Autumn Bulletin 2019 | ACE Cultural Tours

Autumn Bulletin

ACE Cultural Tours

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4 20 Front cover image: Beomeosa Temple, Busan

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Contents Introduction

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South Korea

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Wildlife of the Austrian Alps

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Old Castile: From the Romans to El Cid

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October in Mallorca: Landscape, History & Culture

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Russia’s Golden Ring

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Art & Architecture of Puglia

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Piero della Francesca

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Palladio & the Villas of the Veneto

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Introduction

Serbian Monasteries

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Northumbria in the First Millenium

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Welcome to ACE’s 2019 autumn collection. We are delighted to introduce a selection of newly released tours for 2020, including several brand new departures alongside cultural and musical favourites. Spread across several subject areas, the tours are rich and varied, crafted by both academic and travel experts to provide the very best opportunities for cultural appreciation. Whether discovering the flora and fauna of the Austrian Alps, delving into layers of ancient and medieval history in Old Castile, or stepping inside one of Mallorca’s tranquil churches or monasteries, we hope you will find your next cultural experience in the following pages.

Ancient Sicily

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Ancient Cyprus

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Pompeii with Herculaneum

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Chichester & the South Downs

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Lincolnshire Halls & Houses

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Derbyshire Halls & Houses

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Yorkshire Country Houses

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Verona Opera Festival

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Bath Bachfest

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Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester

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Bergen International Festival

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Festtage: Mozart & Beethoven in Berlin

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Schubert in Schwartzenberg

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Full 2020 Schedule

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SOUTH KOREA

South Korea November 17 - December 1, 2020 | from £4395 per person with Alex Koller

REGIONAL CULTURE

Explore the pagodas, palaces, temples and tumuli of South Korea and discover maritime Hallyeo, a panoramic seascape strewn with hundreds of islands and rocky islets, as well as taking in six UNESCO World Heritage sites Seoul, where our tour begins and ends, was the capital of the Joseon dynasty from 1392 until 1910. The ancient city’s royal palaces and sacred sites are better preserved than anything of their type in China, with 15th century Changdeokgung sheltering a particularly beautiful secret garden.

We will also spend time in Gyeongju, once the capital of the Silla empire.

It is heralded as one of Korea’s most traditional – and most striking – cities, akin to a bustle-free Kyoto. Dotted with dozens of royal tombs from the Silla era, Gyeongju parades a memorable array of historical attractions: not just the 8th century grotto of Seokguram with its monumental Buddha, but also Bulguksa Temple, where the remarkable twin

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“Alex Koller made this tour a valuable and fascinating one by means of his research, scholarly knowledge and obvious pleasure in sharing it with us” “Exceptionally well coordinated” “I felt privileged to be able to visit Hwaeomsa Temple and enjoyed the hospitality extended. It was a great experience”

ACE customers on 2018 South Korea tour

pagodas were designed by the legendary 8th century master craftsman Asadal.

The secluded Temple of Haeinsa on the slopes of Mount Kaya safeguards the Tripitaka Koreana, the world’s most complete corpus of Buddhist texts, engraved in the mid 13th century on 80,000 wooden blocks. The Janggyeong Panjeon, which houses these superb feats of craftsmanship, is itself revered as an exceptional work of art.

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

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an art historian who has been leading tours since 1998. His experience ranges from Eastern Europe, Russia and the Himalayas to Japan and Southeast Asia. His travels to the Far East have given him a keen interest in Buddhist art and architecture.

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SOUTH KOREA

OVERNIGHT TEMPLE STAY

Changdeokgung Palace, Seoul Changdeokgung Palace, Seoul Schubert Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1255 on British Airways.

Day 2 Arrive Seoul 0850 and transfer to Grand Ambassador Hotel for two nights. Some free time.

Day 3 Visits in Seoul: Gyeongbokgung (Joseon dynasty royal palace), National Museum, Namsangol Hanok Maeul (village with traditional Joseon houses), 19th century Myeongdong Cathedral and Heunginjimun (East Gate).

Day 4 Depart Seoul by KTX high-speed train for Busan (Korea’s largest port) with visit to UN Cemetery. Afternoon excursion to Tongdosa and Beomeosa Temples (situated in Mount Gajisan National Park). Overnight at Golden Tulip Haeundae, Busan.

Day 5 Depart Busan via Chungnyeolsa (temple shrine) and Sebyeongwan (historical naval headquarters) for Hallyeo Maritime National Park (one of South Korea’s scenic wonders) with boat trip to naval headquarters of Admiral Yi Sun Shin. Transfer to Tongyeong for visit to Tongyeong Harbour and overnight at Stanford Hotel & Resort.

Day 6 Depart Tongyeong for visit to Jinju: Cheoksongnu (beautiful riverside pavilion).

Continue to Naganeupseong Folk Village and Boseong (tea plantations). Transfer to Ecograd Hotel, Suncheon, for overnight.

Day 7 Morning: Jogyesan Provincial Park (Songgwangsa and Seonamsa temples). Continue to Jirisan National Park for temple programme at Hwaeomsa Temple with overnight temple stay.

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Day 8 Optional early morning service at Hwaeomsa Temple and walk to nearby hermitage and Shrine of the Mountain Spirit. Reconvene for visits to Ssanggyesa Temple and Haeinsa Temple (site of Tripitaka Koreana library). Continue to Gyeongju (former Silla capital) for two nights at Hotel Hyundai.

Day 9 Visits in Gyeongju: National Museum (Silla relics), Anapji Pond (in grounds of Silla palace), Cheomseongdae Observatory (Asia’s oldest astronomical observatory), Bulguksa Temple (founded in 528), Seokguram Grotto (lofty Buddhist shrine), Bunhwangsa Pagoda and Tumuli Park (royal burial grounds).

Day 10 Depart Gyeongju via tomb of General Kim Yu Shin. Continue for visits to Yangdong Folk Village, Oksan (Confucian Academy), Byeongsanseowon (Confucian Academy) and Hahoe Folk Village. Transfer to Andong for two nights at Richell Hotel.

Day 11 Visits in Andong area: Beongjeongsa Temple (South Korea’s oldest wooden structure), Buseoksa Temple and Donsanseowan (Confucian Academy).

Day 12 Depart Andong for Gongju (former Baekje capital) via Beopjusa Temple (largest timber pagoda in Korea). Visits in Gongju: National Museum, King Muryeong’s Tomb and Fortress.

Continue to Seoul for three nights at Grand Ambassador Hotel.

Day 13 Seoul: Jongmyo (oldest and most authentic Confucian royal shrine), Changdeokgung Palace (seat of royal power for 300 years, Huwon secret garden), Changgyeonggung Palace (originally built as a summer palace for Goryeo kings), Sungkyunkwan University, Jogyesa Temple (centre of Zen Buddhism in Korea), Tapgol Park (Wongaksa Pagoda) and Jeongneung royal tomb.

Day 14 Free day in Seoul for optional independent visits. Free evening.

Day 15 Depart Seoul 1045, arriving Heathrow 1415.

REGIONAL CULTURE

This tour includes the opportunity to partake in an overnight temple stay programme at Hwaeomsa Temple, where participants will be accommodated overnight in rooms of 3 to 4 people, split by gender. Rooms will be in traditional ondol style, with underfloor heating and a yo mattress (a soft sleeping mat on the floor). Rooms have private bathrooms. A member of the Sales team can discuss this accommodation with you further upon booking; if you have any concerns, alternative accommodation options may be available. The rest of the tour will be spent at hotels of four-star standard.

Hallyeo Maritime National Park

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour has a full itinerary and requires a good level of fitness.

There are several hotel changes and a moderate amount of coach travel. Several sites are located in mountainous or forested areas and participants will be required to walk uphill, over steps and across uneven ground.

Cost of £4395 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, twelve dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement (except overnight stay at Hwaeomsa Temple) £735.

TOUR CODE: SKOR20

Tea Planation , Boseong

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AUSTRIA

Wildlife of the Austrian Alps July 6 - 13, 2020 | from £2575 per person with Kevin Hand

BRAND NEW TOURS

Wander the meadows and forests of one of Europe’s most stunning regions, nestled between Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland as we look out for a rich variety of birdlife, from snowfinch and alpine chough to red crested pochard and golden oriole Perched on the far western tip of Austria, nudging against the borders of Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein – all three of which are visited on this tour – the state of Vorarlberg is a cultural visitor’s paradise. Alpine meadows cluster around dramatic mountain peaks; inspiring modern architecture intermingles with medieval cityscapes; and stretches of tranquil forest still play host to a variety of traditional crafts and customs, not to mention a captivating array of wildlife.

Based in the charming medieval town of Feldkirch, this brand new tour will go in search of some of the most rewarding outlooks and natural environments the region has to offer.

We will seek out a variety of birdlife, flowers, mammals and insects as well as cultural highlights, exploring the ways in which this predominantly

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mountainous landscape has harboured human life throughout its history.

A particular highlight will be an excursion to the area around Lake Constance and the Rhine delta.

Walking through the serene wetlands overlooking the lake, we may catch sight of red crested pochard, golden oriole, black kite, flycatchers, orchids and the rare yellow-bellied toad. We will also take a boat trip on the lake from Friedrichshafen to Bregenz.

The flower-filled alpine meadows near Warth will be teeming with gentians and mountain butterflies during our visit, not to mention birdlife including nutcracker, water pipit and alpine chough. A wander through the beautiful nature reserve of Bangs-Matschels on the border of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, meanwhile, will introduce us to a remarkable variety of meadow flora and rare butterflies including the dryad. Surrounded by awe-inspiring scenery, we will gaze at snowy alpine peaks reflected in the blue mirror of the Lünersee (Moon Lake), and the Kanisfluh massif, voted one of the most beautiful mountains in the Austrian Alps.

This region is particularly well known for its local produce, and we hope to include

opportunities to sample the gastronomy of the region, from its cheeses to its wines. Austria’s past, meanwhile, will come alive at the ancient convent of St Peter’s in Bludenz. Founded in 1286, the site has borne witness to stormy waves of human history, from the plague and peasant revolts to the Nazi occupation, and it was restored and revived as a Catholic community in 1997.

We will stay throughout the tour at the Best Western Plus Central Hotel Leonhard. This comfortable fourstar establishment is situated in a quiet area in the medieval town of Feldkirch. A fascinating centre in itself, Feldkirch has witnessed visits from James Joyce and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (who attended school here for a year), and boasts historical sites including Schattenburg Castle, where we hope to enjoy a private tour.

This tour will be led by Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM, a conservationist and environmental consultant. Kevin has a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. He has led many projects linking nature and communities, and in 2017 Kevin was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society. acecultur altour s.co.uk

Bodensee

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0925 British Airways arriving Zurich 1220. Transfer to Best Western Plus Central Hotel Leonhard, Feldkirch, for seven nights. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Visits along the shore of Lake Constance: Rheinspitz (lake and woodland walk; chance to spot red crested pochard, kingfisher, white storks, variety of frogs and toads), Rohrspitz area (possible harvest mice), Bangs-Matschels nature reserve (meadows with red backed shrike, wetland flowers and many butterfly species).

Evening beaver watch (subject to confirmation).

Golden Oriole

Day 3 Excursion to Lünersee via cable car for guided walk (beautiful alpine lake with abundant flora, butterflies and birdlife including mountain ringlets, water pipit, alpenrose and fragrant orchid) followed by late afternoon visit to St Peter’s Priory, Bludenz.

Day 4 Whole day excursion to Liechtenstein: walk along the Sassweg trail (alpine forest, seasonally grazed meadows, variety of birdlife including crested tit, crossbill, citril finch and woodpeckers) followed by local wine tasting at the Princely Wine Cellars.

Day 5 Visit to Eriskircher Ried (peaceful nature reserve in the German Bodensee area, home to many protected species) followed by a Lake Constance ferry cruise from Friedrichshafen to Bregenz.

Day 6 Guided walk along the shores of Lake Korber (opportunities to spot alpine marmot and abundant alpine butterflies), followed by afternoon visit to the Rüfikopf via cable car (breath-taking panoramic views, highest cable car in the region).

Free evening.

Day 7 To Mellau for explorations in the Kanisfluh area (one of the most beautiful places in Austria) with chances to spot ibex, alpine chough and golden eagle.

Day 8 1640.

Depart Zurich 1550, arriving Heathrow

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should have a good overall level of fitness for this tour. Vorarlberg is a mountainous region, however our visits will be taken at a leisurely pace, with high-up sites accessed by road or cable car. Although most walks will be over flat ground, participants should be comfortable ascending mild slopes and walking across rugged terrain. They should also be prepared for walks at high altitude, which may be chilly even during the summer months.

Cost of £2575 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, two lunches, six dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £250.

TOUR CODE: WIAA20

Steinbock

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BRAND NEW TOURS

AUSTRIA

SPAIN

Old Castile: From the Romans to El Cid

August 31 - September 7, 2020 | from £2195 per person with Andrew Fear

BRAND NEW TOURS

Discover some of the most beautiful architecture in Spain, including the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos with its famous cloister, as we travel in the footsteps of the legendary Castilian hero El Cid, from his tomb in Burgos to the mighty fortress of Gormaz A journey through history, architecture, folklore and the ancient past awaits on this tour through the Spanish region of Old Castile.

A land of castles and conquests, ‘Castile’ is a name that conjures up the past like no other. One of the region’s most enduring figures, El Cid (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar), was born near the city of Burgos; he later became the subject of epic medieval poetry in recognition of his military prowess and wide-reaching popular support. Nowhere is more evocative of his feats than the immense fortress of Gormaz - a defensive stronghold during the days of the Reconquista where El Cid once acted as constable.

The exploits of Castile’s national hero form just one of our narrative threads as we travel from the region’s historical capital of Burgos, resplendent with medieval architecture, to the 8

city of Soria on the Douro River, birthplace of Castilian kings.

Burgos’s cathedral is the only one in Spain to have independently been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. With its main façade echoing the magnificence of Paris and Reims, this flamboyantly Gothic structure houses a panoply of artistic and architectural treasures, as well as the tombs of El Cid and his wife Doña Jimena.

The nearby Cistercian Monastery of Las Huelgas, meanwhile, has played host to a succession of royal weddings including Edward I of England’s marriage to Eleanor of Castile in 1254. Today it contains many royal tombs as well as the Codex Las Huelgas, a musical manuscript of historical importance.

The Benedictine Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos is famous for its two-storey cloister, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture surrounding a peaceful garden, its capitals laden with imaginative carvings.

Hispania was, of course, a major part of the Roman Empire for many hundreds of years, and its cities were witness to tides of conflict, conquest and peaceful prosperity. The ruins of the ancient Celtiberian settlement of Numancia, besieged and destroyed by

Rome in the 2nd century BC, stand as a particular witness to Rome’s might.

We will also explore Clunia – one of the most important cities in northern Hispania, whose exceptional remains boast a theatre, forum and baths – as well as the luxurious Roman villa of La Dehesa with its stunning floor mosaics.

In Burgos we will stay at the four-star NH Collection Palacio de Burgos, a beautiful and centrally located property. In Soria we will stay at the four-star Hotel Alfonso VIII, well situated for our town visits.

This tour will be led by Andrew Fear, PhD, Lecturer in Classics at the University of Manchester. Andrew has a particular interest in the development of the Western Roman Empire, especially in present-day Spain and Portugal, as well as the later emergence of Christianity and the establishment of the Visigothic Kingdom in Hispania. He looks forward to introducing an ACE group to the rich and varied heritage of Castile - “a delicious layer cake of history, all served up in wonderful scenery” - from its ancient past to the legacy of its most memorable hero.

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SPAIN Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0915 on Iberia, arriving Madrid 1240. Transfer via Segovia to Burgos for two nights at NH Collection Palacio de Burgos. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning visits in Burgos: St Mary’s Cathedral (tombs of El Cid and Doña Jimena), Church of St Agatha and museum. Afternoon excursion to Las Huelgas Monastery (site of Edward I’s marriage to Eleanor of Castile).

Day 3 Depart for Soria via Quintanilla de las Vinas (Hermitage of Santa María de Lara), Santo Domingo de Silos (Benedictine monastery with beautiful gardens and Romanesque cloister) and Roman town of Clunia (impressive remains including theatre, forum and baths). Five nights at Hotel Alfonzo VIII, Soria.

Day 4 Morning visits in Soria, including Numantine Museum and Santo Domingo (Romanesque doorway). Afternoon excursion to Garray for Numancian ruins (settlement besieged

by Rome in the 2nd century BC), followed by San Juan de Duero.

Day 5 Morning visit to picturesque medieval village of Calatañazor followed by Burgo de Osma (cathedral, Romanesque tomb of San Pedro de Osma). Afternoon: ruins of Uxama Argaela and Ucero (medieval castle and underground aqueduct). Free evening.

Day 8 Transfer to Madrid Airport for1500 flight, arriving Heathrow 1625.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should have a good overall level of fitness for this tour. While the majority of visits will not be physically demanding, many will involve negotiating uneven ground or pavements, steps, and occasionally dim interiors. Participants should be prepared to walk around extensive archaeological sites, and certain visits will also involve climbing small hills. Some days will include long coach journeys, particularly on day 3 (travelling between Burgos and Soria), which will be broken up with plenty of stops.

Cost of £2195 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, four lunches (two packed), six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £275.

TOUR CODE: CAST20

Day 6 Morning: Tiermes Archaeological Site and Gormaz (huge castle complex where El Cid was constable). Afternoon: village of Caracena for visit to castle and Romanesque church of San Pedro.

BRAND NEW TOURS

Calatañazor

Day 7 Morning visit to the Roman villa and museum at Dehesa de Soria (beautiful floor mosaics). Afternoon: double castle of Berlanga and Hermitage of San Baudelio (Romanesque architecture).

San Juan de Duero

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SPAIN

October in Mallorca:

Landscape, History & Culture October 12 - 19, 2020 | from £2945 per person with Christopher Catling

BRANDLABEL NEW TOURS

Explore the bewitching architecture, gardens, landscape and culture of this Mediterranean island during a quieter time of the year, including the idyllic surroundings of Deia, the village where Robert Graves once lived, overlooking a sun-drenched sea Mallorca is renowned for its scenic beauty, from its sheltered coves, pristine sands and calm turquoise seas to the Serra De Tramuntana with their sunlit peaks and terraced hillsides, dotted with orange groves and almond orchards, walled villas guarded by sentinel cypress trees and lovingly tended gardens, churches and monasteries.

We will explore Mallorca’s cultural and scenic highlights from our base in the capital, Palma, rightly dubbed ‘mini Barcelona’ for its maze of medieval streets, its Gothic churches and palaces, its old-fashioned markets, shops and cafes, and its fanciful Modernista (Art Nouveau) buildings. Having visited the cathedral and some of the capital’s major museums, churches and palaces, we will stop at Valldemossa, the monastery where Chopin wrote some of his most memorable music in 1838/9, and where George Sand, his travelling companion, 10

wrote her memoir, A Winter in Mallorca.

For many years Deia was the home of poet and author Robert Graves, and we will visit his home, now a museum dedicated to the writer’s life and times.

Enjoying the picturesque limestone scenery of the Tramuntana Mountains, now a World Heritage Cultural Landscape, valued for its wildlife and its steep hillside terraces supported by carefully laid drystone walls, we will see how water is harboured and used to create lushness amongst the rocks in the Arabic gardens at Bunyola. We will visit Sóller with its lively market and Modernista house museum, and take the heritage (1913) tramway to Port de Sóller with its mountain and coastal backdrop.

At the northern end of the mountain range we will visit the island’s ancient Roman capital, Pollentia, with its extensive theatre and forum ruins and archaeological museum, before calling at the monastery at Lluc. The Drach Caves, meanwhile, will allow us to experience one of the most extensive underground lakes in the world. A final night in the capital provides the opportunity to buy Mallorcan cheeses, olives, nuts and dried fruits as a souvenir of a visit that is best summed up by the words ‘majestic

landscapes, stunning scenery, memorable sights and great cultural variety’.

In addition to the guided portions, our tour will include several stretches of free time to explore the various sites and soak up the special atmosphere of Mallorca during October, when sites are quieter and temperatures are usually mild and pleasant.

We will stay throughout at the fourstar Hotel Nakar, a modern and sophisticated property located in the heart of Palma de Mallorca.

This tour will be led by Christopher Catling, MA, FSA, MCIFA, an archaeologist who has worked on sites in Portugal and in the Portuguese African islands of Cape Verde. He is currently based in Aberystwyth as Secretary of The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Christopher is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and co-editor of the Antiquaries Journal. He writes for Current Archaeology and is the author of more than fifty books, including the best-selling DK Eyewitness guides to Florence and Tuscany,Venice and the Veneto, Amsterdam and Madeira.

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SPAIN Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1015, arriving Mallorca 1340. Transfer to Nakar Hotel, Palma, for seven nights. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Historical Palma: Cathedral of Santa Maria, Royal Palace of La Almudaina (impressive alcázar, rebuilt in 1309 by James II of Mallorca), Palau March Museum (contemporary and religious sculpture, furnishings, impressive crib figures and paintings).

Day 3 Morning: charming village of Valldemossa including Carthusian monastery (cloister, apothecary, George Sand and Frédéric Chopin collections) and Municipal Museum.

Afternoon visit to the picturesque village of Deia (former home of Robert Graves). Free evening.

Day 4 Morning exploring Palma’s hidden churches and medieval streets including Santa Eulalia and Sant Franscec. Afternoon: Museum of Mallorca (art and furnishings from the medieval period to the present day) followed by some free time.

Serra de Tramuntana

Day 6 Free time to explore the beautiful towns of Sóller (Saturday market, modern art museum) and Port de Sóller (via a heritage electric tramway with its Art Nouveau station). Afternoon visit to the Gardens of Alfabia (monument of historical value and outstanding beauty).

Day 7 Morning: Drach Caves (remarkable formations housing one of the largest underground lakes in the world). Afternoon: guided tour and wine tasting at the Bodega Biniagual Winery.

Day 8 1610.

Depart Palma 1435, arriving Heathrow

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: While this tour will not be particularly strenuous, travellers should feel comfortable climbing steps in central Palma (especially in and around the cathedral and town walls). The village of Deia is also hilly and does not allow coach access to the upper town (optional) where the church and Robert Graves’s burial plot are located. The Roman ruins of Pollentia are mostly flat, however please note the bestpreserved area is around a 2km walk from the main entrance.

Cost of £2945 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, one lunch, six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £695.

TOUR CODE: MALL20

View of Palma de Mallorca with Cathedral La Seu and the fishing port

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BRANDLABEL NEW TOURS

Day 5 Morning: Roman ruins of Pollentia (theatre, forum and residential areas) followed by free time to explore Pollença (Calvary Steps, museum). Afternoon visit to Monastery of Lluc (famous pilgrimage site, founded in the 13th century).

RUSSIA

Russia’s Golden Ring August 4 - 15, 2020 | from £3595 per person with Alex Koller

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Discover the beautiful architecture of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad, the kremlin at Rostov and the architecturally impressive Tolga Monastery, accessed via boat along the Volga, Europe’s longest river On this circumambulation of the famous ‘Golden Ring’ of Russian towns, we will take in locations that are part of the classic ring tour, but also lesser-known sites. The northern cities of Kostroma and Vologda feature with their important kremlins and monasteries, alongside the rarely frequented southern and south-eastern cities of Murom, Ryazan and Kolomna.

In the vicinity of Moscow, we will encounter monuments, churches and monasteries that date from both pre-Mongol and Muscovite times. We will take in the famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad, an outstanding assembly of influential 14th to 18th century gold-tipped buildings.

We will pay homage to the princely residence of Bobolyubovo close to Vladimir, and take in Suzdal’s vast white kremlin and the Museum of Wooden Architecture, which displays intricate wooden churches from the surrounding area.

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“Alex Koller was excellent throughout. His enthusiasm and knowledge was impressive and this was accompanied by patience and consideration”

- ACE customer on a previous Russia’s Golden Ring tour The city of Yaroslavl, situated on the confluence of the Volga and Kotorsol Rivers, was a major commercial centre in the 11th century. Its historical heart is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, due to its significance as part of the town-planning reform undertaken by Empress Catherine the Great between 1763 and 1830. Here we will encounter the Church of St John the Baptist, which features a heady interior adorned with frescoes and richly glazed tiles beneath its tight configuration of 15 onion domes.

From Yaroslavl we will take a boat trip along the Volga to encounter the outstanding beauty of Tolga Monastery: originally built from wood in the 14th century, it was converted to stone after a donation by Ivan the Terrible in 1553. From Vologda, we will visit the enormous monastic complex of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and take in the highly important frescoes of the Ferapontov Monastery.

The pink façades and green domes of Rostov Veliky’s kremlin rise above the waters of Lake Nero. Despite being one of the oldest centres, first chronicled in the 9th century and originally capital of the Kievan princes, it is less visited on the Golden Route, as is the beautiful cathedral in PereslavlZalessky, near the huge lake upon which Peter the Great built his fleet.

We will stay at comfortable hotels along the Golden Ring route. Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some details may be subject to change.

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an expert in art history and architecture. Alex has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East and has been leading tours since 1998.

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RUSSIA Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1055 on British Airways, arriving Moscow 1650. Transfer to Sergiev Posad for overnight at Tsarskaya Derevnya Hotel.

Day 2 Morning visit to Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad. Continue to Pereslavl-Zalessky (Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour) and Rostov Veliky (kremlin). Two nights in Yaroslavl at SK Royal Hotel.

Day 3 Morning in Yaroslavl: Spassky Monastery (one of the oldest monasteries of the Upper Volga region), Transfiguration Cathedral, Church of St John the Baptist, Church of Elijah the Prophet (built by wealthy merchants in the 17th-18th centuries) and Art Museum (featuring huge collection of Russian icons). Afternoon boat trip on the Volga to Tolga Monastery.

Day 4 Vologda: St Sophia Cathedral and Tower, kremlin. Afternoon: Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery. Two nights at Hotel Palisad, Vologda.

Day 6 Transfer to Kostroma for visits to 14th century Ipatiev Monastery, Church of the Resurrection (17th century with patterned exterior) and Epiphany Monastery. Overnight at Moskovskaya Zastava Hotel, Kostroma.

Rostov Kremlin

Day 7 Transfer to Suzdal for visits to kremlin (vast white fortress) and Museum of Wooden Architecture. Two nights at Pushkarskaya Sloboda Hotel, Suzdal.

Day 8 Suzdal monasteries: Convent of the Intercession (Pokrovsky Monastery) and Rizopolozhensky Convent (early 13th century) followed by 14th century Monastery of SpassoEphimovsky.

Day 9 Bogolyubovo (Church of the Intercession on the Nerl River and monastery with remains of princely residence), Vladimir (Golden Gate, Dormition and Demetrius cathedrals).

Afternoon transfer to Murom for overnight at Hotel Svyatogor.

Day 10 Morning in Murom: Saviour, Trinity and Annunciation monasteries. Afternoon: continue to Ryazan for Dormition Cathedral and kremlin (exterior). Overnight at Hotel Old Town, Ryazan.

Day 11 Depart Ryazan via Kolomna (kremlin, Pyatnitsky Gate, Dormition and Staro-Golutvin monasteries). Transfer to Moscow for overnight at Hilton Leningradskaya Hotel.

Day 12 Morning: New Jerusalem Monastery at Istra (founded 1656 and inspired by Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre). Depart Moscow 1810, arriving Heathrow 2020.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, as the tour will involve walking and standing for long periods of time and we have a full itinerary involving several hotel changes, some early starts and long coach journeys of up to 4 hours.

Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, Nerl River

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Cost of £3595 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, five lunches, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: visa, travel insurance, single room supplement £365.

TOUR CODE: RUGR20

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ART & ARCHITECTURE

Day 5 Excursion to the vast walled enclosure of Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and Ferapontov Monastery (stunning examples of Russian medieval wall paintings by 15th century artist Dionisy) and Church of St Martinian.

ITALY Trulli houses in Alberobello

Art & Architecture of Puglia September 22 - 28, 2020 from £1995 per person with Andrew Spira

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Explore the diverse artistic and architectural heritage of Bari, Barletta, Ostuni and Otranto and discover one of southern Italy’s most amazing 15th century narrative fresco cycles, covering every inch of the walls of the Romanesque Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria Nestled in the heel of Italy lies Puglia – or Apulia as it was originally named – the most prosperous region in the south of the country, but surprisingly one of its least visited parts. The diversity of its architectural heritage – Greek, Roman, Romanesque, Norman, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque – reflects its multifaceted past and importance on ancient trading and pilgrimage routes.

Our tour of this cosmopolitan region, which borrows elements from classical antiquity, the Islamic Orient and the north European Cistercian Gothic, will include a visit to the port town of Bari. Here, we will explore the Romanesque Cathedral, Basilica of San Nicola, and Pinacoteca Provinciale, home to a distinguished collection of Old Master paintings, sculptures and 19th century Italian art.

to Greek mythology and even images of King Arthur and the pre-Islamic Persian lion of the Sassanid Empire.

Our tour will be based firstly in the centre of Andria, at the four-star Cristal Palace Hotel, and then in Brindisi, at the four-star Hotel Orientale.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some details may be subject to change.

This tour will be led by art historian Andrew Spira, MA, who studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London. For several years Andrew was a specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons at the Temple Gallery, London, before working as a curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum. He was subsequently Programme Director at Christie’s Education, and has been leading tours to cultural sites across Europe for over 20 years.

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Day 2 Whole day excursion to Bari: Romanesque cathedral and Basilica di San Nicola.

Afternoon: Pinacoteca Provinciale (distinguished collection of Old Master paintings, sculpture and 19th century art). Evening lecture.

Day 3 Morning in Barletta: Romanesque/ Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore, Museo Civico and Pinacoteca De Nittis (housed in Palazzo della Marra). Afternoon in Trani: Museo della Macchina per Scrivere and Cathedral of San Nicola. Free evening.

Day 4 UNESCO World Heritage site of Alberobello, capital of trulli country. Continue to Ostuni (walking tour of old centre). Transfer to Brindisi via 14th century Church of Santa Maria del Casale for three nights at Hotel Orientale.

Day 5 Morning: Soleto for Church of Santo Stefano and Galatina for Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria (15th century frescoes). Continue to Otranto: cathedral (12th century floor mosaic) and Byzantine Church of St Peter.

Day 6 Whole day excursion to Lecce: walking tour including Castello di Carlo V (exterior), Piazza Sant’Oronzo, Roman theatre and amphitheatre, Church of Santa Chiara, Vittorio Emmanuele II, Piazza del Duomo, cathedral, Church of Santa Irene, Basilica di Santa Croce and Palazzo dei Celestini (exterior). Afternoon: Santa Maria di Cerrate (13th century frescoes).

Day 7 Transfer to Bari for 1205 departure on British Airways, arriving Gatwick 1405.

Our tour will also take us to the ‘white city’ of Ostuni, Lecce – the ‘Florence of the South’, and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Alberobello, characterised by its dense concentration of trulli – dry stone whitewashed buildings with unusual conical roofs.

We will also enjoy an excursion to Otranto. In the cathedral of this captivating coastal town, we will see the extraordinary 12th century Tree of Life mosaic, containing biblical references alongside signs of the zodiac, references

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1225 on Easyjet, arriving Bari 1615. Transfer to Andria for three nights at Cristal Palace Hotel. Evening introductory lecture.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour has a full itinerary and will require a good level of fitness.

There is a moderate amount of standing and walking involved, including uphill and over cobbled and uneven ground.

Barletta Cathedral

Cost of £1995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £165.

TOUR CODE: AAPU20

acecultur altour s.co.uk

ITALY

Piero della Francesca October 26 - November 2, 2020 from £2095 per person with Lucrezia Walker

Enjoy a visit to Raphael’s House in Urbino in the 500th anniversary year of the artist’s death and discover the abundance of paintings and sites relating to the great artist Piero della Francesca situated along the eponymous trail stretching through Tuscany, Umbria and the Marches The Piero della Francesca trail offers visitors to Italy glimpses of rural villages and medieval walled towns that have changed little since the 15th century.

Our tour will follow in the footsteps of Piero as we see his work in situ in the region’s palaces, churches, chapels and museums. We will trace Piero’s development from his artistic beginnings at Sansepolcro, through the important commissions he carried out at Arezzo, to the final flowering of his art at the enlightened court of Urbino.

We will enjoy a whole day excursion to Urbino, where the beautiful Ducal Palace is graced with one of the most sublime courtyards in Renaissance Italy. wwwThe palazzo’s rich collection of paintings includes works by Uccello, Raphael and Titian as well as Piero’s iconic and enigmatic Flagellation of Christ.

In Arezzo’s 14th century Church of San Francesco we will view one of the most outstanding of all Renaissance fresco cycles: Piero’s Legend of the True Cross. The medieval walled town of Sansepolcro hosts the Madonna della Misericordia polyptch and the Resurrection of Christ, “the best painting in the world”, according to writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley.

The hamlet of Monterchi in the Tiber Valley is home to Piero’s Madonna del 01223 841055

Parto, one of the earliest depictions of a pregnant Madonna. In the ancient hill town of Cortona, we will discover the enchanting art collection in the Museo Diocesano, which includes Fra Angelico’s Annunciation.

We will stay throughout at the fourstar Hotel Tiferno, a converted palazzo situated in the heart of Città di Castello near Perugia.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to confirmation and we cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks. Historical sites in Italy can sometimes be closed at short notice for restoration works.

This tour will be led by Lucrezia Walker, BA, MA, an author and art historian who has studied in Venice and Perugia, and has lived and worked in Rome. Lucrezia is a lecturer at the National Gallery, and has 20 years’ experience of leading cultural tours in major European cities. Lucrezia was previously Galleries Correspondent for The Tablet and Lay Canon (Visual Arts) at St Paul’s Cathedral, where she continues to serve on the Visual Arts Committee. Lucrezia looks forward to introducing another ACE group to the Piero della Francesca trail in 2020.

“A wonderful input from Lucrezia… who went out of her way to inform us fully”

- ACE customer on 2018 Piero della Francesca tour with Lucrezia Walker

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1225 on Easyjet, arriving Pisa 1540. Transfer to Città di Castello for seven nights at Hotel Tiferno.

Day 2 Morning excursion to Sansepolcro: Piero della Francesca’s house, Romanesque-Gothic Duomo and Civic Museum. Afternoon: hamlet of Monterchi and Museo della Madonna del Parto.

Evening lecture.

Day 3 Whole day excursion to Perugia: Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, Collegio del Cambio, Merchants’ Guild, Sala dei Notari and some free time.

Day 4 Città di Castello: San Francesco, Duomo, Palazzo Communale, San Domenico, Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera, Burri Foundation.

Evening lecture.

Day 5 Whole day excursion through Apennine Mountains to Urbino for Ducal Palace (inspiration for Castiglione’s Book of the Courtier): ducal apartments and Galleria Nazionale.

Afternoon: Raphael’s House.

Day 6 Whole day excursion to Cortona: guided walking tour and visit to Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca. Afternoon: Museo Diocesano and some free time.

Day 7 Whole day excursion to Arezzo: walking tour including 14th century Town Hall and Piazza Grande, Vasari’s Palazzo delle Logge, San Francesco and San Donato. Evening lecture.

Day 8 Transfer to Pisa for 1610 departure, arriving Gatwick 1725.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a high level of fitness, as most days involve visits to hilltop towns, which are steep and have many cobbled roads. The coach has to park in designated coach parks at the bottom of these towns, and although Perugia and Urbino have lifts/escalators to assist in reaching the top, once in these towns, participants will be required to navigate hilly and steep streets. Arezzo and Cortona must be accessed on foot and there are steep climbs.

Cost of £2095 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, dinner with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £130.

TOUR CODE: PIER20

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ART & ARCHITECTURE

Legend of the True Cross, Piero della Francesca

ITALY

Palladio & the Villas of the Veneto October 15 - 24, 2020 | from £3195 per person with Charles Hind

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Highlights of our 2020 tour will include visits to the Palazzo Querini-Stampalia, Church of Santa Maria Formosa and the Palazzo Grimani in Venice. It is a particularly exciting time to visit the latter site, as the notable Grimani sculpture collections have been temporarily returned to the historical interiors of the palazzo for an exhibition in collaboration with UNESCO 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.

Palladian highlights in the countryside outside Vicenza will include some of his most beautiful works, notably the Villa Emo at Fanzolo, and his earliest country house, the frescoed Villa Godi.

We also plan to turn our attention to the sumptuously decorated La Rotonda, whose central dome (inspired by the Pantheon of ancient Rome) and quadruple porticos are amongst Palladio’s most imitated motifs.

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“We look forward to visiting the amazing and unknown Palazzo Grimani, with the most extraordinary 16th century interiors in Venice, which are virtually unknown yet just a few minutes’ walk from our hotel.There is a very special reason for visiting next year, as 2020 will offer the unique opportunity to see the archaeological collections – around which the extraordinary palace interiors were designed – returned to their places, for a fixed term, for the first time since the 17th century”

- ACE Tour Director Charles Hind on the Palazzo Grimani 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 the San Giorgio Maggiore, occupying its own island opposite the monumental Doge’s Palace, but also San Francesco della Vigna, Palladio’s first church façade. We will have the opportunity to take in Venice’s major sites – such as the Arsenale and the Rialto Bridge – as well as some lesser-known churches.

Our first five nights will be spent in the heart of Vicenza at the Hotel Campo Marzio. We will then transfer to Venice for four nights at the Hotel Ca’ dei Conti, close to St Mark’s Square.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to confirmation.

This tour will be led by architectural historian Charles Hind, MA, FSA. Charles is a Visiting Fellow at Vicenza’s Centro Palladio and H J Heinz Curator of Drawings at the Royal Institute of British Architects, which owns the vast majority of Palladio’s surviving drawings.

He is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a Trustee of the Walpole Society.

acecultur altour s.co.uk

ITALY Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1145 on British Airways, arriving Venice 1455. Transfer to Vicenza for five nights at Hotel Campo Marzio.

Day 2 Excursion to villas south of Vicenza: Villa Pisani La Rocca (by Scamozzi) and Villa Pisani at Bagnolo. Afternoon: Villa Barbarigo-Rezzonico (exterior) and Villa Poiana.

Day 3 Vicenza: walking tour including Palazzo Thiene (exterior) and visit to Palazzo Barbaran da Porto (Palladian Museum). Afternoon: Basilica Palladiana, Loggia del Capitaniato and Palazzo Valmarana (exteriors) followed by Church of Santa Corona (Valmarana Chapel), Teatro Olimpico and Museo Civico (Palazzo Chiericati). Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: Villa Porto Colleoni (most important 15th century villa of the region) and Villa Godi (Palladio’s earliest villa). Afternoon in Padua: Basilica of San Antonio (work by Donatello and Palladio), Odeon, Loggia Cornaro and Botanical Garden (oldest in Europe, founded by Daniele Barbaro).

Day 6 Palladio’s famous Villa Rotonda (visit subject to confirmation), Villa Pisani at Strà (vast 18th century villa with frescoes by Tiepolo), Villa Foscari. Transfer by boat along the Brenta Canal to Venice for four nights at Hotel Ca’ dei Conti.

Villa Pisani

Day 7 Morning: Palazzo Grimani (extraordinary 16th century interiors with important original sculpture collection temporarily reinstated), Palazzo Querini-Stampalia (wellpreserved historical house museum) 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 (Accademia di Belle Arti) and optional visit to Basilica dei Frari.

Day 9 Morning walking tour: Arsenale (exterior), Scuola di San Giorgio (paintings by Carpaccio), San Francesco della Vigna (Palladio’s first church façade), San Zanipolo and Rialto Bridge. Free afternoon.

Day 10 1245.

Depart Venice 1130, arriving Gatwick

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.

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

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement (double room for single use in Venice) £480.

TOUR CODE: PALL20

Basilica di San Antonio, Padua

01223 841055

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ART & ARCHITECTURE

Day 5 Morning: Villa Trissino (home of Palladio’s first patron and where Palladio worked as a stonemason – exterior), Bassano del Grappa (site of Palladio’s famous wooden bridge).

Afternoon: Villa Emo at Fanzolo (one of Palladio’s most beautiful villas).

SERBIA

Serbian Monasteries September 21 - October 2, 2020 from £2545 per person with Alex Koller

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Enjoy access to remote monasteries and churches in the unspoilt countryside of Serbia and view outstanding pieces of medieval European art such as the White Angel fresco situated at Mileševa Monastery The unspoilt sweeping countryside and authentic small towns of Serbia are little visited and provide the perfect backdrop for its wealth of culturally significant monastery complexes.

Located at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, Serbia has historically been influenced both by the Byzantine East and Central European West, which led to the creation of an extremely sophisticated artistic culture in the high and late Middle Ages and a flurry of intensive monastic building projects. The majority of the nation’s art treasures are therefore assembled in Orthodox monasteries and include some outstanding pieces of medieval European art.

Our tour begins in the northern region of Vojvodina and its capital, Novi Sad, where the nearby Fruška Gora mountain range is home to a large number of beautiful monasteries that were founded

by Serbian migrants fleeing from the 16th century Turkish conquest.

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“A fascinating variety of monasteries and churches, many in remote places.We always enjoy travelling with Alex Koller who is invariably well informed and thoroughly efficient – and good company too!”

“Wonderful monasteries and frescoes; beautiful countryside, plains, mountains and gorges. Alex is always thorough and brings the subject alive”

- ACE customers on previous Serbian Monasteries tour Some of the most important monastic buildings are located in central Serbia, where they are invariably situated in extremely scenic locations, often quite isolated among mountains and forests.

Many belong to the Morava and the Raška Schools, which feature varying architectural outlooks and monumental schemes of wall paintings. Particular highlights will include the frescoes of Sopoćani, Studenica and Mileševa.

To put these religious buildings into context, our journey also takes in the country’s most important historical towns, such as Kruševac, Novi Pazar and Niš (the latter is the birthplace of the Emperor Constantine).

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some details may be subject to change.

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, expert in art history and architecture.

Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, where he gained his PhD in History of Art from Magdalene College and where he has also lectured and supervised. An accomplished linguist and experienced Tour Director, Alex has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East and has been leading tours since 1998.

We will stay in hotels of three to five-star quality during the tour. acecultur altour s.co.uk

SERBIA

Day 2 Morning in Novi Sad: Orthodox and Catholic cathedrals, St Nicholas’s Church, Petrovaradin Fortress. Afternoon excursion to nearby historical town of Stremski Karlovci for Lady of Peace Chapel, Orthodox Cathedral of St Nicholas, Main Square, Upper and Lower Churches and Krušedol Monastery (restored 16th century mural).

Day 3 Excursion to monasteries of the Fruška Gora mountain range: Beočin Monastery, Vrdnik-Ravanica Monastery, Jazak Monastery, Novo Hopovo and Staro Hopovo monasteries. Continue to Belgrade for two nights at Hotel Moskva.

Day 4 Visits in Belgrade: Kalemegdan Fortress, St Michael’s Cathedral, Residence of Princess Ljubica, Bajrakli Mosque, Church of St Sava (one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world). Free evening.

Day 5 Monasteries of Manasija (15th century) and Ravanica (14th century). Continue to Čačak for overnight at Hotel Beograd.

Day 6 Morning visit to Church of Jesus Ascension in Čačak. Continue to Monastery of Blagoveštenje and the medieval Nikolje Monastery, both located in the Ovčar-Kablar Gorge, followed

by Arilje church. Afternoon: open-air museum of Sirogojno. Continue to Zlatas for overnight at Hotel Zlatarski.

White Angel fresco, Rila Monastery

Day 7 Banja Monastery (14th century frescoes) and Mileševa Monastery (home to the 13th century White Angel fresco). Transfer to Novi Pazar for two nights at Hotel Emrorica Raj. Church in Kalenic

Day 8 Morning: Church of Saint Peter and Paul (one of the oldest churches in the Balkans, with 4th century foundations) followed by monasteries of Sopoćani and Đurdevi Stupovi (13th century frescoes). Afternoon in Novi Pazar: fortress, 16th century Altun-alem Mosque, Hotel Vrbak with unique 1970s architecture (exteriors).

Day 9 Morning visits to Nova Pavlica and Gradač Monastery. Via monasteries of Studenica (13th and 14th century Byzantine frescoes) and Žiča to Vrnjačka Banja for overnight at Hotel Fontana.

Day 10 Depart for monasteries of Ljubostinja, Kalenič and Veluće (fine examples of the Morava school of architecture). Afternoon in Kruševac: ruins of Lazar’s Palace, Lazarica Church. Continue to Niš for overnight at New City Hotel.

Day 11 Morning in Niš: 18th century fortress, former synagogue and Orthodox cathedral (exteriors). Via 14th century Poganovo Monastery (16th century wall paintings) and across the SerboBulgarian border to Sofia for overnight at Grand Hotel Sofia.

Day 12 Morning: National Archaeological Museum (14th century Poganovo icon) and Boyana Church (13th century frescoes). Depart Sofia 1415, arriving Heathrow 1545.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This is one of ACE’s more strenuous tours and requires a good level of fitness. We have a full itinerary and the tour will involve walking (including uphill and over uneven ground) and standing for significant periods of time. Participants should be prepared for several hotel changes, some early starts and coach journeys of up to 2 hours in duration.

Cost of £2545 includes: return airfare accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, two lunches, ten dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £300.

TOUR CODE: SERB20

Facade detail, Serbian Orthodox Monastery, Studenicia

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ART & ARCHITECTURE

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1330 on Air Serbia, arriving Belgrade 1710. Transfer to Novi Sad for two nights at Hotel Leopold I.

UNITED KINGDOM

Northumbria in the First Millennium September 7 - 11, 2020 | from £975 per person with Imogen Corrigan

HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

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.

Highlights include Escomb Saxon church, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and the twin monastery of MonkwearmouthJarrow, 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 (where we explore the crypt that is all that remains of his 7th century church), Benedict Biscop, founder of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow 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 contexts, including at parish churches, such as Escomb – one of northern Europe’s finest examples of early Christian architecture. We will follow 20

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 the recently developed Open Treasure exhibition in its Claustral buildings.

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 stay throughout at Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County, with splendid views of Durham’s cathedral and historical quarter.

This tour will be led by medieval historian Imogen Corrigan, BA. 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 has been studying and lecturing ever since.

Imogen’s book, Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals, was published in 2019.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1700 at the Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County for four nights.

Evening lecture: The Age of Bede.

Day 2 Morning lecture: Viking Art & Myth followed by St Paul’s Church, Jarrow; St Peter’s Church, Monkwearmouth; and St Mary Magdalene, Hart. Evening lecture: The Lindisfarne Gospels.

Day 3 Via All Saints’ Church, Rothbury (font stands on part of a 9th century Market Cross) to Lindisfarne: St Mary’s Church (reputed site of original monastery), Priory (home of St Cuthbert) and museum (Viking Raiders’ Stone).

Day 4 Morning visit to Escomb church (dating from c 675). Return to Durham for afternoon at the cathedral (including Open Treasure galleries).

Day 5 Chester-le-Street (St Cuthbert’s Church and Anker’s House Museum) followed by Hexham Abbey (7th century crypt). Tour disperses 1600 at Durham Station (and 1515 at Newcastle Station if required), followed by the hotel.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: While this tour is not particularly strenuous, some visits will involve walking over rugged or uneven ground, and church interiors may be dimly lit. Participants should have a good overall level of fitness.

Cost of £975 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £110.

TOUR CODE: NFMN20

acecultur altour s.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

Lindisfarne priory

Durham Cathedral

Hexham Abbey

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ITALY Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1545 on British Airways, arriving Palermo 1940. Three nights at Eurostars Centrale Palace Hotel, Palermo.

Ancient Sicily September 8 - 18, 2020 from £2995 per person with Philip Kenrick

Day 2 Morning introductory talk followed

by Palermo Cathedral and Palazzo dei Normanni (Palatine Chapel). Continue to Monreale for visit to cathedral (including cloister).

Day 3 Morning: churches of La Martorana and San Cataldo, Oratorio del Rosario di Santa Cita and National Archaeological Museum. Afternoon excursion to Solunto followed by Sicilian puppet show (recognised by UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage).

Day 4 Morning: Segesta, including temple and theatre. Continue to Marinella for visit to Selinunte.

Transfer to Agrigento for two nights at Colleverde Park Hotel.

Day 5 Morning talk followed by visits in Agrigento: temple ridge, Museo Archaeologico and adjoining excavation areas.

Day 6 Transfer to Piazza Armerina for Villa del Casale (remarkable mosaic floors depicting hunting scenes, mythological characters and sporting events) and Morgantina archaeological site. Continue to Syracuse for five nights at Hotel Livingston. Free evening.

HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

Roman Theatre Taormina-

Step into the Villa del Casale to view its stunning Roman mosaics, widely regarded as one of the richest collections in the world. Uncover remarkable architectural fusions, from William II’s Norman-Byzantine cathedral of Monreale to the Palatine Chapel in Palermo, resplendent with Byzantine mosaics Even the most worldly surveyor of ancient civilisations is mesmerised by the monumental grandeur of Agrigento – “Athens with improvements” according to one 19th century visitor.

Our circuit of historical Sicily, starting in the heart of Palermo, travels via Agrigento and Syracuse to Taormina – Goethe’s “patch of paradise”, characterised by idyllic coastal vistas.

As well as absorbing the monumental magnificence of Sicily’s classical heritage, we will examine later cultural influences, from the extraordinary Arabo-Norman architecture of Palermo to the UNESCO-listed Norman-Byzantine cathedral of Monreale, built by William II. Palermo, like Monreale, reveals a fusion of Islamic, Byzantine, Norman and Romanesque traditions. The city’s Palatine Chapel in the Palazzo dei Normanni is distinguished, above all, by overwhelming Byzantine mosaics – mosaics that are rivalled by 22

the golden masterpieces on display in the cathedral in Monreale.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus at Agrigento was amongst the largest in the entire Greek world, presenting an astonishing display of wealth and power. The Roman Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina contains some of the finest mosaics in existence, with remarkable depictions of mythological figures and ancient life.

The highlights of Syracuse, “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all” in the opinion of Cicero, include the Archaeological Park and the island of Ortygia, where the Baroque façade of the cathedral barely conceals the Doric columns of the ancient Temple of Athena. We will also enjoy a free day on Ortygia with the opportunity to make optional independent visits to a further range of museums and historical sites.

We will stay at hotels of four-star standard throughout the tour.

Please note that this tour departs from London Heathrow and returns to London Gatwick.

Philip Kenrick, MA, DPhil, is an archaeologist who read Classics at Balliol College, Oxford, where he also gained his doctorate. Philip has worked on excavations near Agrigento in Sicily, and is a specialist in Roman pottery and has written archaeological guidebooks on Libya and Algeria.

Day 7 Visit to Temple of Apollo followed by excursion to town of Noto (fine example of Sicilian Baroque architecture). Afternoon: Villa del Tellaro (4th century mosaics). Early evening walking tour of Ortygia including sacred spring of Arethusa and Piazza Duomo (Temple of Athena).

Day 8 Morning talk followed by Catacomb of San Giovanni, Museo Archaeologico Paolo Orsi, Archaeological Park and Castello Maniace.

Day 9 Whole day excursion to ancient Naxos (early Greek colony) and Taormina (Greco-Roman theatre with superb coastal views). Free evening.

Day 10 Free day on Ortygia for optional independent visits to Palazzo Bellomo, Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia (Burial of St Lucy by Caravaggio) or boat trip.

Day 11 Depart Catania 1225 on British Airways, arriving Gatwick 1450.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness as it involves a significant amount of walking. Please note that many sites have uneven ground, or require walking through low-lying vegetation. The tour is taken at a pace that allows for breaks and reflection.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, two lunches, eight dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £545.

TOUR CODE: ANS220

We will also be running a tour to Ancient Sicily with Philip Kenrick from May 13–22, 2020.

For further details, including the itinerary and cost, please see the ACE website or call the office.

acecultur altour s.co.uk

CYPRUS Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1145 on British Airways, arriving Larnaca 1820. Transfer to Paphos for three nights at Hotel Aloe.

Day 2 Morning lecture: Cyprus in Geography & History followed by visits to Archaeological Park in Paphos (Roman mosaics, Saranda Kolones medieval castle). Afternoon: MaaPalaeokastro (Bronze Age settlement), Museum of Mycenaean Colonisation, Church of Agia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa and St Paul’s Pillar.

Ancient Cyprus October 22 - November 1, 2020 from £2445 per person

Day 3 Morning in Paphos: Hellenistic ‘Tombs of the Kings’. Continue to Yeoskipou for Church of Agia Paraskevi (9th to 15th century frescoes) and Folk Art Museum. Afternoon in Kouklia (main site, museum, Persian siege-mound, medieval sugar cane mill).

with Philip Kenrick

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 Curium Palace Hotel.

Kourion

Cross the border between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to examine the island’s historic role in the interaction between the cultures of Europe and the Middle East 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 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 throughout the Roman and Byzantine eras. With the advent of Islam, Cyprus became a contested border zone, and this varied heritage is represented by a wide range of archaeological sites and monuments.

Our journey will begin in the southern (Greek) sector, which holds some 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 of many different periods.

We will continue to the divided capital Nicosia, enclosed in its ring 01223 841055

of 16th century walls. Here we will cross the Green Line into the Turkish-occupied sector of the city to visit the former Christian cathedral, converted into a mosque in 1570.

We will venture further into the northern territories: 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).

Our first base will be in Paphos, at the Hotel Aloe, before moving to the Curium Palace Hotel in Limassol and the Centrum Hotel in Nicosia. Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to confirmation.

This tour will be led by Philip Kenrick, MA, DPhil a classical archaeologist and specialist in Roman pottery, who has worked widely in the Mediterranean, including in Sicily, Italy, Turkey, Jordan and Libya. He gained his doctorate at Oxford in connection with British excavations at Benghazi (ancient Berenice). Philip is the author of two Libya Archaeological Guides and coauthor of Classical Antiquities of Algeria: A Selective Guide (2019).

Day 6 Morning: Church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis near Kakopetria followed by churches of Panagia Podithou and Panagia Theotokos in Galata. Afternoon: Church of Panagia Phorviotissa at Asinou and Church of Panagia tou Arakos in Lagoudera (visits subject to confirmation).

Day 7 Morning visits to Choirokoitia Neolithic settlement (UNESCO World Heritage site), Pano Lefkara (traditional lacemaking) and Lanarca District Archaeological Museum. Afternoon: Church of Agios Lazaros in Larnaca and Church of Panagia Angeloktisti in Kiti. Transfer to Nicosia for four nights at Centrum Hotel.

Day 8 Morning: Cyprus Museum, Byzantine Museum, Church of Agios Ioannis, House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios. Afternoon: Selimiye Mosque, Bedesten 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).

Depart Larnaca 1440, arriving Heathrow 1745.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour requires a good level of fitness, as it will involve a moderate amount of walking and standing, including over uneven terrain at archaeological sites.

Cost of £2445 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, eight lunches (some packed), dinner with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £225.

TOUR CODE: ACYP20

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HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

CAPTION

Day 5 Morning: Amathous archaeological site, Limassol Castle (medieval museum). Afternoon: Limassol District Archaeological Museum. Evening lecture: Cypriot Artefacts & Art.

ITALY

Pompeii with Herculaneum October 9 - 15, 2020 | from £1945 per person with Steve Mastin

HISTORY &LABEL ARCHAEOLOGY

Via Stabiana, Pompeii

Discover Cumae, one of the most important Greek city-states in antiquity, alongside Pozzuoli with its impressive Roman amphitheatre, on this perennial ACE favourite offering a thoughtprovoking window onto Roman life Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed yet preserved by the volcanic catastrophe, offer unrivalled insights into day-today life in the Roman Empire. As well as investigating the ruins of Vesuvius’s twin victims, we will view the exceptional finds on display at the National Archaeological Museum in the ever-vibrant city of Naples.

Paestum, “inexpressibly grand” according to Shelley, was founded c 600 BC by Greek colonists from Sybaris. Here we will pay particular attention to the Doric sanctuaries of Ceres, Hera and Neptune, which rank amongst the best-preserved Greek temples to be found anywhere in the ancient world.

Our comprehensive tour in and around the Bay of Naples will take in a wide array of further ancient treasures, such as the vast villa complex at Oplontis.

Adorned with sumptuous wall paintings that unveil the extravagant lifestyle enjoyed by the Roman elite, the villa is 24

“Meanwhile on Mt Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasised by the darkness of night…”

- Pliny on the sudden eruption of Vesuvius nearly 2000 years ago

thought to have been Nero’s wedding present to his second wife, Poppaea.

Cumae, one of the most important Greek city-states in antiquity, is also on our itinerary together with Italy’s third largest Roman amphitheatre at Pozzuoli.

We will stay at the Hotel La Medusa, Castellammare di Stabia, an attractive four-star establishment set in beautiful grounds.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some visits may be subject to confirmation or reordering, as archaeological sites can close or change their opening times at short notice.

This tour will be led by Tour Director Steve Mastin, MA, PGCE, FHA, who studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years, leading trips to Italy, France and Germany. He is a Fellow of the Historical Association and is a regular speaker at history conferences both in the UK and overseas.

We will also be running a Pompeii with Herculaneum departure with Andrew Wilson from Jan 31 – Feb 6, 2020. For further details, including the itinerary and cost, please see the ACE website or call the office.

acecultur altour s.co.uk

ITALY Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1250 on British Airways, arriving Naples 1635. Transfer to Hotel La Medusa, Castellammare di Stabia, for six nights. Short evening talk.

Day 2 Morning visit to Naples Archaeological Museum (artefacts from Vesuvian sites), followed by lunch on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius. Continue the ascent by coach, followed by optional ascent to the crater (weather permitting; must be done on foot). Evening talk.

Day 3 Whole day visit to Pompeii (forum, shopping macellum, Houses of the Faun and Venus, baths, theatres) including Villa of the Mysteries.

Day 4 Herculaneum (panoramic villas, palaestra, baths, shops) followed by Villa of Oplontis (fine wall-paintings, huge piscina) and Villa Boscoreale. Evening talk.

Day 5 Cumae (cave of the Sibyl, acropolis), Pozzuoli (amphitheatre) and Stabiae Villa. Evening talk.

Day 6 Whole day excursion to Paestum: Temples of Ceres, Hera and Neptune, museum (fine archaic reliefs and the famous Painted Tomb of the Diver).

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, and participants should be aware that the terrain at the archaeological sites can be uneven, with few opportunities to sit down. Please note that the optional ascent up Vesuvius involves a steep walk of around 30 minutes.

Cost of ÂŁ1945 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, one lunch, dinner with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement ÂŁ285.

TOUR CODE: POM220

Eruption of Vesuvius

by Louis Jean Desprez

Neptune and Amphitrite mosaic, Herculaneum

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HISTORY &LABEL ARCHAEOLOGY

Day 7 Free time or self-guided visit to Pompeii. Depart Naples 1950 arriving Gatwick 2140.

UNITED KINGDOM

Chichester & the South Downs September 21 - 25, 2020 | from £1295 per person with Richard Pailthorpe

HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

Take in architecture covering over 2000 years of history, from Roman floor mosaics to 20th century art and make a special visit to the Weald and Downland Living Museum in the company of its former Director Chichester, one of the country’s smallest cathedral cities, is still surrounded by walls built on a Roman layout, which help to create a charming and compact historical environment. This fascinating tour will explore the city and the beautiful surrounding landscape of the South Downs, our newest National Park, with its spectacular sweeping views of the south coast.

Our itinerary will take in the area’s heritage from Roman times through to the 19th century. Its ancient origins are revealed at the magnificent Roman Palace at Fishbourne, which boasts spectacular floor mosaics and an intriguing Roman-style garden.

The Normans established Chichester Cathedral during the 11th century, and the city’s four main streets, built on a cruciform pattern, meet at the Tudor market cross in the centre. We will visit the Pallant House Gallery with its outstanding collection of 26

“I was very pleased to have had Richard Pailthorpe leading us. Given his career experiences and his local knowledge, he was a mine of information... I thought he was impressively calm, very well organised & altogether an exceptionally good leader”

- ACE customer on the Chichester & South Downs 2017 tour

20th century British art, housed in a beautiful Queen Anne townhouse adjoined by a contemporary wing.

Further afield, we will enjoy a special visit to the collection of historical vernacular buildings at the Weald and Downland Living Museum, where we will be introduced to a selection of the fascinating rescued structures, which cover a period of over 900 years.

We will also step inside the magnificent stately homes of Goodwood, Petworth and Parham, and discover Arundel Castle. At West Dean – home to a lively conservation and creative arts centre, and previously home to the collector of Surrealist art, Edward James – we will enjoy a tour of the house and gardens.

We will stay throughout at the Millstream Hotel in the picturesque Chichester Harbour village of Bosham. Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some details may be subject to confirmation.

This tour will be led by Richard Pailthorpe, former Director of the Weald and Downland Living Museum.

Richard is currently the South East Regional Treasurer of the Historic Houses Association. He was Sussex Heritage Trust’s Personality of the Year in 2015, and his publications include Goodwood Country (with Ian Serraillier) and Chichester: A Contemporary View (with Ian McGowan). acecultur altour s.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

Arundel Castle

CAPTION

Day 1 Tour assembles 1330 at the Millstream Hotel, Bosham, for four nights. Excursion to Goodwood (house and stables) followed by walking tour of Bosham including quay and church.

Evening introductory lecture.

Day 2 Morning: Cowdray Castle ruins (early Tudor remains – subject to restoration works) followed by the Weald and Downland Living Museum. Afternoon: West Dean College and Gardens (conservation and creative arts centre and home to the Edward James Foundation).

Fishbourne Roman Palace

Cost of £1295 includes: accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, breakfast, two lunches, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £285.

Premium rooms available at a supplement.

TOUR CODE: CSDW20

Day 3 Morning: excursion to Chichester including cathedral and private visit to St Mary’s Hospital. Afternoon: Pallant House Gallery (20th century art collection) and Fishbourne Roman Palace (floor mosaics and Roman-style gardens).

Day 5 Morning excursion to Arundel Castle (including gardens, keep and Fitzalan Chapel). Tour disperses Arundel Station c 1245 followed by the hotel.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour has a full itinerary and involves a significant amount of walking and standing, so participants must have a good level of fitness. Some of our visits require navigating steps.

Chichester Cathedral

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Weald and Downland Museum

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© WEALD AND DOWNLAND MUSEUM

Day 4 Morning: Petworth House and Gardens (17th century mansion with masterpieces by Turner, van Dyck, Reynolds and Blake). Afternoon: Parham House and Gardens (Elizabethan house with stunning Long Gallery).

UNITED KINGDOM

Lincolnshire Halls & Houses June 2 - 8, 2020 | from £1395 per person with Oliver Gerrish

HOUSES & GARDENS

Visit Burghley House in Stamford, a 16th century prodigy house with magnificent late 17th century interiors by Verrio and Laguerre; and cross into Leicestershire to explore Belvoir Castle, Britain’s grandest Regency castle boasting a palatial sequence of state rooms Baroque swagger, grand architectural conceit and Elizabethan complexity: all are waiting to be discovered in what is sometimes characterised as the ‘lost county’ of England. Although it is now one of England’s most sparsely populated areas, Lincolnshire was one of the most populous of the medieval counties of England, home to great monastic foundations and vast aristocratic castles. Its history is rich, and its grand country houses are more than a match for any in the country.

The 16th and early 17th centuries are represented by the late Elizabethan Doddington Hall, in all probability designed by members of the Smythson family. Burghley House, ‘one of the largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan Age’, is also home to one of the largest privately owned collections of Italian Old Master paintings.

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From the Restoration we have Gunby Hall, with fine furnishings and impressive formal gardens. The 18th century is represented by Grimsthorpe Castle, where the north front was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and the great hall represents the summit of Vanbrugh’s achievements. The 19th century castle at Belvoir is the fourth castle to be built on that spot, and contains a wealth of paintings, sculptures and furnishings. A recent restoration programme has seen once lost plans for the garden designed by Capability Brown brought to life.

From the medieval foundations of Grimsthorpe to the Elizabethan splendour of Burghley’s extravagant skyline, and from the charm of Doddington’s Jacobean cupolas to the domestic comfort that is Gunby, Lincolnshire has something for all tastes.

We will stay at the three-star Lincoln Hotel, set in the very heart of uphill Lincoln, with the best views of the cathedral to be found in the city.

well known to ACE customers for leading many tours around England.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, due to the special nature of the visits, some elements may be subject to confirmation.

This tour will be led by Oliver Gerrish, MSt, an architectural historian who studied at the University of Cambridge.

Oliver is a trustee of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust and founded their Architectural Awards, and is the former Chairman of The Young Georgians, the youth chapter of The Georgian Group. Oliver has written for Country Life, has appeared in a number of BBC and ITV television series on architecture, and has organised and led numerous tours to many of Britain’s historical buildings. He looks forward to returning to Lincolnshire with another ACE group in 2020.

Our tour will include some private visits, and we will be joined for our visit to Lincoln Cathedral and for a guest lecture by Dr David Bostwick, acecultur altour s.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at the Lincoln Hotel, Lincoln, for six nights. Afternoon: Lincoln Cathedral (with guest guide, Dr David Bostwick).

Evening lecture: An Introduction to the Country House in Lincolnshire.

Day 2 Morning: Gentlemen’s Society of Spalding (founded in 1710, library and museum with varied collections). Afternoon: Grimsthorpe Castle and park. Evening guest lecture with Dr David Bostwick: The Medieval Imagery of Lincoln Cathedral.

Day 3 Morning: Brocklesby Park (exterior with possibility of seeing the mausoleum designed

by James Wyatt – subject to restoration works) and Thornton Abbey Gatehouse. Afternoon: Stow Church (mother church of the diocese before the cathedral). Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: Doddington Hall (Elizabethan manor house) and gardens. Afternoon: Gainsborough Old Hall (one of the best preserved medieval manor houses in England). Optional Evensong at Lincoln Cathedral followed by free evening.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour as it involves a moderate amount of walking, including over very uneven ground and potentially slippery surfaces.

Please note that historical buildings do not always have lifts, so participants must be comfortable with navigating stairs, often without handrails. Some visits can be adjusted to avoid longer walks, but participants may miss elements of the visits. Our itinerary includes a significant amount of coach travel.

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

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

TOUR CODE: LINC20

Day 6 Morning: Burghley House and Gardens.

Afternoon: walking tour of historical Stamford.

Burghley House

Day 7 Morning lecture followed by visit to Fulbeck Manor (Elizabethan manor containing family portraits spanning 400 years). Tour disperses c 1315 at Lincoln Station followed by hotel.

Lincoln Cathedral

“This was a highly enjoyable and informative tour, with excellent introductions from the Tour Director and the guest lecturer”

- ACE customer on the Lincolnshire Halls & Houses 2019 tour

Doddington Hall

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HOUSES & GARDENS

Day 5 Morning: Belvoir Castle (fine example of Regency architecture with exquisite interiors and important collection of Old Masters).

Afternoon: Gunby Hall (described by Tennyson as a ‘Haunt of Ancient Peace’) and gardens.

UNITED KINGDOM

Derbyshire Halls & Houses September 7 - 11, 2020 | from £1195 per person with Oliver Gerrish

HOUSES & GARDENS

Uncover Derbyshire’s historical country houses, from Haddon Hall, the quintessential medieval manor, to Kedleston Hall, Robert Adam’s beautifully restored neoclassical masterpiece, and enjoy visits to private houses including Tissington Hall and Renishaw Hall The county of Derbyshire boasts several of the finest country houses in England, and this tour provides an introduction to their rich heritage. Great architecture, fabulous art collections and extraordinary families build a picture of the social life of the county from the early modern period to the present day.

Visits to the splendid gardens associated with the houses, and to the occasional church, will provide further context.

Renishaw Hall is a treasure trove of furniture, and Haddon Hall is a romantic medieval manor house with additions from the 13th to 18th centuries. 17th century Bolsover Castle dominates the surrounding countryside from its hilltop perch. It was once the most fashionable of society venues, even hosting a Ben Jonson masque in 1634 in honour of a visit by Charles I.

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“I was most impressed by Oliver… he is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and entertaining”

- ACE customer on a previous tour with Oliver Gerrish

Hardwick Hall, famously ‘more glass than wall’, is an outstanding Elizabethan prodigy house, built for the notable and formidable patron Bess of Hardwick.

Surrounded by extensive parkland, it is home to beautiful Elizabethan embroideries and tapestries – some of the finest in the country – and rare 16th century French walnut furniture.

Kedleston Hall is a magnificent 18th century mansion designed by the famous Robert Adam as a ‘temple of the arts’, and 2017 saw the completion of a 30 year restoration of its State Floor.

We will stay throughout at the threestar Rutland Arms Hotel in Bakewell.

Our tour will include some private visits, and we will be joined for our

visit to Bolsover Castle by Dr David Bostwick, well known to ACE customers for leading many tours around England.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, due to the special nature of the visits, some elements may be subject to confirmation.

This tour will be led by Oliver Gerrish, MSt, an architectural historian who studied at the University of Cambridge.

Oliver is a trustee of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust and founded their Architectural Awards. Oliver has appeared in a number of BBC and ITV television series on architecture, and has organised and led numerous tours to many of Britain’s historical buildings.

acecultur altour s.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM Day 1 Tour assembles 1230 at Chesterfield Station followed by 1300 at Rutland Arms Hotel, Bakewell, for four nights. Afternoon: Haddon Hall (fortified medieval manor house). Evening introductory lecture.

Day 2 Morning: Tissington Hall (Jacobean house with later additions). Afternoon: Sudbury Hall (late 17th century house with lavish interiors) and Kedleston Hall (stunning 18th century ‘temple of the arts’ with Robert Adam interiors).

Day 3 Morning: Staunton Harold Church (17th century with fine panelled interior) and Melbourne Church. Afternoon: Melbourne Hall Gardens (early 18th century garden in the manner of Le Notre) and Calke Abbey (18th century stately home telling the story of 20th century decline).

Day 4 Morning: Bolsover Castle (with guest guide, Dr David Bostwick). Afternoon: Hardwick Hall (with guest guide, Dr David Bostwick). Evening lecture.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour as it involves a moderate amount of walking, including over uneven ground and potentially slippery surfaces.

Please note that historical buildings do not always have lifts, so participants must be comfortable with navigating stairs, often without handrails.

Bolsover Castle Cost of £1195 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, three lunches, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £75, single room supplement £40.

TOUR CODE: DERB20

Haddon Hall

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Statue, Renishaw Hall

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HOUSES & GARDENS

Day 5 Morning: Renishaw Hall (home of the Sitwell family for over 350 years). Tour disperses c 1400 at Chesterfield Station followed by c 1445 at the hotel.

UNITED KINGDOM

Yorkshire Country Houses September 21 - 26, 2020 | from £1545 per person with Adam White

HOUSESLABEL & GARDENS

Enjoy a tour of Clifton Castle, a late Georgian mansion with spectacular views of Wensleydale, and visit Temple Newsam, sometimes described as the ‘Hampton Court of the North’ The County of York features a magnificent array of stately homes, telling the story of Yorkshire’s fascinating past as well as the private stories of individual families and collectors. This tour will shine a light on some of these histories, as well as offering the opportunity to discover fascinating historical art collections.

We begin with a visit to Lotherton Hall, stepping back into the Edwardian era when the Gascoigne family created a charming country gentleman’s residence that evokes the comfort and sense of security enjoyed by the English upper classes at that time.

Farnley Hall near Otley comprises an early 17th century house to which additions were made in the late 18th century. J M W Turner was a frequent visitor to the Hall, as was John Ruskin.

East Riddlesden Hall is a fascinating 17th century manor house in the valley nearby.

The Victorian era is represented by Cliffe Castle in Keighley. Transformed 32

“First time I had travelled with Adam White. A very well put together and balanced tour. His measured explanations at each site were brilliant in helping us see what we were looking at. I look forward to his next tour”

- ACE customer on a previous tour with Adam White

by Henry Butterfield, a textile manufacturer with American connections, the castle features a suite of reception rooms conveying the atmosphere of Old New York.

Temple Newsam has notable interiors dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, as well as a fine collection of Georgian furniture. At Clifton Castle, near Masham, we look forward to a guided visit with the owner, the Marquess of Downshire. Constable Burton is a fine Palladian villa completed in 1768 for Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, to the designs of John Carr of York, the leading Georgian architect in Yorkshire.

It is still a family home and the art collection is remarkably well preserved.

Further highlights of the tour will include Sledmere House, the residence of the Sykes family who built it and continue to adorn it with fine paintings, furniture and sculpture, and Burton

Constable with its long and fascinating history dating back to the Middle Ages.

Our itinerary also includes some free time to explore York independently, or to attend an optional Evensong service at the city’s famous minster.

We will stay throughout at the four-star Grange Hotel in York, conveniently situated a short walk from the historical city centre.

Please note that whilst we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, due to the special nature of the visits, some elements may be subject to confirmation.

This tour will be led by Adam White, PhD, an art historian, author, museum curator and expert in country house collections and one of Britain’s leading authorities on Elizabethan and Jacobean sculpture. Adam was Curator of Collections at Lotherton Hall in Yorkshire for over twenty years. acecultur altour s.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM Day 1 Tour assembles 1330 at The Grange Hotel, York, for five nights. Afternoon: Lotherton Hall (Edwardian house, formerly home of the Gascoigne family). Evening introductory lecture.

Day 2 Morning: Farnley Hall (17th century house with 18th century additions – subject to confirmation). Afternoon: Cliffe Castle (Victorian ‘brass castle’) and East Riddlesden Hall (17th century manor house).

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by Temple Newsam House (Tudor/Jacobean mansion, formerly home of the Ingram family, with splendid collection of Georgian furniture). Some free time followed by optional Evensong at York Minster.

Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: Sledmere House (Georgian/ Edwardian country house with fine furnishings located in Capability Brown-designed parkland).

Afternoon: Burton Constable Hall (Elizabethan house with 18th and 19th century interiors).

Day 5 Morning: Bedale Hall (splendid Georgian plasterwork) followed by St Gregory’s Church. Afternoon: Clifton Castle (tour with the Marquess of Downshire) followed by Constable Burton Hall (Palladian villa built for the Wyvill family).

Temple Newsam Estate

Tour disperses after breakfast at the

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, as it involves moderate amounts of walking, including over uneven ground, steps, loose gravel paths and potentially slippery surfaces. Please note that lifts are not usually available at the properties we visit so participants must be comfortable using stairs.

We have a full itinerary involving a moderate amount of coach travel.

Cost of £1545 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, three lunches, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £335.

TOUR CODE:YKCH20

Lotherton Chapel

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York Minster

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HOUSESLABEL & GARDENS

Day 6 hotel.

ITALY Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1315 on Easyjet, arriving Verona 1620. Transfer to Hotel San Luca, Verona for five nights. Evening introductory talk.

Day 2 Morning walking tour of Verona: Arena, Castelvecchio, Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore and cloister. Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture. Evening performance at the Arena: Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo Pagliacci.

Verona Opera Festival

Day 3 Further visits in Verona: Duomo, Ponte Pietra, Church of Sant’ Anastasia (exterior), Casa di Giulietta and Roman Theatre. Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture. Evening performance at the Arena: Verdi Nabucco.

July 2 - 7, 2020 | from £2945 per person

Day 4 Excursion by coach to Vicenza for Teatro Olimpico, followed by Vigardolo for Villa Valmarana. Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture. Evening performance at the Arena: Verdi Aida.

with Sandy Burnett

Day 5 Excursion by coach to Lake Garda and its lakeside towns including Riva and Garda (weather permitting). By private boat to Limone on the north-western side of the lake, before crossing to Malcesine for farewell dinner at local restaurant.

Day 6 Free morning. Depart Verona 1650, arriving Gatwick 1800.

Verona Arena CAPTION

MUSIC

Explore the ‘fair Verona’ of Romeo and Juliet, and enjoy three magnificent productions staged at Verona’s famous Arena including Verdi’s Aida and Nabucco and brand new productions of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci – a famously inseparable duo Established for over one hundred years, Verona’s internationally renowned opera festival ranks as one of the most spectacular in the world. Staged in the awe-inspiring ancient Roman amphitheatre known as the Arena di Verona, the festival has hosted many of the world’s greatest opera singers and some of the most magnificent sets in the classical world. As dusk falls and the candles are lit, we take our seats for three operatic masterpieces.

Our tour to the 2020 festival begins with a double-bill performance of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana (’Rustic Chivalry’) and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci (‘Clowns’) – known worldwide as ‘Cav and Pag’. Not seen at the festival since 2006, the 2020 production will involve a brand new stage design, sure to draw us into these emotionally charged tales of Italian peasantry.

Next we will experience two of Verdi’s operatic masterworks. With a personal story of political intrigue and romantic love set against the sweeping biblical history of the Babylonian exile, Nabucco 34

is often said to have launched Verdi’s operatic career. The Arena will play host to Arnaud Bernard’s imaginative stage design, which takes inspiration from Milan’s Teatro alla Scala where the opera had its premiere – a perfect complement to the opera’s inspiring score, including its rousing ‘Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves’.

This is followed, on our final evening, by one of the defining operas of the festival: Verdi’s Aida. With its dramatic public scenes and moments of private intimacy, this beloved work comes to life amongst the stunning sets and costumes of Franco Zeffirelli and Anna Anni.

We will stay throughout at the comfortable and elegant Hotel San Luca, located a five-minute stroll away from Verona’s Arena.

While we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements may be adjusted nearer the time, particularly owing to local weather conditions, and cast and performance details may be subject to change by the festival office.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a significant amount of walking over cobbles, up and down steps (sometimes without handrails), and potentially in hot sunshine or over wet pavements. A good level of fitness is required to complete the itinerary, although allowances can be made for those with less stamina. The walk from the hotel to the arena is on flat ground and takes around five minutes. Please note all performances are scheduled to begin at 2100.

Cost of £2945 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, breakfast, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £445.

Single rooms available on request.

TOUR CODE:VROP20 Lake Garda CAPTION

This tour will be led by Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and broadcaster on BBC Radio 3 for a decade, where he hosted countless live broadcasts and interviewed many of the world’s finest musicians. His conducting credits include a complete cycle of Bach cantatas as well as work with the Royal Shakespeare Company. acecultur altour s.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

Bath Bachfest February 20 - 23, 2020 | from £1175 per person with Sandy Burnett

CAPTION The Circus in Bath

Alongside its acclaimed and longestablished Mozartfest, the beautiful Georgian city of Bath now hosts a second annual festival to celebrate one of Europe’s most eminent composers: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750).

Launched in 2012, the festival has now become a firm favourite in the city’s cultural calendar, and performances take place in some of Bath’s most iconic surroundings. The 2020 festival features a programme of works by Bach as well as a strong offering of works by those linked to him, performed by specialist soloists and ensembles. Our tour will take in the full festival programme.

We will begin with the festival’s opening concert in St Mary’s Church, Bathwick, featuring works by Purcell and Scarlatti performed by The Sixteen, one of the world’s most renowned choirs. We continue with an early afternoon concert of Bach’s sonatas in E minor and C major for recorder and basso continuo, as well as his Sonata in B minor for recorder and harpsichord, performed by Danish recorder player Michala Petri and renowned harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani.

We look forward to a performance exploring ‘Bach’s Dynasty’, featuring works by J S Bach as well as his relations, Johann Michael Bach and Johann Christian Bach, and the DanishGerman Baroque organist Dieterich Buxtehude, to whom the young J S Bach once journeyed. Taking place in the elegant surroundings of the 01223 841055

Assembly Rooms, this performance will feature dynamic ensemble Brecon Baroque directed by its founder, violinist Rachel Podger, and mezzo-soprano Ciara Hendrick, acclaimed as one of the Rising Stars for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment 2018/19.

Our tour finishes with a concert of works by Francois Couperin and Bach performed by acclaimed period instrument ensemble Florilegium, including Bach’s organ trio sonatas in E minor and G major (arr Florilegium).

Alongside the musical treats, we will take the opportunity to explore the delightful city of Bath. An illustrated lecture given by our Tour Director on the Schantz fortepiano at the Holburne Museum will offer musical insights as well as an opportunity to explore the collections of fine and decorative arts housed at this Grade-I listed building, Bath’s first public art gallery. We also look forward to exploring the city’s earlier history with a visit to the world-famous Roman Baths.

We will stay at the four-star Abbey Hotel, located within Georgian townhouses in the heart of the city.

Please note that although we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to confirmation, including the musical programme.

This tour will be led by Sandy Burnett, MA, who spent over a decade as one of the best-known classical music presenters on BBC Radio 3. He has conducted the major sacred works

by J S Bach. Sandy looks forward to returning to the Bath Bachfest with an ACE group in 2020.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1515 at the Abbey Hotel, Bath, for three nights. Afternoon lecture: Soli Deo Gloria – A Survey of Bach’s Life and Achievements followed by evening performance at St Mary’s Church, Bathwick featuring The Sixteen: works by Purcell & Scarlatti.

Day 2 Morning: Further visits in Bath followed by an early afternoon performance at the Guildhall featuring Michala Petri (recorder) and Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord): works by J S Bach and Jacob van Eyck. Some free time. Evening performance at the Assembly Rooms featuring Brecon Baroque, Rachel Podger (violin, director) and Ciara Hendrick (mezzo-soprano): ‘Bach Dynasty’ – works by J S Bach, J M Bach, Buxtehude and J C Bach.

Day 3 Morning lecture: Borrowing from the Neighbours – French and Italian Influences on Bach’s Music followed by late morning performance at the Guildhall featuring Florilegium: ‘The Grand Masters’ – works by Couperin and J S Bach.

Afternoon visit to the Roman Baths. Evening performance at the Assembly Rooms featuring the Academy of Ancient Music, Bojan Cicic (violin, director), Rowan Pierce (soprano) and David Blackadder (trumpet): ‘Rejoice’ – works by Clarke, Handel, Corelli, Torelli, Purcell and J S Bach.

Day 4 Morning visit to the Holburne Museum with illustrated lecture on the Schantz fortepiano followed by tour dispersal.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour is not strenuous but does involve some walking, which can be over uneven or uphill sections of pavement.

Cost of £1175 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, breakfast, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £180.

TOUR CODE: BABF20

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MUSIC

Enjoy music by Bach alongside works by his contemporaries and learn about the history of Bath with a guided tour of the Roman Baths

UNITED KINGDOM

Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester February 8 - 13, 2020 | from £1495 per person with Nicholas Wearne

St Philip’s Cathedral, Birmingham

MUSIC

Nicola Benedetti joins Klaus Mäkelä and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for Bartók’s Violin Concerto No 2. and City Organist Thomas Trotter gives his 800th solo recital – including Dukas’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice – and Iceland’s Symphony Orchestra plays Sibelius’s Symphony No 1 On this tour we will savour the rich and varied classical musical scene to be found in the city of Birmingham, and spend time exploring Elgar country in nearby Worcester and the Malvern Hills.

We will enjoy private recitals alongside three outstanding performances at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, widely considered to be one of the best concert halls in the world.

Our tour opens with a virtuosic performance from one of the nation’s most celebrated violinists, Nicola Benedetti, who joins forces with rising conducting star Klaus Mäkelä for Bartók’s fiery Violin Concerto No 2. This work is coupled with Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.

On our third day we are invited to “Come and celebrate!” as Birmingham marks City Organist Thomas Trotter’s 800th solo recital. Our musical programme concludes with an orchestral tour-de-force from Iceland’s Symphony Orchestra, who will bring us Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No 2, Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand, and Sibelius’s Symphony No 1.

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Turning to the surrounding region, we will explore the life and music of Elgar through several visits in Elgar Country, including the composer’s birthplace, Worcester Cathedral and St George’s Church, where Elgar and his father were organists. Here, we will enjoy the privilege of an illustrated talk with musical examples given by our Tour Director. We will also take in a performance in Great Malvern’s atmospheric Priory, in the shadow of Elgar’s beloved Malvern Hills.

In Birmingham itself, we will enjoy a visit to the archive of Elgar documents at the Cadbury Research Library and take in a private recital at the city’s new Royal Conservatoire building. Wider cultural visits will include the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, St Chad’s Cathedral, St Mary’s Convent in Handsworth, and Birmingham’s Museum and Art Gallery.

Our base throughout this tour will be the four-star Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel, located in central Birmingham opposite the Symphony Hall.

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements, including the musical programme, may be subject to change.

This tour will be led by Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, a former ACE Bursary student and a previous organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Nicholas lives in Birmingham, and in addition to leading music tours for ACE, works as a Junior Fellow at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel for five nights. Short orientation walking tour. Evening performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall featuring Nicola Benedetti (violin) and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Klaus Mäkelä (conductor): Bartók Violin Concerto No 2, BB 117; Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, Op 14.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by optional Sunday morning service at St Philip’s Cathedral.

Afternoon visit to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and some free time.

Day 3 Morning visit to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for guided tour and private recital.

Lunchtime ‘800th’ solo organ recital at Birmingham Symphony Hall featuring Thomas Trotter (organ): J S Bach Prelude & Fugue in E minor BWV 548; Schumann Two Fugues on B A C H; Rachel Laurin (new commission); A Wammes Miroir; Dukas arr.

T Trotter L’Apprenti Sorcier. Afternoon visit to the University of Birmingham for Cadbury Research Library (to view documents from the Elgar collection) and opportunity to visit the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Free evening.

Day 4 Morning visit to St Mary’s Convent, Handsworth, followed by afternoon visit to the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. Evening performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall featuring Iceland Symphony Orchestra with Yan Pascal Tortelier (conductor) and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano): Bizet L’Arlésienne Suite No 2; Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand in D major; Sibelius Symphony No 1 in E minor, Op 39.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Worcester for St George’s Church including illustrated talk: Elgar and the Midlands with musical examples (Elgar Vesper Voluntaries, Op 14) followed by Worcester Cathedral and The Firs (Elgar’s birthplace).

Continue to Malvern Hills for visit to Great Malvern Priory with private organ recital: Elgar Organ Sonata, Op 28.

Day 6 Morning visit to St Chad’s Cathedral (with short organ recital). Tour disperses 1200 at St Chad’s Cathedral or 1230 at Birmingham New Street Station, followed by the hotel.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: While this tour is not especially strenuous, participants should feel comfortable exploring Birmingham on foot and standing in galleries. Some church interiors may be dimly lit and involve traversing uneven ground.

Cost of £1495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, breakfast, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.

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

TOUR CODE: ELBW20

“Courteous, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.”

- ACE customer who previously travelled with Nicholas Wearne acecultur altour s.co.uk

NO RWAY

Bergen International Festival May 2020 - More information coming soon

Bergen

Surrounded by majestic mountains and fjords, home to colourful wooden houses and once a trading centre for the Hanseatic League, the Norwegian city of Bergen is also notable for hosting a spectacular annual music and cultural festival since the 1950s ACE is delighted to be running a tour to the Bergen International Festival in 2020, offering participants the opportunity to experience this renowned celebration of music and the arts, and to explore Bergen’s fascinating history.

In the words of the festival’s Artistic Director Anders Beyer, formerly of the Copenhagen Opera Festival, “for almost seven decades, the Bergen International Festival has set human minds in motion with art’s wild and sprawling dreamscapes… through music, theatre and dance, the festival has celebrated and rattled the city, and sought new answers to old questions”.

This imaginative and innovative festival features prominent international artists as well as renowned Norwegian musicians. Performances during the 2019 festival featured musicians ranging from the Arctic Philharmonic Sinfonietta to world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma in 01223 841055

recital with pianist Kathryn Scott, and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bergen is also notable within musical history as the birthplace of the leading Romantic composer and pianist Edvard Grieg. The house in Troldhaugen where he lived and composed many of his best-known works is now a museum.

In addition to exploring Bergen’s wider cultural history, our tour will also explore the stunning landscape of this part of Norway: we hope to include a cruise through the fjords.

Our tour will be led by ACE Tour Director Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, a tutor and Junior Fellow at the Royal 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. Nick travelled to the 2019 Bergen International Music Festival in preparation for the 2020 ACE tour.

Full details, including the musical programme, itinerary and cost, will be released later in 2019.

Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: BERG20

Edvard Grieg

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MUSIC

with Nicholas Wearne

GERMANY

Festtage: Mozart &

Beethoven in Berlin

April 9 - 14, 2020 | from £2745 per person with Paul Jackson

MUSIC

Experience four of Beethoven’s symphonies in his 250th birth year, performed by one of the world’s oldest orchestras under Daniel Barenboim, and attend two of Mozart’s most beloved operas – Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute – at Berlin’s iconic state opera house Our tour to Berlin’s 2020 Festtage provides the opportunity to experience world-class symphonic music and opera in one of Europe’s most important musical and cultural capitals. The tour takes in two operas, Mozart’s Così fan tutte and The Magic Flute, presented in Berlin’s premier opera house, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden.

Two couples in different constellations, driven by a bet on alleged and real infidelity, are at the centre of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte’s witty text inspired Mozart to write music that matched his humour with profound reflection. With direction

by Vincent Huguet, Elsa Dreisig and Gyula Orendt take the roles of the paired lovers Fiordiligi and Guglielmo, whilst Marianne Crebassa and Paolo Fanale are Dorabella and Ferrando.

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The Magic Flute, Mozart’s last opera, is also his most enigmatic. Written in the form of a Singspiel, featuring both song and spoken dialogue, it includes elements of high drama, philosophical idealism and comedy. Mauro Peter and Serena Sáenz play the lovers, Tamino and Pamina, whilst Jan Martiník takes the role of the high priest Sarastro. In a multi-national production conducted

by Oksana Lyniv and directed by August Everding, the German coloratura soprano Gloria Rehm is the glorious and terrifying Queen of the Night.

late sonatas in A major and C minor, performed by Sir András Schiff.

The operas and concerts will be illuminated by a series of lectures given by our Tour Director, and we will also enjoy cultural excursions around Berlin, taking in the Reichstag, Museum Island, the Old National Gallery and Grunewald Hunting Lodge.

Part of Berlin’s famous Kulturforum, the city’s striking Philharmonie arrests the attention with its brilliantly innovative, almost tent-like appearance; its architecture has inspired concert hall design all over the world. Here we will enjoy performances of four of Beethoven’s symphonies given by one of the world’s oldest orchestras, the Staatskapelle Berlin, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, one of the most eminent conductors and pianists of the age. Our tour will take in Beethoven’s famous ‘Pastoral’ (No 6), and ‘Choral’ (No 9), as well as Symphonies No 2 and 7. These are completed by an evening of piano music by Mozart and Beethoven, including the latter’s

Our 2020 Festtage tour will be led

by Paul Jackson, BA, MA, 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.

We will stay throughout at the threestar Hotel Albrechtshof, within walking distance of the State Opera House and Museum Island.

acecultur altour s.co.uk

GERMANY Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1050 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1345. Continue to Hotel Albrechtshof, Berlin, for five nights.

Evening concert at the Philharmonie featuring the Staatskapelle Berlin: Beethoven Symphony No 6 in F major ‘Pastoral’, Symphony No 7 in A major.

Day 2 Good Friday Morning lecture followed by coach orientation and guided architectural tour (exteriors): Potsdamer Platz, Checkpoint Charlie, Friedrichstrasse, Nikolaiviertel, Unter den Linden, the Reichstag, New Parliament buildings and Brandenburg Gate. Free afternoon. Evening performance at the Philharmonie featuring Sir András Schiff (piano): works by Mozart and Beethoven, including Beethoven Piano Sonata in A major, Op 101, and Piano Sonata in C minor, Op 111.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by guided visit to the Alte Nationalgalerie and free time to explore further museums on Museum Island.

Afternoon boat trip past Museum Island. Evening performance at Berlin State Opera: Mozart Così fan tutte.

Day 6 Free morning followed by transfer to Berlin Airport for 1440 flight, arriving Heathrow 1540.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that while this tour will not be particularly strenuous, participants should have a good level of general fitness and be comfortable exploring Berlin on foot. Some visits will involve traversing uneven ground. Please note that all performances are currently subject to confirmation and some itinerary details may be adjusted nearer the time.

Cost of £2745 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, breakfast, two lunches, three dinners with water & coffee, opera plates & drink at two performances, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £255.

TOUR CODE: MZBB20

Day 4 Easter Sunday Late morning concert at the Philharmonie featuring the Staatskapelle Berlin: Beethoven Symphony No 2 in D major, Symphony No 9 in D minor ‘Choral’. Afternoon: backstage tour of the State Opera House (subject to confirmation).

Bronze near Berlin Staatsoper

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MUSIC

Philharmonie, Berlin

Day 5 Morning lecture followed by excursion to Grunewald Hunting Lodge for guided tour.

Some free time. Evening performance at Berlin State Opera: Mozart The Magic Flute.

Berlin State Opera at dusk

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AUSTRIA

Schubert in Schwarzenberg August 22 - 29, 2020 | from £2945 per person with Nicholas Wearne

MUSIC

16, she composed medallions of Canadian baritone Gerald Finley joins the apostles in the village church English pianist Julius Drake for Schubert’s – returning 44 years later to paint Schwanengesang, and Anne Sofie the picture above the high altar. von Otter sings works by Schumann Our tour to the 2020 festival will take and Schubert, while award-winning in a mixture of afternoon and evening pianist Paul Lewis brings us sonatas concerts ranging from intimate piano

by Beethoven. By day, we will enjoy a works to dramatic song recitals and medley of visits including excursions lively string quartets. Our opening to Lake Constance and the wonderful concert with Canadian baritone Rieger Orgelbau workshop Gerald Finley alongside English pianist Julius Drake will bring us Schubert’s There are few more idyllic settings to final song collection, Schwanengesang appreciate some of the world’s best (‘Swansong’), based around the beautiful song, chamber and piano concerts poetry of Ludwig Rellstab and Heinrich than the Vorarlberg region in Austria, Heine. Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie where the charming Austrian village of von Otter, meanwhile, will light up Schwarzenberg commands panoramic our second evening with works by views across lush meadows to the soaring Schubert, Schumann and Lindblad.

Alps. Each summer, amidst the tranquil mountain scenery of the Bregenz Forest, While Schubert is at the heart of specially selected musicians – from the festival, this year’s tour will also well-known performers to up-andinclude works by C P E Bach, Liszt, coming artists – gather to present a Beethoven, Dvořák and Janáček. The dynamic selection of Schubert’s music latter’s String Quartet No 2 will offer a alongside works by other composers. particularly intimate glimpse into the composer’s romantic connection with Our venue is the Angelika Kauffmann his muse Kamila Stösslová through Hall, named after the 18th century a series of love letters, performed by Swiss-born painter and founding the Pavel Haas Quartet. Recitals with member of the Royal Academy in two pianists – Marc-André Hamelin, London. Kauffmann spent her early praised widely by audiences and critics years in Schwarzenberg, where, aged 40

worldwide, and the award-winning Paul Lewis CBE (who completed a full ‘cycle’ of Beethoven’s concertos for the BBC Proms in 2010) – will round off our stimulating musical programme.

Daytime visits will include a guided tour of Schwarzenberg alongside excursions to the splendid Rieger Orgelbau workshop, Hohenems and the charming town of Lindau in the Lake Constance area.

We will stay at the four-star Hotel Kreuz in Mellau, in the heart of the beautiful Bregenz Forest. Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some details (including the musical programme) may be subject to change nearer the time.

Tour Director Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil a former ACE Bursary student, holds a Junior Fellowship at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. A solo organist whose career has taken him all over the world, he won the Poul Ruders Prize at the 2011 Odense International Organ Competition, and has held a number of prestigious positions as organist, most recently at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.

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AUSTRIA

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0925 on British Airways, arriving Zurich 1220. Transfer to Mellau for seven nights at Hotel Kreuz. Evening song recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Gerald Finley (baritone) and Julius Drake (piano): Schubert Schwanengesang; Brahms Vier ernste Gesänge (‘Four Serious Songs’) Op 121; Schubert Schwanengesang.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by chamber concert at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Pavel Haas Quartet with Daniel Müller-Schott (viola): Janáček String Quartet No 2 ‘Intimate Letters’; Schubert String Quintet in C, D 956. Afternoon song recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) and Kristian Bezuidenhout (piano): works by Schubert, Schumann and Adolf Fredrik Lindblad.

Day 3 Morning: visit to Rieger Orgelbau workshop and to Egg (spectacular views across the Vorarlberg mountains). Afternoon song recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Christiane Karg (soprano) and Gerold Huber (piano): works by Schubert. Evening piano recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Marc-André Hamelin (piano): works

by C P E Bach, Schubert, Liszt and Beethoven.

Day 4 Morning lecture followed by guided tour of Schwarzenberg: Heimathaus Museum, church. Afternoon song recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Sophie Rennert (mezzo-soprano) and Graham Johnson (piano): works by Schubert and Schumann. Evening chamber concert at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Hagen Quartet: Schubert String Quartet in B flat, D 36; Dvořák Cypresses Nos 1, 2, 5, 11; Schubert String Quartet No 14 in D minor ‘Death and the Maiden’.

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Day 5 Excursion by coach to the Lake Constance area, including a visit to the picturesque town of Lindau.

Day 6 Morning: depart by coach for Hohenems for guided tour of the Jewish Museum.

Afternoon piano recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Paul Lewis (piano): Beethoven Sonata in E flat, Op 27/1, Fantasy in G minor Op 77, Sonata in C sharp minor, Op 27/2; Schubert Sonata in G. Day 7 Morning: optional gentle Alpine walk with local guide. Afternoon chamber concert at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Quatuor Ébène: Beethoven String Quartet in F, Op 59/1, String Quartet in B flat, Op 130, Große Fuge, Op 133. Evening song recital at the Kauffmann Hall featuring Christoph Prégardien (tenor) and Michael Gees (piano) / works by Schubert.

MUSIC

Lindau and Lake Constance

Cost of £2945 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a double bedded room with a balcony, performances as described, breakfast, four lunches, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities.Not included: travel insurance, single room with balcony supplement £45, double room (no balcony) for single use supplement £165.

TOUR CODE: SCSC20 .

Day 8 Free time in Mellau. Depart Zurich 1605, arriving Heathrow 1655.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that while this tour will not be particularly strenuous, participants should have a good level of general fitness and be comfortable exploring Berlin on foot. Some visits will involve traversing uneven ground. Please note that all performances are currently subject to confirmation and some itinerary details may be adjusted nearer the time.

Schubert

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2020 FULL SCHEDULE

2020 Schedule Overview What follows is an overview of all our departures currently on sale for 2020.

New tours will also be announced on a regular basis on our website.

Please visit www.aceculturaltours.co.uk for more details.

January 5 - 11 Orthodox Christmas in Moscow 10 - 16 Valletta International Baroque Festival 14 - 20 Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Leipzig 15 - 29 Ethiopia 16 - 23 The Holy Land 20 - 2/2 Cambodia & Laos 25 - 31 Mozart Festival in Salzburg 27 - 31 Wildlife of the Suffolk Coast:

Minsmere & Orford Ness 31 - 6/2 Pompeii with Herculaneum

February 3-7 8 - 13 12 - 15 21 - 23

24 - 29 20 - 23

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Art Treasures of Dresden Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester Somerset Levels in Winter Cambridge Churches, College Chapels & Organs Early Christian & Medieval Rome Bath Bachfest

March 1 - 7 Music & Opera in New York 2-6 Roman & Byzantine Ravenna 2 - 9 Art on the Cote d’Azur 3-9 Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour 3 - 10 Vasari: Father of Art History 15 - 22 Beethoven in Bonn: A Cycle of Symphonies 20 - 31 Uzbekistan: Cities of the Silk Road 23 - 26 Art Collections of Liverpool 23 - 28 Aquileia: City of Antiquity 23 - 30 Art Treasures of St Petersburg 24 - 5/4 Algeria: Rome Meets the Sahara 26 - 30 Eboracum:York & the Roman North 26 - 2/4 Riviera di Levante: From Genoa to Pisa 27 - 3/4 Isle of Man 30 - 5/4 Art in Berlin 30 - 6/4 Roussillon

April 6 - 16 Athens, Delphi & the Peloponnese 6 - 17 Jazz: From New Orleans to Memphis 7 - 14 Sardina: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi 8 - 16 Leipzig at Easter 9 - 14 Festtage: Mozart & Beethoven in Berlin 11 - 28 Chinese Civilisation 14 - 20 Glasgow: Patrons, Art & Innovation 14 - 21 Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans 15 - 19 Flemish Painting: From van Eyck to Rubens 17 - 26 Camino de Santiago: Pilgrims,

Cathedrals & Castles 20 - 27 The Dordogne 22 - 1/5 Albania: From the Illyrians to the Ottomans 25 - 1/5 Bologna, Mantua & Parma 26 - 2/5 Provence River Cruise

27 - 2/5

27 - 11/5 28 - 5/5

Cornwall: St Ives & the Newlyn School of Painters Lycian Cruise Wild Poland: From Ancient Rivers to Primeval Forest

May 6 - 10 Northamptonshire Country Houses 6 - 13 Citadels of Transylvania 8 - 13 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam 9 - 16 Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes 11 - 18 Jewels of the Loire: Medieval &

Renaissance Chateaux 12 - 16 Great Bardfield & Beyond: Mid-

Century Art & Design in East Anglia 12 - 19 Isles of Scilly 13 - 18 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam 13 - 20 Albi & the Languedoc 13 - 20 Gardens of the Republic of Ireland 13 - 22 Ancient Sicily 17 - 2/6 Japan in Springtime: Art, Temples

& Gardens 19 - 22 Churches of Norfolk: An

Appointment with Angels 20 - 27 Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura 20 - 30 Cyclades: Ancient Islands of the Aegean 22 - 29 Douro River Cruise on the

Royal Barge 26 - 29 Wild & Ancient Dartmoor

June 1-4 1-8

1-15

2-8

The Pre-Raphaelites in Oxford From Madrid to Toledo: Trade, Treasure & the World of Philip II Kazakhstan: From the Silk Road to Sir Norman Foster Lincolnshire Halls & Houses

acecultur altour s.co.uk

2020 FULL SCHEDULE 7 - 20 Baltic States 8 - 18 From Washington to Jamestown 15 - 21 Madeira: Pearl of the Atlantic 15 - 22 Bach Festival in Leipzig 15 - 27 Northern Greece 16 - 22 Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Budapest 21 - 27 Provence River Cruise 21 - 29 Donegal & Tory Island 22 - 28 The Ariège 22 - 29 The Shetland Islands 23 - 28 Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design 25 - 4/7 Lorraine 29 - 2/7 Constable and Gainsborough in Suffolk

July 1 - 8 Medieval Burgundy 2 - 6 The Golden Age of Dutch Painting 2-7 Verona Opera Festival 4 - 11 Wild & Ancient Orkney 5 - 12 Iceland: History & Landscape 6-9 Artists of the North 6 - 9 Norfolk in Summer 6 - 13 Wildlife of the Austrian Alps 7 - 19 Teutonic Knights 13 - 17 Prehistoric & Roman Anglesea & Snowdonia 20 - 24 Houses & Gardens of

Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders 22 - 28 Farthest Frontier: Roman Scotland

& the Antonine Wall 29 - 6/8 The Hanseatic League

August 4 - 7 4 - 12 4 - 15 7 - 15

10 - 14 Art Collections & Stately Homes of

the West Country 10 - 14 Roman Kent: Towns, Forts & Frescoes 22 - 29 Schubert in Schwarzenberg 25 - 6/9 Pomerania 31 - 7/9 Old Castile: From the Romans to El Cid 31 - 9/9 Danube Cruise

September 1 - 16 Flowers of the Fairest Cape: From

the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean 3 - 8 Art Nouveau in Belgium 3 - 8 Edinburgh: Scottish Houses, Castles

& Interiors 7 - 11 Derbyshire Halls & Houses 7 - 11 Northumbria in the First Millennium 7 - 13 Oberammergau Passion Play 8 - 18 Ancient Sicily 11 - 22 Uzbekistan: Cities of the Silk Road 14 - 18 Roman & Byzantine Ravenna 14 - 18 Norfolk Country Houses 14 - 21 Hill Towns of Umbria 20 - 3/10 Borneo 21 - 25 Chichester & the South Downs 21 - 25 Yorkshire Country Houses 21 - 26 Aquileia: City of Antiquity 21 - 28 Art on the Cote d’Azur 21 - 2/10 Serbian Monasteries 22 - 25 Churches of Norfolk: An

Appointment with Angels 22 - 28 Art & Architecture of Puglia 25 - 2/10 Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge 28 - 3/10 Imperial Rome, Ostia & Tivoli

October 1-8 Syracuse 2-9 Wildlife of Albania 5 - 9 Bruges 5 - 12 Roussillon 6 - 12 Ancient Crete & Santorini 9 - 15 Pompeii with Herculaneum 15 - 24 Palladio & Villas of the Veneto 19 - 29 Jordan 22 - 1/11 Ancient Cyprus 22 - 6/11 Thailand 23 - 10/11 In Search of China’s White Gold 26 - 2/11 Piero della Francesca

November 1 - 14 West Japan & the Inland Sea: Art & Pilgrimage 8 - 23 Goa: Portuguese Heritage,

Landscape & Wildlife 17 - 1/12 South Korea 21 - 5/12 Odisha

CAN’T FIND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? To be the first to know about new departures and destinations that you would be interested in travelling to, please contact the ACE office to register your interest.

Artists’ Houses in Sussex Denmark: Ancient and Modern Russia’s Golden Ring Arctic Finland & Norway

Tea Plantation, South Korea

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AC E C ULT U R A L TO U RS

ACE CULTURAL TOURS Stapleford Granary Bury Road Stapleford CAMBRIDGE CB22 5BP

01223 841055 ace@aceculturaltours.co.uk www.aceculturaltours.co.uk