Cultural Tours & Music Holidays 2020 | Kirker Holidays

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c u lt u r a l t o u r s & m u s i c h o l i d ay s

CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS F O R

D I S C E R N I N G

J A N U A R Y

january – december 2020

ART

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AR CHITECTURE

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GARDENS

T R A V E L L E R S

D E C E M B E R

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AR CHAEOLOGY

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HISTORY

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wine

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M U S IC

CULTURAL TOURS: ALBANIA • belgium • FRANCE • georgia & armenia • germany • greece • ireland • italy • Jordan • malta • morocco Portugal • romania • Russia • Spain • sri lanka • turkey • uzbekistan EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS: cornwall • east sussex • ischia • Lake como • leipzig mallorca • TENERIFE • villa medici giulini • music cruises ESCORTED Holidays TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & events: amsterdam • baden-baden • berlin • bonn • budapest • buxton cheltenham • dresden • GRAFENEGG • La FENICE, venice • LA SCALA, milan • new york • norfolk • puccini sweden • three choirs

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DEPARTURES This list of holidays is updated regularly with additional tour departures added throughout the year. Please visit our website or telephone 020 7593 2284 to speak to an expert consultant for the most up-to-date information.

JANUARY 2020 19th The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife

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MARCH 2020 1st 9th 11th 12th 13th 14th 17th 17th 23rd 23rd 23rd 23rd 24th 25th 30th

Dutch Masters & Music in Amsterdam & The Hague The Kirker Spring Music Festival at the Hotel Tresanton, St. Mawes The Heart of Sri Lanka La Scala, Milan Jordan – The Land of T.E. Lawrence The Beethoven Festival in Bonn Seville & Andalucia Art & Music of the Low Countries The Grandeur of Rome Lucca & The Lucchese Hills The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo Málaga – Picasso & Beyond Opera & Music in Budapest Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York

17 10 68 28 66 20 53 14 34 41 47 55 30 62 32

APRIL 2020 1st 9th 15th 17th 19th 20th 20th 20th 20th 22nd 22nd 22nd 22nd 22nd 24th 24th 27th 27th 28th

Music & Art in Berlin Music in Baden-Baden Art of the Côte d’Azur Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara The Bay of Naples The Hill Towns of Le Marche Sicily – An Enigmatic Island Gardens of the Riviera Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castile Opera & Art in Dresden Opera & Music in Budapest Parma, Cremona & Mantua Madrid & Old Castille The Duke of Wellington & The Peninsular War Van Gogh & Cezanne in Roman Provence The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Leipzig – City of Music Liguria & The Cinque Terre The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York

23 22 48 38 44 40 43 49 54 21 30 39 52 57 51 60 12 46 32

MAY 2020 1st 5th 6th 8th 9th 12th 14th 17th 17th 18th 18th 27th 29th 31st 31st 31st

Uzbekistan – The Land Beyond The River Wines of Rioja & Northern Spain The Italian Lakes – Gardens & Villas of Como & Maggiore Carcassonne & Albi Palladian Villas & The Art of The Veneto The Norwegian Fjords in Spring Classical Athens & The Peloponnese Puglia – A Land of Conquest A Journey Through Romania Villas & Gardens Around Rome Umbria – The Essence of Italy Music & Art in Berlin Venice & Opera at La Fenice Dutch Masters & Music in Amsterdam & The Hague Opera & Ballet in Stockholm Gardens of Marrakech

65 71 37 50 45 15 63 42 59 35 36 23 29 17 18 67

JUNE 2020 3rd 7th 19th 29th

The Italian Lakes – Gardens & Villas of Como & Maggiore The Kirker Music Festival on Lake Como Albania & The Island of Corfu La Scala, Milan

37 7 64 28

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Venice & Opera at La Fenice The Buxton International Festival

The Cheltenham Music Festival The Buxton International Festival The Gardens of Wicklow Nuremburg & Franconia Music in Baden-Baden The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester

27 26 69 58 22 24 24

AUGUST 2020 5th The Puccini Opera Festival 10th The North Norfolk Music Festival

31 25

SEPTEMBER 2020 1st 1st 2nd 4th 5th 7th 8th 9th 13th 14th 14th 14th 20th 21st 24th 25th 27th 28th 28th 29th

The Villa Medici Giulini Collection Umbria – The Essence of Italy The Grafenegg Music Festival The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Palladian Villas & The Art of The Veneto Venice & Opera at La Fenice Art of the Côte d’Azur Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara Gardens of the Riviera Parma, Cremona & Mantua Liguria & The Cinque Terre A Wine Tour of Georgia & Armenia Sicily – An Enigmatic Island The Hill Towns of Le Marche Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castile Uzbekistan – The Land beyond the River Van Gogh & Cezanne in Roman Provence Villas & Gardens Around Rome Classical Athens & The Peloponnese The Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca

11 36 19 60 45 29 48 38 49 39 46 73 43 40 54 65 51 35 63 9

OCTOBER 2020 2nd 4th 6th 7th 8th 9th 9th 11th 11th 12th 13th 18th 19th 21st

The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Gardens of Marrakech Madrid & Old Castille The Duke of Wellington & The Peninsular War Art, Music & Literature in Moscow Carcassonne & Albi Albania & The Island of Corfu Venice & Opera at La Fenice Puglia – A Land of Conquest Wines of Sicily The Kirker Ischia Music Festival A Journey Through Romania Jordan – The Land of T.E. Lawrence The Western Front – The Road to Victory

60 67 52 57 61 50 64 29 42 72 6 59 66 56

NOVEMBER 2020 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd 4th 6th 10th 18th 22nd 29th

Sicily – An Enigmatic Island The Heart of Sri Lanka The Grandeur of Rome The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo Lucca & The Lucchese Hills Seville & Andalucia Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul The Bay of Naples Málaga – Picasso & Beyond La Scala, Milan Reims & Champagne The Kirker Chamber Music Festival in Alfriston, East Sussex

43 68 34 47 41 53 62 44 55 28 70 13

DECEMBER 2020

JULY 2020 1st 2nd

2nd 6th 6th 20th 22nd 25th 29th

29 26

14th Nuremburg & Franconia

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FOR DISCERNING TRAVELLERS

4 WATERLOO COURT • 10 THEED STREET • LONDON SE1 8ST Tel: 020 7593 2284 • Fax: 020 4593 1461 • culturaltours@kirkerholidays.com • www.kirkerholidays.com

Welcome to the new, updated Kirker Cultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure for 2020.

We look forward to welcoming you on one of our escorted holidays soon – whether it is a cultural tour with a focus on art, history, architecture, gardens or battlefields, one of our new wine tours, or perhaps a music holiday to a major festival or opera event or an exclusive Kirker Music Festival.

Our groups typically consist of 12-22 like-minded participants (more for Exclusive Kirker Music Festivals) in the company of an expert tour lecturer, and each itinerary is based on meticulous research and is carefully planned to include visits to places that are not usually available to visitors. Many of our clients enjoy the social aspects of our holidays and so we include a number of dinners at favourite local restaurants, but we also take care to ensure that every itinerary retains a certain amount of free time for independent exploration.

Each of Kirker’s Tour Lecturers has many years of experience, and they have all been carefully selected for their conviviality as well as for their expert knowledge. They take immense care to ensure that all participants get the most out of the holiday – whether it is their first or twenty-first Kirker experience.

Our ever-popular series of exclusive Kirker Music Festivals combines fascinating excursions with sublime concerts given by acclaimed international musicians – who often perform at venues such as the Wigmore Hall or St John’s Smith Square – as well as the unique opportunity to spend time getting to know the performers over dinner and drinks in exceptional settings; from the elegant Hotel Tresanton in Cornwall to the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples.

In addition to our own festivals, we also offer a wide range of holidays to Europe’s leading classical music and opera events, from world-renowned festivals such as Grafenegg in Austria and the Puccini Festival in Tuscany, to the great opera houses of Europe – such as La Fenice in Venice and La Scala in Milan, where we combine opera performances with guided visits to important museums and art galleries.

Our programme of Cultural Tours includes a broad selection of itineraries designed for those with an interest in art, architecture, history, archaeology, gardens, battlefields and wine. For 2020 we are delighted to introduce a number of new tours to destinations including Provence, Franconia and the Veneto and Ireland, Morocco and Greece.

If you are considering a private tour, perhaps to celebrate a special birthday with friends, or travelling with a local society, please do call 020 7593 2284 to speak to an expert.We would be delighted to create a special itinerary tailored to your needs, and take full responsibility for the smooth running of your holiday.

We look forward to welcoming you on a Kirker Cultural Tour or Music Holiday soon.

Andrew Layard

Ted Wake Joint managing direCtor and direCtor of SaleS & marketing

CommerCial & ProduCt direCtor

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE – HIGHLY COMMENDED TOP TOUR OPERATOR 2018 CLASSIC FM – 25TH ANNIVERSARY ‘SILVER TRAVELLER’ AWARD WINNER 2017 COMUNE DI VENEZIA – LION OF ST. MARK GOLD AWARD FOR TOURISM 2016 SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL MAGAZINE – WINNER ‘BEST VALUE TRAVEL COMPANY’ 2016

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DESTINATIONS EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS

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England The Kirker Spring Music Festival at the Hotel Tresanton, St. Mawes

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The Kirker Chamber Music Festival in Alfriston

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The Kirker Ischia Music Festival

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The Kirker Music Festival on Lake Como

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The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife

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The Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca

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Music Cruises Art & Music of the Low Countries

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The Norwegian Fjords in Spring

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Austria The Grafenegg Music Festival

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England

A Wine Tour of Georgia & Armenia

73

Nuremburg & Franconia

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Classical Athens & The Peloponnese

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Ireland The Gardens of Wicklow

69

The Grandeur of Rome

34

Villas & Gardens Around Rome

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Umbria – The Essence of Italy

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The Italian Lakes – Gardens & Villas of Como & Maggiore

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Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara

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Parma, Cremona & Mantua

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The Hill Towns of Le Marche

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Lucca & The Lucchese Hills

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Puglia – A Land of Conquest

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Sicily – An Enigmatic Island

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The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester

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The Bay of Naples

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The North Norfolk Music Festival

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Palladian Villas & The Art of The Veneto

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The Buxton International Festival

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Liguria & The Cinque Terre

46

The Cheltenham Music Festival

27

Wines of Sicily

72

Germany

Jordan

The Beethoven Festival in Bonn

20

Opera & Art in Dresden

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Music in Baden-Baden

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Music & Art in Berlin

23

Holland Dutch Masters in Amsterdam & The Hague

Opera & Music in Budapest

The Land of T. E. Lawrence

The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo

47

Morocco Gardens of Marrakech Portugal

30

Romania

The Duke of Wellington & the Peninsular War

Italy

66

Malta

17

Hungary

A Journey Through Romania

67

57

59

La Scala, Milan

28

Venice & Opera at La Fenice

29

The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg

60

The Puccini Opera Festival

31

Art, Music & Literature in Moscow

61

Sweden Opera & Ballet in Stockholm

The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York CULTURAL TOURS

Madrid & Old Castille

52

Seville & Andalucía

53

32

Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castile

54

33

Málaga – Picasso & Beyond

55

Wines of Rioja & Northern Spain

71

Albania Albania & The Island of Corfu

Russia

Spain 18

USA

64

Sri Lanka

Art of the Côte d’Azur

48

Turkey

Gardens of the Riviera

49

Carcassonne & Albi

50

Van Gogh & Cezanne in Roman Provence

51

The Heart of Sri Lanka

France

4

Georgia & Armenia

Italy

Spain

ESCORTED HOLIDAYS TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & EVENTS

70

Greece

Italy

The Villa Medici Giulini Collection

56

Reims & Champagne

Germany

Germany Leipzig – City of Music

The Western Front – The Road to Victory

Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul

68

62

Uzbekistan The Land Beyond The River

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EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS Kirker’s annual series of Exclusive Music Festivals features private concerts by highly acclaimed musicians in beautiful settings.

Each of these holidays is unique, and includes a special programme of music prepared by our Director of Music Simon Rowland-Jones, and performed exclusively for Kirker clients by musicians of the highest calibre. Artists, concert programmes and venues have all been carefully arranged to create an atmosphere akin to a country house party where audiences and musicians share in the experience – group sizes for our Exclusive Kirker Music Festivals tend to be 40-60 participants.

One of the highlights for many clients is the opportunity to combine first-class concerts with private drinks parties and dinner in the company of the musicians – who also relish building a rare rapport with their audience over several days.

2020 kirker MUSIC FESTIVALs We start the year with an opportunity to enjoy warm winter sunshine in Tenerife, before heading to the Hotel Tresanton in St. Mawes during the spring and then to the shores of Lake Como in June. At the end of summer we travel south to Chopin’s Mallorca and to La Mortella on the island of Ischia, as well as enjoying a fascinating holiday based at an elegant private villa in Lombardy, which has its own collection of historic instruments. ●

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The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife, page 8 19 January 2020 The perfect escape from the British winter, our Tenerife Festival, based at the Botanico in Puerto de la Cruz, promises warm sunshine, a series of guided excursions and six wonderful chamber music concerts.

Featuring: Daniel Lebhardt, piano;The Castalian String Quartet; Christopher Monckton, organ

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The Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca, page 9 29 September 2020 We return to the pretty village of Banyalbufar on Mallorca’s dramatic northern coast for one of our most popular music festivals.

Featuring:The Carducci String Quartet; Martin Roscoe, piano; Morgan Szymanski, guitar; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

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The Kirker Ischia Music Festival, page 6 13 October 2020 This will be the 15th consecutive year that we return to the Bay of Naples for our popular Music Festival on the beautiful island of Ischia. Our concerts take place in the concert hall at La Mortella, the home for many years of Sir William and Lady Walton.

Featuring:The Castalian String Quartet; Alessandro Fisher, tenor; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Ashok Gupta, piano

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The Kirker Chamber Music Festival in Alfriston, East Sussex, page 13 29 November 2020 This is our ninth consecutive annual festival based at Deans Place in the heart of the South Downs where we enjoy three wonderful chamber music concerts.

Featuring:The Doric String Quartet; Melvyn Tan, Piano; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

The Kirker Spring Music Festival at the Hotel Tresanton, St. Mawes, page 10 9 March 2020 Every year since 2009, Olga Polizzi’s Hotel Tresanton in St. Mawes, Cornwall, has hosted our popular spring Festival; 2020 promises more hospitable service, great food and exceptional music making.

Featuring:The Piatti String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Leipzig - City of Music, page 12 27 April 2020 With its magnificent musical heritage, Leipzig is the perfect destination for this festival celebrating the music of Bach, Schumann and Mendelssohn. Private concerts combine with a performance by the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at the Leipzig Oper.

Featuring:The Gould Piano Trio; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

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The Kirker Music Festival on Lake Como, page 7 7 June 2020 We return to Moltrasio on the western shores of Lake Como Featuring: Bjørg Lewis, cello; Jonathan Stone, violin; Samuele Tellari, accordion; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Sholto Kynoch, piano; Quartetto Nous The Villa Medici Giulini Collection, page 11 1 September 2020 After a highly successful debut in 2019, we return to Fernanda Giulini’s private villa in the village of Briosco between Milan and Como where Melvyn Tan introduces us to a matchless collection of historic pianos.

Featuring: Melvyn Tan, piano

MUSIC festivals at sea For those who enjoy listening to sublime music as you glide between ports of call, our annual series of Music Festivals at Sea offer the perfect solution. Departing from Southampton and Liverpool on board Fred. Olsen’s recently refurbished Black Watch, our two sailings in 2020 will include a series of private concerts and carefully planned exclusive Kirker shore excursions at key ports. ●

Art & Music in the Low Countries, page 12 17 March 2020, departing from Southampton Our music cruise to the Low Countries features five exclusive concerts on board Black Watch and a series of optional excursions to major and important art cities.

Featuring:The Aquinas Piano Trio; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

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The Norwegian Fjords, page 13 12 May 2020, departing from Liverpool Always a popular destination for a Kirker Music Cruise, we will once again explore Norway’s beautiful fjords and provide optional excursions in Oslo, Stravanger, Bergen and Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. Featuring:Thomas Lonquich, clarinet; Jonathan Slaatto, cello; Martin Qvist Hansen, Erike Heide, piano; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola;The Marmen Quartet;Tim Horton, piano

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exclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER ISCHIA MUSIC FESTIVAL A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 OCTOBER 2020 For over a decade we have presented a series of concerts on the beautiful island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples with some of the world’s most distinguished chamber musicians, pianists and singers. All six concerts are private and arranged exclusively for our clients and they are held in the concert hall at La Mortella, next to the study where Sir William Walton composed.The hall is reached via the glorious garden at La Mortella which was created by Lady Walton over many years.

music programme the ITINERARy We stay at the 5 star Albergo San Montano with its stunning hilltop location and panoramic views around the Bay of Naples. It is just a few minutes’ drive from the pretty village of Laco Ameno; a minibus shuttle operates on request throughout the day. The hotel has several pools, (one thermal), a spa, terraces, a bar and restaurant. We include a guided tour of the garden at La Mortella and a half-day sightseeing tour of Ischia. There are three optional tours; one to Herculaneum and the Villa Oplontis, one to Naples where we see two paintings by Caravaggio, visit the Cathedral of San Gennaro and take a tour of the Teatro San Carlo; the third is a half-day exploration of the Ischia countryside during which we visit a vineyard and enjoy a winetasting with local produce.

the musicians The Castalian String Quartet are now Young Concert Artist Trust performers which ensures their prominence at home and overseas. They have enjoyed a residency at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh and in 2018 were presented with the inaugural Merito String Quartet Award/Valentin Erben Prize and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship Award in recognition of their achievements. Highlights for their 2020 season will include their debut at Carnegie Hall and the Dresden Music Festival.

Tenor Alessandro Fisher won the much-coveted Kathleen Ferrier Award in 2016. He is currently a BBC Young Generation Artist and an Associate Artist of Classical Opera.

He has sung principal roles for the Royal Opera, London, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and at the Salzburg Festival and, most recently, sang Fenton in The Grange Festival’s acclaimed production of Falstaff.

Ashok Gupta, piano, studied at Cambridge, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He is also a continuo player and has performed with many leading orchestras including The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Mozarteum Orchestra. He will perform with Alessandro Fisher at Wigmore Hall, Oxford Lieder and the North Norfolk Music Festival during the 2019/20 season.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, is well known to audiences as one of the country’s leading and most distinguished chamber musicians. He is also a composer and teaches at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

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There will be six concerts at La Mortella.

The Castalian String Quartet will play quartets by Franck, Beethoven Op.132 quartet, Janacek’s dramatic quartet ‘Kreutzer Sonata,’ ‘Arcadiana’ by Thomas Ades, Mozart’s string quartet No.23, and the serene slow movement from William Walton’s string quartet. Puccini’s youthful and sublime ‘Crisantemi,’ which the composer used later in his opera Manon Lescaut is also included.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, will join the quartet for performances of two string quintets by Brahms and Mozart and the Castalian will be joined by Ashok Gupta for performances of two piano quintets by Schumann and Franck.

Alessandro Fisher and Ashok Gupta will give two recitals and their programmes will include arias from operas by Donizetti,Verdi and other Italian composers. Alessandro has Italian parentage and will sing a selection of traditional songs from Naples, Liguria and Lombardy. Alessandro will join the Castalian String Quartet in a performance of Vaughan Williams’s A Shropshire Lad set to words by A. E. Housman.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 13 October £2,659 £357 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Upgraded room supplements (per room): garden view with balcony £122; side sea view £164; front sea view £326. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 12.50 arrive Naples 16.35 Depart Naples 17.30 arrive London Gatwick 19.25 Alternative flights may be available from regional airports − please call us for details

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what we include Return flights to Naples Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner Six private concerts plus a concert given as part of the Walton Concert Series A half day tour of Ischia and a private guided tour of the gardens at La Mortella The services of the Kirker Tour Leaders

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exclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL ON LAKE COMO a six night holiday | 7 June 2020 We are returning to the mystical and romantic shores of Lake Como for our third consecutive Kirker Music Festival.The calm, deep waters of the lake are lined by elegant villas, imposing cypresses and dense vegetation all combining to create an air of timelessness.The low-arching mountains form a dramatic backdrop which has inspired writers, poets, composers and artists for centuries. Goethe’s Mignon spent her life yearning to be back in the beautiful place where citrus trees blossom. In Moltrasio where we stay, a statue of the composer,Vincenzo Bellini, reclines languidly by the lake, an elegant reminder that captures the spirit of the lake.

Hotel Imperiale

music programme the ITINERARY

We will travel by private boat to the Villa Balbianello, beautifully sited on its private promontory and then continue to nearby Lenno for an included lunch in a restaurant overlooking the lake. We will drive to the Villa Cicogna Mozzoni, a private villa with a splendid interior. Lunch will be included at one of Italy’s finest hotels, the Villa d’Este. We stay in the 4 star Grand Hotel Imperiale in Moltrasio, a small village on the shores of the lake. The hotel has a lakeside restaurant, renovated bedrooms, spacious lounges and a spa with an indoor pool. There will be free time for you to use the extensive ferry services that leave from right in front of the hotel.

Moltrasio has several excellent restaurants for you to enjoy.

The Musicians The Norwegian cellist Bjørg Lewis is a founder member of the Vertavo String Quartet. She now teaches at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo and with her husband, Paul, is Artistic Director of Midsummer Music in Buckinghamshire.

Jonathan Stone was Second Violin in the Doric String Quartet for 15 years. He is now a member of the Phoenix Piano Trio and makes guest appearances in a number of orchestras throughout Europe.

Samuele Tellari, accordion, studied at the conservatories in Cesena and Potenza and at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He is a member of Young Classical Artist Trust and this season will appear at Wigmore Hall.

Mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska grew up in Toronto where she studied at The Glenn Gould School. She completed her masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She is currently a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist.

Sholto Kynoch is one of Britain’s leading pianists and works extensively with a number of internationally known singers.

He is the Director of Oxford Lieder which attracts singers and chamber musicians to the city every autumn.

Formed in 2011, Quartetto Nous quickly became known throughout Italy, playing at every major concert society and at the Settimane Musicali on Lake Maggiore, one of Italy’s oldest festivals. They will play in UK during the 2019/20 season at London's Conway Hall and Kettle's Yard, Cambridge. optional visit to la scala, milan ON 9 june Fedora by Giordano with star soprano Sonya Yoncheva in the title role. Price £340 per person to include a first category ticket and return transfers to Milan.

7 June: Jonathan Stone, violin; Bjorg Lewis, cello; Sholto Kynoch, piano Beethoven:Violin Sonata in A Op.47,‘Kreutzer’ Schubert: Piano Trio in B flat D858 8 June: Jonathan Stone, violin; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Sholto Kynoch, piano Mozart: Duo for Violin and Viola in G K423 Ravel: Sonata for Violin and Cello Beethoven: String Trio in E flat Op.3 9 June: Jonathan Stone, violin; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Bjorg Lewis, cello; Sholto Kynoch, piano Britten: Lachrymae Shostakovich: Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op.40 Mozart: Piano Quartet in E flat K493 10 June: Ema Nikolovska, mezzo-soprano; Sholto Kynoch, piano A selection of Mignon songs to text by Goethe and a selection of arias from Italian operas 11 June: Ema Nikolovska, mezzo-soprano; Samuele TelariExhilarating and unusual works for classical accordion and voice will be interspersed by solo pieces of music by Schubert and Janacek 12 June: Quartetto Nous Boccherini: Quartet in D major, Op.8 No.1 Mendelssohn: Quartet in A minor, Op.13 Respighi: Quartet in D minor P91

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 7 June £2,897 £698 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Supplement for room with lake view: £554 per room flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.25 arrive Milan Linate 13.25 Depart Milan Linate 13.20 arrive London Heathrow 14.25

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what we include Return flights from London Heathrow to Milan Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and three lunches All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities Six concerts as described The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

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exclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TENERIFE a seven night holiday | 19 january 2020 Escape from the rigours of the British winter for a week of music making in the sub-tropical Canary Islands.We return to Tenerife in January for our fifth festival, staying at the splendid Hotel Botanico in Puerto de la Cruz.We will present a series of concerts in the hotel as well as in the nearby Casa Abaco, a grand 18th century Canarian mansion. Mass tourism is confined to an area far away from where we will be staying, and our tour will show you the island’s unspoilt volcanic landscape, well-preserved colonial villages and lush gardens. A visit to the Mount Teide National Park is one of the highlights of a fascinating week.

the ITINERARY In addition to our programme of concerts there will be a number of sightseeing excursions throughout the island. We will visit the Botanic Garden located just across from the hotel, and then go to the Sitio Litro Orchid Garden where more than three hundred varieties can be seen. Another excursion will visit Mount Teide National Park. There will be a drive along the spectacular north coast route to Maca, a tiny village clinging to a steep ravine, and to Garachico with its 17th century Franciscan convent. We will spend a morning in La Oratava, the most historic and picturesque town on the island. Here we find historic Canarian Mansions and fine churches. Christopher Monckton will give an organ recital at one of these churches during our visit.Visits to Santa Cruz and La Laguna are easily accessible by local bus services or taxi.

the hotel The 5 star Hotel Botanico is a long established and much loved property, surrounded by six acres of impeccably maintained gardens. There are spacious lounges, a bar and four restaurants. In addition, the hotel has indoor and outdoor swimming pools and an extensive spa. All the well-appointed bedrooms have balconies and look out either to the sea or inland to Mount Teide.

The Musicians Pianist Daniel Lebhardt was born in Hungary and studied at the Franz Liszt Academy and later at the Royal Academy of Music. He won First Prize in the Young Concert Artists auditions in Paris and New York. He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the USA and given many recitals in Europe. As a chamber musician, he works regularly with the Castalian String Quartet and the violinist Benjamin Baker.

The Castalian String Quartet are now Young Concert Artist Trust performers which ensures their prominence at home and overseas.They have enjoyed a residency at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh and have been chosen by Wigmore Hall to take a prominent role in its forthcoming Haydn quartet cycle.

Early in 2018 the quartet were presented with the inaugural Merito String Quartet Award/Valentin Erben Prize and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship Award in recognition of their achievements. In April 2019 they gave a five-concert tour of the USA and Canada ending at Lincoln Center for a concert in the Great Performers Series.

Tenor, pianist and organist, Christopher Monckton was an organ scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He now lives in Tenerife where he has enjoyed uncovering some of the island's historic organs.

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music programme 20 January: Christopher Monckton will open the Festival with an organ recital in a church in La Oratava.

21 January: Castalian String Quartet Beethoven: String quartet in B flat Op.18 No.6 Janacek: String quartet No 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’ Haydn: String quartet in F Op.77 No.2 22 January: Castalian String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Schumann: String Quartet in F Op.41 No.2 Dutilleux: Ainsi la nuit Brahms: String Quintet in F No.1 Op.88 23 January: Castalian String Quartet; Daniel Lebhardt, piano Beethoven: String Quartet in E minor Op.59 No.2 Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat Op.44 24 January: Castalian String Quartet Beethoven: String Quartet in G Op.18 No.2 Rowland-Jones: Festival Quartet Brahms: String Quartet in B flat Op.67 No.3 25 January: Daniel Lebhardt, piano Liszt: Harmonies du soir Granados: Escenas Romanticas Bartok: Out of Doors Suite SX81 BB89 Liszt: Rhapsodie Espagnole S254 R90

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 19 January £2,885 £398 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart Gatwick 12.45 arrive Tenerife 17.05 Depart Tenerife 17.45 arrive Gatwick 22.15 Alternative flights are available from regional airports – please call us for details what we include • Return flights to Tenerife • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Six dinners in a private room • Six concerts • All sightseeing, entry fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Christopher Monckton

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THE KIRKER CHOPIN FESTIVAL IN MALLORCA a six night holiday | 29 SEPTEMBER 2020 Our Kirker Music Festival in the pretty village of Banyalbufar on the glorious and dramatic north coast of Mallorca places Frédéric Chopin centre stage. Chopin and his lover, George Sand, stayed on the island for three months during the winter of 1838/39, at the monastery of Valldemossa.We stay at the family-owned 3 star Hotel Mar I Vent which has been in the ownership of the Vives family for more than 80 years.We are given a very warm welcome each year by the family and their friends and neighbours in the village. Many of the concerts are given in the village church, just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel.

A further concert is given in the elegant villa of San Marroig, once the home of the Hapsburg Archduke Luís Salvador.

Valldemossa

the ITINERARY Five varied excursions are included. We visit the elegant patrician hacienda of La Granja in a lovely valley setting. One day is spent visiting the port of Soller. From Palma we take the historic train that races through the mountainous heart of the island. We will spend an afternoon in the pretty village of Valldemossa, visit the famous monastery and see the room where Chopin stayed. We visit the house of Robert Graves in Deia, and afterwards the villa of San Marroig where we stay on for a concert. One day will be spent in Palma where we visit the Palau March museum in the historic centre of the city, to see a world-class collection of paintings by Spanish artists. There will also be a visit to the cathedral.

the hotel The Mar I Vent is a modest, comfortable hotel enjoying a spectacular location. Perched high on a cliff, all 29 rooms have a balcony and look out to sea, over the village below and along the unspoilt coastline. The hotel has a terrace where we dine on fine evenings. There is also a swimming pool. Banyalbufar is a small village with a number of shops, bars, restaurants and cafés.

The Musicians The Carducci String Quartet is one of the country’s leading quartets, playing in major concert halls and festivals every season.

They won the prestigious Philharmonic Society Award in 2018.

The quartet has taken part in several Kirker Music Festivals over the years and has a large and enthusiastic following.

Martin Roscoe, piano, is one of the best-known and most popular British musicians and has performed in every major venue and with all the leading orchestras over his long career.

He is the director of both the Ribble Valley Piano Week and the Beverley Chamber Music Festival and is a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Morgan Szymanski, guitar, is a very familiar name to music lovers not only in the UK but also in his native Mexico where he now spends much of the year. He studied in Edinburgh and later at the Royal College of Music with Gary Ryan. An imaginative programmer, his recent recording, which includes Simon Rowland-Jones’ work Banyalbufar, has won much praise.

Morgan recently celebrated his 40th birthday with a concert in his honour at the 2,000 seat Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, is well known to audiences as one of the country’s leading and most distinguished chamber musicians. He is also a composer and teaches at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

music programme 30 September: Morgan Szymanski, guitar; Simon RowlandJones, viola. The programme will include works by composers from Spain, Mexico,Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil together with a work composed by Simon Rowland-Jones for viola and guitar and named in honour of Banyalbufar.

1 October: Carducci String Quartet; Morgan Szymanski, guitar; Haydn: String Quartet Op.33 No. 2 ‘The Joke’; Beethoven: String Quartet in C minor, Op.18 No.4; Boccherini: String Quartet for Guitar and Strings in D, G448 2 October: Martin Roscoe, piano; A programme of works by Chopin: Barcarolle in F sharp Op.1; Mazurka in A minor, Op.17 No.4; Etude in C sharp minor, Op.25 No.7; Polonaise in A flat Op.53 ; Nocturne in D flat Op.27, No. 2 3 October: Carducci String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Chopin: Movements from the cello sonata; Beethoven: String Quartet in F minor, Op.95 ‘Serioso’; Mozart: String Quintet No. 3 in C major, K515 4 October: Carducci String Quartet; Martin Roscoe, piano; Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op.21; Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat,Op.44

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 29 September £2,548 £189 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for superior room: £210. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow at 09.50 arrive Palma 13.15 Depart Palma 14.35 arrive London Heathrow at 16.10 NB:There are flights to Palma from London Gatwick and City Airport as well as airports around the country – please tell us if you would prefer to fly from your local airport what we include • Return flights to Palma • Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner • Two lunches • Five concerts • All sightseeing as described and all entrance fees and gratuities

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THE KIRKER SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE HOTEL TRESANTON, ST. MAWES a THREE night holiday | 9 MARCH 2020 Our annual visit to Olga Polizzi’s fabled Hotel Tresanton in St. Mawes combines a relaxing spring escape in Cornwall with a series of worldclass chamber music recitals, and is a highlight of the Kirker calendar. Performances in 2020 will be given by the Piatti String Quartet and will include works by Brahms, Purcell, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven. In addition to the wonderful music on offer we will also enjoy a visit to the private garden at Lamorran, inspired

by Lady Walton’s garden on the island of Ischia.

MUSIC PROGRAMME

the hotel The 5 star Hotel Tresanton enjoys a wonderful position overlooking the sea. Olga Polizzi and her brother Sir Rocco Forte have won accolades around the world for their work as renowned hoteliers.

The hotel has 29 bedrooms, a terrace and a cosy bar. The menus for the three candlelit dinners will be carefully selected by the hotel’s chef to ensure guests enjoy the best locally sourced ingredients.

Please note that there is no lift at this hotel.

the musicians The Piatti String Quartet is one of the best known quartets of its generation. They came to international attention when they won 2nd prize in the 2015 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition. They appear regularly at major concert halls and festivals throughout Europe. Recent highlights include performances at the 2018 Aldeburgh Festival and at Temple Music, London and on our music cruise to the Canary Islands in February 2019 where they were greeted by our clients with enormous enthusiasm.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, is a leading chamber musician, composer and teacher who also finds time to plan and organise the programmes for the many Kirker Music Festivals each year.

He was a founder member of the Chilingirian String Quartet, teaches viola at the Royal College of Music, and Chamber Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The Piatti String Quartet

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Concerts take place in the Old Methodist Hall which has excellent acoustics for chamber music. Simon Rowland-Jones will give two musically illustrated talks with the quartet.

9 March: Purcell: Chacony in G minor arranged by Benjamin Britten Mendelssohn: String Quartet in F minor Op.80 Beethoven: String Quartet in C Op 59 No.2 ‘Razumovsky’ 10 March: Beethoven: String Quartet in F Op.18 No.1 Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8 in C minor Op.110 Brahms: String Quintet in G Op.111 Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, performs with the Piattis 11 March: Brahms: String Quartet in B flat Op.76 Beethoven: String Quartet in C sharp minor Op.131

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 9 March £1,268 £280 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Extra night available for £115 per person (single occupancy £215). Supplement for suites available on request. what we include • Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners at the hotel • Three concerts, two preceded by musically illustrated talks • A visit to Lamorran Gardens in St. Mawes • The services of the Kirker Tour Leaders Please make your own way by car to the hotel or by train to St. Austell station. optional excursion Lanhydrock House (11 March, 9.30am – 2.30pm) £60 per person. Rebuilt after a fire in 1881, Lanhydrock is a perfect example of a late Victorian country house and estate.

Our visit includes a private tour and a light lunch with time to enjoy the gardens

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THE VILLA MEDICI GIULINI COLLECTION ‘THE progress of the piano’ with melvyn tan a four night holiday | 1 SEPTEMBER 2020 This is a very special and unusual opportunity to join a private house party for Kirker clients, hosted by Fernanda Giulini whose private villa is the base for our visit. It is also an opportunity to get to know the pianist Melvyn Tan who will bring the beautiful instruments to life in three concerts and talks at both the Villa and Signora Giulini’s apartment in Milan.

The development of the piano is vividly explained in the three included recitals.

DAY

the Itinerary

VILLA MEDICI GIULINI

We fly to Milan Linate and transfer to the Villa Medici

We return to the Villa Medici Giulini, the home of Fernanda Giulini, in the village of Briosco between Milan and Como for the second consecutive year. The internationally known pianist, Melvyn Tan introduced us to Fernanda Giulini and her matchless collection of historic pianos a couple of years ago. It’s a wonderful experience to hear the pianos played by a pianist of Melvyn’s stature in the magnificent rooms of the 17th century villa, simultaneously both grand and intimate. Three dinners are taken at the Villa and one in her apartment in the heart of Milan where her collection of virginals, harpsichords and harps are kept. Wines from the Giulini vineyards are served with every dinner. After dinner, post prandial drinks will be served in a different room each evening. The Villa is very much a private home, not a hotel and our clients are looked after by Signora Giulini’s own staff.

1 Giulini, a journey of 40 minutes. There will be a drinks reception when we will be introduced to Melvyn and Signora Giulini, followed by dinner.

DAY

Melvyn will play a series of works on a selection of pianos that

2 Bach, Haydn and Mozart would have known.We will then

have lunch and shortly afterwards drive to Monza to visit one of Italy’s most important and historic churches. We will see the chapel of Queen Teodelinda and the famous Iron Cross in the Treasury before continuing to Milan where we will discover the exquisitely decorated keyboard instruments on display in Fernanda Giulini’s own apartment. After dinner here we will return to Briosco.

DAY

We drive to Lake Como and board a private boat to Villa

3 Balbianello, romantically sited on its own promontory.

Afterwards, we continue to the lakeside village of Lenno for lunch with views towards Bellagio. We will sail back to Como to board the coach to Briosco. This evening, Melvyn will play works by Beethoven and Schubert on the forte piano by Conrad Graf.

DAY

After breakfast we will drive to the home of Fernanda’s

4 brother,Vittorio. His villa is in the village of Velate, north of Varese. An English landscaped park stretches away from the villa.

Much fine topiary, parterres and specimen trees and shrubs create a cool, green veil which surrounds the villa. We will stay for lunch with Signor Giulini who is the President of the Association of Historic Houses of Lombardy. Melvyn’s concluding recital is on a Pleyel piano.

DAY

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We leave for Milan after breakfast.

melvyn tan One of the world’s best known and popular pianists, Melvyn continues to delight audiences worldwide. He arrived in England as a small boy from Singapore and studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and then at the Royal College of Music. Melvyn writes: “Although I have been performing from the collection for 30 years, I am still discovering new musical miracles.With the instruments from Mozart and Haydn’s time we hear a brittle, glass-like sound which was very much the kind the composers heard, and was reflected in the music they wrote.

Beethoven of course, when he became the toast of Vienna a few decades later, disliked these instruments and encouraged piano-makers to strive for a fuller sound, so the player could achieve a ‘cantabile,’ a singing quality to imitate the singers and string players of the day.The rest, as they say, is history, and the concept of the piano as we know it today was born.”

music programme The recitals and musically-illustrated introductions will be planned chronologically so that Melvyn will take you on a musical journey in which the development of the piano comes alive, in a setting of the utmost grandeur and intimacy.

Sala di Orfeo,Villa Medici Giulini

Price £1,996 per person to include flights with British Airways from Heathrow to Milan Linate (depart 12.00, return 13.20); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners and two lunches; talks and concerts as described; a copy of the illustrated souvenir guide to Villa Medici Giulini; all sightseeing, entrances and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader (single supplement £296).

Concert 1 on the Schantz and Walter pianos C P E Bach: Fantasy in C major Mozart: Sonata in D major K311 Haydn: Sonata in F major HOB: XVI/23 Beethoven: Sonata in F major Op.10 No.2 Concert 2 on the Graf piano Beethoven: Sonata No. 19 Op.27 No.2 ‘Moonlight’ Beethoven Sonata No.27 in E minor Op.90 Schubert: Sonata in A Op.120 Concert 3 on the Pleyel piano Liszt:Transcriptions of songs by Schubert and Reminiscences of Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti Schumann: Papillons Op.2 Chopin:Two scherzos

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exclusive kirker music festivalS

LEIPZIG – CITY OF MUSIC a six night holiday | 27 april 2020

the ITINERARY Our visit will include a guided walking tour of the historic centre of Leipzig. We start at the St. Nicholas Church, where silent protests in 1989 ultimately led to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and beyond. We will go to the school near the church where Wagner was a pupil and where he learned to play the piano. We will also visit the Bach Museum and St. Thomas’s Church, where Bach was the kantor. We will drive to Zwickau to see the house where Robert Schumann was born on 8 June 1810, and on another day to Köthen where Bach worked between 1717 and 1723 for Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen. Back in Leipzig we will make visits to the houses where Mendelssohn and Schumann lived. We will also tour the Grassi Museum, well known for its collection of historic instruments, and the church where Clara and Robert Schumann finally wed on 12 September 1840.

the hotel The 4 star Radisson Blu is a modern, design hotel in the heart of Leipzig and is the perfect base for our music festival. It is just 100 metres from the Gewandhaus Concert Hall and a short walk from the opera house and the historic Nikolaikirche. Decorated with warm colours and modern furniture, the rooms are light and spacious and there is a stylish bar and a good restaurant serving international favourites and local specialities.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 27 April £2,885 £332 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.55 arrive Berlin Tegel 13.45 Depart Berlin Tegel 14.30 arrive London Heathrow 15.35 • • • • • •

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what we include Return flights Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Tickets for performances as described All entrance fees and gratuities Four dinners and two lunches The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

Leipzig has one of the greatest musical histories of any city.

Johann Sebastian Bach worked here for 21 years, as Kantor at St.Thomas’s Church, until his death in 1725.Wagner was born in the city in 1813; Clara and Robert Schumann were married, against great odds, in 1840; and Felix Mendelssohn died at his home in Leipzig in 1847.

Countless other musicians had close associations with the city during the period when it was the centre of the musical world for aspiring composers.The great music publisher Peters Edition had its headquarters in the city. Our special holiday, which includes three private concerts as well as a performance by the Gewandhaus Orchestra and a visit to the opera, will introduce you to the places associated with Bach, Schumann,Wagner and Mendelssohn.

MUSIC PROGRAMME & musicians The Gould Piano Trio, (Lucy Gould, violin; Richard Lester, cello; Benjamin Frith, piano) is a familiar and much loved fixture in the world of chamber music. Each member of the trio holds teaching positions at major conservatoires and has been at the forefront of British musical life for more than a quarter of a century, giving concerts at major venues and festivals throughout the UK and abroad.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, has had a long and distinguished career as performer, teacher and composer, and is Kirker’s Director of Music. He is editor of the new Peters Edition of the Haydn String Quartets.

28 April – Bach Museum Lucy Gould; Richard Lester; Simon Rowland-Jones A programme of music by J S Bach Cello Suite No.4 in E flat BWV1010 Partita No. 2 in D minor BWV1004 Two-part inventions arranged for violin and viola by Ferdinand David 29 April – Robert Schumann House, Zwickau Gould Piano Trio; Simon Rowland-Jones Clara Schumann:Three Romances Op.11 Robert Schumann: Adagio and Allegro, Op.70 ;Trio No.2 in F Op.80; Piano Quartet in E flat Op47 30 April – Mendelssohn House Gould Piano Trio Mendelssohn: Sonata for Cello and Piano in B flat Op.45 Grieg: Lyric Pieces Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No.2 in C minor Op.66 Liszt:Transcription of Liebestod by Wagner INCLUDED PUBLIC CONCERTS 30 April, 8 pm - Gewandhaus Gewandhaus Orchestra; Andris Nelsons, conductor; Lisa Batiashvili, violin Dvořák :Violin Concerto in A minor Op.53 Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra Sz116 2 May, 3 pm - St Thomas’s Church We attend the weekly motet concert at the church.

2 May, 7.30pm - Leipzig Oper Die Zauberflöte by Mozart

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THE KIRKER CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ALFRISTON, EAST SUSSEX a three night holiday | 29 noveMBER 2020 We have been presenting our popular chamber music concerts in Alfriston for nine consecutive years. Many clients have been returning to Deans Place year after year, enjoying this pretty and historic Sussex village in the heart of the South Downs.There are superb views from the hotel and you can enjoy gentle walks along the winding River Cuckmere. In the village you will find the 14th century Alfriston Clergy House as well as a number of interesting shops and galleries. If you want to explore independently you can visit Berwick Church to see the once controversial murals by Duncan Grant. More of his work can be seen at Charleston Farmhouse with its associations with the Bloomsbury set.You may also wish to visit the excellent Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne.This year we include our most popular artists – the pianist Melvyn Tan and the Doric String Quartet.

the musicians Melvyn Tan, piano, was born in Singapore and came to England at a very young age to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School with Nadia Boulanger,Vlado Perlemuter and Marcel Ciampi. He has circled the globe giving solo recitals and as a soloist with the world’s leading orchestras in major concert halls and has been appointed as Artist in Residence at the new Yong Siew Toh Conservatory.

The Doric String Quartet has been one of the world’s leading string quartets for more than a decade. They have made many recordings with Chandos records over the years, their most recent being of performances of Haydn’s Op.33 quartets. They first won international recognition at the Osaka competition in 2008 and today, two of the quartet’s founding members, Alex Redington and John Myerscough, are joined

by Helene Clement from France and Ying Xue from China.

Their 2019/20 season includes performances at Oxford Lieder, a six city tour of Japan, Hamburg, Berlin, several concerts at Wigmore Hall and a tour of USA and Canada including a concert at Carnegie Hall.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, is well known to audiences as one of the country’s leading and most distinguished chamber musicians. He is also a composer and teaches at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

tour information

the hotel

The staff at the 3 star Deans Place Hotel, Alfriston, can be relied upon to provide the warmest of welcomes to our clients. The hotel has just 36 bedrooms and is set in four acres of impeccably maintained gardens. It is a few minutes’ walk to the village, which has a number of interesting shops. There is a comfortable lounge, a restaurant and a bar. The hotel does not have a lift but staff are on hand to help you with your luggage.

music programme The Doric String Quartet, joined by Simon Rowland-Jones, will give two concerts.Their programme will include performances from Haydn’s Op.33 quartets which they are recording during 2019/2020.This opus enjoys the nickname, ‘The Joke’.They will perform other works by Haydn, Beethoven and Britten as well as a piece by Britten’s teacher, Frank Bridge, Lament for Two Violas in which the quartet’s viola player, Helene Clement, will be joined by Simon Rowland-Jones. Helene plays on an 1843 Guissani viola, previously owned by Frank Bridge and Britten and on long term loan from the Britten-Pears Organisation in Aldeburgh. Rowland-Jones composed a quartet for the Dorics in 2014.’ Caravaggio’ inspired by that artist’s masterpiece in St John Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

Melvyn Tan will give a solo piano recital and his programme will include Four Scherzi by Chopin, some of the most dazzlingly virtuosic keyboard music ever composed, together with works by Beethoven, including Sonata No.30 in E, Op.109.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 29 November £1,130 £159 Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

• • • • • •

what we include Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners Three concerts with programme notes Two musically illustrated talks by Simon Rowland-Jones All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader The Doric String Quartet

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KIRKER MUSIC CRUISES For those who have yet to join us on a Kirker Music Festival at Sea, you have a wonderful experience to look forward to.

We have been sailing on Fred. Olsen’s Black Watch, with carefully selected groups of musicians, for over a decade and every year brings a new and unique combination of music and place.The Kirker party make up a small proportion of the total guests on board, and we enjoy our own programme of exclusive concerts interviews and talks, which are not open to the rest of the passengers. Perhaps the highlight for many guests is the opportunity not only to enjoy wonderful performances by world class musicians, but to meet the individual performers themselves, over drinks at our Kirker cocktail parties, before and after the concerts, and at dinner, when we all dine together in the excellent restaurant.

ART & MUSIC IN THE LOW COUNTRIES a seven night cruise from southampton | 17 march 2020 Southampton – North Sea Canal – Amsterdam – Rotterdam (for The Hague and Delft) – Ghent – Antwerp – Southampton A highlight of this cruise is that we will be able to visit major and important art cites without having to make long journeys between them. Instead, we will explore Ghent, Antwerp,The Hague, Delft and Amsterdam on short shore excursions from the Black Watch; as with the concerts, it is as if the art and music are coming to you rather than viceversa! 2020 is the perfect year to visit Ghent with the completion of the second phase of the restoration of the Ghent Altarpiece – the ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’.When the restored side panels are back in place, this masterpiece will be ready to impress and move visitors again as it has done since its completion in 1432.

the Itinerary – optional excursions Sailing through the Channel into the North Sea overnight we will journey along the North Sea Canal to Amsterdam where the Black Watch will remain overnight. There will be an optional visit to see the unmatched collection of Dutch art at the Rijksmuseum and also to the Van Gogh Museum where over 200 paintings and drawings are on display. We continue to Rotterdam where we will be offering an opportunity to visit the lovely town of Delft made famous by Vermeer’s ‘View of Delft’. We will also visit The Hague to see the art collection at the Mauritshuis, one of the finest collections anywhere.

Next comes Ghent which in 2020 will be celebrating the renovations of the Van Eyck brothers’ ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ in St. Bavo’s Cathedral. Finally, in Antwerp we will visit the house where Reubens lived. We will also see one of his finest works, the altarpiece at Antwerp Cathedral.

The Aquinas Piano Trio

music & MUSICIANS The Aquinas Piano Trio will give five concerts on board. Formed in 2009, the trio is made up of Martin Cousin, piano, Ruth Rogers, violin and Katherine Jenkinson, cello. They will be joined in one concert by the viola player Simon Rowland-Jones. Piano trios by Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninov, Saint-Saens and Rowland-Jones will be performed alongside sonatas for violin, cello and piano. The musicians will also be invited to share their favourite piece with us during their talks with Barry Cheeseman. Ger van den Munckhof will give two illustrated talks on Dutch and Flemish art. He will also accompany you on the optional excursions which will be available in the cities we visit.

Prices range from £1,470 per person for an inside cabin to £3,145 per person for a Premium Suite. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are all included as well as two drinks parties hosted by Kirker. Concerts and talks in the Marina Theatre are private and only open to Kirker clients.

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THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS IN SPRING an eleven night cruise from liverpool | 12 may 2020 Liverpool – Kristiansand – Oslo – Stavanger – Bergen – Shetland Islands

We chose this itinerary for our cruise to Norway because of its variety – it is divided equally between time to enjoy the country’s beautiful fjords and coastline as well as spending time exploring four major cities – Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger and Bergen. Appropriately, the cruise ends in Lerwick, just over two hundred miles west of Bergen as the Shetland Islands have long and ancient links with Norway.

the Itinerary Sailing from Liverpool, the cruise begins with two full days at sea with our first port of call at Kristiansand, Norway’s fifth largest city.The picturesque historic neighbourhood has many well preserved white wooden houses in the area close to the city’s neo-Gothic cathedral.

We continue along the country’s lovely southern coastline and then along the Oslofjord before reaching the capital where we stay overnight. Our visit coincides with Norwegian National Day on 17 May when the Norwegians still celebrate the beginning of the country’s independence in 1814.

Retracing our route along the southern shores, Black Watch will cruise past the Langfoss Waterfall before reaching Stavanger. Here there will be an optional excursion to Utstein Monastery with a concert.The next day we will be in Bergen, birthplace of Edvard Grieg.There will be an opportunity to visit the composer’s house as well as the flamboyant villa of the virtuoso violinist, Ole Bull, another distinguished Bergen resident. Our optional tour here will include a concert in the villa.

Our final port will be Lerwick in the Shetland Islands before a day spent cruising around the coast of Scotland en route back to Liverpool.

music & MUSICIANS We welcome four distinguished Danish musicians on board Black Watch for the first time – Thomas Lonquich, clarinet, Jonathan Slaatto, cello, Martin Qvist Hansen, piano collectively known as The Danish Clarinet Trio. When the cellist and the pianist, common to both ensembles, are joined by the violinist Erike Heide, they metamorphose in to a piano trio, the Trio Ondine! In either or both guises, the musicians have won an impressive number of competitions and awards.

Effectively then, we have two trios with four musicians!

In Oslo, the Marmen Quartet will board.They are made up of musicians from Sweden, New Zealand,Wales and Japan and are now firmly established as one of the leading new wave of young quartets.

Needing very little introduction is the pianist Tim Horton who has taken part in so many Kirker Music Festivals.Tim will join the cruise in Stavanger. Our music programme will include fifteen concerts including one dedicated to the works of Beethoven in his 250th anniversary year. Kirker’s Director of Music, Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, will perform with the Trios and give several musically illustrated talks. In addition to a number of trios and quartets, the musicians will also include sonatas, songs by Brahms transcribed for cello and piano, works for clarinet, viola and piano, Nordic folk tunes arranged for string quartet, works by Grieg and Niels Gade (1817-1890) and four ballades by Chopin played by Tim Horton in his solo recital.The Beethoven Anniversary celebration will include his Violin Sonata in G Op.30 No. 3 and his cello sonata in D Op.102. No.2.

Prices range from £2,845 per person for an inside cabin to £5,695 per person for a Marquee Suite. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are all included as well as two drinks parties hosted by Kirker. Concerts and talks in the Marina Theatre are private and only open to Kirker clients. portugal & the AZORES A THIRTEEN NIGHT CRUISE FROM LIVERPOOL 12 September 2020

Liverpool – Three Azorean Islands – Terceira – Faial – Sao Miguel – Lisbon – Porto – Liverpool The remote Azorean archipelago has a special charm. Its beautiful and striking natural volcanic landscape contrasts sharply with the rural and bucolic way of life on these unspoilt islands which makes for an unforgettable visit. Back on the mainland we will visit the beautiful capital, Lisbon, on the banks of the Tagus and Porto, dramatically sited overlooking the River Douro. Details of the musicians taking part in this cruise will be available on our website in May.

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ESCORTED HOLIDAYS TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & EVENTS Our range of Music Holidays includes tickets for some of the most important festivals, concerts and events throughout Europe and beyond. Each year we select the finest performances at magnificent venues – from legendary opera houses including La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw or Grafenegg’s striking ‘Wolkenturm’ in Lower Austria. In 2020 we will also visit Bonn for the Beethoven Festival, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Itineraries are carefully planned to include not only music of the highest calibre, but also sightseeing excursions to a range of important museums, galleries and monuments, and perhaps lesser known points of interest in each destination – as well as a certain amount of free time for rest, relaxation, or independent exploration.

OPERA HOLIDAYS

UK HOLIDAYS

A performance at one of the great opera houses is a magical experience, whether you are an experienced opera aficionado or an enthusiastic amateur – and what could be better than travelling in the company of an expert who will give a short talk before every performance? Our popular opera holidays include New York, with three stand-out performances at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as Milan,Venice, Dresden and Budapest, whilst opera lovers in search of more esoteric destinations will enjoy our visit to Stockholm which includes a performance at the beautiful 17th century Theatre Confidencen.

We feature four UK based music holidays within this section of the brochure. These holidays do tend to sell out quickly so please reserve your place as soon as possible. New UK tours are added regularly so please call us for the latest updates or refer to the music section of our website.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Dutch Masters in Amsterdam & The Hague, page 17 Opera & Ballet in Stockholm, page 18 Opera & Art in Dresden, page 21 Music in Baden-Baden, page 22 Music & Art in Berlin, page 23 La Scala, Milan, page 28 Venice & Opera at La Fenice, page 29 Opera & Music in Budapest, page 30 The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York, page 32

● ● ● ●

The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester, page 24 The North Norfolk Music Festival, page 25 The Buxton International Festival, page 26 The Cheltenham Music Festival, page 27

OPERA, ballet & CONCERT TICKETs For every performance on our Music Holidays, tickets will always be of a high category, to ensure that you get the most out of the experience. The exact category booked depends on the venue and the performance – and we select the tickets which offer the best combination of acoustics, view and value for money (they may not always be the ‘top’ category). Please speak to one of our experts for details. If you have any particular requests for seating at a specific theatre, don’t forget to ask at the time of booking.

MUSIC FESTIVALs We have selected the very best festivals around Europe, from the annual Grafenegg Festival in Austria, one of the most important chamber music events in the world, to the Beethoven Festival in the composer’s home city of Bonn, and the Puccini Opera Festival – an alfresco celebration of Italian opera under the Tuscan sky.

A common theme to all of these events is that they all take place in beautiful surroundings and each itinerary also includes a programme of carefully selected excursions. ● ● ●

The Grafenegg Music Festival, page 19 The Beethoven Festival in Bonn, page 20 The Puccini Opera Festival, page 31

GROUP SIZES & MOBILITY We operate our tours with a smaller number of participants to ensure a more personal experience. Typically, there will be between10 and 22 participants accompanied by a guest lecturer and, where necessary, a local guide to help with the smooth running of your holiday. Our holidays have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to one of our team who will provide you with all the advice you need and perhaps recommend holidays that may involve easier walking.

We are constantly adding new holidays to our programme so please refer to the music holidays section of our website for the latest updates, or call us on 020 7593 2284.

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DUTCH MASTERS & MUSIC IN AMSTERDAM & THE HAGUE A four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 1 MARCH & 31 MAY 2020

Combining visits to exceptional art galleries with world-class music and ballet performances, our new holiday to Amsterdam has all the key elements for a cultural spring short break.The masters of the Dutch Golden Age, from Rembrandt and Vermeer to Franz Hals and Paulus Potter, form the focus at the magnificent Rijksmuseum and The Hague’s Mauritshuis, but we shall also visit the excellent Van Gogh Museum and Amsterdam’s Hermitage, and take in performances at the famous Concertgebouw concert hall, and at the Dutch National Opera & Ballet.

Mauritshuis

the Itinerary

mUSIC Programme

DAY

On arrival we will transfer to our hotel. For the March 1 departure we stay at the NH Museum Quarter and for the May departure we stay at the Hotel Jan Luyken. Both are conveniently located, close to the Museumplein.

DAY

We will enjoy a canal cruise which will leave us at the

2 Hermitage Amsterdam where important works from the collection of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg are beautifully displayed in an historic building overlooking the Amstel.

DAY

This morning we go to the Van Gogh Museum where over

3 200 paintings, drawings and letters are on display. Afterwards we will visit the most important art museum in Holland, the Rijksmuseum. Designed by Pierre Cuypers and first opened in 1895, the Rijksmuseum was reopened in 2013 after a ten-year restoration project, and houses the world’s greatest collection of Dutch paintings dating from the 17th century, Holland’s Golden Age, which includes Rembrandt’s eminent ‘The Night Watch.’

DAY

Today we drive to The Hague, a sedate and dignified town of

2 March, Concertgebouw NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo; Sol Gabetta, cello; Paavo Jarvi, conductor Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor Op 129 Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 in E op.27 3 March, Muziektheater Dutch National Ballet: Giselle Music by Adolphe Adam; choreography by Marius Petipa, Rachel Beaujean and Ricardo Bustamante 1 June, Muziektheater The Dutch National Opera performs Carmen by Bizet 2 June, Concertgebouw Janine Jansen, violin; Denis Kozhukhin, piano; Torleif Thedéen, cello Beethoven:Violin Sonata in C Op.30 No.2 Richard Strauss:Violin Sonata in E flat major Op.18 Dvořák : Piano Trio in E minor Op.90 ‘Dumky’

4 great charm. Here we visit the Mauritshuis with its

wonderful collection of works by Dutch and Flemish masters, including Vermeer’s ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’ and ‘The Goldfinch’ by Carel Fabritius.

DAY

5

We drive to the airport for the flight back to the UK.

TOUR LECTURER: GER VAN DEN MUNCKHOF After studying at the University of Wageningen, near the Dutch city of Arnhem, Ger began his career as a consultant, before working as a guide and tour leader both in his native Netherlands and abroad. Over the last two decades he has led a range of cultural tours to the Low Countries, Italy, Germany and the archaeological sites of Ancient Greece. He has a longstanding passion for opera and classical music and is one of our most popular tour lecturers.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 1 March £1,598 £298 31 May £1,768 £396 Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.55 arrive Amsterdam 13.20 Depart Amsterdam 14.55 arrive London Heathrow 15.20 what we include

• Return flights • Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Two dinners • Tickets for one concert and one ballet/opera • All entrances fees and gratuities as described • The services of a Kirker Tour Leader, Ger van den Munckhof 17

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OPERA & BALLET IN STOCKHOLM A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 31 may 2020 Built across 14 of the 20,000 islands that shelter the city from the Baltic, Stockholm is a revelation and undoubtedly one of the world’s most elegant capitals.The number of Swedish opera singers who enjoy top-level careers and who grace the world’s stages is nothing less than astonishing. Sweden has a population of fewer than ten million and yet there often seems to be a Swedish singer in an opera every night in the world’s most important houses.This has been the case for two hundred years, no doubt due to the enormous number of people who sing in choirs from a very early age.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Stockholm where we stay at the 4 star First Reisen

1 Hotel which has a great location overlooking the harbour on the edge of the atmospheric Gamla Stan.

DAY

DAY

This morning we will visit the Nobel Museum, which

6 features interactive displays with information on the prizewinners as well as recordings of their acceptance speeches, before leaving for the airport.

We begin with a guided walking tour through the old town’s

2 mediaeval maze of narrow streets ending at Stockholm’s City Hall, Ragnar Östberg’s landmark building on the shores of Riddarfjärden. During the afternoon we will enjoy a cruise around the islands of Stockholm’s archipelago.

DAY

We go to Ulriksdal Palace, located in the leafy environs of the

3 National City Park. We will tour the palace and the Orangery, as well as the exquisite 18th century rococo theatre, Confidencen.

DAY

We sail to Lake Mälaren today to visit the Royal Palace of

4 Drottningholm, the official residence of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

DAY

Today we go to Sweden’s largest art museum, the recently

5 reopened National Museum of Fine Art. Next, as a complete contrast, we go to the wonderful Vasa Museum to learn about the dramatic sinking of the Vasa as she sailed out of Stockholm’s harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628. Raised from the seabed in 1962, the Vasa can now be enjoyed in a specially-designed museum.

Theatre Confidencen

music programme

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 31 May £2,590 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.15 arrive Stockholm 14.50 Depart Stockholm 15.45 arrive London Heathrow 17.25

• • • • • •

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what we include Return flights to Stockholm Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners Tickets for three performances All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities as described The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

1 June: Royal Swedish Opera La fanciulla del West by Puccini Christof Loy’s production presents California in the days of the Gold Rush as a raw and violent place.

Swedish diva Malin Byström sings the demanding and complex role of Minnie.

2 June: Royal Swedish Opera Aida by Verdi The title role is taken by one of Sweden’s youngest stars, Christina Nilsson, who won the coveted Renata Tebaldi Prize in 2017 and is already appearing at the world’s leading opera houses.

3 June: Royal Swedish Ballet A Gala to mark the centenary of Les Ballets Suédois. A tribute by today’s dancers to celebrate the founding of a group of predominantly Swedish dancers in Paris. The triple bill includes Carmen by Roland Petit, La Boîte à Joujoux with music by Debussy, and Skating Rink with music by Honegger.

4 June: The Concert House (Optional Performance) The Orchestre du Luxembourg makes its first ever visit to Stockholm with conductor Gustavo Gimeno and Moldavian violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja. £35 per ticket.

Richard Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier Suite Shostakovich:Violin Concerto No.1 Ravel: La Valse

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THE GRAFENEGG MUSIC FESTIVAL A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 september 2020 Grafenegg’s varied and starry festival in Lower Austria, just one hour from Vienna, runs throughout the summer and always closes with a feast of music making. Concerts are given in the spectacular Wolkenturm – the Tower of Clouds – an open air space with a stunning acoustic which is much loved by all the musicians who play here.

The Austrian pianist, Rudolf Buchbinder, is the Director of the Festival and regularly brings the world’s great orchestras and soloists to the Festival.The holiday includes a number of excursions into the beautiful surrounding countryside. © Alexander Haiden

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Vienna and transfer to Krems, a journey of about

1 an hour. Krems is an attractive town on the banks of the

Danube and is in the heart of the Grüner Veltliner wine producing region. We stay above the town at the 4 star Steigenberger. The hotel has a spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and you can walk to the centre of the quaint village of Stein in 15 minutes.

DAY

with Chester Kallman from 1957, when he bought the cottage, until his death in 1973. We will see the house much as he left it, with his books and with photographs of many of the distinguished visitors who came to Kirchstetten, including Benjamin Britten, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Spender. Auden is buried in the tranquil churchyard in the village. During the afternoon we will visit the art gallery in Krems which holds more than 40 works by Egon Schiele, who was born in nearby Tulln.

Today we spend the morning cruising a beautiful stretch of

3 the Danube between Krems and the magnificent

Benedictine abbey at Melk. After a tour of the abbey we will return by coach to Krems.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP NO SINGLE 2 September £2,956 SUPPLEMENT Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.35 arrive Vienna 15.00 Depart Vienna 15.45 arrive London Heathrow 17.10

• • • • • •

During the morning we will drive alongside the Danube to

4 nearby Dürnstein, an attractive village perched high over the river. We have lunch at the Relais & Châteaux hotel overlooking the river.

DAY

Today there will be some free time between the two concerts

5 to enjoy some independent sightseeing.

This morning we drive to the village of Kirchstetten, close to

2 St. Pölten. Here we visit the house where W.H. Auden lived

DAY

DAY

what we include Return flights to Vienna Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners and one lunch Tickets for five concerts as described All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

DAY

On the way back to Vienna airport we visit the mighty 12th

6 century Augustinian Monastery which overlooks the Danube river in Klosternenburg.

music PROGRAMME 3 September (7pm): Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor One of the world’s most dynamic conductors appears with the fêted Vienna Philharmonic in what promises to be a highlight of the festival - programme to be announced.

4 September (7pm): Tonkünstler Orchestra Niederösterreich; Speranza Scappucci, conductor; David Fray, piano Beethoven: Leonore Overture No.3 op.72b Mozart: Piano Concerto in C minor KV491 Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major Op.92 5 September (7pm): Orchestra Mozart; Daniele Gatti, conductor; Julian Rachlin, violin Mendelssohn:Violin concerto in E minor Op.64 Stravinsky: Symphony in C 6 September (11 am): Camilla Nylund, soprano; Helmut Deutsch, piano The programme will include songs by Brahms, Dvořák, and the song cycle Frauenliebe und-leben by Schumann Op.42 6 September (7pm): Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Rudolf Buchbinder, conductor and piano Beethoven: No.2 in B flat major Op.19 Beethoven: No.4 in G major Op.58 Beethoven: No.3 in C minor Op.37 NB. In the event of inclement weather the concert will take place in the modern concert hall a few steps from the Wolkenturm

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THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL IN BONN A six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 14 march 2020 The music of Ludwig van Beethoven, born in Bonn on 17 November 1770, will be celebrated around the world and throughout the year in 2020.The city of the composer’s birth is treating itself to two monumental celebrations – The European Cycle in March and, later in September,The Symphony Cycle. At the helm of the Beethoven Festival since 2014, Nike Wagner, granddaughter of Franz Liszt has revolutionised the festival and has long been preparing for this major anniversary which she has done with her customary style and imagination with some trademark controversy along the way.

Cologne DAY

THE ITINERARY

We fly to Dusseldorf and transfer to the 4 star centrally located

1 Kanzler Hotel. We will travel the short distance to the Opera House by tram.

DAY

DAY

After breakfast we travel to Dusseldorf airport for the flight

7 back to London.

This morning we visit the house where Beethoven was born.

2 We shall see the permanent exhibition of Beethoven

memorabilia and historic instruments. Later we take a trip to the Orgelbau Klais and visit the workshop where these famous organs are still made today. Founded in 1882 and still run by a member of the Klais family, their instruments can be found in Cologne Cathedral and major concert halls across the globe.

DAY

Today we go to Cologne where we will visit the famous

3 cathedral, the first Gothic church to be built in the

Rhineland. Begun in 1248, it took more than 600 years to be completed.

DAY

This morning we shall take a cruise on the Rhine. We sail to

4 Königswinter and board a cog railway to Schloss

Drachenburg. We enjoy an included lunch and a wine-tasting before returning to Bonn.

music PROGRAMME Eight symphonies will be performed over five concerts at the Opera House, Bonn, under the direction of the colourful conductor, Teodor Currentzis. The Greco-Russian Currentzis will conduct his Music-Aeterna Orchestra of the Perm State Opera where he forged his international reputation. There will be more concerts with two further orchestras.

Beethoven Symphonies: Nos 1 & 3 (15 March), Nos 2 & 5 (16 March), Nos 4 & 6 (18 March), Nos 8 & 7 (19 March).

Mahler Chamber Orchestra, conductor Enno Poppe with Carolin Widman. Works by Mozart and Poppe (17 March).

tour information

DAY

5 The day is free for independent sightseeing.

DAY

Today we go to Brühl to see two of the most impressive 6 palaces in Germany, the Augustusberg and Falkenlust, built for the Elector of Cologne. Designed by Cuvillies, they were the first Rococo buildings in Germany and of particular note are the magnificent staircase by Balthasar Neuman and the extensive gardens in the French style.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 14 March £2,246 £398 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.05 arrive Dusseldorf 15.25 Depart Dusseldorf 12.35 arrive London Heathrow 13.10 what we include

• • • • • • • Schloss Drachenburg

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Return flights Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Second category tickets for performances as described Three dinners, one lunch and one wine-tasting Sightseeing as described All gratuities and entrance fees The services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Christopher Monckton and a local guide

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OPERA & ART IN DRESDEN A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 22 april 2020 Dresden’s Semperoper is one of the most important and historic opera houses in Europe. Designed by Gottfried Semper in 1841 and then again, after a fire in 1878, it was destroyed in the closing months of WWII, reopening in 1985.The opera house sits in the heart of Dresden’s historic centre, close to the banks of the Elbe.The Semperoper has strong associations with Wagner and Richard Strauss; nine of Strauss’s operas received their first performances in Dresden. Immediately after the reunification of Germany, an immense project to restore the city to its former glory began and today it is easy for visitors to understand the importance of Dresden’s place in the cultural history of Germany.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Berlin and on arrival transfer to Dresden where we

1 stay at the 4 star Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe which is

superbly located in the heart of historic Dresden, next to the Neumarkt and overlooking the Frauenkirche. Behind the traditional façade, the hotel has well-appointed bedrooms, a restaurant and a bar.

DAY

palace and the Carl Maria Weber Museum in the vineyards close to Pillnitz before returning to Dresden.

DAY

DAY

We meet our local guide and embark on a walking tour of the 2 city, including a visit to the Frauenkirche, which had lain in ruins from 1945 until its reconstruction between 1994 and 2004.

Later we will go to the Albertinum with its important art collection of German Romantic and Realist art, including works by Caspar David Friedrich and Max Liebermann, as well as paintings by Van Gogh, Gauguin and others.

DAY

Today we enjoy a boat ride along the Elbe to Pillnitz, the

4 summer residence of the Electors of Saxony. We visit the

This morning we go to Schloss Wackerbarth, surrounded by

5 terraced vineyards. It was once a retreat for the Saxon court and today it is at the heart of Saxony’s burgeoning wine producing region.

We have a wine-tasting and lunch before returning to the city.

DAY

6

We drive to Berlin for the flight back to the UK.

This morning we will visit the Historic Green Vault and the

3 New Green Vault where we will see displays of many of the

treasures from the collections of the Electors of Saxony. In the afternoon we see one of Europe’s most important collections of Old Masters at the Zwinger Gallery.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 22 April £2,272 £298 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.55 arrive Berlin Tegel 15.40 Depart Berlin Tegel 14.40 arrive London Heathrow 15.40

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Berlin Tegel Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and two lunches All sightseeing as described, all entrance fees and gratuities Tickets for two operas The services of the Kirker Tour Leader and a local guide

Pillnitz Palace

music PROGRAMME We have chosen two of the most popular operas in the repertory.

24 April: Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini.

Sebastian Wartig is Figaro, Taylor Stayton is the Count and Jana Kurucova is the wily Rosina.

25 April: La bohème by Puccini.

Maja Kovalevska is Mimi and Tomislav Muzek is Rodolfo.

Optional performance: Platée by Rameau (23 April) was written for a haute-contre, a rare type of high tenor voice and is a rarely performed satirical work about an ugly frog. It was composed to celebrate the marriage in 1745 of the Dauphin to the Spanish Infanta, Maria Theresa, well known for her unprepossessing looks. Instead of getting the composer into serious trouble, it was rapturously received at its first performance at Versailles. £69 per ticket.

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MUSIC IN BADEN-BADEN A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 9 APRIL & 22 JULY 2020 Baden-Baden is one of Europe’s most beautiful and stylish spas.

It was for long the favoured destination of royalty and aristocrats and was always popular with Russian visitors who gave the town an added touch of piquancy and glamour which is still in evidence today.The town is surrounded by the Black Forest and has magnificent parks, gardens and open spaces.

The Lichtenaler Allee cuts through the town, a verdant and arcadian oasis of trees and shrubs along the River Oos, a tributary of the Rhine.With its very smart and comfortable Festpielhaus, opened in 2000 in the town’s former ducal railway station, Baden-Baden is now firmly at the centre of musical Europe with performances of the highest international standard given throughout the year.

the Itinerary We stay at the 4 star Hotel Roomers, perfectly located opposite the Festpielhaus. We will include a tour of Baden-Baden with visits to the Festspielhaus, transformed into one of Europe’s largest and most glamorous music venues, the house where Johannes Brahms spent many summer holidays and the Frieder Burda Museum with its collection of Classical Modernism and contemporary art. We make a visit to Schloss Rastatt, the oldest and grandest Baroque palace. Situated on the Upper Rhine, it was designed in 1698 by Domenico Rossi for the ruler of BadenBaden. A visit to historic Strasbourg, with its charming canals, fine architecture and museums is also included.

THE MARIINSKY SUMMER SEASON MUSIC PROGRAMME Every summer,Valery Gerviev brings the orchestra, choir and principal singers from St. Petersburg for four thrilling concerts.

This year the programme includes two Verdi operas in concert performances and two orchestral concerts.

23 July (7 pm): Attila by Verdi First performed at La Fenice,Venice in 1846, Attila comes towards the end of Verdi’s early period, his ninth opera. Ildar Abdrazakov takes the title role and Tatiana Serjan sings one of Verdi’s most demanding soprano roles, Odabella.

24 July (8 pm): Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben Op.40.

Other works to be performed in this concert to be announced.

25 July (6 pm): Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D minor WAB109.

26 July (5 pm): Il trovatore by Verdi Back in more familiar operatic territory, Il trovatore is probably the most operatic of all operas, demanding singing of the highest level from the four principals. Here Tatiana Serjan sings the role of Leonora and Ekaterina Semenchuk is Azucena.

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EASTER FESTIVAL MUSIC PROGRAMME The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra plays at all performances.

10 April (6 pm): Hanna-Elisabeth Muller, soprano; Okka von der Damerau, mezzo-soprano; Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Tareq Nazmi, bass; Conductor: Kirill Petrenko Beethoven: Missa Solemnis 11 April (6 pm): Elina Garanca, mezzo-soprano; Conductor:Yannick NezetSeguin.

Mahler: Symphony No.3.

12 April (6 pm): Leif Ove Andsnes, piano; Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat K482 Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E flat major WAB104 ‘Romantic.’

13 April (6 pm): Fidelio by Beethoven

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 9 April £3,398 £498 22 July £2,987 £498 Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with Euro Wings: Depart London Heathrow 15.30 arrive Stuttgart 18.20 Depart Stuttgart 11.20 arrive London Heathrow 12.10 what we include

• Return flights • Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast • First category tickets for performances as described • Three dinners - two at Aida Restaurant at the Festspielhau and one at the hotel.

• Sightseeing as described • All gratuities and entrance fees • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader and a local guide.

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MUSIC & ART IN BERLIN A six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 1 april & 27 may 2020 Berlin’s historic opera house, the Staatsoper unter den Linden, is now open again and giving performances alongside the city’s other two opera houses – the Deutsche Oper and the Komische Oper. Add to these two major concert halls, including the Philharmonie, home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and an array of internationally important museums and galleries of the first order, it is hardly surprising that the city leads the field among the world’s finest cultural destinations.

may MUSIC PROGRAMME

the Itinerary We stay at the 4 star Marriott Hotel off Potsdamer Platz, just five minutes’ walk from the Philharmonie. The hotel is stylish with well appointed bedrooms, bars, a restaurant and an indoor swimming pool. With so much on offer, we have tried to achieve a well balanced programme of excursions and performances.Visits to the city’s two leading art collections are included – the Alte National Museum and the Gemäldergalerie. We spend more time on Museum Island with visits to David Chipperfield’s newly opened James Simon Galerie, the £100 million centrepiece of the plan to redesign Berlin’s cultural acropolis. The elegant colonnade leads the visitor to Chipperfield’s redesigned Neues Museum. We go to Potsdam, once the residence of the Prussian kings and one of the glories of Baroque architecture, with magnificent landscaped parks.

Visits to the towering Deutsche Historisches Museum, Check Point Charlie and the Berlin Wall Museum serve to remind us of the city’s recent history.

28 May: Philharmonie Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; conductor Tugan Sokhiev; Emmanuel Pahud, flute Khachaturian: Flute concerto, transcribed by Jean-Pierre Rampal after the Violin Concerto in D minor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (1947) 29 May: Deutsche Oper Der Fliegende Holländer by Wagner Michael Volle is the Dutchman and Ingela Brimberg is Senta; Ivan Repuši conducts 30 May: Deutsche Oper Parsifal by Wagner Klaus Florian Vogt sings the title role and Simon Keenlyside is Amfortas. Tanja Ariane Baumgartner is Kundry; Donald Runnicles conducts 31 May: Deutsche Opera Tristan und Isolde by Wagner Stephen Gould and Irene Theorin sing the title roles and Ekaterina Gubanova is Brangäne; Donald Runnicles conducts

tour information

april MUSIC PROGRAMME 1 April: Komische Oper Don Giovanni by Mozart 2 April: Staatsoper Idomeneo by Mozart Andrew Staples sings the title role and Magdalena Kozena is Idamante; Sir Simon Rattle conducts 3 April: Deutsche Oper (optional performance) Die Zauberflöte by Mozart £105 per ticket 4 April: Staatsoper Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle in this concert, which is part of the 2020 Berlin Festtage Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1, 8 and 5 5 April: Deutsche Oper Aida by Verdi Sondra Radvanovsky sings the title role and Anna Smirnova is her rival in love, Amneris. Stefano LaColla is Radames.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 1 April £2,620 £398 27 May £2,620 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.00 arrive Berlin Tegel 15.55 Depart Berlin Tegel 14.30 arrive London Heathrow 15.35

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Berlin Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners Music programme as described including 2nd category tickets for opera performances All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL IN WORCESTER a four or eight night holiday | 25 & 29 JULY 2020 Worcester’s glorious cathedral on the banks of the River Severn is the venue for the 2020 Three Choirs Festival, the first under the direction of Samuel Hudson who came to Worcester in 2018 from Blackburn Cathedral.The 2020 Festival marks the 400th anniversary of the departure of The Mayflower from Plymouth, by featuring works by a number of American composers.The festival will also add musical adventures and discoveries of its own, in keeping with the spirit of the hundred-plus pilgrims who made that momentous journey four hundred years ago. As usual, we will include several visits to houses and gardens in the area.

The ITINERARY You can choose one of the four night holidays, or stay for the whole festival for eight nights. We stay at Fownes Hotel in the centre of Worcester, within walking distance of the cathedral. The itinerary for the 24 July departure will include a visit to Hanbury Hall, an imposing Queen Anne house in the care of The National Trust. We will also visit The Firs in Broadheath where Elgar was born in 1857. In addition we will tour the Museum of Royal Worcester, whose matchless collection is now displayed in a renovated gallery. The tour departing on 29 July includes a visit to the glorious country house and garden at Madresfield Court, still the home of the Lygon family after 900 years. In Little Malvern we will visit Little Malvern Court, a 14th century house with superb gardens and a view across the Severn valley. At St Wulstan’s church we will see the grave of Elgar, who died in 1934. Another English composer, Dorothy Howell (1898-1982), used to tend Elgar’s grave and is herself buried here. There will also be a visit to Greyfriars House and garden. The house dates from the late 15th century.

MUSIC PROGRAMME All evening concerts at Worcester Cathedral; venues for morning and afternoon concerts are to be confirmed.

NB. Clients on the eight-night holiday will attend the morning concert on 29 July.The English Symphony Orchestra will play Beethoven’s Symphony No.7, and the world premiere of a symphony

by James Francis Brown (born 1969).

25 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; conductor Geraint Bowen; Marta Fontanals-Simmons, soprano Copland (b.New York City 1900, d.there 1990): Fanfare for the Common Man Stephen Paulus (b.New Jersey 1949, d.Minnesota 2014): Sea Portraits Elgar:The Music Makers 26 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Geraint Bowen, conductor; Anita Watson, soprano; Catherine Carby, mezzosoprano; Ed Lyon, tenor; David Stout, baritone Elgar: Enigma Variations Horatio Parker (b.Massachusetts 1863, d.Long Island 1919): Hora Novissima 27 July, 3pm: The Elias Quartet; Robert Plane, clarinet Howells: Rhapsodic Quintet Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 ‘Serioso’ Bliss: Clarinet Quintet 27 July, 7.45pm: Gabrieli Consort; conductor Paul McCreesh Purcell: King Arthur 28 July, 11am: Philharmonia Chamber Players; Adrian Partington, conductor; Roderick Williams, baritone Colin Matthews:The Great Journey 28 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Geraint Bowen, conductor; Joshua Ellicott, tenor

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Dobrinka Tabakova: Centuries of Meditations John Rutter:Visions Britten: Saint Nicolas Op.42 29 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Adrian Partington, conductor; Ruby Hughes, soprano; Njabulo Madlala, baritone Mendelssohn:The Hebrides Overture Copland: Appalachian Spring Armstrong Gibbs: Choral Symphony ‘Odysseus’ 30 July, 3pm: The Marian Consort Scarlatti: Stabat Mater Gabriel Jackson: Stabat Mater Dani Howard: New work 30 July, 7.45pm: Philarmonia Orchestra; Anna-Maria Helsing, conductor; Guy Johnston, cello Beethoven: Egmont Overture Howells: Cello Concerto Elgar: Symphony No. 3 31 July, 3pm: The Three Cathedral Choirs Bach: Magnificat Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri 31 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; David Hill, conductor John Adams (b.Massachusetts 1947): A Short Ride in a Fast Machine Eriks Esenvalds:The Pleiades 1 August, 11am: National Youth Choir of Great Britain The programme includes works by Roxana Panufnik, James MacMillan,Tallis, Eriks Esenvalds and others 1 August, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Samuel Hudson, composer; Bozidar Smiljanic, bass-baritone Beethoven: Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 July (4 nights) £1,157 £280 29 July (4 nights) £1,245 £280 25 July (8 nights) £2,398 £560 Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

• • • • •

what we include Accommodation with breakfast and dinner each evening Tickets for concerts as described Return transfers between the hotel and each concert All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Andrew Biggs

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escorted Holidays exclusive tokirker leading music music festivals festivals & events

THE NORTH NORFOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL a four night holiday | 10 August 2020 The North Norfolk Music Festival reaches its 16th year in 2020. It was founded by Kirker’s very own Barry Cheeseman and Simon RowlandJones, viola player, composer, teacher and Kirker’s Director of Music.

Concerts are held in the beautiful 13th century Church of Our Lady St. Mary in the peaceful village of South Creake, just five miles from the coast.We stay at Briarfields Hotel in Titchwell with wonderful views out across the marshes to the sea.We include visits to three of Norfolk’s most important houses – Holkham, Raynham and Houghton Hall.

Please make your own way to the Briarsfield Hotel in 1 Titchwell. Clients travelling by train should go to King’s Lynn station and continue by taxi (fare is approximately £50 each way), or use the Coast Hopper Bus which is timed to meet the train from London and stops immediately outside the station in King’s Lynn and outside the hotel in Titchwell.You should plan to arrive by 3.30pm at the latest.

DAY

Today’s visit is to Houghton Hall, the seat of the Lord Great 2 Chamberlain, the Marquess of Cholmondeley.We will enjoy a private tour here followed by some free time in the glorious rose gardens created and designed by the Marquess in memory of his grandmother, Sybil Sassoon whose fortune saved Houghton from ruin.

DAY

We have a private visit of Raynham Hall, located a few miles 3 south of the market town of Fakenham and the home of the Marquess and Marchioness Townshend. The Townshend family have lived at Raynham for more than 400 years and Charles Townshend is the 8th Marquess. Although there is no information about the architect, it is clear that Raynham Hall was influenced by the work of Inigo Jones. William Kent worked at Raynham between 1725 and 1732 and much of his finest work can be seen here in the sumptuous interiors.

DAY

Today we drive along the north Norfolk coast road to 4 Holkham. Our first stop is Holkham Hall, the seat of The Earl and Countess of Leicester, a magnificent Palladian-style house set in a glorious park not far from the sea, designed for the first Earl in the 1750s. We have a guided tour followed by an included lunch in Holkham’s cafe. Before returning to Titchwell, we visit a private house on the Holkham Estate to see the owner's beautiful garden.

DAY

DAY

5

The tour ends today.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP NO SINGLE 10 August £1,245 SUPPLEMENT Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a double/twin room.

• • • • • •

what we include Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners at the hotel and two in the festival Marquee One lunch All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities Tickets and programmes for six concerts The services of the Kirker tour leader, Andrew Allen

South Creake Church

music PROGRAMME 10 August: 8pm Karski Quartet This young quartet came together at the Royal Northern College of Music and are members of the European Chamber Music Academy.

Haydn: String Quartet in B minor Op.13 No.1 Mendelssohn: String Quartet in A minor Op.13 Rowland-Jones: String Quartet No.3 12 August: 4.30pm Roman Kosyakov, piano The young Russian pianist studied in Moscow and made his debut as a soloist with an orchestra at the age of 12.

Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No.2 in B minor Op.61 No.2 Rachmaninov: Preludes Tchaikovsky: Grand Piano Sonata in G Op.37 12 August: 7pm Maxwell Quartet Prokofiev: String Quartet No.1 in B minor Op.50 Haydn: String Quartet in G minor Op.74 No.3 Dvořák: String Quartet in G op.106 13 August: 4.30pm Peter Mallinson and Matthias Wiesner, violas Peter and Matthias are colleagues in the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Two arrangements by Taylor-Cohen Glinka: Ruslan & Ludmilla Overture Schubert:Three Songs Rowland-Jones: Sonata for two violas Lionel Tertis:Variations on a passacaglia by Handel.

13 August: 7pm Melvyn Tan, piano.

Haydn: Sonata in E flat major No.62 HOB:XVI/52 Chopin: Four Scherzi.

Messaien: Excerpts from Vingt Regards

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THE BUXTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL A Four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 JULY & 6 JULY 2020 The Buxton International Festival celebrated its 40th birthday in 2019. Originally founded to present little known operas in the town’s magical opera house, designed by Frank Matcham, the Festival has extended its remit considerably in the past decade or so with one of the most varied and wide ranging programmes of any UK festival.The operas still hold centre stage but throughout the day visitors can enjoy recitals, concerts and a dynamic literary festival, all taking place at different venues throughout the town. Buxton is a lovely spa town in the heart of the glorious Peak District.

2 JULY TOUR ITINERARY We stay at the long established and family run Lee Wood Hotel for this tour. Located about eight minutes’ walk from the opera house in Buxton, the hotel has a comfortable lounge, bar and restaurant.

There is also a spa. In addition to the visit to Chatsworth, there will be an excursion to Haddon Hall, a glorious Elizabethan house near Bakewell and one of the seats of the Duke of Rutland. A recital or chamber music concert will also be included on both dates.

6 JULY TOUR ITINERARY This tour will be based at The Old Hall Hotel in the very centre of Buxton, just opposite the Opera House. This historic hotel has a lounge, bar and restaurant. We will include two excursions. There will be a visit to Kedleston Hall, a magnificent neo-classical house

by Robert Adam designed for the Curzon family who still live in the Hall today. In addition to the magnificent collections here, visitors can enjoy the Eastern Museum which celebrates Lord Curzon’s time as the Viceroy of India – 1899-1905. The second visit is to Chatsworth, the glorious seat of the Dukes of Devonshire.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 July £1,156 £132 6 July £1,310 £270 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Supplement for executive room at The Old Hall Hotel (6 July departure): £98 per room. what we include

• Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Four dinners • Tickets for three operas and one chamber concert or song recital

• All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities • Services of the Kirker Tour Leader

THE INCLUDED PERFORMANCES Ciboulette by Hahn 5 July and 9 July Reynaldo Hahn (1875 -1947) was born in Caracas and moved to Paris when he was three. He died in Paris having had an extraordinarily diverse career. His rarely performed operetta, Ciboulette, is a nostalgic gesture of farewell to the genre. First performed in Paris in1923 the far-fetched story of the eponymous heroine is brought to life by Hahn’s sparkling, frothy and refinished – a perfect piece for Buxton.

La donna del lago by Rossini 3 July and 8 July Rossini’s shining example of bel canto opera at its most dazzling was first performed at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on 24 September 1819. Based on the work by Sir Walter Scott, much in vogue at the time, Rossini’s score includes a succession of dazzling arias.

Acis and Galatea by Handel 7 July Handel’s delightful pastoral work was first performed as a one act work at Cannons, the Edgware home of the Duke of Chandos. It was given during the summer of 1718, reputedly on the terrace overlooking the magnificent gardens. The libretto was by John Gay. The work was changed into a twoact piece in 1731 and includes some of Handel’s best known arias.

Merrily we Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim (optional) 4 July Sondheim’s musical was first performed at the Alvin Theatre in New York on 16 November 1981. The show tells the story of a group of friends, the time line moving backwards through their lives, so the audience learns in reverse the sequence of their events and how life and fate plays twists, causing friendships and lives to disintegrate, made even more poignant when we see how promisingly it all begins.

GLYNDEBOURNE TOUR AT GLYNDEBOURNE 2020 Two of the world’s most popular operas are being performed at Glyndebourne next autumn – Madama Butterfly by Puccini, new to Glyndebourne in 2016, and Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a perennial favourite in Sussex. It’s not too early to start planning your visit to the Sussex Downs for the annual season given at Glyndebourne every autumn.The tour travels to several locations until December, always beginning at the company’s home base. Demand is always high and will be especially so in 2020 with two such popular operas. Our tours with departures between 9 and 13 October 2020 are usually sold out by mid-summer so be sure to be among the first to know our plans by registering now. Contact Lucy Ayling or Katie Morrison by phone on 020 7593 1896 or by email to lucy.ayling@kirkerholidays.com

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THE CHELTENHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 JULY 2020 Cheltenham is the perfect place to host a festival, with its elegant streets, parades and squares lined by Regency houses and buildings.The internationally renowned music festival, one of the oldest in the country, is just one of four held throughout the year. Festivals for jazz, science and literature and, of course, music combine to make Cheltenham a true city of festivals.

Pittville Pump Room and the imposing Town Hall are the most important venues for the concerts. Our tour is based at the Queen’s Hotel, in the heart of Cheltenham and just across the green from the Town Hall.With so many unmissable concerts in 2020, our tour this year spends more time in Cheltenham but we will still include visits to two of Gloucestershire’s finest houses and gardens, Painswick and Stanway.

THE ITINERARY Please make your own way to the Queen’s Hotel in 1 Cheltenham. Cheltenham Spa train station is half a mile away and taxis are available for approximately £7 each way. For those who are driving, the hotel has its own car park which is available at a cost of £12 per day to guests.

DAY

This morning we will visit Painswick Rococo Garden, 3 tucked away in a remote and mysterious valley. It is one of the most complete 18th century gardens in Europe. We return to Cheltenham for our final concert.

DAY

DAY

Today we will visit the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, 2 where we see an important and varied collection of fine and decorative art. The eponymous Edward Wilson directed Captain Scott’s expedition to Antarctica. We will attend the first of our concerts this evening.

6 The tour ends after breakfast.

This morning we go to Stanway House, a mellow Jacobean 3 country house and the seat of the Earl of Wemyss. The water garden here is one of the finest masterpieces of the landscape designer, Charles Bridgeman. We will return in time for the afternoon concert.

3 July: Cheltenham Town Hall, 7.30pm Aurora Orchestra; Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano; Andrew Staples, tenor; Nicholas Collon, conductor The programme will include Das Lied von der Erde by Mahler4 July: Pittville Pump Room, 11 am Details of this chamber concert were not available at the time of going to press. Please ask for details.

DAY

DAY

After this morning’s concert we will go to the house where 4 Gustav Holst was born on 21 September 1871 and spent the first eight years of his life. The museum tells the story of Holst’s family and friends as well as providing an insight into middle class life at the end of the 19th century.

DAY

music PROGRAMME

4 July: Pittville Pump Room, 4 pm Ian Bostridge, tenor; Imogen Cooper, piano Two of Britain’s most popular artists join forces for a recital.

5 July: Pittville Pump Room, 11am The Maxwell String Quartet Works by Haydn, Howells and a selection of the quartet’s own arrangements of Scottish folk music for quartet.

5 July: Cheltenham Town Hall, 7.30 pm The English Concert Programme to be confirmed 6 July: Cheltenham Town Hall, 7.30 pm Philharmonia Orchestra; Alice Sara Ott, piano; Santtu MatiasRouval, conductor Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto No.2 Beethoven: Symphony No.7

tour information

Painswick

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 July £1,448 £398 Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

• • • • •

what we include Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners Tickets for all performances as described and programmes All sightseeing entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

Pittville Pump Room

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LA SCALA, MILAN a Four night holiday | 12 March, 29 june & 18 november 2020 La Scala, Milan is, for most opera lovers, the world’s most revered and important opera house.The theatre opened in 1778 with a performance of an opera by Salieri and since then many of the greatest Italian operas have received their first performance on its hallowed stage.

Two very different divas enjoyed their greatest successes at La Scala – Renata Tebaldi and Maria Callas triumphed here season after season at the height of their careers.

the Itinerary Included in our tour to Milan are visits to the city’s great Duomo, the Brera Gallery, which houses one of the most important art collections in Italy, Leonardo’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Santa Maria delle Grazie and the wonderful La Scala Museum with displays linked to all the great conductors, performers and designers associated with the opera house. Also included are visits to the Basilica Sant’Ambrogio, named after Milan’s patron saint, and Casa Verdi, founded by Giuseppe Verdi and dedicated to taking care of musicians who have devoted their working lives to opera. This is an exceptionally special visit for everyone with an interest in opera and those who perform it.

Duomo, Milan

the hotel

opera PROGRAMME

We stay at the very comfortable and well established 4 star Hotel de la Ville in the heart of Milan’s historic centre and just a short walk from La Scala and the Duomo. The hotel has a restaurant, bar and an indoor swimming pool overlooking the cathedral.

June & November departures have a choice of two operas. If you would like to attend the second performance, tickets cost £268.

12 March departure: Il turco in Italia by Rossini (15 March) Reigning queen of La Scala, Rosa Feola, is the wily Fiorilla who falls for the handsome Turk, Selim, sung by Alex Esposito, which infuriates her husband, Don Geronio, sung by Giulio Mastrototaro. Diego Fasolis conducts. This is Rossini’s most sparkling and witty opera.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 12 March £1,855 £368 29 June £1,855 £368 18 November £1,855 £368 Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.00 arrive Milan Linate 15.05 Depart Milan Linate 15.30 arrive London Heathrow 16.55 Flights from London City Airport with British Airways and on other airlines from regional airports are also available – please speak to one of the team when booking.

• • • • • • • 28

what we include Return flights to Milan Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners in carefully selected local restaurants One opera ticket (stalls) and synopsis Visits and entrances as described Timed entry ticket to ‘The Last Supper’ The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

29 June departure: Fedora by Giordano (30 June) A thrilling example of verismo opera is a tale of glamour, adultery, murder and high drama from start to finish. Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva sings the title role, a part made famous on the stage by Sarah Bernhardt. Roberto Alagna is Count Loris with whom Fedora falls in love. Daniel Oren conducts.

Un ballo in maschera by Verdi (2 July) Predicted to be the next Spanish diva by Montserrat Caballé, Saioa Hernandez has already conquered a number of the world’s most important stages. Here she sings the role of Amelia. She is joined by Violeta Urmana and Fabio Sartori.

Zubin Mehta conducts.

18 November departure: La traviata by Verdi (20 November) Angel Blue sings the role of Violetta, Charles Castronovo is Alfredo and George Petean is Germont senior. Michele Gamba conducts.

La Gioconda by Ponchielli (21 November) Ponchielli’s very grand opera, La Gioconda, is set in 17th century Venice. Saioa Hernandez sings the title role, Daniela Barcellona is Laura, Francesco Meli is Enzo and the villainous Barnaba is sung by Luca Salsi.

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VENICE & OPERA AT LA FENICE a Four night holiday | 29 may, 1 july, 7 september & 11 october 2020 La Fenice in Venice is one of the world’s most historic opera houses.

Inaugurated in 1792 the opera house has, like its namesake the phoenix, been destroyed by fire and rebuilt, both in 1836 and 1996.The latest exquisitely restored La Fenice opened its doors in 2003. Along with the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and La Scala, Milan, La Fenice has always been one of the top three opera houses in Italy. During the 19th century many operas were first performed at La Fenice, including two of Verdi’s greatest and most popular works, ‘La traviata’ and ‘Rigoletto.’ A feast of wonderful operas has been planned for 2020, all strongly cast.Tickets for a performance are included, as are several walking tours and accommodation in one of the city’s most famous hotels.

the Itinerary

the hotel

There will be a selection of carefully planned walking tours to some of the city’s churches and galleries. At the Accademia, the ‘National Gallery of Venice’, we see works by the most important Venetian artists from the 14th to the 17th centuries and the more modern Peggy Guggenheim collection at the palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal where she lived.Visits to the jewel-like Santa Maria Miracoli, to Santa Maria della Salute, Santi Paolo e Giovanni, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, and to Carpaccio’s fabulous cycle of the story of St. George in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni will all be included. There will be free time each afternoon for independent exploration during which you can use your included Venice pass to visit the Palazzo Ducale, the Museo Correr and the Archaelogical Museum.

The 4 star Deluxe Monaco & Grand Canal is one of Venice’s most famous hotels.The grand staircase takes you up to the 18th century former Venetian theatre, complete with original frescoed ceilings.

The decor combines traditional Venetian elegance with modern design.The Monaco is located just 50 yards from St. Mark’s Square, the Grand Canal flows directly in front of the adjoining original wing.

Breakfast and dinner are served in the hotel’s canal-side restaurant.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 29 May £2,118 £498 1 July £2,118 £498 7 September £2,118 £498 11 October £2,118 £498 Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 11.50 arrive Venice 15.00 Depart Venice 15.50 arrive London Gatwick 17.00 Times vary according to departure date. Flights from London Heathrow and City Airport and regional airports are available – please speak to one of our team to discuss the option most convenient to you

• • • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Venice Water taxi transfers Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners – one at the hotel and one at a local restaurant One opera ticket in the stalls at La Fenice Gratuities and entrance fees as described The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

opera programme You have a choice of two operas for each date (except 11 October). If you would like to aatend the second performance, tickets cost £225.

29 May departure: Faust by Gounod (30 May) Antonio Poli sings the title role, Alex Esposito is Mephistofeles and Carmela Remigio is Marguerite.

Rigoletto by Verdi (31 May) Luca Salsi sings the title role and Claudia Pavone is his daughter, Gilda. The golden voiced Peruvian tenor Ivan Ayon Rivas is the Duke of Mantua.

1 July departure: Roberto Devereux by Donizetti (2 July). The final opera in Donizetti’s Tudor Trilogy has Roberta Mantegna as Elizabeth I and Enea Scala in the title role.

Rinaldo by Handel (3 July) Carmela Remigio is Armida and Teresa Iervolino is Rinaldo.

7 September departure: La traviata by Verdi (8 September) Claudia Pavone is Violetta, Rene Barbera is Alfredo and the elder Germont is Alessandro Luongo.

Aida by Verdi (9 September) Aida is sung by Roberta Mantegna, and her powerful rival, Amneris, is Silvia Beltrami. Piero Pretti is Radames, the man they both love.

11 October departure: Il trovatore by Verdi (13 October) Verdi’s opera is full of glorious arias from start to finish.

Roberta Mantegna is Leonora, Luca Micheletti is the Count of Luna and the troubadour, Manrico, is Piero Pretti.

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OPERA & MUSIC IN BUDAPEST A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 24 MARCH & 22 APRIL 2020 The vibrant Hungarian capital has two distinctive halves divided by the majestic Danube that flows right through the heart of the city. Pest has all the flavour and style of a modern urban centre, while across the Danube Buda’s picturesque streets and squares are overlooked by its historic castle.The Hungarian State Opera presents a stimulating programme every year, along with the Béla Bartók Hall, which was opened in 2005 on the banks of the river. Its perfect acoustic makes an immediate impression. Opera performances are currently being given in the Erkel Theatre while long term renovations take place at the opera house.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Budapest and transfer to the 4 star Hotel Prestige, 1 located in Pest, just 10 minutes’ walk from the Chain Bridge.

It is housed within a 19th century neo-classical town house and has an impressive inner courtyard at its heart. Bedrooms are comfortable and contemporary and there is an excellent restaurant.

DAY

Our visit will start with an introductory tour of Pest, the 2 commercial centre of the city. We will see St. Stephen’s Basilica, Heroes Square, the Great Synagogue – the largest in Europe – and the Parliament. We then cross the Danube to visit the Castle District, Gellert Hill and the Fisherman’s Bastion.

DAY

by King Bela IV. Finally, in Esztergom with its lovely old centre we see the seat of the Archbishop of Hungary.

We go to the Museum of Fine Arts to see the important 5 collection once owned by the grand Esterhazy family, whose 700 works form the core of the collection of Old Masters.

Sculptures, prints and drawings and Hungarian art from the 11th to the 18th century are also on view here. The afternoon is free.

DAY

DAY

6

We leave for the airport for the flight back to London

This morning is spent at the Hungarian National Gallery 3 with works by Hungarian artists from the mediaeval period until today. Later we drive to the leafy suburb where Bartók lived until he fled to the USA in 1940. The day ends with a visit to the apartment where Liszt spent the last years of his life.

DAY

We leave the capital today to visit the dramatic landscape on 4 the West bank of the Danube and see three pretty small towns. Szentendre is a quirky amalgam of Baroque and Ottoman architecture while Visegrad is dominated by the huge citadel built DAY

Music Programme Visegrad Citadel

25 March, Béla Bartók Concert Hall Concerto Budapest; Anna Vinnitskaya, piano; Andras Keller, conductor Brahms: Piano Concert No. 2 in B flat major, Op.83 Two works by Debussy arranged for full orchestra: L’isle joyeuse (arranged by Bernardino Molinari); La Cathédrale engloutie (arranged by Leopold Stokowski) Bartok:The Miraculous Mandarin SZ73 BB82 26 March, Erkel Theatre, a double bill: Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni Pagliacci by Leoncavallo 27 March, Erkel Theatre Carmen by Bizet 23 April, Béla Bartók Concert Hall Concerto Budapest and the Purcell Choir, Budapest; Gyorgy Vashegyi, conductor Beethoven: Missa Solemnis Op.123 24 April, Erkel Theatre Un ballo in maschera by Verdi 25 April, Erkel Theatre Manon Lescaut by Puccini

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 24 March £1,794 £247 22 April £1,985 £370 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy rooms as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.45 arrive Budapest 16.20 Depart Budapest 13.15 arrive London Heathrow 15.00

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Budapest Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast One lunch and three dinners in local restaurants First category seats at the included performances All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities The services of a local guide and Kirker Tour Leader

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE PUCCINI OPERA FESTIVAL a Five night holiday | 5 august 2020 Giacomo Puccini was born into a musical family in Lucca on 22 December 1858. As a boy Puccini sang in the choir of the Cathedral of San Martino and later received his musical education at the conservatory in Milan. His first opera, Le Villi, was performed in 1884. For the next forty years, until his death in 1924, Puccini composed operas which today are still the most performed works on the stages of the world’s opera houses. From mid-July to mid-August each year the Puccini Festival is held in Torre del Lago near Lucca on the peaceful shores of Lake Massaciuccoli

THE ITINERARY We fly to Pisa airport and transfer to Lucca where we stay 1 for five nights at the 3 star Albergo Celide, located just outside the city walls.

DAY

We drive to the popular seaside resort of Viareggio, twenty 2 miles from Lucca. Puccini came to live in Viareggio from 1919 when pollution drove him out of his beloved villa at Torre del Lago. He lived in a small villa facing the sea not far from the splendid Gran Caffe Margherita which we will visit for coffee.

DAY

Today we begin with a walking tour of Lucca. Highlights 3 include the Duomo where four generations of Puccini’s forebears were organists, and the Church of San Michele in Foro where Puccini was a chorister, another fine example of Pisan Romanesque architecture. We also go to the Piazza Anfiteatro and the Basilica of San Frediano. This afternoon we make a special visit to the villa at Torre del Lago where Puccini lived and worked.

Afterwards dinner is included before the opera.

DAY

DAY

4

Lake Massaciuccoli

Today we visit two great Tuscan gardens – the Villa Reale at Marlia and the Villa Garzoni with its dazzling water cascades.

This morning we drive to Pistoia, a lovely small town whose 5 fortunes were eclipsed by its more powerful and wealthier neighbours, Lucca and Florence. We will explore the compact historic centre and visit the cathedral of San Zeno Duomo, the Baptistery with its typical Tuscan Gothic green and white striped marble. There will be time to enjoy a coffee in the historic Café Valiani – Puccini often stopped by for a macchiato.

DAY

DAY

6

We are collected from the hotel and transferred to Pisa airport for our return flight.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 5 August £2,298 £397 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart Heathrow 08.35, arrive Pisa 11.45 Depart Pisa 12.40, arrive Heathrow 14.05

• • • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Pisa Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners First category tickets for three performances as described A concert at the Basilica of San Giovanni All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities The service of the Kirker Tour Leader

Puccini Festival stage

the operas Manon Lescaut (7 August) The tale of the flighty and ambitious Manon Lescaut, a girl destined for a convent but, after mixing with the wrong crowd in Paris, finds herself on the road to ruin. She dreams of a romantic idyll with a young poet, Des Grieux, only to find that true love doesn’t often mix with money so she deserts her lover for an elderly roué who dresses her in mink and jewels.

Turandot (8 August) The icy Princess Turandot despises all men. When the Persian prince Calaf arrives to claim her hand in marriage she asks him three riddles. Many men before him have failed to answer them and lost their lives as a result. Calaf gets all the right answers and his prize is Turandot. Horrified, she does all she can not to keep her side of the bargain but Calaf persists and wins her heart.

La bohème (9 August) This is the world’s most popular and best loved opera. The poet Rodolfo is visited by his neighbour, the seamstress Mimi.

They fall in love and embark on a bitter-sweet doomed love affair. Unbeknown to Rodolfo, Mimi is terminally ill. In the most heart-wrenching scene in all opera, Mimi expires on her bed. The music tells us that she has died with a series of searing chords as Rodolfo sobs uncontrollably, all hope of love extinguished.

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

the metropolitan opera & art galleries of new york a five night holiday | 30 MARCH & 28 april 2020 Our visits to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City each season are amongst our most popular tours. Our itinerary will include visits to New York’s leading art collections including The Museum of Modern Art and The Frick Collection.

Although performances from the Met’s stage are now enjoyed by millions thanks to high definition broadcasts, there is nothing to match the thrill of entering the Met’s plush auditorium and settling down into your seat in the company of up to four thousand other opera lovers.There is a performance at the Met six nights a week and every Saturday afternoon so the organisation required to put on this number of performances every season is nothing short of miraculous.We will discover just how an opera house of this size and international standing functions on our enthralling backstage tour.

the Itinerary We stay at the 4 star Hotel Empire, located just across the street from the Lincoln Center, and a couple of minutes’ walk from the Met, the perfect place to stay for opera lovers.The Empire has comfortably furnished bedrooms, a lobby bar and an enclosed rooftop bar, a restaurant serving breakfast and dinner and a branch of the iconic New York restaurant, PJ Clarke’s. In addition to the three included opera performances we will have a backstage tour of the Met and visit a selection of the city’s fascinating museums and galleries. Highlights include the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art where we shall enjoy a tour of its American Wing and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) where our private visit will take place before the museum opens to the public – a wonderful experience, which has been one of the most memorable moments for clients in previous years.We will also see one of the world’s finest private collections of art at the Frick.

At the Morgan Library and Museum we see the ever-changing exhibitions of the Morgan’s stunning collections of art, manuscripts and letters.Two dinners are included, one at a Kirker favourite local restaurant and one at The Grand Tier, the Met’s own restaurant.

A visit to the wonderful Botanical Garden in the Bronx is also included in our April tour.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 30 March £2,735 £530 28 April £2,998 £690 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.05 arrive New York JFK 16.20 Depart New York JFK 19.20 arrive London Heathrow 07.15 the following day what we include

• Return flights to New York • Five nights’ accommodation (room only) • Three tickets in the rear stalls with uninterrupted views of the stage • Two dinners (including one at the Met’s Grand Tier) • All transfers, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader NB: Biometric passports are required for entry to the USA

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opera PROGRAMME 30 March 2020 departure: Two Puccini dramas are performed alongside Rossini’s sparkling La Cenerentola.

Madama Butterfly by Puccini (1 April). Ana Maria Martinez is the betrayed Co-Cio-San, Andree Care is the cynical Pinkerton and Markus Bruck is Sharpless. The conductor is Pier Giorgio Morandi.

Tosca by Puccini (2 April). Anna Netrebko is the diva Tosca, Najmiddin Mavlyanov is Cavaradossi and George Gasnidze is the lustful Baron Scarpia. The conductor is Bertrand de Billy.

La Cenerentola by Rossini (3 April). Irish soprano Tara Erraught takes centre stage in the title role, She is joined by Javier Camarena, Davide Luciano, Maurizio Muraro and Christian Van Horn.The performance is conducted by James Gaffigan.

28 April 2020 departure: The world’s most popular opera is performed alongside a relative Puccini rarity together with the most dramatic of Donizetti’s Tudor Queens trilogy.

Maria Stuarda by Donizetti (30 April). Diana Damrau is Mary Queen of Scots and Jamie Barton is her cousin and rival, Queen Elizabeth. Stephen Costello is The Earl of Leicester, Michele Pertusi is Talbot and Andrej Filonczyk is Cecil.

Maurizio Bernini conducts.

Manon Lescaut by Puccini (1 May). The title role is sung by Sonja Yoncheva, Elchin Azizov is her cheating brother and Marcelo Alvarez is Des Grieux. Brindley Sherratt is Germont.

Richard Farnes conducts.

La bohème by Puccini (2 May). Mimi is sung by the Met’s favourite diva, Ailyn Perez and Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja is Rodolfo, Jennifer Rowley is Musetta and Donald Maxwell is Benoit. Emmanuel Villaume conducts.

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CULTURAL TOURS Our programme of Cultural Tours has been carefully designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests – including art, architecture, archaeology, history, battlefields, gardens and wine. Each holiday is led by an expert lecturer who will help you experience the best of your chosen destination, and reveal additional insights which you might otherwise miss. Every itinerary is meticulously planned to include visits not only to the most noteworthy museums and monuments, but also to less-visited points of interest which most visitors overlook. A number of meals are included in both hotels and good local restaurants, which allow you to sample the regional cuisine, but most tours also allow for some free time for independent exploration as well – of course your Tour Leader or the Kirker Concierge would be delighted to recommend our favourite local restaurants.

EXCLUSIVE GROUPS We operate our tours with a smaller number of participants to ensure a more personal experience. Typically, there will be between 10 and 20 passengers, with a maximum number of 22. All our Cultural Tours are in the company of a guest lecturer and, where necessary, there will also be a local guide available to help with the smooth running of your holiday.

TOUR SUBJECTS Each holiday is designed to include the very best of the destination, encompassing a wide range of sights and subjects, from art and architecture to history and archaeology, but certain itineraries have a particular focus, and we have highlighted a few key themes below: Art Tours The Hill Towns of Le Marche, Page 40 Art of the Cote d’Azur, page 48 Van Gogh & Cezanne in Roman Provence, page 51 Madrid & Old Castille, page 52 Málaga – Picasso & Beyond, page 55 Nuremburg & Franconia, page 58 The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg, page 60 Art, Music & Literature in Moscow, page 61 Garden Tours Villas & Gardens around Rome, page 35 The Italian Lakes, page 37 Gardens of the Riviera, page 49 Gardens of Marrakech, page 67 The Gardens of Wicklow, page 69 Archaeology Tours The Bay of Naples, page 44 Albania & the island of Corfu, page 64 Jordan – The Land of T.E. Lawrence, page 66 History Tours Umbria – The Essence of Italy, page 36 Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara, page 38 Parma, Cremona & Mantua, page 39 Lucca & the Lucchese Hills, page 41 Puglia – A Land of Conquest, page 42 Sicily – An Enigmatic Island, page 43 Liguria & the Cinque Terre, page 46 The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo, page 47 Carcassonne & Albi, page 50 Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castile, page 54 A Journey through Romania, page 59 Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul, page 62 Classic Athens & the Peloponnese, page 63 Uzbekistan – The Land Beyond The River, page 65 The heart of Sri Lanka, page 68 Architecture Tours The Grandeur of Rome, page 34 Palladian Villas & the Art of the Veneto, page 45 Seville & Andalucia, page 53

Military History & Battlefields The Western Front, page 56 The Duke of Wellington & the Peninsular War, page 57 Wine Tours Reims & Champagne, page 70 Wines of Rioja & Northern Spain, page 71 Wines of Sicily, page 72 A Wine Tour of Georgia & Armenia, page 73

OUR TOUR LEADERS Each lecturer is selected for their expertise, charm and ability to communicate which allows them to share their knowledge with ease and to look after the needs of all members of the party.

• Simon Monckton, an expert on art and architecture in Italy, Spain and France, will lead tours to Seville, Carcassonne, Provence and the French Riviera.

• Christopher Monckton is an expert on art, music and gardens in particular; Christopher travels to Umbria, The Italian Lakes, Sicily, Provence and Franconia.

• Charlie Hall knows all regions of Italy intimately and will lead our tours to Rome, Le Marche, Lucca and Liguria.

• Dr Neil Faulkner, historian, author and archaeologist, will take Kirker tours to Sicily and Romania.

• Sian Walters, an art historian who lectures for the Arts Societies, will lead our tour to the Veneto and Old Castille.

• Robin Wallis, linguist, lecturer and long-time Hispanophile, will introduce us to Historic Castille and Málaga • Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan, military historian, will lead two different battlefields tours, focusing on The Western Front and Wellington’s Peninsular War. • Tatiana Shulga, Russian history expert, leads our popular holidays to St. Petersburg and Moscow • Andrew Allen is an experienced traveller and an expert on art history – he will lead visits to Emilia-Romagna, Athens & the Peloponnese, Albania, Jordan and Istanbul.

• Louisa Warman is an art historian and leads a tour to Lucca.

• Karina Mitens is an archaeologist who will lead our tour to the Bay of Naples.

• Juliet Rix is a previous author of the Bradt Guide to Malta and Gozo. She will lead our tour to these historic islands.

• Stephen Nelson, an acclaimed artist, leads tours to Puglia and The Bay of Naples.

• Caroline Howard, a distinguished art historian, leads two contrasting tours to Rome.

• Andrew Spira, author and historian, leads our fascinating tour to Romania.

• Kirsty Fergusson, an expert horticulturalist leading tours that explore the great gardens of Marrakech and Wicklow.

• Akmal Rahmonov, an expert on the history and architecture of Uzbekistan, leads our tour to this extraordinary country.

• Tim Clarke needs no introduction to anyone interested in wine tours. He leads four wine tours for us in 2020, see pages 70 to 73.

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cultural tours

THE GRANDEUR OF ROME A seven NIGHT holiday | 23 march & 2 NOVEMber 2020 The 3rd century AD saw Rome at its imperial peak, a densely populated city spreading out over its seven hills, a testament to the power and wealth of the vast Roman Empire. Many of the glorious buildings and sites survive today but added to these are the great architectural and artistic achievements of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Our tour has been planned to show you the very best from its treasure trove, spanning more than two thousand years.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly to Rome and transfer to one of our favourite 4 star hotels, the Capo d’Africa, located close to the Colosseum.

We start our visit at the Pantheon, the best preserved 2 building of ancient Rome, and then go to the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi where we see ‘The Life of St. Matthew’ by Caravaggio. There will be some free time to enjoy the delights of the Piazza Navona and in the afternoon we will go to the Campo de’Fiori, admire the exterior of the Palazzo Farnese and see the Theatre of Marcellus and the Piazza del Campidoglio. Our day ends at the Capitoline Museum.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: caroline howard Caroline Howard studied History of Art at Edinburgh University and now lives in Rome. She is currently the Artistic Director at La Mortella on Ischia where she organises the programmes given by visiting youth orchestras. She has led many tours in Rome and throughout Italy.

We start at the Ara Pacis – Augustus’s Altar of Peace and 3 then visit Santa Maria del Popolo with works by Caravaggio and Raphael. In the afternoon we go to the Villa Borghese with its superb picture collection and then to Santa Maria della Vittoria with its masterpiece by Bernini.

DAY

Trajan’s Markets, created by the Emperor in the 2nd century 4 AD, the Forum dotted with temples, triumphal arches and basilicas, and the beautiful Palatine Hill and the Colosseum make up our programme this morning. This afternoon is devoted to three of the most ancient and important churches in Rome where the entire history of the city comes to life – San Clemente, Santa Costanza with its 4th century mosaics, and Sant’Agnese.

DAY

DAY

5

We spend the day in Tivoli where we visit Hadrian’s Villa and the fabled and fanciful gardens of the Villa d’Este.

The morning is spent at the Galleria Doria Pamphili, 6 one of the greatest art collections still in private hands.

The afternoon is spent exploring the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

DAY

We begin at Bramante’s Tempietto, cool and serene on 7 the Janiculum Hill with its wonderful views over Rome.

Raphael’s glorious and colourful frescoes in the Villa Farnesina, Santa Maria in Trastevere and a walk through the lively Trastevere district complete the morning. Our last visit will be to the Baths of Caracalla, Rome’s second largest public baths built between 212 – 217 AD. DAY

DAY

8

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Some free time this morning before we depart for the airport and the flight back to London.

Villa d'Este,Tivoli

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 March £2,038 £340 2 November £2,298 £598 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.50 arrive Rome 16.20 Depart Rome 17.30 arrive London Heathrow 19.10 NB: Regional departures available on request

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Rome Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners in local restaurants and one lunch All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

VILLAS & GARDENS AROUND ROME a five night holiday | 18 may & 28 September 2020 Italy not only has many of the greatest 16th and 17th century gardens in Europe, it also has some which have been extensively restored and indeed created in the 20th century.

We visit two of these at Ninfa and La Landriana. Our tour will show you a wonderful selection of villas and gardens in the countryside around Rome as well as some in the city itself. We stay at the traditional 4 star Park Hotel Villa Grazioli in Frascati, a charming town surrounded by vineyards, which produce its eponymous wine, only 20 kilometres from Rome. Built in 1580 by Cardinal Carafa, the Villa Grazioli has vaulted ceilings and intricate 17th century frescoes.

Park Hotel Villa Grazioli

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly from London to Rome and transfer to Frascati where we stay for five nights at the 4 star Park Hotel Villa Grazioli.

The day will be spent in Rome starting with a visit to the 2 Villa Borghese Gardens and Gallery which were formed in the early 17th century. We will have lunch in a local restaurant and then go to the Villa Torlonia, which recently reopened after a long period of restoration. This is a neo-Classical villa once owned by the Torlonia family, one of the grandest in Rome in the 19th century.

DAY

Today’s gardens are the Villa Lante and the Villa Farnese.

3 The Villa Lante at Bagnaia is one of the greatest of all Italian Renaissance gardens: its symmetrical design is absolutely perfect.

The Summer and Winter Gardens of the Villa Farnese give way to a path which leads through a wooded landscape and eventually reaches the Casino, used by the all powerful Farnese family as a private refuge. This evening we will drive through vineyards to have dinner at the Cantina di Santa Benedetta. There will be a tasting of Frascati wine with the winemaker, followed by dinner in the lovely old farmhouse.

DAY

Today is spent in Tivoli with its two great gardens: the Villa 4 D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa. The narrow terraces of the Villa D’Este create the effect of a dramatic hanging garden, opening out at each descending level.

DAY

The garden at La Landriana was created over a thirty year 5 period by the Marchesa Lavinia Taverna. The garden has over thirty separate compartments; some are devoted to a single species, some to a style and some to a colour. Our next garden is no less wonderful and even more romantic – the garden at Ninfa, planted a hundred years ago over the ruins of the 14th century walled town.

DAY

Before making our way to the airport we visit Villa 6 Aldobrandini, given by Pope Clement VII to his nephew in 1598. This is the finest of all the Frascati villas where much use is made of water features. This is a fitting end to our discovery of some of Italy’s finest gardens.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER, may: CHarlie hall Charlie Hall has led many Italian tours for Kirker and has proved to be very popular with our clients.

He designed courses for the Christie's Education 'Collecting and Great Collections’ programmes and the Serpentine Gallery ‘Collectors Circle’ as well as for the Soho House group of members’ clubs.

TOUR LECTURER, september: caroline howard Caroline Howard studied History of Art at Edinburgh University and now lives in Rome. She is currently the Artistic Director at La Mortella on Ischia where she organises the programmes given by visiting youth orchestras. She has led many tours in Rome and throughout Italy.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 18 May £1,785 £298 28 September £1,898 £298 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Prices are based on rooms in the hotel’s annexe connected to the main villa by an underground walkway. Supplement for room in main villa: £280 per room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.50 arrive Rome 16.20 Depart Rome 17.30 arrive London Heathrow 19.10 NB: Regional departures available on request

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Rome Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and two lunches All transfers, entrance fees and sightseeing as described The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

UMBRIA – THE ESSENCE OF ITALY A seven night holiday | 18 may & 1 september 2020 Perugia, the capital of Umbria and one of the finest cities in Italy is the centre from which we explore this fascinating region. Umbria is filled with historic art towns, perched on hilltops with wonderful views of the rolling countryside planted with olive groves and vineyards.We will visit the most important of these towns including Orvieto, Arezzo and Assisi – each of which is within easy reach of Perugia.Works by some of Italy’s most important artists will be viewed, including frescoes by Giotto, Filippo Lippi and Piero della Francesca.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Rome and transfer to Perugia where we stay for 1 the duration of the tour at the 4 star Brufani Palace Hotel.

Opened in 1884, the Brufani Palace is a traditional hotel in every sense with spacious public areas, well appointed bedrooms and a high level of personal service.

DAY

Perugia is the capital of Umbria and one of the country’s 2 most beautiful hill towns, still retaining the air of a bustling market town. We will visit the National Gallery of Umbria and the church of San Bernardino and see frescoes by Perugino in a merchant’s hall. The rest of the day is free.

DAY

going to Sansepolcro, the hometown of Piero, where we see his ‘Resurrection’ in the Museo Civico.

Today we visit Assisi to see the Basilica di San Francesco, the 7 home of the Franciscan Order. The frescoes by Giotto tell the story of the life of St. Francis. There will be time to wander through the picturesque mediaeval streets and enjoy the views.

DAY

DAY

8

We visit the small town of Todi with its fine Renaissance 3 church, and then continue to Orvieto, a well preserved ancient town with a number of interesting mediaeval buildings. It is dominated by the enormous cathedral with its shimmering marble and mosaic façade. Inside we will see the magnificent frescoes of the Last Judgement by Signorelli.

We drive back to Rome for the flight back to London.

DAY

tour lecturer: CHRISTOPHER MONCKTON Christopher was a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford where he developed a passion for both performing and teaching. This led to a lifelong interest in history, music and art history.

He has led countless tours all over the world covering many subjects and periods. He is equally at home in the ancient world as he is in the major art galleries of Europe.

Our first stop today is Spello, a small hilltop town of the 4 utmost charm where we see the frescoes by Pinturicchio in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. We then go to Spoleto, one of Umbria’s great cultural centres, nestled in the foothills of the Appenines. It is dominated by one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Italy, famous for its frescoed apse by Filippo Lippi.

DAY

The morning is spent in Gubbio with its dramatic piazza on 5 a hillside and a number of grand mediaeval palaces, including the Ducal Palace which was once part of the Duke of Montefeltro’s empire. There will be free time for independent exploration in Perugia later in the day.

DAY

Today we drive to Arezzo in Tuscany where we see one of 6 the greatest works in all Italy – Piero della Francesca’s frescoes, ‘The Legend of the True Cross’, in the church of San Francesco. There will be time for an independent lunch here before DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 18 May £1,998 £378 1 September £1,998 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.45 arrive Rome 16.15 Depart Rome 15.20 arrive London Heathrow 17.05 Please let us know if you would prefer to fly to Perugia direct from Stansted

• • • • • Arezzo Cathedral

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Spoleto Cathedral

what we include Return flights to Rome Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners – two at the hotel and two in local restaurants All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

THE ITALIAN LAKES – GARDENS & VILLAS OF COMO & MAGGIORE A six NIGHT holiday | 6 may & 3 JUne 2020 One has to go far to find a more perfect and peaceful landscape than the shores of Lake Como, where this tour is based.Tranquil, serene and timeless, the mountains that fringe the crystal waters provide a dramatic backdrop as do the countless pristine villas that stretch up the hillsides from the lake shores.These villas that have been built over the centuries by wealthy Milanese families have superb gardens, which we will visit during the tour. A visit to the shores of Lake Maggiore, quite different in atmosphere from Lake Como, completes this discovery of one of the most beautiful regions of Italy.

THE ITINERARY We fly from Heathrow to Milan before transferring to the 1 lakeside town of Como where we stay at the 4 star Hotel Terminus for the duration of the tour. The Terminus is a small, privately-owned hotel located in the heart of the town. A 19th century property in Art Nouveau style, it has been recently refurbished and has a large hall with a painted ceiling. The attractive bar leads on to a terrace with views of the lake and the surrounding hills.

DAY

After a morning walking tour of Como, we travel by 2 hydrofoil to Bellagio, known as the ‘Pearl of the Lake’. At the Villa Melzi exotic species thrive in the warm climate – the garden is renowned in spring time for its riotous display of azaleas.

DAY

First we go to Villa Carlotta which was built in the 19th 3 century and spreads over 14 acres that tumble down to the water’s edge. We then take a private boat to Villa Balbianello which sits on a promontory in an impossibly romantic setting.

DAY

We spend the day at Stresa, the principal town on the shores 4 of Lake Maggiore. We will visit the beautiful Borromean Islands by boat and at Isola Bella will explore a magnificent palace surrounded by terraced gardens. At Isola Madre, we see brightly coloured annuals and other exotic species flourishing around a romantic unfinished villa. Lunch is included today.

Today we visit two stately villas with elegant interiors and 5 formal gardens. First is the Villa Cicogna which is still owned and lived in by the ancestors of the family who built it in the 15th century. Our second garden is at the Villa della Porta Bozzolo. It clings to a steep hill leading from the centre of the village of Casalzuigno. Lunch at the Villa Cicogna is included.

DAY

We will take the ferry the short distance to Cernobbio where 6 we’ll enjoy lunch at the fabulous Villa D’Este, one of the finest hotels in Italy. The afternoon is free for independent exploration; ferries depart from close to the hotel to numerous towns.

DAY

On our way to the airport we will visit Monza Cathedral to 7 see the famous Iron Crown of Lombardy used at the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VII in 1312.

DAY

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: christopher MONCKTON Christopher is one of our most popular lecturers and has led tours to destinations all over the world. Italy is a particular passion of his and he has escorted Kirker clients to all regions of the country.

Christopher Monckton writes: “Lake Como is for me one of the most peaceful and beautiful regions of Europe, its shores swathed in romantic mystery and dotted with the imposing villas of royalty and aristocrats from the past three hundred years.

The sense of isolation and secrecy created by the cool, deep waters of the lake and the tall, elegant cypresses that grace the shore create a wonderful atmosphere, far removed from the outside world.”

Villa Balbianello

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 6 May £2,548 £490 3 June £2,548 £490 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Our prices are based on superior double/twin rooms and standard double rooms for sole occupancy FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 15.00 arrive Milan Malpensa 18.00 Depart Milan Linate 18.55 arrive London Heathrow 19.55

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Milan Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners Three lunches, including one at the Hotel Villa D’Este All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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RAVENNA, URBINO & FERRARA A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 17 april & 9 September 2020 The first of our two holidays to this region focuses on three historic cities in the western part of Emilia-Romagna and Le Marche. Ravenna was the last capital of the Western Roman Empire, and remains a treasury of some of the world’s most dazzling mosaics and Byzantine architecture – memories of the final glowing embers of imperial glory. In Urbino, in Le Marche, we discover an idealised city state created by the Duke of Urbino and in Ferrara we will learn more about the powerful d’Este family whose court was based here.

Castello Estense, Ferrara

THE ITINERARY We fly to Bologna and on arrival transfer to Ravenna 1 where we stay for five nights at the centrally located 4 star Palazzo Bezzi.

DAY We spend the first day in Ravenna, famous for its ancient 2 monuments including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We visit the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, with dazzling mosaics from the 4th and 5th centuries, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, with its procession of martyrs depicted in mosaics, and the National Museum.

DAY This morning we will see the mosaic portraits of Justinian 3 and Theodora at San Vitale and the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe. A visit to the Cathedral Museum completes the day.

DAY We will spend today in Urbino, one of the most perfect 4 ducal hill top towns in Italy. This was the seat of the Dukes of Urbino and at the Palazzo Ducale, dating from the 15th century, we will see the art collection of Duke Federico da Montefeltro, which includes works by Piero della Francesca, Titian, Gentileschi and Raphael. Afterwards we will see the frescoes at the Oratory of St. John and Raphael’s house.

DAY Ferrara is today’s destination, where we see a collection of 5 outstanding buildings associated with the d’Este family including the Palazzo Diamanti with its great art collection, and there will be some free time during which you may like to visit the Casa Romei.

DAY We drive to Bologna airport for the flight back to 6 London. Clients joining the second part of the tour will travel on to Parma.

TOUR LECTURER: andrew allen Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and undertook his postgraduate study at the University of Essex, taking his MA in early Italian painting.

He worked for Phillips Auctioneers and lectured at Anglia Polytechnic University before beginning his extensive work in the travel industry. He is a prolific traveller, spending much of the year abroad (working and investigating mediaeval iconography). He often contributes articles to travel publications and has built up particular experience in Islamic art and architecture and the great cities of Europe.

Andrew Allen writes: “This is a tour of great contrasts and one which reinforces the image of Italy as the great cultural country of Europe. Seeing the magnificent architecture and art from the Byzantine period, before the capital of the Empire moved east, and a few days later being immersed in the great cultural city states of the Renaissance provides a matchless cultural experience.”

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 17 April £1,847 £398 9 September £1,847 £398 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplements for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.00 arrive Bologna 11.10 Depart Bologna 12.05 arrive London Heathrow 13.25

• • • • • Ravenna mosaics, Sant’ Appollinare Nuovo

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what we include Return flights to Bologna Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and one lunch All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

PARMA, CREMONA & MANTUA A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 22 april & 14 september 2020 In the company of popular Kirker Tour Lecturer Andrew Allen, our second tour to this relatively unknown corner of northern Italy is based in Parma, a city synonymous with the very best food and produce in Italy, and includes visits to the art cities of Cremona and Mantua. Musically, too, the region has the finest credentials; Giuseppe Verdi was born in the small farming village of Roncole and Arturo Toscanini was born in Parma itself.

This tour really is an exploration of the three elements associate with Italy – art, food and music. A number of fine lunches and dinners are included and there will be an opportunity to learn more about the two specialities for which the region is world famous, ‘parmigiano e prosciutto’.

Cremona

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Bologna, and transfer to Parma 1 where we stay for the duration of the holiday at our centrally located 4 star Hotel Mercure Parma Stendhal.

DAY

Parma was once the seat of the influential Farnese family, 2 whose patronage allowed art and music to flourish. Together with a gastronomic reputation that’s renowned around the world, this makes Parma the most perfect of Italian cultural experiences.

At the city’s art gallery and former Farnese residence, the Palazzo della Pilotta, we will see works by Correggio and Parmigianino, before continuing to the Teatro Farnese, the wooden theatre of 1628, the first to be constructed with a proscenium arch. We will also see the city’s exquisite opera house, the Teatro Regio, and the frescoes by Correggio at the cathedral.

DAY

Nearby Mantua was the base of the rival Gonzaga family, 3 patrons of Mantegna and Romano. We will see works by both artists during our day in the city, as well as the family residence, the Palazzo Ducale, and the elegant Palazzo Te on the outskirts. In the evening we drive to the banks of the River Po for dinner at the magnificent Antico Corte Pallavicino, a distinguished restaurant, which was once a farmhouse on the Pallavicino estate.

DAY

In Cremona, birthplace of Stradivarius and where members 4 of the Stradivari family created the world’s finest string instruments, we will see the Museum of the Violin. This museum has one of the world’s most important collections of historic musical instruments. Dozens of craftsmen still continue this tradition today and we will visit a working luthier’s atelier in the afternoon to see the craft in practice.

DAY

Today is devoted to the life and work of Giuseppe Verdi, 5 who was born in rural Roncole and who lived most of his life not far away in Busseto. Here we will visit the Villa Verdi where the composer lived for many years. Lunch is included at I due Foscari, a hotel once owned by the son of the great tenor, Carlo Bergonzi. The day ends at the Museo Nazionale di Giuseppe Verdi where the composer’s creative genius and his importance in the world of opera can be appreciated to the full.

DAY

DAY

6

We return to Bologna airport for the flight back to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 22 April £1,738 £220 14 September £1,848 £260 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplements for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.00 arrive Bologna 11.10 Depart Bologna 12.05 arrive London Heathrow 13.25

• • • • • Parma Cathedral

what we include Return flights to Bologna Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners and two lunches All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Andrew Allen

Mantua

THE ART CITIES OF NORTHERN ITALY – Ten night combined tour Parma, Cremona & Mantua and Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara run consecutively so why not book both for a ten night tour of northern Italy’s art cities?

The price to join both tours is £3,298 (April), £3,395 (September) per person, single supplement £598 (April), £658 (September).

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cultural tours

THE HILL TOWNS OF LE MARCHE A Six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 20 april & 21 september 2020 This charming, unspoilt region remains remarkably unexplored and is one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Located on the Adriatic Sea and surrounded by its more famous neighbours including Umbria and Tuscany, Le Marche is a province of rolling farmland, countless hill towns, elegant squares and important art galleries.The Venetian artists, Lorenzo Lotto and Carlo Crivelli had strong associations with Le Marche and a number of their works remain there to be discovered.This is an area where even the smallest town has a gallery of some importance. Our tour includes a visit to Urbino, the great centre of artistic patronage, and Macerata, famous for its summer festival which takes place in the impressive Arena Sferisterio.

Urbino

THE ITINERARY We fly to Bologna and then transfer to Recanati where we 1 stay at the 4 star Gallery Hotel, located close to the main square. Originally a 17th century palace, today the hotel has stunning views across the countryside.

DAY

We start our walking tour of Recanati with a visit to the Villa 2 Colloredo-Mels, its art collection notable for extraordinary works by the Venetian artist, Lorenzo Lotto. Next we visit the opera house and museum dedicated to one of the town’s famous sons, the singer Beniamino Gigli, one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century. We end the morning at Palazzo Leopardi, birthplace of Giacomo Leopardi, Italy’s greatest modern poet and philosopher and one of the most important thinkers of the 19th century. In the afternoon we go to Loreto to see the ‘Santa Casa’, the sanctuary that houses the remains of the home of the Blessed Virgin Mary, created

by Donato Bramante, first architect of St. Peter’s in Rome.

DAY

Today we travel to Ancona, the capital of Le Marche. Founded 3 in the 4th century BC by Greek settlers from Syracuse, it has wonderful Roman and Byzantine architecture, stunning Romanesque churches and is a thriving and vibrant port. We will visit the old town, taking in Ancona Cathedral, The Arch of Trajan and the National Archaeological Museum.

DAY

We drive to Urbino today, a perfect Renaissance hill town, 4 developed by the mercenary prince Federico III Montefeltro who had a magnificent Humanistic court established. Here we see the wonderful art collection in the Palazzo Ducale. Highlights include works by Piero della Francesca, Barocci, Uccello and Raphael who was born in Urbino in 1483. In the afternoon we see the magnificent frescoes from 1416 depicting the Crucifixion and scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.

DAY

Today we go to Macerata to see Vanvitelli’s church of 5 Madonna della Misericordia and the art collection at the Palazzo Buonaccorsi that houses some of the most gorgeous Baroque paintings in Le Marche. On our way back we visit the spectacular Baroque Giardini Buonaccorsi.

DAY

This is a day to really appreciate the wonderful scenery and 6 unspoilt countryside as we visit a couple of the gems of this region. We begin in Jesi, a vibrant university town.Visits include the Palazzo Pianetti that houses the wonderful art collection, and the Teatro Pergolesi, named for the composer who was born in Jesi in 1710. The day ends at Cingoli, whose elevated location gives it the nickname ‘The Balcony of the Marches.’

DAY

On the return journey to Bologna airport we stop in Rimini 7 to see the Malatesta Temple, one of the grandest Renaissance buildings in Italy, dating from 1461, with sculptural reliefs by Duccio.

DAY

tour information

Basilica della Santa Casa, Loreto

tour lecturer : charlie hall Charlie Hall writes: “It never ceases to amaze me how so few visitors to Italy make it to Le Marche. It is a rural region of great unspoilt beauty with astonishing treasures turning up in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. I look forward to sharing Le Marche’s hidden delights with Kirker clients.”

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DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 April £1,967 £288 21 September £1,987 £288 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.00 arrive Bologna 11.10 Depart Bologna 18.50 arrive London Heathrow 20.10 what we include • Return flights to Bologna • Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners & three lunches • Sightseeing as described and all entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

LUCCA & THE LUCCHESE HILLS A Four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 march & 3 NOVEMBER 2020 A perfect example of a beautifully preserved Tuscan town, Lucca has artistic treasures of the first order. A popular destination for day visitors, it rewards those who stay a little longer with secrets which are slowly revealed. A four night stay provides the perfect amount of time to enjoy its charms such as the gourmet shops which line Il Fillungo in the heart of the city, as well as an opportunity to explore the beautiful hills which surround the city itself. An easy way to absorb the Lucchese spirit is to take a walk along the four kilometres of impeccably maintained pathways which have been created on top of the ramparts.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Pisa and transfer just 30 minutes to Lucca where 1 we stay in the lovely 4 star San Luca Palace, located centrally but quietly in a mediaeval square within the city walls.

DAY

Today we will begin our exploration of Lucca with visits to 2 its cathedral, San Martino, with important sculptures and San Michele in Foro with its close associations with the Puccini family. Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858 and later today we’ll visit his birthplace, now a museum dedicated to the composer’s life and music.

DAY

The morning is spent visiting the Romanesque church of 3 San Frediano and the Villa Guinigi which houses an important collection of local and regional art works. The afternoon is free for independent exploration – perhaps a wander through the cobbled streets, around the Renaissance city walls, or a relaxing afternoon enjoying one of the charming alfresco bars and cafés.

DAY

historic centre and visit the cathedral of San Zeno Duomo, the Baptistery with its typical Tuscan Gothic green and white striped marble. There will be time to enjoy a coffee in the historic Café Valiani – Puccini often stopped by for a macchiato. Returning back to Lucca we will visit the smallest public theatre in the world – the Teatro Vetriano, located just outside the city in the Lucchese Hills. Built in 1890 and donated to the community by an enlightened farmer, the theatre was saved from ruin by FAI – the Italian equivalent of our own National Trust.

En route to the airport we will visit Pisa to see the 5 Romanesque Campo dei Miracoli, dominated by the famous Leaning Tower.

DAY

This morning we drive to Pistoia, a lovely small town whose 4 fortunes were eclipsed by its more powerful and wealthier neighbours, Lucca and Florence. We will explore the compact DAY

TOUR LECTURER, MARCH: LOUISA WARMAN Graduating from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, she went on to take a Master’s in the History of Art, at the University of Warwick. In 2001 she moved to Venice where she has worked in the art world ever since.

TOUR LECTURER, NOVEMBER: CHARLIE HALL Charlie Hall has led many Italian tours for Kirker and has proved to be very popular with our clients. He designed courses for the Christie's Education 'Collecting and Great Collections’ programmes and the Serpentine Gallery ‘Collectors Circle.’

Pistoia Baptistery

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 March £1,239 £164 NO SINGLE 3 November £1,328 SUPPLEMENT Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.20 arrive Pisa 11.30 Depart Pisa 18.15 arrive London Heathrow 19.40

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Pisa Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners A ticket for a recital of arias from popular Italian operas All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

Lucca

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cultural tours

PUGLIA – A LAND OF CONQUEST A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 17 may & 11 october 2020 Puglia, the ‘heel’ of Italy, is an ancient land that is highly fertile despite its harsh limestone landscape typical of the Mezzogiorno.

It was this remote corner of the peninsula that the Normans conquered in the 11th century, dominating the entire south of Italy and the island of Sicily by the mid-12th century. As they established themselves and their influence grew, great churches appeared on the horizons, built in a hybrid style combining architectural influences from France, Ancient Rome and Lombardy. For the first half of the tour we are based in the pretty town of Martina Franca in the rolling hills of the Valle d’Itria, a region of vineyards, olive groves and trulli, the distinctive bee-hive shaped houses unique to central Puglia.

We then relocate to the magnificent Baroque town of Lecce, the ‘Florence of the South’.

Alberobello

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Bari and transfer to the Baroque 1 town of Martina Franca where we stay for three nights. Our hotel is the privately owned 4 star Villa San Martino which sits amongst mature gardens and is a short drive from the town centre.

DAY

This morning we drive to Alberobello, a UNESCO Site 2 famous for its countless examples of trulli – the conical − roofed stone houses unique to this region. We will also visit the spectacular limestone Castellana Caves, Italy's longest natural subterranean network that forms a series of interlinked galleries.

DAY

We visit the beautiful coastal town of Otranto, situated on 6 the most eastern peninsula of Italy. We will have a guided walking tour of the city and see the 15th century Castello Aragonese and also the beautiful Norman Cathedral home to spectacular 12th century mosaics.

DAY

DAY

7

We will leave for the airport for the flight back to London.

We visit Matera, an extraordinary town built on the edge of 3 a steep ravine that is pockmarked with caves. People were still living in the caves until the 1950s, when the last residents were moved out. In 1993 Matera became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a number of the caves have been restored and are now open to the public.

DAY

We leave Martina Franca and drive to Lecce where we stay 4 for the remainder of the tour stopping en-route at the whitewashed hilltop town of Ostuni with beautiful views out to the sea. This afternoon we will check into the centrally located 4 star Risorgimento hotel for 3 nights.

DAY

This morning we will have a guided walking tour of Lecce, 5 one of the best preserved Baroque towns in Italy with rich honey coloured buildings. We will also see the Basilica Santa Croce and the Roman theatre.

Matera

DAY

tour lecturer : stephen nelson An artist who divides his time between London and Italy, Stephen Nelson has exhibited at many galleries internationally, including the Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea gallery in Palermo and has been selected for the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. While Stephen was the Arts Council of England Helen Chadwick Fellow in Sculpture, he spent time at the British School in Rome. Stephen is also part-time curator of Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Cogliandrino in Basilicata, Italy a notfor-profit artist-run space. Stephen has taught throughout France Italy and Mexico but his speciality is southern Italy ‘the Mezzogiorno’.

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 17 May £1,992 £364 11 October £1,992 £364 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with Easyjet: Depart London Gatwick 07.25 arrive Bari 11.15 Depart Brindisi 10.10 arrive London Gatwick 12.05

• • • • •

what we include Return flights Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners All sightseeing as described and all entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

SICILY – AN ENIGMATIC ISLAND A nine NIGHT holiday | 20 april, 20 september & 1 november 2020 The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s strategic importance has given it a violent, eventful and colourful history. Doric temples, Roman mosaics, elegant and powerful Norman architecture and a wealth of Baroque and Renaissance palaces and churches are a reminder of its great past. Add to this the beautiful Sicilian landscape dotted with remote and traditional villages, the friendly people and an agreeable climate; few places can offer such an uplifting, cultural discovery.

Agrigento

THE ITINERARY DAY

On arrival we make our way to the 4 star Grand Hotel

1 Ortigia in Syracuse where we stay for the first four nights.

DAY

Syracuse is a charming town and once the most significant 2 city in Magna Graecia. We visit the Greek theatre dedicated to Athena and the important archaeological museum with a superb collection from the Greek, Roman and Early Christian eras. Later we will visit the historic island of Ortigia with its maze of streets.

DAY

Today we drive to Taormina, which enjoys a glorious position

3 between Mount Etna and the sea.We visit the Graeco-Roman theatre and the 13th century cathedral. In the afternoon there will be time for independent exploration.We visit a private palazzo in Catania before making our way back to Syracuse.

DAY

DAY

Our first visit today is to Segesta to see the glorious Doric

8 temples and theatre, the best Greek site on the island, where we see thirty six temples which date from 430BC. Later we continue to the huge hillside site of Selinunte, which was founded in 650BC. DAY

This morning we travel to Cefalù to see the cathedral. In the

9 afternoon we return to Palermo and visit two impressive

Norman buildings, both of which have fine mosaics – the San Cataldo and the Martorana where we see a graceful Norman tower rising above the church, dating from 1153.

DAY

10 We drive to Palermo airport for the flight back to London.

Today we visit the Baroque buildings and churches of two of

4 the island’s most charming and unspoilt towns – Modica and

Noto. Modica became a UNESCO Site in 2002 and Noto is a place of great atmosphere with its grand palaces and crumbling façades.

DAY

We leave Syracuse for Piazza Armerina to visit a villa from the

5 late Roman Empire where the floors are paved with

magnificent mosaics. We then drive to Agrigento where we spend one night at the 3 star Jolly della Valle, overlooking one of the most mystical sites of the ancient world – the Valley of the Temples.

DAY

We visit the museum in Agrigento and walk along the Sacred

6 Way overshadowed by the Temples of Zeus and Concord.

After an independent lunch we travel on to Monreale to visit the great Norman cathedral dating from 1172, its mosaics surviving intact from the Middle Ages. We continue to Palermo where we stay for four nights in the 4 star Hotel Centrale Palace.

DAY

The whole day is spent in Palermo. We start with a visit to the

7 Oratorio di San Domenico and continue to the 13th century

church of St. Francis of Assisi and the cathedral before enjoying a guided tour of Palazzo Conte Frederico. Later we go to the opulent Norman Royal Palace where we see the Chapel of the Kings, the Palatine Chapel and the Ermeti Chapel. tour lecturer, april: DR NEIL FAULKNER Neil Faulkner is currently Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, Editor of Military History Monthly, and Co-director of archaeological field projects in Norfolk, Jordan, and Slovenia.

He works as a freelance lecturer, writer, and broadcaster. tour lecturer, september & November: christopher monckton (See page 36 for biography)

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 April £2,858 £598 20 September £2,995 £698 1 November £2,646 £490 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Easyjet: Depart London Gatwick 11.40 arrive Catania 15.40 Depart Palermo 10.15 arrive London Gatwick 12.15

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights Nine nights’ accommodation with breakfast Seven dinners All entrance fees and gratuities All visits and excursions as described The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

THE BAY OF NAPLES A SIX NIGHT holiday | 19 APRIL & 6 NOVEMBER 2020 The ancient and imperial history of Naples and its glorious bay is so powerfully etched into the minds of travellers to the region that it often comes as a shock to remember that, after the fall of the Roman Empire, Naples was reborn and went on to establish itself as a major historic and cultural centre. After the Romans came the Byzantine influence, followed by the Normans, the Spanish and the Bourbons.With a fascinating history and a vibrant present, Naples is now a city determined to show off its unique charms to the full.

Visits to the Roman sites along the coast are included, as is a wonderful day on the verdant island of Ischia.

Pompeii

THE ITINERARY DAY

We travel to Naples and stay for six nights at the 4 star Hotel

1 Santa Lucia, located on the waterfront.

DAY

We begin our visit with a panoramic sightseeing tour of the

2 thronging, colourful streets of Naples. Each of the city’s

neighbourhoods has its own distinctive flavour, with vastly contrasting worlds. We will visit Castel Nuovo which dominates the seafront and also the vast and impressive Palazzo Reale, where we will see the Museum of the Royal Apartments.

DAY

Today we go to Herculaneum, which contrasts in every way

3 with Pompeii. Excavations began here in 1738 under the

enlightened patronage of the Bourbon King Charles. Sunk in mud and perfectly preserved, Herculaneum is a mysterious and haunting place. We also visit the beautifully restored Villa Oplontis, once home to Poppaea, the second wife of the Emperor Nero.

DAY

We will see several works by Caravaggio today – ‘The Seven 4 Acts of Mercy’ at the Pio Monte della Misericordia and ‘The Martyrdom of St. Ursula’. We will visit the glorious and richly

decorated interiors of the Cathedral of San Gennaro, and end the day in the Capodimonte Museum. It was built by Charles VII of Naples and Sicily to house the matchless collection of paintings and ancient sculptures inherited from his mother. We will see a third Caravaggio here, ‘The Flagellation of Christ’.

DAY

We will cross the Bay of Naples to spend a day on the island of

5 Ischia. Sir William Walton and his wife, Susana, lived on the

island from the 1950s. Walton composed many works at their villa, La Mortella and Susana created the garden, which is acknowledged as one of the world’s most ravishing. We will tour the island, have lunch at a local restaurant and end the day with a guided tour of the garden at La Mortella.

DAY

Back to the world of the Romans, we visit Pompeii, frozen in

6 time for almost 1,700 years.We will see the clearly defined

townscape with its houses, shops and amphitheatre, all in the shadow of Vesuvius. The afternoon is free.

DAY

The morning is spent in the Museum of National Antiquities

7 which is full of impressive finds from the ancient sites

around the Bay of Naples. The rest of the day is free for independent exploration before we drive to the airport for the flight back to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 19 April £2,169 £398 6 November £2,378 £498 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Ischia

TOUR LECTURERs: stephen nelson, april (See page 42 for biography) KARINA MITENS, november Karina is a Danish archaeologist who obtained her doctorate at the University of Copenhagen. She now works in the Bay of Naples and loves to share her archaeological knowledge of this fascinating area.

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FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 15.55 arrive Naples 19.45 Depart Naples 19.15 arrive London Gatwick 21.05

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Naples Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners One lunch All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

PALLADIAN VILLAS & THE ART OF THE VENETO A six NIGHT holiday | 9 MAY & 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 Masters of Renaissance art and architecture designed classical buildings across the Veneto for the sophisticated gentry of the sixteenth century; the most famous of these architects was Andrea Palladio. As the wealth of the region spread from Venice inland across the countryside of the Veneto, educated patrons commissioned villas to be built on ancient principles of classical Roman architecture.

Andrea Palladio became the master of this style; he wrote a landmark architectural work and his elegant villas are a testament to his brilliance. Our tour is based in Padua, where contemporaries of Palladio designed new buildings for the mediaeval university, including an anatomical theatre. Padua also features the work of the 14th century artistic genius, Giotto, whose innovative painting style influenced many Renaissance painters.

Villa la Rotonda

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Verona and visit the city to see remains of Palladian 1 buildings before driving to our hotel in Padua.The family-run Hotel Majestic Toscanelli in the historic heart of Padua is a central base for this tour.

DAY

We explore the art and architecture of Padua, including the 2 magnificent Scrovegni Chapel, with its moving and colourful frescoes by Giotto illustrating scenes from the life of Christ. We also see the Palazzo della Ragione, with a vast mediaeval hall, the Basilica of St Anthony and Donatello’s equestrian statue, Gattamelata.

DAY

The University of Padua, established in 1222, is one of the

3 oldest in the world and today we discover the rich academic heritage of the city. We visit the 16th century anatomical theatre in Palazzo del Bo and the first university botanical garden.

DAY

Vicenza is associated with the work of 16th century architect,

4 Andrea Palladio and we visit his best known villa, called ‘La

Rotonda’, on the outskirts of the city. Built as a hilltop summer house, the villa is symmetrical in proportion with four porticoes and a central dome. We will walk through Vicenza’s elegant streets and

piazzas, before visiting one of Palladio’s final works, the Teatro Olimpico, built for classical theatrical productions.

DAY

Today we travel through the countryside of the Veneto to visit

5 the mediaeval town of Castelfranco, birthplace of Giogione,

who painted the altarpiece in the Duomo. We continue to Palladio’s Villa Barbaro at Maser, with frescoes by Paolo Veronese. The villa is now a winery and we will have a winetasting and light lunch. This afternoon we visit Treviso for a walking tour of sites in this elegant city, including the Loggia dei Cavallieri.

DAY

We drive to Bassano del Grappa to see Palladio’s Ponte

6 Vecchio, a wooden bridge rebuilt many times to his original design. Palladio designed Villa Angarano for his friend Count Giacomo Angarano, although unfinished, this impressive building featured in Palladio’s Four Books of Architecture. We will have a winetasting before continuing to Villa Contarini, set in beautiful grounds, and partly designed by Palladio.

DAY

7 We drive to Venice airport for the flight to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 9 May £1,935 £286 5 September £1,935 £286 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room.

Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Bassano del Grappa

tour lecturer : SIÂN WALTERS Siân Walters is an art historian who has lectured for the National Gallery, The Arts Society, The Wallace Collection and The Art Fund. She was also a lecturer at Surrey University for many years. Having graduated from Cambridge University, Siân worked in Venice and France and continues to spend much of the year abroad both lecturing and leading art history tours.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 08.00, arrive Verona 11.00 Depart Venice 17.15, arrive London Gatwick 18.25

• • • • •

what we include Return flights Six nights accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and two winetastings All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

LIGURIA & THE CINQUE TERRE A seven NIGHT holiday | 27 april & 14 september 2020 One of the most beautiful coastal regions in Italy, stretching between Monaco and Tuscany and with a dramatic range of mountains as its backdrop, Liguria is also one of the least visited. Our new tour has been planned to introduce the region and its main city Genoa to new visitors. Genoa was a great maritime centre which was ruled by powerful Doges for five hundred years. It became one of the wealthiest cities in Europe and this legacy is apparent today in its historic centre with its magnificent palaces built for fabulously rich and powerful families.We will take time to explore the rugged coastline and go to the area known as le Cinque Terre – the five villages.There will also be time to relax and enjoy the pretty harbour town of Rapallo overlooking the Gulf of Tigullio.We stay in the centre of this picturesque town at the elegant 5 star Hotel Excelsior Palace.The palm trees, pastel-coloured villas and beautiful gardens of this stretch of coastline make it one of the most exotic and opulent in the entire Mediterranean.

Vernazza

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Genoa and transfer to Rapallo 1 where we stay for seven nights at the 5 star Grand Hotel Excelsior Palace.

DAY

Our first visit will be to the Palazzo Durazzo, a stunning 2 Renaissance palace and garden filled with delicate plants and fine statuary. In the afternoon we will sail to the Benedictine monastery at San Fruttuoso, accessible only by boat.

DAY

We make the first of two visits to Genoa today. We will go to 3 via Garibaldi and see some of the town mansions including the Palazzo Rosso and the Palazzo Bianco. Later we will go to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo with its typical Ligurian striped façade, and also to the Museo del Tesoro with a matchless collection of religious art and artefacts brought back from the Crusades.

DAY

We travel eastwards to Vernazza, the prettiest of the Cinque 4 Terre. There will be some free time to explore the town square and its attractive harbour where we take our private boat to Lerici, another pretty resort. We will pass by the Casa Magni in San Terenzo where Mary Shelley lived.

We return to Genoa and this time visit the Palazzo del 6 Principe Doria Pamphili, built for Andrea Doria. This huge palace has beautiful 16th century frescoes and tapestries and a portrait of Doria as Neptune by Bronzino. Other visits include the National Gallery at the Palazzo Spinola and a private visit to the Palazzo Lomellino with frescoes by Strozzi.

DAY

We stop at Cervara, originally a small Benedictine abbey 7 with a superb split-level garden overlooking the bay.

Afterwards we drive to Portofino, one of the smartest and most picturesque resorts in Europe, where we will have lunch at the fabled Hotel Splendido.

DAY

DAY

8

We drive to Genoa airport for the flight back to Gatwick.

DAY

We drive to Chiavari and visit a private villa, the Palazzo 5 Ravaschieri located in the heart of the mediaeval centre of the town. Lunch will be included before returning to Santa Margherita, where the remainder of the day is free.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: charlie hall Charlie Hall writes: “Having been acquainted with the great cities of Italy since my youth, I have recently come to appreciate the hidden pleasures of the Ligurian Riviera.This tour takes you from the picturesque coves and harbours of the Cinque Terre coastline, to the palaces and gardens of the Ligurian countryside.We will also discover how the cultures of France, Spain and the Islamic world have influenced the art and architecture of the region, especially in the port of Genoa.”

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 27 April £2,996 £378 14 September £2,996 £378 Prices based on two people sharing a double room – single supplement as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 09.20 arrives Genoa 12.15 Depart Genoa 13.00 arrives London Gatwick 13.55

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners at the hotel Two lunches including one at the Hotel Splendido, Portofino All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

THE HERITAGE & HISTORY OF MALTA & GOZO A five NIGHT holiday | 23 MARCH & 2 NOVEMBER 2020 Malta and Gozo are small islands but there is a great deal of fascinating history on each, which will satisfy even the most demanding of travellers.

They have beautiful coastlines, attractive fishing ports, pretty villages often dwarfed by immense churches and much fine Baroque architecture. On this tour we will see some of the fascinating treasures of these islands including prehistoric temples which are thought to be the earliest freestanding buildings in the world, mediaeval settlements and the walled capital Mdina.This is the rich legacy of the Knights of Malta who constructed military fortifications and magnificent buildings, especially in Valletta where the era of British rule, including Malta’s vital role in WWII, will also be explored.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We stay for the duration of the tour at the recently reopened 4

1 star deluxe Phoenicia.This famous hotel stands at the gateway to Valletta and has a majestic setting overlooking Marsamxetto Harbour.

DAY

Today will be spent exploring Valletta which has recently 2 undergone a series of major restorations including the impressive ramparts and Renzo Piano’s new Parliament building.

We visit St. John’s Co-Cathedral with Caravaggio’s masterpiece ‘The Beheading of St. John’, the Grand Master’s Palace and the beautiful jewel-like Teatru Manoel, one of the best surviving Baroque theatres in Europe. During the afternoon we will visit Casa Rocca Piccola, the home of the Marquis de Piro and his family and see the audiovisual presentation ‘The Malta Experience’ which reveals the island’s dramatic history. Our day ends with a visit to Fort St. Elmo. The fort was built by the Knights Templar in 1552 to guard the harbours on either side of the Sceberras Peninsula. After restoration, it reopened in 2015, and now contains the National War Museum, which covers Malta’s wartime history including the Great Siege and the country’s ordeal during WWII. tour lecturer : JULIET RIX An award-winning journalist, Juliet is a regular visitor to Malta and has considerable specialist knowledge of the Islands. She has written extensively about the country including ‘Malta & Gozo’ (Bradt Guides, 4th edition, March 2019) she has a particular interest in the islands' history and pre-history and although Maltese law prevents her from lecturing in some archaeological sites she looks forward to sharing her knowledge with you on an informal basis during the tour.

DAY

Today is devoted to prehistory. We will visit the second oldest

3 stone structures in the world including the recently reopened Hypogeum, a subterranean burial site, and the temples of Tarxien, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra which enable us to trace the development of temple building on Malta. Lunch is included in a picturesque fishing village.

DAY

We sail across the narrow strait to Gozo, a verdant island of

4 fertile farmland, picturesque villages and monumental

Baroque churches. We visit the prehistoric temples at Ggantija and continue to the capital,Victoria, where we walk around the fortifications. After an included lunch, we follow a scenic route to the charming fishing village of Xlendi.

DAY

Today we take a harbour cruise on board a traditional Maltese

5 ‘Luzzu’ and, from the Grand Harbour, we can fully appreciate the remarkable fortifications of Valletta. We enjoy a walking tour of Malta’s first capital Mdina, known as ‘The Silent City,’ with its aristocratic town palaces, Baroque Cathedral and its special atmosphere within narrow mediaeval streets, afterwards we enjoy lunch at the Xara Palace Hotel.

DAY

The morning is free for you to relax before we drive to the

6 airport for the flight back to the UK.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 March £1,998 £390 2 November £1,947 £345 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Air Malta: Depart London Heathrow 11.25 arrive Malta 15.35 Depart Malta 16.55 arrive London Heathrow 19.25

Renzo Piano’s parliament building

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Malta Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners Three lunches All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

ART OF THE CÔTE D’AZUR A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 15 april & 8 september 2020 French artists began to discover the attractions of the Côte d’Azur and the iridescent quality of the region’s dazzling light towards the end of the 19th century. Monet was the first artist to be lured to the Riviera, arriving there in 1885. Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and many more soon followed him.The simple villages they painted may have turned into smart resorts but the light and beauty have not changed and still inspire artists today.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Nice and transfer to a 4 star hotel

1 in the centre of Nice.

DAY

We begin our tour with a visit to the Marc Chagall Museum.

2 When it opened it was originally intended to hold the 17

tour lecturer : simon monckton Simon Monckton studied Theology and is one of our most popular tour lecturers. Simon Monckton writes: “The climate of the stretch of coast between Cannes and Menton is the finest in Europe and provides ideal conditions for gardening and painting. It was because of this, together with the fact that before the Côte d'Azur became so fashionable, life here was relatively cheap, that so many of Europe’s leading artists and gardeners made it their home.”

canvases of The Biblical Message, which depict scenes from Genesis, Exodus and The Song of Solomon.Today, it holds many other works by the artist, primarily those inspired by religion. During the afternoon we go to Vence to see the Chapel of the Rosary, an ambitious project which took Matisse more than four years to complete.

DAY

We drive to St-Paul-de-Vence today to visit the Maeght

3 Foundation with its stunning collection of works by Picasso, Miró, Hepworth and many others. Later we go to the Hôtel Colombe d’Or for lunch and view their own collection of works.

DAY

We visit the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain and

4 then in the afternoon the Musée Matisse where the talents of

this artist can be enjoyed to the full. Here we see not just his paintings but also sculptures, ceramics and stained glass.

DAY

We visit the Château Grimaldi in Antibes. Most of the paintings 5 by Picasso on display were donated to the town by the artist.

Afterwards we go to Le Cannet where Pierre Bonnard lived for many years.The town was the driving force in establishing a museum dedicated to the artist’s work, and in 2011 the Musée Bonnard opened in the Hôtel Saint-Viannay.The collection is constantly being expanded and in February 2014 the artist’s ‘L’Amandier’ was added to the impressive collection.

DAY

6 We drive to Nice airport for the flight to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 15 April £1,798 £340 8 September £1,898 £340 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.35 arrive Nice 14.35 Depart Nice 15.25 arrive London Heathrow 16.35

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Nice Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and one lunch All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

ART & GARDENS OF THE CÔTE D’AZUR Combined tours – ten nights

For those who wish to combine the exceptional art and wonderful gardens of the French Riviera, these two tours run consecutively.The price to join both tours is £3,296 (April), £3,498 (September). Single supplement £598.

Pierre Bonnard, Amandier en Fleurs, 1930. © Adagp, Paris 2014

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Le Musée Bonnard

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cultural tours

GARDENS OF THE RIVIERA A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 20 april & 13 september 2020 There are many great gardens dotted along the Côte d’Azur between St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the border with Italy. Along with the artists, many gardeners were drawn to the Riviera, attracted by both its climate and its beauty.The legacy of these 19th century gardeners still survives, giving inspiration to today’s visitors.

Simon Monckton, who lived for many years on the Riviera, leads the tour.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Nice and transfer to Menton where

1 we stay at the family-owned 4 star Hôtel Napoléon.

Comfortably furnished and offering a high level of personal service, it has a swimming pool, terrace and a fine garden of its own. The hotel does not have a dining room but the centre of Menton is just a few minutes’ walk away and has many fine restaurants.

DAY

Villa Ephrussi Rothschild

Our first visit will be to a garden in Italy, the famous

2 Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola. Established in the late 19th century, the garden has an impressive collection of exotic and tender plants and banks of cascading scented flowers. Later we go to Villa Piacenza Boccanegra in Ventimiglia. Since the 1980s Ursula Piacenza has cared for and expanded the garden created by Ellen Willmott in 1906.

DAY

DAY

Today we walk to the Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden, close to

4 the hotel. The garden was developed from 1905 by Lord

Percy Radcliffe, and in the 1950s many unusual plants and trees began to be added. Next we go to the great garden of Lawrence Johnson, designer of Hidcote – Serre de la Madone. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the pretty resort of Menton.

We drive to St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat where we visit the Villa

3 Ephrussi de Rothschild, as famous for its art collection as for its gardens, which harmoniously combine formal and contemporary styles. The villa was built between 1905 and 1912 for the Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild in the most beautiful spot on the Cap Ferrat peninsula. Nine gardens surround the villa, each with its own distinctive and contrasting theme. Later we go to Villa Kerylos, a contemporary and stylish recreation of a classical Greek villa.

DAY

The Waterfield family have owned Clos du Peyronnet since

5 1915. There is much imaginative use of fountains, ponds and cascades which enhance the artful landscaping. During the afternoon we will drive to nearby Monte Carlo to see the impressive collection of succulents and cacti at the Principality’s Jardin Exotique.

DAY

6 We drive to Nice airport for the flight to London.

tour lecturer : simon monckton Simon Monckton has been leading tours covering art history, architecture, and gardens in Europe, the Middle and Far East for the past 20 years and is currently based in Tenerife.

Having lived in the south of France for many years himself, he has an intimate knowledge of this region, which he looks forward to sharing with you.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 April £1,698 £268 13 September £1,894 £336 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room.

Supplement for a sea view: £156 per room.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.30 arrive Nice 14.35 Depart Nice 15.25 arrive London Heathrow 16.35

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Nice Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

Menton

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cultural tours

CARCASSONNE & ALBI A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 8 may & 9 october 2020 This tour is based at the pinnacle of the mediaeval citadel of Carcassonne where we stay at the luxurious Hotel de la Cité, built into the ramparts with panoramic views of the countryside. It is from here that we will explore the many distinctive regions of this beautiful part of southwest France.The arrival of the Cathars in the 11th century signalled the beginning of a turbulent and bloody period for the Languedoc as they fought with the established church to defend their religious beliefs.Thus began the Albigensian Crusades as the population struggled against the tyranny of Pope Innocent III.The precipitous mountain strongholds, majestic abbeys and breathtaking scenery all come alive as our tour lecturer Simon Monckton unravels the region’s complex history.

Carcassonne

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Toulouse and transfer to Carcassonne

1 where we stay for the duration of the tour at the beautiful 5 star Hotel de la Cité, one of the finest hotels in France and certainly one of the most dramatically situated.

DAY

We spend the first day in Carcassonne, a town of two halves,

2 La Cité itself and the more modern town below the hill.

DAY

Today is spent in Pays de Foix. We visit the tiny church 3 carved deep into a rock at Vals and then continue to Mirepoix, a perfect example of a small bastide where ancient halftimbered houses line the streets. Finally, we see one of the most impenetrable of all Cathar castles at Montségur, which was the centre of Catharism.

DAY

Today we drive to Albi, a city whose buildings are made

4 of delicately coloured pink and ochre stone. Here we visit the 13th to 16th century Cathedral of Ste. Cécile and the wonderful collection of works by Toulouse-Lautrec in the museum.

DAY

The day is spent in Toulouse, a city still undeservedly little

5 known. Here we see the Musée des Augustins with its

important collection of Romanesque sculptures. We will also visit Europe’s largest Romanesque church, St. Sernin, an important stopping point on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

DAY

We travel to Narbonne which was the Roman capital of

6 Transalpine Gaul. While little remains from the Roman

period, it remained an important centre through to the 13th and 14th centuries when the present cathedral was begun in the ambitious northern Gothic style. We explore the old part of the city before heading to the former Cistercian abbey of Fontfroide.

DAY

7 We drive back to Toulouse airport for the flight to London.

tour information

Hotel de la Cité

tour lecturer : simon monckton One of our most popular lecturers, Simon Monckton studied Theology at Durham University and is particularly interested in the influence of religion on mediaeval architecture. Simon Monckton writes: “Over the years I have spent many weeks as a tour lecturer in south west France, especially in the beautiful region where the Albigensian Crusades took place.We learn a great deal about this bloody period in French history but at the same time we will be able to enjoy some of the most dramatic and historically rich landscapes to be found anywhere in France.”

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DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 8 May £2,450 £488 9 October £2,498 £498 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Supplement for deluxe room with garden view: £150 per room.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.40 arrive Toulouse 16.30 Depart Toulouse 17.40 arrive London Heathrow 18.30 what we include

• Return flights to Toulouse • Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners at the hotel – including one in the gastronomic restaurant ‘La Barbacane’

• All entrance fees and gratuities • The services of Simon Monckton, the Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

VAN GOGH & CEZANNE IN ROMAN PROVENCE a seven night holiday | 24 APRIL & 27 SEPTEMBER 2020 The sun-drenched fields of lavender, wheat and sunflowers epitomise the countryside of Provence and inspired the PostImpressionists,Van Gogh and Cezanne.This tour includes the towns of Arles and Aix-en-Provence where the artists painted, as well as the surrounding countryside. Centuries earlier, the Romans ruled the area and Arles was known as the Rome of the north.The Romans built spectacular structures, including the three-tier Pont-du-Gard, the theatre at Orange and the amphitheatre at Nimes.

tour ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Marseille and transfer to our hotel in

1 the walled city of Avignon. L’Hôtel de L’Horloge is a 4 star

Arles

studio and the Musée Granet, that exhibits a wide range of works including 20th century French Provencal painting.

property set in an historic building in the centre of Avignon.

DAY DAY

A walking tour of Avignon will include the famous bridge, 2 Pont Saint Benezet and the Romanesque cathedral. The Petit Palace displays mediaeval art and Provencal collections in a former Archbishop’s palace. A highlight of the day will be the splendid Palace of the Popes, built in the 14th century at a time when there were seven successive French popes.

monuments.Van Gogh spent a year at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole sanatorium where he looked out over the wheat fields that inspired many of his works. Nearby, in the chic town of Saint-Rémy-deProvence, there will be free time to explore.

DAY

DAY

We drive to the spectacular example of Roman engineering 3 at the Pont du Gard aqueduct, a three-tiered structure that supplied water to Nimes. We visit Nimes to see Maison Carrée Roman Temple, the amphitheatre, Temple of Diana (actually a Roman Library) and the Tour Magne.

DAY

We drive to the Celtic-Ligurian sanctuary at Glanum,

7 Romanised by Augustus, to see the distinctive Roman

We check out of the hotel and drive to Marseille for a walk

8 through the old port and town. This afternoon we drive to Marseille airport for the flight to London.

We drive to Orange, the ancient Roman garrison town,

4 famous for its theatre with wonderful acoustics and the

Roman Arc de Triomphe. Continue to the Roman and mediaeval town of Vaison-la-Romaine, set in a river valley in Haut Vaucluse with a Roman bridge that survived many floods. Driving back through the Côte du Rhône vineyards, we will stop at Châteauneuf-du-Pape to taste the wines of the region.

DAY

We drive to Arles, gateway to the Camargue and inspiration

5 for Vincent Van Gogh. Our walking tour of Arles, includes

the Roman amphitheatre, arena and the Romanesque cathedral of St. Trophime. After free time for lunch, we focus on Van Gogh’s life in Arles and visit the Alyscamps, an atmospheric ancient cemetery that he painted.

DAY

We drive to Aix-en-Provence, home to Cézanne, who was

6 dazzled by the striking light of Provence. We visit Cézanne’s TOUR LECTURER, april: CHRISTOPHER MONCKTON Christopher was a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he developed a passion for both performing and teaching.

This led to a life long interest in history, music and art history.

He has led countless tours all over the world covering many subjects and periods. He is equally at home in the ancient world as he is in the major art galleries of Europe. tour lecturer, september: simon monckton (See page 49 for biography)

Pont Saint Benezet, Avignon

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 24 April £2,192 £450 27 September £2,192 £450 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.05, arrive Marseille 16.00.

Depart Marseille 16.50, arrive London Heathrow 17.45.

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Marseille Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and one winetasting All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

MADRID & OLD CASTILLE a six night holiday | 22 april & 6 october 2020 Madrid not only has some of the finest art collections in the world at its many museums and galleries, it is also a wonderful base from which to explore the surrounding region. Our tour spends three days in the capital along with three visits further afield, to El Escorial,Toledo and Segovia. Naturally, Spanish art dominates the tour but we also see many works by Flemish masters, reminding us that the Spanish realm embraced the Low Countries. Charles V and Philip II were important patrons of Titian and we see several works by the artist during the tour.

tour ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Madrid and transfer to the 4 star Hotel Emperador

1 on the Gran Via in the very centre of Madrid.

DAY

We begin our stay in Madrid with a visit to the Prado where

2 we see Flemish masterpieces and a matchless collection by

Spanish artists spanning six centuries. After an independent lunch, there will be a complete change of mood when we see works by Joaquin Sorolla (1863 – 1923) at the house where he lived and worked. Sorolla’s bright and airy canvases depict an idealised and romanticised image of his native country.

DAY

We leave Madrid for Toledo, the capital of the nation and

3 empire from 1085 until the end of the 16th century. El

Greco lived here and we see his works in the eponymous museum, as well as in the cathedral and in the Church of Santo Tomé where we see his altarpiece ‘The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.’

DAY

eight centuries take one on an unforgettable journey through the entire history of art up to the 20th century.

DAY

Segovia is our destination today. Here we see the cathedral,

5 the Alcázar and the 800 metre long Roman aqueduct, still in use today. During the afternoon we visit La Granja, a pretty small town where we see the palace built by the French born Philip V in the image of Versailles. The surrounding 18th century garden and park by Robert de Cotte is one of the finest 18th century landscapes in Europe.

DAY

Today, at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts we see works by

6 Goya, Zurbarán, Ribera and Murillo. In the afternoon we go to the collection of 20th century works at the Reina Sofia. Here we see paintings by Tàpies, Miró and Dalí and, of course, Picasso, whose Guernica is a permanent reminder of the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War.

Back in Madrid we spend the morning at the stunning

4 Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection on display in the 18th

century Palacio de Villahermosa. Masterpieces spanning more than

tour lecturer : sÎan walters Siân Walters is an art historian who has lectured for the National Gallery, The Arts Society, The Wallace Collection and The Art Fund. She was also a lecturer at Surrey University for many years. Having graduated from Cambridge University, Siân worked in Venice and France and continues to spend much of the year abroad both lecturing and leading art history tours.

DAY

The morning is spent in the sprawling and once remote El

7 Escorial in the Sierra de Guadarrama. This austere monastic complex was the residence of Philip II. The king died here in September 1598. After our visit we drive direct to the airport for the flight to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 22 April £1,998 £385 6 October £2,294 £490 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.20 arrive Madrid 16.45 Depart Madrid 18.15 arrive London Heathrow 19.40

• • • • • The Alcázar, Segovia

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what we include Return flights to Madrid Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners in local restaurants All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities The service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

SEVILLE & ANDALUCÍA A seven Night tour | 17 march & 3 november 2020 Based in the city of Seville this itinerary has been carefully designed to give you plenty of time in this beautiful and historic city with its impressive cathedral, important art collections and famous tapas bars in the Barrio de Santa Cruz where we stay.We also visit Córdoba which was one of the greatest centres of learning in Europe until the Reconquista expelled the Moors, but they left their timeless legacy in the city’s buildings, notably the great Mezquita and the Juderia area of the city.

Excursions into the lovely rural Andalucían landscape with its picture-perfect villages and a visit to Jerez, the centre of the sherry trade, complete the holiday.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Seville and on arrival transfer to the 4 star Hotel

1 Doña Maria in the heart of the Barrio de Santa Cruz district in the centre of the city.

DAY

We begin our first day in Seville on foot with a walking tour 2 through the Barrio de Santa Cruz, its narrow streets and alleys lined with picturesque town houses. Most houses keep their courtyard doors tantalisingly ajar to allow passers-by fleeting glimpses of the flower-filled courtyards so typical of Seville.

We will visit the world's largest Gothic cathedral, Seville's fortified royal palace, the Alcazar and the elegant architecture and patio at the Casa de Pilatos, the finest example of a Mudejar town house.

DAY

mosque with its lines of arches encircling the cathedral built by Charles V. The Mezquita encapsulates the unique blend of Islamic and Christian history which makes Andalucía such an absorbing and beguiling destination. We will also visit the Alcazar and the noble Palacio de Vena.

DAY

Today we visit the art collections in the Museo de Bellas 3 Artes and the Hospital de la Caridad. Both collections are displayed in historic buildings and both have important works by Spanish artists including Zurbarán and Murillo. Later we visit the city's famous bullring. The rest of the day is free.

DAY

Today we leave Seville and drive south. Our first stop is to

4 Arcos de la Frontera, one of the pretty white villages ‘pueblos blancos’ of Andalucia. Arcos has a dramatic clifftop position with wonderful views down to the Guadalete River below. We will have an included lunch before continuing to Jerez de la Frontera, the centre of the sherry trade. Here we will visit one of the most famous bodegas for a glass of refreshing, cool manzanilla before returning to Seville.

The day is free for further independent sightseeing in Seville

6 and in the evening we drive for half an hour to one of our

favourite rural hotels in Spain, Hacienda de San Rafael, for dinner.

DAY

DAY

We travel to Córdoba, a journey of less than two hours.

5 On arrival we will visit the Mezquita to see the stunning

Today we drive to the neighbouring province of Huelva to

7 visit two beautiful hilltop villages. Almonaster la Real still has its three original Moorish town gates and a beautiful 10th century mosque next to a tiny bullring. Linares de la Sierra is a lovely village famous for its restaurants – we will have an included lunch of locally sourced gastronomic delights.

DAY

The morning is free and at noon we will drive to historic

8 Carmona, a Roman town that sits high on a hill overlooking a fertile plain. We will have a guided walk and enjoy a late lunch before leaving for Seville airport.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 17 March £2,075 £348 3 November £2,286 £368 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 15.30 arrive Seville 20.05 Depart Seville 20.00 arrive London Gatwick 21.50

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Seville Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners including one at the Hacienda de San Rafael Three lunches All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Simon Monckton

Arcos de la Frontera

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cultural tours

ÁVILA, SALAMANCA & HISTORIC CASTILE a seven night holiday | 20 april & 24 september 2020 Our tour to the province of Castile will include visits to Zamora and Segovia as well as Salamanca and Ávila, home to the best preserved mediaeval city walls in Spain.We stay in Ávila before moving on to the charming Hacienda Zorita Hotel located in gently rolling countryside, 20 minutes from the beautiful university city of Salamanca, whose golden, honey-hued buildings seem to glow in the vivid Spanish light.The magnificent Plaza Mayor rivals Madrid for style and is at the heart of this dynamic city.This is the real Spain, a land of wide open landscapes dotted with farms and villages. It is the most important area in the country for breeding bulls, and as we drive along the open roads we will see them enjoying the pastures and sitting in the shade, like Ferdinand, smelling the flowers.

Ávila

THE ITINERARY We drive from Madrid to El Escorial, Philip II’s sprawling, 1 isolated palace with an important art collection. Then we continue to the 4 star Palaccio de los Velada.

DAY

Today there will be a walking tour of Ávila, whose city walls 2 are the best preserved in the world. Our tour will include the cathedral, the Monastery of the Incarnation, Real Monasterio and the Romanesque Basilica of San Vicente. There is free time to explore Ávila this afternoon.

DAY

Today is spent in Segovia.The city is famous for its historical 3 buildings and for three main landmarks: its midtown Roman aqueduct, its cathedral (one of the last in the Gothic style to be built in Europe), and the castle.This afternoon, we will visit The Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso.

DAY

We depart from Ávila this morning and make our way to 4 the Hacienda Zorita, where we will stay for the next four nights. We will drive out through the vineyards of the Ribera del Duero to the farm owned by the hotel for an included lunch and some wine-tasting.

DAY

Today we will enjoy our first of two visits to Salamanca, one 5 of the most beautiful cities in Spain – its Old City is a UNESCO listed Heritage Site. The golden sandstone of Salamanca creates a beautiful, picture-book cityscape of roofs, church spires, convents, academic buildings and elegant squares. We will see its famous university, founded in the 13th century, the Patio de las Escuelas and the city’s two cathedrals, the Old and the New, The Plaza Mayor and the Town Hall.

DAY

54

In Zamora, a beautiful old city on the ancient Via de la Plata, 6 spread out along the banks of the River Duero, we see the Arab castle, the 12th century cathedral and some Romanesque churches. Lunch will be included in the Parador, which was once the 15th century palace of the Counts of Alba y Aliste.

DAY

Another day in Salamanca where we will see the market, the 7 convent of San Esteban and the Casa Lis museum of Art Nouveau. After our walking tour there will be free time to explore Salamanca on your own.

DAY

DAY

8 We drive back to Madrid airport for the flight to London.

tour lecturer: Robin wallis Robin Wallis studied Modern Languages at Downing College, Cambridge and International Relations at the London School of Economics. He has been Head of Spanish at two schools and as Principal Examiner, he keeps in close contact with Cambridge International Examinations for Spanish ‘topics and texts’.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 April £1,998 £398 24 September £2,175 £426 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways/Iberia: Depart London Heathrow 10.40 arrive Madrid 14.10 Depart Madrid 17.05 arrive London Heathrow 18.25 what we include • Return flights to Madrid • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Six dinners and two lunches • Winetasting at the Hacienda • All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

MÁLAGA – PICASSO & BEYOND A six night holiday |

23 march & 10 November 2020

Until recently, it was the rare visitor indeed who, after landing at Málaga airport, took the trouble to discover the city. Most headed off instead to the beaches of the Costa del Sol or inland to the historic cities of Andalucía.Today this has all changed. Inspired by the fact that Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga, the city set about reinventing itself as a major art destination. Carmen Thyssen brought her collection of Spanish art to Málaga, and great cultural institutions from St. Petersburg and Paris reached out to establish branches here.The Contemporary Art Centre opened in 2003 in a former grocery wholesale building and quickly established itself as a major gallery. Picasso was the catalyst for the transformation of the city of his birth into a world class destination for all art lovers.

THE ITINERARY 1

We fly to Málaga and on arrival transfer to the 4 star Hotel Molina Lario where we stay for the duration of the tour.

DAY

We begin our exploration of Málaga with a visit to the house

DAY

2 on Plaza de la Merced where Pablo Picasso was born on 25

October 1881. Today the house is a museum and gallery with many works by Picasso from his formative years, including drawings and ceramics. There are also pictures by other artists on display. Although Picasso very seldom returned to Málaga he always thought fondly of his time there throughout his life. Next we go to the Museo Picasso Málaga which was extensively refurbished in 2017. Here over two hundred of Picasso’s works are exhibited in chronological order. Early portraits, works in the classical style and cubist paintings from the 1930’s are all here. The day will end with a visit to Málaga Cathedral, which dates from the 16th century.

DAY

This morning we go to the Museo Carmen Thyssen where

3 we see Baroness Thyssen’s personal collection of works by

Spanish artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. Zurbarán, Sorolla, Ortega and countless more are represented. The landscape paintings include many works depicting Andalucía. This afternoon’s visit to the Museo Ruso will be in stark contrast. At this Andalucían outpost of St. Petersburg’s Russian Museum, we will see art from mediaeval icons to 20th century Socialist Realism. The museum presents two or three continually changing exhibits at any one time, covering different periods of Russia’s artistic heritage.

DAY

We leave Málaga for the day and travel to Granada where we

4 see the magnificent Alhambra. The Alhambra is the pinnacle of Moorish art and architecture, a royal residence of breathtaking

grandeur and beauty. We will see the Royal Chapel and the sublime Generalife Gardens that surround the palace. After the visit there will be an included lunch and time to wander through the historic Albaicín district before returning to Málaga.

DAY This morning we go to the Contemporary Art Centre to see 5 works by leading Spanish and other European artists. Later we go to the first ever branch of the Pompidou Centre outside of Paris, the Centre Pompidou Málaga, an impressive glass cube overlooking Málaga’s harbour. Works by Frida Kahlo, Francis Bacon, Léger, Picasso and others are on display here.

DAY

We leave Málaga and drive to Ronda, dramatically sited above

6 a gorge with views out across the Serranía de Ronda

mountains. We will visit the Palacio de Mondragón with its cool Moorish courtyards and patios, and then have some time to explore Ronda independently. We will have lunch in a favourite Kirker hotel, Fuente de la Higuera, originally an 18th century olive mill.

Afterwards we return to Málaga.

DAY

7 We leave for the airport and the flight back to the UK.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 March £1,954 £398 10 November £1,897 £398 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick at 11.10 arrive Málaga at 15.05 Depart Málaga at 14.10 arrive London Gatwick at 16.10 There are flights to Málaga from many airports around the country. Our sales team will be pleased to book the flight most convenient for you what we include • Return flights to Málaga • Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners and two lunches • All entrance fees and gratuities • The service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Robin Wallis

Ronda

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cultural tours

THE WESTERN FRONT – THE ROAD TO VICTORY A five NIGHT holiday | 21 october 2020 Led by military historian Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan, we will visit the principal battlefields of the British Expeditionary Forces, starting at the notorious Ypres Salient which saw intense action throughout the war.We follow the progress of the troops until we reach Amiens where in August 1918 the Allies began their journey to victory. In between, we visit Passchendaele, Arras, the Somme and Cambrai.Visits to some exceptional museums help tell the story of how the troops fought both underground and above, in the mud and on horseback.The Great War was not the ‘war to end all wars’ but it left an indelible impression on Europe and the world.

THE ITINERARY We depart from St. Pancras International station and travel 1 on Eurostar to Lille, continuing by coach to Ypres where we stay for two nights. After checking in at the hotel we visit the Flanders Fields Museum where the story of the invasion of Belgium unfolds through a series of personal stories. Later we go to St. George’s Memorial Church.

DAY

DAY

We visit the battlefields of the Ypres Salient.Visits to Essex

2 Farm Cemetery, Langemarck, the Commonwealth graves,

Tyne Cot Cemetery and the Messines Ridge are all included. This evening we will attend the ceremony of The Last Post, played each night at the Menin Gate Memorial.

DAY

We leave Ypres and visit the Wellington Quarries Museum

3 before continuing to Arras for an independent lunch.

Afterwards, we go to Vimy Ridge and the Vimy Memorial to the Canadian dead, and Notre Dame de Lorette with its graves of more than 40,000 fallen French troops. The day ends at the German war cemetery where the dead from the Battles of Artois and Arras are buried. We then move on to Lille where we stay for one night at the centrally located Hotel Carlton.

‘The Menin Road’ by Paul Nash 1919

5 a visit to Cambrai, where massed tank formations were used

TOUR LECTURER: HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN Hugh leads a variety of cultural tours in the UK and specialises in military history especially in Wellington’s Peninsular Campaigns 1808-1814, the Battle of Waterloo 1815, the Western Front 19141918, the D-Day Landings 1944 and the Fall Of France 1940.

Military walking tours in London include the London Blitz 1940-1941 (in the City of London), WW1 (in Whitehall and Westminster) and Britain’s Military History (in Whitehall). Hugh has led many small group tours for Kirker, as well as a variety of tailor-made itineraries private groups, students and charities.

for the first time and where the British suffered 57,000 casualties in a single, terrible day. There will be time to visit Amiens Cathedral during our stay here.

tour information

DAY

The day is spent in the Somme with visits to the Thiepval

4 British Memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, as well as Beaumont Hamel, and the Lochnagar Crater of La Boiselle. The final two nights of the tour are spent in Amiens at the Hotel Mercure Amiens Cathedrale.

DAY

DAY

More discoveries of the Somme this morning are followed by

We learn more about the Battles of Amiens and of Moreuil

6 Wood where one of the last cavalry charges took place, before returning to Lille to board the Eurostar back to London.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 21 October £1,449 £280 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. eurostar details Depart London St.Pancras 10.58, arrive Lille Europe 13.56 Depart Lille Europe 15.30, arrive London St.Pancras 16.10

• • • • • • Amiens Cathedral

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what we include Return Eurostar Transfers Accommodation with breakfast Three dinners All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON & THE PENINSULAR WAR A SEVEN NIGHT TOUR | 22 april & 7 october 2020 Military historian Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan leads our tour to Spain and Portugal, which combines fascinating history with spectacular scenery and delicious food and wine.The Peninsular War began in 1808, one year after Napoleon decided to stop Britain from trading with the rest of Europe. But Napoleon had neither considered that the Portuguese would prove to be a steadfast ally of Britain nor that the Spanish would be swept up in their own revolts.The Battle of Salamanca in 1812 saw the beginning of the end for Napoleon, which eventually led to his abdication and exile in Elba.

Oporto

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly to Oporto and transfer to our centrally located hotel, the 4 star Hotel Carris Ribeira for a two night stay.

Our first day begins in Oporto itself, spread out along the 2 banks of the Douro. We will have a panoramic tour of the city and see the spot where Wellington made his daring assault across the river in 1809. Later we drive to the battlefields close to the city where The Iron Duke won his unexpected victory over Marshal Soult’s occupying force. We will enjoy a port tasting, followed by dinner, in the elegant Taylor’s Port Wine lodge.

DAY

Today we travel on the scenic railway which skirts the 3 River Douro as far as the town of Pinhão, where we spend a night in the 4 star Vintage House. This charming property is set on the river bank in the heart of the UNESCO protected Douro Valley wine region.

DAY

Leaving Pinhão, we cross into Spain and drive to the small 4 city of Ciudad Rodrigo, a key border fortress during the Peninsular Wars and the site of two major sieges. In 1810, Marshal DAY

Ney took the city for the French after a costly battle which delayed the French invasion of Portugal significantly, whilst in 1812 Wellington stormed the city, opening up the route into Frenchheld northern Spain for his Allied force. We stay in the historic Parador of Ciudad Rodrigo for two nights.

We will explore the countryside today, visiting all the 5 important sites of key battlegrounds. The fortress of Almeida guarded one of the major roads between Spain and Portugal and was besieged by both sides, whilst the surrounding region became a strategic battleground; we will visit the Côa Valley, Fuentes de Oñoro and Barba del Puerco.

DAY

Today we travel to the beautiful city of Salamanca, where 6 we stay for the final two nights at the 4 star Parador. The Battle of Salamanca was a decisive moment and cemented Wellington’s reputation as a master tactician, leading to the eventual capture of Madrid.

DAY

As well as a crucial strategic landmark, Salamanca is also one 7 of the most beautiful cities in Spain, and our visit today will explore the cityscape of tiled roofs, Gothic churches and elegant squares. We will see the the magnificent Plaza Mayor, Patio de las Escuelas, the university and both the new and old cathedrals.

DAY

We drive to Madrid airport, breaking the journey at El 8 Escoriál, a royal palace built for Philip II. Here we see the imposing Royal Apartments with works by Titian and other Venetian masters.

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 22 April £2,097 £398 7 October £2,147 £492 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with TAP (outbound) & Easyjet (inbound): Depart London Gatwick 12.50 arrive Oporto 14.20 Depart Madrid 16.35 arrive London Gatwick 18.00

• • • • •

what we include Return flights and transfers Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

tour lecturer : HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan read Geography at University College London and developed a lifelong interest in the Napoleonic period, particularly the Peninsula War. Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan writes: “Starting our tour in Oporto we will follow Wellington’s progress close to the River Douro which flows through some of the loveliest scenery in Portugal. In the vast open spaces around Ciudad Rodrigo and Salamanca it is not hard to imagine the great battles that took place here. Endless vistas, mountains, mighty rivers and steep terraces of vineyards make this a most rewarding trip for anyone who wants to learn more about the extraordinary Duke of Wellington and enjoy this quiet, unspoilt corner of Iberia.”

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cultural tours

NUREMBURG & FRANCONIA A six NIGHT holiday | 20 JUly & 14 DECEMBER 2020 The cultural heart of Germany, Franconia is home to some of the most evocative and well-preserved mediaeval art and architecture in Europe. Based in Nuremburg, birthplace of Albrecht Dürer, we will explore the region’s charming towns and cities including Rothenburg, Bamberg,Würzburg and Wagner’s Bayreuth, and we will discover its fascinating history from a patchwork of Teutonic tribes through the Holy Roman Empire to the turbulent 20th century.We will visit twice and you can choose between mid-summer and December when Nuremburg hosts its famous Christkindlesmarkt, one of the world’s oldest Christmas markets.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Munich and transfer to the 4 star Le Meridien 1 Grand Hotel in the historic centre of Nuremberg where we stay for the duration of the holiday.

DAY

DAY

Our first morning will begin with a guided walk through the

The rest of the day is dedicated to the Residenz, a wonderful UNESCO-listed Baroque palace designed by Balthasar Neumann with spectacular ceilings by Tiepolo.

DAY

We head to Bayreuth this morning, best known for its

2 old town of Nuremburg, including visits to St. Sebaldus, the

6 summer Wagner Festival. Here we will see the Festspielhaus,

city’s oldest church, which holds Peter Vischer the Elder’s bronze shrine, and to the restored mediaeval church of St. Lorenz, with beautiful stained glass and Peter Vischer’s suspended wood carving of the Annunciation. The day ends at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, which has a collection spanning Germanic culture from the Middle Ages up to the 20th century.

specifically designed to show Wagner’s lavish productions, as well as the composer’s handsome house, now the Wagner Museum. In the afternoon we will go the house where Albrecht Dürer lived and worked right up until his death, followed by Nuremberg’s Imperial Castle, which overlooks the city.

DAY

7

We transfer to Munich airport for our flight back to London.

DAY

We visit the picture-perfect mediaeval town of Rothenburg 3 ob der Tauber, a popular stop on Germany’s Romantic Road.

Highlights include the spectacular 16th century altarpiece by Tilman Riemenschneider at St. Jakob’s Church and the Reichsstadtmuseum. After lunch we will stop at the remains of the infamous Nuremburg Rally Grounds where the Nazi party held their National Congresses between 1933 and 1938.

DAY

Today we will travel to the picturesque town of Bamberg,

4 where we will see the extraordinary Altes Rathaus, which

straddles the Regnitz River, as well as the Romanesque cathedral containing a statue of the mysterious Bamberg horseman, and the city museum housed in the old bishops’ palace. During the afternoon we explore the palatial rooms, picture collection and rose garden of the Neue Residenz.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: CHRISTOPHER MONCKTON Christopher Monckton writes: “The upheavals of the 20th century have tended to obscure the significance of this very beautiful region at the heart of Europe, as an historical centre of political and religious reform. Associated in my mind with the worst features of WWII, chance and necessity first brought me to these enchanting and hospitable places – in a former existence as a professional musician – and the scales fell from my eyes.”

tour information

Today is spent in the university city of Würzburg where we

5 visit the cathedral, partially reconstructed after WWII, and the town hall, before stopping for a wine-tasting at Julius Spital winery.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 July £1,870 £336 14 December £2,198 £498 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a double/twin room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow at 12.40 arrive Munich at 15.35 Depart Munich at 12.45 arrive London Heathrow at 13.50

• • • • • • Nuremburg

58

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

what we include Return scheduled flights to Munich Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners and two lunches A winetasting All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker tour lecturer

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cultural tours

A JOURNEY THROUGH ROMANIA a nine night Holiday | 17 may & 18 october 2020 Romania has experienced a colourful and dramatic history over the past 1,000 years. Under the control of Bulgaria, Hungary and then both the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, it was not until the downfall of the Ceausescus that Romania was able to forge its own independent path. Saxon villages, painted monasteries and churches, superbly preserved mediaeval towns and a welcoming people all combine to create one of the most enigmatic countries in Europe.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly to Bucharest and transfer to our centrally located hotel, the 4 star Athenee Palace Hilton, for a three night stay.

We begin with a walking tour of the historic district. Later 2 we will go to the National Museum of Art in the former Royal Palace and see two magnificent collections. We then visit Ceausescu’s ‘Parliament Palace’– a permanent reminder of the grim years when Romania was ruled by the despised couple.

DAY

We drive to the resort of Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, built in 9 archetypal fairy tale style and surrounded by glorious scenery and gardens. Returning to Brașov we will stop at Bran Castle, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s castle of Count Dracula.

DAY

DAY

10

We drive back to Bucharest airport for the flight to London.

We visit the impressive former synagogue to discover more 3 about the history of the Jewish community in Romania. We then go to the Choral Temple, Bucharest’s main synagogue, and then to the church of Stavropoleos. We will have lunch in a traditional tea house and then visit the Rural Museum, a much loved institution. Here in a lovely three acre park, over 300 houses from villages around the nation can be seen.

DAY

We travel by train to Suceava, in the region of Bukovina.

4 A picnic lunch will be provided. We spend two nights at the 4 star Gerald’s Hotel in Rădăuţi.

DAY

Today is spent discovering some of the famous painted 5 churches and monasteries for which Romania is famous.

Visits include the Arbore Church and the Voronet Monastery with its great fresco of ‘The Last Judgement.’

Sighișoara

DAY

On our journey to Sighișoara we will stop at Târgu Mureș 6 to see the Art Nouveau Palace of Culture and drive though Székely Land. Two nights will be spent in Sighișoara at the 4 star Mercure Hotel Binderbubi.

DAY

There will be a walking tour through the small fortified 7 mediaeval town of Sighișoara, known for its cobbled streets and colourful houses. During the afternoon we explore Saxon Land with visits to the fortified churches in Malancrav and Biertan.

DAY

We drive to Brasov today, passing the UNESCO listed 8 church in Viscri. Perfectly preserved, Brasov dates back to the12th century. We will see the stately town square, the Gothic Black Church and the city art gallery. We stay for two nights at the 4 star Aro Palace Hotel.

TOUR LECTURER, MAY: NEIL FAULKNER (See page 43 for biography) TOUR LECTURER, OCTOBER: ANDREW SPIRA Andrew Spira studied at the Courtauld Institute and Kings College, London. For several years, he worked at the Temple Gallery, London (specialist in Byzantine, Russian and Greek icons) and as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Subsequently he was a Programme Director at Christie’s Education for 14 years. Besides writing and lecturing extensively on a wide range of subjects, he has taken numerous groups on cultural visits all over Europe.

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 17 May £2,184 £276 18 October £2,347 £298 FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.40 arrive Bucharest 17.00 Depart Bucharest 17.50 arrive London Heathrow 19.20

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Bucharest Nine nights’ accommodation with breakfast Nine dinners, two lunches and picnic lunch on the train All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

THE PALACES & GALLERIES OF ST. PETERSBURG a six night holiday | 24 april, 4 september & 2 october 2020 Peter the Great was a man with a vision. He was determined to show the world that Russia was not a backward nation rooted in tradition but one that was modern and forward thinking, looking to the West, not the East for its inspiration and ideals. How better to do this than to build a new city on the Baltic Sea? Today, the legacy of his ambitions and achievements is displayed in abundance.

Monumental buildings of state, great churches and cathedrals, ornate theatres, legendary art collections, all add up to create one of the most rewarding experiences for modern day visitors.

THE ITINERARY We fly to St. Petersburg and transfer to the centre of the city 1 where we stay for the duration of the holiday at the 4 star Angleterre, a Rocco Forte hotel, overlooking St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

DAY

We begin with an introductory panoramic tour of the city 2 and see the Peter & Paul Fortress and cathedral, the simple log cabin where Peter lived as his city grew around him, the Menshikov Palace and the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.

DAY

Today we visit two sumptuous palaces built for members of 3 the imperial family. Pavlovsk, built for the son of Catherine the Great as a private residence and the Catherine Palace at Pushkin which is a Baroque showpiece. Lunch is included.

DAY

We visit the wonderful collection of art and icons in the 4 Russian Museum housed in the Mikhaylovsky Palace. Our day will also include visits to the Church on the Spilled Blood and a visit to the Fabergé Museum in the Shuvalov Palace.

tour lecturer : TATIANA SHUlgA Tatiana lives and works in St. Petersburg and has been leading Kirker's tours to the city for several years. Her knowledge extends over all periods of the city's cultural history and its people. Tatiana Shulga writes: “Visitors are often delighted and surprised to discover how culturally important and influential St. Petersburg was in the 18th and 19th centuries.Today the city is regaining its status as one of the world’s great artistic centres.

I visit the Hermitage every week and am still amazed at the depth and breadth of its unrivalled collections.”

DAY

Today is devoted to the Hermitage, the great Winter Palace 5 which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of paintings and decorative fine arts. Here we find Old Masters, Impressionists, ceramics, porcelain and works by the court jeweller, Fabergé. We will include a special visit to the Diamond Room.

DAY

This morning we visit the glittering palace at Peterhof 6 with its sensational gardens that tumble down to the edge of the Baltic Sea. Back in St. Petersburg we have a tour of the Yusupov Palace.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 24 April £2,689 £398 4 September £2,728 £398 2 October £2,728 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

DAY

DAY

7

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Finnair via Helsinki: Depart London Heathrow 10.20 arrive St. Petersburg 18.00 Depart St. Petersburg 13.35 arrive London Heathrow 17.10

The final morning is free to explore the city at your leisure.

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights to St. Petersburg Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners and one lunch Russian visa (supplements may apply for fast track or non-UK passport holders) All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Tour Lecturer

Opera, ballet & Concerts in st. petersburg

We will write to you two months before departure with details of optional performances at the historic Mariinsky Theatre and other venues.

Peterhof Palace

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cultural tours

ART, MUSIC & LITERATURE IN MOSCOW a five night holiday | 8 october 2020 Moscow is the spiritual and political heart of Russia, and for those who wish to understand the country, a visit to the city of Tolstoy, Chekhov and Dostoevsky is an essential experience. Our tour will encompass dazzling Orthodox cathedrals, imposing Soviet era monuments, and the spectacular treasures at the Kremlin – accumulated by generations of powerful Tsars, from 1380 when Prince Ivan I moved his capital to Moscow until the last of the Romanovs were deposed almost a century ago. This great wealth also fostered and inspired the huge achievements of Russia’s greatest writers and artists during the 19th century, and we shall explore their legacy during visits to writers’ houses and important art galleries.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly to Moscow and transfer to the 4 star Hotel National, located a short walk from Red Square.

We begin with a panoramic tour of the huge metropolis 2 that is Moscow and end at Red Square. We visit the Armoury Museum at the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, and end at the Cathedral of Archangel Michael where we see the tomb of Moscow’s founder, Prince Ivan I. DAY

This morning will be spent at the Pushkin State Museum, 5 one of the world’s most important museums. Later as a sharp contrast, we will visit the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, a superb collection of works by Russian artists, many of whom were opposed to the socialist ideology of the state and whose works were banned from being publicly displayed. The day ends with a tour of the Bolshoi Theatre.

DAY

Our time in Russia ends with a drive to Melikhovo where 6 we see the picturesque rural wooden house where Anton Chekhov (1860 – 1904) lived and worked for seven years from 1892. Afterwards we drive to the airport for the flight home.

DAY

Our day starts at the Tretyakov Gallery where we see the 3 collection of Pavel Tretyakov. Open to the public since 1870, it is the world’s most important collection of works by Russian artists. Later we go to the Novodevichy Convent, one of the most peaceful and spiritual places in Moscow. The day ends at the house where Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) lived for many years with his large family, and where he entertained the elite of Russian society.

DAY

We leave Moscow for the day to visit Klin. This is the 4 estate on which Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) lived for the last years of his life and which saw his creativity blossom to the full.

It was during his time here that he composed ‘The Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘The Nutcracker,’ his one-act opera ‘Iolanta,’ and orchestrated ‘The Queen of Spades.’ We will see correspondence, documents and many of his personal items on display.

tour information

DAY

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 8 October £2,546 £398 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.45 arrive Moscow 14.35 Depart Moscow 16.05 arrive London Heathrow 18.00 NB: Regional departures available on request

• • • • Novodevichy Convent

ST. PETERSBURG & MOSCOW Our tours to these two cities run consecutively with a departure on 2 October so why not book both for a comprehensive insight into Russian history and culture?

Travel by business class train between the two cities is included. Price for 11 night two-centre holidays: £4,924 per person (single supplement £796).

• •

what we include Return flights to Moscow Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners and two lunches Russian visa (supplements may apply for fast track or non-UK passport holders) All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Tour Lecturers,Tatiana Shulga and Evgeniya Progonova

Opera, ballet & Concerts in Moscow

We will write to you in a few months before the tour departs, with details of the optional performances available at the Bolshoi and other venues in the city.

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exclusive cultural kirker music toursfestivals

BYZANTINE & OTTOMAN ISTANBUL a FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 25 MARCH & 4 november 2020 Istanbul is one of the world’s most fascinating cities and has a colourful and complex history, spanning many centuries.

Our five night holiday will introduce you to both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods; spanning 1,600 years from 330 AD until the early 20th Century. It was during the long period as capital of the vast and sprawling Ottoman Empire that Istanbul took on much of the appearance visitors today can still enjoy. During our visit, there will be a comprehensive programme of sightseeing as well as some free time to explore the Grand Bazaar.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly to Istanbul and transfer to the 4 star Hotel Eresin Sultanahmet where we stay for the duration of the tour.

Today begins with a guided tour of the sprawling city of 2 Istanbul, starting at the Hippodrome, the most important relic from the city’s Roman period and rebuilt by Constantine in 330 AD. Our day ends at the Topkapi Palace, the Sultan’s residence and the nerve centre of the Ottoman Empire. Here we see the sprawling harem complex where the wives of the Sultan lived.

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We begin our day at the ancient Serefiye Cistern, built by 3 Roman Emperor Theodosius II. Next we visit the Hagia Sophia, considered one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture. It became a mosque in 1453 and served as a model for all future Ottoman mosques. This afternoon, we will wander through Istanbul’s fabled Grand Bazaar, an ideal place to shop for souvenirs including textiles, food, ceramics and spices.

DAY

tour lecturer : ANDREW ALLEN Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and undertook his postgraduate study at the University of Essex taking his MA in early Italian painting.

He worked for Phillips Auctioneers and lectured at Anglia Polytechnic University. He has built up particular experience in parts of the Middle East and the great cities of Europe.

Andrew Allen writes: “After serving as the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires for more than 1,500 years, Istanbul is now enjoying her retirement from political life as a historical theatre where one can experience the liveliness of a modern metropolis accompanied by a breathtaking historical setting.”

This morning we visit the vast Dolmabahce Palace which 4 served as the centre for the Sultan’s extended domestic life.

We then board a boat for a journey along the Bosphorus and finish with lunch at a local fish restaurant. Later we visit the Sadberk Hanim Museum with its superb collection of decorative arts before returning to the hotel.

DAY

We start with a visit to the small but beautiful Church of 5 St. Saviour in Chora which dates from 1077 and has some of the finest mosaics and frescoes in Istanbul. Then we make our way through the Ottoman districts of Balat and Fener to the spice market before ending our day at the magnificent Süleymaniye Mosque, one of the city’s landmarks.

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DAY

6

This morning is free for independent exploration. We drive to Istanbul airport for the flight back to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 March £1,668 £285 4 November £1,592 £265 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 09.35 arrive Istanbul 16.30 Depart Istanbul 17.35 arrive London Heathrow 19.55

• • • • • • Chora Church

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Grand Bazaar

what we include Return flights Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners One lunch All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

CLASSICAL ATHENS & THE PELOPONNESE A seven NIGHT tour | 14 MAY & 28 septemBER 2020 Travel through the heart of classical Greece, the ‘cradle of civilisation’, and a region which is uniquely rich in both landscape and history. Based first in Athens and then in the former Venetian town of Nafplio on the Peloponnese peninsula, we will follow in the footsteps of the heroes and authors of Greek myth and legend – from Euripides and Sophocles to Hercules and Agamemnon – and visit the most important monuments and archaeological sites including Epidaurus, Mycenae and Corinth.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly to Athens and transfer to our centrally located hotel, Athens Plaza, for a four night stay.

We begin our tour with a visit to the Acropolis complex 2 crowned by the majestic Parthenon. We will also see other architectural masterpieces including the Temple of Athena Nike, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Theatre of Dionysus where the dramas of Sophocles and Euripides were first performed. This afternoon is dedicated to the superb Acropolis museum which houses an array of finds from the hill of the Acropolis and its surrounding slopes.

DAY

Today we go to two important ancient sites. First we visit 3 the magical Sanctuary of Poseidon, at Cape Sounion, located 70 meters on a clifftop at the end of the Athens Peninsula. We then continue to Vravrona to see the great Sanctuary of Artemis, dedicated to the goddess of the hunt.

DAY

This morning is dedicated to the Archaeological Museum of 4 Athens, which houses many of the greatest treasures of ancient Greek art. There are over 11,000 exhibits in the museum, tracing the history of Greece from the Minoan to the Hellenistic period, and highlights include the bronze statue of Poseidon and DAY

the so-called golden mask of Agamemnon. In the afternoon we will visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Temple of Hephaistos before returning to the hotel.

We depart Athens for Corinth to see the famous Corinth 5 Canal here before reaching the Fountain of Peirene and the earliest Doric temples on the mainland. We will then continue to Nafplio where will stay at the Amphitryon Hotel for the remainder of the tour.

DAY

Today we visit the ancient site of Epidaurus, centre of 6 worship to Asclepios, god of medicine. Here we see the finest theatre in Greece, seating an audience of up to 14,000 people. In the afternoon we continue to the hilltop site of Mycenae, home of the legendary King Agamemnon whose tomb was discovered in 1876. We also visit the great Mycenaean hillfort of Tiryns including the remains of the palace and Cyclopean walls.

DAY

We travel to the site of Nemea where the mythical Hercules 7 fought the Nemean lion. We will see the Temple of Zeus and the ancient stadium before travelling to a local vineyard to enjoy wine-tasting and a light lunch.

DAY

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: andrew allen Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and undertook his postgraduate study at the University of Essex.

He worked for Phillips Auctioneers and lectured at Anglia Polytechnic University before beginning his extensive work in the travel industry. He is a great traveller and is one of Kirker's most popular tour leaders.

8

We drive to Athens for the flight back to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 14 May £2,988 £698 28 September £2,988 £698 flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.55 arrive Athens 17.40 Depart Athens 15.30 arrive London Heathrow 17.25

• • • • •

what we include Return flights Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners and a light lunch All sightseeing as described, entrances fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

Epidaurus

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cultural tours

ALBANIA & THE ISLAND OF CORFU An eight night holiday | 19 june & 9 octoBER 2020 Our new itinerary takes us from the romantic ancient sites of Albania across the Ionian Sea to the idyllic island of Corfu.

We begin in Tirana, the capital of Albania, near its border with Montenegro, and head south through a diverse and vibrant landscape to the border with Greece, where we cross to Corfu.

During our journey we will see the remains of the many cultures that have influenced Albania, including the Roman sites at Durres and Butrint. Albania was occupied by the Ottomans from 15th to 19th century and largely isolated from the west. In contrast, Corfu resisted Ottoman occupation and retained its Greek culture.

In recent years, Albania has undergone a transformation and now welcomes visitors to discover its rich heritage.

THE ITINERARY We fly from London Gatwick to Tirana where we stay for 1 the first three nights. Tirana today is a lively, colourful city which has seen many urban improvements in the last decade.

We stay at the 4 star Rogner Hotel in a leafy residential area, a few minutes’ walk from the centre.

DAY

This morning there will be a panoramic tour of the capital 2 followed by a visit to the splendid National Historic Museum, which charts the history of the country from the days of the national hero, Skanderbeg, through its Ottoman era to the short-lived monarchy, World War II and the Communist epoch, which ended in 1990. Albania was littered with thousands of bunkers during the Enver Hoxha years and some of them are now being opened. We’ll visit one today, its terrifying gloom tempered by the art which is exhibited as part of the Bunk Art initiative.

DAY

We drive though the dramatic scenery of the Sari Saltik 3 mountain range to Krujë, where at the Skanderbeg Museum we learn how the eponymous hero saw off the forces of the Ottomans three times.

DAY

We leave Tirana and head to the coast to Durres, once an 4 important trading post linking Byzantium to Rome, and see its impressive Roman amphitheatre. Later we stop at Byllis, a 4th century BC settlement, the largest in southern Illyria. Its amphitheatre is built into the hills and overlooks an Arcadian landscape and the River Vjosa far below. It is easy to forget time here among the romantic ruins with only local shepherds and their flocks for company. We arrive in Vlora, an attractive town on the sea, for a one night stay.

The day will be spent in Butrint, located in an unspoilt 6 region between Lake Butrint, an inland lagoon, and the straits which separate Corfu from Albania. Dating back to the 7th century BC, this is a romantic site and whilst exploring it, visitors feel as if they are discovering it for the first time, in the same way as 18th century travellers must have done.

DAY

Today we take the ferry to Corfu, where our walking tour 7 of the island includes a formidable fortress built during Venetian rule. We continue to the 4 star Divani Palace where we stay for two nights.

DAY

We visit the Achilleion Palace, built in classical style as a 8 summer retreat for the Empress Elizabeth of Austria who was intrigued by Greek culture. There will be free time to explore the island this afternoon.

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DAY

9

This morning we drive to Corfu airport for the flight back to London.

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Leaving Vlora, we enjoy a magnificent coastal drive along 5 what is now known as the Albanian Riviera. We pass through densely forested mountain roads and pass pretty villages where houses are painted blue and white in traditional Greek style. We spend two nights in Saranda, famous for its fish restaurants.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: ANDREW ALLEN Andrew Allen read History of Art at the universities of East Anglia and Essex. He is a great traveller, spending much of the year abroad (working and investigating mediaeval iconography).

He often contributes articles to travel publications and has travelled extensively through the Balkans and led many tours for Kirker throughout this complex region.

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 19 June £2,197 £376 9 October £2,197 £376 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room. flight details Flights with British Airways/Easyjet: Depart London Gatwick 08.10 arrive Tirana 12.10 (BA) Depart Corfu 11.45 arrive London Gatwick 13.05 (Easyjet)

• • • • •

what we include Return flights Eight nights’ accommodation with breakfast Seven lunches and eight dinners in local restaurants All entrances fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

UZBEKISTAN – THE LAND BEYOND THE RIVER An eleven night tour | 1 may & 25 september 2020 Travellers on the Silk Road crossed the ancient Oxus River to the great trading centres of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand.These cities that connected Rome to Eastern China were filled with scholars in magnificent madrassas and merchants trading in exotic bazaars.

Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan have left their imprint on the region but Tamerlane and descendants built many of the colourful tiled buildings that we discover on this tour. Uzbekistan’s remoteness and resilience has protected its most treasured buildings for modern travellers to enjoy as their predecessors did six hundred years ago.

Gur Emir Mausoleum, Samarkand

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Tashkent, arriving the following 1 morning.We have arranged for our rooms to be available immediately.

DAY

DAY

2

After time to rest, we explore Tashkent’s Moyie Mubarek Library and the Tillya Sheikh Mosque.

We travel to Samarkand by bullet train. Samarkand was the 3 glittering jewel in the empire of Timur and we will see the great Gur Emir Mausoleum, the iconic image of the country, as well as Registan Square surrounded by three madrassas (theological schools).We will stay for two nights in Samarkand.

DAY

Today we visit the Shah-i-Zinda complex, before driving to 4 the outskirts of Samarkand to see the 15th century Ulugbek observatory and a restored paper mill. Our day ends at the Afrosiab archaeology museum.

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DAY

5

Today we drive to Bukhara where we stay for three nights. En route we stop at Gijduvan, a town known for its ceramics.

DAY We have two full days in Bukhara where we visit the city’s 6/7 Kalon mosque complex including madrassas and an ancient minaret – the tallest in the world. On the outskirts we visit Sitorai Mohi Hosa, the summer residence of the last Emir, dating from the early 20th century.We will visit one of the many traditional tea houses and there will also be time to experience the teeming bazaars.

We drive along the caravan route to Khiva, crossing the Amu 8 Darya River – the Oxus of ancient times.We stay in Khiva for two nights.

DAY

A full day in ancient Khiva, a walled Silk Route city of 9 minarets and mosques.We see the ancient fortress, Kuhna Ark, the Friday Mosque and the glorious tiling at the Mausoleum of Mahmoud.

DAY

We drive from Khiva to Nukus and visit the Savitsky 10 Museum, with the world’s biggest collection of Russian avant-garde paintings, before our flight back to Tashkent where we stay for two nights.

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DAY

11 DAY

12

A final day to explore Tashkent, including the Chorsu bazaar and the 16th century Kukeldash Mosque.

A free morning before our flight from Tashkent to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 1 May £3,565 £398 25 September £3,565 £398 Our prices are per person, based on two sharing a double room. flight details Flights with Uzbek Airways: Depart London Heathrow 21.35 arrive Tashkent 08.25 the following day Depart Tashkent 16.20 arrive London Heathrow 20.00 what we include

tour lecturer – Akmal Rahmonov Akmal Rahmonov was born and raised in Bukhara. He studied Economics at Bukhara State University before moving to Tashkent to study Tourism. Akmal was at the forefront of developing cultural tourism to Uzbekistan when the country began to open up its borders. His enthusiasm for its history and architecture makes him the ideal travelling companion in his native land.

• • • • • • •

Return flights Internal flight between Nukus and Tashkent All sightseeing as described Ten nights’ accommodation with breakfast Lunch and dinner each day All tips and gratuities The services of our Kirker tour lecturer and a tour escort

NB. Great improvements have been made to welcome visitors but please note that hotel standards cannot be compared with Europe and on some days there are long journeys by coach.

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cultural tours

JORDAN – THE LAND OF T.E. LAWRENCE AN EIGHT NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 March & 19 october 2020 The sight of the Great Treasury of Petra is one of the most thrilling travel experiences you will encounter, giving the visitor a great sense of discovery and something very special to savour.There is so much more to Jordan than just Petra though, as this tour will demonstrate. It is a country with a rich and colourful history which has embraced many civilisations.The remarkable site at Jerash reminds us that Jordan was once a prosperous Roman province, and the architecture of numerous churches and castles hints at the country’s Byzantine and Umayyad periods.

THE ITINERARY We fly from London Heathrow to Amman where we stay 1 for the first three nights of the tour at the centrally located Amman Marriott.

DAY

A visit to the city’s Archaeological Museum and the new 2 Jordan Museum will be followed by a drive into the surrounding countryside to see a selection of the beautiful desert castles that dot the landscape, including Azraq Castle which was used by Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab revolt.

We will visit Little Petra 6 and Wadi Rum, an area closely associated with T. E. Lawrence.

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We will explore Jerash, one of the finest and best preserved 3 Roman sites to be found anywhere. Its altitude of 500 metres makes for wonderful views over the surrounding fertile countryside which we shall see as we drive through the Jordan Valley to the excavations at Pella.

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We leave the capital and drive to Petra, stopping at the 4 Crusader Castle at Shobak. Built in 1115, it is part of a string of imposing castles that stretches from Aqaba to Turkey.

We will stay in the Marriott Petra for four nights.

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The day is spent at Petra. Situated at the end of the siq, a 5 narrow passage through a cliff, is the magnificent Treasury of Petra. There will be plenty of time for you to explore the other sites of interest, including The Royal Tombs, Qsar El Bint and the Temple of the Winged Lion.

Today we will discover the 7 route of the grand Hijaz railway project and see abandoned stations, track and rolling-stock left exactly as they were by Lawrence and his Arab guerrillas.

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We leave Petra and travel 8 along the Escarpment to the fortified hilltop palace, Machaerus. The tour moves on to the Dead Sea arriving midafternoon where we spend the final night of the tour at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar.

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9

We drive to Amman airport for the flight back to London.

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TOUR LECTURER: andrew allen Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and Essex. He is a great traveller and often contributes articles to travel publications. He has led many tours for Kirker throughout the Middle East.

Wadi Rum

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 13 March £3,559 £698 19 October £3,898 £698 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a double/twin room. Supplements for single occupancy are as shown. flight details Flights with Royal Jordanian Airlines: Depart London Heathrow 16.05 arrive Amman 23.05 Depart Amman 11.30 arrive London Heathrow 14.45

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights to Amman Eight nights’ accommodation with breakfast Dinner each evening All entrance fees and gratuities Group visa The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

GARDENS OF MARRAKECH A seven NIGHT HOLIDAY | 31 may & 4 october 2020 Marrakech is an intoxicating destination for all the senses, and the city and its surroundings are also home to a number of remarkable gardens. In the company of expert horticulturist Kirsty Fergusson, we shall explore some of the finest – from the famous Jardins Majorelle created by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge, to several private gardens which are not normally open to the public, as well as a day in the magnificent Atlas Mountains. Late Spring and early Autumn are perfect for enjoying some warm Moroccan sunshine.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Marrakech and transfer to our hotel, the 4 star 1 Jardins’ de la Medina, 15 minutes walk from Djemaa El Fna square. Facilities include a restaurant, hammam and an outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tall palm trees and exotic plants (for our October tour we stay at the 5 star Hotel Jnane Tamsna).

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Travelling outside the city again, we head to the Andre 6 Heller garden first, where there will be time to enjoy a traditional mint tea. We then continue to ‘Nectarome,’ a botanical garden which produces natural aromatic oils.

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This morning we visit the Thiemann Cactus Nursery.

7 We will be met by Magde Thiemann who will give us an introduction to this extraordinary collection, created by her father in the 1960s. We will then drive to La Maison Arabe country club.

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Today we begin with a walking tour of the Medina. We will 2 walk through a maze of narrow colourful streets, visiting the traditional market quarters of Marrakech. We will then visit Le Jardin Secret – a hidden garden in the heart of the old city before stopping for lunch at Café Arabe.

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This morning we visit the Bahia Royal Palace and its 3 courtyard gardens. Built in the late 19th century, the sprawling palace is comprised of 150 rooms all richly decorated in traditional Moroccan style. We will also visit the Dar Si Said museum which houses a beautiful collection of folk art from the nearby Berber villages.

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8

We drive to Marrakech airport for our flight home.

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Our day trip to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains includes 4 a visit to the gardens at Hotel La Roseraie, where we pause for lunch. Before returning to Marrakech we will stop at Sir Richard Branson’s magnificent Kasbah Tamadot for sundowners on the terrace and a private tour of the gardens.

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We visit Jardin Majorelle that was famously rescued from 5 dereliction by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, now a splendid combination of careful planting and bold colour.We are also fortunate to be able to visit the adjoining garden of the Villa Oasis, where this celebrated couple lived. We then visit the stunning new Musée Yves Saint Laurent.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: KIRSTY FERGUSsON Kirsty Fergusson exchanged a career in academia for a life in gardening. Trained at Capel Manor, she was head gardener at Mapperton in Dorset during the early nineties, where a series of fortunate encounters opened the door to garden writing. As well as writing a weekly column for The Express, for many years she was a frequent contributor to Gardens Illustrated, House and Garden, Country Life, The Times, The Telegraph and The Independent. In 2003 she moved to SW France, where she continues to explore the possibilities of her own garden.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 31 May £2,998 £598 4 October £3,195 £598 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 09.00 arrive Marrakech 12.35 Depart Marrakech 13.25 arrive London Gatwick 16.55 what we include Return flights to Marrakech Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three lunches and three dinners All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

• • • • • Jardin Majorelle

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cultural tours

THE HEART OF SRI LANKA A thirteen night holiday | 11 MARCH & 1 NOVEMBER 2020 Located off the southern tip of India, the island of Sri Lanka combines ancient temples and palaces, ornate Buddhist shrines, and charming colonial architecture, but it is the warm welcome and delicious cuisine – tropical fruits, coconut curries, fiery sambals, and fresh seafood – which linger in the memory. One of the great charms of the country is the ease with which you can travel between diverse landscapes – and this tour of the most important regions will take you through high altitude tea plantations via scenic jungle railways, to verdant national parks and the palm-fringed beaches of the south coast.We shall be accompanied throughout by art historian and Kirker Tour Leader Dr. Alex Koller who has made many visits to Sri Lanka and has a particular interest in Buddhist art and architecture.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1 DAY

2

We depart from London on an overnight flight to Colombo.

On arrival we will transfer to the beach resort of Negombo where we stay at the 4 star Heritance Hotel for one night.

After breakfast we will have a walking tour of Negombo 3 including the Catholic and Anglican churches, Dutch colonial houses and the market square. We depart late-morning for the rock fortress of Yapahuwa before continuing to Anuradhapura where we stay for two nights at the 4 star Forest Rock Garden.

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We spend the day exploring the ancient capital city of 4 Anuradhapura. Here we will discover imposing dagobas, royal gardens and shimmering pools surrounded by forest.

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We make an early morning visit to Sigiriya, the towering 5 5th century palace fortress which stands on a 600 foot vertical rock. The rest of the day is spent at leisure at our hotel on Lake Kandalama, the 4 star Lake Lodge.

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There will be an early morning elephant safari today, before 11 we leave for the historic city of Galle, where we stay for two nights at the 4 star Fort Bazaar.

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Originally occupied by the Portuguese and subsequently 12 fortified by the Dutch, Galle has long been Sri Lanka’s most crucial trading port. We have a morning tour of the colonial centre and then the afternoon is free to wander around the fort and visit its boutiques and cafés, which were once merchants’ houses. In the early evening there will be an opportunity to visit the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project along the coast.

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We leave Galle and drive to 13 Colombo. After checking in at the 4 star Galle Face Hotel, we will have a tour of Sri Lanka’s bustling capital city.

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DAY

Today is dedicated to Polonnaruwa, the former mediaeval 6 capital of Sri Lanka. Remains here, including a palace, temples, baths and an audience hall, reveal that this was once an important commercial and religious centre. We will see five magnificent Buddhas, carved from the bedrock.

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14

Today we leave Sri Lanka and fly back to London.

tour information

Our first visit is to the Dambulla rock temple where each of 7 the caves contains a collection of Buddhas carved from the stone. Some are life sized whilst others depict the sleeping Buddha on a giant scale. Then we drive south to Kandy stopping en route at a spice garden. We spend two nights at the 4 star Cinnamon Citadel hotel in Kandy.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 11 March £4,498 £889 1 November £4,498 £889 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room.

The day begins at Kandy’s Royal Palace with a visit to the 8 sacred Buddhist shrine, the Temple of the Tooth, followed by a gentle walk through the peaceful Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. This afternoon is free to enjoy the city – you may wish to go shopping for some precious gem stones, for which Kandy is renowned.

flight details Flights with Sri Lankan Airlines: Depart London Heathrow 20.40, arrive Colombo 12.40 the following day Depart Colombo 12.50, arrive London Heathrow 19.10 Supplements for business class flights available on request.

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Today we take a scenic journey on the historic train to 9 Nuwara Eliya, a former colonial hill station surrounded by tea plantations in Sri Lanka’s interior highlands. We shall visit a tea plantation before checking in to our hotel, the 4 star Heritance Tea Factory.

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We depart for Udawalawe National Park, breaking our 10 journey at the hill-country village of Ella, where the views are spectacular. After checking in at the 4 star Grand Udewalawe Safari Resort, we set out on a game drive to see wild animals, including elephants, in their natural habitat.

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what we include • Return flights to Colombo • Twelve nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Twelve dinnerss • All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Dr. Alex Koller and a local guide Please call us if you would like to extend your stay to include one of Sri Lanka’s excellent beach resorts.

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cultural tours

THE GARDENS OF WICKLOW A four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 6 July 2020 The past two or three decades have seen a new crop of bold and beautiful gardens maturing within the romantic landscape of southeast Ireland and this tour presents an exceptional opportunity to meet the plantsmen and women at the heart of this horticultural revolution. As well as a terrific variety of plants that thrive in Wicklow’s mild and (frequently) damp climate, you can expect plenty of good humour, tall tales and glorious views all along the way. And, as they’ll all tell you – July is the perfect time to see their gardens at their very best.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Dublin and transfer to the 4 star Brooklodge 1 Hotel where we stay for the duration of the tour. In the afternoon we will visit Dower House for a private tour of the garden. Patricia Butler is a tireless plantswoman who is always keen to chat with other gardeners familiar with the pleasures and problems of managing a large garden single-handed.

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This morning we will visit the first of three private gardens, 2 Alfred Cochrane’s Corke Lodge, in Shankill. An architect who spent many years working on new buildings and old gardens in Italy and the Lebanon, Alfred will personally introduce his very green and architectural garden. We will then continue to the renowned gardens at Powerscourt, just ten minutes away, for lunch overlooking the sweeping gardens and a walk around the lakes and magnificent arboretum. Finally, we will meet Carmel Duignan, a former garden programmes producer for Irish TV, who has filled a suburban garden in Shankill with an extraordinary range of exotics, clematis and roses.

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Today we drive along a spectacular mountain road that takes 3 us to the high pass in the Wicklow Mountains, known as the Sally Gap. We visit Lamb Hill, close to Blessington, to find plantsman extraordinaire Jimi Blake, creator of Hunting Brook garden, and custodian of its magical woodland. Jimi is one of Ireland’s leading plantsmen and his thoughtful plant choices and combinations are entrancing. He is a keen advocate of natural healing through wholefoods and a terrific vegetarian cook and offers delicious home-made soup and bread for lunch. After lunch we will visit his sister, June Blake, and have a private tour of her nursery and garden in Tinode. Every inch of her garden is arrestingly planted and you’ll come away with your notebooks filled with imaginative ideas.

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This morning we will visit Mount Usher for a private 4 guided with the head gardener Sean. The gardens are huge, filled with wonderful trees and shrubs as well as exciting borders and traversed by the River Vartry, crossed by several bridges. In the afternoon we continue for just 15 minutes to Trudder Grange.

Developed over the last 30 years from a stony field into a garden full of shrubs and herbaceous borders, owner Vanessa Hayes has also created an organic vegetable garden and a greenhouse producing many varieties of tomatoes. There is an acre of wild flower meadow in the walled garden which is planted with unusual specimen trees.

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We depart Hunter’s hotel and travel to Dublin stopping at 7 the historic Blackrock to visit Helen Dillon’s new garden and enjoy a guided tour and coffee with this remarkable plantswoman. We will then continue to Dublin airport for our flight home.

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: KIRSTY FERGUSsON Kirsty Fergusson exchanged a career in academia (she is a PhD specialising in French philosopher-novelists) for a life in gardening. Trained at Capel Manor, she was head gardener at Mapperton in Dorset during the early nineties, where a series of fortunate encounters opened the door to garden writing.

As well as writing a weekly column for The Express, for many years she was a frequent contributor to Gardens Illustrated, House and Garden, Country Life, The Times, The Telegraph and The Independent. In 2003 she moved to SW France, where she continues to explore the possibilities of her own (very forgiving) garden – when not travelling, writing or leading garden tours.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP NO SINGLE 6 July £1,765 SUPPLEMENT Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.35 arrive Dublin 12.10 Depart Dublin 17.00 arrive London Heathrow 18.20 what we include Return flights to Dublin Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four lunches and four dinners All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Kirsty Fergusson

• • • • • Powerscourt

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cultural wine tours

REIMS & CHAMPAGNE A three NIGHT HOLIDAY | 22 november 2020 This new tour offers an insider’s view of Champagne in the company of wine expert Tim Clarke.

The heart of the Champagne region is a relatively compact area to the east of Paris around Reims and Epernay.

Here you will find the ‘caves’ of the most prestigious marques including Pol Roger, Bollinger and Tattinger, as well as excellent smaller houses and growers out in the vineyard villages – and on this tour, you will explore both in comfort and style, going behind closed doors for private tastings and exclusive meals at the cellars. During the course of the holiday, Tim Clarke will share his 30 years of Champagne insights with you and host a couple of enjoyable tutored tastings in the evenings, which demonstrate the complexity of Champagne. In just four days you will significantly increase your understanding of this most pleasurable of wines.

THE ITINERARY We head to the Champagne region in the fastest and most 1 convenient way, travelling from St. Pancras by Eurostar to Lille. Here we will be met by our coach for the drive to Reims in the heart of Champagne, arriving mid-afternoon. We will then check into the 4 star Hotel de la Paix, which is perfectly located in the centre of the city and will be our base for the duration of the holiday. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax or explore the town. This evening, Tim Clarke will host a Champagne tasting, comparing the styles and quality of a selection of wines, describing styles, evaluating the quality and judging which suit our taste.

He will also discuss tasting technique, explain how the production methods used affect the style and no doubt spring a surprise or two. After the tasting we shall dine together.

DAY

This morning we will visit Pol Roger for a private tour and 2 tasting. Normally closed to the public, Pol Roger is one of the most prestigious Champagne houses, famous as the personal favourite of Winston Churchill as well as supplier by Royal Warrant to the Queen. We will then enjoy lunch at Bollinger, paired with various Champagnes served with the meal. The rest of the afternoon is free before we meet at the hotel for our second masterclass with Tim Clarke, this time focussing on the new face of Champagne. We will examine Champagnes from single vineyards and look at village styles, estate producers and the increasingly important role of organics and bio-dynamics. Dinner will be taken independently or you may wish to join Tim at his choice of restaurant.

This morning we have another private visit to a prestigious 3 Champagne cellar. We will then have a guided tour of the magnificent Reims Cathedral, setting for the coronation of many monarchs of France. Late in the afternoon, we visit the beautiful cellars at Taittinger, which date back to the Roman period, before driving to Taittinger's Chateau de la Marquetterie near Epernay, where we have a fabulous private dinner.

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Our final morning will be spent visiting a small estate 4 Champagne maker in one of the Grand Cru villages outside Reims. This is followed by a last lunch together. We leave the region in the afternoon returning by Eurostar to London.

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TOUR LECTURER: tim clarke Tim was co-founder of the UK’s leading wine tours company, which he ran for nearly 30 years escorting tours to wine regions worldwide. Having sold the company some years ago, Tim has been busy with other projects, including making a delicious passito wine on the Greek island of Samos. In addition to his huge breadth of wine knowledge, Tim is a keen historian and provides a fascinating historical context to his wine talks. His other many interests include opera, cooking and wild food foraging.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 22 November £2,168 £105 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. eurostar information Depart London St. Pancras 10.14 arrive Lille 12.54 Depart Lille 18.35 arrive London St. Pancras 19.13

• • • • • • Bottle turners

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Reims Cathedral

what we include Return Standard Premier (first class) Eurostar tickets Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners Two lunches Champagne tastings and talks as described The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer,Tim Clarke

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cultural wine tours

WINES OF RIOJA & NORTHERN SPAIN A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 5 may 2020 A superb wine tour through Rioja and Old Castile to discover some of Spain’s greatest vineyards and enjoy the legendary hospitality of the bodegas.We will travel through the Basque Country, La Rioja and Castile, visiting both famous and lesser-known producers as well as fascinating historic cities, charming hill towns and spectacular countryside.

THE ITINERARY On arrival we transfer to the 4 star Hotel Melia near the 1 Guggenheim Museum, housed famously in a spectacular Frank Gehry building. We will have a tour of the highlights with an expert guide.You are free to explore for the rest of the afternoon before we meet this evening for an introductory talk and winetasting with Tim Clarke, followed by dinner.

DAY

This morning we head for Haro, wine capital of La Rioja.

2 Here, in the area of historic bodegas close to the railway that linked Rioja with the outside world, our first visit is to a traditional winery. Lunchtime is free in the hill town of Haro. We continue to the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria mountains, where we stay at the 4 star Hotel Eguren Ugarte for two nights. This striking hotel is also a Rioja winery and overlooks its 130 hectare vineyard. We will enjoy a tasting of their fine wines followed by dinner.

DAY

Today is devoted to exploring the vineyards of Rioja 3 Alavesa. Highlights will include the innovative Viña Ijalba, who pioneered the revival of Rioja’s classic grape Graciano, the state of the art Viña Real winery and lunch at the farmhouse of Contino, the oldest ‘single estate’ Rioja bodega, one of the most attractive wines and most idyllic places in Rioja. We then visit the Rioja Wine Museum which has its own winery and a permanent exhibition exploring the history of winetasting in the region.

DAY

Ribera del Duero has risen to challenge Rioja as the top 5 region in Spain for red wine. The cold nights and hot days here give intense uplifted aroma, power and elegance to the wines.

We will visit several great cellars here. Our first appointment is at Aalto where the great wines don’t come by accident but from extreme care, old vines and the vast experience of winemaker Mariano García. We taste the spectacular wines of Abadia Retuerta over lunch. This evening, our visit to Bodegas Alejandro Fernández will be a highlight of the tour. They make the great ‘Pesquera,’ Condado de Haza and other superb wines that we enjoy over dinner.

DAY

On our final day we travel south through the high plains of 6 Castile. We’ll stop for a tasting at an excellent producer of Rueda white wines, before arriving in Segovia, famous for its Roman aqueduct and eccentric ‘Alcazar.’ We will enjoy a traditional lunch before we drive to Madrid airport for the flight back to London - alternatively, ask about extending your stay with a couple of nights in the Spanish capital.

DAY

Before we leave Rioja, we have one last visit to one of 4 Rioja’s new star winemakers. Then we head for Old Castile and the historic city of Burgos where we visit the magnificent cathedral and stop for lunch. We continue to Peñafiel in the Duero valley, where we stay for two nights in a 4 star hotel.

DAY

Eguren Ugarte

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 5 May £2,345 £276 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 06.40 arrive Bilbao 09.50 Depart Madrid 18.40 arrive London Gatwick 20.00 Supplements for business class flights available on request.

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners Four lunches All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural wine tours

WINES OF SICILY A ten NIGHT HOLIDAY | 12 october 2020 Sicily is the crossroads of the Mediterranean and waves of successive conquerors – from the Phoenicians to the Ancient Greeks to the Normans, have left behind their cultural legacies.Today, this is visible in the architecture, the wonderful and varied food – and, of course, the wine. Sicily is one of the engines of the Italian wine industry producing twice as much as New Zealand.Vineyards thrive on the low plains, the mountains, volcanic slopes and offshore islands.We will explore the rich variety of wines produced across the island on this tour of Sicily.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Catania and drive to Taormina. We stay here at the 1 4 star Hotel Monte Tauro, located close to the Botanical Gardens and overlooking Mount Etna and the Bay of Naxos below.

The afternoon is free before we meet for a tasting and dinner.

A walking tour through Palermo reveals the cultures that 9 have influenced this fascinating city. A highlight is the Palatine Chapel, decorated in mediaeval mosaics. There will be free time this afternoon to explore independently.

Today we explore the Mamertino and Faro wine regions 2 near the straits of Messina which historically were very important (the Romans considered these wines to be some of the finest in the world).Viticulture all but died out until very recently, but now the region is flourishing once more. We visit a couple of the rising star estates and enjoy lunch at one of the farms.

Today we visit Monreale to see the great Norman cathedral 10 with its magnificent mosaics. In the evening, we enjoy the wines of Rapitala over a wonderful last dinner.

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We leave our hotel after breakfast for our flight back to London.

Etna’s volcanic soil and altitude are perfect for vines and the 3 main red grape, Nerello Mascalese, is rated as seriously exciting by winemakers. High on the east slope, we visit Barone de Villagrande who make organic wines. We will see more of Etna before visiting the top estate of Benanti to taste their excellent wines over lunch. We continue to Syracuse where we stay for two nights in a hotel overlooking Ortigia Island, the city’s Baroque centre.

DAY

This morning we have a walking tour of the site of ancient 4 Syracuse, once the most important city in Magna Graecia.

We’ll then visit the perfectly-preserved Baroque town of Noto. This evening we will have dinner with paired wines at a local producer.

DAY

We set off for the south coast this morning to visit the 5 beautiful estate of Cos. The pioneer of ‘biodynamic’ wines has reintroduced pithos, (clay pots) for winemaking. We arrive at Agrigento’s famous Valley of the Temples and stay at the Hotel della Valle overlooking the Temple of Concord.

DAY

Continuing west, we visit the main Planeta winery which 6 captures Sicily’s ‘Old World meets New World’ wine culture.

The range includes superb wines made from Sicily’s most famous red grape, Nero d’Avola. After lunch we visit the classical site of Selinunte on our way to our hotel, the 4 star Baglio Oneto, near Marsala, where we stay for two nights.

tour information

DAY

Marsala is known for the fortified wine created by British 7 merchant John Woodhouse in the 18th century; however the region also produces good table wines. On the islet of Mozia, we taste ‘Vigna Whitaker’ made by Tasca d’Almerita amidst the ruins of a Carthaginian city. We also visit the charming hill town of Erice. This evening we have a tasting of Marsala wines and dinner at our hotel.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 12 October £3,997 £799 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

DAY

Today we visit the cellars of Donnafugata in Marsala where 8 we sample wines from the upland Contessa Entellina region, as well as Etna and from the island of Pantelleria, where they make the magnificent Moscato Passito, Ben Ryé. We will also visit Marco de Bartoli. After a visit to the idyllic Greek Temple of Segesta, we continue to the island’s capital Palermo, where we stay at the 4 star Centrale Palace Hotel for three nights.

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eurostar information Flights with Easyjet: Depart London Gatwick 11.45 arrive Catania 15.55 Depart Palermo 10.15 arrive London Gatwick 12.20 what we include

• • • • • •

Return flights Ten nights’ accommodation with breakfast Six lunches and four dinners Winetastings and excursions as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of Kirker Tour Lecturer Tim Clarke and a Tour Escort

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cultural wine tours

A WINE TOUR OF GEORGIA & ARMENIA A thirteen NIGHT HOLIDAY | 14 september 2020 Georgia, a small, hospitable country on the far eastern edge of Europe, between the Lesser and Greater Caucasus Mountains, has at least 520 native grape varieties. Armenia, its southern neighbour, is where the oldest winery in the world has been found.This captivating region is where the grape vine originated and its wines are still made in clay pots sunk in the ground as they have been since Neolithic man first made wine here – it is a thriving wine culture that stretches back deep into the past and is strange and uplifting. Join our new tour to discover ancient winemaking traditions alongside innovative modern producers, as well as the region’s spectacular landscapes, from mountain-top monasteries to verdant valleys.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We will depart from London on the overnight flight to Tblisi.

We arrive in Tbilisi, the atmospheric, charming capital of 2 Georgia.We will be transferred to the comfortable 4 star Iota Hotel where we stay for three nights.The rest of the day is free to relax before we go to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner.

DAY

Setting off early this morning we will cross the border into 11 Gerogia’s neighbour, Armenia. After a visit to the 10th century Haghpat Monastery, we will visit some emerging family-run wineries, before checking into our hotel, the 4 star Tufenkian Historic Hotel in Yerevan for the next three nights.

DAY

We begin with an exploration of Tblisi with its mix of western 3 and eastern cultures and have an introduction to the wines at Gvino Underground, the iconic natural bar in the city centre.

Today we visit the excellent Karas Winery where they make 12 some exceptional red wines, and Etchmiadzin, the historic seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In the evening we will have dinner at In Vino, which offers some of the best wines from wineries which are closed to visitors.

Heading out of the city we visit the Kartli region where we 4 will visit a research station where over 470 native Georgian grapes are being studied, before a winetasting lunch at the reknowned Chateau Mukhrani. In the afternoon, after visiting Dzalisi, to see the mosaics of Dionysus, we meet the charming grower, Iago Bitarishvili.

Today we see the site of the oldest winery in the world in the 13 Areni 1 Cave, where wine was produced over 6,000 years ago.

We’ll also see Khor Virap Monastery with views of Mt. Ararat and Noravank Monastery nestled among red cliffs, as well as the Areni Winery where lunch will be prepared in an underground oven.

We will drive east through the Gombori Mountains to 5 Kakheti, Georgia’s largest wine region, where we meet a master potter making ‘Qvevri’, the giant clay pots which have been used for thousands of years.We’ll also enjoy superb wines at Shumi and dinner at Papari Valley.We stay at the 4 star Tsinandali Radisson Hotel for three nights.

After exploring the open-air antiques market we will drive to 14 Lake Sevan and the Tavush region where we have lunch in Dilijan and visit the 13th century Haghartsin Monastery.We return to Tbilisi, where we stay for the final night at the Iota Hotel.

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Starting the day at Telavi market we will then see the ruins of 6 Ikalto and the fortified Abbey of Alaverdi, where monks are making wine once more.We’ll meet the organic grower Shota Lagazidze, have lunch cooked by the family, and in the evening enjoy another family dinner at Artana wines.

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15

We will have free time before the flight back to London.

DAY

Our first visit is to the palace and cellar of the 19th century 7 poet and winemaker Duke Alexandre Chavchavadze in Tsinandali. We then enjoy the superb wines of the Dakishvili Family and discover wines from young growers working with rare grape varieties.

DAY

Today we head east to Sighnaghi, a walled hill town where we 8 will stay at the 4 star Kabadoni Hotel for the next two nights.

At Pheasant’s Tears winery we will meet founder John Wurdeman and enjoy lunch, followed in the evening by a traditional Georgian Supra (feast) with a Zedashe folk ensemble.

DAY

This morning will be at leisure before we meet for lunch 9 cooked on an open fire at a local craft brewery. Dinner and winetasting this evening will be at John Okro’s wine restaurant.

DAY

Today we will sample another speciality, the ‘Pet Nats’ naturally 10 sparkling wines, which are made in qvevri with native Georgian grapes, before returning to Tblisi for dinner.We will hear traditional polyphonic singers and spend the night at the Iota hotel.

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 14 September 2020 £5,496 £749 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with Georgian Airways: Depart London Gatwick 22.45 arrive Tblisi 06.35 the following day Depart Tblisi 19.25 arrive London Gatwick 21.50 (28 September)

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights Accommodation with breakfast Lunch and dinner every day, including wines Winetastings and excursions as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of Kirker Tour Lecturer Tim Clarke, a Tour Escort and a local guide

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GENERAL INFORMATION DEPOSITS & FULL PAYMENT If you are booking more than nine weeks prior to departure, a deposit will be required to secure your reservation. The amount of the deposit (a minimum of £200 per person) will be confirmed at the time of booking. Full payment is required no later than nine weeks before departure. We prefer payment by BACS transfer (call 020 7593 2285 or see your confirmation invoice for Kirker bank details) or by cheque made payable to Kirker Travel Ltd. Payment by debit or credit card can be made by calling us on 020 7593 2288.

CHANGES & CANCELLATIONS We will always do our best to avoid making changes to holidays but the tours are planned many months in advance and amendments may be necessary. All changes notified less than eight weeks before departure give you the right to cancel your holiday and receive a full refund. We do understand the disappointment caused by cancelling a tour, however, we reserve the right to do so because they are dependent on a minimum number of participants. We will try to inform you not less than ten weeks before the departure date if your tour will not be operating.

CANCELLATION CHARGES Cancellations made more than 70 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited.

70-56 days: 30% of the holiday cost or deposit (whichever is the greater).

55-29 days: 50% of the holiday cost.

28-15 days: 80% of the holiday cost.

Within 14 days of the departure, on the departure date or after the holiday has commenced: all holiday costs forfeited.

Any client who curtails their holiday will not receive a refund for unused accommodation, transportation or other services.

PRIVACY POLICY In order to make certain that our holidays run smoothly, and to enable us to maintain the high levels of service our clients require, we need to collect some personal data and store it. All members of the Kirker team take your privacy seriously and our Privacy Policy outlines in more detail how and why we obtain and process data which can identify you. Full details are set out on our website: www.kirkerholidays.com/privacy, but if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Patrick Millar (Marketing Manager) on 020 7593 2281 or email patrick.millar@kirkerholidays.com

SINGLE TRAVELLERS We recognise that single room supplements are unpopular and, although we do try to dissuade the hotels from charging high single supplements, we do not always succeed. In 2020 our tours to Grafenegg, North Norfolk, Lucca (one departure) and Wicklow have no single supplements.

WALKING & MOBILITY Our tours have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. In order to enjoy these holidays you need to be reasonably fit, able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 20 minutes, to go up and down a staircase without assistance and to stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to our reservations staff who will provide you with advice and perhaps recommend holidays that may involve easier walking

AGE LIMIT We do not have an age limit but we do ask that you advise us of your age at time of booking and expect all participants to be able to walk comfortably without assistance. Existing medical conditions and walking difficulties must be declared at the time of booking.

TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES Although we are pleased to welcome clients with disabilities, their participation will depend on the nature of the disability and in some cases it will be necessary to be accompanied by an ablebodied companion. In order to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all participants on any tour we must ask you to declare full details of your disability, especially if this affects your mobility, so that we can consider your personal circumstances.

A RESPONSIBLE HOLIDAY COMPANY As a member of ABTA and AITO, we conform fully to government legislation regarding the protection of clients’ money.

In addition, in the event that your holiday is affected by something out of our control, we shall always endeavour to take the appropriate steps to minimise any disruption you may experience.

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the aito quality charter AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually owner-managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP – AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct.

FINANCIAL SECURITY – AITO members are required to protect money paid by customers to the member for any holiday sold under the AITO logo and to comply with UK Government Regulations in this respect. Members submit details of their bonding and guarantee arrangements to the Association on a regular basis.

ACCURATE BROCHURES and WEB SITES – All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE and CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS – All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.

MONITORING STANDARDS – AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday questionnaire the results of which are scrutinised by the Association.

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM – All members acknowledge the importance of AITO’s Responsible Tourism guidelines, which recognise the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Those demonstrating their achievements beyond the pure acceptance of this principle are recognised by the award of 2 or 3 star status.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS – All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, AITO’s low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.

Kirker Holidays is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators.

To contact the Association visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280.

✂

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booking form C U L T U R A L T O U R S & M U S I C H O L I D AY S 2 0 2 0 Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST Office hours: 09.00–18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00–16.00 (Sat) Reservations: 020 7593 2284 Fax: 020 7593 1461 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 culturaltours@kirkerholidays.com www.kirkerholidays.com CONTACT DETAILS/TRAVEL AGENT’S STAMP

DETAILS OF ALL PASSENGERS

Name:

Title

Full name as per passport:

Address:

Postcode: Contact Phone Number:

HOLIDAY DETAILS

Email:

Tour Name:

PAYMENT

Departure Date:

• Deposit: the amount required for deposit will be advised at the time of booking and should be paid in order to confirm your holiday.

• Full balance: must be paid 10 weeks prior to departure. NB for Music Cruises the full balance must be paid 14 weeks prior to departure.

• Payments: We prefer to be paid by BACS transfer (call 020 7593 2285 or see your confirmation invoice for Kirker Bank Details) or by cheque made payable to Kirker Travel Ltd. Payment by debit or credit card can be made by telephone on 020 7593 2284.

Preferred departure Airport/Station: Room Type (Double/Twin/Single):

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS & SPECIAL REQUESTS

NEXT OF KIN DETAILS

MOBILITY MATTERS In order to enjoy Kirker Cultural Tours & Music Holidays (and to ensure that other participants are not held up or inconvenienced) you must be reasonably fit, i.e. able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 20 minutes; go up and down a flight of stairs without assistance; stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10/15 minutes. If your circumstances change after booking and prior to your departure, it is essential that you contact Kirker. We regret that clients who are deemed unfit to take part (at Kirker’s discretion) may be obliged to return home at their own additional cost and no refund will be given. In the event that a client is deemed unfit to take part in certain aspects of the tour, please note that it is unfortunately not possible to offer partial refunds.

Next of Kin Name: Contact Telephone: On behalf of all persons on this booking form I have read and agreed the conditions of booking contained in this brochure.

SIGNATURE

DATE:

✂ ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF BOOKING All bookings are subject to our full booking conditions which appear on our website www.kirkerholidays.com. A copy of these can also be emailed or posted to you on request. By asking us to make your booking, you confirm you have had access to and agree to the full booking conditions which you should read.

CAN KIRKER CANCEL MY HOLIDAY? We understand the disruption and disappointment caused by cancelling a tour but we must reserve the right to do so because they are dependant on a minimum number of participants. The minimum number of participants varies according to the tour. Generally, we will try to inform you ten weeks before the departure date if your chosen tour will not be operating.

CANCELLATION CHARGES. Cancellations made by you more than 70 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited. 70 – 56 days: 30% of the holiday cost or deposit, whichever is the greater. 55-29 days: 50% of the cost 28-15 days: 80%holiday cost; of the holiday cost. Within 14 days of the departure, on the departure date or after the holiday has commenced: all holiday costs are forfeited. Any client choosing to leave their hotel before the end of their holiday will receive no refund for unused accommodation. Different cancellation charges apply for Kirker Music Cruises and will be advised at time of booking.

The booking conditions provide for the payment of cancellation charges if you cancel or fail to make payment when due.They also include limitations and exclusions of our liability to you. For international travel by air, sea or rail, our liabilities are limited and excluded as if we were a carrier within the applicable international convention or EU regulation (for example, the Montreal Convention, the EC Regulation on Air Carrier Liability and the Athens Convention). A surcharge may be payable in limited circumstances where certain costs increase after booking.

Your contract will be with Kirker Travel Limited t/a Kirker Holidays. This contract comes into existence when we dispatch our confirmation invoice to the person who makes the booking or your travel agent.

We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL number 2450). When you buy an ATOL protected air inclusive holiday or Kirker Travel Limited Registered Office: 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST. Registration in England: 1985696 VAT Reg No. 805 1461 59

flight* from us, you will receive a confirmation invoice from us (or via our authorised agent) confirming your arrangements and your protection under our ATOL. In the unlikely event of our insolvency the CAA will ensure that you are not left stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. *The air inclusive holidays and flights we arrange are ATOL protected providing either the person who pays for the booking is present in the UK when the booking is made or the first leg of any flight or flights we arrange for you commences in the UK. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.

We are also bonded with ABTA Limited (membership number V6595).This means that if your holiday does not include flights arranged by us, all monies you have paid to us for an advance booking will be refunded or if your holiday includes return travel and is already underway, you will be returned to the UK in the unlikely event of our being unable to provide your holiday due to our insolvency.

ABTA members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint (details in our full booking conditions), contact ABTA at 30 Park Street, London, SE1 9EQ or see www.abta.com We are also a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO).

British citizens require a British passport in order to travel to the destinations we feature. This usually takes approximately 6 weeks to obtain unless you are over 16 and haven’t held a passport previously in which case you need to allow at least 6 weeks.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes regularly updated travel information on its website www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo which you are recommended to consult before booking and in good time before departure.

In the event of any flight delay or cancellation at your UK or overseas point of departure, the airline is responsible for providing such assistance as is legally required by the Denied Boarding Regulations. The ferry, tunnel or rail operator is similarly responsible in relation to any delayed or cancelled sea crossing or international rail departure. Except where otherwise stated in our brochure or on our website, we

regret we cannot provide any assistance in such circumstances other than information and advice to the extent we are in a position to do so.

LOCAL TOURIST TAXES. Many Local Authorities throughout Europe and beyond have now imposed tourist taxes on visitors. In most cases, local legislation imposes the responsibility of collecting the tax on to hoteliers who are instructed to collect this additional tax direct from guests by adding the cost to clients’ extras bills on checkout. NB Local Authorities reserve the right to vary the charges and insist that the tax is paid directly by guests to the hotel, and not through an intermediary. Typically, the cost is approximately €2-7 per person per night depending on hotel category.

DATA PROTECTION. For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, Kirker Travel Limited is a data controller. Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect personal data held by us. This information will be passed to the relevant suppliers of your holiday arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them and to other third parties who need it to enable us to provide your holiday (such as credit card companies and banks), or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. Other than in relation to government/public authorities (over whom we have no control), we will take appropriate steps which are intended to ensure that anyone to whom we pass your personal data for any reason agrees to keep it secure and only uses it for the purposes of providing their services. If we cannot pass personal data to the relevant suppliers or any other third party as applicable, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to fulfil your booking. In making your booking, you consent to personal data being passed on to the relevant suppliers and other third parties.When travelling outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We would also like to store and use your personal data for future marketing purposes (for example, sending you a brochure or other marketing material) unless you have told us that you do not wish us to do so. Full details of our data protection policy are available on our website and on request.

Publication date October 2019 ©2019 Kirker Travel Limited

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O U R R A N G E O F H O L I D AY S F O R D I S C E R N I N G T R AV E L L E R S Short Breaks

SOUTH AFRICA Our South Africa brochure features a range of short break options and longer tailor-made itineraries. As well as including the pick of hotels and guesthouses in outstanding locations such as the Cape Peninsula and the Garden Route, our programme includes game reserves, Zulu and Boer War battlefields,Victoria Falls, Botswana, Zambia and Mauritius.

iNDIA Our comprehensive brochure covers India from Shimla in the North to Cochin in the South and has a broad choice of hotels from converted palaces to characterful homestays. The dedicated Sri Lanka section highlights the many attractions of this fascinating island which can be combined in a tailor-made tour. Call our experienced sales team for further guidance.

Holidays to 60 classic cities and relaxing rural locations throughout Europe and beyond.

Our Short Breaks brochure features a range of over 500 selected hotels and we can create any tailor-made itinerary to two or more destinations. Each Kirker holiday is created to suit your personal requirements with travel by air, rail, OrientExpress, Eurostar or overnight sleeper combined with private guided tours, opera tickets, museum passes or a table at a Kirker recommended restaurant.

italY The Kirker Italy brochure features destinations from The Lakes and Venice in the North, to Sicily in the South, and from Puglia in the East, to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Florence and Lucca in the West. Our expertise can cater for your every need; we offer opera and concert tickets, entrance for festivals, museums and special exhibitions, tailor-made itineraries combining beautiful Tuscan Villas, exquisite Ferrogamo city centre hotels with high speed trains, car hire or the Orient-Express.

sicily Our new dedicated Sicily brochure includes a wide range of destinations throughout the island from Modica and Ragusa in the South East corner to San Vito Lo Capo in the West.

We offer carefully crafted, multi-centre itineraries to match your particular requirements as well as short breaks to classic cities such as Palermo and Taormina.

france Our France brochure features classic city breaks to Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Monaco, Strasbourg, Cannes and Lyon and tailormade holidays to Normandy, Brittany, the Loire Valley, Champagne, Burgundy, Provence, Languedoc-Rousillon and the idylic island of Corsica.

We feature simple family-run hotels up to the grandest palaces and châteaux.

SPAIN Spain offers a great climate and a wonderful range of music, art and architecture; all perfect ingredients for a wonderful short break The Phoenicians, Romans and Moors all left behind an extraordinary legacy for you to explore. Experience this wonderful country by asking one of our experts to suggest a tailor-made holiday, designed to reflect the diversity of this truly fascinating destination.

Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST Office hours: 09.00–18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00–16.00 (Sat)

Reservations: 020 7593 2288 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 • Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 • Fax: 020 7593 1461 Telephone calls: please note that in order to manage and train the Kirker team to deliver the best possible telephone service, from time to time we record calls for internal training purposes only.

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE – HIGHLY COMMENDED TOP TOUR OPERATOR 2018 CLASSIC FM – 25TH ANNIVERSARY ‘SILVER TRAVELLER’ AWARD WINNER 2017 COMUNE DI VENEZIA – LION OF ST. MARK GOLD AWARD FOR TOURISM 2016 SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL MAGAZINE – WINNER ‘BEST VALUE TRAVEL COMPANY’ 2016