a good level of fitness, as it will involve a significant amount of walking and standing, including over uneven terrain at archaeological sites. Care must be taken at the sites, particularly when traversing staircases and steps – in particular, at St Hilarion Castle, where the ascent to the uppermost parts involves long, steep flights of steps which can be slippery and do not always have handrails available. Please consult ACE’s usual fitness requirements in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Day 4 Kourion archaeological site, Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates and stadium followed by Kolossi Castle (former headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller in Cyprus). Transfer to Limassol for three nights at the Poseidonia Beach Hotel.

ITINERARY

Day 7 Morning visit to Choirokoitia Neolithic settlement (UNESCO World Heritage site).

Continue to Larnaca for District Archaeological Museum and Church of Agios Lazaros. Transfer to Nicosia for four nights at Centrum Hotel.

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. The itineraries for each departure may vary slightly; please see the ACE website for the confirmed itinerary for each departure.

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Day 5 Morning: Amathous archaeological site and Limassol District Archaeological Museum.

Afternoon: Limassol Castle (medieval museum).

Evening lecture: Cypriot Artefacts & Art. Day 6 Excursion into the Troodos Mountains for visits to some of their painted medieval churches.

Day 8 Visits in Nicosia: Cyprus Museum, Church of Agios Ioannis, House of Hadjigeorgakis

Kornesios, Selimiye Mosque (formerly Cathedral of St Sophia – exterior; possible restricted view as under restoration), Bedesten (Church of St Nicholas – exterior) and Büyük Han (Ottoman caravanserai).

Day 9 Northern Cyprus: St Hilarion Castle (mountaintop fortress) and Bellapais Abbey (probably the finest surviving Gothic monument in Cyprus). Afternoon: Kyrenia (castle and shipwreck museum).

Day 10 Morning: ancient Greek city of Salamis.

Afternoon in medieval Famagusta (citadel and walking tour followed by some free time).

Day 11 Morning visits to Monastery of Agios Iraklidios in Politiko and Hala Sultan Tekke near Larnaca (burial place of Umm Haram, a close friend or relative of the Prophet Muhammad) – visits subject to final flight times. Depart Larnaca 1640, arriving Heathrow 1945.

Cost of May tour: £3295 Cost of October tour: £3395 Cost includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, ten breakfasts, eight lunches, ten dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £275 (May tour) / £295 (October tour).

TOUR CODE: ACYP24 / ACY224

15

I TA LY

Lucca May 10–16, 2024 View over Lucca

This tour will be led by Christopher Wellington, MA, who graduated in history from the University of Cambridge but has spent most of his career working in Italy. Christopher’s professional interests include history, the Church, and art and architecture, especially of the Middle Ages.

ITINERARY

Trace the footsteps of medieval pilgrims as they stopped en route to Rome Follow Lucca’s own cultural and artistic journey, from spectacular church façades to delightful gardens, from an elegant base in the heart of the city Discover Lucca’s best art collections housed in some of the city’s most beautiful buildings, including the stunning Palazzo Mansi The ancient Tuscan city of Lucca embraces a wealth of historical and cultural treasures, from the elliptical Piazza dell’Anfiteatro – a charming central plaza echoing Lucca’s original amphitheatre – to the Romanesque splendours of the Basilica of San Frediano.

Lucca’s walls once welcomed pilgrims journeying along the famous Via Francigena, a medieval route stretching to Rome from as far north as Canterbury.

Developing over time into a major medieval trade route, the Via Francigena helped Lucca to grow in prosperity and renown. Yet today, unlike some of its more crowded counterparts, the city maintains a bewitching sense of calm.

The medieval pilgrims’ journey will come to life at the Porta del Borgo; while a museum dedicated to one of the city’s 16

most celebrated sons, Giacomo Puccini, presents glimpses of the composer’s own journey towards artistic greatness.

Ecclesiastical history will feature during visits to the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Martin, with its three-arched portico, and the Basilica of San Michele in Foro, with its extraordinary 13th century façade supporting a statue of the Archangel Michael.

Lucca’s impressive pre-modern collections will greet us in the Villa Guinigi; while the Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Mansi presents a rich assembly of tapestries and post-19th century artwork. A short excursion outside Lucca will take us to the 17th century Villa Reale di Marlia, one of Italy’s most celebrated monuments.

We will stay at the four-star Grand Hotel Universe in Lucca, an elegant property dating from 1700 and located in the very heart of the city, overlooking the Teatro del Giglio and Duomo. Smartly decorated, the hotel provides a relaxing and comfortable base, ideally situated for our explorations.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires participants to walk around sites, mainly on flat ground due to Lucca’s lowland topography, however please note that some of the historical sites have uneven ground and require climbing steps and walking uphill on gentle inclines. Participants should be comfortable following walking tours around the city centre and standing during site visits. For further guidance please refer to ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Please note that opening times in Italy are regularly subject to change. While we will aim to adhere as closely as possible to the below itinerary, some details may be altered nearer the time and certain visits may be subject to confirmation.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1225 on British Airways, arriving Bologna 1540. Transfer to the Grand Hotel Universe, Lucca, for six nights.

Day 2 Morning introductory lecture: A Pilgrim Route – the Via Francigena. Visits in Lucca: Porta del Borgo (original pilgrims’ entrance), Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, Basilica of San Frediano (beautiful Romanesque architecture) and Museum of Villa Guinigi. Free evening.

Day 3 Morning visits in Lucca: San Michele in Foro (13th century façade) and Palazzo Pfanner.

Afternoon excursion to Villa Torrigiani.

Day 4 Morning visit to Lucca Cathedral (Duomo di San Martino), including museum.

Afternoon excursion to Villa Reale di Marlia (17th century monument with stunning gardens).

Day 5 Morning visits in Lucca: Church of San Giovanni and Puccini Museum. Afternoon excursion to Palazzo Mansi (Baroque palace containing a rich assembly of tapestries and post19th century artwork).

Day 6 Morning excursion to Barga (beautiful hilltop medieval town with important historical trading links), followed by free afternoon in Lucca with option to visit the Botanical Garden.

Day 7 Transfer to Pisa for 1230 flight, arriving Heathrow 1435.

Cost of £3295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £795.

TOUR CODE: LUCC24

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I TA LY

Villas & Gardens in Lazio May 11–17, 2024 “Lucrezia is so knowledgeable and is able to communicate in a way that is informative but also open to discussion” – ACE customer on a previous tour led by Lucrezia Walker

Villa d’Este

Discover classical and Renaissance villa culture and visit beautiful gardens in the Roman campagna Marvel at fantastic constructions, including the elaborate fountain complexes at the Villa d’Este at Tivoli Enjoy a morning excursion to Rome to view the famous suburban Villa Farnesina This tour will explore many of the beautiful gardens to be found in the Lazio region, delving into their design, iconography and the history of their patrons, as well as offering opportunities to contemplate and absorb the beauty of their form, planting and place within the wider Italian landscape.

Cardinal Alessandro Farnese’s villa at Caprarola comes complete with cascade and underground water theatre, while the extravagant narrative garden of Villa Lante at Bagnaia has stunning views of the picturesque landscape, which are the backdrop to beautiful water fountains.

The Mannerist garden at Bomarzo, meanwhile, contains a strange sculptural collection of monsters.

We hope to enjoy a privileged visit to the Giardino di Ninfa, a modern earthly

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FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness and mobility is required for this tour, as it involves a significant amount of walking and standing within the gardens. The ground can be uneven or slippery underfoot at times, and there are some steep slopes and steps to navigate.

Some sites, such as Hadrian’s Villa, are exposed and there are not always opportunities to sit down. This tour also involves a boat trip around the Isola Bisentina. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions prior to booking.

paradise dreamt up among the ruins of a medieval town and home to many varieties of rose. A further highlight will be a visit to the delightful Renaissance Castello Ruspoli.

ITINERARY

The first three nights of our tour will be spent at the elegant four-star Hotel Niccolò V in Viterbo, a recently renovated property enjoying smart and comfortable rooms, well located for our visits. We will then move to the four-star Park Hotel Villa Grazioli, on the hills of Frascati. A former 16th century cardinal’s residence, featuring frescoed interiors and enjoying spectacular views of the Roman campagna, our stay here will enable the group to become immersed in villa life.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0800 on British Airways, arriving Rome 1135. Continue to Hotel Niccolò V, Viterbo, for three nights.

Evening lecture.

This tour will be led by Lucrezia Walker, BA, MA, a specialist in art history and lecturer at the National Gallery who has over 20 years’ experience leading cultural tours in Europe.

Lucrezia has lived, studied and worked in Italy, and is the author of several books. We will also enjoy the expertise of local guides who will share the stories of the gardens as well as insights into their design and horticulture.

Please note the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and due to the special nature of some of the visits, and weather conditions on the day, some elements may be subject to change or adjustment nearer the time.

Day 2 Villa Lante at Bagnaia followed by Castello Ruspoli at Vignanello.

Day 3 Morning visit to the Mannerist garden of Bomarzo. Afternoon excursion to Capodimonte on Lake Bolsena for boat trip around Isola Bisentina. Evening lecture.

Day 4 Transfer via Caprarola (Palazzo Farnese) and Trevignano Romano to Park Hotel Villa Grazioli for three nights.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Tivoli for Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este.

Day 6 Giardino di Ninfa (subject to confirmation) and Villa Aldrobrandini in Frascati.

Day 7 Morning excursion to Rome for visit to Villa Farnesina. Depart Rome 1845, arriving Heathrow 2025.

Cost of £3895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, two lunches, six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £545.

TOUR CODE: LAZI24

17

IRELAND

The Burren & Inishmore

The cliffs of Moher

Discover the Burren, meaning ‘rocky land’ – a large limestone plateau in County Clare in the west of Ireland Visit two of Aran’s spectacular stone forts: Dun Aonghasa, perched high above the Atlantic on the edge of a cliff, and Dun Eochla in the heart of Inishmore Spend a day pursuing a literary theme, exploring Coole Park – once home to Lady Gregory, co-founder of the Abbey Theatre – and the 16th century tower house at Thoor Ballylee, where the poet W B Yeats lived

and amazingly well-preserved early medieval churches on Inishmore in the Aran Islands.

Our itinerary will also delve into the fascinating lives of Lady Gregory, W B Yeats and the Irish Literary Revival Movement at the Gregory estate of Coole Park and W B Yeats’ home of Thoor Ballylee, and at the award-winning Kiltartan Gregory Museum, near Gort.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves many visits to outdoor archaeological sites or ruins. Participants should therefore have a good level of overall fitness and mobility, and be comfortable navigating uneven and sometimes rugged ground. We advise all participants to consult our minimum fitness requirements in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY On this tour you will discover the unique limestone geology and beautiful natural landscape of the Burren, with its dramatic coastal cliffs at Moher, its prehistoric tombs such as Poulnabrone, and imposing stone abbeys, such as Corcomroe, as well as round towers, crosses and castles. At Craggaunowen castle and archaeological open-air museum, it is possible to see a reconstructed crannog and other Irish monuments, the mastermind of John Hunt; we will also visit the Hunt Museum in Limerick.

This tour offers the chance to experience the rugged landscape of ancient forts, such as legendary cliff-top Dun Aonghasa, 18

Please note the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time, including the order of visits, to best suit local conditions.

Day 1 Flight from London Heathrow to Shannon. Transfer to Ennis via the Hunt Museum in Limerick and Bunratty Castle. Two nights at the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis. Welcome and introductory talk.

Day 2 Morning: Cliffs of Moher. Afternoon: Dysert O’Dea (12th century cross, ruined Romanesque church), Clare Museum and Ennis Friary (Franciscan friary founded in 13th century).

Day 3 Depart for Doolin port and ferry to Inishmore. Visits to Teampall Mac Duagh (early medieval church), Seven Churches ecclesiastical site, Temple Benan and remains of a Cromwellian fort at Arkin’s Castle. Transfer to Aran Islands Hotel, Kilronan, for two nights.

ELLIE ENCHANTÉ / UNSPLASH

May 12–19, 2024 This tour will be led by Mike King, BA, MA, a museum professional for over 30 years who has worked in both Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Mike has worked as Heritage Manager for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. He is interested in engaging travellers in archaeology and history, especially Irish archaeology, the early medieval culture of Britain and Ireland, European pilgrimage and Rome’s legacy in early medieval Europe. He is particularly fascinated by carved stones, and created an exhibition on the megaliths of Northern Ireland. He also coordinated the protection and movement of a 10th century high cross in Downpatrick.

Day 4 Dun Aonghusa (impressive prehistoric cliff-edge fort), Dun Eochla (superb stone ring fort) and Clochan na Carraige (small beehive cell).

Day 5 Return by ferry to the mainland and transfer to Oranmore via Kilfenora (12th century high crosses, cathedral and holy well), Lemenagh Castle (tower house with Jacobean mansion attached – exterior), Poulnabrone Neolithic portal tomb and Caherconnell medieval stone fort. Three nights at Oranmore Lodge Hotel.

Day 6 Visit to Kilmacduagh (long-lived ecclesiastical site with leaning round tower) followed by Coole Park house and gardens, home of Lady Gregory. Afternoon: Thoor Ballylee (home of WB Yeats and his wife George) and Kiltartan Gregory Museum.

Day 7 Visit to the Burren to examine plants/ geology in the company of an expert, followed

by Cahercommaun fort and Corcomroe (late 12th to early 13th century Cistercian abbey).

Day 8 Transfer to Shannon via Craggaunowen project and Quin Abbey (mid 15th century Franciscan friary built on the site of a Norman castle). Flight from Shannon to Heathrow.

Cost of £2895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £525.

TOUR CODE: BURR24

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THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch Masters: Rembrandt & his Legacy May 13–18, 2024 Learn about the life and works of Rembrandt and explore the Netherlands’ later contributions to art history through the prism of his legacy

This tour will be led by Rupert Dickens, MA, a specialist in Dutch and Flemish art. Rupert studied art history at Birkbeck, University of London, before gaining a Masters degree in Dutch Golden Age Studies at UCL. He is a guide lecturer at the Wallace Collection and an accredited Arts Society lecturer.

From a base in the heart of Amsterdam, discover a wealth of art in the famous collections of Amsterdam, The Hague and Leiden This tour follows in the footsteps of one of the most celebrated Dutch painters: Rembrandt van Rijn. We will trace his life and legacy, including his impact on later geniuses of Dutch art, Van Gogh and Mondrian.

Self-portrait by Rembrandt van Rijn, between 1628 and 1629

In addition to visiting the Van Gogh Museum, which houses the world’s best collection of the artist’s works, we will make an excursion to the Kröller-Müller Museum. Set in beautiful grounds at the centre of a national park, it features holdings by Van Gogh and the three founders of the De Stijl movement in the early 20th century: Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg and Bart van der Leck.

Our tour will be based in Amsterdam, where we will enjoy a visit to Rembrandt’s beautifully restored house and studio, offering an opportunity to explore the artist’s techniques as a painter and printmaker. We will also take in the Oude Kerk, the 14th century church Rembrandt often visited and where his marriage was registered, and visit the world-famous Rijksmuseum, to view works by the artist and his contemporaries.

Further visits will include the Mondriaanhuis in Amersfoort and the Kunstmuseum in The Hague, home to a permanent display of De Stijl pieces, including the world’s largest collection of works by Mondrian.

Further afield, we will visit the grand Mauritshuis in The Hague, another major repository of 17th century Dutch art, featuring masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. Meanwhile, Leiden, where Rembrandt was born, is home to the recently restored Lakenhal Museum.

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RIJKSMUSEUM / PUBLIC DOMAIN

Oostzijdse Mill along the River Gein by Moonlight by Piet Mondriaan, 1903

This tour will be based at the four-star boutique Hotel Estheréa, family-run for over 80 years and housed in a beautiful

Cost of £2795 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £595.

TOUR CODE: DUTM24

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

Visit Rembrandt’s house, which has recently reopened after an expansion and renovation, and view his works in the Rijksmuseum

17th century UNESCO-listed building on the Singel, Amsterdam’s oldest major canal.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour will require a good level of fitness, as several sites will be visited on foot and Amsterdam is not easily navigable by taxi as an alternative to walking. Please note that pavements can be uneven. Participants must be prepared for spending moderate amounts of time standing in galleries and museums, without opportunities to sit down, and at some sites it will be necessary to navigate stairs, as lifts are not always available.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1225 on British Airways, arriving Amsterdam 1450.

Transfer to Hotel Estheréa for five nights.

Evening lecture: The Rise & Fall of Rembrandt.

Day 2 Morning walking tour in Amsterdam focusing on sites relating to Rembrandt, including visits to Oude Kerk and Rembrandthuis.

Afternoon excursion to Leiden for walking tour (Rembrandt’s birthplace and studio – exteriors) and visit to Lakenhal Museum.

Day 3 Morning visit to the Rijksmuseum.

Afternoon: Van Gogh Museum.

Day 4 Morning lecture: Van Gogh – Sunflowers & Stars followed by excursion to Kröller-Müller Museum. Afternoon: Mondriaanhuis followed by some free time in Amersfoort. Return to Amsterdam for free evening.

Day 5 Morning lecture: Mondrian & De Stijl followed by excursion to The Hague for Mauritshuis. Afternoon: Kunstmuseum.

Day 6 Depart Amsterdam 1455, arriving Heathrow 1510.

19

UNITED KINGDOM

Isles of Scilly May 14–21, 2024 View of Grimsby Sound and Cromwell’s Tower

Explore the botanical and ornithological highlights of the tranquil Isles of Scilly Visit the famous sub-tropical gardens of Tresco, home to a rich diversity of exotic plants

their flora. A particular highlight will be Bryher, the smallest community on the Isles of Scilly: the west and north coasts are wild and rugged with superb coastal vegetation and wind-pruned ‘waves’ of heather; the east, sheltered and mild, flourishes with exotic vegetation.

Take in archaeological sites, wetland birdlife and maritimeinfluenced vegetation

We stay at the comfortable and welcoming St Mary’s Hall Hotel on St Mary’s, which prides itself on sourcing fresh local produce.

The archipelago’s location and singular maritime micro-climate endow this Atlantic haven with great botanical and ornithological interest; flora from the Canaries, South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand flourish across the islands, and a unique list of migratory birds finds a feeding refuge on the last outpost of south western Britain.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A very good level of overall fitness is required for this tour. Participants must be able to walk for a minimum of four miles over rough ground, and be comfortable with getting in and out of small boats. Most of the walking will be on level or slightly hilly terrain, although there will be occasional steep stretches. The majority of walks – which will be taken at a reasonable pace – will be on tracks, which may include rocky areas / stretches interspersed with rocks, or sections interrupted by tree roots, rather than roads or paths. Participants should also be aware that the weather and climate can be unpredictable at times, and bring appropriate clothing (detailed guidance will be issued ahead of departure). Boat trips can be choppy; they are typically 20-30 minutes in duration but can be up to 2 hours long. Please consult our fitness requirements as detailed in our Booking Terms & Conditions for more information, and we strongly advise you to discuss the conditions on this tour with our Sales team ahead of booking.

We will take in the islands’ late spring highlights, with a particular focus upon

Tresco Abbey Gardens

20

Cost of £2795 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: return travel, travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £495.

TOUR CODE: ISCY24

This tour will be led

by Peter Exley, BSc, and Diana Ward, MSc, CBiol, MCIEEM. Peter is an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB, and Diana is an ecologist and wildlife specialist who has worked for many years on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Our itinerary will be flexible to allow for tides, weather conditions and local reports of bird arrivals.

Day 1 Check in for seven nights at St Mary’s Hall Hotel. 1715 welcome and introduction.

Day 2 By ferry across St Mary’s Sound to St Agnes and Gugh.

Day 3 By charter boat to Eastern Isles with visit (sea conditions dependent) to island of St Helen’s: remains of St Elid’s hermitage, 18th century Pest House.

Day 4 By charter boat to Western Rocks and Samson – sea and weather conditions permitting.

Day 5 By ferry to Bryher: superb coastal vegetation and heather moorland on Shipman Head Down with visits to prehistoric entrance graves and promontory fort.

Day 6 St Mary’s: walk to Bant’s Carn, Halangy Down, Holy Vale, Higher Moors and Porth Hellick Down. Return along coastal path over Salakee Down to Old Town and church.

Day 7 Morning: excursion by ferry to Tresco Abbey Garden. Afternoon free in St Mary’s or optional walk on Castle Down, Tresco.

Day 8 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Travel Please note that travel to and from St Mary’s is not included in the cost of the tour. There are several options for travelling to the Isles of Scilly, including a daily ferry service (running in all but the worst weather), regular flights from three local airports and a helicopter service from Penzance (more weather resilient than planes). For more information, please speak to a member of our Sales & Reservations team.

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UNITED KINGDOM

Houses & Gardens of Northern Ireland May 17–22, 2024 Castle Ward

“A varied and interesting programme with a knowledgeable leader… I wouldn’t hesitate to book with ACE again” – ACE customer on the 2023 Houses & Gardens of Northern Ireland tour led by Cosmo Samuel Brockway

Explore some of Northern Ireland’s most magnificent stately homes, including Grey Abbey House, considered one of the finest Georgian country houses in Ireland Enjoy privileged visits to private homes not often open to the public, including Baronscourt and Ballywalter Discover world-class gardens, including the 20th century designs at Mount Stewart From a base in Belfast, this tour explores a handpicked selection of the great estates, houses and gardens to be found in Northern Ireland, with a special focus on those in private ownership.

In County Down, Grey Abbey House, overlooking Strangford Lough, features exquisite 18th century plasterwork and delightful Gothic windows. Mount Our Tour Director is Cosmo Samuel Brockway, an author and journalist who has written for many leading publications on culture and design. An experienced tour leader, Cosmo is well acquainted with many of the finest private estates in England, Scotland and Ireland.

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Stewart is a neoclassical house perhaps most celebrated for its outstanding gardens. Created by Edith, Lady Londonderry, the designs provide a rare example of the late compartmentalised Arts & Crafts style.

Seaforde has been home to the Forde family for almost 400 years and possesses Ireland’s oldest living maze as well as an arboretum containing champion trees and a historical walled garden.

Castle Ward was rebuilt in the 1760s: one wing showcases the classical Palladian style favoured by its owner, the 1st Viscount Bangor, while another was built in the contrasting Georgian Gothic, preferred by his wife, Lady Anne Bligh.

Moving westwards into County Tyrone, we will visit the Baronscourt Estate, home to the Duke of Abercorn and surrounded by a spectacular landscape, while in County Fermanagh, we will visit Killyreagh House, Castle Coole and Crom Castle.

Our tour concludes with a visit to the delightful Victorian Italianate palazzo at Ballywalter Park on the shores of the Irish Sea. The home of Lord and Lady Dunleath, the house is of exceptional architectural importance.

The beginning and end of our tour will be based at the stylish Titanic Hotel Belfast. The tour also features an overnight stay at the comfortable four-star Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel, overlooking picturesque Lough Erne.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions, and be prepared for a significant amount of walking and standing, including outdoors over uneven and potentially slippery ground, as well as loose gravel paths. Light levels at visits may be low and lifts will not always be available so it will sometimes be necessary to navigate steps, which can be steep. To access Seaforde Gardens, it is necessary to walk uphill for approximately half a mile followed by a further half a mile to visit the pleasure grounds. As we will be the guests of the owners at many of the private homes, we advise following a smart casual dress code for some visits.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Owing to the special nature of the visits, some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0930 on British Airways, arriving Belfast City Airport 1055. Transfer to Titanic Hotel for three nights.

Afternoon visit to Titanic Belfast. Evening introductory lecture.

Day 2 Excursion to Mount Stewart followed by Grey Abbey House (subject to confirmation).

Free evening in Belfast.

Day 3 Morning visit to Castle Ward. Afternoon: Seaforde Gardens.

Day 4 Morning: house and gardens at Baronscourt. Afternoon: Castle Coole.

Overnight at Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel, Enniskillen.

Day 5 Morning visit to Killyreagh House followed by Crom Castle. Transfer to Belfast for overnight at Titanic Hotel.

Day 6 Morning visit to Ballywalter Park. Depart Belfast City Airport 1545, arriving Heathrow 1710.

Cost of £2695 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, three lunches, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £295.

TOUR CODE: HGNI24

21

UNITED KINGDOM

Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives May 20–25, 2024 Discover the works of the Newlyn School artists, who were enchanted by Cornwall in the late 19th century

This tour will be led

by Sarah Burles, MA, who studied History of Art at Cambridge University before going on to a career in museum and gallery education, including 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Sarah has worked on the St Ives artists and their links to Kettle’s Yard, and has taught a short course on ‘The Art of Cornwall’.

Visit the seaside gallery of Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth’s atmospheric home and studio

The beauty of the countryside, the drama of the sea and the clarity of the light attracted a succession of artists to the Cornish fishing towns of Newlyn, Lamorna and St Ives in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

The Barbara Hepworth Museum

In Truro, the Royal Cornwall Museum is home to a collection of Cornish paintings by artists from both the Newlyn School and the Lamorna Group.

walk away is Trewyn Studio, Barbara Hepworth’s home and studio from 1949 to 1975.

Perched above the River Fal, leading to the sea, the neoclassical columned house at Trelissick offers spectacular maritime views amidst beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland. We will continue by boat to Falmouth Art Gallery, described as having “one of the leading art collections of Cornwall and the South West”, including works by Henry Scott Tuke.

Our tour also includes visits to Newlyn Art Gallery; the Penlee House Gallery and Museum in Penzance, where key works

by Newlyn School artists reside; and the church at St Hilary with its series of unique paintings created by artists such as Dod and Ernest Procter and Roger Fry. We will stay at the four-star Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth, occupying an elegant Georgian mansion house set in private parkland.

Study for August Blue

by Henry Scott Tuke, 1915

22

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS

Tate St Ives hosts a rich collection of modern art in a dramatic seafront setting, including pottery and stoneware by Bernard Leach and marine paintings by local artist Alfred Wallis. A short

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness and mobility is required for this tour, and participants should be prepared for a moderate amount of walking and standing during visits (for up to an hour at a time). Please note that some terrain can be steep, especially at the Lost Gardens of Heligan and in Newlyn and St Ives where it is cobbled and occasionally slippery underfoot. In Truro, there are wide conduits in the streets near the cathedral. This tour includes a boat trip from Trelissick to Falmouth, and if the tide is low then accessing the boat from the quay can involve a walk over approx 25 stone steps with limited handrails. Care must be taken getting on and off the boat. For ACE’s minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

TOM PARNELL / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

Enjoy beautiful maritime views at Trelissick, on the River Fal

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time, depending on local factors. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned.

Day 1 Five nights at the Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth. Tour assembles 1900 at the hotel for welcome and introduction to the tour.

Day 2 Morning lecture: The Newlyn School followed by visits in Truro: neo-Gothic cathedral and Royal Cornwall Museum. Afternoon: Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Day 3 Morning lecture: The Forbes School of Art & Lamorna followed by visit to Trelissick gardens.

By ferry (weather permitting) to Falmouth for Falmouth Art Gallery.

Day 4 Excursion to Newlyn for Newlyn Art Gallery followed by Penzance for Penlee House Gallery and Museum. St Hilary’s Church. Evening lecture: St Ives & Modernism.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to St Ives for Bernard Leach Pottery, Tate St Ives, Barbara Hepworth Museum and Porthmeor Studios (visit subject to confirmation).

Day 6 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £1895 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £125.

TOUR CODE: CORN24

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GERMANY

Dresden Music Festival May 21–26, 2024

The conductor Manfred Honeck

Enjoy performances featuring award-winning pianists Igor Levit and Seong-Jin Cho Attend five concerts in a selection of Dresden venues, including two at the recently-opened Kulturpalast concert hall Venture outside the city to learn about the lives of three leading German composers: Wagner, Weber and Johann Sebastian Bach Dresden’s Music Festival, established in the Cold War years, is thriving under the leadership of world-renowned cellist Jan Vogler.

Our itinerary features two contrasting piano programmes by Igor Levit and Seong-Jin Cho, and two quite different song recitals too: one of the world’s leading baritones Matthias Goerne gives an all-Schumann programme, and we also look forward to a concert by Jane Monheit, US jazz singer and doyenne of the Great American Songbook. A concert of Sibelius and Dvořák from conductor Manfred Honeck and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic rounds off the festival selection.

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We will enjoy visits in and around Dresden, and also hope to feature a private tour of the Semper Opera House and an excursion to Graupa to visit the Lohengrin House and Jagdschloss.

We will stay at the Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss, conveniently located in the heart of Dresden’s Old Town.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour will involve extensive walking around central Dresden, including sometimes over uneven ground and cobbles that can be challenging if wet. Please consult our minimum fitness requirements, contained in ACE’s Booking Terms & Conditions, before booking your place.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. All performances are subject to confirmation and some itinerary details may be adjusted nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1050 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1345. Transfer to Dresden for five nights at Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by a walking tour of Dresden: Zwinger, Castle and Frauenkirche (exteriors). Afternoon: guided tour of the Old Masters Picture Gallery. Evening festival performance at the Kulturpalast featuring Igor Levit (piano): Gustav Mahler: Adagio aus der Sinfonie No 10, Paul Hindemith Suite ‘1922’ Op 26, Beethoven Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’ Op 55.

© REINHOLD MÄLLER / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

This tour will be led

by Sandy Burnett, a musician and former BBC Radio 3 presenter.

Sandy has conducted many orchestras and choirs, masterminded a complete cycle of JS Bach’s sacred cantatas and been appointed the Hogwood Fellow of the Academy of Ancient Music.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by excursion to Graupa for Lohengrin House and Jagdschloss and guided tour of Carl Maria von Weber Museum.

Evening festival performance at the Grosser Ballsaal of Parkhotel Dresden featuring Jane Monheit: ‘The Great American Songbook’.

Day 4 Whole day excursion to Leipzig for visit to the Bach Museum and guided tour of the historic city centre with the Old Town Hall and Thomaskirche. Return to Dresden for evening festival performance at the Staatsschauspiel: Matthias Goerne (baritone) and Markus Hinterhäuser (piano): Robert Schumann Liederkreis Op 39, Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß Op 98a No 4, Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt Op 98a No 6, An die Türen will ich schleichen Op 98a, No 8, Lieder nach Gedichten der Königin Maria Stuart Op 135, Frauenliebe und -leben Op 42.

Day 5 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon visit to the Historic Green Vault. Continue to the Semper Opera House for a private guided tour (subject to confirmation).

Evening festival performance at the Palais im Großen Garten featuring Seong-Jin Cho (piano): Haydn Klaviersonate No 47; Ravel Menuet sur le nom de Haydn for piano, Le Tombeau de Couperin suite for piano; Liszt Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième Année, Italie.

Day 6 Morning festival performance at the Kulturpalast featuring Daniel Lozakovich (violin), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Manfred Honeck (conductor): Andrea Tarrodi Camelopardalis, Sibelius Concerto for violin and orchestra in D minor Op 47, Dvořák Symphony No 8 in G major Op 88. Free afternoon. Depart Berlin 2055, arriving Heathrow 2155.

Cost of £3495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, five breakfasts, two lunches, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £345.

TOUR CODE: DRMF24

23

FRANCE

Jewels of the Loire: Chateaux & Gardens

Chateau de Chaumont

Discover the magnificent treasure houses of the French kings from the peak of the Renaissance, including the final home of Leonardo da Vinci Delight in wonderful gardens attached to the chateaux, including the world-famous examples at Villandry, and take in the beautiful landscape of the UNESCO-listed Loire Valley Enjoy an overnight stay at La Borde en Sologne, a 17th century chateau elegantly converted into a stunning hotel and surrounded by parkland Across the Loire Valley, a rich artistic and architectural heritage, elegant garden designs and breathtaking landscapes combine to create an unsurpassed cultural experience for travellers. In spring 2024, we look forward to taking in the crème of the region’s cultural riches, with a particular focus on the medieval and Renaissance chateaux and their gardens.

Although the Renaissance is typically associated with the revival of interest in classical art and architecture in 15th 24

“A wonderful, highly informative and enjoyable tour” “Andrew’s impressive knowledge and wonderful delivery provided a most rewarding experience” –ACE customer on the 2023 Jewels of the Loire tour with Andrew Spira

and 16th century Italy, the French kings oversaw a version of the phenomenon that was very distinctively their own, blending ideas from antiquity with the outstanding heritage of medieval France.

While the powerful influence of Italy on France is epitomised by Leonardo da Vinci’s relocation to the Loire Valley for the last three years of his life, the art and architecture of the region demonstrates very clearly that the spirit of medieval France remained ever-present throughout the period.

Our tour provides an in-depth exploration of some of these medieval treasures, including the 12th century Abbaye de Fontevraud (burial site of the Angevin kings), the Cathédrale SaintGatien in Tours and the unique cycle of 14th century ‘Apocalypse’ Tapestries at the Chateau d’Angers.

The region is equally rich in Renaissance chateaux, dating from the 15th to 17th centuries. Among its gems are the Chateau de Chenonceau, straddling the Loire River; the gallery of portraits at Beauregard, untouched since the 17th century; and the ‘double-helix’ staircase at the Chateau de Chambord.

A further highlight will be a visit to the Chateau de Montreuil-Bellay, inhabited by the same family since 1822. The estate has a long tradition of winemaking, with cellars dating back to medieval times, and we look forward to a wine tasting here.

Our itinerary also takes in the picturesque riverside town of Blois; the world-famous restored Renaissance gardens at the Chateau de Villandry on the banks of the Loire; and the annual gardens festival at the Chaumont-surLoire estate, as well as its fine chateau overlooking the Loire. Further highlights include the museums of fine art in Angers and Tours, home to masterpieces by artists ranging from Mantegna and Boucher to Monet and Degas.

We will spend six nights at the fourstar Hotel Oceania L’Univers Tours, a comfortable hotel occupying a smart 19th century building ideally situated in

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© ERIC SANDER

May 21–28, 2024

Chateau de Chambord

17th century chateau surrounded by parkland. The chateau’s historical interiors have recently been sensitively and elegantly renovated with input from a consultant at the Louvre, and our stay will provide an opportunity to experience contemporary chateau living at its finest.

Tour Director Andrew Spira, MA, studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London. For several years he was a specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons at the Temple Gallery, London, before working as a curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Andrew was subsequently Programme Director at Christie’s Education, and has been leading tours to cultural sites for over 20 years.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina, as we have a full itinerary, making the most out of our stay in this beautiful region.

There is a significant amount of walking involved, including over cobbles, gravel, slopes, uneven and potentially slippery surfaces, and up many steps and stone staircases within the chateaux.

Stairs at sites do not always have handrails, and because of the age of some buildings, steps are of differing sizes and depths and some ceilings are low. Some staircases are spiralled, including at the Chateau du Clos Lucé, where the staircase and some corridors are very narrow (approx 50cm). Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

La Borde en Sologne Chateau & Spa

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© LA BORDE EN SOLOGNE CHATEAU

the heart of Tours, just a short walk from the cathedral and Musée des Beaux-Arts.

This will be followed by one of our tour highlights: an overnight stay at the fourstar family-owned La Borde en Sologne Chateau & Spa, an exquisitely restored

ITINERARY

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements are subject to change or confirmation closer to the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

Day 1 Depart London Stansted 1530 on Ryanair, arriving Poitiers 1800. Transfer to Hotel Oceania L’Univers, Tours, for six nights.

Day 2 Morning: guided walking tour of Tours including visits to Cathédrale Saint-Gatien and Musée des Beaux Arts. Afternoon: Chateau de Chambord.

Day 3 Morning: Chaumont-sur-Loire (chateau and garden festival). Afternoon: Chateau de Chenonceau.

Day 4 Whole day excursion to Angers: Musée Jean Lurçat, Chateau d’Angers and Musée des Beaux Arts.

Day 5 Morning: Abbaye de Fontevraud.

Afternoon: Chateau de Montreuil-Bellay (with wine tasting). Free evening.

Day 6 Morning: Chateau du Clos Lucé.

Afternoon: Chateau d’Amboise and Chateau de Villandry. Free evening.

Day 7 Morning: Chateau de Blois and Chateau de Beauregard. Afternoon: Chateau de Cheverny. Continue to La Borde en Sologne Chateau & Spa for overnight stay.

Day 8 Some free time at La Borde en Sologne.

Transfer to Poitiers for 1825 flight, arriving Stansted 1850.

Cost of £3195 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, two lunches, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £595.

TOUR CODE: LOIR24

25

DORIAN MONGEL / UNSPLASH

FRANCE

FRANCE

Art on the Côte d’Azur June 3-10, 2024 with Andrew Spira | September 23-30, 2024 with Suzanne Fagence Cooper

St Tropez

Visit museums dedicated to individual artists such as Matisse, Chagall and Picasso Find out what encouraged these artists and others to travel to the south of France to live and work Experience the work of leading 20th century artists in the peaceful hillside setting of the Fondation Maeght

Château Grimaldi in Antibes and Jean Cocteau’s ‘Salle des Mariages’ at Menton.

A number of these artists have museums dedicated to them, amongst which are the Musée Matisse, Musée Picasso and Musée Chagall, home to the twelve great paintings that make up the Biblical Message series.

Among the greatest strengths of the Musée de l’Annonciade in St Tropez are the collection of works by Signac

Our June tour will be led by Andrew Spira, MA, an art historian who studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London. He is a former curator at the V&A Museum and Programme Director at Christie’s Education. Andrew has been leading cultural tours across Europe for over 20 years.

Our September tour will be led

by Suzanne Fagence Cooper, MA, PhD, a curator and historian who specialises in 19th and 20th century art. An Arts Society accredited lecturer, Suzanne was a curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum for 12 years and has also worked at York Art Gallery. and the neo-Impressionists, Bonnard and the Nabis, and Matisse and the Fauves. Meanwhile, above the beautiful walled village of Saint-Paul de Vence lies the Fondation Maeght, its pinewooded grounds adorned with works

by Giacometti, Calder and Miró. The Foundation possesses one of Europe’s

Following in Cézanne’s footsteps, Monet and Renoir both visited the south of France in the 1880s, while Signac famously sailed into St Tropez harbour in 1892, later building a house and inviting other artists to join him. Matisse arrived in Nice in 1917 and it was not long before his friend and rival Picasso joined him on the Côte d’Azur.

During our week in Nice and its environs we will consider what drew these and other artists to the south of France and explore the legacy they left in the region: from Matisse’s stunning Chapelle du Rosaire to Picasso’s work at the former 26

Golfe-Juan by Paul Signac, c 1896,Worcester Art Museum

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PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

From the late 19th century onwards, the vivid colours of the Côte d’Azur, as well as the region’s mild climate and dramatic landscapes, captivated a succession of Europe’s leading artists.

La Vie by Marc Chagall, 1964, Fondation Maeght

most important collections of 20th century painting, drawing and sculpture: Braque, Chagall, Léger and Calder are all represented.

Both departures will be based at the four-star Hotel Nice Riviera, ideally situated in the heart of Nice close to the Promenade des Anglais.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for these tours, as some visits will be made on foot and by boat. Participants must be prepared to navigate steps and walk for up to a mile at a time, occasionally uphill and on uneven ground. To access the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice requires traversing a number of steps, as there is no ramp, and the museum does not have a lift to reach the first floor. The longest coach journey is to St Tropez, taking approximately 2 ½ hours, and we hope to return by boat (weather permitting), although please note this journey can be choppy if windy.

For more information on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

“I just loved this tour. It has given me new perspectives on so many artists.

Wonderful!”

– ACE customer on a previous Art on the Côte d’Azur tour

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. The itinerary for each departure will vary slightly, in terms of the visits and their order; please see the ACE website for the confirmed itineraries. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed. Sometimes sites have temporary exhibitions taking place, and this may affect which parts of the permanent collection are accessible.

Day 1 Flight from London to Nice. Transfer to Hotel Nice Riviera for seven nights.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by walking tour of Nice. Afternoon: Musée des Beaux-Arts and Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain.

Day 3 Visits to Musée Matisse and Musée Chagall (Biblical Message). Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: Fondation Maeght and walk down the medieval Chemin Sainte-Claire to St

aceculturaltours.co.uk

Paul de Vence. Afternoon: Matisse’s celebrated Chapelle du Rosaire. Evening lecture.

Day 5 Menton (Salle des Mariages) followed

by Villefranche-sur-Mer (Cocteau’s Chapelle de Saint Pierre des Pêcheurs).

Day 6 Musée Picasso (Château Grimaldi) and Château Vallauris (Picasso collection and chapel).

Free evening.

Day 7 By coach to St Tropez: walking tour of the old port, Musée de l’Annonciade housed in former chapel of Pénitents Blancs. Return by boat (weather permitting) and coach to Nice.

Day 8 Flight from Nice to London.

Cost of June tour: £2995 Cost of September tour: £2895 Cost includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £495 (June departure) / £450 (September departure).

TOUR CODE: ARC224 / ARC324

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JEAN-PIERRE DALBÄRA / CC BY 2.0 DEED VIA FLICKR

FRANCE

RO M A N I A

Citadels of Transylvania June 5–13, 2024 Biertan

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an expert in art history and architecture who has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, where he gained his PhD in History of Art from Magdalene College.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Sites may close with little or no notice, for example owing to restoration works, and some visits may be time or weather permitting on the day.

Explore the fortified churches of the Transylvanian Saxons in Romania Visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Câlnic Castle and the three-aisled Biertan fortified church Travel through Sibiu, Cluj-Napoca and Brașov, and take in the wooden churches and gates of the Maramureș region The Transylvanian Saxons – a group of German-speaking artisans, farmers and merchants – were first invited to settle in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains by the Hungarian Crown in the 13th century. In response to raids in the late Middle Ages, fortresses were erected around their churches, and our tour to present-day Romania will feature visits to a selection of these fortified structures.

Visits will include the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Prejmer, where the early Gothic Church of the Holy Cross was walled in the 15th century, and Biertan, with its late Gothic complex dating from circa 1522.

We will investigate the wooden churches of the Maramureș region, characterised by their slim clock towers, and the walled 28

town of Sighișoara, dominated by a hill overlooking a bend in the River Târnava.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0905 on Austrian Airlines via Vienna, arriving Sibiu 1535.

Two nights in Sibiu.

Medieval Brașov was formerly one of Eastern Europe’s most important trading towns. Sibiu is home to the Brukenthal Palace, and is noted for its series of interlocking squares and covered passages with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

Day2 Morning visits in Sibiu: Upper Town, Huet Square, Lower Town, Bridge of Lies, Goldsmiths’ Square and Brukenthal Palace followed by open-air Astra Museum. Afternoon excursion to Cisnădie (fortified church) and Cisnădioara (St Michael’s fortress church).

We will stay at hotels of three and fourstar standard.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and stamina, as we have a full itinerary making the most of our time in Romania, with some early starts, and many days will involve a significant amount of walking. It is not always possible for the coach to park right outside the sites, so some visits may involve a walk to access sites (particularly churches), which may be uphill. Some visits involve navigating steps and cobbles. There will be an opportunity to climb a fortress tower in Brașov but this will be optional. The tour will also feature some long coach journeys. Participants must meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Cost of £2695 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, eight breakfasts, two lunches, eight dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £235.

TOUR CODE: TRAN24

Day 3 Morning: Miercurea Sibiului (Saxon fortified church), UNESCO-listed Câlnic Castle and Sebeș for Fortress, Lutheran Church, Binder House and Zápolya House (exteriors).

Afternoon: Alba Iulia (former Roman camp, Baroque fort). Continue to Cluj-Napoca for overnight.

Day 4 Morning in Cluj-Napoca: old town, Church of St Michael, Bánffy Palace, birthplace of Hunyadi Mátyás, and Catholic, Calvinist and Unitarian churches. Continue to wooden church of Șurdești (weather permitting), followed by Baia Mare for overnight.

Day 5 Wooden churches and gates of the Maramureș region. Continue to Sighișoara for two nights.

Day 6 Valea Viilor (fortified church), Mediaș (St Margaret’s Church), Biertan (three-nave church) and Malancrav (fortified church).

Day 7 Sighișoara: Monastery Church, Church on the Hill, Student Steps, Clock Tower with museum. Afternoon: UNESCO-listed fortified church in Saschiz, Viscri and Rupea Fortress.

Continue to Brașov for two nights.

Day 8 Morning excursion to Prejmer for early Gothic fortified church. Return to Brașov for Black Church and old town.

Day 9 Morning: Peleș Castle and Orthodox Monastery of Sinaia (final flight times permitting).

Continue to Bucharest for 1400 departure on British Airways, arriving Heathrow 1735.

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GERMANY

Bach Festival in Leipzig June 10–17, 2024 The Leipzig Bach Festival

This tour will be led

by Sandy Burnett, a musician and broadcaster who spent over a decade as one of the best-known classical music presenters on BBC Radio 3. He has conducted many orchestras and choirs, and has masterminded a complete cycle of J S Bach’s sacred cantatas.

© GERT MOTHES

Day 4 Whole day excursion to Halle: Handel House and W F Bach House. Return to Leipzig for evening performance at the Thomaskirche: J S Bach St John’s Passion.

Hear J S Bach’s outstanding church music in the hands of some of today’s leading exponents Explore the rich musical heritage of Leipzig with visits to sites related to Bach, Mendelssohn and Schumann Visit the Handel House and W F Bach House on an excursion to Halle Leipzig lies at the heart of the classical music tradition: Wagner was born here, Mendelssohn died here and Bach spent nearly three decades as Kapellmeister at the Thomaskirche.

The tour features some of today’s leading Bach interpreters, including Philippe Herreweghe, the Collegium Vocal Gent, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Thomaskantor Andreas Reize directing the choir of St Thomas’s Church.

As well as performances of two of Bach’s towering masterpieces, the St John Passion and the B minor mass, there will be the intriguing experience of witnessing an opera using Bach’s music to tell the story of the 16th century Anabaptist leader Jan van Leyden – a

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great opportunity to hear Bach’s muchloved music in a fresh context.

We will stay throughout the tour in the centre of Leipzig at the four-star Seaside Park Hotel, within walking distance of the Thomaskirche.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves several excursions to museums, as well as walking tours, and participants should therefore feel comfortable staying on their feet for extended periods of time. A good general level of fitness is required for this tour.

Participants should meet our usual fitness requirements, as described in the Booking Terms and Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the musical programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0835 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1130. Transfer to Seaside Park Hotel, Leipzig, for seven nights.

Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by walking tour of Leipzig. Free afternoon. Evening festival performance at the Oper Leipzig featuring Nederlandse Bachvereniging: The Apokalypse – An opera about Jan van Leyden, based on music by J S Bach.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by visit to Bach-Museum. Afternoon: visit to the Schumann House Museum. Evening performance at the Nikolaikirche featuring Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir conducted by Ton Koopman: works by J S Bach.

Day 5 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon performance at the Old Town Hall featuring Christine Schornsheim (cembalo): J S Bach Goldberg-Variationen, BWV 988. Continue to the Paulinum-Aula and University Church of St Paul for performance featuring Kit Armstrong (cembalo) and Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin conducted by Bernhard Forck: works by J B Bach, J C Bach, C P E Bach and J S Bach.

Day 6 Morning lecture followed by a performance at the Paulinum-Aula and University Church of St Paul featuring Elisabeth Breuer (soprano) and Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum conducted by Reinhard Goebel: works by J Fischer and J S Bach.

Afternoon visit to the Mendelssohn House Museum. Evening performance at Thomaskirche featuring Katharina Konradi (soprano), Patrick Grahl (tenor), Tobias Berndt (bass), Gaechinger Cantorey and Freiburger Barockorchester conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann: works

by Brahms, F Mendelssohn Bartholdy and J S Bach.

Day 7 Free time with option to attend Sunday service at Thomaskirche. Afternoon visit to the Museum of Musical Instruments. Evening festival finale concert at Thomaskirche featuring Solisten and Collegium Vocale Gent conducted by Philippe Herreweghe: J S Bach Mass in B minor BWV 232.

Day 8 Transfer to Berlin for 1500 flight, arriving Heathrow 1600.

Cost of £3895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, seven breakfasts, four lunches (one packed), five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, small double room for single use supplement £265.

TOUR CODE: BACH24

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UNITED KINGDOM

The Shetland Islands June 17–24, 2024

RONNIE ROBERTSON / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED VIA FLICKR

Compass Head, Sumburgh, Shetland

Explore the atmospheric, uninhabited Island of Mousa, home to seabirds and waders Absorb the remarkable history of Shetland, from Neolithic settlements to Viking remains Make an excursion to the Island of Unst to visit the Keen of Hamar Nature Reserve Our tour will cover the full length of Shetland, from Sumburgh Head in the south to the northern Island of Unst.

We will visit the remote Hermaness Reserve, over 2000 acres of dramatic coastal scenery and wild moorland with thousands of nesting seabirds, including the UK’s largest great skua colony. Nearby lies the Keen of Hamar, a unique lunarlike landscape of fractured serpentine rock home to some of Britain’s rarest plants.

We will visit the Island of Mousa by day for its many seabirds and waders, and again at dusk as storm petrels come ashore. A further highlight will be the vegetation and geo-morphology of the spectacular sandy causeway – known as a tombolo – that leads to St Ninian’s Isle.

We will stay initially at the Glen Orchy House in Lerwick; whilst the accommodation is of a relatively basic 30

standard, it is clean, comfortable and ideal for many of our daytime visits. We will then transfer to the Brae Hotel, at the northern end of the mainland.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of overall fitness. It will involve periods of standing and frequent walks of up to four miles, mostly over paths but occasionally along cliff tops and over rough ground. The longest walk is around three hours.

The walk to Hermaness Nature Reserve is up a wide, well-paved path followed by a boardwalk, with an approx 100m ascent. The Sumburgh Head walk is short with an approx 50m ascent up a paved road. We will make several private boat trips to view birds when weather conditions allow; the water can be choppy. For ACE’s fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Travel Arrangements Travel to and from Shetland is not included in the cost of this tour. We recommend that you plan to arrive in Shetland either before June 17, or in time for a morning departure from Lerwick (if travelling by ferry) or morning airport pick-up (if travelling by air) on June 17. If you would like to spend an additional night at the hotel (at your own expense), please mention this upon booking. On the final day (June 24) we recommend booking a midday or afternoon flight.

An information sheet giving various suggestions for travel will be provided upon confirmation of booking.

This tour will be led by Peter Exley, BSc, an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB. Peter has also held posts with BirdLife International and the Albatross Task Force.

ITINERARY

The itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation. Visits in Shetland depend heavily on weather conditions; the Tour Director may need to adjust the order and nature of the visits on the ground. Ferry and flight schedules, which are released nearer the time, may also affect some elements.

Day 1 Tour assembles in the morning at Glen Orchy House, Lerwick, or at Sumburgh Airport (guidance will be issued in advance of the tour). Afternoon: Sumburgh Head and Jarlshof prehistoric site. Transfer to Lerwick for four nights at Glen Orchy House. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 South Mainland for St Ninian’s Isle then by boat to uninhabited Island of Mousa: seals and seabirds.

Day 3 Tingwall: valley and loch, Tingwall Kirk and Scalloway Museum & Castle. By ferry to Island of Whalsay: restored Hanseatic booth, Kirk Ness and Skaw. Optional late night boat excursion to Mousa to view storm petrels (weather permitting; please see ACE website for further details).

Day 4 By boat to bird cliffs of Noss followed by walking tour and free time in historical Lerwick.

Day 5 North Mainland: Ronas Hill, Mavis Grind and Urraforth Ayre. Evening talk. Three nights at Brae Hotel.

Day 6 By ferry via Yell to Unst for Hermaness National Nature Reserve, Haroldswick and Keen of Hamar.

Day 7 By ferry via Yell to Fetlar: Hamars Ness.

Return by ferry from Fetlar to Toft.

Day 8 Tour disperses after breakfast, with coach transfer to Sumburgh Airport in time to catch midday or afternoon flight.

Cost of £2495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, six lunches (mostly packed), seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: return travel, travel insurance, single room supplement £225, double room for single use supplement £325.

TOUR CODE: SHET24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Islay, Jura & Colonsay June 18–25, 2024 FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: The group size will be restricted to 15. Participants should be comfortable walking for several miles over sometimes rugged terrain, and a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina is required for this tour. Participants should meet our usual fitness requirements, as described in our Booking Terms and Conditions. The tour involves boarding ferries as foot passengers on several occasions, including the transport of luggage.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Our itinerary may also be adjusted further on the ground, to allow for last-minute changes to ferry schedules, weather conditions, tides and local reports of wildlife sightings.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1100 at Glasgow Central Station followed by approx 1130 at Glasgow Airport. Continue via Loch Lomond, Inveraray and Kennacraig to Port Askaig, Islay, for seven nights at Port Askaig Hotel.

The Paps of Jura

Islay, the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’, will be our base for this rewarding study of the area’s flora and fauna Look out for an astonishing diversity of birdlife, from moorland birds of prey to rare waders and seabirds during our ferry crossings Absorb the islands’ Celtic past, evoked in ancient crosses, inscribed stones and medieval strongholds, and its more recent human history in the fascinating local museums Islay is internationally famous for its birdlife, especially the rare chough, twite and corncrake. The moorlands hold birds of prey such as the golden eagle, hen harrier, merlin, peregrine and short-eared owl. Both freshwater and sea lochs are the haunts of rare waders, geese, gannet, eider ducks and shag, while the ferry crossings may provide sightings of puffins, guillemots, divers, shearwaters, petrels and a chance of seeing whales or dolphins. Common and Atlantic grey seals can be seen along the coast and we may spot otters.

The vegetation is also varied, with coastal machir grasslands, woodland on the limestone, and peat bog – so important

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This tour will be led

by Mark Welch, PhD. Mark was a research scientist in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London for over 25 years. He has a PhD in geosciences from Edinburgh University, and taught crystallography at Cambridge University for nine years. Mark has led many field trips in the UK as a geologist and naturalist, and is currently involved in surveying bees and flies for a wide range of sites in East Anglia. for malt whisky – on the poorer areas.

Jura, by contrast, is one of the wildest of the Hebridean islands, with its west coast in particular being trackless and unspoilt.

Abruptly changing and dramatic seascapes give way to a boggy interior inhabited by elusive red deer and soaring eagles.

We will stay at the attractive Port Askaig Hotel on the shores of the Sound of Islay, where the Port Bar dates from the 16th century and carries a wide selection of Islay Malts and beers. This family-run highland inn offers easy access to Jura, Colonsay and the mainland.

Day 2 Whole day excursion to Colonsay: flowers, wildlife, ‘Pigs’ Paradise’ (remote sheltered cliff-top and sea bird colonies).

Day 3 Morning: Port Charlotte (Museum of Islay Life), Nerabus (medieval carved grave slabs), Portnahaven (crofting fields), corncrakes and seals, Claddach for Wave Power site and exposed cliff vegetation, and Frenchman’s Rocks (sea watch). Afternoon: Machir Bay (dunes and grasslands), Kilchoman Church, Loch Gorm.

Day 4 Duich Moss, Kildalton Cross and Chapel (finest surviving example of Celtic high cross), Islay whisky distillery.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Jura for tour by coach with stops for birdwatching, botanising and viewing historical sites.

Day 6 Morning: Loch Gruinart RSPB Reserve and Ardnave Loch. Afternoon walk towards Gortantaoid Point.

Day 7 Islay Natural History Trust Centre, Bowmore (Round Church) and the Mull of Oa moorland and spectacular cliffs (rare chough breeds along the dramatic coastline).

Day 8 Transfer to Glasgow where tour disperses approx 1300 at Glasgow Airport and approx 1330 at Glasgow Central Station.

Cost of £2495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts (one packed on day 8), three packed lunches, seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £245.

Rooms with a sea view are available at a supplement.

TOUR CODE: ISLA24

31

H U N G A RY

Hungary: Kingdom of the Magyars June 24 – July 4, 2024

Tihany Abbey, Lake Balaton

Visit Esztergom, Hungary’s ecclesiastical centre, and the rural palaces of Széchenyi and Eszterházy Enjoy views over the Danube Valley in Visegrád and discover the area around Lake Balaton Hungary occupies a special place in European history. The Magyars were latecomers to the scene in the political and ethnic upheavals that followed classical antiquity, and they also stand out for their uniquely non-European language among the peoples of Central Europe. The different parts of the Magyar world experienced vastly diverging historical and cultural developments, as they came temporarily under the control of foreign powers, in particular the Ottomans and the Habsburgs.

Today’s Hungary bears traces of the medieval kingdom that adopted Christianity under the sainted King Stephen in the year 1000, as well as the later expanded realm within the Habsburg Empire. The Ottomans account for the introduction of features like Hungarian 32

This tour will be led

by Alex Koller, PhD, an expert in art and architectural history.

Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, gaining his PhD in History of Art from Magdalene College, where he has also lectured and supervised. Alex is an accomplished linguist and experienced ACE Tour Director. bathing culture, while the variety of peoples that used to live under the Crown of St Stephen is expressed in the Serbian quarters of towns like Szentendre and Székesfehérvár. The glories of the Buda Renaissance court can still be appreciated in the ruins of Visegrád.

wealth and power can be appreciated in the country houses they built. The Austrian rulers, on the other hand, were instrumental in the reconstruction of lands which were devastated after the defeat of the Ottomans in the 17th and 18th centuries. The vast city squares of towns like Győor, as well as numerous late Baroque churches, exemplify the aspirations of that hopeful age.

The restoration of Hungarian self-rule in the 19th century brought about the Matthias Church, Budapest

Our tour will explore these overlapping narratives, through visits across Buda and Pest, along the Danube Bend, in the Lake Balaton area and further into western Hungary. Excursions to palaces, churches, synagogues and galleries will illuminate our understanding of this rich and remarkable historical tapestry.

STEFAN SCHÄFER / CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Explore the churches, synagogues and galleries of Budapest and journey through western Hungary

Crucial to the life of the Hungarian nation under the Habsburgs was the role of Hungarian nobles, whose

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H U N G A RY Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest

architectural ensemble of Budapest, which celebrated the confidence of the resurgent nation in monumental structures like the famous Parliament Building and Heroes’ Square. Together with the Danube River and the rocky outcrops on the Buda side, they form what is arguably one of the most scenic and impressive compositions in any European capital.

Our tour begins with five nights in Budapest at the four-star Continental Hotel, an elegant oasis of calm in the heart of the city, followed by two nights at the four-star Hotel Golden Lake Resort in Balatonfüred, facing Lake Balaton, and two nights at the comfortable three-star Lövér Hotel, set on the edge of a nature reserve on the edge of Sopron. We return to Budapest for a final overnight stay at the Continental Hotel in readiness for our return flight.

Cost of £4295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, ten breakfasts, nine dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £795.

TOUR CODE: HUKM24

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FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this study tour has a comprehensive itinerary to make the most of our time in Hungary and visit a breadth of sites, so a good level of fitness, stamina and mobility is required. Participants should be prepared for a significant amount of time spent on foot, walking and standing in cities, towns and at historical sites, where the ground may be uneven or cobbled. Some sites also have steps to navigate. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Our Tour Director, Alex Koller, will be undertaking a preparatory trip in advance of the tour departure and may recommend some changes as a result of this. Furthermore, some visits may be time permitting on the day.

Sometimes historical and religious sites can close at short notice for restoration works or services.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0925 on British Airways, arriving Budapest 1310. Transfer to Continental Hotel for five nights. Orientation walking tour and introductory lecture.

Day 2 Visits in Budapest: Hungarian Parliament, Orthodox Dohány Street Synagogue and Reformed Synagogue with Jewish Museum, St Stephen’s Basilica, Andrassy Avenue, Heroes’ Square and Fine Arts Museum.

Day 3 Morning exploration of Buda: Mátyás Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, National Gallery (in former Royal Palace). Afternoon visits in Pest: Danube Embankment, Belvárosi Plébánia Templom, Váci utca.

“It is always a joy to go anywhere with Alex” – ACE customer on a 2023 tour led by Alex Koller Day 4 Excursion to the Danube Bend: Szentendre, Esztergom (cathedral and treasury), Visegrád (remains of the Royal Palace).

Day 5 Excursion to Vác (neoclassical cathedral), Hatvan Palace (exterior), Gödöllő Palace. Free evening in Budapest.

Day 6 Transfer to the Lake Balaton area via Zsámbék (ruins of Romanesque Premonstratensian abbey church) and Székesfehérvár (St Stephen’s Cathedral, ruins of medieval basilica, Serbian quarter) for two nights at Golden Lake Resort, Balatonfüred.

Day 7 Visits in the Balaton area: Veszprém (castle hill, cathedral), Keszthely (Festetics Palace), Badascony (wine tasting) and Tihany (peninsula, abbey).

Day 8 Depart for western Hungary via Sümeg Castle, Türje Church (rare brick church – exterior), Ják (St George’s Church), Szombathely (cathedral, synagogue). Two nights at Lövér Hotel, Sopron.

Day 9 Morning visits in Sopron. Afternoon: Széchenyi Palace, Nagycenk and Eszterházy Palace, Fertőd.

Day 10 Return to Budapest via Győor (Church of St Ignatius, Great Synagogue) and Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma. Overnight at Continental Hotel, Budapest.

Day 11 Depart Budapest 1430, arriving Heathrow 1610.

33

UNITED KINGDOM

Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels June 25–28, 2024 | September 3–6, 2024

DAVID / CC BY 2.0 DEED

Ceiling details of St Peter and St Paul’s Church Knapton

View the remarkable ‘Memento Mori’ panels of a surviving medieval rood screen at St Mary in Sparham St Botolph’s in Trunch offers a beautiful 15th century hammerbeam roof alongside fine medieval misericords and a stunning font canopy Appreciate the stained glass at Bale alongside fascinating murals at Wickhampton and Hemblington

Around one thousand medieval churches once stood in Norfolk, and over six hundred and fifty remain – the largest concentration anywhere in the world.

Rising above the gently rolling landscape, they survive from the time when East Anglia was the economic heartland of late medieval England, prospering from the wool trade, the wealth of its great landed families and its thriving coastal port.

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Tour Director Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil, FRHistS, FRSA is a medieval historian.

She obtained a firstclass degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent and her most recent book, Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals, was published in 2019.

We shall delve into the various media for church art, from misericords and woodcarving to wonderful stained glass at Bale, and fascinating murals at Wickhampton and Hemblington. St Botolph’s in Trunch presents a stunning collection of features, from its beautiful 15th century hammerbeam roof to its superb oak font canopy, one of only four of its kind in England.

Also included will be the much-maligned doodling of the medieval graffiti artist, as seen at St Margaret’s in Cley, and

treasures that elucidate the rich preReformation sacramental life of England’s parish churches, such as the splendid rood screens at Ranworth. Here, the 26 painted saints panels represent one of the great survivals of English medieval art.

We will stay throughout at the Park Farm Hotel & Leisure, Hethersett, a four-star establishment set in beautiful countryside a few miles outside Norwich.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and mobility.

Please note that the ground at some of the church sites we visit is uneven underfoot (both inside the churches and in the churchyards).

Participants should be prepared for navigating steps (sometimes steep or without handrails) and occasional ramps, as well as dimly lit areas. Time will be spent walking around the church interiors, some of which are large. Occasionally the group have to cross busy roads to access the churches, so care must be taken. It is also necessary to negotiate steps at our hotel, which does not have a lift. Please be aware that not all of the churches have facilities. For ACE’s minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

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UNITED KINGDOM

MICHAEL JOHN BUTTON / CC BY 2.0 DEED

Hemblington Church

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Hethersett, for three nights. Welcome and introductory lecture: The Signs of the Times followed by afternoon visit to St Mary’s Church, Attleborough. Evening lecture: The Dregs of the People Remain – Black Death and its Aftermath.

Day 1 Assemble 1245 at Norwich Station for coach pick-up (those travelling by train). Tour assembles 1330 at Park Farm Hotel & Leisure,

Day 2 St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Knapton; St Botolph’s Church, Trunch; St Margaret’s Church, Cley; All Saints’ Church, Bale.

“Imogen is first class in every way, a really excellent lecturer with vast knowledge of her subject and always willing to provide extra details” – ACE customer on a previous Churches of Norfolk tour Day 3 St Mary’s Church, Sparham; All Saints’ Church, Weston Longville; St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Salle; St Agnes’s Church, Cawston.

St Margaret’s, Cley

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© IMOGEN CORRIGAN

Day 4 St Andrew’s Church, Wickhampton; St Edmund’s Church, Acle; St Helen’s Church, Ranworth; All Saints’ Church, Hemblington.

Tour disperses approx 1530 at Norwich Station followed by approx 1545 at the hotel.

Cost of £1195 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, three breakfasts, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £180.

TOUR CODE: CHN124 / CHN224

35

I TA LY

Verona Opera Festival June 26 – July 1, 2024

© FOTO ENNEVI / ARENA DI VERONA OPERA

Our accommodation is at the comfortable Hotel San Luca, located a five-minute stroll away from Verona’s Arena.

Verona Arena

Take your seat in Verona’s spectacular Arena for Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Puccini’s Turandot and a new production of Verdi’s Aida Enjoy illuminating lectures on each opera Explore the ‘fair Verona’ of Romeo and Juliet and journey by boat across Lake Garda Established for over one hundred years, Verona’s internationally renowned opera festival ranks as one of the most outstanding in the world. Staged in the monumental Roman amphitheatre known as the Arena di Verona – “the true home of open-air performances” – the festival has hosted many of the world’s greatest opera singers.

This tour will be led

by Paul Jackson, MA, PhD, a conductor, pianist, musicologist and former Director of Music at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of opera and chamber musician.

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As dusk falls and the candles are lit, we will take our seats for three operatic masterpieces, including Hugo de Ana’s lively production of Rossini’s much-loved comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, and Puccini’s magnificent Turandot, in a magical production by director and set designer Franco Zeffirelli with costumes from Oscar-winning Emi Wada.

At the heart of our tour will be a chance to experience the 100th anniversary production of Verdi’s Aida, created by Stefano Poda, which premiered in 2023.

With its dramatic public scenes and moments of private intimacy, brought to life by stunning direction, set design and costumes, a performance of this beloved work becomes an experience of a lifetime in the superb surroundings of the Arena.

In ‘fair Verona’, the city of Romeo and Juliet, we will explore captivating streets and splendid medieval churches. An excursion will take us to the shores of Lake Garda and will enjoy a boat trip to Sirmione, where the celebrated 20th century soprano Maria Callas lived in the 1950s.

Meanwhile, in Valpolicella Classica, we will explore the area’s long heritage as a producer of some of Italy’s finest wines, with a visit to the 14th century manor house, Palazzo Montanari.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a significant amount of walking over cobbles, slippery marble paving stones, up and down steps (sometimes without handrails), and potentially in hot sunshine or over wet pavements. A good level of fitness is required.

Please consult our fitness criteria in the Booking Terms & Conditions. Please note the walk from the hotel to the Arena is on flat ground and takes around five minutes. Our return walk is after nightfall but the area is well lit. All performances are scheduled to begin at 2130, but our itinerary has been balanced with later starts in the mornings and some free time during the days in which to rest and relax. This tour also includes a boat trip.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. While we will endeavour to deliver this itinerary in full, some elements may be adjusted nearer the time, particularly owing to local weather conditions.

Cast and performance details may also be subject to change by the festival office.

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1310 on Easyjet, arriving Verona 1615. Transfer to Hotel San Luca, Verona, for five nights.

Day 2 Morning walking tour of Verona. Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture.

Evening performance at the Arena: Rossini The Barber of Seville.

Day 3 Morning excursion to Palazzo Montanari, Valpolicella for guided tour followed by wine and olive oil tasting. Free afternoon in Verona followed by early evening lecture and independent dinner. Evening performance at the Arena: Verdi Aida.

Day 4 Morning: further explorations of Verona on foot. Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture. Evening performance at the Arena: Puccini Turandot.

Day 5 Free morning. Afternoon excursion to Lake Garda for boat trip to Sirmione.

Day 6 Free morning. Depart Venice 1615, arriving Gatwick 1730.

Cost of £3895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described (1st sector gold category), five breakfasts, one light lunch, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £575.

TOUR CODE: VROP24

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IRELAND

Dingle & the Ring of Kerry

© SUPERBASS / CC-BY-SA-4.0 (VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

June 27 – July 4, 2024

Ballintaggart Ogham Stones

Explore Ross Island, home to Ross Castle and an ancient copper mine, and ruggedly beautiful Innisfallen Island, with its 7th century monastery Trace the famous Ring of Kerry, dotted with enthralling historical sites including standing stones, medieval churches and monumental stone forts Enjoy a two-day exploration of the fortresses, megaliths and museums of the Dingle Peninsula South-west Ireland, the region corresponding to the ancient Kingdom of Munster, is both scenically spectacular and extraordinarily rich in sites of historical and cultural interest. Two of its undoubted jewels – the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry – form the focus of this tour.

We will discover Lough Leane, overlooked by the sentinel-like Ross Castle, Muckross House and Franciscan friary, and the monastery ruins of tiny Innisfallen Island. In the narrow pass known as the Gap of Dunloe, which carves its way through the mountains west of Lough Leane, is situated the cottage of Kate Kearney, a 19th century beauty immortalised in song.

The remainder of the world-renowned Ring of Kerry invites appreciation of prehistoric standing stones, great ring forts of the early medieval era, some fine medieval churches and Derrynane

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House, the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, one of the great statesmen of modern Irish history.

The beautiful Dingle Peninsula offers dramatic coastal promontory forts, early Christian monasteries and churches, beehive huts, the famous boat-shaped oratory at Gallarus and ogham stones, displaying the earliest written form of the Irish language.

We will spend four nights at the characterful four-star Loch Lein Country House Hotel, in a tranquil and beautiful location west of Killarney, close to the north shore of the lake. Three further nights will be spent at the four-star Dingle Skellig Hotel, spectacularly situated on Europe’s westernmost peninsula.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves many visits to outdoor archaeological sites or ruins. Participants should therefore have a good level of overall fitness and mobility, and be comfortable navigating uneven and sometimes rugged ground. We advise all participants to consult ACE’s minimum fitness requirements in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

This tour will be led by Mike King, BA, MA, a museum professional for over 30 years. Mike has a passion for Irish archaeology, Britain and Ireland’s early medieval culture, European pilgrimage and carved stones, having created an exhibition on the megaliths of Northern Ireland. He has worked as Heritage Manager for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and co-ordinated the protection and movement of a 10th century high cross in Downpatrick.

Day 3 Whole day exploration of the Ring of Kerry: Leacanabuaile and Cahergal stone forts, Eightercua standing stones, Derrynane House and Garden, Staigue Fort.

Day 4 Morning visits to Muckross House and Franciscan friary, followed by walk to Dundag Boathouse for boat trip across lake to Dinis Cottage Tearooms, near Meeting of the Waters.

Free afternoon with option to visit Muckross Farm and Gardens. Return to the hotel via the picturesque Torc Waterfall.

Day 5 Transfer to Tralee for visit to Kerry County Museum and Ardfert for church complex (including 12th-13th century cathedral). Continue to Dingle Peninsula for three nights at Skellig Hotel.

Day 6 Visits on the Dingle Peninsula: Caherdorgan ring-fort; Kilmalkedar church, alphabet stone, ancient sun-dial and ogham stone; boat-shaped oratory of Gallarus; Kilfountain church remnants, cross slab and ogham stone; field of ogham stones at Ballintaggart; and medieval Minard Castle.

Day 7 Further visits on the Dingle Peninsula: Dunbeg promontory fort, clochans (beehive huts) of Glenfahan, Blasket Heritage Centre and West Kerry Museum (with curator talk). Return via remnants of an early medieval monastery at Reask.

Please note the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time, including the order of visits, to best suit local conditions.

Day 8 Transfer to Cork Airport via pilgrimage site dedicated to St Gobnait at Ballyvourney.

Depart Cork for Heathrow.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow for Cork.

Transfer to Loch Lein Country House hotel, near Killarney and Lough Leane, for four nights.

Cost of £2895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £695.

TOUR CODE: DING24

Day 2 Morning excursion to the peninsula known as Ross Island: visits to Ross Castle and ancient copper mine, and boat trip to Innisfallen Island and monastery. Afternoon: visits to Aghadoe Cathedral, Beaufort ogham stones and Kate Kearney’s Cottage, near Gap of Dunloe.

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UNITED KINGDOM

Churches of Suffolk July 1–5, 2024 undergone significant modern expansions by architects including Stephen Dykes Bower: a new choir, cloister, lady chapel, and Gothic revivalist Millennium Tower were all completed by 2005.

Our base for the tour will be the fourstar Angel Hotel, a stylish and charming boutique establishment set among the cobbled streets of Bury St Edmunds.

Church of Stratford Saint Mary

Delve into Suffolk’s prosperous past at the Church of Holy Trinity in Long Melford Encounter some hidden medieval treasures – from bench carvings to wall paintings – in less frequented churches Stay in the heart of Bury St Edmunds, a stone’s throw from its fascinating cathedral with layers of modern architecture Like its neighbour Norfolk, the undulating landscape of Suffolk possesses one of the highest concentrations of churches in the UK. Rising on the back of the 15th century woven cloth trade, many owe their life and character to the region’s burgeoning wealth, as well as changes that came later, from the Reformation to 19th century revisions.

Encasing some fine 15th century stained glass, the parish church at Stratford St Mary boasts a beautiful exterior, characterised by flint flushwork and medieval inscriptions. Among the most renowned wool towns of the county, Long Melford boasts a fittingly spectacular parish church in Holy Trinity, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the country. Perched at the village’s highest point, it entrances visitors with 38

This tour will be led by medieval historian Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil. Following almost 20 years in the army, from which she retired in the rank of Major, Imogen obtained a first-class degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent and subsequently an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. She is also an accredited Arts Society lecturer and a Freeman of the Company of Communicators. its medieval stained glass, including the famous depiction of the Trinity as three interlocked hares, and its light-filled lady chapel.

St Nicholas’s Church in Denston is a prime example of late Perpendicular architecture and a treasure trove of original features, including misericords, a panelled font and medieval benches topped with animal carvings.

Originally a parish church, St Edmundsbury attained its cathedral status in 1914. Following 19th century restorations by George Gilbert Scott and James Wyatt, this fascinating and multilayered structure has since

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Some of the sites have uneven ground, steps, ramps and dimly lit interiors. Accessing some of the churches will involve walks of up to half a mile, and the visit to Holy Trinity Church in Long Melford will require a short walk up a shallow slope. We advise that you consult ACE’s minimum fitness requirements as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Please also be aware that facilities are not always available at the churches or in the rural areas that this tour travels to.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1330 at the Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds, for four nights. Welcome lecture followed by a visit to St Edmundsbury Cathedral.

Day 2 Morning visits to St Mary the Virgin Church, Combs and St Mary’s Church, Hadleigh.

Afternoon: Stratford St Mary and St Mary the Virgin Church, East Bergholt.

Day 3 Morning visits to St Mary’s Church, Thornham Parva; St Mary the Virgin Church, Yaxley and the Church of St Peter & St Paul, Hoxne. Afternoon: St Andrew’s Church, Wingfield and St Mary’s Church, Dennington.

Day 4 Morning: St Nicholas’s Church, Denston and Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.

Afternoon: St Peter & St Paul’s Church, Lavenham and St Mary’s Church, Brent Eleigh.

Day 5 Morning: St Andrew’s Church, Norton and St Nicholas’s Chapel, Gipping. Afternoon visits to St Nicholas’s Church, Rattlesden and St Mary’s Church, Woolpit. Tour disperses approx 1615 at Bury St Edmunds Station followed by the hotel.

Cost of £1395 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, one light lunch, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £130.

TOUR CODE: CHUS24

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FRANCE

Medieval Burgundy July 4–11, 2024 FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour will involve walking over ground that can be uneven, steep or cobbled, and slippery if wet. A good level of fitness is required to complete the itinerary, as it involves a moderate amount of time spent walking and standing, and participants should meet the minimum fitness criteria in ACE’s Booking Terms & Conditions. Please note that some church interiors can be dimly lit, and several visits involve traversing steps, including a spiral staircase at St Philibert. This tour also includes opportunities to enjoy the French cuisine and way of life, with more leisurely lunch breaks on some of the days.

Fontenay Abbey

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Some elements may be subject to change or confirmation, or may be reordered nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed, and historical sites can occasionally close at short notice for restoration works.

Explore Guédelon, where a team of master craftsmen have been building an authentic recreation of a medieval castle using only the techniques and materials of the Middle Ages Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Vézelay, an enduring masterpiece of Burgundian Romanesque architecture Spend a day in Dijon, exploring the Cathedral of St Bénigne, Archaeological Museum and Palais des Ducs

From 1363 to 1477, the old Duchy of Burgundy – with the glittering court of Dijon at its heart – became the focus of one of the most influential polities of the Middle Ages, extending its authority as far north as the Netherlands.

This tour pays tribute to some of Europe’s most delightful and architecturally impressive Romanesque monuments: the once imposing abbey at Cluny, the great cathedrals at Autun and Dijon, and the sumptuous pilgrimage centre of Vézelay.

Here, the 12th century Sainte MarieMadeleine, with its complex imagery, is a tour de force of the Burgundian

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This tour will be led

by Hugh Doherty, DPhil, a Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Hugh is a medievalist with broad historical interests: he teaches classical and medieval history, and publishes on knights and castles. Hugh studied at King’s College London before gaining his MPhil at the University of Cambridge and his DPhil at the University of Oxford.

Romanesque style. The magnificent church at Tournus, dating back to the 10th century, is a superb example of First Romanesque architecture.

We will view Gothic art in its emergent form at the almost complete Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, and in its late flowering at Brou Monastery. Meanwhile, Beaune’s Hotel-Dieu holds one of the greatest masterpieces of Flemish art – The Last Judgement by van der Weyden.

We begin in Vézelay with two nights at the elegant four-star Hotel de la Poste et du Lion d’Or, before moving to Beaune, where we will stay at the classically decorated four-star Hotel de la Poste, located close to the famous Hotel-Dieu.

Day 1 Depart London St Pancras 1022 on Eurostar and TGV via Paris, arriving Montbard 1754. Transfer to Vézelay for two nights at Hotel de la Poste et du Lion d’Or. Short evening lecture: An Introduction to Medieval Burgundy.

Day 2 Morning in Auxerre: Abbey of St Germain and Gothic Cathedral of St Etienne.

Afternoon: visit to Guédelon.

Day 3 Vézelay: La Madeleine. Afternoon: continue via 12th century Fontenay to Basilica of St Andoche, Saulieu. Continue to Beaune for five nights at Hotel de la Poste.

Day 4 Morning excursion to Cluny. Afternoon: Berzé-la-Ville.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Dijon: Musée Archéologique, Cathedral of St Bénigne, Palais des Ducs and Chartreuse de Champmol.

Day 6 Whole day excursion to St Philibert at Tournus and Bourg-en-Bresse.

Day 7 Morning in Autun: 12th century Cathedral of St Lazare. Afternoon in Beaune: Collegiate Church of Notre Dame and HotelDieu.

Day 8 Transfer to Dijon for 1202 departure on TGV and Eurostar via Paris, arriving London St Pancras 1730.

Cost of £3495 includes: return travel, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £545.

TOUR CODE: MBUR24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Buxton International Festival July 5–10, 2024 This tour will be led by Russell Keable, BA, MMus, who trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and studied conducting at London’s Royal College of Music.

Russell currently teaches at the University of Surrey and is active as a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer.

ITINERARY Buxton Opera House

Enjoy a selection of the festival’s main performances, including Verdi’s Ernani, Haydn’s La Canterina and Handel’s The Triumph of Time and Truth Attend rarely performed works including Ethel Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate Explore the Grade I listed Buxton Crescent and make an excursion to Haddon Hall

Every summer the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton, surrounded by the glorious hills of the Peak District, presents an acclaimed festival, beloved for its mix of familiar and less familiar works.

Historically one of Verdi’s most popular operas, Ernani helped to make him a household name; despite that, productions today are rare, and this will be a wonderful opportunity to experience the composer’s youthful, exuberant style.

Festival Fringe Events In addition to the main festival operas, we plan to include one fringe event in our itinerary, details of which will be published on the ACE website once more festival information is released in spring 2024. Please note there may be some itinerary adjustments at this time.

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Early works by Handel and Haydn will provide a musical contrast. As his first opera written for Prince Esterhazy, Haydn’s shorter work La Canterina (The Songstress) marked a similarly significant moment in his career; while The Triumph of Time and Truth was Handel’s first oratorio.

Suffragette Ethel Smyth’s rarely performed The Boatswain’s Mate will light up the stage on our fourth evening, its humorous ‘battle of wits’ between a widow and her would-be suitor carried by a lively score. Our tour concludes with La Tragedie de Carmen, an intimate and powerful re-examination of Bizet’s seminal work adapted by the celebrated film and theatre director Peter Brook.

We look forward to visiting the recently renovated Grade I listed Buxton Crescent, as well as Haddon Hall, described by Simon Jenkins as “the most perfect house to survive from the Middle Ages”.

We will stay at the comfortable four-star Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, located in a Georgian building surrounded by mature gardens.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking every day between the hotel, opera house and other festival venues. The walk between the hotel and the centre of Buxton is hilly, and the venues are around a 10 minute walk from the hotel. Some rooms may be in the hotel’s annexe, accessed by steps; the Sales Team will advise you further upon booking. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the musical programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1430 at Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, Buxton, for five nights. Welcome and introduction followed by orientation walking tour of Buxton.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visit to Buxton Crescent (Pump Room, Assembly Room and Heritage Experience). Free afternoon.

Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House featuring Adrian Kelly (conductor): Verdi Ernani.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Matinee festival performance at the Pavilion Arts Centre: Haydn La Canterina.

Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House featuring the Early Opera Company and Christian Curnyn (conductor): Handel Il Trionfo del temple e del disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Truth).

Day 4 Excursion to Haddon Hall followed by some free time. Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House: Ethel Smyth The Boatswain’s Mate.

Day 5 Morning lecture followed by festival fringe event (subject to scheduling). Free afternoon. Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House featuring Norwich Theatre: Bizet (adapted by Peter Brook) La Tragedie de Carmen.

Day 6 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £1895 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, a festival fringe event (to be confirmed in spring 2024), five breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, twin/ double room for single use supplement £215.

TOUR CODE: BUXF24

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SWITZERLAND

Art & Landscape in Switzerland July 8–13, 2024 We will become immersed in the Swiss landscape with an excursion by train to the picturesque mountain village of Grindelwald at the base of the Eiger and Jungfrau, which Turner once visited.

Lake Thun from Breitlauenen by Ferdinand Hodler, 1906

Explore a wealth of artistic treasures within Switzerland’s stunning natural and urban environments Visit internationally important museums of fine art, including the Kunstmuseum in Basel Be immersed in the beauty of the Swiss landscape, from Lake Lucerne to the charming mountain village of Grindelwald The landscapes of Switzerland – its lakes, Alpine peaks and elegant cityscapes – have long captured the imaginations of travellers and artists, and today, the country is home to some of the world’s finest collections of art. This tour will take as a particular focus art of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Swiss capital, Bern, will be our base.

Mountains watch over the medieval architecture of its UNESCO-listed old town, and the city’s Kunstmuseum holds art dating from the 15th to the 20th centuries, including pieces by Monet, Picasso and Klee, as well as the famed 19th century Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler.

The Victorian critic, patron and artist John Ruskin observed the Alpine landscape as it changed over the course of 40 years, and his preoccupation with

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This tour will be led

by Suzanne Fagence Cooper, MA, PhD, an Arts Society accredited lecturer, historian and curator who specialises in 19th and 20th century art. A former curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum, her work has focused on Ruskin’s observations of the changing Alpine landscape; she curated the 2019 exhibition Turner, Ruskin & the Storm Cloud at York Art Gallery, and is the author of To See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters (2019). the poetic qualities and environmental importance of Switzerland’s natural landscape still resonates today.

In the picturesque city of Lucerne, the medieval old town, eponymous lake and dramatic mountainous backdrop combine to provide a fitting home for the Rosengart Collection, amassed by Swiss art dealer Siegfried Rosengart and his daughter Angela, a close friend of Picasso.

The most important global collection of works by Klee is to be found in a museum dedicated to the artist in Bern, while Basel is renowned for its iconic architecture, world-famous ART Basel festival and impressive Kunstmuseum, the world’s first public art museum.

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA KUNSTMUSEUM BASEL

Our base is the four-star Best Western Plus Hotel Bern, in the centre of the old town.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, as it involves a significant amount of walking and standing, including over cobbled, sloped streets and uneven surfaces. The weather may be warm.

The itinerary incorporates several journeys made by public transport, including train and tram. It is necessary to take care by roads as trams are quiet, and kerbs are not always marked clearly.

We hope to feature a cruise on Lake Lucerne.

Please also note that sometimes stools are available in galleries but cannot be guaranteed.

For ACE’s minimum fitness requirements, please consult the Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0920, arriving Geneva 1205. Transfer by train along the length of Lake Geneva and into the mountains to Bern for five nights at Best Western Plus Hotel Bern.

Evening lecture: 19th Century Encounters with the Alps.

Day 2 Morning walking tour of Bern: arcades, Rathaus, Zytglogge, Bern Minster and Bear Garden (exteriors). Afternoon visit to Kunstmuseum Bern.

Day 3 Whole day excursion by train to Basel: Kunstmuseum, Minster (exterior) and Museum Tinguely.

Day 4 Whole day excursion by train to Lucerne: visit to Rosengart Collection and cruise on Lake Lucerne. Free evening in Bern.

Day 5 Morning lecture: 20th Century Modernism.

Excursion by train via Interlaken to Grindelwald for optional walking tour or free time.

Day 6 Morning visit to Paul Klee Museum.

Depart Geneva 1955, arriving Heathrow 2035.

Cost of £2695 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a double bedded room, five breakfasts, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £375.

TOUR CODE: ALSW24

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SWEDEN

Swedish Palaces & Castles July 9–16, 2024 Explore the rich collection of historical houses and palaces to be found in Sweden’s capital city and its hinterland

Interior of Drottningholm Palace

Wander the streets of Stockholm’s picturesque Old Town – the island nucleus of Gamla Stan Visit grand country estates to view fine architecture and interiors, from the moated Gripsholm Castle to the Baroque palace of Drottningholm The city of Stockholm, one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals thanks to its position at the western end of the Stockholm archipelago, is our base for this tour exploring some of the outstanding architecture to be found in Sweden.

EUROPEANA / CC BY 4.0 DEED

Spanning the period from the 16th century, when under Gustav Vasa Sweden established its independence from Denmark and began to experiment with Renaissance classicism, through to the early 19th century, when the arrival of a new royal dynasty helped to popularise the French Empire style, this tour features an array of important houses, palaces and castles.

The French Empire style is best seen at Rosendal Palace, whilst the Rococo phase can be admired at the royal palace of Drottningholm. Here, we will also view the enchanting Chinese Pavilion and the celebrated Court Theatre.

Further highlights of the tour will include Gustav Vasa’s great moated castle of Gripsholm; the massive quadrangular

Skokloster, with its well-preserved 17th century interiors; and the exquisite neoclassical interiors in Sweden’s own Gustavian style at Tullgarn Palace.

This tour will be led by architectural historian Charles Hind, MA, FSA, who holds the positions of Chief Curator and H J Heinz Curator of Drawings at the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is a Trustee of the Georgian Group and Deputy Chairman of the Lutyens Trust.

Our tour also includes a number of private visits. Tureholm features remarkable Baroque and Rococo interiors, and Catherine the Great’s court architect Quarenghi designed Elghammar for a retired Swedish ambassador to St Petersburg. We will also spend time in the cathedral and university city of Uppsala, visiting the garden created by the great botanist Linnaeus. There will be a number of opportunities to sample

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delicious Swedish food, including a dinner cruise on Lake Mälaren.

We will stay at the four-star Victory Hotel, situated in picturesque Gamla Stan (Old Town), the original island nucleus from which the city of Stockholm grew.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour has a full itinerary to make the most of our time in Sweden, and will involve a moderate amount of walking and standing, including over uneven ground and steps, so participants must have a good level of fitness. The tour also features an evening dinner cruise. For ACE’s minimum fitness requirements, please consult our Booking Terms & Conditions.

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SWEDEN

View of Stockholm

Gripsholm Castle

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Owing to the special nature of the visits, some may be confirmed nearer the time. Working palaces may close fully or partially at short notice due to events.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1120 on British Airways, arriving Stockholm 1455.

Transfer to the Victory Hotel in Stockholm Old Town for seven nights.

Day 2 Morning: historical walking tour of Gamla Stan with visits to City Hall and cathedral.

Afternoon: State Rooms of the Royal Palace.

Evening dinner cruise on Lake Mälaren.

Day 3 Visits to Gustav III Pavilion at Haga, Svindersvik (subject to confirmation), Rosendal Palace and Vasa Museum. Free evening.

Day 4 Morning excursion to Gripsholm Castle.

Afternoon: mansion of Elghammar. Free evening.

Day 5 Excursion to Uppsala for medieval cathedral, Gustavianum (subject to confirmation) and Linnaeus Garden. Afternoon: Skokloster Castle. Free evening.

Day 6 Sturehov followed by Tullgarn and Tureholm.

Day 7 Whole day excursion to Drottningholm Palace: Baroque palace, Chinese Pavilion and Court Theatre.

Day 8 Depart Stockholm 1550, arriving Heathrow 1735.

Cost of £3495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, five lunches (three light), four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £425, small double room for single use supplement £595.

TOUR CODE: SWPC24

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43

UNITED KINGDOM

Houses & Gardens of Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders

PICTURESQUE VIEWS OF SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND PROJECT / CC BY-SA 4.0

July 15–19, 2024

Eastnor Castle as illustrated by Alexander Lydon for F O Morris’ A Series of Picturesque Views of Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, 1880

Visit an array of houses from different periods, including many not usually open to the public Enjoy private guided tours at Hellens Manor and Llanvihangel Court Be immersed in wonderful gardens, including those at High Glanau and The Laskett, and take in the delightful landscape of the county Along the Welsh Border lies one of the most beautiful landscapes to be found in Britain, with small, hedgerow-lined fields interspersed with wooded areas. It is populated with many fine houses and gardens dating from the 16th century onwards, which will be the focus of our tour.

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“Tour Director Oliver Gerrish was outstanding… He was very knowledgeable, a good communicator and added many personal touches” “[Oliver] gave fascinating and well illustrated talks as well as enjoyable insights into the houses and families” – ACE customers on previous country houses tours led by Oliver Gerrish

The charming manor at Hellens is one of the oldest dwellings in England; with foundations dating back to the 12th century, the property also features later Tudor, Jacobean and Georgian architecture. It contains artworks ranging from full-length portraits by Anthony van Dyck to exquisite miniatures by Nicholas Hilliard. Meanwhile, the oldest

parts of the delightful Hampton Court Castle date back to the 15th century.

Llanvihangel Court, meanwhile, is a Tudor country house with medieval origins set in beautiful surroundings near the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. It is close to Llanover, where an elegant neoclassical house is surrounded by a listed historical garden with exquisite herbaceous borders.

Moving into the Victorian era, the remote countryside near Brecon is home to the Gothic Revival Treberfydd, while the magnificent Eastnor is a 19th century revival castle built for the 2nd Baron Somers and still inhabited by his descendants today.

The region also features some beautiful but contrasting 20th century gardens.

High Glanau was created before the

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

UNITED KINGDOM

View of Hampton Court, Herefordshire, from the Southeast by J M W Turner, c 1806

First World War by H Avray Tipping, Architectural Editor of Country Life and highly adept garden designer whose work also includes the garden at Chequers. Sir Roy Strong bequeathed his innovative, complex and entertaining garden at The Laskett to the horticultural charity Perennial, who now care for this spectacular site.

Several of the houses will welcome us privately, courtesy of their owners, some of whom will join us for guided tours or refreshments.

We will stay throughout at the comfortable Green Dragon Hotel, located in the heart of Hereford within a 17th century former coaching inn.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and mobility as it involves periods of time spent walking and standing at historical properties and in their gardens and grounds, where there are not always opportunities to sit down. Participants should be prepared to navigate uneven ground, including grass, uneven paving and cobbles which can be slippery if wet, as well as steps of differing sizes and depths of tread. Lifts are not available at most of the sites we visit and light levels can be low to preserve collections.

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This tour will be led

by Oliver Gerrish, MSt, an architectural historian who studied at the University of Cambridge. Oliver is an experienced tour leader who has written for Country Life and appeared in a number of BBC and ITV television series on architecture. He is the former chairman of The Young Georgians, the youth chapter of the Georgian Group, which he re-founded, and is also a trustee of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust. Oliver has close family links with High Glanau in Herefordshire, and looks forward to introducing an ACE group to the area’s fine houses in summer 2024.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and owing to the special nature of the visits, some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at the Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford, for four nights.

Afternoon visit to Hampton Court Castle (guided tour and free time in the gardens).

Evening: welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by private visit to High Glanau Manor for guided tour and lunch.

Afternoon visit to Eastnor Castle with guided tour.

Day 3 Morning: private visit to Llanvihangel Court (guided tour of the house and opportunity to look around the gardens) followed by private visit to Treberfydd (tour of garden and selected rooms of the house) and lunch. Afternoon: private tour of the gardens at Llanover House.

Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: private visit to Hellens Manor (guided tour of house and opportunity to look around the gardens) and lunch. Afternoon: The Laskett Gardens.

Day 5 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £1545 includes: accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, three breakfasts, three lunches, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £295.

TOUR CODE: HEWB24

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GERMANY

The Hanseatic League: An Artistic Legacy July 17–25, 2024 Interior details of the ceilings at St Mary’s Lübeck

Discover the history of the Hanseatic League from the three major merchant centres of Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck, and review their artistic heritage Explore medieval church architecture in an array of locations, including the Church of St Mary in Lübeck, which epitomises the north German Brick Gothic style Visit fascinating museums and galleries, including Hamburg’s Kunsthalle and the European Hansemuseum in Lübeck The Hanseatic League, which in medieval times dictated trade from the Baltic to the North Sea, left a rich legacy in art, architecture and of course maritime tradition. Dominating the townscapes even today are soaring brick-built Gothic churches, glories of medieval 46

This tour will be led by Tom Abbott, BA, MA, an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens. Tom has extensive experience leading cultural tours in Europe, to destinations including Germany, Poland, France and Italy.

His expertise concerning art and architecture ranges widely, and he is particularly fascinated with medieval art and architecture, as well as the Baroque, Rococo and Romantic movements. architecture, built at a time when such edifices were unknown in contemporary England.

The League started with the collaboration of Hamburg, Lübeck and Lüneburg in the 13th century, before becoming a union of north European trading cities

with the most efficient sailing ships of their time.

Our tour is based in three of the major merchant centres that initiated the first trading associations of ‘Hanses’: Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck. In Hamburg, home to the third busiest port in Europe, we will survey the city’s historical buildings and visit some of its museums, including Hamburg’s Kunsthalle, which houses works of art dating from medieval times to the present day.

Lüneburg was an important salt-trading town, and boasts one of the most magnificent and best-preserved town halls in Germany. It was through the vast waterways of Europe that the League built up its trade, and on our way north we will pass through the harbour cities of Stade and Bremerhaven.

At the important Hanseatic city of Bremen, we will survey the collection of European painting and sculpture on

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GERMANY Lüne Kloster

“The tour was very well organised. Tom Abbott’s knowledge of the history, art and architecture was amazing and so well communicated that it made the tour sparkle… it made the trip a wonderful experience” – ACE customer on a previous Hanseatic League tour

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time, or weather dependent on the day. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1040 on British Airways, arriving Hamburg 1320.

Afternoon visits to Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe and St Michael’s Church. Three nights at Kleinhuis Hotel Baseler Hof, Hamburg.

display at the Kunsthalle, and visit the medieval cathedral, before continuing to Lübeck. Once the capital of the League, Lübeck is one of the best preserved of all the Hanseatic towns, with a fine array of Brick Gothic buildings. Here, we will visit the European Hansemuseum, and discover some fascinating churches.

Excursions to the town of Wismar in former East Germany, famed for its 17th century Wasserkunst waterworks, and to Bad Doberan a visit to the minster will complete our tour.

In Hamburg we will stay at the four-star Kleinhuis Hotel Baseler Hof in the centre

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visit to Hamburg Kunsthalle. Afternoon walking tour to include exterior views of Chile House, Kontorhaus, Speicherstadt and short opportunity to visit Internationales Maritimes Museum. Continue walk through HafenCity with exterior view of Elbphilharmonie. By ferry to Landungsbrücke and return by coach via Rathaus (exterior).

of the city. We will then spend a night in Bremen at the four-star Atlantic Grand Hotel, followed by four nights in Lübeck at the Atlantic Hotel, located in the old town.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that a good level of fitness is required for this tour.

It has a full itinerary with three separate hotel stays and journeys of up to 2.5 hours by coach (with a stop en route), as well as a trip made by ferry. The tour also involves a moderate amount of time spent on foot during historical walking tours, often over cobbles (which can be slippery if wet), and standing in galleries and museums.

Some historical buildings do not have lifts so it is necessary to ascend stairs. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Day 3 Lüne Kloster (abbey and museum) and visits in Lüneburg: exceptionally preserved Rathaus, churches.

Day 4 Depart for Bremen via Stade (Schwedenspeicher Museum, Church of Saints Cosmas & Damian). Overnight at Atlantic Grand Hotel, Bremen.

Day 5 Bremen: Kunsthalle, cathedral. Transfer to Lübeck for four nights at Atlantic Hotel.

Day 6 Walking tour of Lübeck including Church of St Peter (exterior), 13th century Church of St Mary, Salzspeicher (exteriors) and Rathaus.

Afternoon: Hanse Museum. Evening lecture: The Art & Architecture of the North – Past & Present.

Day 7 Whole day excursion to Wismar with visits to Church of St Nicholas, Wasserkunst and Church of St George. Afternoon: Bad Doberan (minster).

Day 8 Morning: Lübeck Cathedral and some free time. Afternoon: Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus and walking tour including Church of St Catherine (exterior), Church of St Jacob, Heiligen-Geist-Hospital and Burgtor (exterior).

The original bells of St Mary’s Lübeck

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ARNOLDIUS / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

Day 9 Morning visit to St Annen-Museum.

Continue to Hamburg for 1650 departure, arriving Heathrow 1730.

Cost of £3875 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, eight breakfasts, two lunches, eight dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £450.

TOUR CODE: HANS24

47

UNITED KINGDOM

International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour July 27–30, 2024 Explore the world of Gilbert and Sullivan in the festival’s 30th anniversary year Take in sparkling performances of The Gondoliers and The Pirates of Penzance staged by the professional National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company

Gilbert and Sullivan represent quintessential Victorian England. The brilliant, witty lyrics of W S Gilbert dazzle alongside the attractive melodies of Arthur Sullivan. In 2024, we look forward to an exciting and memorable tour to the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival as it celebrates 30 years of music-making from its “spiritual home” of Buxton, surrounded by the glorious hills of the Peak District.

Our tour, which takes in the festival’s opening weekend, will include professional performances of perennial favourites The Gondoliers and The Pirates of Penzance staged by the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company.

We also plan to enjoy a production of The Yeomen of the Guard on our final evening, presented by the Grosvenor Light Opera Company, subject to final confirmation. Performances will take place in Buxton’s delightful opera house, originally designed by successful theatre architect Frank Matcham.

Festival Fringe Events The main operas will be complemented by 1-2 fringe performances, to be announced once the final festival programme is confirmed. We also hope to include an opportunity to meet members of the cast, as well as an expert guest lecture, to be confirmed closer to the time.

48

Poster for The Pirates of Penzance, 1881

Our expert Tour Director, operatic baritone Donald Maxwell, has long had a close relationship with the festival, and we will enjoy his insightful introductions to the operas. We also look forward to some guest talks and a fringe event, as well as an opportunity to meet some festival singers and a private recital.

We will stay at the comfortable four-star Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, located in a Georgian building in Buxton, set in mature gardens.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Our itinerary will involve a moderate amount of walking between the hotel, opera house and other venues (around a 10 minute walk away). Please be aware that there is an uphill section on the return to the hotel, with some uneven pavements, and the route is poorly lit, so care must be taken. Taxis can be arranged (at participants’ own expense). To make the most of the festival, our itinerary will be busy, with multiple performances/events spread across each day. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Enjoy a variety of talks and fringe performances, all set in the picturesque spa town of Buxton

Our Tour Director Donald Maxwell is an operatic baritone, director and lecturer who performs with opera companies worldwide.

Donald looks forward to returning to the Gilbert & Sullivan Festival with an ACE group in 2024, to celebrate this landmark birthday edition of the festival during what will be his final ACE tour before his retirement from tour directing.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles at the Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, Buxton, for three nights. 1530 welcome and introduction to the tour and The Gondoliers. Evening professional performance at the Opera House featuring the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company: The Gondoliers.

Day 2 Morning talk with Bernard Lockett, Trustee of the Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: G&S – The Past, Present and the Future followed by talk introducing The Pirates of Penzance and historical walking tour of Buxton. Afternoon: fringe event (to be confirmed). Evening professional performance at the Opera House featuring the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company: The Pirates of Penzance.

Day 3 Morning talk introducing The Yeomen of the Guard followed by guest talk and afternoon fringe event (to be confirmed). Evening performance at the Opera House featuring the Grosvenor Light Opera Company: The Yeomen of the Guard (subject to final confirmation by the festival office).

Day 4 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £1195 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, three breakfasts, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, twin/ double room for single use supplement £150.

TOUR CODE: IGSB24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Worcester Three Choirs Festival July 27–31, 2024 with Paul Jackson | July 31 – August 4, 2024 with Russell Keable Experience a superb selection of concerts at the 2024 festival, including pieces by Charles Villiers Stanford in the 100th anniversary year of his death

The nave of Worcester Cathedral

DAVID ILIFF / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

Works by Respighi, Britten, Sarah Kirkland and Grace-Evangeline Mason feature as we explore the influence on music of the natural world Absorb the area’s links with Elgar with a visit to The Firs, the composer’s birthplace For over 300 years the cathedral cities of Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester have taken turns to host a renowned annual music celebration. In 2024 the Three Choirs Festival will be based in Worcester, and take as its central theme the environment and the ways in which the natural world has inspired composers.

Our first tour will open with a performance of The Imagined Forest by award-winning British composer GraceEvangeline Mason, juxtaposed with Gustav Holst’s Hymn of Jesus and Charles Villiers Stanford’s Stabat Mater.

On our second tour, the Three Choirs Festival Chorus will perform Bob Chilcott’s The Angry Planet and a new work commissioned by Welsh composer Paul Mealor, who created a piece for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Our first tour will be led by Paul Jackson, MA, PhD, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Our second tour will be led by Russell Keable, BA, MMus, a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer who teaches at the University of Surrey.

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Our accommodation is at the Worcester Whitehouse Hotel, ideally located in the heart of the historical city. While simply furnished, the hotel provides a welcoming base.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, including over uneven ground, cobbles, worn steps and in dimly lit interiors. The walk from the hotel to the cathedral takes around 20 minutes, and care must be taken around traffic.

ITINERARY – TOUR 1

Please note that the itineraries represent a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the musical programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at Worcester Whitehouse Hotel for four nights. Welcome and introduction followed by short orientation walking tour. Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Grace-Evangeline Mason The Imagined Forest; Holst Hymn of Jesus; Stanford Stabat Mater.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by some free time or option to attend festival Eucharist.

Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance featuring Three Choirs Festival Voices: Nathan James Dearden new work (premiere, festival commission); Judith Weir Still, Glowing; Respighi The Birds; Holst The Cloud Messenger.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon visit to The Firs (Elgar’s birthplace). Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Youth Chorus: Cameron Biles-Liddell Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr (English premiere); Judith Weir O Sweet Spontaneous Earth; Sarah Kirkland Snider Mass for the Endangered (UK premiere).

Festival Fringe Events In addition to the four evening festival performances advertised for each tour, we hope to include two further daytime performances per tour, subject to scheduling and availability. Details and updated itineraries will be released on the ACE website once the full festival programme has been confirmed in spring 2024.

Day 4 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance featuring BBC Singers & Anna Lapwood (organ): Kristina Arakelyan Seascapes interspersed with Britten (trans Anna Lapwood) Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes; Poulenc Figure Humaine; Judith Weir In the Land of Uz. Day 5 Tour disperses after breakfast.

ITINERARY – TOUR 2

Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at Worcester Whitehouse Hotel for four nights. Welcome and introduction followed by short orientation walking tour. Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Rossini Petite messe solennelle.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Whitacre Cloudburst; Stanford The Blue Bird; Paul Mealor new work (premiere, festival commission); Stanford Three Motets; Bob Chilcott The Angry Planet.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Youth Choir: Cecilia McDowall Shipping Forecast; Stanford/Jeremy Dibble Sonata for String Orchestra; Ian Venables Requiem.

Day 4 Morning lecture followed by visit to The Firs (Elgar’s birthplace). Free afternoon. Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Elgar The Kingdom.

Day 5 Tour disperses after breakfast.

Cost of £1595 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £130.

TOUR CODE: WTH124 / WTH224

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UNITED KINGDOM

Constable & Gainsborough in Suffolk July 29 – August 1, 2024 Flatford Mill

“Excellent tour with first class lecturer” – ACE customer on a previous Constable & Gainsborough in Suffolk tour with Sarah Burles

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour will involve a significant amount of walking and standing, much of which is outdoors (including through a field in Dedham). There is uneven ground to navigate at times, for example in the churchyards and at Flatford Mill, which has a gentle incline over bark-covered steps with a handrail. Please note that there is no lift at the hotel or at Christchurch Mansion, so participants must feel comfortable ascending and descending stairs. It is necessary to have a good level of fitness and mobility for this tour, and to meet ACE’s fitness requirements, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Visit Constable’s birthplace, East Bergholt, site of his first studio Explore Gainsborough’s House in Sudbury, following its major redevelopment and transformation into a new National Centre for Gainsborough Visit Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, home to the finest collection of Constable’s paintings outside London It was only with the rising popularity of Impressionism that John Constable (1776–1837) won whole-hearted recognition in his native country. Now ranked alongside JMW Turner as one of England’s greatest painters, Constable created some of the best-known images in British art. This tour will study the influence of the Suffolk countryside on Constable and his near contemporary Gainsborough, one of the founders of the British landscape tradition.

As we wander along the banks of the River Stour, where Constable spent his “careless boyhood”, we will discover that Flatford Mill, Dedham Lock and Willy Lott’s cottage – immortalised in The Hay Wain – have changed little over two centuries. We will stroll through the 50

This tour will be led

by Sarah Burles, MA. Sarah studied History of Art at Cambridge before gaining a Masters at University College London and going onto a career in museum and gallery education, including 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum. Sarah is an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society. country lanes of East Bergholt, where the artist’s first studio was located, and view his Ascension in Dedham’s parish church.

Our tour will also examine Gainsborough’s roots in his native Suffolk on a visit to the market town of Sudbury, where a major redevelopment and refurbishment has recently transformed the artist’s former house into a National Centre for Gainsborough.

Our base for this tour will be the four-star Hintlesham Hall Hotel, a comfortable, traditional hotel occupying a 16th century Grade I listed manor house, set in 175 acres of Suffolk countryside. The hall has historical links to Gainsborough, as it was purchased in 1747 by Sir Richard Lloyd, one of the artist’s early patrons.

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

Day 1 Assemble 1300 at Ipswich Station or 1330 at Hintlesham Hall Hotel. Afternoon coach tour of Stour Valley and the Suffolk villages of Stoke by Nayland, Nayland and Stratford St Mary. Three nights at Hintlesham Hall Hotel.

Day 2 Morning lecture: Constable’s Country – Artist & Landscape followed by visit to East Bergholt for walking tour viewing Constable’s first studio and the site of his parents’ house (exteriors), and visit to St Mary’s Church and bell cage. Afternoon: walking tour of Dedham viewing Dedham Mill and Dedham Lock (exteriors) followed by Flatford Mill and Flatford Lock, Willy Lott’s cottage (exterior) and site of Boat Building on the Banks of the Stour.

Day 3 Short morning lecture: Thomas Gainsborough – Portraits & Land-skips followed by private visit to the Munnings Art Museum.

Continue to Sudbury for afternoon at Gainsborough’s House.

Day 4 Morning: Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich (works by Constable and Gainsborough).

Tour disperses approx 1300 at Ipswich Station followed by approx 1330 at the hotel.

Cost of £1375 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, three breakfasts, one lunch, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £225.

TOUR CODE: CGSU24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Art & Ceramics of the Industrial Revolution Wedgewood Plaque after a design by Lady Templetown, c 1785–90, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York

Study the rich history of the ceramics industry in Staffordshire and Shropshire, with visits to Gladstone Pottery, the Wedgwood Museum and the Emma Bridgewater Factory Discover the unique assembly of architecture and museums that charts the story and legacy of the Industrial Revolution Visit the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron and view the world’s oldest iron bridge, listed by UNESCO Britain’s Industrial Revolution saw extraordinary cultural and social change as well as technical innovation and entrepreneurship, and this is nowhere more evident than in the rich heritage of industrial architecture, decorative arts and ceramics visible in the counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire.

Exploring areas that inspired and provided contexts for the entrepreneurship of important figures such as Abraham Darby and Josiah Wedgwood, we will encounter several industrial icons that illustrate Britain’s 19th century heritage and showcase its pioneering technology, particularly in the field of ceramics production.

The development of steam power revolutionised the mining, iron, textile and ceramics industries. The Etruria Industrial Museum is the site of the only operational steam-driven potters’ mill in the world, and the pre-industrial water mill at Cheddleton was converted to flint

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PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART NEW YORK

August 5–9, 2024

“Totally brilliant” – ACE customer on a previous Industrial Revolution tour led by Lars Tharp

grinding for the production of ceramics in the 1780s.

A highlight of the tour will be a visit to the World of Wedgwood Museum, home to the V&A Wedgwood Collection and the site of the Wedgwood Factory, which has been manufacturing its famous ceramics since 1759.

We will also chart the rising fortunes of the ceramics industry during the Victorian age with a visit to the Gladstone Pottery Museum – the last complete Victorian pottery factory.

Middleport Pottery has been home to Burleigh (historically Burgess and Leigh) since 1889, and has been used as a filming location for The Great Pottery Throwdown and an episode of Peaky Blinders.

Emma Bridgewater purchased a former Victorian factory site in Hanley, Stokeon-Trent, in 1995, and the site is now a thriving modern example of how the fortunes of the Stoke potteries have been revived. We will enjoy a tour of the factory, bringing our understanding of the ceramics heritage of the area up to the present day.

This tour will be based at the four-star DoubleTree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent Hotel, which sits in the grounds of Josiah Wedgwood’s mansion.

This tour will be led by Lars Tharp, MA, FSA, an art historian, lecturer and broadcaster who is particularly well known for his work on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. Lars is a ceramics specialist and a former Director of the Foundling Museum, as well as the author of several works including Hogarth’s China and The Little Brown Encyclopedia of Antiques (with Paul Atterbury). He has also worked with the York Art Gallery.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and mobility, as it will involve a moderate amount of walking, including over uneven ground, steps and occasional inclines. Care must be taken at the sites, particularly those with historical industrial machinery and canals. There are not always opportunities to sit down, so participants should be prepared for spending periods of time standing. Please consult ACE’s fitness requirements in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1745 at the DoubleTree

by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent Hotel for four nights.

Welcome and introductory lecture (held in Josiah Wedgwood’s house).

Day 2 Morning: Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron. Afternoon: Jackfield Tile Museum and Etruria Industrial Museum.

Day 3 Visits in Stoke: Emma Bridgewater Factory and Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

Afternoon: Cheddleton Flint Mill.

Day 4 Morning lecture: Victorian Ceramics – Innovation & Style followed by Gladstone Pottery Museum. Afternoon: World of Wedgwood Museum.

Day 5 Morning: Middleport Pottery. Tour disperses 1230 at the hotel.

Cost of £1495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £125.

TOUR CODE: INRV24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Northumbria in the First Millennium August 12–16, 2024 | August 19–23, 2024 Lindisfarne Castle

Uncover the world of St Cuthbert and St Bede as we investigate the history of Northumbria after the Romans left and before the Normans arrived

Priory, or St Cuthbert, who would become the most powerful saint in the north. Of course, our investigations would hardly be possible without the

guiding light of the Venerable Bede, one of our greatest scholars.

Our itinerary will unearth clues about our Anglo-Saxon past in a range of

Highlights include Escomb Saxon church, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and the twin monastery of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow, once home to Bede and itself a UNESCO World Heritage site

Far from being the Dark Ages, AngloSaxon England glitters, not just with artefacts and manuscripts, but with characters. This tour will set out to find some of them, whether it’s the arrogant St Wilfred in Hexham, Benedict Biscop, founder of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow 52

The nave of Durham Cathedral

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MICHAEL D BECKWITH / CC0 1.0 DEED

Spend an afternoon at Durham Cathedral, taking in its architecture and splendid museum

UNITED KINGDOM This tour will be led by medieval historian Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil, FRHistS, FRSA. Following almost 20 years in the army, Imogen obtained a first-class degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent and subsequently an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. Her first book, Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals, was published in 2019 by Robert Hale. She is an accredited Arts Society lecturer, and a Freeman of the Company of Communicators.

IAN GREIG / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

Stained Glass at Durham Cathedral

contexts, including at parish churches, such as Escomb – one of northern Europe’s finest examples of early Christian architecture. We will follow in the footsteps of pilgrims on our journey to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and will spend time at the glorious cathedral in Durham, examining the building’s interior and exterior, and enjoying the cathedral’s collections in its dedicated museum.

From June 793, the Vikings inflicted terror and misery for some 22 decades on the northern kingdom, but they also brought with them their own culture.

It influenced church art until roughly 1200, and some of the results can still be seen today.

We will stay throughout at the four-star Delta Hotels by Marriott Durham Royal County, with splendid views of Durham’s cathedral and historical quarter.

aceculturaltours.co.uk

“It was all excellent. A wonderful itinerary, beautifully organised”

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Some visits will involve walking over rugged, cobbled, uneven and occasionally steep ground, and church interiors may be dimly lit. To visit the crypt at Hexham Abbey involves a flight of steep stone stairs (with handrails) but this element of the visit is optional.

Participants should have a good overall level of fitness and mobility and consult our general fitness requirements in our Booking Terms & Conditions before travel.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Please note the timing of our excursion to Lindisfarne is subject to tides and local conditions, and our visits and excursions may be reordered accordingly.

“Cannot praise the tour enough”

Day 1 Tour assembles 1715 at Delta Hotels by Marriott Durham Royal County for four nights.

Welcome and introduction. Evening lecture: Bede & the World in Which he Lived.

“Imogen was a fantastic lecturer in every way – informative and friendly. I would definitely travel with her again”

Day 2 Visits to St Paul’s Church, Jarrow; St Peter’s Church, Monkwearmouth and St Mary Magdalene, Hart. Evening lecture: The Lindisfarne Gospels.

– ACE customers on previous Northumbria in the First Millennium tours led by Imogen Corrigan

Cost of £1295 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £125.

TOUR CODE: NFM124 / NFM224

Day 3 Excursion to Lindisfarne: St Mary’s Church (reputed site of original monastery) and Priory (home of St Cuthbert). Continue to Bamburgh for visit to St Aidan’s Church and Rothbury for All Saints’ Church (font stands on part of a 9th century Market Cross). Precise timings for this day will depend on tide times.

Day 4 Morning visit to Escomb Church (dating from c 675). Return to Durham for afternoon at the cathedral (including museum).

Day 5 Chester-le-Street (St Cuthbert’s Church and Anker’s House Museum) followed by Hexham Abbey. Tour disperses approx 1530 at Durham Station followed by the hotel.

53

DENMARK

Art & Ceramics in Copenhagen & North Zealand

Interior in Strandgade, Sunlight on the Floor by Vilhelm Hammershøi, 1901

Explore internationally renowned collections at the Statens Museum for Kunst and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Learn about the country’s fine ceramics in the company of expert Tour Director, Lars Tharp, with visits to the David Collection and Designmuseum Explore the fascinating history of Denmark at the open-air Frilandsmuseet Copenhagen, founded by Bishop Absalon in 1167, is today a vibrant but relaxed capital brimming with museums and galleries. The city and surrounding area of Zealand – or, in Danish, Sjælland – tell a far-reaching story of many different kinds of creators, from artists and authors to architects, alongside the rich and varied communities that gave rise to them.

With this in mind, our tour seeks to explore the diverse artistic and historical treasures of this part of Denmark. We will begin with explorations in and near the historical capital itself, including the Statens Museum for Kunst, whose roots stretch back to the 16th century private collection of King Christian II. This is complemented later in our tour by visits to the splendid Frederiksborg Castle and Louisiana Museum of Modern 54

This tour will be led

by Lars Tharp, MA, FSA, Hon DLitt. Lars is a Danish-born art historian, lecturer and broadcaster who is particularly well-known for his work on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, as well as Hidden Treasures and Art of the Baroque. A former Director of the Foundling Museum, Lars is a ceramics specialist who has curated or overseen exhibitions at the York Art Gallery and the Foundling Museum.

Art, as well as an opportunity to pay an independent visit to the Thorvaldsens Museum, with its particular focus on neoclassical sculpture.

As a counterpoint to the indoor galleries, the spectacular open-air Frilandsmuseet will transport us back in time to the world of rural Denmark: its many original buildings showcase the homes and businesses of its inhabitants, from thatched farmhouses and windmills to poorhouses and manors. The Frilandsmuseet is part of the National Museum of Denmark, and we will explore more of this institution’s artistic and historical collections in Copenhagen’s 18th century Prince’s Palace, home to artefacts from across Danish history as well as many international exhibitions.

STATENS MUSEUM FOR KUNST / PUBLIC DOMAIN

August 20–26, 2024 A particular focus of our tour will be ceramics: the David Collection, with its late 18th century interiors, is home to a collection of German and French porcelain; and our Tour Director, ceramics expert Lars Tharp, will introduce us to the collections of porcelain at this and other sites, including the Designmuseum.

We will stay throughout at the elegant four-star 71 Nyhavn Hotel in Copenhagen, enjoying smart contemporary rooms set in a converted 1805 brick warehouse in an excellent location overlooking the harbour.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, as it involves a moderate amount of walking, both in the city of Copenhagen and at open-air museums where the ground can be uneven underfoot.

Participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1010 on British Airways, arriving Copenhagen 1310.

Introductory coach tour of Copenhagen. Six nights at 71 Nyhavn Hotel, Copenhagen.

Day 2 Visits to Frilandsmuseet and Statens Museum for Kunst.

Day 3 Morning: National Museum of Denmark.

Free afternoon with opportunity to visit the Thorvaldsens Museum independently.

Day 4 Morning: Ordrupgård. Afternoon: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Day 5 Morning: Frederiksborg Castle.

Afternoon: Designmuseum, Bredgade. Free evening.

Day 6 Morning: Rosenborg Castle. Afternoon: David Collection.

Day 7 Transfer to Copenhagen Airport via Dragør. Depart Copenhagen 1625, arriving Heathrow 1725.

Cost of £3495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing an executive twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, three lunches (one packed), five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, executive single room supplement £370.

TOUR CODE: ACCP24

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Lucca Puccini Festival August 21–25, 2024 Accommodation We stay in the heart of Lucca at the four-star Grand Universe Lucca, one of the city’s most prestigious hotels.

Dating from the mid 19th century – but with a history stretching back to 1700 – the hotel possesses a wonderful combination of charm, history and elegance. Famous guests are said to have included Puccini himself.

The open-air Giacomo Puccini Theatre on Lake Massaciuccoli

Join the 2024 Puccini Festival set in the beautiful lakeside village of Torre del Lago Enjoy performances of three of the composer’s most beloved works: La Bohème, Turandot and Tosca Walk in the composer’s footsteps with a visit to the Villa Museo Puccini, where he once lived Born in 1858 in Lucca, it was in the nearby lakeside village of Torre del Lago that Giacomo Puccini composed Madama Butterfly, La Bohème and Tosca, among other famous works. Today, the picturesque Tuscan village lies at the heart of the annual Puccini Opera Festival, one of the most famous classical music events in the world.

Puccini was a choirboy in the cathedral, played the organ in the Church of San Michele and studied at the Pacini School of Music. He settled in Torre in 1891 and bought a country estate there at the turn of the century – now the Villa Museo Puccini.

At Torre’s nearby grand open-air theatre, on the banks of Lake Massaciuccoli, we will attend three festival performances: La Bohème, Tosca and Turandot – all

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This tour will be led

by Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and broadcaster who spent a decade as a presenter on BBC Radio 3. Conducting credits have included a complete cycle of Bach cantatas as well as work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre and in London’s West End. firm favourites among the composer’s repertoire. Containing one of the most enduring arias in the operatic canon, ‘Nessun Dorma’, the historical epic Turandot is full of powerful orchestral moments.

Also featuring some of Puccini’s most recognisable music as well as atmospheric choral scenes, La Bohème’s tale of love, friendship and eventual heartbreak will make for a moving opening performance; while the romance, political conflicts and moral quandaries at the heart of Tosca will round our tour off in thrilling style.

Alongside the music, our tour will immerse us in the area’s captivating architecture and engaging history. Local visits will include the Romanesque Cathedral of San Martino, where Puccini played the organ.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, often over grass, uneven ground and cobbles. While our visits in central Lucca will be broken up by breaks, participants should feel comfortable with urban walking and staying on their feet for up to two hours at a time. Certain visits will also involve navigating steps and the weather is likely to be warm. Please consult ACE’s usual fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Please note all performances begin at 2115 each evening; morning visits will take place at a more leisurely time to allow for the late nights.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the festival programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0815 on British Airways, arriving Pisa 1125. Transfer to Lucca for four nights at Grand Universe Hotel.

Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visits in Lucca including Romanesque Cathedral of San Martino and cathedral museum. Afternoon: visit to Villa Museo Puccini and lake tour (subject to final confirmation) followed by festival opera at Gran Teatro Puccini, Torre del Lago: La Bohème.

Day 3 Morning visits: Museo Nazionale and Chiesa di San Francesco. Early evening lecture followed by evening festival opera at Gran Teatro Puccini, Torre del Lago: Turandot.

Day 4 Morning: Villa Torrigiani, Camigliano.

Afternoon: free time followed by early evening lecture and festival opera in Gran Teatro Puccini, Torre del Lago: Tosca.

Day 5 Morning visits in Lucca including Palazzo Pfanner – subject to final flight arrangements.

Depart Pisa 2000, arriving Heathrow 2115.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, four breakfasts, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £450.

TOUR CODE: PUCC24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Scottish Art & Craft in Edinburgh & Dundee

Spring by William McTaggart, 1864

Explore Scottish art - from Sir Henry Raeburn to the Scottish Colourists and Glasgow Boys - with visits to important collections Visit Dundee, home to the impressive waterfront V&A Dundee and fascinating McManus Gallery Delve into less well-known sites, from the Kirkcaldy Galleries to Dovecot Studios, a world renowned tapestry studio This new tour, based in Edinburgh and Dundee, will focus on the art and craft of Scotland, exploring both famous galleries and some less well-known sites that showcase the outstanding achievements of Scottish artists and the remarkable collections to be found in Scotland.

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Our Tour Director is Sarah Burles, MA, an accredited Arts Society lecturer who studied History of Art at Cambridge and gained a Masters at University College London before going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums.

2023 saw the highly anticipated opening of new spaces at the Scottish National Gallery, following an ambitious construction project. We look forward to viewing works by Sir Henry Raeburn, Sir Edwin Landseer, the Scottish Colourists, William McTaggart and Anne Redpath, amongst others.

Meanwhile, Modern One displays works of modern and contemporary art by major names such as Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Rachel Whitehead and Barbara Hepworth outside, with a superb collection of art ranging from the 1900s to the present day within.

Extending our focus beyond Edinburgh’s capital, we will travel to Kirkcaldy, home to one of the best collections of Scottish art. The Kirkcaldy Galleries, once referred to as ‘the Tate Gallery of Scotland’, contain paintings ranging from still lifes by much-loved Scottish Colourist S J Peploe to landscapes and seascapes by McTaggart and portraits by Fife-born Jack Vettriano.

2024 is an exciting time to visit Dundee, which is undergoing a 30 year, £1 billion masterplan, begun in 2001 with the ambition of transforming the city

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

September 2–7, 2024

UNITED KINGDOM Interior of the Scottish National Gallery

“Sarah Burles was so knowledgeable…

She was constantly making sure we were all enjoying the tour. A really excellent Tour Director”

LESBARDD / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED

– ACE customer on a recent tour led by Sarah Burles

into a new cultural centre, including a regenerated waterfront. As part of this, a new branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum opened in the city in 2018, providing Scotland with its first dedicated design museum.

Also to be found in Dundee is the McManus art gallery and museum, featuring a wide range of exhibits giving insights into the city’s past and present, including paintings, artefacts and works of decorative art.

The building was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who took his inspiration from the cliff edges of eastern Scotland. Our visit will focus on the museum’s architecture, contemplating the role of museums and the arts in urban regeneration projects. We will also delve into the collections, which celebrate Scottish design across the fields of fashion, textiles and theatre.

During our time in Edinburgh, we will also see murals by Irish-born artist Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852-1936), who achieved international recognition as an accomplished illustrator, painter and embroiderer in the Arts & Crafts movement in Scotland. We will enjoy a special guest lecture from Professor Elizabeth Cumming (Edinburgh College of Art), whose book on Traquair was published in 2022.

Still Life by Samuel John Peploe, 1913

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

Turning once more to the present day, no exploration of Scottish art would be complete without a visit to Dovecot Studios, a world-renowned tapestry studio in the heart of Edinburgh and a landmark centre for contemporary art, craft and design.

Our first three nights will be spent at the stylish four-star Malmaison Edinburgh City, occupying historical townhouses located on St Andrew Square, in the heart of the city. We will then spend two nights at the four-star Malmaison Dundee, a smart boutique property ideally situated on the city’s waterfront just opposite the V&A Dundee, before returning to Edinburgh to complete our visits.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness as we will be exploring Edinburgh and Dundee predominantly on foot, and the itinerary involves a significant amount of walking. Please note Edinburgh is hilly and some terrain may be uneven or cobbled.

Lifts are available at some of the museums and galleries but seats cannot be guaranteed.

Participants should be prepared for navigating steps and stairs, and walking and standing for up to two hours. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms and Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Owing to the special nature of some of the visits, some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Please note we cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned, as occasionally pieces are loaned or taken off display at short notice for conservation purposes.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1600 at the Malmaison Edinburgh City for three nights. Orientation walking tour of Edinburgh.

Day 2 Morning lecture: The Art of Scotland followed by visit to Scottish National Galleries.

Afternoon: tour of Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Day 3 Morning guest lecture with Professor Elizabeth Cumming: The Celtic Revival & Phoebe Anna Traquair followed by visit to Song School at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral and tour of Mansfield Traquair Centre (known as ‘Edinburgh’s Sistine Chapel’). Afternoon: visits to Dovecot Studios and Museum of Scotland (art and craft galleries). Free evening.

Day 4 Transfer to Dundee via Kirkcaldy Galleries and Falkland Palace and Garden (fine Renaissance palace and formal garden). Two nights at Malmaison Dundee.

Day 5 Morning visit to the McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum. Afternoon: V&A Dundee.

Day 6 Return to Edinburgh for visit to Scottish National Galleries - Modern One and Two. Tour disperses approx 1230 at the gallery followed by approx 1300 at Edinburgh Waverley Station.

Cost of £2295 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £495.

TOUR CODE: SAED24

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GERMANY

Caspar David Friedrich at 250: The Age of Romanticism September 7–13, 2024

Hill and Ploughed Field near Dresden, Caspar David Friedrich, c 1824

Take in special exhibitions celebrating 250 years since the birth of Germany’s finest Romantic painter, Caspar David Friedrich Experience the landscape that inspired Friedrich and the German Romantics Trace the artist’s life and oeuvre across Germany, from his birthplace in Greifswald to his resting place in Dresden The works of German Romantic landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich are widely celebrated, and this brand new tour offers an exciting opportunity to explore the artist’s life and work in the 250th anniversary year of his birth.

Our journey begins on the beautiful Baltic island of Rügen, off the Pomeranian coast, where Friedrich stayed several times during his life, including on his honeymoon, when he painted the now world-famous Chalk Cliffs on Rügen.

We will have the opportunity to become immersed in the landscape that inspired Friedrich during our stay in Rügen, and to see the painting itself, temporarily on display at a special commemorative exhibition at the Pommersches Landesmuseum in the city of 58

This tour will be led by art history expert Tom Abbott, BA, MA, a proficient lecturer and tour leader who has lived in Berlin for over 30 years.

Tom’s expertise is wide-ranging, covering medieval times to the present day, and he is particularly fascinated with Romantic art.

Greifswald, where Friedrich was born in 1774 and where he attended university.

Our tour continues with a visit to the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, before progressing to Berlin for explorations of the Schloss Charlottenburg and Alte Nationalgalerie.

Finally, we will journey in Friedrich’s footsteps to Dresden, where he settled in 1798. Visits will include the Albertinum, also staging a special exhibition, and the artist’s grave.

Our first three nights will be spent at the Hotel Badehaus Goor, an elegant spa Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £325.

TOUR CODE: CASP24

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

hotel on the southern coast of Rügen, a classic German resort destination. We continue with two nights in Berlin at the comfortable Martas Hotel Albrechtshof, and one night in Dresden at the smart Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and stamina, as we have a full itinerary with a significant amount of travel (including a journey of up to five hours’ duration, with a comfort stop en route), and three separate hotel stays. Participants should be prepared to spend a significant amount of time on their feet, undertaking walking tours and standing during visits. Some ground may be cobbled or uneven underfoot, and participants should feel comfortable ascending and descending stairs. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms and Conditions.

ITINERARY

The itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Information about the particular paintings due to be displayed in the different venues is subject to final confirmation, so we cannot guarantee the precise works of art on display.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1110 on British Airways, arriving Hamburg 1345. Transfer by coach to the island of Rügen (approx 5 hours with comfort stop en route) for three nights at Hotel Badehaus Goor. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Whole day excursion to Greifswald: Pommersches Landesmuseum (exhibition) and walking tour of historical city centre with St Nikolai Cathedral and city churches (exteriors).

Short opportunity to see ruins of Eldena Abbey.

Day 3 Excursion to Stralsund for historical walking tour followed by view of Chalk Cliffs of Rügen.

Day 4 Transfer to Berlin (approx 4.5 hours with comfort stop en route) for Schloss Charlottenburg: Neuer Flügel, Neuer Pavilion and Mausoleum. Two nights at Martas Hotel Albrechtshof, Berlin.

Day 5 Berlin: Alte Nationalgalerie and Kulturforum for private viewing of works

by Friedrich at the Department of Prints & Engravings (Kupferstichkabinett - visit subject to confirmation) and some free time to explore rest of Kulturforum independently. Free evening.

Day 6 Transfer to Dresden (approx 4 hours with comfort stop en route) for New Cemetery (Friedrich’s grave) and Albertinum (exhibition).

Overnight at Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss.

Day 7 Morning: Kügelgenhaus. Transfer to Berlin for 1655 departure, arriving Heathrow 1750.

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I TA LY

Early Christian & Medieval Rome September 17–22, 2024 We will stay throughout at the three-star Albergo Santa Chiara, situated in the very heart of Rome, a stone’s throw from the Pantheon.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour has a full itinerary and involves extensive walking, including over many cobbled streets, so a very good level of fitness is required.

Some sites will involve walking up and down steps, which can be uneven and do not always have handrails. Rome’s streets can be busy with traffic, so care must be taken. Participants should meet our usual fitness requirements, as described in our Booking Terms and Conditions.

ITINERARY

Uncover the various historical layers of Rome’s churches and basilicas while exploring the development of early Christian art in Rome Soak up the Vatican’s aweinspiring atmosphere, visiting St Peter’s Basilica and examining the papal tombs in the underground Necropolis Experience extraordinary frescoes in situ, including at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Trace the development of early Christian art in the unique context of Rome, where it evolved from the fugitive imagery of a persecuted cult, into the triumphant representation of imperial piety.

Highlights of our itinerary will include the excavated Necropolis under St Peter’s Basilica, with its 3rd century mosaic believed to portray Christ as the sun-god Apollo, and Santa Sabina, the oldest surviving Roman basilica in the city.

Another memorable visit will be to the Scala Sancta of the Sancta Sanctorum chapel.

In the 4th century Church of Santa Costanza, originally built as a mausoleum, we will discover some of the most important early Christian art in the

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This tour will be led

by Eireann Marshall, PhD, a Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University. Eireann was raised in the Veneto and educated at Barnard College, Columbia University and the universities of Birmingham and Exeter. She has led many tours throughout Europe and North Africa, and has co-edited books on classical civilisation. world. The splendid mosaics, depicting scenes of grape harvesting and details of birds and foliage, aptly illustrate Constantine’s policy of repurposing old pagan motifs for Christian imagery.

We will examine a succession of popes responsible for some of the unique images of the Virgin Mary to be found in Rome, from Sixtus III, who built the immense Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, to Nicholas IV, who centuries later commissioned Torriti to produce the Coronation of the Virgin mosaic in its apse.

Our investigation will also consider the development of the ‘Roman’ school, characterised by Pietro Cavallini, whose Last Judgement mural in Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is celebrated as his masterwork.

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Sites in Rome can experience last minute closures owing to local events or restoration works, therefore some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1215 on British Airways, arriving Rome 1550. Transfer to Albergo Santa Chiara for five nights.

Day 2 Morning: San Crisogono (Paleochristian crypt), Santa Cecilia and the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. Afternoon: Santa Sabina, Santa Maria in Cosmedin and San Giorgio in Velabro. Evening talk.

Day 3 Morning: Catacombs of Priscilla, Santa Costanza and Sant’Agnese. Afternoon: Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Pudenziana and Santa Prassede. Evening talk.

Day 4 Morning: San Clemente and Santi Cosma e Damiano, followed by some free time in the area of the Colosseum and Roman Forum.

Afternoon: San Giovanni in Laterano, Sancta Sanctorum cappella papale, Santi Quattro Coronati. Free evening.

Day 5 Visits in the Vatican City: St Peter’s Basilica and Necropolis. Afternoon: Castel Sant’Angelo.

Day 6 Morning walking tour: Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Santa Maria sopra Minerva and Campo de’ Fiori. Depart Rome 1640, arriving Heathrow 1820.

Cost of £2695 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a standard twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, superior single room supplement £165.

TOUR CODE: ECMR24

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I TA LY

Turin: Art & Architecture of the Kingdom of Savoy September 24–30, 2024 Trace the history of Turin, Italy’s ‘first capital’, through visits to churches, galleries and palazzi

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness, stamina and mobility is required for this tour, as it will involve a significant amount of time spent walking and standing in and around Turin and at sites. The ground may be cobbled or uneven underfoot in places, and churches may be dimly lit. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

The Annunciation, Orazio Gentileschi, c 1623, Galleria Subauda,Turin

Visit the Palazzo Reale, with its Royal Armoury, Galleria Sabauda and chapel housing the Turin Shroud

ITINERARY

CC BY-SA 4.0 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Travel beyond the city to view masterpieces by Juvarra: the Basilica di Superga and Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi

The city of Turin, capital of Piedmont, is one of Italy’s hidden treasures. It has its own distinct character and unique style, a consequence of both its geography and history.

Sitting between France and the other Italian states, Turin became the capital of the Duchy of Savoy in the 16th century and later the Kingdom of Sardinia.

The Dukes of Savoy employed leading Baroque architects such as Juvarra, Guarini and Vittone to design elaborate churches, grand palazzos and elegant piazzas.

The city’s status grew again in the 19th century when it became the intellectual and political centre of the Risorgimento movement and briefly the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy.

In the 20th century, Turin was known as the Capitale dell’automobile (‘Capital of the car’). The Lingotto factory building now has a different use: it is home to

Reggia di Venaria Reale

This tour will be led

by Sarah Burles, MA, an expert in art history and Arts Society accredited lecturer who studied at Cambridge University and University College London. Sarah spent time living in Italy before going on to a career in museum and gallery education, including 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Giovanni and Marella Agnelli’s superb collection of paintings, displayed in a purpose-built gallery, Lo Scrigno, designed by Renzo Piano.

We will also venture into the Piedmont countryside, to discover the beautifully preserved late Gothic painted hall of the Castello della Manta and the medieval town of Saluzzo.

We will stay at Turin’s elegant five-star Grand Hotel Sitea, a smart, classically decorated property dating back to 1925.

The hotel is ideally situated in the city, just a few minutes’ walk from the Palazzo Carignano, and provides a luxurious, relaxing and high quality base for our explorations of this fine city.

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Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Churches and heritage sites in Italy can sometimes close or change their opening hours at short notice, for example due to restoration works or services, so our itinerary may be adapted or certain visits reordered. Some visits may be time permitting on the day.

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1120 on British Airways, arriving Turin 1415. Transfer to Grand Hotel Sitea for six nights. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visits to Duomo and Palazzo Reale: Royal Armoury, Galleria Sabauda, Cappella della Sacra Sindone and gardens. Afternoon visits to Palazzo Madama and SS Trinità.

Day 3 Morning visits in central Turin: San Carlo and Santa Cristina, Palazzo Carignano.

Afternoon visits in the Baroque quarter, including churches designed by Guarini, Vitozzi and Juvarra.

Day 4 Visits to the east of Turin: Monte dei Cappuccini for Santa Maria del Monte and views over the city and River Po, followed by Superga Basilica. Continue to Lingotto: Pinacoteca Giovanni and Marella Agnelli followed by Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.

Day 5 Visits to Castello della Manta and medieval town of Saluzzo for Museo Civico Casa Cavassa. Return to Turin via Santuario del Valinotto.

Day 6 Excursion to park of La Mandria for visits to Castello della Mandria and Reggia di Venaria Reale followed by Church of Sant’Uberto, Piazza della SS Annunciata and Church of the Nativity of Mary the Virgin.

Day 7 Depart Turin 1105, arriving Gatwick 1200.

Cost of £3295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £445.

TOUR CODE: TURC24

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Verdi Festival in Parma October 2024 Parma

Enjoy a selection of superb performances including Un ballo in maschera and Macbeth Visit locations associated with Verdi’s life and work, including his villa in Sant’Agata Make an excursion to Cremona, where master violin maker Antonio Stradivari established his workshop in the early 1700s We are delighted to announce the return of this popular ACE tour – which combines wonderful music with cultural highlights and tastes of the region’s gastronomy – in autumn 2024.

Twenty years ago, the city of Parma inaugurated an annual festival to honour its most famous local son, Giuseppe Verdi. The festival, which takes place throughout October (the month of Verdi’s birth), features a range of the composer’s operatic works, both well known and less commonly encountered; it has since become one of the most important showcases of the composer’s music in the world.

Our tour will incorporate several specially selected performances from

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This tour will be led

by Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and broadcaster who spent a decade as one of the core team of presenters on BBC Radio 3, during which time he interviewed many of the world’s finest musicians. Conducting credits have included a complete cycle of Bach cantatas as well as work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre and in London’s West End where he spent many years as a musical director. Sandy is very much looking forward to introducing a new ACE group to this magnificent festival in 2024.

the 2024 programme, providing an opportunity to experience both the diversity of the composer’s repertoire in the surroundings he knew so well, and his musical development over time.

Next year’s operas will include new productions of Un ballo in maschera and the wonderful Macbeth with its famous ‘Witches’ Chorus’. Operas take place in the beautiful Teatro Regio di Parma, designed by Nicola Bettoli, and the

“Sandy made the lectures fun as well as informative” “Sandy’s lectures and informal discussions at mealtimes were totally inspiring” “An excellent music guide” – ACE customers who have travelled with Sandy Burnett on previous tours

Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto, not far from Verdi’s former villa in Sant’Agata.

Our days, meanwhile, will be spent exploring the musical and cultural treasures of the region, interspersed with free time to reflect on the operas. At Verdi’s villa in Sant’Agata, the ground floor rooms have been preserved as they were in the composer’s time. We also look forward to experiencing the production of one of Parma’s most famous exports at a traditional Culatello cellar.

Full details, including the cost, itinerary and final musical programme, will be released early in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: VERD24

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ALBANIA

Wildlife of Albania

Divjakë Karavasta National Park

Uncover a little visited European gem, where snow-capped mountains plunge into bright blue seas, charming villages nestle amongst the forested landscape, and coastal lagoons teem with birdlife Search for the rare Dalmatian pelican during a boat trip on Great Prespa Lake Look out for wetland birdlife and migrating waders on the ‘Albanian Riviera’ The tectonic lakes of Ohrid and Prespa are some of the oldest lakes in the world, and form an area of extraordinary beauty and biodiversity. Surrounded by high mountain peaks and centuriesold juniper forests, the region is home to several species found nowhere else in the world, while the surrounding wetlands and reedbeds provide habitats for hundreds of thousands of wintering water birds.

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This tour will be led by conservationist and ornithologist Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM. An environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism, Kevin has held the post of President of the Cambridge Natural History Society and has led a project on eagles, vultures and other wildlife in Albania.

Our tour includes a boat trip on Great Prespa Lake to Maligrad Island, keeping watch along the way for the lake’s most famous residents, the rare Dalmatian pelicans, as well as hundreds of pygmy cormorants.

We will spend three nights in the mountain village of Voskopojë, an important cultural centre during its mid 18th century heyday. At its zenith, the city was bigger than Athens and housed a university and a printing press – the

second in the Ottoman Empire after that of Constantinople.

Voskopojë will be our base for local forest walks, looking out for varied birdlife including goshawk, red-backed shrike, and hawfinch amongst the pine, fir, beech and oak.

Our tour will then transfer to the coastal town of Vlorë, surrounded by mountains and overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The ‘Albanian Riviera’ is a patchwork of different habitats, from the forested mountains of Llogara National Park to the lagoons of Orikum, Narta and Karavasta. Here, we will look out for wetland birdlife including flamingos, great white egret, avocet and spoonbill, as well as numerous migrating waders from Russia and northeastern Europe.

The last night of the tour will be spent in the Divjaka-Karavasta National Park from where we will transfer to Tirana International Airport for the return flight. We will stay at comfortable hotels throughout, well situated for our daytime explorations.

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NICOLAS VOLLMER / CC-BY-2.0 VIA FLICKR

October 4–11, 2024

ALBANIA Tour Director Kevin Hand writes: “Albania has been one of my favourite destinations since I was able to set up the Saving Albania’s Vultures project some years ago with my friends in the wildlife NGO, PPNEA, and with support from ACE. This focused on Egyptian vultures as an iconic species in the country, where it is known as the cuckoo horse!

We always see amazing wildlife on our visits, along with fascinating history and culture, and some of the kindest people one could meet anywhere!”

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness and mobility is required for this tour, which will include several local walks of up to five miles. Participants should be comfortable walking over rugged and uneven terrain, and be prepared that access to some sites will involve bumpy journeys. A suitable vehicle will be used to take into consideration both the passengers’ comfort and our ability to access sites in more remote parts of the country. This tour also involves a boat trip. Please consult the Booking Terms & Conditions for more information on ACE’s fitness requirements.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Some details may also be adjusted on the ground, depending on local conditions, and we cannot guarantee the availability of all wildlife mentioned.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0755 on British Airways, arriving Tirana 1155. Transfer to Pogradec for overnight at Hotel Hymeti.

Egyptian Vulture

Day 2 Morning visits to Lake Ohrid and Lin (ruined Paleo-Christian church with beautiful views and floor mosaics). Afternoon: Drilon National Park followed by mountain village of Voskopojë for visit to St Nicholas’s Church (wonderful frescoes). Three nights at Hotel Pashuta, Voskopojë.

Day 3 Walks in the woodland around Voskopojë (Scots pine, silver fir, Valonia oak, possible sightings of red-rumped swallow and dipper). Some free time with the option to do a longer walk.

Day 4 Whole day excursion to Lake Prespa with boat trip to Maligrad Island, where we hope to see rare Dalmatian pelicans, pygmy cormorant and Alpine swift. Visit to 14th century Eastern Orthodox Church of St Mary.

Dalmatian Pelican

“Kevin’s experience over many years shows in everything he does” “Kevin Hand was an outstanding leader in every respect” – ACE customers on 2023 tours led by Kevin Hand Day 5 Transfer via Elbasan (Hammam, Kings Mosque, Naziresha Mosque and old castle walls) to the coastal town of Vlorë for two nights at Hotel Partner.

Day 6 Orikum Lagoon and saltpans: reedbeds, wetland birdlife. Llogara National Park: pine forests with trees shaped by the wind, breathtaking views, habitat for abundant wildlife including migrating birds of prey such as shorttoed eagle and booted eagle.

Day 7 Narta Lagoon: salt pans with a wide variety of avifauna including black-necked grebe, Mediterranean gull, ferruginous duck and flamingos. Afternoon at Divjaka-Karavasta National Park: lagoons, sand dunes, pine forest, possible colony of Dalmatian pelicans, possible golden jackal. Overnight stay at Hotel Divjaka Resort.

Day 8 Depart Tirana 1245, arriving Heathrow 1500.

Cost of £2395 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, full board (some packed lunches) with water, wine or beer & coffee with dinner, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £165.

TOUR CODE: WIAL24

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Palladio: Venice & the Villas of the Veneto October 3–12, 2024 ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Privately owned historical buildings in Italy can sometimes close at short notice, or restrict access due to restoration work.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0835 on British Airways, arriving Venice 1155. Transfer to Vicenza for five nights at Hotel Campo Marzio.

Day 2 Excursion to villas south of Vicenza: private visits to Villa Pisani La Rocca and Villa Pisani at Bagnolo. Afternoon: Villa BarbarigoRezzonico (exterior) and private visit to Villa Poiana.

Day 3 Vicenza: walking tour including Palazzo Thiene (exterior) and visit to Palazzo Barbaran da Porto (Palladian Museum – guided tour with curator). Afternoon: Basilica Palladiana, Loggia del Capitaniato and Palazzo Valmarana (exteriors) followed by Church of Santa Corona, Teatro Olimpico and Museo Civico. Free evening.

Villa Rotonda

Learn about the life of Andrea Palladio, and visit both famous and lesser-known villas in and around Vicenza and Padua Explore the frescoed Villa Godi, Palladio’s earliest country house Cruise along the Brenta Canal into Venice to discover Palladio’s religious architecture Even five centuries after his birth, Andrea Palladio (1508–1580) remains one of the most distinguished figures in the history of western architecture. Born in Padua, Palladio trained originally as a stonecutter and mason in Vicenza, a picturesque historical town packed with delightful palazzi and public buildings.

We will visit Palladian highlights in the countryside outside Vicenza, enjoying private visits to several. The sumptuously decorated La Rotonda contains a central dome inspired by the Pantheon of ancient Rome. We will also visit Villa Barbaro, Villa Pisani and Villa Poiana.

A leisurely cruise along the Brenta Canal will take us to our second base, Venice, where our focus will shift to Palladio’s religious architecture: not just San 64

This tour will be led by architectural historian Charles Hind, MA, FSA. Charles holds the positions of Chief Curator and H J Heinz Curator of Drawings at the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is a Trustee of the Georgian Group and Deputy Chairman of the Lutyens Trust.

Giorgio Maggiore, occupying its own island opposite the monumental Doge’s Palace, but also San Francesco della Vigna, Palladio’s first church façade.

Our first five nights will be spent in the heart of Vicenza at the four-star Hotel Campo Marzio, followed by four nights in Venice at the four-star Hotel Ca’ dei Conti, close to St Mark’s Square.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, as it involves a significant amount of walking, particularly in Venice. Participants must feel comfortable navigating uneven ground, steps and cobbled streets, and some visits will be made by water taxi and vaporetto. For ACE’s minimum fitness requirements, please see the Booking Terms & Conditions. We will enjoy two free afternoons and a free evening in Venice to offer participants the opportunity to explore the city and sample its cuisine independently.

Day 4 Morning: private visit to Villa Porto Colleoni followed by visit to Villa Godi.

Afternoon in Padua: Basilica of San Antonio, Odeon, Loggia Cornaro and Botanical Garden.

Day 5 Morning: via Villa Trissino (exterior) and Bassano del Grappa to Villa Barbaro for private visit. Afternoon: Villa Caldogno.

Day 6 Morning: private visit to Palladio’s famous Villa Rotonda. Afternoon: Villa Pisani at Strà and private visit to Villa Foscari. Transfer by boat along the Brenta Canal to Venice for four nights at Hotel Ca’ dei Conti.

Day 7 Morning: Palazzo Grimani, Palazzo Querini-Stampalia and Santa Maria Formosa.

Free afternoon and evening.

Day 8 Morning: San Giorgio Maggiore and Church of Il Redentore. Afternoon: Palladio’s cloister of Santa Maria della Carità and optional visit to Basilica dei Frari.

Day 9 Morning: Arsenale (exterior), Scuola di San Giorgio, San Francesco della Vigna, San Zanipolo, Santa Maria di Miracoli and Rialto Bridge. Free afternoon.

Day 10 Depart Venice 1445, arriving Heathrow 1605.

Cost of £4595 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, nine breakfasts, two lunches with water & coffee, seven dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement (double room for single use in Venice) £625, double room for single use (throughout) supplement £895.

TOUR CODE: PALL24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Connoisseur’s Cambridge October 7–10, 2024 Delve into the fascinating history of Cambridge, with an in-depth exploration of the Fitzwilliam Museum and private visit to its Founder’s Library

Page from the Bury Bible by Master Hugo, c 1135-40, Parker Library, Corpus Christi College

Step inside the Arts & Crafts interior of the David Parr House, recently subject to a two year restoration

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Discover the remarkable story of Kettle’s Yard, home to a beautiful collection of art dating mainly from the early 20th century Cambridge is well known for its ancient university, beautiful colleges and scientific discoveries, but it is also home to museum collections of international significance as well as hidden artistic treasures. On this tour, we will delve beneath the city’s surface on a series of privileged visits to discover the hidden histories of remarkable patrons – from the 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam in the 18th century, to Jim and Helen Ede in the 20th century.

a remarkable interior in his modest terraced Cambridge house, which was wonderfully preserved by his granddaughter.

Kettle’s Yard, once home to Jim and Helen Ede, is another site that has benefited from redevelopment in recent years. The house holds works by artists such as Joan Miró, Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Christopher Wood and Alfred Wallis, exhibited alongside textiles, natural objects, ceramics, glass and furniture in what has been described as “a masterclass of curatorship”.

We will devote a whole day to studying the history and holdings of the Fitzwilliam Museum, discovering its rich and varied collections and enjoying a private visit to the Founder’s Library in the company of a curator.

At the heart of the tour will be a special visit to the David Parr House, which reopened in 2019 following a twoyear refurbishment. The artist-painter and decorator David Parr carried out commissions for William Morris, and between 1887 and 1927, he created

Our tour finishes with a special visit to the Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College, the largest collection of works by female artists in Europe. It includes pieces by Barbara Hepworth, Maggi Hambling, Tracey Emin and Eileen Cooper amongst others.

© ISABEL SUDBURY

The Parker Library, Corpus Christi College

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Cost of £1495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a deluxe twin or double bedded room, three breakfasts, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £275.

TOUR CODE: COCA24

This tour will be led

by Sarah Burles, MA, who studied History of Art at the University of Cambridge, before developing a career in museum and gallery education. This included twelve years at the Fitzwilliam Museum, as well as work in other Cambridge museums. An experienced Tour Director, she runs art tours and courses in and around Cambridge.

We will stay throughout at the four-star Hotel du Vin, a stylish and comfortable hotel set in a former university building just a stone’s throw from the Fitzwilliam Museum.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants must have a good level of mobility and be prepared for a significant amount of walking, often over cobbles and uneven ground, up steps, and within dimly lit historical interiors. Our visit to the David Parr House will involve ascending steep steps and standing without support for up to an hour. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the itinerary in full, owing to the special nature of the visits, some elements may be subject to confirmation closer to the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1330 at the Hotel du Vin, Cambridge, for three nights. Afternoon: walking tour of Cambridge followed by visit to the Pepys Library at Magdalene College and exterior view of the college’s New Library (winner of RIBA Stirling Prize 2022). Evening: welcome and introductory talk.

Day 2 Morning lecture: The Fitzwilliam Museum – Private Collectors, Public Collections followed by whole day visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum, including tours of the main galleries and current exhibition and private visit to the Founder’s Library. Option to attend Evensong at King’s College Chapel.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by private tour of the David Parr House and visits to Jesus College, St Clement’s Church, the Parker Library at Corpus Christi and All Saints’ Church.

Day 4 Morning lecture: 20th Century Cambridge Collections followed by visit to Kettle’s Yard.

Afternoon: tour of the Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College. Tour disperses approx 1630 at the hotel.

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S L OVA K I A

Eastern Slovakia: Artistic Treasures at the Foot of the High Tatra Mountains October 7–15, 2024 Discover the fascinating heritage of eastern Slovakia with its mixture of artistic influences from East and West Visit the Cathedral of St Elisabeth in Košice, one of the most important Gothic buildings in Eastern Europe Take in beautiful landscapes on a circuit of the region, visiting castles, wooden churches and open-air museums en route

A combination of picturesque scenery, well-preserved towns and villages, and major architectural and artistic monuments make eastern Slovakia a rewarding destination for travellers interested in exploring a country unspoilt by mass tourism. This tour provides an in-depth understanding of the rich artistic heritage and fascinating history to be found at the foot of the High Tatra Mountains.

Košice, the most important urban centre on our route, has the largest contiguous area of historical buildings in Slovakia, and, in the form of St Elisabeth’s Cathedral, one of the most important Gothic buildings in Eastern Europe.

Similarly unexpected is the exquisite architecture of sites such as the Zápolya Chapel at Spišský Štvrtok.

For an area remote from many of the main centres of European cultural development, eastern Slovakia is extraordinarily varied – principally due to its historical connections with Hungary, Poland and the German-speaking world, as well as the presence of a variety of religious groups, among them Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox and GreekCatholic/Uniate communities.

While the rich legacy of Gothic art, in particular the oeuvre of Master Paul of Levoča, looks towards Southern Germany and Austria, aristocratic houses 66

Church of Protection of the Blessed Virgin from Zboj, Bardejovske Kupele

are predominantly linked with Hungary, as exemplified by the Andrássy Manor in Betliar. The mausoleum of Imre Thököly, one of Hungary’s national heroes, is Statue of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica of St Giles, Bardejov

found in the town of Kežmarok, also situated in the Spiš area of eastern Slovakia. Meanwhile, the grandeur of 19th century Hungarian architecture can still be appreciated at spas like Bardejovské Kúpele.

The latter moreover features an openair museum of vernacular architecture, a subject that forms a particularly important focal point of our tour due to eastern Slovakia’s vast collection of wooden churches. These encompass several denominations, including Catholicism and Lutheranism; GreekCatholic churches are also widely represented.

Throughout our tour, we will take in the region’s remarkable natural scenery, which is largely unspoilt, with highlights including the Slovenský Raj National Park and views of the High Tatra Mountains.

We will stay at hotels of three and fourstar standard in Košice, Kežmarok and Bardejovské Kúpele.

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S L OVA K I A

Spiš Castle FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions, and be prepared for a significant amount of walking and standing, including over cobbled and uneven ground, and up steep steps at castle sites. To make the most of our time in eastern Slovakia and take in a breadth of visits, we will have a full itinerary, so participants should have a good level of fitness and stamina.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. While we expect to be able to visit all sites detailed in the itinerary, some of the smaller churches are not able to guarantee availability until closer to departure, and if our planned visit coincides with a baptism, wedding, funeral or other community service, we may only be able to view the exterior. Some visits may be time permitting on the day.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow on Austrian Airlines for Košice via Vienna. Welcome and introductory lecture. Two nights in Košice at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Košice.

Day 2 Visits in Košice: Cathedral of St Elisabeth (one of the most important Gothic buildings in Cost of £3095 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, eight breakfasts, eight dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £325.

TOUR CODE: ESLV24

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Our Tour Director is art historian and experienced tour leader, Alex Koller, PhD. Alex studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, and gained his PhD at Magdalene College, where he also lectured and supervised. An accomplished linguist, Alex has led many art and architecture tours across the globe, and his experience ranges from Eastern Europe, Russia and the Himalayas to Japan and Southeast Asia.

“We always enjoy travelling with Alex Koller who is invariably well informed and thoroughly efficient – and good company too!”

Eastern Europe), Archbishop’s Palace, Baroque houses and city churches (exteriors) and East Slovak Museum (art collection and wooden church).

Day 6 Transfer to Červený Kláštor (former Carthusian monastery on Polish border) and continue to Stará Ľubovňa (open-air museum).

Afternoon: wooden churches of Lukov-Venécia and Krivé. Two nights in the spa town of Bardejovské Kúpele at Hotel Alexander.

Day 3 Transfer to Spiš via former mining area of Gemer at Rožňava, Štítnik (Lutheran church), Betliar (15th century palace with splendid English park) and Slovensky Raj National Park. Continue to Kežmarok for three nights at Hviezdoslav Hotel.

Day 4 Dravce (church with 13th century wall paintings), Spišský Štvrtok (Gothic church of St Ladislaus with Zápolya Chapel) and Kežmarok (castle, 18th century wooden church and New Church) followed by Renaissance Strážký Palace (Slovak National Gallery).

Day 5 Levoča: Renaissance town hall, St Jacob’s Church (55 foot high wooden altarpiece), Minorite churches (exteriors) and Museum of Master Paul (house and workshop). Afternoon:

“Alex is always thorough and brings the subject alive” – ACE customers on previous tours with Alex Koller

Spišská Kapitula (ecclesiastical centre with 13th century St Martin’s Cathedral), Spišský Hrad (one of central Europe’s largest medieval castles) and Žehra (13th century Church of the Holy Spirit with medieval wall paintings).

Day 7 Visit to the open-air museum of Bardejovské Kúpele followed by excursion to the Svidnik area (open-air museum of Ukrainian culture and UNESCO-listed wooden churches).

Day 8 Morning in Bardejov (late Gothic church of St Giles with numerous medieval altarpieces, Town Hall with the Šariš Museum of icons). Continue to Prešov (Co-Cathedral of St Nicholas with works by Master Paul of Levoča, Greek-Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral – visit subject to confirmation). Overnight at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Košice.

Day 9 Transfer to Košice airport for return flight to Heathrow via Vienna.

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The Riviera di Levante October 10–17, 2024 This tour will be led by Christopher Wellington, MA, a graduate in history from Cambridge University. Christopher’s specialisms range from history and the Church through to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages.

He has spent most of his career working in Italy.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Sometimes historical sites in Italy can undergo closures with little or no notice, for example for restoration works.

Porto Venere

Explore the Riviera di Levante tracing the artistic legacy of the Italian city-states from Genoa to Pisa Visit some of Italy’s most impressive architectural sites including Pisa’s Campo Santo Enjoy the picturesque towns and villages of the beautiful Italian coastline, including Portofino and Portovenere on the Cinque Terre For centuries the maritime republics of Italy dominated the Mediterranean.

These powerful city-states were fiercely competitive, and our tour will trace the history of their stormy rivalries as we make our way along the enchanting Riviera di Levante (‘coast of the rising sun’), travelling between Genoa and Pisa.

Genoa was one of the longest-lived of the maritime republics, its independence lasting until the threshold of the modern era. Today, the city’s historical heart preserves a fascinating labyrinth of medieval lanes and steps, studded with richly decorated churches and palaces, including the magnificent Cathedral of San Lorenzo.

We will travel down the spectacular Ligurian coastline, where picturesque 68

towns cling to hillsides and reside in narrow valleys where the mountains meet the sea. The area of the Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of its combination of scenic beauty and human endeavour, and we will journey along the coast discovering Portofino and Portovenere.

The republic of Pisa fell to Genoa following the Battle of Meloria in 1284, but not before the city had developed one of the strongest architectural styles in Italy. Our visit here will explore the strong influence of classicism combined with medieval models, which culminated in the magnificent complex of the Piazza dei Miracoli surrounding the cathedral. Splendid works of art, such as the intricate Pisano pulpit, adorn these buildings.

We will stay in Santa Margherita Ligure at the Hotel Continental overlooking the Gulf of Tigullio; in Portovenere at the Hotel Paradiso; and in Pisa at the Hotel Bologna, a short walk from the historical centre.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note this tour requires a good level of fitness, as several visits will be made on foot and by boat.

There are numerous walks over cobbled streets, uneven surfaces and up steps. Participants should feel comfortable with these conditions and meet ACE’s usual fitness requirements (outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions).

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1030 on British Airways, arriving Milan Linate 1330.

Transfer to Santa Margherita Ligure for four nights at Hotel Continental. Evening introductory lecture.

Day 2 Genoa: cathedral, old port, National Gallery of Palazzo Spinola, Palazzo San Giorgio, Santa Maria di Castello, Church of Gesù, Palazzo Ducale (exterior).

Day 3 Morning: former abbey of La Cervara followed by Portofino. By boat to San Fruttuoso (weather permitting). Evening lecture.

Day 4 Excursions to Chiavari and the Basilica dei Fieschi. Afternoon: walking tour of Santa Margherita Ligure. Free evening.

Day 5 By train to Monterosso al Mare with time to visit the town. Transfer to Portovenere: Gothic Church of St Peter and Romanesque Church of St Lawrence followed by some free time. Overnight stay at Hotel Paradiso.

Day 6 Morning: fortress town of Sarzana (cathedral) and ruined Roman city of Luna (Archaeological Museum). Continue via Fantiscritti for the Carrara marble quarries and Museo Walter Danesi to Pisa for two nights at Hotel Bologna.

Day 7 Pisa: Campo Santo and cathedral. Some free time.

Day 8 Depart Pisa 1230, arriving Heathrow 1345.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £545.

TOUR CODE: RIV224

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S PA I N

Moorish Spain: Córdoba & Granada October 18–24, 2024 In Córdoba our base will be the fourstar Hotel NH Collection Amistad and in Granada we will stay at the four-star Hotel Barceló Carmen.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, as a number of visits will be made on foot, and participants should be aware that walking around the historical cities and sites involves traversing uneven ground, cobbled streets and some uphill sections with at times demanding gradients.

For more details on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Archaeological sites can close or change their opening times at short notice; therefore, some visits may be reordered.

The Mezquita and Roman Bridge in Córdoba

Discover the legacy of al-Andalus as we explore the evocative architecture of Córdoba and Granada Highlights include the UNESCOlisted Great Mosque of Córdoba and Granada’s famous Alhambra and Generalife Learn about the wider heritage and context of this beautiful part of Spain When Tariq, governor of Tangier, crossed the Straits of Gibraltar with his Berber army in 711 and swept through Hispania, one of Europe’s great civilisations was born and prospered for more than seven centuries: Islamic Spain.

This tour will be led

by Steve Mastin, MA, PGCE, FHA, who studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years, leading trips to Spain, Italy, France and Germany, and overseas training history teachers. Steve is a Fellow of the Historical Association and is a regular speaker at history conferences.

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Our journey begins in Córdoba, where we will survey the archaeological museum, built over the remains of the Roman theatre. At the heart of Córdoba’s Islamic inheritance lies one of Europe’s greatest buildings: the Mezquita, the Great Mosque, with its forest of columns under double-tiered arches, a superb mihrab and series of domes. It was transformed into a cathedral during the 13th century.

We will learn about the golden age of al-Andalus when the Great Mosque was built in Córdoba. This was also the time when the huge fortified palace city of Madinat al-Zahra was founded on the hills outside Córdoba. Building began in 940, at the behest of Abd ar-Rahman III. Other highlights of our time in Córdoba will include a walking tour by the Guadalquivir River, and a visit to the Alcázar with its Moorish-design gardens.

Our tour then progresses to Granada, custodian of Spain’s most romantic Moorish monuments: not only the famed Alhambra of the Nasrid Sultans but also the adjoining Generalife with its evocative gardens.

A visit to the Renaissance cathedral and royal chapel in Granada forms the finale of our tour.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1120 on British Airways, arriving Málaga 1510. Continue to Córdoba for three nights at the Hotel NH Collection Amistad. Welcome and introductory lecture: Moorish Spain.

Day 2 Morning lecture: The Great Mosque followed by visits to Archaeological Museum and walk to ruins of the Roman temple. Afternoon: Great Mosque (now cathedral).

Day 3 Further visits in Córdoba: Synagogue, Madinat al-Zahra, the Alcázar with its gardens, optional walking tour by the Guadalquivir River and to Calahorra Tower, Plaza del Pozo and Museo de Bellas Artes. Free evening.

Day 4 14th century Alcazaba and Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor. Continue to Granada for three nights at Hotel Barceló Carmen.

Evening lecture: Tales of the Alhambra.

Day 5 Excursion to the Alhambra: Nasrid Palace, Museo de la Alhambra, the citadel of the Alcazaba and Generalife with its gardens.

Day 6 Walking tour around medieval Granada: Corral del Carbón, Alcaicería, madrasa, 11th century Islamic baths (exterior), Casas del Chapiz (exteriors). Continue to Mirador San Nicolás, Renaissance cathedral and royal chapel.

Day 7 Depart via Antequera for visits to dolmens and the Conjunto Arqueológico.

Depart Málaga 1645, arriving Heathrow 1835.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £545.

TOUR CODE: MSCG24

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FRANCE

Roussillon October 21–28, 2024 Abbey of Saint Michel de Cuxa

This tour will be led

by Hugh Doherty, DPhil, a Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. A medievalist with broad historical interests, Hugh teaches classical and medieval history and publishes on such topics as knights and castles.

He studied at King’s College London before gaining his MPhil at the University of Cambridge and DPhil at the University of Oxford. leading artists including Matisse, and this creative emulation led to the foundation of a rich Musée d’Art Moderne.

We will cross into Spain, taking the opportunity to look at the restored stonebuilt town of Besalú with its complex fortified bridge. We will also look at Dalí’s theatrical works in his purposebuilt Teatro-Museo in Figueres.

Visit the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes and view its remarkable Romanesque architecture Explore Céret, home to iconic 20th century artists such as Picasso, Braque and Matisse, including a visit to the Musée d’Art Moderne Delve into Dalí’s Surrealist mind by visiting his unmissable TeatroMuseo in Figueres Nested between France and Spain, Roussillon – a former county of the Principality of Catalonia – boasts diverse landscapes and a unique identity. It is particularly noted for its fascinating medieval history, but this French gateway to Spain also inspired and welcomed several artists from the 20th century avant-garde, such as Picasso, Miro, Matisse, Dalí and Braque.

Our stay in Roussillon will enable us to study Romanesque architecture and 70

“Hugh Doherty’s knowledge of his subject was impressive and he was obviously very well prepared for the tour. He was approachable and sociable and very helpful in practical ways too” – ACE customer on a 2023 tour led by Hugh Doherty

sculpture in depth. Highlights include the Abbey of Saint Michel de Cuxa, Serrabone Priory, the Musée du Maître de Cabestany and the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes – decorated by the Maître de Cabestany’s workshop in the 12th century.

We will devote time to exploring the Musée d’Art Hyacinthe Rigaud in Perpignan, encompassing fine examples of regional art from the Gothic period through to modern times. In addition, we will have the opportunity to explore collections of Cubism, Fauvism and Surrealism. The village of Céret drew Picasso and Braque as well as other

Our accommodation is on the Mediterranean just outside the fishing port of Port Vendres, once home to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, at the comfortable and simply furnished three-star Hotel Les Jardins du Cèdre.

The terrace enjoys panoramic views overlooking the sea and the hotel is particularly noted for its excellent restaurant.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a significant amount of walking on cobbled and uneven surfaces, so care must be taken. The visit to St Pere de Rodes involves a walk of approximately 1km from the coach to the entrance. This and several other sites have stone steps without handrails, and steps can be of differing sizes and depths. Lifts are not available at many of the sites and interiors can be dimly lit.

The longest coach journey is 3 hours and some roads are narrow and winding. Participants must have a good level of mobility, and should meet ACE’s usual fitness requirements, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Full details, including the cost and itinerary, will be released early in 2024.

Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: ROUS24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Oxford College Chapels & Organs October 23–25, 2024

GARY ULLAH / CC BY 2.0 DEED VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

“Visited colleges and chapels I’ve not been to before, and the music was sublime”

The organ at Blenheim Palace

Investigate a selection of Oxford’s beautiful college chapels, from Brasenose to Merton, with an emphasis on their distinguished organs Enjoy recitals on a variety of instruments from accomplished organist Nicholas Wearne Soak up the special atmosphere of college choral services at Magdalen College and Christ Church Cathedral The city of dreaming spires is home to a remarkable number of organs, each defined by the personality that made them, the aesthetics of their time, the space within which they resound and the uses to which they are put.

Our tour will explore several of the organs and colleges of Oxford, with private recitals given on each organ. The 17th century chapel at Brasenose College chapel will welcome a new Romanticstyle organ in 2024, while Lincoln College Chapel is home to an organ by William Drake, installed in 2010.

We will enjoy a morning excursion to UNESCO-listed Blenheim Palace, one of England’s largest houses and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

The Long Library organ is the work of perhaps the most famous British builder, ‘Father’ Willis. With 2300 pipes, it is the

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This tour will be led by organist Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, an international competition prizewinner who was previously Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford and Organist at St Martinin-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.

Nicholas is a former ACE Bursary student and currently holds the position of Senior Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

He will be joined for some of the recitals by guest musician John Bryden, MA, ARCM, ARCO, an international concert pianist and former senior lecturer in Music at Dartington College. largest such instrument in a private house in Europe.

We also look forward to a new visit to Lady Margaret Hall. Founded in 1878 and backing onto the River Cherwell, Lady Margaret Hall was the first Oxford college to admit women. The college’s Cost of £1195 includes: accommodation based on sharing a privilege twin or double bedded room, performances as described, two breakfasts, two dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, privilege double room for single use supplement £275.

TOUR CODE: OCCO24

– ACE customer on a previous Oxford College Chapels & Organs tour with Nicholas Wearne

Byzantine-style chapel was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott.

Further highlights will include visits to the Christopher Wren chapel at Pembroke College; Trinity College chapel, with its neoclassical organ; and Merton College, where the chapel dates back to the end of the 13th century.

Choral Evensong services at Magdalen College and Christ Church Cathedral – where we will hear the organs being used liturgically, alongside their worldrenowned choirs – will round off our tour.

The tour will be based at the fourstar Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel, occupying a 17th century building conveniently located in the heart of the city.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour is conducted on foot in historical Oxford, so participants must be prepared for a significant amount of walking, and for traversing narrow pavements, cobbles and uneven surfaces that may be slippery if wet. It is necessary to navigate steps to access the hotel and certain chapels, and some of the interiors are dimly lit. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Due to the special nature of the visits, we cannot confirm some of these until nearer the time.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1415 at Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel for two nights. 1500 departure on foot for organ recitals at Brasenose College and Lincoln College (with visit to library - subject to confirmation). Choral Evensong at Magdalen College.

Day 2 Morning excursion to Blenheim Palace: tour, recital and introduction to Long Library organ (subject to final confirmation). Afternoon: return to Oxford for organ recitals at Lady Margaret Hall and Pembroke College. Choral Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral.

Day 3 Morning: organ recitals at Trinity College and Merton College. Tour disperses approx 1200 at the hotel.

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Bruges October 28 – November 1, 2024 Explore the delightful medieval town of Bruges, characterised by its fine churches, canals and cobbled streets, from a base in the heart of the city Discover the works of the Flemish Primitives, including Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, with visits to the Groeningemuseum and the recently reopened Memling Museum at the Hospital of St John Enjoy a private reception at the extraordinary Adornes Domain and Jerusalem Chapel

The historical centre of Bruges is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, and retains much of its medieval character, including the original pattern of streets, squares, canals and open spaces.

We will visit the Groeningemuseum, home to a stunning collection of paintings by the Flemish Primitives including Jan van Eyck’s famous Van der Paele altarpiece, Hans Memling’s Moreel Triptych and Gerard David’s Baptism of Christ. St John’s Hospital, established in the 12th century, holds six paintings by Memling.

Art historian Sarah Burles, MA, will lead this tour. Sarah read History of Art at Cambridge before going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums.

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Detail from the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb altarpiece

The Gruuthusemuseum reopened in 2019 following a renovation and redisplay. This luxurious city palace of the Lords of Gruuthuse hosts outstanding collections of furniture, sculpture, tapestry, lace and silver.

The Treasury at St Saviour’s Cathedral contains a small but fascinating collection of paintings and applied arts, while the Church of Our Lady boasts Michelangelo’s beautiful Madonna and Child.

A highlight of our tour will be a visit to the extraordinary Jerusalem Chapel built by the Adornes family in the 15th century and based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. We will enjoy a private reception in the Adornes mansion, still lived in by the family.

We will stay at the four-star Hotel De Tuilerieën, an elegant 15th century patrician house in the heart of Bruges, which has been transformed and extended into a luxurious contemporary hotel.

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PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The city of Bruges has been described as the ‘Manhattan of the 15th century’ – a vibrant trading metropolis that was the jewel in the crown of the Dukes of Burgundy. The city’s wealth and prosperity attracted large numbers of cosmopolitan traders, and provided patronage to some of the greatest artists of the period, whose work became famous throughout Europe.

BELGIUM

Bruges FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions, and be prepared for some walking in Bruges’s historical centre, including over uneven pavements and cobbled streets. Some sites may have uneven ground, steps or dimly lit interiors. Please note that there is no lift at the Gruuthusemuseum, and some parts of the collection can only be accessed via narrow, steep and winding staircases.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

Day 1 Depart London St Pancras 1104 on Eurostar, arriving Brussels 1405. Transfer by coach to Bruges for four nights at Hotel De Tuilerieën. Short walking tour: Vismarkt, Burg, Markt, Belfort, Wollestraat.

Bruges

“Revelatory! So much beauty and information” – ACE customer on a previous Bruges tour with Sarah Burles Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visit to Groeningemuseum. Afternoon: St Saviour’s Cathedral and Church of Our Lady.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by visit to Memling Museum at St John’s Hospital.

Afternoon: Beguinage and Almshouse. Free evening.

Day 4 Morning visit to Gruuthusemuseum.

Afternoon: St Anne’s Church followed by Adornes Domain and Jerusalem Chapel.

Day 5 Transfer by coach to Ghent for visit to Cathedral of St Bavo. Continue to Brussels for 1556 departure by Eurostar, arriving London St Pancras 1657.

Cost of £1895 includes: return travel, accommodation based on sharing an executive twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, one lunch, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, charming double room for single use supplement £265. Executive rooms with a canal view are available at a supplement – please contact the ACE office for more details.

TOUR CODE: BRUG24

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I TA LY

From Bologna to Parma: A Feast for the Soul & Senses November 11–17, 2024 Experience the artistic highlights of northern Italy from bases in historical Bologna and Parma, while enjoying the region’s wider cultural and culinary heritage

Parma

View works of art by the Old Masters, including the superb collection of Bolognese paintings in the Pinacoteca Nazionale Explore fascinating architecture, including churches, cathedrals and Mantua’s sumptuous Palazzo Te, and visit the Renaissance walled town of Sabbioneta This navigation of northern Italy will immerse travellers in the cultural splendours of Bologna and Parma, enriched by wider excursions to the city of Mantua and the walled Renaissance town of Sabbioneta, home to outstanding art and architecture.

Our tour begins in Bologna, the world’s oldest university city, which has attracted cultural thinkers since Dante and Petrarch and today continues to foster a spirit of intellectual curiosity and vibrancy.

We will explore some of Bologna’s architectural icons, including the Gothic Basilica di San Petronio, originally intended to dwarf St Peter’s in Rome, and the lavish Basilica di San Domenico, This tour will be led by art historian and experienced tour leader Andrew Spira, MA. Andrew studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art as well as City University, London. For several years he was a specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons at Temple Gallery, London, before working as a curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Andrew was subsequently Programme Director at Christie’s Education.

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a Renaissance showpiece that preserves the delicately crafted tomb of the eponymous saint.

Pilotta, meanwhile, we will find the Galleria Nazionale, containing paintings

by Murillo and Parmigianino.

The Pinacoteca Nazionale is not only a treasure trove of Bolognese and Emilian paintings, but is considered one of Italy’s most important galleries, housing works by leading Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque artists including Raphael, Titian and Guercino amongst others.

A day excursion to Mantua – which only joined the kingdom of Italy in 1866 – will offer an opportunity to explore the famed Renaissance Palazzo Te, notable for its sumptuous decorations by Giulio Romano. Moreover, the Palazzo Ducale, once the stronghold of the Gonzaga family, is today home to majestic works

by Rubens and Mantegna.

The Emilia-Romagna region is renowned for its culinary heritage and has a long tradition of producing foodstuffs with a Protected Designation of Origin.

Progressing from Bologna to Parma, we will learn about one of the area’s most famous gastronomic exports with an enroute visit to a Parmesan cheese-maker near Modena. We will enjoy a tour and a tasting at the 4 Madonne Caseificio dell’Emilia factory, described as a ‘cathedral of Parmesans’.

Founded by the Romans, the city of Parma was built on the Via Emilia, an important trade route, and is also home to one of the oldest universities in the world. The Romanesque octagonal Baptistery is crowned with sculptures by Benedetto Antelami, whilst the cupola of the 11th century cathedral is acclaimed for its masterful ceiling frescoes by Correggio. In the imposing Palazzo della

The walled town of Sabbioneta, a uniquely preserved example of Renaissance town planning, demonstrates how the ideal of rational order became manifest not only in paintings, sculptures and buildings, but in the urban environment itself. Mostly constructed in the late 16th century, the town has its own Ducal Palace, now the Town Hall, and is home to the richly decorated Palazzo Giardino.

The first three nights of the tour will be spent at the four-star Art Hotel Commercianti, just a few steps from the Basilica of San Petronio, in a pedestrianised part of Bologna’s historical centre. The final three nights will be spent at the four-star Hotel Mercure Parma Stendhal, located in Parma’s old town.

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I TA LY

Mantua FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good overall level of fitness is required for this tour.

Participants should expect to spend much of each day walking, and be aware that some of our visits will involve standing for periods of time. Please note that it is necessary to navigate uneven ground, cobbles and steps in some places. For more information on our minimum fitness criteria, please see the Booking Terms & Conditions.

at short notice – for example, to undergo restoration works – so some visits may be reordered or subject to confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

Day 3 Morning: Cathedral and Archiginnasio.

Afternoon: San Petronio, San Domenico and Oratorio di Santa Maria della Vita. Evening lecture: Humanism & Courtly Culture followed by independent dinner.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0820 on British Airways, arriving Bologna 1135. Transfer to Art Hotel Commercianti, Bologna, for three nights. Orientation walking tour. Evening lecture: Medieval Devotion & the Origin of the Renaissance.

ITINERARY

Day 2 Morning: Pinacoteca Nazionale.

Afternoon: Palazzo Poggi, Oratory of Santa Cecilia and San Giacomo Maggiore (subject to confirmation).

Day 4 Depart for Parma via 4 Madonne Caseificio dell’ Emilia (Parmesan cheese factory) for tour and tasting. Afternoon visits in Parma: Palazzo della Pilotta (Teatro Farnese and Galleria Nazionale), San Giovanni Evangelista, cathedral and baptistery. Evening lecture: Art, Theatre & Propaganda. Three nights at Hotel Mercure Parma Stendhal.

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Historical buildings in northern Italian cities often close

Interior of Parma Cathedral

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Mantua: Palazzo Te, San Sebastiano, Civic Museum, Mantegna’s House (exterior), Giulio Romano’s House (exterior), Basilica di San Andrea, Palazzo Ducale, Camera Picta and Teatro Scientifico Bibiena.

Day 6 Whole day excursion to Sabbioneta: Synagogue, Palazzo Ducale, Teatro all’Antica, Palazzo Giardino and Galleria degli Antichi.

Return to Parma via former Valserena Abbey.

Day 7 Depart Bologna 1240, arriving Heathrow 1415.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £425.

Upgraded rooms available in Bologna.

TOUR CODE: BOLG24

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AUSTRIA

Vienna 1900 November 12–17, 2024 | November 19–24, 2024 Observe the shifting attitudes to art, design and urbanism at the turn of the 20th century Explore the transformation of Vienna into a metropolis of international standing Experience both the classics of early modern Vienna and some hidden gems like Wittgenstein’s house As the 20th century commenced, Vienna witnessed an intense outburst of creative and intellectual endeavour, with extraordinary innovations in art, architecture, literature, music and science.

In the 17th century Vienna was one of Europe’s most formidable fortresses and held out against the Ottoman Turks in 1683. In the decades that followed it became an imperial city that celebrated the aspirations of the This tour will be led

by Alex Koller, PhD. Alex is an expert in art history and architecture. Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, gaining his PhD in the history of art from Magdalene College, Cambridge. Alex is an accomplished linguist and has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East.

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PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA THE ALBERTINA,VIENNA

Our tour explores this rapid transformation, first by taking a look at Vienna as it was before these momentous changes were to occur. It establishes the orthodoxies of 19th-century styles in order to throw into relief the innovations that were brought in by a new generation in the last decade of the century. Classics like Otto Wagner’s Postsparkasse and Steinhof Church and Klimt’s major works at the Belvedere will be visited as well as less frequented places like Wagner’s Villa in Hütteldorf on the edge of the Vienna Woods.

Vienna Secession poster, Joseph Maria Olbrich, 1899

Austrian Habsburgs after the loss of the Spanish lands. In the middle of the 19th century this heavily fortified city, with its suburbs and growing ring of palaces and gardens was turned into a modern city by the demolition of the city walls.

This ‘opening up’ of Vienna created the famous ensemble of public buildings along the ‘Ringstraße’ on the site of the former fortifications.

From all corners of the Habsburg Empire, in particular from nearby Bohemia and Moravia, people flocked to Vienna, from 1867 the capital of the dual AustroHungarian monarchy. The city responded with unparalleled public projects like water works and public transport, which created a feverish atmosphere of

competition and innovation that was soon to express itself in art, architecture, literature, music and science.

In 1897 the leading names of the Vienna Art Nouveau broke away from the Society of Vienna Artists (Künstlerhaus) to establish the ‘Secession’, modelled on the eponymous association in Munich.

Not only did the Secession open Vienna to artistic trends from all over Europe, it also gave rise to the foundation of the Wiener Werkstätte, an association of architects, artists, designers and artisans, which created a new formal vocabulary in a variety of genres. From posters to monumental architecture, the signature of the Vienna Secession also became symbolic of a silver age of

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Tour Director Alex Koller writes: “It is always a particular pleasure for me to show tour participants around my home city. Local patriotism aside, Vienna has a great deal to offer, too much to grasp in a few days, but it is certainly extremely rewarding to concentrate on the city’s development and achievements at the turn of the 20th century. There is a mixture of known classics and a number of lesser-known surprises that will make for a very full picture.” literature, music and science, not least psychoanalysis.

We will further witness that the development of Vienna did not end with Sarajevo 1914 – the relics of which we shall see at the Arsenal – or with the death of this first generation of modern artists and architects. More radical approaches, associated with names like Hoffmann and Loos, had begun well before the First World War and continued beyond it.

This will be particularly visible in the revolutionary housing project at

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the Werkbundsiedlung or in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s house in Vienna 3. More than that, it saw its continuation after 1918 in the monumental social housing projects of ‘Red Vienna’, of which we will explore some of the most significant examples at Schmelz and Karl-Marx-Hof. We will stay at the four-star Hotel Johann Strauss, a comfortable and traditionally decorated hotel housed in a grand Art Nouveau building in Vienna.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: We recommend that participants have a good level of overall fitness for this tour, which has a full itinerary to make the most of our time in Vienna.

The tour involves using public transport, including getting on and off trams, and walking around the city. Participants should meet our usual fitness requirements, as described in our Booking Terms and Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Our itinerary may also be adjusted further on the ground.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0715 on British Airways, arriving Vienna 1030. Transfer to Hotel Johann Strauss for five nights. Visit to St Stephen’s Cathedral and walk around the city centre.

Judith, Gustav Klimt, 1901 Bruges Day 2 Morning: Hofburg complex, including the imperial library and treasury. Afternoon: architectural tour of Ringstraße, including Sigmund Freud Museum, Votive Church.

Day 3 Upper Belvedere with major works by Klimt, Wittgenstein house, Museum of Applied Art, Otto Wagner’s Postal Savings Bank and city railway stations.

Day 4 Residential architecture on Wienzeile, Secession Building with Klimt’s Beethovenfries, Leopold Museum (most important collection of art in Austria around 1900), Museum of Furniture. Some free time.

Day 5 Tour of Vienna suburbs with houses

by Loos and Hoffmann (exteriors), Wagner’s and Plečnik’s churches at Steinhof and Schmelz, Wagner’s Villa and ‘Red Vienna’ housing projects (Karl-Marx-Hof ).

Day 6 Visit to the Arsenal for Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Museum of Military History) with relics of Sarajevo 1914 (time permitting). Depart Vienna 1405, arriving Heathrow 1535.

Cost of £2295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, coffee & cake on arrival at the hotel on day 1, one light lunch, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £295.

TOUR CODE: VIE124 / VIE224

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Cottage garden with sunflowers, Gustav Klimt, 1906

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA THE UPPER BELVEDERE,VIENNA

AUSTRIA

SCHEDULE

Full 2024 Schedule

20–26

Please note that some tours and dates may be subject to change or confirmation. To book your place, or register your interest in a tour, please visit our website or contact the ACE office on 01223 841055.

Art & Ceramics in Copenhagen & North Zealand 21–25 Lucca Puccini Festival 24–31 Schubert in Schwarzenberg 29–3/9 Art Nouveau in Belgium 13–19 Glasgow: Patrons, Art & Innovation TBC Artists’ Houses in Sussex

September 2–7

January 16–22 Valletta Baroque Festival 27–2/2 Mozart Festival in Salzburg

February 3–13 7–10 8–11 15–18 19–23 19–26 26–2/3 27–4/3

Jordan: Kingdoms of the Desert Somerset Levels in Winter Cambridge College Chapels & Organs Bath Bachfest Wildlife in Norfolk The Bay of Naples Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour

March 4–7 4–9 4–11 4–18 5–11 11–15 18–23 20–27 25–28

Imogen Cooper & Friends at Crathorne Hall Aquileia: City of Antiquity Art on the Côte d’Azur South Korea Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour Roman & Byzantine Ravenna Art Treasures of Dresden: Porcelain & Paintings Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura Art Treasures of Manchester

April 2–8 8–14 9–14

Music & Opera in Dresden Art in Berlin Flemish Painting: From Van Eyck to Rubens 9–16 Sardinia: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi 11–18 The Riviera di Levante 12–18 Pompeii with Herculaneum 14–20 Seine River Cruise: From Honfleur to Paris 16–21 20th Century Yorkshire: Art & Architecture 16–23 Bavarian Baroque 16–28 Algeria: Riches of the Past 21– 5/5 Lycian Cruise 22–28 Arles: From the Romans to Van Gogh 29–3/5 Romney Marsh Churches 30–7/5 Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans

May 1–9 7–11 9–19 10–16 11–17 12–19

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Great Art Collections of Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Great Bardfield & Beyond: Mid-Century Art & Design in East Anglia Ancient & Medieval Cyprus Lucca Villas & Gardens in Lazio The Burren & Inishmore

13–18 14–20 14–21 17–22 19–2/6

Dutch Masters: Rembrandt & his Legacy Glasgow: Patrons, Art & Innovation Isles of Scilly Houses & Gardens of Northern Ireland Kazakhstan: From the Silk Road to Sir Norman Foster 20–25 Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives 21–26 Dresden Music Festival 21–28 Jewels of the Loire: Chateaux & Gardens 24–31 Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge 29–7/6 Albania: From the Illyrians to the Ottomans 31–7/6 Wild & Ancient Hebrides

June 3–10 5–13 10–17 10–22 17–24 18–23 18–25 24–4/7 25–28

Art on the Côte d’Azur Citadels of Transylvania Bach Festival in Leipzig Northern Greece The Shetland Islands Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design Islay, Jura & Colonsay Hungary: Kingdom of the Magyars Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels 25–1/7 East Neuk Festival 26–1/7 Verona Opera Festival 27–4/7 Dingle & the Ring of Kerry TBC Aldeburgh Festival

July 1–5 4–11 5–10 7–12 8–13 9–16 9–16 15–19

Churches of Suffolk Medieval Burgundy Buxton International Festival York Early Music Festival Art & Landscape in Switzerland Swedish Palaces & Castles Wild & Ancient Orkney Houses & Gardens of Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders 17–25 The Hanseatic League: An Artistic Legacy 29–1/8 Constable & Gainsborough in Suffolk 23–27 Art Collections & Stately Homes of the West Country 27–30 International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour 27–31 Worcester Three Choirs Festival 31–4/8 Worcester Three Choirs Festival TBC Shakespeare at Stratford TBC Beaune Baroque Music Festival

August 5–9 12–16 19–23 19–23

Art & Ceramics of the Industrial Revolution Northumbria in the First Millennium Dorset Country Houses Northumbria in the First Millennium

3–6 3–12 6–13 7–13 9–14 14–21 16–21 17–22 21–26 23–27 23–28 23–30 24–30

Scottish Art & Craft in Edinburgh & Dundee Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels Ancient Sicily Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge Caspar David Friedrich at 250: The Age of Romanticism Isle of Wight Lycian Cruise Private Country Houses of North Norfolk Early Christian & Medieval Rome Pompeii with Herculaneum Romney Marsh Churches Aquileia: City of Antiquity Art on the Côte d’Azur Turin: Art & Architecture of the Kingdom of Savoy

October 3–12 4–11 4–15 7–10 7–15

Palladio: Venice & the Villas of the Veneto Wildlife of Albania Uzbekistan: Cities of the Silk Road Connoisseur’s Cambridge Eastern Slovakia: Artistic Treasures at the Foot of the High Tatra Mountains 8–18 On the Trail of Caravaggio: His Life, Works & Muses 10–17 The Riviera di Levante 14–24 Ancient & Medieval Cyprus 18–24 Moorish Spain: Córdoba & Granada 21–28 Piero della Francesca 21–28 Roussillon 22–7/11 Japan in Autumn: History, Art & Landscape 23–25 Oxford College Chapels & Organs 25–4/11 Athens, Delphi & the Peloponnese 28–1/11 Bruges TBC Ceramics in Sèvres TBC Glyndebourne TBC Havelis: Painted Mansions of Rajasthan TBC Verdi Festival in Parma TBC Wexford Opera Festival

Novmber 11–17 11–18 12–17 13–17 18–24 19–24 TBC TBC

From Bologna to Parma: A Feast for the Soul & Senses Renaissance Florence: City of Wonders Vienna 1900 Bath Mozartfest Art & Architecture of Puglia Vienna 1900 Morocco: Archaeology of the Western Kingdom Festival at Hintlesham Hall

December TBC

York Early Music Christmas Festival

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O U R E X P E RT S

Our Experts View their full biographies and range of tours online at www.aceculturaltours.co.uk/tour-directors

Tom Abbott Tom Abbott, BA, MA, is an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens. He is a proficient lecturer and tour leader, with extensive experience directing cultural and art tours across Europe to destinations including Germany, France, Italy and Poland. His expertise ranges from the medieval to the current.

Sarah Burles Sarah Burles, MA, studied History of Art at Cambridge and gained a Masters at University College London before going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums. An accredited Arts Society lecturer, Sarah has a passion for making museums and their collections accessible.

Harriet Allen Harriet Allen, PhD, is a geographer and a Fellow, Tutor and Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge. Harriet is Chair of the Biogeography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and a Coordinating Editor for the journal Landscape Ecology.

Sandy Burnett Sandy Burnett, MA, is a musician and broadcaster who spent over a decade as one of the core classical music presenters on BBC Radio 3, interviewing many of the world’s finest musicians. Sandy has conducted numerous orchestras and choirs, and has masterminded a complete cycle of J S Bach’s sacred cantatas.

Cosmo Samuel Brockway Cosmo Samuel Brockway is a travel and interiors writer, tour leader, and award-winning author of Glorious Hotels of India (2019). He writes for leading publications on interiors, culture and design, including Architectural Digest, The World of Interiors and The Telegraph.

Cosmo has led tours across the world, from India to Norway, and the Holy Land to the Greek island of Patmos. He is also well acquainted with many of the finest private country estates in England, Scotland and Ireland.

Tom Abbott

Cosmo Samuel Brockway

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Rupert Dickens Rupert Dickens, BA, MA, studied art history at Birkbeck, University of London before gaining a Masters degree in Dutch Golden Age Studies at University College London. Previously a BBC television and radio journalist for more than 20 years, Rupert has been visiting and working in the Netherlands and Belgium since the 1980s. He now works as a guide lecturer at the Wallace Collection and is an Arts Society accredited lecturer.

Hugh Doherty Hugh Doherty, DPhil, is a Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. He studied at King’s College London before gaining his MPhil at the University of Cambridge and DPhil at the University of Oxford.

Hugh is an experienced lecturer.

Imogen Corrigan Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil, FRSA, spent nearly 20 years in the British Army and retired in the rank of Major before turning to a life-long interest in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History, which she studied at the University of Kent. A proficient lecturer on medieval history and particularly church art and architecture, and accredited with the Arts Society, Imogen has also gained an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. Her book Stone on Stone: The Men Who Built the Cathedrals was published in 2019.

Peter Exley Peter Exley, BSc, is an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB. Peter has also held posts with BirdLife International and the Albatross Task Force in South Africa. He has led and managed many ACE tours in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Algarve, New England, Madeira, the Faroes and Shetland.

Sarah Burles

Imogen Corrigan

Sandy Burnett

Rupert Dickens

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O U R E X P E RT S

Suzanne Fagence Cooper Suzanne Fagence Cooper, MA, PhD, is a curator and historian who specialises in 19th and 20th century British art.

An Arts Society accredited lecturer, she was a curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum for 12 years and has collaborated with many of Britain’s regional museum collections. She is the author of To See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters (2019), and curated the 2019 exhibition Turner, Ruskin & the Storm Cloud at York Art Gallery.

Oliver Gerrish Oliver Gerrish, MSt, is an architectural historian who studied at the University of Cambridge. He is a trustee of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust as well as founder of their Architecture Awards. Oliver has written for Country Life, appeared in a number of BBC and ITV television series on architecture, and organised and led numerous tours to many of Britain’s historical buildings.

Kevin Hand Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM, is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. Kevin led a Darwin Initiative project on the taiga forests in Siberia, a project on sustainable forest use in the Ecuadorean Amazon with the Yachana Foundation, and ran National Tree Week in the UK for 13 years. He is President of the Cambridge Natural History Society.

Suzanne Fagence Cooper

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Oliver Gerrish

Juliet Heslewood Juliet Heslewood, MA, is an author and art historian. Juliet studied History of Art at London University and later gained an MA in English Literature at Toulouse. For over 25 years she lived in France where she devised and led study tours on art and architecture. Juliet’s books include Van Gogh: A Life in Places.

Russell Keable Russell Keable, BA, MMus, trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and studied conducting with George Hurst and Norman Del Mar at London’s Royal College of Music. He currently teaches at the University of Surrey and is active as a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer.

Charles Hind Charles Hind, MA, FSA, is an architectural historian and the H J Heinz Curator of Drawings at the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a Visiting Fellow at the Centro Palladio, Vicenza, as well as a Trustee of the Great Dixter Trust, the Lutyens Trust and the Walpole Society.

Philip Kenrick Philip Kenrick, MA, DPhil, is an archaeologist who gained his doctorate on pottery from British excavations at Benghazi. Philip has worked in Libya, Sicily, Italy, Turkey and Jordan, and is a former treasurer of the Society for Libyan Studies, as well as the author of two Libya Archaeological Guides and co-author of Classical Antiquities of Algeria: A Selective Guide.

Gillian Hovell Gillian Hovell, BA, is an archaeologist and expert on the ancient world, and a writer, broadcaster and lecturer at York University. Known professionally as ‘The Muddy Archaeologist’, she has excavated at internationally important sites from the Neolithic through to Roman times.

She has extensive experience lecturing on tours throughout the ancient world.

Paul Jackson Paul Jackson, BA, MA, PGCE, is a conductor, pianist and musicologist and former Director of Music at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of opera and as a chamber musician, performing widely in the UK, Europe and America.

Gillian Hovell

Paul Jackson

Mike King Mike King, BA, MA, is a museum professional with over 30 years’ experience, who has worked in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Currently Heritage Manager for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Mike lectures, guides and publishes widely, and is particularly interested in engaging travellers in Irish archaeology, the early medieval culture of Britain and Ireland and European pilgrimage.

Alex Koller Alex Koller, PhD, is an expert in art history and architecture. Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, gaining his PhD in the history of art from Magdalene College, Cambridge. Alex is an accomplished linguist and has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East.

Russell Keable

Mike King

aceculturaltours.co.uk

O U R E X P E RT S

Eireann Marshall Dr Eireann Marshall is an expert in the ancient world, who was raised in the Veneto and educated at Barnard College, Columbia University, as well as the universities of Birmingham and Exeter. She is a Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University, as well as an experienced tour leader.

Steve Mastin Steve Mastin, MA, PGCE, FHA, studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years. During this time he organised and led many trips abroad, and has also worked overseas training history teachers in Singapore, Australia and Kazakhstan. Steve is a regular speaker at history conferences.

Donald Maxwell Donald Maxwell is an operatic baritone, director and lecturer. He performs with leading opera companies all over the world, including La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera. He most recently appeared as Alcindoro in La bohème at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Donald was also Director of the National Opera Studio and Head of Opera Studies at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Andrew Spira Andrew Spira, MA, studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London. For several years he was a specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons at the Temple Gallery, London, before working as a curator at the V&A Museum. Andrew was subsequently Programme Director at Christie’s Education, and has been leading tours across Europe for over 20 years.

Steve Mastin

Donald Maxwell

aceculturaltours.co.uk

Martin Symington Martin Symington is one of Britain’s most prolific travel journalists, regularly contributing to The Times, The Daily Mail and Wanderlust. Born and brought up in Oporto, he is the author of the Dorling Kindersley guidebook to Portugal and the AA Essential Guide to Portugal.

Lars Tharp Lars Tharp, MA, FSA, Hon DLitt, is a Danish-born art historian, lecturer and broadcaster who has worked on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow as well as Hidden Treasures and Art of the Baroque.

A former Director of the Foundling Museum, Lars is a ceramics specialist who has curated or overseen exhibitions at York Art Gallery and the Foundling Museum. Lars’s publications include Hogarth’s China.

Lucrezia Walker Lucrezia Walker, BA, MA, lectures at the National Gallery and teaches the London Art History Programme for the University of North Carolina. She has 20 years’ experience of leading cultural tours in major European cities, and has lived, studied and worked in Italy. Lucrezia is the author of several books, and was previously Galleries Correspondent for The Tablet.

Diana Ward Diana Ward, MSc, CBiol, MCIEEM, is an ecologist and wildlife specialist. Her company, Ward Ecology Ltd, carries out ecological assessment work, and she has worked for many years on Sites of Special Scientific Interest and river restoration projects. She was Senior Editor of The Rivers & Wildlife Handbook.

Andrew Spira

Lars Tharp

Nicholas Wearne Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, is a former ACE Bursary student, who holds a Junior Fellowship at Birmingham Conservatoire. His career as a solo organist has taken him all over the world, and he was winner of the Poul Ruders Prize at the 2011 Odense International Organ Competition.

Nicholas has also held the prestigious position of organist at St Martin-in-theFields, Trafalgar Square.

Mark Welch Mark Welch, PhD, has been a research scientist in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London for the past 25 years. He has a PhD in geosciences from Edinburgh University, and taught crystallography at Cambridge University for nine years.

Mark has led many field trips in the UK as a geologist and naturalist, and is currently involved in surveying bees and flies for a wide range of sites in East Anglia.

Christopher Wellington Christopher Wellington, MA, graduated in history from Cambridge University, but has spent most of his career working in Italy, where he lives with his family in Piacenza. He is a recognised guide in Emilia Romagna, and his professional interests include history, the Church, and art and architecture, especially of the Middle Ages.

Diana Ward

Nicholas Wearne

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B O O K I N G P RO C E D U R E A N D C O N D I T I O N S

Booking Conditions Please complete the booking form and return it with the deposit required. Alternatively, you can either book online or by telephone Upon receipt of your deposit we will send you a confirmation/invoice with, in most cases, a reading list. An itinerary, practical information and travel documents (if applicable) will be sent to you three weeks before the commencement of the tour.

INTRODUCTION

ACE Cultural Tours meets or exceeds all the requirements of the Package Travel Regulations 2018, full details of which can be found online at: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/ made In addition, flight-inclusive tours benefit from the financial protection afforded by our Air Travel Organiser’s License (ATOL 10204), whilst UK and other tours without flights are protected through the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). We are also long-term members of the Association of Independent Tours Operators (AITO). For your own safety and financial security we do not recommend you book a holiday that does not benefit from the above protection.

The Package Travel Regulations 2018 together with the following booking information and our promotional material form the basis of your contract with ACE Cultural Tours. We have tried to keep this as concise and simple as possible, so please read all the following paragraphs to make sure you understand and are happy with the terms of your booking.

PAYMENT

If you are booking 10 weeks or more before departure, the following deposits are payable at the time of booking: £300 per person for UK tours. £400 per person for all European tours. £550 per person for Worldwide tours. £500 per person for all cruises.* The balance must be received by us not less than 10 weeks prior to departure. This date will be shown on the confirmation invoice. We do send an email reminder but ask that you also make a note of the date in your diary.

If you are booking less than 10 weeks before departure, full payment for all tours must be made at the time of booking. *In addition to the deposit at the time of booking all cruises require a further payment of £500 six months prior to sailing.

NO SURCHARGES

Tour prices are confirmed at the time of booking and thereafter will not be subject to any surcharge. We have forward purchase of currency and other precautions in order to guarantee your holiday is not affected by fluctuations in fuel or currency rates. In the event of extraordinary circumstances making the tour unviable we would offer you a full refund or credit note or an alternative tour.

CANCELLATION BY YOU

You may cancel your booking at any time before departure. Notice of cancellation must be in writing and because we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following charges

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will apply (for which we suggest you purchase appropriate insurance):

Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us Cancellation charge

70 days or more

Deposit only

69-29 days

60% of total booking value

28-15 days

90% of total booking value

14 days or less

100% of total booking value

CANCELLATION BY YOU DUE TO COVID-19

Please note that if you are personally prevented from travelling as a result of COVID-19 our normal cancellation charges will apply. For this reason we highly recommend that you take out travel insurance at the time of booking that specifically includes cover in the event that you are personally unable to travel. In addition you should have insurance to cover additional accommodation/transport/repatriation costs incurred due to local/national quarantine requirements.

CANCELLATION BY US

We reserve the right to cancel your booking if there are insufficient bookings on your tour (this will depend on tour type and destination) or for other unforeseen operational reasons. In such an event, we will provide you with at least 70 days’ notice of cancellation and provide you with a full refund.

Very occasionally, due to extraordinary circumstances in the immediate vicinity of the destination, it may be necessary to cancel the tour with less than 70 days’ notice, in which case we will likewise provide you with a full refund.

Note that in either situation we cannot reimburse any incidental expenses you may have incurred (for example, train fares, additional accommodation or connecting flights). If you are buying your own flights, please liaise with the office before committing to significant expenditure.

CANCELLATION BY US DUE TO COVID-19

We also wish to reassure all our customers that if it is not possible for us to proceed with a tour due to COVID-19, we will transfer your booking to a future tour of your choice, provide a refund credit note or offer you a full refund.

CHANGES BY US

We do our utmost to ensure that all the arrangements and visits are as described.

However, it is in the nature of travel that changes are sometimes inevitable, although most of these will be minor in nature. In the event that a particular visit is not possible, we will aim to replace it with another of equal interest. If we have to make more significant changes to the itinerary in advance of departure, we will provide you with a choice of a refund, credit note or an alternative itinerary.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation in hotels is in twin/double bedded rooms, the majority of which have private bath/shower and toilet.

On cruise ships, accommodation is in cabins with shower and toilet only.

Single rooms: As a general rule, we aim to provide our solo travellers with double/twin rooms for sole use. However, this is not possible on all tour departures, and occasionally, despite a supplement being payable, only single rooms may be available, and such accommodation may not meet exactly the same standard as double/ twin accommodation or be located in the same area of the hotel. ACE Cultural Tours very much welcomes single travellers and we make no profit from single room supplements. The costs are simply down to the economics of running a hotel.

Porterage is included on overseas tours where available.

FLIGHTS & TICKETS

Specific instructions relating to the departure and travel arrangements will be sent with your air and/or other travel tickets approximately 2 weeks before departure. It is essential that you check your tickets carefully immediately upon receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. Occasionally carriers will make late changes to departure times but we will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs.

We will always aim to provide you with the name of your likely airline and flight times when you make a booking. However, flight schedules are set by the airlines and outside our control. We therefore reserve the right to change the actual carrier and flight times for your tour.

In accordance with the regulations, we are required to bring your attention to the Community List of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the UK & EU: https:// transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/eu-airsafety-list_en

HEALTH & SAFETY

We operate a safety audit system and work hard with our suppliers to ensure the safety and comfort of our travellers. However, please note that some of the destinations to which we travel have lower requirements and standards than those of the UK. It is therefore essential that you follow any instructions and guidance provided by your tour manager or director.

FITNESS

The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature and, to make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy with visits every day. As such, they require a certain minimum level of mobility, physical and mental fitness, and stamina.

Our visits may involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains, cruise vessels and even Zodiac dinghies.

Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm, and some tours may involve long coach journeys. All customers must be fit and able enough to fully participate.

Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need

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B O O K I N G P RO C E D U R E A N D C O N D I T I O N S to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.

We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.

As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following selfassessment tests: • Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest • Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace • Stand unaided for one hour • Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute • Carry or otherwise move your own luggage If you have a medical condition, disability or restriction on your mobility (whether age related or not) which requires special arrangements or adjustments, please provide us with all relevant information and discuss this with us prior to booking. If we do not feel that we can reasonably accommodate your needs and restrictions, we reserve the right to decline your booking. If you have a medical condition, disability or restriction (from whatever cause) which develops or becomes worse after booking your tour and before travelling, please let us know as early as possible so that we can discuss the situation including any new requirements. In certain such circumstances, we reserve the right to cancel your booking if we reasonably feel unable to accommodate your requirements or limitations.

DIETARY AND SPECIAL REQUESTS

Please advise us at the time of booking of any food allergies or special dietary requirements you may have for medical or religious reasons and we will do our very best to assist. Please note, it is important that you distinguish between food allergies and other dietary requirements which have or are likely to have medical consequences if they are not met and food or dietary preferences. It is your responsibility to ensure that requirements which have (or are likely to have) medical consequences if not met are clearly communicated in writing as such.

We are entitled to assume that failure to meet a request will not have medical consequences if the risk / likelihood of medical consequences is not made specifically clear in writing at the time the request is made. We may ask for independent verification of the medical consequences where we consider it appropriate to do so.

We are happy to cater for vegetarians or pescatarians. It is not, however, possible to offer extensive choices at every meal to cater for food preferences or requirements as many of our menu selections are fixed. Inclusion of the dietary or special request on your booking

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confirmation or any other documentation is not a guarantee that the request will be met Food / dietary related requirements which have a medical consequence if not met must be discussed and specifically agreed with us at the time of booking to ensure we fully understand and can meet these requirements.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Whilst we will provide details of any compulsory health requirements applicable to British citizens for your tour, it is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of all recommended vaccinations and health precautions in good time before departure. Please check with a doctor or clinic not less than ten weeks prior to departure to ensure that you have met the necessary requirements and have the applicable information.The following website may also be helpful: travelhealthpro.org.uk

INSURANCE

We consider comprehensive travel insurance essential for all tours (UK and abroad), including cover for medical expenses, infectious diseases including Covid, quarantine, repatriation and personal liability, as well as cancelled, delayed and missed departure and loss or damage to personal possessions. Whilst accidental damage is a rare occurrence, your insurance should also cover any damage or loss caused by you and cover any resultant claims made against you or us. For overseas tours, you must give us details in writing of your insurance, preferably on your booking form but in any case no later than before the departure date of your tour. If you fail to do so, we reserve the right to cancel your booking.

For tours in the EU/EEA you should obtain an GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) prior to departure from https://services.nhsbsa.nhs. uk/cra/start. Please note that an GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance.

We recommend that insurance premiums are paid as soon as you receive your booking confirmation as cover (in particular cancellation cover) will not be effective until you have done so. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs.

You must be in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure (and pay for any related costs). We regret that we cannot accept any liability if you incur fees or are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation.

We cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of this contract, for example, any additional services or facilities that you agree directly with a local hotel or other supplier. Please make sure you have adequate insurance to cover such services and the acts of other third parties.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR DISABILITY

CONSIDERATION FOR FELLOW TRAVELLERS

We aim to provide authentic cultural experiences and to provide excellent value for money. As a result, the majority of itineraries are quite intensive and can be tiring. They may involve a significant amount of walking, uneven surfaces at outdoor sites or in historic buildings, long journeys, and uncomfortable climatic conditions which might exacerbate existing medical or mobility issues. Destinations include many countries with lower standards of health and safety than the UK and limited adaptations for people with reduced mobility. Some destinations do not (and cannot reasonably be expected to) provide emergency and/or health care to the standard that travellers with mobility and/or health conditions may require in the event of any form of incident or emergency.

For the above reasons, our holidays may not be suitable for people with certain disabilities, medical conditions or significantly reduced mobility.

If you suffer from any medical condition, disability or reduced mobility (including any which affect the booking process) or have any special requirements as a result, please tell us before making your booking so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the arrangements and in order that we can assess the potential risks to your welfare and health and safety.

If we feel that we cannot reasonably accommodate your needs, we reserve the right to decline your booking or, if full details are not given at the time of booking or the condition of disability develops after booking, cancel when we become aware of these details.

When we refer to reduced mobility, this means any material reduction in mobility whether this is permanent or temporary and whether caused by age or by physical or mental disability or impairment or other cause of disability.

One of the great pleasures of ACE tours is meeting other people with shared interests and making new friends. This has always depended on mutual consideration for your fellow travellers.

We therefore reserve the right that in the unlikely event you cause danger, upset or distress to any third party, we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate your tour without liability for any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

Whilst we will provide guidance for each individual tour and help where we can, your specific passport, visa and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant embassy or consulate. In particular, if you are not a British Citizen or hold a non-British passport, you must check the requirements for all countries to or through which you are intending to travel.

Requirements may change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.

For some tours and destinations we will require a copy of the picture page of your passport.

ISSUES

If you are unhappy with any element of your tour or the arrangements, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can attempt to resolve the issue. If you are on tour you should speak directly to your tour manager or tour director and not wait until you return home, when it may be impossible for us to help. In the unlikely event that we cannot agree on a satisfactory outcome between us, we will ask AITO’s Independent Dispute Settlement Service to find an amicable solution.

Our contract with you is subject to English law (and no other) and the jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales only.

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Quality Charter ATOL AIR TRAVEL ORGANISER’S LICENSE All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays in this brochure are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.

Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate.

ABTOT ASSOCIATION OF BONDED TRAVEL ORGANISERS TRUST LIMITED The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under ABTOT Combined and The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for ACE Cultural Tours, ATOL number 10204, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for the following: • non-flight packages; • flight inclusive packages that commence outside of the EU, which are sold to customers outside of the EU; • flight inclusive packages, flight only and linked travel arrangements (LTAs) sold as a principal under ABTOT Combined.

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if you are abroad. Please note that bookings made by customers outside the EEA are only protected

by ABTOT when purchased directly with ACE Cultural Tours.

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call ABTOT’s 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/ contents/made

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All the flights and flight inclusive holidays [in this brochure] [on this website] are financially protected either by ABTOT or the ATOL scheme.

When you pay for something protected by the ATOL scheme you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate AITO ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT TOUR OPERATORS ACE Cultural Tours is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association, visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280. AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies.

Our member companies, usually owner- managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating.

ACCURATE HOLIDAY DESCRIPTIONS All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.

MONITORING STANDARDS AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a postholiday questionnaire from their tour operator, the results of which are scrutinised by the Association. In addition, customers can leave detailed feedback, accessible from the homepage of this website, or via a direct link supplied by their AITO tour operator, about their holiday.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct.

FINANCIAL SECURITY An AITO member is required to arrange financial protection for all holidays and other arrangements (including accommodation only) booked by customers with the member under the AITO logo. This financial protection applies to customers who are resident in the UK at the time of booking and to most overseas customers who have booked directly with the member. In doing so, the member must comply with UK Government regulations. Members are required to submit details of their financial protection arrangements to AITO on a regular basis.

Our members acknowledge the importance of AITOs Sustainable Tourism ethos, which recognises the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, either party can call on an arbitration service to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.

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ACE CULTURAL TOURS

ACE CULTURAL TOURS Stapleford Granary Bury Road Stapleford 01223 841055 CAMBRIDGE ace@aceculturaltours.co.uk CB22 5BP www.aceculturaltours.co.uk