2024 Spring Bulletin

ACE CULTURAL TRAVEL

2024 Spring Bulletin

Holidays for the Culturally Curious

Welcome

Welcome to the ACE Cultural Tours Spring Bulletin, our first publication featuring new releases from our exciting 2024 tour programme. We are delighted to present a collection of departures exploring destinations as diverse as the Bay of Naples, the Holy Land, South Korea and the Somerset Levels, all led by specialist Tour Directors who are experts in their field.

We are particularly pleased to feature several cruises taking place next year, including the return of our delightful Seine River Cruise, travelling from Honfleur to Paris on a journey that will take in medieval abbeys, Monet’s garden at Giverny and Parisian galleries, whilst enjoying exquisite on-board piano recitals drawing on Impressionist themes. Other cruise highlights will include journeys along the Vltava and Douro rivers, and the Lycian Coast.

For art and architecture enthusiasts, we look forward to new tours exploring Bavarian Baroque and the artistic treasures to be found in the city of Manchester. Meanwhile, fascinating archaeology and history lie in wait in classic destinations such as Pompeii, Ravenna and Cyprus; and for those interested in natural history, we will explore the wildlife, landscapes and flora of Extremadura, Sardinia and Crete.

We hope you find inspiration amongst these pages for your next cultural holiday. For our full 2024 schedule, please see pages 2-3. We look forward to welcoming you on tour.

Cover: Słońce majowe (Sun in May), Józef Mehoffer, 1911. National Museum in Warsaw.

DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

Full 2024 Schedule

We are delighted to present a provisional overview of our planned departures for 2024. Please note that some tours and dates may be subject to change or confirmation. To register your interest in a tour, please visit our website or contact the ACE office on 01223 841055

January

9–16 The Holy Land

13–19 Valletta Baroque Festival

26–1/2 Mozart Festival in Salzburg

TBC Shakespeare at Stratford

February

7–10 Somerset Levels in Winter

15–18 Bath Bachfest

19–29 Jordan: Kingdoms of the Desert

19–23 Wildlife in Norfolk

19–26 The Bay of Naples

TBC Cambridge College Chapels & Organs

TBC Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester

March

4–9 Aquileia: City of Antiquity

4–11 Art on the Côte d’Azur

4–18 South Korea

5–11 Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour

11–15 Roman & Byzantine Ravenna

18–23 Art Treasures of Dresden: Porcelain & Paintings

20–27 Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura

25–28 Art Treasures of Manchester

April

8–14 Art in Berlin

9–14 Flemish Painting: From van Eyck to Rubens

9–16 Sardinia: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi

11–18 The Riviera di Levante

12–18 Pompeii with Herculaneum

14–20 Seine River Cruise: From Honfleur to Paris

16–28 Algeria: Riches of the Past

21–5/5 Lycian Cruise

22–28 Arles: From the Romans to Van Gogh

29–3/5 Romney Marsh Churches

29–4/5 Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives

30–7/5 Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans

TBC 20th Century Yorkshire

TBC Bavarian Baroque

TBC Music & Opera in Germany

May

7–11 Great Bardfield & Beyond: MidCentury Art & Design in East Anglia

9–19 Ancient & Medieval Cyprus

10–16 Lucca

11–17 Villas & Gardens in Lazio

14–20 Glasgow: Patrons, Art & Innovation

14–21 Isles of Scilly

17–22 Houses & Gardens of Northern Ireland

19–2/6 Kazakhstan: From the Silk Road to Sir Norman Foster

21–28 Jewels of the Loire: Medieval & Renaissance Chateaux

24–31 Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge

31–6/6 The Outer Hebrides

TBC Art Collections of Washington & Philadelphia

TBC Bergen International Festival

TBC Dutch Masters: Rembrandt & his Legacy

TBC Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Berlin

June

3–10 Art on the Côte d’Azur

3–12

Albania: From the Illyrians to the Ottomans

5–12 Citadels of Transylvania

10–14 Prehistoric & Roman Anglesey & Snowdonia

10–22

Northern Greece

13–19 Vltava River Cruise

13–20 The Burren & Inishmore

17–24 The Shetland Islands

18–23 Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design

18–25 Islay, Jura & Colonsay

24–1/7

Hungary: Kingdom of the Magyar

25–28 Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels

TBC Aldeburgh Festival

TBC Bach Festival in Leipzig

TBC Gardens & Houses of the Cotswolds

TBC St Magnus Festival on Orkney

The Holy Land

July

1–5 Churches of Suffolk

1–8 Dingle & the Ring of Kerry

4–11 Medieval Burgundy

8–13 Art & Landscape in Switzerland

9–16 Swedish Palaces & Castles

9–16 Wild & Ancient Orkney

14–24 Iceland: History & Landscape

15–19 Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders

17–25 The Hanseatic League: An Artistic Legacy

22–25 Constable & Gainsborough in Suffolk

23–27 Art Collections & Stately Homes of the West Country

27–31 Worcester Three Choirs Festival

31–4/8 Worcester Three Choirs Festival

TBC Buxton International Festival

TBC Verona Opera Festival

TBC York Early Music Festival

August

2–6 The Industrial Revolution in Middle England

19–23 Dorset Country Houses

19–23 Northumbria in the First Millennium

19–25 Art Treasures of Copenhagen & Sjaelland

TBC Artists’ Houses in Sussex

TBC International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival

TBC Schubert in Schwarzenberg

September

October

3–12

in

Palladio: Venice & the Villas of the Veneto

4–11 Wildlife of Albania

4–15

Uzbekistan: Cities of the Silk Road

7–10 Connoisseur’s Cambridge

7–15 The Arts & Crafts of Young Poland

7–15 Eastern Slovakia: Artistic Treasures at the Foot of the High Tatra Mountains

8–18 On the Trail of Caravaggio: His Life, Works & Muses

14–24 Athens, Delphi & the Peloponnese

21–28 Piero della Francesca

November

2–15 Morocco: Archaeology of the Western Kingdom

4–11 Roussillon

11–17 Bologna, Mantua & Parma

11–18 Renaissance Florence: City of Wonders

13–17 Bath Mozartfest

17–21 Vienna: City of the Arts

19–25 Art & Architecture of Puglia

TBC Oxford College Chapels & Organs

TBC Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival

22–7/11 Japan in Autumn: History, Art & Landscape

28–31 Bruges

TBC Ceramics in Sèvres

TBC Glyndebourne

TBC Verdi Festival in Parma

TBC Wexford Opera Festival

Piero della Francesca

The Spirit of Chartwell on the Douro River

Cultural Cruises

Since the launch of our first multisubject cruises in partnership with luxury cruise company CroisiEurope several years ago, we are delighted to have developed our successful programme of immersive river cruises along some of Europe’s most famous and culturally significant waterways.

In 2024, we look forward to the return of some of our most popular large cruises, including a magical journey along the Seine from Honfleur to Paris, and an exploration of the fascinating region surrounding the Vltava.

With the involvement of several expert Tour Directors, these cruises offer a uniquely layered experience that delves deeply into the history, landscape and cultural output of each river – combining daytime excursions with lectures and onboard recitals.

In addition to the larger boat cruises, we are pleased to be offering two enchanting cruises for smaller groups in 2024, along the Douro River and the Lycian Coast.

Seine River Cruise: From Honfleur to Paris

April 14–20, 2024

Discover centuries of history along France’s most famous waterway, all from the comfort of our privately chartered vessel, the MS Renoir

Several ACE Tour Directors provide their unique perspectives on our historical and artistic visits, perfectly complemented by afternoon lectures and evening piano recitals

Delve into the rich heritage of Paris, Rouen and Honfleur, while making excursions to the Bayeux Tapestry, two Norman abbeys, and Monet’s beautiful garden at Giverny – the subject of so many of his most famous works

Captivated by the shifting effects of sunlight on the Seine, Monet spent several months rising at dawn to paint the river from his studio boat. His Mornings on the Seine series has since been exhibited all over the world, showcasing the truly magical character of this ever-changing river, witness to thousands of years of history.

We are delighted to announce the return of our spectacular Seine river cruise in spring 2024. Our private vessel the MS Renoir will take us from the town of Honfleur with its picturesque Old Port to the vibrant streets of Paris, stopping at Caudebec, Rouen and La Roche Guyon en route. Several ACE experts – including art historians Sarah Burles and Suzanne Fagence Cooper, musician Emilie Capulet and medievalist Imogen Corrigan – will provide introductions to sites from the Bayeux Tapestry and Norman Abbeys, to Monet’s stunning garden at Giverny, resplendent with spring flowers.

19th century art history will be one of the central themes of the tour. Excursions to some of France’s most impressive art collections – including visits to the treasure troves of the Musée Marmottan Monet and Musée d’Orsay in Paris – will

“A brilliantly worked out programme full of interest all the time”

– ACE customers on the previous S eine River Cruise: From Honfleur to Paris

be supported by illuminating lectures from our art historians, immersing us in the lives of the artists and the people and places they sought to capture. Complementing the daytime excursions, international pianist Emilie Capulet will draw on Impressionist themes in a series of engrossing recitals.

Long before the Impressionists captured the colours and light of the region, however, the Seine bore witness to the construction of magnificent medieval abbeys. Embraced by a meandering curve in the river, stately Jumièges Abbey with its mix of Carolingian and

Romanesque architecture would later be described by Victor Hugo as “the most beautiful ruins in all of France”. Saint Wandrille, meanwhile, was one of the first Benedictine abbeys to be founded in Normandy and retains an active monastic community today. We will make visits to both these sites, in addition to uncovering the rich medieval history of the towns along our route and that most celebrated remnant of Normandy’s medieval past: the Bayeux Tapestry. The cruise builds to a magnificent finale in Paris, culminating in a celebratory Gala Dinner on board the MS Renoir.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this is one of ACE’s larger cultural cruises and there will be a maximum of 71 participants on board, subject to final cabin allocation. The full group will be divided into four smaller groups for some of the visits. Participants should have a good level of fitness and mobility, and be comfortable ascending and descending steps, and undertaking a significant amount of walking and standing during daytime visits. For our minimum fitness requirements, please consult the Booking Terms & Conditions.

MS Renoir in front of the Eiffel Tower

We stay throughout the tour on the MS Renoir, a five-anchor vessel offering accommodation of a luxurious four-star hotel standard alongside generous public areas, a spacious sundeck and a range of facilities.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned. Due to the changing conditions associated with waterways, the precise timings and order of visits may change nearer to the time.

Day 1 Transfer via Eurostar from London to Lille. Continue to Honfleur by coach and board the MS Renoir. Welcome drink and Tour Director introductions.

Day 2 Morning excursion to Bayeux, including visits to the Tapestry Museum and cathedral. Afternoon in Honfleur (picturesque old harbour, subject of works by Boudin, Monet and Courbet): visit to the Musée Eugène-Boudin (charming galleries showcasing works by Boudin and other local artists) and free time with option to visit St Catherine’s Church. Evening lecture and piano recital.

Day 3 Morning lectures followed by Norman Abbeys trail: Saint Wandrille (ancient foundations with unique 7th century chapel) and Jumièges (dramatic ruins of former Benedictine monastery).

Day 4 Walking tour of Rouen Old Town (including Notre Dame Cathedral and Great Clock) and visit to Musée des Beaux-Arts (founded by Napoleon I in 1801; collections include works by Rubens, Caravaggio, Pissarro, Degas, Monet). Evening piano recital.

Day 5 Morning visit to Giverny for Monet’s Garden (Clos Normand flower garden and Japanese inspired water garden) and Museum of Impressionism. Afternoon piano recital and lecture.

Day 6 Visits in Paris: Musée d’Orsay (the largest collection of Impressionist and postImpressionist masterpieces in the world including works by Cézanne and Van Gogh) and Musée Marmottan Monet (Monet, Degas, Manet, Renoir). Evening Gala Dinner on board MS Renoir followed by piano recital.

Day 7 Further visit in Paris (time permitting) followed by transfer to Gare du Nord for Eurostar to London, where tour disperses.

Cost of £3095 includes: return travel, accommodation based on sharing a twin cabin (main deck), full board (except lunch on days 1, 6 & 7) with unlimited wine, beer, soft drinks, tea & coffee, shore excursions & admissions, all gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, main deck twin cabin for single use supplement £500. Upper deck supplements available upon request.

TOUR CODE: SEIC24

Monet’s house and garden at Giverny

Art history expert Sarah Burles , BA, will be our guide at several of the museums and galleries in our itinerary. Sarah studied History of Art at Cambridge and gained a Masters at University College London; she spent twelve years working at the Fitzwilliam Museum and is an experienced tour leader as well as an Arts Society accredited lecturer. Sarah has a passion and enthusiasm for making museums and their collections accessible.

Suzanne Fagence

Cooper, MA, PhD, is an art historian and curator who specialises in 19th century art. She has worked at the V&A Museum and York Art Gallery, where she curated the 2019 exhibition Turner, Ruskin & the Storm Cloud. An accredited Arts Society lecturer, Suzanne is the author of How We Might Live: At Homes with Jane & William Morris (2022), and will introduce the ACE group to some of the galleries on our itinerary, as well as the gardens at Giverny.

Medieval historian

I mogen Corrigan , BA, MPhil, FRSA, is a proficient lecturer and tour leader who

studied at the universities of Kent and Birmingham. An expert on church art and architecture, she is the author of Stone on Stone: The Men Who Built the Cathedrals (2019). Imogen is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an accredited Arts Society lecturer. She will guide the group at Jumièges and Rouen and lecture on the Bayeux Tapestry.

Emilie Capulet , RSA, MMus, PhD, is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Head of Classical Performance at the London College of Music. She studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and regularly performs in international concert halls and at music festivals. Emilie will give several private recitals on board the boat throughout our cruise.

Guest musician Nicholas Wearne , BA, MPhil, will join the group in Paris for an evening duet with Emilie Capulet following our Gala Dinner. A former ACE Bursary student, Nicholas is a tutor and Junior Fellow at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. His career as a solo organist has taken him all over the world and he has held the position of organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.

Lycian Cruise

April 21 – May 5, 2024

Explore ancient cities containing fascinating classical remains on a voyage around the coast of southwest Turkey

Journey inland to discover further sites, including the beautifully located town of Pinara with tombs cut into the rock face

Cruise down the Loryma Peninsula, where mountain tops are guarded by impressive fortresses of the Hellenistic age

Many of the most striking cities in the Greek and Roman world are found along the coast of south-west Turkey, where the towering limestone cliffs and lofty mountain ranges have changed little since classical times. The armies of Alexander, the emperors of Rome and the traders of Byzantium all brought untold wealth to these rugged shores.

This cruise will be led by Andrew Wilson , BA, BD, FSAScot, a specialist in archaeology and ancient history with a particular interest in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics. Andrew studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist, and has led many tours for ACE throughout the Greco-Roman world and also in Britain. He is a member of the Society for Libyan Studies and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and the Classical Association of Scotland.

One of the most thrilling ways to experience the bygone cities of Lycia and south-eastern Caria is as the ancients saw them: by sea. Our private voyage on board the beautiful MS Lycian Queen, a traditional Turkish gulet, will begin with a cruise to Gemiler, where the

vestiges of the once-thriving monastic community conjure up the majesty of high Byzantium at the time of Justinian. Midway through our tour we will reach the cities of the Xanthos valley – Xanthos itself, for its Roman theatre and Byzantine citadel, and Letoon. One of the most fascinating aspects of our cruise will be the opportunity to spot ruins beneath the clear waters of the eastern Mediterranean: the remains of Aperlae and the Byzantine town of Tersane, for example, are clearly visible to the naked eye.

The cruise along the Bay of Fethiye to the ancient hilltop settlement of Lydae is always inspiring. At the extreme end of the Datça Peninsula we will drop anchor at Knidos, one of Asia Minor’s most dramatically-sited cities. Once home to Praxiteles’s celebrated Aphrodite, Knidos retains many original Hellenistic features and current excavations are unearthing more and more of this riveting twinharboured settlement. Our journey ends in ancient Halicarnassus, site of the famous mausoleum built in honour of King Mausolus c 350 BC.

Kaleköy

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and mobility, and participants should meet our fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Many of the archaeological sites visited will involve short but steep ascents, often on broken paths, with the longest taking about 30 minutes to complete. All ascents are, however, optional and the degree of difficulty will be advised at each site. Participants should be prepared for traversing slippery surfaces, and be comfortable climbing in and out of a small dinghy via a stepladder.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Opening times in Turkey can change at short notice and so some visits may be adjusted nearer the time. The itinerary is fluid and weather conditions can affect the order and nature of visits, so participants should be prepared to be flexible.

“This was undoubtedly one of the best holidays we have had. The crew on the boat were helpful and hospitable beyond what we have experienced before and they made this a truly magical holiday”

“Andrew’s enthusiasm and passion for his subject were inspirational”

“Andrew’s fantastic depth of knowledge… plus his unfailing sense of humour kept the company entertained, informed and happy”

– ACE customers on previous Lycian Cruise tours

Day 1 Flight from London to Dalaman. Transfer to MS Lycian Queen for 14 nights. Overnight at Fethiye.

Day 2 Morning cruise to island of Gemiler (former Byzantine monastic community): ruined churches, vaulted processional way, large ecclesiastical complex. Overnight at Gemiler.

Day 3 Cruise westwards to picturesque village of Kas (ancient Antiphellos): well-preserved Hellenistic theatre, tombs. Overnight at Kas (quiet inlet for swimming).

The deluxe air-conditioned MS Lycian Queen launched in 2015, and has a saloon, a spacious deck, and eight cabins including two masters, all with en-suite facilities. It is a ketch Turkish gulet, a twomasted wooden vessel typically seen alongside the coastline of Turkey.

Day 4 Sail via Uluburun along coast and into bay of Kekova (underwater remains) to small Turkish village of Kaleköy (ancient Simena): dramatic citadel with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman remains, haunting Lycian necropolis. Overnight at Gokkaya Liman.

Day 5 Sail to Myra (superb ancient theatre, rock tombs, fascinating Church of St Nicholas). Overnight in Kekova area.

Day 6 Cruise along mountainous shores of Lycian coast to tiny harbour of Kalkan then by minibus to Letoon (temples to Leto, Apollo

and Artemis) and Xanthos (Roman theatre and Byzantine citadel, remains of Nereid Monument, large Byzantine church). Overnight at Kalkan.

Day 7 Travel inland to ancient Pinara in Esençay Valley (acropolis, Hellenistic theatre, rock-cut tombs) and Tlos (imposing bath complex and citadel). Two nights in bay of Fethiye.

Day 8 Ancient site of Telmessos, including magnificent tomb of Amyntas.

Day 9 Morning sail to Agalimani: walk through pine forest to remains of ancient Lydae (ruined mausolea). Overnight at Agalimani.

Day 10 Morning cruise followed by transfer to small boat for visit to site of ancient Caunos (rock tombs, theatre, temple). Overnight in bay near Caunos.

Day 11 Cruise along peninsula to Loryma: Hellenistic fort (one of the finest in the ancient world). Overnight in Loryma.

Day 12 Cruise to Knidos: temple of Apollo Karneios, temple of Aphrodite Euploia (once housed famous statue by Praxiteles), Doric portico, early Byzantine churches, harbour theatre. Overnight in ancient harbour of Knidos.

Day 13 Cruise to Bay of Bodrum (explore bays and inlets). Overnight in Bay of Bodrum.

Day 14 Sail to Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus) and visit the remains of the Mausoleum, built by the wife of King Mausolus in around 350 BC. Visit to St Peter’s Castle including underwater archaeology museum. Overnight in Bay of Bodrum.

Day 15 Flight from Bodrum to London.

Cost of £3995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded cabin, full board (except lunch on day 8) with water, tea & coffee, shore excursions & admissions, crew gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: visa, travel insurance, supplement for Master Suite £195 per person, cabin for single use supplement on request.

TOUR CODE: LYCI24

Theatre at Pinara

MS Lycian Queen

© BLUECRUISE

Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge

May 24–31, 2024

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

Take in the vineyards and historical towns of Portugal’s northern valleys

Learn about the history of port, Oporto and the Douro Valley

Beginning our tour with an exploration of the old town of Oporto, we cast off for our voyage eastwards. Along the way, we will explore one of Europe’s most handsome Renaissance cities, Salamanca, and pay a visit to the 18th century Mateus Palace.

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

Our Tour Director, Martin Symington , BA, is a travel journalist who contributes to The Times and Wanderlust , and is the author of Dorling Kindersley’s guidebook to Portugal. Martin was born and raised in the region, and is a port expert. He will deliver talks on port, Oporto and the Douro Valley, as well as on Portugal in general and the country’s history.

Continuing into Spain, we will explore Salamanca, famous for its honeycoloured buildings, ancient university, 18th century Plaza Mayor, and twin cathedrals, perched high above the River Tormes. The city has passed through the conquering hands of Carthaginians, Romans and Moors, a fact that is evident from its mix of architecture.

During an excursion to the pilgrimage town of Lamego, where Baroque mansions and churches grace the skyline,

we will enter one of the country’s most majestic shrines – Our Lady of Cures –acclaimed for its monumental Baroque staircase.

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

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

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness and mobility, and participants must meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. The sundeck, plus all of the cabins on the boat (aside from the Royal Suite) are accessed by a narrow flight of stairs, and the visit to the Castelo Rodrigo involves walking across steep, cobbled ground, so participants must be prepared for some uneven terrain and possess a good level of stamina, although it is possible to opt out of some visits. Please note that this cruise visits some locations that are remote.

The Spirit of Chartwell on the Douro River

ITINERARY

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

“It was an outstanding trip –the programme was very well constructed and carried out, the Tour Director [was] excellent… The Spirit of Chartwell was very comfortable… and we were very well looked after by the crew”

“Martin Symington was excellent and really made the tour come alive”

Day 3 Visit to Mateus Palace (beautiful gardens, chapel and winery). Cruise to the riverside town of Pinhão for walking tour and overnight stay.

Evening lecture: Port

Day 4 Sail past rolling hills and terraced vineyards to Barca d’Alva (on the Spanish border). Afternoon excursion to the medieval Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo (castle and churches). Evening lecture: Portugal’s History followed by Captain’s dinner on board. Overnight Barca d’Alva.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Salamanca (UNESCO World Heritage site): Plaza Mayor, Casa de las Conchas (Gothic building dating from 1493), Salamanca University, New Cathedral (16th–18th century). Overnight Barca d’Alva.

Used by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, The Spirit of Chartwell is the flagship vessel on the River Douro. This royal river barge, now based in Portugal, offers a spacious and sumptuous design with the finest interior furnishings. The vessel is fully equipped with a restaurant, piano bar, observation deck and 14 comfortable outside-facing cabins, each with private facilities. Professional and highly attentive crew members provide unequalled service during this calm passage through the Douro River Valley.

“Martin Symington was a very convivial tour leader who worked hard to ensure that all participants were happy and fully supported. He offered us some very interesting insights into Portuguese history and gave us an entrée into places we wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise”

– ACE customers on previous Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge tours

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

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

Day 6 Morning cruise to Régua. Afternoon: Lamego (ancient pilgrimage town): Cathedral and Sanctuário Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Shrine of Our Lady of Remedies). Evening lecture: Portugal in the 20th Century. Overnight Porto Antigo.

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

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

Cost of £3895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded cabin, full board with unlimited tea & coffee (whilst on board), wine, beer, soft drinks served with meals, shore excursions & admissions, all gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, supplement for the Royal Suite £395 per person, cabin for single use supplement on request.

TOUR CODE: DRR124

Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, Lamego

Royal Suite, Spirit of Chartwell

Vltava River Cruise

June 1–7, 2024

Explore the music and art of Prague and the Vltava region with art historian Tom Abbott, musicologist Paul Jackson and pianist Emilie Capulet

Visit the famous Estates Theatre and discover more about the life and works of Antonín Dvořák

Explore Konopiště Castle, final home of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and uncover Czech art history in charming Litoměřice

The Vltava River is the longest in the Czech Republic, as well as one of the most beautiful and historically illuminating. Our progress in and around the Czech capital of Prague will afford fascinating glimpses into the country’s history, art, architecture and contributions to classical music – all while taking in the enchanting landscape of Central Bohemia during relaxed periods of cruising.

We begin by journeying south to the market town of Štěchovice before making an excursion to one of the country’s most important historical sites. Established at the end of the 13th century – and frequently remodelled by its ambitious aristocratic owners – Konopiště Castle evokes a sense of romance and luxury with its French-inspired symmetry and

“Paul Jackson was outstanding –one of the best tour leaders I’ve ever had”

“The superb recitals by Emilie Capulet were accompanied by informative comments on the music easily understood by musicians and non-musicians alike”

“Tom Abbott is in a class of his own. A polymath, courteous, considerate and amusing”

– ACE customers on previous tours with Paul Jackson, Emilie Capulet & Tom Abbott

soaring towers. Yet the castle’s opulent interiors have borne witness to much more recent history: the castle was the final residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who made substantial modifications of his own and filled it with his extensive art collections. We plan to explore a part of this impressive estate during our visit.

Returning to Prague through the stunning natural landscape around Slapy and Štěchovice, we will disembark for a series of special visits in the Czech capital. In particular, we will pay homage to one of the city’s most famous musical connections – the operas of W A Mozart – by visiting the Estates Theatre, site of the premiere of Don Giovanni in 1787

and the only surviving theatre where the composer performed. We also plan to visit the city’s castle district, home to St Vitus Cathedral, one of the most important Gothic cathedrals in Europe and the largest church in the Czech Republic. In the evening, we hope to attend a performance at Prague’s State Opera House, subject to performance schedules. The final stage of our cruise takes us north to the picturesque town of Mělník where the Vltava and Elbe meet; from here, we will visit a number of sites including Litoměřice. Situated on the confluence of the Elbe and Ohře, in a landscape known particularly for its wine, the town boasts a characterful centre of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings including several beautiful churches. It is also home to the North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts, which houses a special collection of mainly Czech works from the 13th century onwards behind its Baroque façade.

Throughout the tour we will explore, through lectures and recitals given by our on-board musicologist Paul Jackson and pianist Emilie Capulet, the music of well-known composers associated with Prague and its surroundings, including Dvořák, Smetana, Janáček, Mahler and Mozart. Art and architecture specialist Tom Abbott, meanwhile, will guide us at several of the sites and provide us with the background for understanding the historical and artistic treasures we will encounter.

Prague

CULTURAL CRUISES

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note this is one of ACE’s larger cultural cruises and there will be a maximum of 51 participants on board, subject to final cabin allocation. The full group will be divided into two smaller groups for the majority of the visits. Participants should have a good level of fitness and be comfortable ascending and descending multiple staircases, particularly at Konopiště Castle, as well as walking around Prague. Please note that the dining room on the boat is on the main deck, accessed via a flight of steps, and there is no lift on board. The approach to Konopiště involves an uphill walk. For more information about our minimum fitness requirements, please consult our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that this itinerary and description represent a guide to what we hope to offer. An updated itinerary will be published on the ACE website when this tour goes on sale later in 2023, following the inaugural departure of our Vltava River Cruise this summer. Please note that further adjustments may be made nearer to the time, as some visits are subject to confirmation, and due to the changing conditions associated with waterways, the precise timings and order of visits may change.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1320 on British Airways, arriving Prague 1620. Transfer to the MS Elbe Princesse II for six nights. Welcome drink and introduction to the cruise. Overnight in Prague.

Day 2 Morning spent cruising towards Slapy with introductory lectures from Tour Directors. Afternoon visit to Konopiště Castle (established in the 13th century; final residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand). Evening piano recital. Overnight in Štěchovice.

Day 3 Day spent cruising through the beautiful Bohemian landscape. Lecture and afternoon piano recital. Early evening talk looking ahead to our performance in Prague. Overnight in Prague.

Paul Jackson , MA, PhD, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was, for over twenty years, Head of Music and Performing Arts and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has also enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of choirs, orchestras and opera, and as a solo and chamber music pianist, performing in the UK, Europe and America. Equally at home with music from the 19th century to the present day, Paul is an enthusiastic supporter of young and aspiring composers, and has commissioned and performed many new works for a variety of musical forces.

Emilie Capulet , RSA, MMus, PhD, is a pianist, Fellow of the High Education Academy and Head of Classical Performance at the London College of Music. Emilie studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and she regularly performs in international concert halls and at music festivals. Emilie has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, CBC’s Radio Canada, France Bleu Provence and Nicaraguan television and radio.

We will cruise on board the MS Elbe Princesse II , a charming paddle riverboat designed to transport its guests in comfort and elegance. The boat has been completely refurbished to fiveanchor standard (similar to a good four-star hotel standard). There are 42 cabins on board, in addition to a lounge, restaurant, sundeck and terrace. As vessels on the Elbe/Vltava are restricted in their overall dimensions, the cabins are slightly smaller than those used on other ACE cruises, however they are comfortably designed with attractive regional décor and generous storage space.

Day 4 Full day of visits in Prague, including Estates Theatre (built in the late 18th century; historical links with Mozart) and Castle District. Evening operatic performance in Prague (subject to final performance schedules). Overnight in Prague.

Day 5 Morning spent cruising towards Mělník (situated at the confluence of the Elbe and Vltava), with lecture: An Introduction to Antonín Dvořák . Afternoon visit to Nelahozeves Castle. Evening piano recital. Overnight in Mělník.

Day 6 Excursion to Litoměřice: walking tour and North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts. Return to Prague. Evening: Gala Dinner and celebratory recital. Overnight in Prague.

Day 7 Morning visit to Antonín Dvořák Museum (time permitting). Depart Prague 1405, arriving Heathrow 1510.

Tom Abbott , BA, MA, is an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens. A resident of Berlin for over thirty years, he is a proficient lecturer and tour leader, with extensive experience directing cultural and art tours in Europe, to destinations including Germany, France, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic. His expertise concerning art and architecture ranges from the medieval to the current.

Full details, including the cost and an updated itinerary, will be released later in 2023. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: VLTA24

View of Prague’s Old Town from the Clock Tower

MS Elbe Princesse II at M ě lník

© CROISIEUROPE

Two Poplars in the Alpilles near Saint-Rémy, Vincent van Gogh, 1889

Art & Architecture

From iconic buildings and spectacular masterpieces to vernacular architecture and local craft traditions, works of art and architecture can bring to life the specific contexts and time periods in which they were created. Whilst telling fascinating stories, they can also provide significant moments of aesthetic contemplation, making art and architecture tours a particularly rewarding experience.

In 2024, ACE’s artistic and architectural offerings will include a brand new tour exploring the Baroque treasures to be found in Bavaria. Commencing in Innsbruck, our journey will take us

from picturesque Oberammergau in Upper Bavaria to the charming and well-preserved medieval city of Regensburg before turning north into Franconia, taking in spectacular palaces, churches and monasteries en route.

We also look forward to a new itinerary delving into the worldclass art collections to be found in the city of Manchester, as well as tours exploring favourite destinations such as the Côte d’Azur, Berlin, the Riviera di Levante and Belgium, where we will contemplate stunning art and architecture.

The Bay of Naples

February 19–26, 2024

Learn about the rich heritage of Naples, from classical antiquity to the 18th century, with a particular focus on the city’s Baroque art treasures

Explore the perfectly preserved monastic complex of Certosa di San Martino overlooking the city and Bay of Naples, housing an impressive assembly of works by celebrated 17th century artists

Enjoy an excursion by boat to Capri, home to the ruins of Tiberius’s Villa Jovis

A bustling sea port, the city of Naples has a long and eminent history as one of the few European centres that can claim an unbroken continuity as a metropolis since its classical origins.

Once the favourite haunt of Roman citizens, and later Italy’s only truly royal city for almost six centuries, Naples was never short of artistic patronage. Dukes, archbishops, nobles and religious

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an art historian who has studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, where he gained his PhD in History of Art from Magdalene College. Alex has been leading tours since 1998 and is an accomplished linguist. His experience ranges from Eastern Europe, Russia and the Himalayas to Japan and southeast Asia.

orders contributed to an extremely dense collection of buildings and works of art in and around the city: in particular, many examples of Neapolitan painting from the 17th and 18th centuries have remained in their original locations and can thus be appreciated as part of a uniquely authentic artistic landscape. Our tour covers the main collections of Neapolitan art at the Museo di Capodimonte, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and the Royal Palace. We will also view the Renaissance sculpture adorning Castel Nuovo.

Attention will be paid to a number of religious buildings that contain art of the highest order, including the medieval royal tombs at Santa Chiara, and churches that have retained either all or much of their original decoration. Among the most fascinating are Pio Monte della Misericordia, which displays Caravaggio’s Seven Works of Mercy, and the important Baroque Church of San Gregorio Armeno, decorated by Luca Giordano. Naples flourished under the Spanish Bourbons who, apart from a brief Napoleonic interlude, controlled the city from 1734 to 1860. One of the most outstanding legacies of the Bourbon kings is the palace and parklands of Capodimonte, which houses a fine collection of decorative arts and works ranging from Bellini and Botticelli to Caravaggio and Corregio.

Complementing these visits, our itinerary will also include a day at leisure with an optional excursion by boat to Capri, where we will have the opportunity to view the ruins of Tiberius’s Villa Jovis.

We will stay throughout at the four-star Grand Hotel Oriente, located in the historical centre of Naples.

Antiphellos Theatre

Certosa di San Martino

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness, mobility and stamina is required for this study tour. Many visits will be made on foot and some by public transport (funicular and metro), although there is the option to get a taxi independently if wished. Participants should expect to spend a significant amount of time on their feet, walking around the city, and standing at historical sites, in churches and galleries, where there are not always opportunities to sit down. Most of Naples is on flat ground but the tour will occasionally involve walking up steps and potentially uneven ground and cobbles. The tour also involves the opportunity to travel by boat to Capri, for an optional visit to the ruins of Villa Jovis, which involves a 45 minute uphill walk (although the terrain is not steep) – participants are welcome to opt out of this however. Participants must meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

“Stepping through history with engaging guides… The itinerary was action packed, coherent and varied. We were all cared for every moment of the excursions… We went to so many amazing places [and] learnt so much”

“Fantastic informative tour. I was most impressed with the organisation… everything went like clockwork. Alex was SO knowledgeable and inspirational with his enthusiasm for the art and architecture visited. The accommodation was excellent”

“Absolutely brilliant lecturer. Alex Koller is incomparable”

– ACE travellers on a 2023 tour to Naples led by Alex Koller

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation, or will be time permitting on the day. Historical sites such as churches in Italy can close with little or no notice, and we cannot guarantee the availability of all the artworks listed.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1415 on British Airways, arriving Naples 1755. Transfer to the Grand Hotel Oriente for seven nights. Day 2 Morning introductory lecture. Visits to Palazzo Reale, Castel Nuovo (Museo Civico) and

religious houses with outstanding schemes of tomb monuments and paintings: Gesù Nuovo, Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara, San Domenico Maggiore and Sant’Angelo a Nilo.

Day 3 Visits in the ancient quarters of Naples: Museo Cappella Sansevero (18th century sculpture and frescoes), San Gregorio Armeno, San Paolo Maggiore, Baptistery at the Cattedrale di San Gennaro, San Lorenzo Maggiore (catacombs), Pio Monte della Misericordia and Sant’Anna dei Lombardi.

Day 4 Morning: San Michele Arcangelo (duomo) and San Leucio. Afternoon: Reggia di Caserta (Europe’s last great Baroque palace scheme).

Day 5 Excursion by boat to Capri for optional visit to ruins of Tiberius’s Villa Jovis, or day at leisure.

Day 6 Morning visit to the gardens at Villa Vannucchi (villa exterior) followed by Reggia di Portici (former royal palace). Afternoon: Villa Campolieto and Parco Archeologico di Ercolano (Herculaneum). Free evening.

Day 7 Morning: by funicular to the Chiaia district for Santa Teresa a Chiaia, followed by churches of the Pizzofalcone quarter. Optional visit to Castel dell’Ovo (subject to opening, time permitting). Afternoon: Complesso Monumentale Donnaregina Vecchia (Santa Maria) and Museo Archeologico Nazionale (Roman wall paintings from the Vesuvian sites).

Day 8 Morning visits including Certosa di San Martino (Neapolitan School) and Museo di Capodimonte (visits time permitting). Depart Naples 1845, arriving Heathrow 2040.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £340.

TOUR CODE: BNPL24

San Gregorio Armeno

Capri

Art on the Côte d’Azur

March 4–11, 2024

Visit museums dedicated to individual artists such as Matisse, Chagall, Picasso, Léger and Renoir

Find out what made these artists and others travel to the south of France to live and work

Experience the work of leading 20th century artists in the peaceful hillside setting of the Fondation Maeght

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

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

During our week in Nice and its environs we will consider what drew these and other artists to the south of France and explore the legacy they left in the region: from Matisse’s stunning Chapelle du Rosaire to Picasso’s work at the former Château Grimaldi in Antibes and Jean Cocteau’s ‘Salle des Mariages’ at Menton. A number of these artists have museums dedicated to them, amongst which are the Musée Matisse, Musée Renoir, Musée

National Fernand Léger and Musée Chagall. The latter is home to the twelve great paintings that make up the Biblical Message series, whilst the Musée Renoir offers an opportunity to visit the house of this great artist, where he spent the final decade of his life. It houses a number of his paintings and sculptures, and boasts beautiful views towards the sea.

The great strength of the Musée de l’Annonciade in St Tropez is the collection of works by Signac and the neoImpressionists, Bonnard and the Nabis, and Matisse and the Fauves. Meanwhile, above the beautiful walled village of St Paul de Vence lies the Fondation Maeght, its pine-wooded grounds adorned with works by Giacometti, Calder and Miró. The Foundation possesses one of Europe’s most important collections of 20th century painting, drawing and sculpture: Braque, Chagall, Léger and Calder are all represented.

We will stay throughout the tour at the four-star Hotel Nice Riviera, ideally situated in the heart of Nice close to the Promenade des Anglais.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, as some visits will be made on foot and by boat. Participants must be prepared to navigate steps and walk for up to a mile at a time, occasionally uphill, on uneven and slippery ground and along narrow pavements. To access the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice participants are required to traverse a number of steps, as there is no ramp. Some museums do not have lifts. The longest coach journey is to St Tropez, taking approximately 2 ½ hours, and we hope to return by boat (weather permitting), although please note this journey can be choppy if windy. For more information on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

This tour will be led by Sarah Burles , MA, who read History of Art at the University of Cambridge before studying for a Masters at University College London and going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums. She is an accredited Arts Society lecturer.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed. Sometimes sites have temporary exhibitions taking place, and this may affect which parts of the permanent collection are accessible.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1140 on British Airways, arriving Nice 1450. Transfer to Hotel Nice Riviera for seven nights.

Day 2 Morning lecture: The French Riviera – Art, Love & Life followed by walking tour of Nice. Afternoon: Musée des Beaux-Arts and Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain. Evening lecture: Matisse, Chagall & the Côte d’Azur Day 3 Morning: Musée Renoir. Afternoon: Musée Matisse and Musée Chagall. Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: Fondation Maeght and walk down the medieval Chemin Sainte-Claire to St Paul de Vence. Afternoon: Matisse’s celebrated Chapelle du Rosaire.

Day 5 Menton (Salle des Mariages) followed by Villefranche-sur-Mer (Cocteau’s Chapelle de Saint Pierre des Pêcheurs).

Day 6 Morning in Biot: Musée National Fernand Léger. Afternoon in Antibes: Musée Picasso followed by Château Vallauris. Free evening.

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

Day 8 Some free time. Depart Nice 1545, arriving Heathrow 1655.

Cost of £2745 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £385.

TOUR CODE: ARC124

Menton

Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour

March 5–11, 2024

Explore Venice’s mosaics, monasteries and magnificent artistic creations

Visit the beautiful Ca’ Rezzonico, a museum of 18th century art and furniture housed in a palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal

Enjoy a visit by private boat to the island of San Francesco del Deserto for a guided tour of the monastery

This exploration of Venice, one of Europe’s richest cultural cities, will take in a wonderful array of art and architecture, across palazzi, galleries and churches.

Located in the middle of the Venetian Lagoon, the city today bears witness to its heritage as the Republic of Venice – a

Our Tour Director, Tom Abbott , BA, MA, is an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens. Tom is an accomplished lecturer and tour leader, with extensive experience directing cultural and art tours in Europe including in Italy.

major financial and maritime power lasting from medieval times, through the Renaissance, until the 18th century. We will begin with a tour of the Doge’s Palace – where the work of the Venetian administration was carried out.

The Galleria dell’Accademia, located in the Dorsoduro district, houses the largest single collection of Venetian art, and offers an opportunity to view a range of paintings showcasing the Venetian masters’ accomplished use of colour.

The Scuola Grande di San Rocco contains superb decorative schemes by Tintoretto, a notable member of the Venetian school, while the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni is home to an exquisite cycle by Carpaccio, a student of Gentile Bellini. Amongst other fascinating historical churches on our itinerary are the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, known as ‘I Gesuiti’, with its stunning Baroque interior, and the Gothic Church of Madonna del Orto.

We will also enjoy excursions by boat to the islands of Burano, San Francesco del Deserto and Torcello: the latter is home to vivid Byzantine mosaics in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

This tour will be based at the fourstar Hotel Ca’ dei Conti, housed in an elegant 18th century building located in the heart of Venice, a stone’s throw from the Piazza and Basilica San Marco, and adjoining a canal.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, as many of our visits will be made on foot and will involve navigating steps, cobbles and bridges, which can be steep. A number of journeys will also be made by boat, so participants must feel comfortable on water and when embarking and disembarking vessels, which may feel unstable. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

The below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to confirmation nearer the time. Historical buildings in Italy sometimes undergo restoration at short notice, and visits may be reordered. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0840 on British Airways, arriving Venice 1200. Transfer by water taxi to Hotel Ca’ dei Conti for six nights. Afternoon: orientation walking tour followed by welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning visits to Doge’s Palace and Museo di San Marco. Afternoon: San Giorgio Maggiore for Palladio church followed by visit to San Zaccaria. Evening lecture: Venice – A History of Art & Architecture.

Day 3 Morning: Galleria dell’Accademia. Afternoon visits to Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, Dominican Church of Saints Giovanni & Paolo and Santa Maria dei Miracoli.

Day 4 Visits to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and Gothic Church of Madonna del Orto followed by walking tour of old Jewish Quarter. Some free time followed by free evening.

Day 5 Morning: Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Free afternoon.

Day 6 Island of San Francesco del Deserto for guided tour of Franciscan monastery, followed by island of Torcello for Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. Afternoon on island of Burano: Lace Museum and Church of San Martino (Tiepolo). Independent dinner followed by private evening visit to Basilica di San Marco (subject to confirmation).

Day 7 Morning: Ca’ Rezzonico. Transfer by water taxi to Venice airport for 1735 flight to Heathrow, arriving 1910.

Cost of £2895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £375.

TOUR CODE: VENI24

Mosaic in the Basilica San Marco

Art Treasures of Manchester

March 25–28, 2024

Explore Manchester’s prestigious collections of fine and decorative arts at Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth Art Gallery

Visit the nearby mansion houses of Tatton Park and Tabley Hall to view paintings by the likes of Canaletto and Turner

Explore The Lowry on Salford Quays, flanked by the Manchester Ship Canal

The city of Manchester awes both firsttime and experienced visitors alike with the breadth of its cultural heritage, the prosperity of its industrial past and its world-class art collections. This new tour explores the artistic treasures to be found in Manchester’s art galleries, university collections and nearby country houses.

In the 19th century, the city – once a market town – had become the commercial centre of a global textile industry. Inspired by John Ruskin,

This tour will be led by art history expert Sarah Burles , MA, an accredited Arts Society lecturer and experienced tour leader. Sarah studied History of Art at Cambridge and gained a Masters at University College London before developing a career in museum and gallery education, which included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum. She runs art courses online and has a passion and enthusiasm for making museums and their collections accessible.

reformers proposed the creation of a free public art gallery, to enable Manchester’s citizens to be exposed to works of beauty as a respite from their industrial occupations and surroundings.

The result was the Manchester Art Gallery, which opened in 1883 housed in buildings designed in the Greek Revival style by Sir Charles Barry, now linked by a modern extension designed by Hopkins Architects. The gallery is home to an

extensive collection of fine and decorative arts and is particularly strong in works by the Pre-Raphaelites.

The University of Manchester’s art gallery, the Whitworth, won the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year in 2015 following a major redevelopment. It houses an important collection of works by modern artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Ford Madox Brown, David Hockney, Van Gogh and Picasso, as well as paintings by Turner.

We look forward to a visit to the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, also part of the university, as well as a special tour of Chetham’s School Library, founded in 1653, which holds the accolade of being the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.

We will extend our exploration outside the city into the Cheshire countryside with an excursion to Knutsford, to see two important country house collections. The Hall at Tatton Park contains art treasures by Canaletto, Poussin and Van Dyck, while the 18th century Palladian Tabley House boasts paintings by Turner in the rooms for which they were created.

Antiphellos Theatre

John

Our tour concludes at Salford Quays, for a visit to The Lowry to see the permanent collection of paintings by the famous Salford artist.

We will stay at the four-star Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre, a smart modern hotel situated in the heart of the city, just a few minutes’ walk from Manchester Art Gallery.

“Sarah is an inspired guide who greatly enriched the experience of all the sites we visited”

“Sarah was first class – patient, informative and entertaining”

– ACE customers on previous tours led by Sarah Burles

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should be prepared for spending time walking around the city centre, which can be busy, and walking and standing in galleries, where seats are not always available. This tour will also involve walking over occasionally uneven ground and up steps, so a good level of fitness and mobility is required. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned, as occasionally pieces are loaned or taken off display at short notice for conservation purposes.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1345 at Clayton Hotel, Manchester City Centre, for three nights. Afternoon walking tour of Manchester city

centre: visits to Manchester Cathedral and Chetham’s School Library (oldest public library in the English speaking world), Royal Exchange (exterior) and St Anne’s Church (exterior). Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning guest lecture: Painting Manchester followed by visit to Manchester Art Gallery (internationally significant collections of fine and decorative arts, including important 19th century paintings). Afternoon: Whitworth Art Gallery (part of the University of Manchester).

Day 3 Morning lecture: Manchester Mansions Excursion to Knutsford for visits to Tatton Park (former home of the Egerton family containing paintings by Canaletto, Poussin and Van Dyck) and Tabley House Collection (Palladian country house containing works by Turner, Lely and Reynolds).

Day 4 Visits to John Rylands Library (part of the University of Manchester) and Salford Quays (The Lowry). Tour disperses approx 1440 at Manchester Piccadilly Station followed by approx 1500 at the hotel.

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

Not included: travel insurance, deluxe double room for single use supplement £165.

TOUR CODE: MANC24

Chetham’s School Library

Art in Berlin

April 8–14, 2024

Discover Berlin’s rich art collections and historical architecture

Enjoy an extended visit exploring the collections of the Gemäldegalerie, part of the Kulturforum, comprising works of art from a range of time periods

Visit the royal hunting lodge in the Grunewald – Berlin’s oldest existing palace building

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

The Bode Museum, the ‘moated castle’ on the River Spree, proudly accommodates the world’s largest collection of ancient sculpture, with exhibits dating from the early Middle Ages to the late 18th century, whilst the Altes Museum contains Grecian, Etruscan and Roman artefacts.

On an excursion into the Grunewald Forest, we will discover Berlin’s oldest remaining palace. Commissioned in 1542 and idyllically situated on the banks of Lake Grunewald, the Jagdschloss was

This tour will be led by Tom Abbott , BA, MA, an independent art and architectural historian who has lived in Berlin for over 20 years. A proficient lecturer and tour leader, he has extensive experience running tours in Germany for groups including the Arts Society as well as ACE. Tom’s expertise ranges from the Baroque and Rococo to German Romantic painting, landscape gardens and modern German history.

remodelled in a Baroque style in the 18th century and today houses paintings by Lucas Cranach.

We particularly look forward to a visit to the Boros Foundation, a private collection of contemporary art displayed in a converted bunker in Berlin. The collection comprises works by international artists dating from 1990 to the present day. A further highlight of the tour will be a visit to ‘Berlin’s newest landmark’, the Humboldt Forum, located in the reconstructed Berlin Palace and home to a collection of nonEuropean art.

We will also explore the city’s architectural and historical highlights during a tour taking in Potsdamer Platz, the Government Quarter around the Reichstag and the Alexanderplatz – including the Fernsehturm and the Stalinist architecture of former East Berlin.

Our tour concludes with visits to the Schloss Charlottenburg, a magnificent Baroque palace, and the nearby Käthe Kollwitz Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of works by the artist, including prints, drawings, sculptures and woodcuts.

This tour will be based at a centrally located hotel in Berlin, to be confirmed closer to departure.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour will require a good level of fitness and stamina, as it involves a significant amount of walking, and participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Many visits will be made on foot and it is not always possible to take taxis. Walking surfaces can be uneven and slippery if wet or cold. We will visit the dome and rooftop at the Reichstag, so participants must feel comfortable at height to partake in this visit. Please note this tour also includes a boat trip.

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1115 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1410. Transfer to hotel for six nights. Introductory lecture.

Day 2 Tour of Berlin by coach including East Side Gallery, French Quarter, Gendarmenmarkt, Alexanderplatz (including the Fernsehturm and Stalinist architecture of former East Berlin), Unter den Linden, Kreuzberg, Kurfürstendamm, Embassy District, Potsdamer Platz and the Government Quarter around the Reichstag (exteriors). Visits to Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church and Pergamon Pavilion (panorama). Evening lecture.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by visit to the Alte Nationalgalerie (19th and 20th century German painting and sculpture). Afternoon: boat trip and visit to the Bode Museum (European sculpture collections). Free evening.

Day 4 Morning: visit to the Gemäldegalerie (Italian Old Masters, early German and Flemish painting and 17th century Dutch and Flemish art). Afternoon: Boros Foundation (private collection of contemporary art displayed in converted bunker).

Day 5 Morning visits to Neues Museum and Reichstag (Dome and Rooftop – subject to confirmation). Afternoon: Humboldt Forum. Free evening.

Day 6 Morning excursion to the 16th century Jagdschloss Grunewald (hunting lodge with important collection of paintings by Lucas Cranach). Afternoon: Neue Nationalgalerie (visit subject to confirmation).

Day 7 Visits to Schloss Charlottenburg and Käthe Kollwitz Museum. Depart Berlin 1825, arriving Heathrow 1925.

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

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

TOUR CODE: ABLN24

Bust of Nefertiti, Neues Museum, Berlin

PHILIP PIKART / CC BY-SA

3.0 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Flemish Painting: From van Eyck to Rubens

April 9–14, 2024

Discover the works and worlds of the Flemish masters across Belgium with visits to important collections in Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels

Visit the Groeningemuseum and the refurbished Gruthuusemuseum in Bruges

Visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, recently reopened following a decade-long renovation

Few countries have made such a profound contribution to European art as the land we know today as Belgium. The ‘golden age’ of Flemish art began with the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck, before being continued by Hans Memling in Bruges, Rogier van der Weyden in Brussels and Hugo van der Goes in Ghent. Flemish Mannerist architects spread Renaissance ideas throughout northern Europe, and in Van Dyck and Rubens we have two of the most formidable of all Baroque artists. The first stop on our tour will be Bruges, where we will enjoy a visit to the Gruuthusemuseum, a luxurious city palace housing a multitude of artistic treasures celebrating the glories of the Burgundian age.

The Groeningemuseum is host to an enviable collection of van Eyck and van der Weyden, and is the setting for

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

Hieronymus Bosch’s Last Judgment. We will also visit the Memling Museum, housed in one of Europe’s oldest medieval hospitals, and pay homage to Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child in the Gothic Church of Our Lady. We look forward to an excursion to the city of Mechelen, once the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands and an important political and cultural hub for the Burgundian and early Habsburg princes. Here, we hope to visit the Museum Hof van Busleyden, a wonderful Renaissance palace, due to reopen in autumn 2023 following a major renovation.

In Antwerp, the great commercial port on the Scheldt, we will enjoy an opportunity to visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, which has recently undergone a major renovation project. The Mayer van den Bergh Museum, meanwhile, is home to a collection of northern Renaissance art assembled during the 19th century.

Our tour concludes with a visit to the Musée d’Art Ancien in Brussels, home to Flemish and Belgian paintings dating from the 15th to the 18th century.

We will stay throughout in the centre of Ghent at the four-star NH Gent Belfort, opposite the town hall.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking between visits, including over cobbled streets, which may be busy with bicycles, so a good level of fitness is required. Participants must be prepared for navigating steps and spending periods of time standing in galleries, where there are not always opportunities to sit down. Please note that there is no lift at the Gruuthusemuseum, and parts of the collection can only be accessed via narrow, steep and winding staircases. We recommend participants consult ACE’s minimum fitness requirements outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London St Pancras 0901 on Eurostar, arriving Brussels 1205. Continue to Ghent for five nights at NH Gent Belfort. Afternoon visit to the Stads Museum. Evening lecture: Art in Bruges from Jan van Eyck to Hans Memling.

Day 2 Whole day excursion to Bruges: Gruuthusemuseum, Groeningemuseum, Church of Our Lady and Hospital of St John (Memling Museum).

Day 3 Visits in Ghent: Cathedral of St Bavo (restored panels of van Eyck’s altarpiece The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb) and Museum of Fine Arts. Evening lecture: Peter Paul Rubens & his Antwerp Studio.

Day 4 Whole day excursion to Antwerp: Mayer van den Bergh’s Museum, Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady and KMSKA (Royal Museum of Fine Arts). Return to Ghent for free evening.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Mechelen: Museum Hof van Busleyden (Renaissance palace – subject to reopening) and St John’s Church.

Day 6 Morning lecture: Pieter Brueghel the Elder followed by transfer to Brussels for Musée des Beaux Arts – subject to final train times. Depart Brussels 1452, arriving London St Pancras 1600.

Cost of £2095 includes: return travel, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, one light lunch, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £295.

TOUR CODE: FLMP24

Detail of The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb , van Eyck, 1432

TIMETRAVELROME / CC BY 2.0 VIA FLICKR

The Riviera di Levante

April 11–18, 2024

Explore the Riviera di Levante tracing the artistic legacy of the Italian city-states from Genoa to Pisa

Visit some of Italy’s most impressive architectural sites including Pisa’s baptistery and Campo Santo

Enjoy the picturesque towns and villages of the beautiful Italian coastline, including Portofino and Portovenere on the Cinque Terre

For centuries the maritime republics of Italy dominated the Mediterranean. These powerful city-states were fiercely competitive, and our tour will trace the history of their stormy rivalries as we make our way along the enchanting Riviera di Levante (‘coast of the rising sun’), travelling between Genoa and Pisa.

Genoa was one of the longest-lived of the maritime republics, its independence lasting until the threshold of the modern era. Today, the city’s historical heart preserves a fascinating labyrinth of medieval lanes and steps, studded with richly decorated churches and palaces,

including the magnificent Cathedral of San Lorenzo.

We will travel down the spectacular Ligurian coastline, where picturesque towns cling to hillsides and reside in narrow valleys where the mountains meet the sea. The area of the Cinque Terre

Antiphellos Theatre

Portofino

Interior of Pisa cathedral

is a UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of its combination of scenic beauty and human endeavour, and we will journey along the coast discovering Portofino and Portovenere.

The republic of Pisa fell to Genoa following the Battle of Meloria in 1284,

This tour will be led by Christopher Wellington , MA, a graduate in history from Cambridge University. Christopher’s specialisms range from history and the Church through to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. He has spent most of his career working in Italy, where he lives with his family in Piacenza, and is informed on the many aspects of Italian life and the ways in which they connect with the country’s history and art.

but not before the city had developed one of the strongest architectural styles in Italy. Our visit here will explore the strong influence of classicism combined with medieval models, which culminated in the magnificent complex of the Piazza dei Miracoli surrounding the cathedral. Splendid works of art, such as the intricate Pisano pulpit, adorn these buildings.

We will stay in Santa Margherita Ligure at the Hotel Continental overlooking the Gulf of Tigullio; in Portovenere at the Hotel Paradiso; and in Pisa at the Hotel Bologna, a short walk from the historical centre.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note this tour requires a good level of fitness, as several visits will be made on foot and by boat. There are numerous walks over cobbled streets, uneven surfaces and up steps. Participants should feel comfortable with these conditions and meet ACE’s usual fitness requirements (outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions).

“We have been on many ACE tours and this one rates very highly. We stayed in and visited some beautiful and unusual places… An excellent week”

– ACE customer on a previous Riviera di Levante tour with Christopher Wellington

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Sometimes historical sites in Italy can undergo closures with little or no notice, for example for restoration works.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1030 on British Airways, arriving Milan Linate 1330. Transfer to Santa Margherita Ligure for four nights at Hotel Continental. Evening introductory lecture.

Day 2 Genoa: cathedral, old port, National Gallery of Palazzo Spinola, Palazzo San Giorgio, Santa Maria di Castello, Church of Gesù, Palazzo Ducale (exterior).

Day 3 Morning: former abbey of La Cervara (beautiful Renaissance Italian-style gardens) followed by Portofino. By boat to San Fruttuoso (abbey founded in the 10th century – weather permitting). Evening lecture.

Day 4 Excursions to Chiavari (12th century planned town founded by Genoese Republic) and the Basilica dei Fieschi (fine RomanesqueGothic church erected by this important Genoese family). Afternoon: walking tour of Santa Margherita Ligure. Free evening.

Day 5 By train to Monterosso al Mare with time to visit the town. Transfer by boat along the Cinque Terre to Portovenere: Gothic Church of St Peter and Romanesque Church of St Lawrence (erected in 1098 by the Genoese) followed by some free time. Overnight stay at Hotel Paradiso.

Day 6 Morning: fortress town of Sarzana (cathedral) and ruined Roman city of Luna (Archaeological Museum). Continue via Fantiscritti for the Carrara marble quarries and Museo Walter Danesi to Pisa for two nights at Hotel Bologna.

Day 7 Pisa: Campo Santo, baptistery and cathedral. Some free time.

Day 8 Depart Pisa 1230, arriving Heathrow 1345.

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

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

TOUR CODE: RIVI24

Cathedral di San Lorenzo, Genoa

Bavarian Baroque

April 2024

Explore the vast collection of Baroque art and architecture to be found in the historical Bavarian lands

Visit churches, monasteries and palaces, including Schloss Weissenstein, a major palace construction by the Prince Archbishops in the 1710s

Take in spectacular scenery as we journey through Alpine territories, past Bavarian lakes, and across the Danube Valley and the lowlands of Franconia

This new tour explores the array of fine Baroque art and architecture to be found in southern Germany, in its many regional and stylistic variants. Commencing in Innsbruck and following a route from the Alpine territories of Upper Bavaria towards Munich, we continue into Lower Bavaria, Regensburg

and its environs, before turning north into Franconia to take in sites around Würzburg.

The influence of Italian architects and designers was felt in the region as reconstruction began after the devastations of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). In the 18th century, this initial activity turned into what is known as the famous ‘Bauwurm’, the building frenzy that created one of Europe’s great artistic legacies and gripped ecclesiastical institutions like monasteries and parishes, as well as the courts of the many regional princes in the area.

As a result, a number of schools of Baroque architecture and decoration developed; the several architects involved are amongst the leading lights of the period, such as Johann Michael Fischer, Balthasar Neumann and the Dientzenhofer and Asam families. Their involvement is reflected in the major works of the era.

Particular highlights of our tour will include a visit to the former

history. Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, gaining his PhD in History of Art from Magdalene College. Alex is an accomplished linguist and has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East.

monastery church of St Johann Baptist at Steingaden, with a rococo interior dating from 1740-42; the Wieskirche, a major example of 18th century German architecture; and Ettal Abbey, one of the largest Benedictine houses, which underwent a spectacular rebuilding in the Baroque style to the designs of SwissItalian architect Enrico Zuccalli, who had studied with Bernini.

Zuccalli was also involved in an 18th century extension to Schloss Nymphenburg, commissioned by

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an expert in art and architectural

Antiphellos Theatre

Ceiling of the Wieskirche

& ARCHITECTURE

Maximilian Emanuel, heir to Bavaria and sovereign electorate of the Holy Roman Empire begun in 1701. The palace was originally built to the designs of Italian architect Agostino Barelli, considered one of the key individuals responsible for introducing Italian Baroque architecture to Bavaria. We also look forward to seeing Barelli’s Theatinerkirche as part of an exploration of the Baroque churches to be found in Munich.

Other palace visits in our itinerary include Schloss Schleissheim, situated in a grand Baroque park and home to several important paintings by Flemish Baroque painters including Rubens and Van Dyck, amongst other Old Masters; and Schloss Veitshöchheim, the summer residence of the Würzburg prince-bishops until 1802.

As we gain a comprehensive overview of the highlights of the Baroque in southern Germany, we will enjoy changes of scenery as we journey from the foothills of the Alps to the Bavarian lakes, the Danube Valley and the lowlands of

Franconia. We will also have time to absorb the picturesque traditional architecture of the quintessential Bavarian town of Regensburg, a vibrant and well-preserved medieval town listed by UNESCO, with its beautiful Gothic cathedral and charming bridge over the Danube.

We will stay at comfortable hotels to be confirmed closer to departure.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this study tour involves a significant amount of coach travel and five separate hotel stays, as we journey through the region to make the most of our time in southern Germany and take in a wide variety of Baroque art and architecture. Participants should be prepared for a significant amount of walking and standing at sites, including over uneven and cobbled ground, and up steps. A good level of fitness, stamina and mobility is required for this tour. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Full details, including the tour dates, cost and an updated itinerary, will be released later in 2023. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: BVBA24

“Alex Koller was a revelation – his breadth and depth of knowledge is phenomenal! Impressive, inspiring and approachable – I hope to travel with Alex again soon!”

“It is always a joy to go anywhere with Alex”

“No one could have worked harder than Alex to ensure we had all the relevant information about each site and the historic and artistic links”

– ACE customers on a 2023 tour led by Alex Koller

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Occasionally sites may close at short notice for restoration works. Some visits may be time permitting on the day.

Day 1 Flight from London to Innsbruck. Transfer to Ettal for two nights. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Visits to Steingaden (former monastery church of St Johann Baptist), Wieskirche and Ettal Abbey.

Day 3 Transfer to Munich via Diessen (Stiftskirche of St Maria), Andechs (Benedictine monastery and pilgrimage church), Schäftlarn (Benedictine abbey and monastery) with views of Bavarian Lakes en route. Two nights in Munich. Evening lecture: An Overview of Bavarian History.

Day 4 Visits in Munich: Residenz (Altes Residenztheater), Theatinerkirche, Dreifaltigkeitskirche, Asamkirche. Afternoon: Schloss Nymphenburg.

Day 5 Visits to Schloss Schleissheim (Schloss Lustheim and Neues Schloss) and Weltenburg Abbey. Continue to Regensburg for two nights.

Day 6 Morning: Schloss Alteglofsheim. Afternoon: visits in Regensburg including Karmeliterkirche, Stiftskirche zur Alten Kapelle, Church of St Kassian and St Emmeram’s Abbey.

Day 7 Visit to Schloss Weissenstein. Continue to Bamberg for two nights.

Day 8 Morning: Kloster Banz. Afternoon: Vierzehnheiligen.

Day 9 Transfer to Würzburg for visits to Residenz, Church of St Michael, Neumünster and Stift Haug. Afternoon: Kappele and Schloss Veitshöchheim. Overnight in Würzburg.

Day 10 Transfer to Frankfurt for flight to London.

Arles: From the Romans to Van Gogh

April 22–28, 2024

Become immersed in the varied history of the city of Arles and its surrounding area

Discover one of the greatest Roman achievements in the world, the Pont du Gard

Learn about the life and works of Van Gogh with a visit to St Paul de Mausole

Every day, opportunities arise in the atmospheric city of Arles to pause and absorb its extensive history, and consider how it emerged in this beautiful part of Provence. Our tour explores the city’s history, from its Roman origins to its connections with Van Gogh. Arles, favourite of Constantine, contained all that was essential for Roman life: a grid plan of streets gave access to a theatre, amphitheatre, circus and baths, as well as a burial ground outside the walls.

By the Middle Ages, these buildings had lost their use, but other monuments arose to meet the needs of a very different society. Arles was one of the major stops for Christian pilgrims travelling to Compostela in northern Spain. The carving on the façade and in the cloisters of St Trophime reveals the brilliant workmanship of Romanesque sculptors. Later, Van Gogh stayed in Arles, having departed from Paris to seek a quieter life, and with the intention of founding a colony of artists in the south.

As well as exploring Arles’s key sites, our tour will include relaxed excursions out of the city, including to the asylum where Van Gogh created some of his finest paintings. Nearby lies Glanum, an evocative architectural site revealing a Roman settlement.

We also look forward to a visit to the Museon Arlaten, home to extensive collections illuminating many aspects of Provençal life and culture. The museum reopened in 2021 following eleven years of closure, during which time a major

This tour will be led by Juliet Heslewood , MA, an author and art historian. Juliet studied History of Art at London University and later gained an MA in English Literature at Toulouse. She lived in France for nearly 30 years, where she led study tours on art and architecture. Juliet’s book Van Gogh: A Life in Places explores the places where Van Gogh worked, including Arles, and she featured as a specialist contributor on the 2022 ‘Art on the BBC’ documentary Van Gogh –Life and Art.

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

We will stay throughout at the three-star Hotel Le Calendal, located in the heart of Arles opposite the amphitheatre.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: While this is one of ACE’s more gently paced tours, participants should have a good overall level of fitness and be able to walk for up to a mile. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in the Booking Terms & Conditions. Due to the nature of the historical sites in Arles, some visits will involve walking over cobbled ground, as well as up steep and uneven steps, and often there are no pavements in the city centre, or they are narrow. Please note that archaeological sites are extensive, with uneven and rough ground, and handrails are not available. There is also no lift at the hotel. Some church interiors can be dimly lit.

“A unique experience. Every aspect of the tour was well thought out. The hotel had a fabulous location, right in the centre of Arles, so it was very easy to access all of the historic sites and aso wander to take in and enjoy the local culture”

“Excellent itinerary, very helpful staff, felt really well looked after on the tour and learnt a lot as well”

– ACE customers on the 2023 Arles: From the Romans to Van Gogh tour led by Juliet Heslewood

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1035 on British Airways, arriving Marseille 1330. Transfer to Arles for six nights at Hotel Le Calendal.

Day 2 Morning introductory lecture: Roman & Romanesque. Visits in Arles: Théâtre Antique, Roman amphitheatre and Cathedral of St Trophime.

Day 3 Morning: excursion to Glanum followed by visits to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and SaintPaul de Mausole.

Day 4 Morning lecture: The Yellow House followed by visits to site of the Yellow House and Les Alyscamps. Afternoon: Museon Arlaten.

Day 5 Morning: visit to Musée de l’Arles Antique (Roman artefacts). Afternoon: excursion to Pont du Gard (museum and aqueduct). Free evening.

Day 6 Morning: optional visit to Arles market or free time in Arles. Afternoon: excursion to Aigues Mortes for visit to Tour de Constance.

Day 7 Depart Marseille 1355, arriving Heathrow 1450.

Cost of £2495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £345.

TOUR CODE: ARLE24

Saint-Paul de Mausole

Dutch Masters: Rembrandt & His Legacy

May 2024

Learn about the life and works of Rembrandt and explore the Netherlands’ later contributions to art history through the prism of his legacy

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

Discover a wealth of art in the famous collections of Amsterdam, The Hague and Leiden

This tour follows in the footsteps of the painter considered one of the most important in Dutch art history, Rembrandt van Rijn. From a base in his birthplace of Leiden, we will trace the life and legacy of the great artist, before considering his impact on later geniuses of Dutch art, such as Van Gogh and Mondrian.

An excursion to Amsterdam will include a visit to Rembrandt’s beautifully restored house and studio, reopened in 2023 following a renovation and expansion. We will also take in the Oude Kerk, the 14th century church Rembrandt often visited and where his marriage was registered, and visit the world-famous Rijksmuseum, to view works by the artist and his contemporaries.

Further afield, we will visit another major repository of 17th century Dutch art: the grand Mauritshuis in The Hague, featuring masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. Meanwhile, Leiden is home to the recently restored Lakenhal Museum. Highlights from the collection include A Peddler Selling Spectacles, one of Rembrandt’s earliest known works. Whilst the 17th century saw what has been termed a ‘Golden Age’ for Dutch art, the 19th century witnessed the contribution of an artist considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of western art. A visit to the Van Gogh Museum, which houses the world’s best collection of the artist’s

works, will be followed by an excursion to the Kröller-Müller Museum, the second largest collection of his works in the world. It also features holdings by the three founders of the De Stijl movement in the early 20th century: Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg and Bart van der Leck.

To further explore this important episode in Dutch art history, we will visit the Mondriaanhuis in Amersfoort, which contains exhibits relating to the artist’s life and oeuvre, and the Kunstmuseum in The Hague. The latter is home to a permanent display of De Stijl pieces, including the world’s largest collection of works by Mondrian.

This tour will be led by Rupert Dickens , MA, an art historian specialising in Dutch and Flemish art. Rupert studied art history at Birkbeck, University of London, before gaining a Masters degree in Dutch Golden Age Studies at UCL. Previously a BBC television and radio journalist for more than 20 years, Rupert is now a guide lecturer at the Wallace Collection and an accredited Arts Society lecturer. He has been visiting and working in the Netherlands and Belgium since the 1980s.

This tour will be based in the charming historical city of Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt and home to the oldest university in the Netherlands. Our accommodation will be confirmed closer to departure.

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

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London St Pancras on Eurostar for Amsterdam. Transfer to Leiden for five nights. Evening lecture: The Rise & Fall of Rembrandt.

Day 2 Morning in Amsterdam focusing on sites relating to Rembrandt, including visits to Oude Kerk (oldest church in the city, location of his wife’s grave and room where the couple’s marriage was registered) and Rembrandthuis (reopening in 2023 after a renovation). Return to Leiden for historical walking tour (Rembrandt’s birthplace and studio – exteriors) and visit to Lakenhal Museum (early Rembrandt, Jan Steen and Gerrit Dou).

Day 3 Return to Amsterdam for visits to the Rijksmuseum (works by Rembrandt, 17th century collections) and Van Gogh Museum (world’s best collection of the artist’s works).

Day 4 Morning lecture: Van Gogh – Sunflowers & Stars followed by excursion to Kröller-Müller Museum (world’s second largest collection of works by Van Gogh). Afternoon: Mondriaanhuis (artist’s birthplace with exhibits about his life and work) followed by some free time in Amersfoort. Return to Leiden for free evening.

Day 5 Morning lecture: Mondrian & De Stijl followed by excursion to The Hague for Mauritshuis (Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring). Afternoon: Kunstmuseum (world’s largest collection of works by Mondrian).

Day 6 Transfer to Amsterdam for departure on Eurostar to London St Pancras.

Full details, including the tour dates, cost and an updated itinerary, will be released later in 2023. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: DUTM24

Rembrandt self portrait, 1661

PUBLIC DOMAIN

VIA THE RIJKSMUSEUM

Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design

June 18–23, 2024

Discover the highlights of the Bauhaus School and modernist design in Germany

Take in the major centres of Weimar and Dessau alongside the lesser-visited but culturally rewarding towns of Chemnitz, Gera and Jena

Study the art, architecture and design of the Bauhaus School and related artists, including creations by Walter Gropius, Henry van de Velde and Erich Mendelsohn

Of all the avant-garde enterprises in art and design between the wars, the Staatliches Bauhaus provides a paradigm of modernism. The school taught the unity of art, craft and design with the aim of breaking down traditional disciplinary boundaries to achieve material and spiritual welfare. This tour offers the opportunity to explore not only the Bauhaus but also the wider artistic context of the movement.

Tour Director Alan Powers , PhD, studied History of Art at Cambridge University and is a specialist in the art, architecture and design of the 20th century. A former Chairman of the 20th Century Society, Alan’s wide-ranging research, curation and publication on varied topics pertaining to British art – including the Arts & Crafts movement, the experiences of 1930s German émigrés and the teaching of art and design – form the basis of his interest in the Bauhaus and contemporary movements in Germany. Alan’s book, Bauhaus Goes West , was published in 2019 to coincide with the centenary year.

The Bauhaus opened in 1919 under the directorship of Walter Gropius, taking over the Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Applied Arts) building, designed by Henry van de Velde, its pre-1914 director. In Weimar, a city already famous for its associations with J W von

Goethe and Friedrich Nietzsche, the Bauhaus can be seen in the context of German thinking about art, nature and politics.

In 1925, the school was transferred to Dessau, its most famous location,

“This was a tour that accommodated a wide range of interests and intellectual depth. It was possible just to marvel at beautiful things but also, if wanted, to go deeply into intellectual, political and sociological thought appropriate to the period… We were treated to some wonderful visits which would not have been possible travelling independently”

“Alan’s knowledge is excellent, and informal discussions with him were enlightening”

– ACE customers on the 2022 Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design tour

Antiphellos Theatre

Balconies on the Bauhaus building, Dessau

where Gropius designed a new building to house it which, in its restored state, powerfully evokes what it might have been like to study there. We look forward to visiting the new Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, which opened in 2019 to celebrate the Bauhaus centenary.

On this tour, we will visit these major centres, but also other cities in Thuringia

and Saxony that reveal a wealth of 20th century treasures. In Gera and Jena, our visits will include a finely restored villa by Henry van de Velde as well as Gropius’s pioneering Haus Auerbach.

In Chemnitz, we will visit the Gunzenhauser Museum with its wide collection of interwar paintings and a well-preserved 1935 swimming pool

complex by the City Architect, Fred Otto. The exterior of the Schocken department store provides an excellent example of the expressive yet functional designs for which its architect, Erich Mendelsohn, was renowned.

Our journey will include stays in three or four-star hotels in the historical centres of Weimar, Chemnitz and Dessau.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness and stamina is required for this tour as it involves a significant amount of walking, including over cobbled streets and occasionally uphill, and a full itinerary, to make the most of our time in Germany. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1050 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1345. Transfer to Weimar for three nights at Dorint Hotel Am Goethepark.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by short walking tour of central Weimar with visits to former Bauhaus Building (including restored office of Walter Gropius), Haus am Horn and Walter Gropius monument. Afternoon: Bauhaus Museum Weimar.

Day 3 Whole day excursion to Erfurt and Jena: Margarete Reichardt Haus (former weaving workshop and museum – visit subject to confirmation), Walter Gropius’s Haus Auerbach and Ernst Abbe Mausoleum (by van der Velde).

Day 4 Transfer to Chemnitz via Gera: Haus Schulenburg (by van de Velde). Afternoon in Chemnitz: Chemnitz Public Baths (by Fred Otto) and optional visit to Gunzenhauser Museum (Expressionist paintings). Overnight at Hotel an der Oper, Chemnitz.

Day 5 Optional walking tour of Chemnitz including exterior of former Schocken department store (by Mendelsohn). Transfer to Dessau for visits to Bauhaus buildings, Masters’ Houses and Törten Housing Estate (by Gropius). Overnight at Radisson Blu Fürst Leopold Hotel, Dessau.

Day 6 Morning: Bauhaus Museum Dessau. Transfer to Berlin for 1635 departure, arriving Heathrow 1730.

Cost of £2745 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a double bedded room, five breakfasts, three lunches, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

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

TOUR CODE: GBAU24

Anni Albers, Design for a Jacquard Weaving, 1926

Bauhaus building

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA ARTISAWORD VIA FLICKR

Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta

Archaeology & History

Stories of past societies, as told through the material culture they left behind, are illuminated on ACE’s range of specialist archaeology and history tours. Our itineraries are specially crafted to offer a mix of scholarly debate, site visits and expert guiding to provide contrasting perspectives on fundamental questions about the mysterious lands of the distant past and the people who lived there.

In 2024, we look forward to exploring the fascinating history of the Holy Land, taking in the

landscape of the New Testament – rich in ancient and Byzantine remains – and tracing the evolution of Jerusalem from ancient times to the present day; and to a tour focusing on the classical and medieval history of Cyprus.

Further highlights of our archaeology and history programme include returns to favourite destinations such as Pompeii with Herculaneum and Ravenna, and explorations of Algeria and Jordan.

The Holy Land

January 9–16, 2024

Delve into layers of history at Bethlehem, Caesarea and the awe-inspiring fortress of Masada –built by Herod the Great

Explore the landscape of the New Testament in Galilee, rich in ancient and Byzantine remains

Trace the evolution of Jerusalem, from ancient times until the present day

“The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the history of heaven and earth”, wrote Benjamin Disraeli in 1847.

We will explore Jerusalem from the Early Iron Age (David and Solomon) through the rise of Judaism to the Roman period (Herod, Pontius Pilate and, of course, Jesus of Nazareth). We will then examine the Islamic conquest, the Crusades and finally the region’s post-1948 history. Visits will include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Shrine of the

Tour Director Andrew Wilson , BA, BD, FSAScot, studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist, specialising in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics. Andrew first excavated in Israel as a student in the 1970s and continued his research there in the 1980s. A longstanding ACE Tour Director, he has led multiple tours to the Holy Land.

Book – the repository for the Dead Sea Scrolls. A morning excursion to Bethlehem, traditional site of Jesus’s birth as first identified by Constantine and Helena, reveals architecture tracing back to Justinian in the 6th century.

Leaving Jerusalem behind, our itinerary will investigate Caesarea, the capital of Palestine under the Romans, and Beit She’an, the only one of the Decapolis trading cities situated to the west of the River Jordan.

The rugged natural fortress of Masada, built by Herod the Great in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea, was the last bastion of Jewish resistance against Roman aggression until the siege of 74 AD. It is also a site of huge archaeological significance as the camps, fortifications and siege works are perhaps the most imposing to be found anywhere in the Roman world.

A further attraction of our tour to the Holy Land will be the chance to familiarise ourselves with an entirely different landscape – Galilee – where we

Tour Director Andrew Wilson writes:

“This tour offers the contrasts of busy Jerusalem and its complicated history, both secular and inevitably religious, with the peaceful scenery of the Sea of Galilee, as well as the splendid archaeology of places beside the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley and the Mediterranean coast. I think it’s a marvellous introduction to the Holy Land!”

Masada

will devote our attention to historical sites associated with the New Testament, including Tabgha and Capernaum with their very early Byzantine foundations.

In Jerusalem we will stay at the centrallylocated Dan Panorama Hotel. In Tiberias our base will be the magnificent Scots Hotel (where our Tour Director lived as a volunteer archaeologist many years ago) with its kilted staff and ceilidh bar.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note there is some demanding walking around the sites. In particular, the day excursion into the Old Town of Jerusalem includes walking for long periods and over cobbled streets, uneven surfaces and up steps. Participants should feel comfortable with these conditions and possess a good level of overall fitness, meeting ACE’s usual fitness requirements (outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions).

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0745 on British Airways, arriving Tel Aviv 1435. Transfer to Dan Panorama Hotel, Jerusalem for four nights.

aceculturaltours.co.uk

“Fabulous programme and content”

“Very well organised visits”

– ACE customers on the 2023 Holy Land tour

Day 2 Morning talk: Jerusalem. Visits in the Old City: Mount of Olives, Dominus Flevit Church (built by Franciscans in 1954), Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane and Lion’s Gate. Afternoon: walking tour of Via Dolorosa including St Anne’s Church (beautiful 12th century Crusader church) and Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Evening talk: Shabbat

Day 3 Morning visits in Bethlehem: Manger Square, Church of the Nativity, Shepherds’ Fields. Afternoon: Israel Museum (including Shrine of the Book, home of Dead Sea Scrolls). Evening talk: The Dead Sea Scrolls.

Day 4 Further visits in the Old City: Jaffa Gate (16th century Ottoman gate), Tower of David, Jewish Quarter (including Cardo and Herodian Quarter) and Temple Mount (time permitting).

Afternoon: Yad Vashem Museum (memorial to the Holocaust). Evening talk: The Romans in Palestine.

Day 5 Dead Sea: Masada (Herod the Great’s rock fortress) and Qumran (site of discovery of Dead Sea Scrolls), then to Tiberias (capital of Galilee) for three nights at Scots Hotel. Evening talk: Bronze & Iron Age in Israel.

Day 6 Morning: Beit She’an (important Decapolis city) and Beit Alfa. Afternoon: Tel Megiddo (site of battle of Armageddon) followed by some free time in Tiberias. Evening talk: The Quest for the Historical Jesus.

Day 7 Visits around Sea of Galilee: St Peter’s Primacy (Franciscan chapel on shores of Galilee), Capernaum (Jesus’s ‘own town’), Church of Beatitudes (built on traditional site of Sermon on the Mount), Tabgha (traditional site of the feeding of the five thousand and postresurrection appearance of Jesus in Christianity), the so-called Jesus Boat at Ginosar. Some free time or optional visit to Hamat Tiberias (3rd–5th century synagogue, beautiful mosaics).

Day 8 Caesarea (hippodrome, amphitheatre, port, fascinating Crusader fortifications). Transfer to Tel Aviv for 1625 flight, arriving Heathrow 1940.

Cost of £3995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £865.

TOUR CODE: HOLA24

Tabgha mosaic

&

Jordan: Kingdoms of the Desert

February 19–29, 2024

Delve into the rich layers of Jordan’s history, from the grand colonnades of Rome to the castles of the crusaders

Marvel at the awe-inspiring stronghold of Petra, carved from rock by the Nabataeans more than 2000 years ago

Journey through the desert landscape of western Arabia, discovering the prehistoric rock engravings of Wadi Rum

From the remains of the Stone Age to the magnificence of the Ottomans, Jordan has long felt the tide of history. Today, the country is home to a spectacular array of archaeological sites offering tantalizing glimpses into some of the world’s most iconic cultures: Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Parthia, the Byzantines, the Umayyads, Abbasids, crusaders and Ayyubids have all left their mark.

Our journey begins in Amman, from where we make an excursion to the superb Hellenistic and Roman city of Jerash. This ancient site was created at the end of the 4th century BC by the Greco-Roman confederation as one of the ten cities of

Tour Director Andrew Wilson , BA, BD, FSAScot, studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist. He has led many tours for ACE in the Greco-Roman world, and also several in Britain, with a particular emphasis on the archaeology of his native Scotland. Andrew is a member of the Society for Libyan Studies and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and the Society for Promotion of Byzantine Studies. He has led several ACE tours to Jordan and is thrilled to be returning with our group in 2024.

“The

“The tour was perfectly organised”

– ACE customers on the 2023 Jordan tour

the Decapolis. Built to integrate Hellenic and local populations, it is one of Rome’s grandest imperial outposts and boasts an oval forum, magnificent theatres, colonnaded Roman streets and the beautifully restored Precinct of Artemis. Dotted throughout the steppe-like terrain of eastern Jordan is a string of fortified palaces, towers and caravanserais. These desert castles, eloquent examples of early Islamic art and architecture, include Qasr Amra, its interior adorned with lively frescoes and colourful mosaics, and the oasis and fortress of Azraq, where Lawrence of Arabia quartered during the Great Arab Revolt.

Petra, the imposing stronghold carved out of rock by the Nabataeans more than 2000 years ago, is a true marvel. On our visit to the ‘rose-red’ city we will journey through the towering Siq ravine and admire the stunning vista of soaring temples, dramatic halls and lofty altars hand-chiselled into the sandstone cliffs. Highlights include Al Khazneh (the Treasury), the rock-cut theatre, the

Great Temple and the Nabataean temple of Qasr al-Bint. Petra’s northern suburb of Siq al-Barid, often referred to as ‘Little Petra’, holds a further gathering of wellpreserved Nabataean tombs, and nearby the prehistoric site of Al-Beidha holds great significance for understanding the beginnings of the Neolithic period in Western Asia and the birth of European civilization.

Our journey south takes us into the Valley of the Moon (Wadi Rum Protected Area), a remarkable example of desert scenery, and part of the Hizma basin of western Arabia. Here we will take a ‘safari’ through the magnificent desert landscapes to see the wealth of prehistoric rock engravings and the 1st century Nabataean temple in Wadi Rum village.

We end our tour with a visit to the biblical city of Madaba, the centre of a Byzantine mosaic school in the 6th century, and home to the famous floor map of the Holy Land and Jerusalem. Meanwhile, at nearby Mount Nebo, site of the mosaic museum and Sanctuary of Moses, we will enjoy unrivalled panoramas of the Dead Sea and the River Jordan.

Our visits will be supplemented by informative talks from Tour Director Andrew Wilson.

In Amman we will stay at the Grand Hotel Hyatt Hotel, before transferring to the Mövenpick Resort at the very entrance to Petra. On the shores of the Dead Sea we will stay at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea.

Wadi Rum

tour was very well thought out with a very varied and interesting content covering a wide range of historical backgrounds”

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This is one of ACE’s more physically strenuous tours, and participants must have a very good level of fitness, mobility and stamina. Some of the walks, particularly in Petra, take in long, steep and demanding gradients, and several visits involve traversing rough, uneven ground or ascending steps without handrails. We recommend participants read the ‘Our Visit to Petra’ information box for further details. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Please also be aware that some of the sites we visit are remote.

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1500 on British Airways, arriving Amman 2310.

Day 2 Visits in Amman including Jordan Archaeological Museum, Roman Theatre and Citadel.

Day 3 Whole day excursion to the Hellenistic and Roman city of Jerash in northern Jordan: early Byzantine remains, oval forum, theatres, colonnaded Roman streets and restored Precinct of Artemis.

Day 4 Whole day excursion to the Umayyad

Desert Castles of Qasr al-Kharana (8th century inscriptions), Qasr al-Hallabat (2nd century mosaics) and Azraq (oasis and headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia). Continue to Umayyad hunting lodge of Qasr Amra (remarkable frescoes).

Day 5 Transfer to Petra via the World Heritage site of Umm Al Rasas, Wadi Mujib and Shobak Castle (built by crusaders in the early 12th century). Four nights at Mövenpick Resort, Petra.

Day 6 Visits in Petra: rock-cut tombs, Al Khazneh (the Treasury), ancient Roman remains, theatre, colonnaded street, the Great Temple and the Nabataean temple of Qasr al-Bint. Optional walk to Al Deir (rock-cut ‘monastery’ with preserved tombs).

Day 7 Morning: optional return visit to Petra for ascent to the High Place of Sacrifice. Afternoon: Siq al-Barid (‘Little Petra’) for well-preserved Nabataean tombs and archaeological site of AlBeidha (Neolithic ruins dating back 9000 years).

Day 8 Whole day excursion to southern Jordan into the Wadi Rum Protected Area (safari drive in 4x4s to see the prehistoric rock engravings and magnificent desert landscapes) and Nabataean temple.

Our Visit to Petra: Andrew Wilson explains: “We will take a 15 minute walk to the entrance to the Siq, down a gentle gradient on a reasonable path (horses are available). This is followed by a stroll through incredible surroundings, down through the Siq to the Treasury on a beaten earth path.

We then make our way through the heart of the ancient city, with some steep ascents and descents over rough ground and rocky, broken paths, finishing at our lunch stop. In the afternoon there is an optional climb to the monastery, which can take an hour uphill over some tricky and slippery steps in places. The return journey on foot to the hotel from the monastery can take up to two hours, or from the lunch stop 90 minutes.

On our second day in Petra we offer an optional ascent to the High Place of Sacrifice, starting from a point halfway between the Treasury and the lunch stop from the previous day. This climb is shorter but steeper than the monastery and takes over 30 minutes, including a precipitous final stage.

The visit to Little Petra, to see the frescoes, involves climbing a steep narrow flight of steps without handrails, but this is optional.”

Day 9 Transfer to the edge of the Dead Sea for visit to Bethany (traditional baptismal site of Jesus) via the crusader town of Kerak. Two nights at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea.

Day 10 Whole day excursion to Madaba for Church of St George (6th century mosaic floor map of the Holy Land and Jerusalem) and Mount Nebo for mosaic museum, Sanctuary of Moses and decorated early churches.

Day 11 Depart Amman 0920, arriving Heathrow 1155.

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

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £995.

TOUR CODE: JORD24

Aquileia: City of Antiquity

March 4–9, 2024

Visit the city’s remarkable basilica with its sequence of 4th century mosaics

Explore the cobbled streets and courtyards of Grado, home to historical churches with 6th century mosaics

Discover the medieval Duomo in Cividale, high above the Natisone River

Aquileia, once described by Emperor Justinian as “the greatest of all towns in the West”, is today a little known but important Roman city perched on the Adriatic coastline. As a hugely important strategic city in the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD, Aquileia served as a crossroads, with a wide trading network between Rome and the East.

From 182 BC, when it became a Roman colony amid the local Gallic peoples, until the arrival of Huns, Goths and Lombards in the late imperial and early medieval period, Aquileia was revered for its military and economic assets as well as its cultural and spiritual magnificence. Our tour takes in the tranquil cypresslined forum and harbour, delights in themselves, but the city’s crowning glory is contained within its magnificent basilica, a remarkable sequence of 4th century mosaics that provide some of the oldest and most illustrious Paleochristian memoirs in Western Europe.

This tour will be led by Andrew Wilson , BA, BD, FSAScot. Andrew studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist, specialising in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics. He has led many tours for ACE in the Greco-Roman world, and also several in Britain, with a particular emphasis on the archaeology of his native Scotland.

Nearby, we journey to the beautifully situated town of Grado, a maze of cobbled streets and courtyards with splendid mosaics from the 6th century located in two of its historical churches. Cividale is located high above the Natisone River, and although little remains of this important Roman town (its original name of Forum Iulii gives the modern region of Friuli its name), we will explore the fine medieval Duomo, whose foundations date back to the 8th century, and the lovely Lombard Temple from the same period.

Our final excursion is to the enchanting seaport of Trieste. A cultural meetingpoint throughout its history, today the city is the site of interesting AustroHungarian architecture alongside superb Byzantine mosaics, a Roman theatre and the medieval Castello di San Giusto.

The tour will be based at the four-star Astoria Hotel Italia in the city of Udine, where there is a superb Duomo, and two interesting art galleries, including a pictorial cycle by the Venetian artist Tiepolo.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour is not expected to be particularly strenuous, but does involve a moderate amount of walking. The visit to the Civic Museums of History and Art in Udine involves a steep flight of steps. Participants should fulfil our usual fitness requirements as described in our Booking Terms & Conditions, and be prepared for some uneven terrain.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation. Sites in Italy can close at short

notice for restoration works, and so some adjustments may be made nearer the time.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1305 on British Airways, arriving Venice 1625. Transfer to Udine in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region for five nights at the Astoria Hotel Italia.

Day 2 Whole day excursion exploring the ancient city of Aquileia including the Paleochristian Museum, Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta (mosaics depicting scenes of the prophet Jonah, gospels, apostles and portraits of patrons, 11th and 12th century Byzantine frescoes), Archaeological Museum and Roman forum.

Day 3 Morning in Cividale: Duomo (originally an 8th century structure, rebuilt 15th century), Christian Museum and Archaeological Museum. Afternoon in Udine: Diocesan Museum (housed in the Patriarchal Palace), Duomo and Baptistery.

Day 4 Morning lecture followed by visits in Palmanova (late 16th century defences) and Grado (Basilica of Sant’Eufemia, Santa Maria delle Grazie and old town). Late afternoon visit to Piazza Libertà (15th century town hall and clock tower) and optional visit to Udine’s Civic Museums of History and Art (housed in the 16th century castle).

Day 5 Whole day excursion via Miramare (castle) to Trieste: walking tour of seafront and downtown Trieste (important Austro-Hungarian architecture, Roman theatre), St Justus Cathedral (superb Byzantine mosaics) and medieval Castello di San Giusto.

Day 6 Some free time. Depart Venice 1745, arriving Heathrow 1920.

Cost of £1945 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £125, double room for single use supplement £185.

TOUR CODE: AQU124

Trieste

Roman & Byzantine Ravenna

March 11–15, 2024

The ‘city of mosaics’ welcomes us for a five-day tour brimming with some of the most impressive early Christian monuments in the world Stand opposite Ravenna’s earliest mosaics in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The ancient port of Classe, founded by Augustus, awes us with its immense Basilica of Sant’Apollinare

Today a small, tranquil town of cobbled streets, Ravenna was once one of the Mediterranean’s most illustrious cities. The final capital of the Western Roman Empire, Ravenna served as the seat of Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, before the Byzantines transformed the city into one of Europe’s foremost centres of art and culture.

Ravenna’s surviving collection of early Christian monuments and mosaics is without parallel in Christendom, a beguiling blend of Greco-Roman tradition and Christian iconography. At the heart of this opulent legacy lies the Basilica of San Vitale, begun during the Ostrogoths’ rule and finished under Justinian, where the glittering mosaic portraiture of Justinian and his wife Theodora captures the essence of Byzantium: the emperor, set against a flat, gold background, is resplendent in imperial purple, a gold paten in his outstretched hand, a halo encircling his scintillating crown.

The seemingly humble Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, erected a century before

San Vitale, boasts Ravenna’s earliest mosaics, including a vivid portrayal of the martyrdom of St Lawrence as he approaches the red-hot grid-iron. Breathtaking, too, is the interior of the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, erected by Theodoric and later reconsecrated under Byzantine rule: the twin nave mosaics depict a sparkling ceremonial procession of martyrs and virgins, saints and angels.

Just outside the ‘city of mosaics’ we will visit the ancient port of Classe, founded by Augustus, to view the huge Basilica of Sant’Apollinare with its exceptional mosaics rich in gold and turquoise. While here, we will have an opportunity to stop at the site’s excellent new museum, which explores the origins of Ravenna and Classe.

Accommodation is in Ravenna’s threestar standard Hotel Bisanzio, situated in a quiet area of the city just a few steps from San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. While the facilities are of a more basic standard, the hotel is clean, comfortable and welcoming, and has been selected particularly for its excellent location.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note, this tour is conducted primarily on foot from the hotel. While coffee breaks will take place at suitable intervals, the majority of visits are an hour long with few opportunities to sit down. Participants should therefore be comfortable walking and standing for a minimum

of 60 minutes. For more information on ACE’s minimum fitness criteria, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0910 on British Airways, arriving Bologna 1225. Transfer to Ravenna for four nights at Hotel Bisanzio. Welcome and evening talk: The Church Architecture of Ravenna.

Day 2 Visits to 5th century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Basilica of San Vitale, National Museum of Ravenna, cathedral, Neonian Baptistery and Archiepiscopal Museum.

Day 3 Morning talk: Church Mosaics of Ravenna followed by Arian Baptistery, Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, 6th century Domus of the Stone Carpets, return visits to Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and Basilica of San Vitale.

Day 4 Morning: Mausoleum of Theodoric and 11th century Abbey of Pomposa. Afternoon: ancient port of Classe for new museum and Basilica of Sant’Apollinare.

Day 5 Depart Bologna 1240, arriving Heathrow 1415.

Cost of £1595 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £100, double room for single use supplement £160.

TOUR CODE: RAV124

Basilica of San Vitale

This tour will be led by Andrew Wilson , BA, BD, FSAScot. Andrew studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist, specialising in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics.

Pompeii with Herculaneum

April 12–18, 2024

Gain unrivalled insights into dayto-day life in the Roman Empire

Discover Cumae, one of the most important Greek city-states in antiquity, alongside Pozzuoli with its impressive Roman amphitheatre

Explore Paestum with its Doric sanctuaries and the renowned Archaeological Museum in vibrant Naples

Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed yet preserved by the volcanic catastophe of 79 AD, offer unrivalled insights into dayto-day life in the Roman Empire. Our tour offers the opportunity to explore the sites in depth, and we particularly look forward to viewing the House of the Vettii, recently reopened after extensive restoration works and years of closure. As well as investigating the ruins of Vesuvius’s twin victims, we will view the exceptional finds on display at the National Archaeological Museum in the ever-vibrant city of Naples.

Complementing these most famous sites, our comprehensive tour in and around the Bay of Naples will take in a wider array of ancient treasures, such as the vast villa complex at Oplontis. Adorned

Tour Director Steve Mastin , MA, PGCE, FHA studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years, leading trips to Italy, France and Germany. He has also worked overseas training history teachers in Singapore, Australia and Kazakhstan. A committed advocate of the power of storytelling, Steve is passionate about bringing a life-long love of history to students of all ages. He is a Fellow of the Historical Association and is a regular speaker at history conferences both in the UK and overseas.

“Excellent tour guide and organisation. We would definitely do another ACE tour”

– ACE customer on a previous Pompeii & Herculaneum tour with Steve Mastin

with sumptuous wall paintings that unveil the extravagant lifestyle enjoyed by the Roman elite, the villa is thought to have been Nero’s wedding present to his second wife, Poppaea.

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

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

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

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, and participants should be aware that the terrain at the archaeological sites can be uneven with slippery and rocky sections, and with few opportunities to sit down. Please note that the optional ascent up Vesuvius involves a steep walk of around 30 minutes, and Cumae also involves an extended uphill walk. For more details on our minimum

fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Archaeological sites can close or change their opening times at short notice; therefore, some visits may be reordered.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1115 on British Airways, arriving Naples 1500. Transfer to Hotel La Medusa, Castellammare di Stabia, for six nights. Welcome and introduction.

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

Day 3 Whole day visit to Pompeii: forum, shopping macellum, Villa of the Mysteries, baths, theatres and Houses of the Faun, Venus and Vettii – the latter recently restored.

Day 4 Herculaneum (panoramic villas, palaestra, baths, shops) followed by the Villa Poppaea, Oplontis and Villa Regina, Boscoreale. Evening talk.

Day 5 Whole day excursion to Paestum: Temples of Ceres, Hera and Neptune, museum (famous painted Tomb of the Diver). Evening talk.

Day 6 Cumae (cave of the Sibyl, acropolis) and Pozzuoli (amphitheatre).

Day 7 Morning visit to the Villa San Marco, Stabiae. Depart Naples 1955, arriving Heathrow 2150.

Cost of £2595 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, two lunches (one packed), six dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

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

TOUR CODE: POMP24

Temple of Ceres, Paestum

Algeria: Riches of the Past

April 16–28, 2024

Learn about the Roman colony of Timgad, the ‘Pompeii of Africa’

Discover several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Casbah in Algeria, Timgad, Djémila and the M’Zab valley

Explore Tipasa, an enchanting coastal town featuring Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine ruins

The variety of ancient sites and monuments to be found in Algeria encompasses ruined cities and traces of the desert frontier of the Roman Empire, medieval oasis towns and the Ottoman and French colonial architecture of the coastal region.

We will begin our exploration of Algeria in ‘Alger la Blanche’ with its labyrinthine Casbah and Ottoman palaces, before flying eastwards to Annaba, to view the evocative ruins of Hippo Regius, once the seat of Saint Augustine. Khemissa is a little-visited but well-preserved native site of Roman character.

We will stay in Constantine, the ‘City of Bridges’, and visit the steep hillside site of Tiddis, before continuing to the Roman colony of Timgad via the Medracen and the huge military base of Lambaesis. Djémila (ancient Cuicul) is another Roman foundation which has been extensively excavated in a dramatic mountain landscape.

After exploring Sétif, where we shall see one of the finest Roman mosaics known, we will fly south to Ghardaïa in the picturesque M’Zab valley. Our tour will end on the coast again, with a visit to the town of Cherchell, once a glittering royal capital, and a day excursion to the remarkable coastal site of Tipasa, also listed by UNESCO.

Algeria is still finding its feet after the painful experience of its own ‘Arab Spring’ in the 1990s. Since early 2019 it has also been feeling its way towards a new relationship between the people and their rulers, but with exemplary restraint on all sides. Over ten years of ACE tours

Smaller group limited to 20 participants.

This tour will be led by Philip Kenrick , MA, DPhil, an archaeologist who has worked in Libya at Leptis Magna, Benghazi and Cyrene, and produced a major volume on Sabratha. He co-authored the 2019 book Classical Antiquities of Algeria: A Selective Guide.

to Algeria, we have had no anxieties about visiting this wonderful country. The standard of hotels and service rarely matches the levels that we expect in Western Europe, but the warmth of the welcome is genuine, and we are confident that you will find the tour a rewarding introduction to this dynamic yet little known country.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that participants must have a very good level of fitness and mobility for this tour, and meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Participants should be prepared for a significant amount of walking, and some visits involve navigating steps. This tour offers a unique opportunity to visit places that are difficult to reach alone, but it will be strenuous, over much rough ground, with some long journeys over uneven roads. The itinerary also features several hotel changes, internal flights and long days to make the most of our time in Algeria. The climate will potentially be hot in places.

“The usual excellence one expects from ACE… Philip Kenrick’s knowledgeable guiding was deeply impressive”

– ACE customer on a previous tour to Algeria led by Philip Kenrick

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Owing to the unpredictability of certain local factors, travellers should expect to be more than usually flexible about the announced programme.

Day 1 Flight from London to Algiers. Short orientation walk in central Algiers followed by visit to Church of Notre-Dame d’Afrique (time permitting). Transfer to Hotel El-Aurassi for overnight stay.

Day 2 Morning talk followed by visits in Algiers (exploration of the Casbah and one or more of the Ottoman palaces within it, Jardin d’Essai). Afternoon: some free time. Early evening flight to Annaba for two nights at Hotel Le Majestic.

Day 3 Morning: site of Hippo Regius. Afternoon: excursion to Cap de Garde, followed by late afternoon walking tour of central Annaba.

Day 4 Guelma (museum, reconstructed Roman theatre) followed by Khemissa (well-preserved theatre, two fora, baths, sacred spring). Transfer to Constantine for two nights at Novotel Constantine.

Day 5 Morning: hillside ruins of Tiddis. Afternoon: walking tour of the city of Constantine.

Day 6 Via the Medracen to Lambaesis (Roman military headquarters, civil town, museum). Continue to Timgad for two nights at Trajan Hotel.

Day 7 Timgad: stunning Roman and Byzantine ruins, museum full of mosaics.

Day 8 Transfer to Djémila for afternoon visit. Continue to Sétif for overnight at Novotel Sétif. Day 9 Morning visits in Sétif. Transfer to Constantine for evening flight to Ghardaïa. Two nights at Hotel El Djanoub, Ghardaïa.

Day 10 Whole day exploration of Ghardaïa and neighbouring towns, including mosque of Sidi Brahim at el-Atteuf.

Day 11 Morning flight to Algiers for visit to Mauretanian Royal Tomb followed by Cherchell (museum). Two nights at Hotel El-Aurassi, Algiers.

Day 12 Excursion to Tipasa (coastal site and museum) followed by visit to National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art, Algiers.

Day 13 Flight from Algiers to London.

Cost of £4295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, full board with water & soft drinks (some packed lunches), excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: visa, travel insurance, single room supplement £325.

TOUR CODE: ALGE24

Timgad

Ancient & Medieval Cyprus

May 9–19, 2024

Examine the island’s historic role in the interaction between the cultures of Europe and the Middle East

Explore the UNESCO-listed southern sector sites of Paphos, Choirokoitia and the painted churches of the Troodos Mountains

Visit highlights of the northern sector including the mountaintop St Hilarion Castle, the beautiful Bellapais Abbey and the ancient site of Salamis

From prehistoric times onwards, Cyprus has either been contested by invaders or influenced by traders from Anatolia, Greece, Syria, Phoenicia and Egypt. The activities of collectors and archaeologists have filled museums (both in Cyprus and elsewhere) with a rich array of artefacts that reflect the island’s diverse history.

During the classical period, the settlement of Cyprus was essentially

This tour will be led by Philip Kenrick , MA, DPhil, a classical archaeologist and specialist in Roman pottery, who has worked widely in the Mediterranean, including in Sicily, Italy, Turkey, Jordan and Libya. He gained his doctorate at Oxford in connection with British excavations at Benghazi (ancient Berenice). Philip is the author of two Libya Archaeological Guides, Tripolitania (2009) and Cyrenaica (2013), and co-author of Classical Antiquities of Algeria: A Selective Guide (2019).

Greek in character, and so it remained throughout the Roman and Byzantine eras. With the advent of Islam, Cyprus became a contested border zone, and today a wide range of archaeological sites, monuments and museum collections represent the island’s varied heritage.

Our journey will begin in the southern (Greek) sector, which holds some outstanding sites, from the exceptional classical remains at Kourion and Paphos

(whose Roman mosaics are among the most impressive in the world), to medieval castles and painted churches of many different periods. All of these are set against a beautiful landscape, from sandy beaches to the luxuriant Troodos Mountains.

We will continue to the divided capital Nicosia, enclosed in its ring of 16th century walls, to explore both its monuments and its museums. Here we will cross the Green Line into the Turkish-occupied sector of the city to visit the former Christian cathedral, converted into a mosque in 1570.

As we venture further into the northern territories, we will discover the mountaintop St Hilarion Castle; the beautiful Bellapais Abbey, made famous by the writing of Lawrence Durrell; and the fortified Kyrenia Castle on the island’s northern seafront (which also houses the famous Kyrenia ship of c 300 BC). A second day in the Turkishoccupied sector will take us to medieval Famagusta and the impressive nearby site of ancient Salamis.

Our first base will be in Paphos, at the Hotel Aquamare, located close to the

Amathous

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

ITINERARY

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

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

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

Day 3 Morning in Yeroskipou: Folk Art Museum and Church of Agia Paraskevi (9th to 15th century frescoes). Afternoon in Kouklia

aceculturaltours.co.uk

“Extremely interesting tour”

“Excellent programme of visits with Philip’s knowledgeable guidance both on site and off”

“Our lecturer and local guide did everything to make this a really enjoyable and memorable tour as well as a highly informative one”

– ACE customers on previous tours to Cyprus led by Philip Kenrick

(archaeological site) followed by visit to Paphos for Hellenistic ‘Tombs of the Kings’.

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

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

Day 6 Excursion into the Troodos Mountains for visits to some of their painted medieval churches (many of which are listed as World Heritage sites).

Day 7 Morning visit to Choirokoitia Neolithic settlement (UNESCO World Heritage site). Continue to Lanarca for District Archaeological Museum and Church of Agios Lazaros. Transfer to Nicosia for four nights at Centrum Hotel.

Day 8 Visits in Nicosia: Cyprus Museum, Church of Agios Ioannis, House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, Selimiye Mosque (formerly Cathedral of St Sophia), Bedesten (Church of St Nicholas – exterior) and Büyük Han (Ottoman caravanserai).

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

Day 10 Morning: ancient Greek city of Salamis. Afternoon in medieval Famagusta (citadel and walking tour followed by some free time).

Day 11 Morning visits to Monastery of Agios

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

Cost of £3295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, ten breakfasts, eight lunches, ten dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £275.

TOUR CODE: ACYP24

Archaeological Site of the Tombs of the Kings

beachfront. We will then move to the Poseidonia Beach Hotel in Limassol and the Centrum Hotel in Nicosia.

Northern Greece

June 10–22, 2024

Explore the untamed landscape, classical history and fascinating architecture of northern Greece in the company of archaeologist and specialist in the Greco-Roman world, Andrew Wilson

Learn about the region and its history through visits to Byzantine churches, sanctuaries and monasteries, taking in mosaics and early Christian art

Uncover the ancient treasures of Vergina, Macedonia’s first capital, and journey to Alexander the Great’s birthplace of Pella

Between the Ionian and Aegean Seas lie the untamed mountains of northern Greece, where Zeus once roamed. It was here, too, that Philip of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great, held indomitable sway.

Byzantine monasticism once thrived in centres such as Mount Athos – still a semi-autocratic republic inhabited by monks – and Thessaloniki, erstwhile rival to Constantinople. Our varied itinerary

will touch both coastlines as we taste the gorges, waterfalls and layered histories of Macedonia and Epirus. Our circuit begins and ends in Thessaloniki, home to an unforgettable array of Byzantine churches, featuring important early Christian mosaics. We will also chart the rise and fall of Roman Thessaloniki with a visit to the ruins of the emperor’s palace.

Antiquities galore await discovery in Vergina, the first capital of the kingdom of Macedonia. We will also visit Pella, capital of Philip’s empire and the birthplace of Alexander the Great, and

Nikopolis, founded by Augustus to celebrate his victory at the Battle of Actium. At Nekromanteion, we will track down the legendary gates of Hades.

The frescoed monasteries of Meteora, or ‘columns in the sky’, perched on towering pillars of natural sandstone, were first settled by hermits in the 11th century and were later endowed with 24 seemingly inaccessible monastic communities.

We stay in comfortable hotels of three to four-star quality, chosen for their convenient and peaceful locations, with some dinners taken in local tavernas or restaurants.

Meteora

Kastoria

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour is designed to make the most of our stay in northern Greece with a wide variety of visits. The itinerary contains some long days and a significant amount of walking, and participants should have a good overall level of fitness. At some sites the ground is uneven, and there are steps to navigate. For ACE’s minimum fitness criteria, please see the Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and certain visits may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Some sites in Greece can close at short notice; to accommodate this, minor adjustments may be made, including to the order of visits.

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 0650 on British Airways, arriving Thessaloniki 1210. Transfer to Hotel Royal for four nights. Welcome and introductory talk.

This tour will be led by Andrew Wilson , BA, BD, FSAScot, specialist in archaeology and ancient history and experienced ACE Tour Director. Andrew studied archaeology and theology before working overseas as an archaeologist with a particular interest in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics.

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“A really interesting tour”

“Andrew knows his subject so thoroughly”

– ACE customers on the 2022 Northern Greece tour

Day 2 Whole day cruise along western shore of Mt Athos peninsula (spiritual home of Orthodox Church since 1054). Evening talk: Pebble Mosaics

Day 3 Thessaloniki (major Greek Orthodox centre): visits including Byzantine Walls, 8th century Agia Sophia, Agios Dimitrios, Rotunda (Galerius’s mausoleum), Galerius’s Palace and Archaeology Museum – some visits may be time permitting. Evening talk: Byzantine Church

Day 4 Along Via Egnatia to Pella (capital of Philip of Macedon’s empire): peristyle houses, huge palace complex, museum (superb mosaics), ancient site of Loggos, then Edessa (picturesque town famous for waterfalls, old bridges and water mill).

Day 5 Morning: Vergina (former capital of Macedonian empire). Afternoon: Dion at the foot of Mt Olympus, with visits to sanctuaries of Isis and Demeter. Transfer to Kalambaka for two nights at Hotel Amalia.

Day 6 Whole day at Meteora (‘monasteries in the air’, 16th century frescoes).

Day 7 Visits in Dodoni (ancient oracle of Zeus), including sanctuary and theatre, followed by

Ioannina (major Ottoman centre) – visits subject to confirmation. Transfer to Hotel du Lac for three nights. Evening talk: Byron in Epirus.

Day 8 Whole day excursion to Nekromanteion (sanctuary of Persephone and Hades), Kassopi (4th century BC Hippodamian town) and Nikopolis (founded by Augustus after battle of Actium).

Day 9 Visits to Monodendri (Byzantine monastery), majestic Vikos Gorge and by boat to Nisaki (island monasteries).

Day 10 Transfer to Kastoria, including visit to lakeside Neolithic settlement at Dispilio (subject to confirmation). Two nights at Hotel Chloe.

Evening talk: Neolithic Greece

Day 11 Kastoria: churches, Byzantine Museum, Folk Museum and Mavriotissa Church (13th century frescoes). Evening talk: Oracle at Dodona Day 12 Veria for Byzantine Museum, followed by return to Thessaloniki. Overnight at Hotel City, Thessaloniki.

Day 13 Thessaloniki: Museum of Byzantine Culture. Depart Thessaloniki 1340, arriving Heathrow 1500.

Cost of £3595 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, twelve breakfasts, twelve dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £570.

TOUR CODE: NGRE24

Rotunda of Galerius

Wild horses amidst cork oak woodland on the Giara di Gesturi

Nature

The natural world never ceases to astound in its complexity and beauty. ACE nature tours aim to increase our understanding and appreciation of all aspects of a landscape: its geology, plantlife, wildlife and human uses, to create a unique, multi-layered experience. Many tours also consider questions of conservation and preservation.

We are pleased to announce that ACE will make a donation from the profits of all 2024 nature tours to support natural history projects.

Our 2024 programme includes opportunities to visit well-loved local destinations such as the North Norfolk coast – home to some of Britain’s best bird-watching sites –and the Somerset Levels – which boast a fascinating history as well as outstanding habitats for birdlife. We also look forward to exploring natural history further afield, in Sardinia, Crete and Extremadura.

Wildlife in Norfolk

February 19–23, 2024

Visit one of Britain’s most famous bird-watching sites at Cley, where reedbeds, beaches, marshes and lagoons provide an ideal breeding sanctuary

Look out for one of the most impressive seal colonies in England at Blakeney Point

Enjoy a floodlit swan watch from a heated hide at Welney

The wetland reserves of Norfolk are internationally renowned for their unspoilt coastlines and outstanding natural habitats. With its vast skies and shimmering frosts, winter offers one of the very best environments to experience the region’s rich and dynamic wildlife –from rapidly wheeling migratory flocks to the grey seals that visit each winter to birth their pups.

Our tour will offer an array of the bird-watching opportunities for which Norfolk is famous, both for beginners and more experienced observers, with local wardens sharing their unparalleled knowledge of the reserves.

“I very much enjoyed this tour; it was well-organised and very well run with a varied programme from a communicative expert who showed us how to look and how to see different waders and sea birds”

“Lovely hotel, great Tour Director, beautiful scenery”

“Kevin Hand is such a knowledgeable Tour Director, making it such an interesting trip”

– ACE customers on previous Wildlife in Norfolk tours

At Cley, where the salt marshes and sand dunes are of major importance for overwintering birds, we will follow one of the most celebrated bird-watching routes in Britain. The RSPB reserve at Titchwell, meanwhile, offers remarkably close views of geese, waders and gulls; and at the Ouse Washes at Welney, we will take part in a floodlit swan watch from the comfort of a heated hide.

At Snettisham on the Wash, Britain’s most vital estuary for wintering birds, we look out for knots, godwits and oystercatchers wading across the mud flats, while stately Holkham Park offers us possible sightings of flocks of pink-footed geese, marsh harriers and barn owls.

A highlight of our tour will be an excursion by boat off Blakeney Point, during which we hope to spot seals, waders, divers and grebes. We also look forward to a visit to Lynn Museum to learn about ‘Seahenge’, a unique timber circle discovered off the North Norfolk coast in 1998, dating back over 4000 years to the Early Bronze Age.

We will stay in Old Hunstanton at the characterful four-star Le Strange Arms Hotel, positioned a stone’s throw away from the sea.

Antiphellos Theatre

Seals at Blakeney

Black tailed godwit at RSPB Titchwell

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions, and be prepared for walks of up to 4 miles. The tour involves walking across rough and uneven terrain, including sand, pebbles and woodland tracks, as well as along some modest inclines. A good level of fitness, mobility and stamina is therefore required. In the event of wet or cold weather, it can be slippery and icy underfoot, and there can be wind chill. Participants should feel comfortable getting in and out of boats during the Blakeney seal watching trip.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. The itinerary may be altered to allow for changes in weather, tides and bird movements – particularly our boat trip from Blakeney Harbour. We cannot guarantee the presence of all the wildlife mentioned.

Day 1 Assemble 1530 at King’s Lynn Station for transfer to Hunstanton for four nights at Le Strange Arms Hotel. 1800 welcome and introductory talk.

Day 2 Morning at Titchwell Marsh: large hides for close views of geese, waders, gulls and rarer birds. Afternoon: Holkham for pink-footed geese, snow buntings and shore larks.

Day 3 Morning: Snettisham (thousands of godwits, knots and oystercatchers). Afternoon: Ouse Washes for dusk observation of whooper swans.

Day 4 Morning beach walk for waders, seabirds and fulmar pairs followed by Morston Quay for boat trip around Blakeney Point (waders, grebes and seals). Afternoon: Cley Marshes (one of the most famous bird walks in Britain).

Day 5 Transfer to King’s Lynn Station for visit to Lynn Museum (Seahenge excavation). Tour disperses approx 1120 at King’s Lynn Station followed by approx 1215 at the hotel.

This tour will be led by conservationist and environmental consultant Kevin Hand , MSc, MCIEEM, a long-standing ACE Tour Director with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. Kevin has led a team providing access to the British countryside for hard to reach groups, as well as a project on eagles, vultures and other wildlife in Albania. In 2017 he was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society.

Cost of £1245 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £35.

TOUR CODE: WILN24

Wildlife in Norfolk is Kevin’s longest running ACE tour, and he and ACE are delighted to have now worked with three generations of the Bean family, who operate the seal watching trips from Blakeney Harbour. Kevin says, “I have been leading this tour for over 25 years, and I always find it exciting and full of interest! The coastal changes are incredible to observe, and the wildlife holds new surprises every year.”

Cley Marshes

Avocets at RSPB Titchwell READING

Somerset Levels in Winter

February 7–10, 2024

Join the RSPB’s Peter Exley on this winter wildlife tour and look out for Somerset’s growing flock of cranes, recently reintroduced after a 400-year absence

Visit key historical sites including Glastonbury Abbey, and seek bitterns, barn owls and marsh harriers at one of the country’s most exciting and beautiful wildlife projects – the Avalon Marshes

Explore one of the RSPB’s oldest and largest nature reserves at West Sedgemoor, walking along an ancient drove route to view the remarkable winter wildfowl roost

The Somerset Levels have had a colourful history: ‘the land of the summer people’ was once home to a Bronze Age population and it was here, in the house of a swineherd, that King Alfred is said to have sought refuge from Danish invaders. Wildlife is now returning to England’s largest wetland in dramatic numbers –from the millions-strong murmuration of roosting starlings, to the growing flock of cranes recently reintroduced after a 400year absence. As well as observing the region’s wildlife, our tour will investigate

This tour will be led by Peter Exley, BSc, an ecologist and ornithologist who has held posts with BirdLife International and the Albatross Task Force in South Africa. Now working for the RSPB, Peter has led and managed many ACE tours in the United Kingdom and overseas.

key historical sites such as Glastonbury Abbey, England’s oldest abbey, and Glastonbury Tor, long associated with King Arthur, topped with the tower of a ruined medieval church.

The Avalon Marshes host one of the country’s most exciting wildlife projects: over 3000 hectares of wetland habitats have been created from former peat workings, giving refuge to bitterns, barn owls and marsh harriers.

Greylake, once a series of carrot fields, has been transformed into a wetland reserve teeming with wildlife, while West Sedgemoor is home to up to 100,000 ducks and waders during the winter.

Cost of £1095 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, three breakfasts, one lunch, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £115.

TOUR CODE: SOLE24

“A fascinating short break looking at the natural world with an expert lecturer who was accessible to all levels of knowledge, in a most attractive setting”

– ACE customer on the 2023

Somerset Levels in Winter tour

Our base will be the charming four-star Swan Hotel in Wells, a 14th century coaching inn which enjoys comfortable, classically decorated rooms. It is ideally located in the heart of the city, a short distance from the beautiful cathedral.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Walks are taken at a gentle pace along mostly level tracks and paths, which can be uneven and muddy in places. These vary from half a mile to just under two miles on the final day, with some stops and occasional seats along the way (although these cannot be guaranteed). The longest single walk is around 1.5 miles, over three hours, through Shapwick Heath. While most of the tour is on flat paths, the walk to West Sedgemoor crosses uneven terrain with long grass and steps to the viewing platform, and the optional climb up Glastonbury Tor is around 250 feet on a narrow paved path with multiple steps. The ground can be uneven or slippery when wet, and some hides have steep steps. Half-light at dusk can make paths more hazardous so care should be taken. Please note there is no lift at the hotel, and rooms are accessed by one or more staircases. Participants should meet our usual fitness requirements – please see our Booking Terms & Conditions for more information.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation. Itinerary alterations during the tour are likely due to changeable local weather conditions, and we cannot guarantee the presence of all wildlife mentioned.

Day 1 Tour assembles 1430 at The Swan Hotel, Wells, for three nights. Visit to Wells Cathedral followed by welcome and introductory talk.

Day 2 RSPB Ham Wall Nature Reserve: wetland and reed beds. Afternoon: Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury Tor (optional 250-foot climb to the summit), Museum of Rural Life.

Day 3 RSPB West Sedgemoor and look for the crane flock. Afternoon: Willows & Wetlands Visitor Centre, Isle of Athelney, RSPB Greylake Reserve. Evening: visit to the Avalon Marshes at dusk.

Day 4 Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve (pools, reed beds, wet woodlands) for winter wildlife. Tour disperses 1230 at hotel.

View towards Glastonbury Tor

Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura

March 20–27, 2024

Explore the rolling plains of Extremadura with its cork and holm oak dehesas in one of the most untouched areas of Spain

Stay in the Parque Natural de Monfragüe, perhaps the finest raptor-watching site in Europe, and in historic Cáceres with its wealth of wheeling swifts

Wander through Los Barruecos, extraordinary giant boulders home to nesting storks

With its wild mountain ranges and its limitless rolling plains, Extremadura boasts an enticing variety of landscapes. In the springtime the region’s cork and holm oak dehesas are abundantly carpeted with rock roses and cistus, while the grasslands boast mile after mile of catchfly and marigold.

Exploring the Via del Plata, an ancient pilgrimage route running from southern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, we will seek bee-eaters, hoopoes, orioles, booted eagles and red-rumped swallows, all the while surrounded by a wealth of wild flowers and majestic oaks.

When summer guests such as the lesser kestrel and pallid swift arrive, and winter visitors begin their migration north, the Parque Natural de Monfragüe can

Monfragüe National Park

the ancient walls of this charming and historic town. We then stay for four nights at the Hospederia Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, located within the heart of the Monfragüe National Park.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Walks will typically be within 3 and 5 miles in length, often over uneven and rocky ground. The routes on the plains are over gently undulating ground, whilst in the Monfragüe National Park there are a number of steep ascents. Participants should feel comfortable with these conditions and possess a good level of overall fitness, in addition to meeting ACE’s usual fitness requirements (outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions).

ITINERARY

This tour will be led by conservationist, ornithologist and environmental consultant Kevin Hand , MSc, MCIEEM, who has taken tours for ACE since 1992. In 2017 he became President of the Cambridge Natural History Society.

justifiably lay claim to be the finest raptor-watching site in Europe. Colonies of up to 200 vultures – griffon, black and Egyptian – make their home at Peña Falcon Rock, accompanied by black storks and rock buntings. At Los Barruecos (where “Spain was born”, according to the locals) storks nest on huge granite boulders strewn beside remote paths.

Our tour will also unravel Extremadura’s fascinating regional history, where Romans, Goths, Moors and conquistadors have all left their mark. The medieval quarter in the UNESCOprotected town of Cáceres ranks among Spain’s finest, whilst Trujillo, formerly the Roman town of Turgalium, boasts a wealth of medieval and Renaissance buildings and a rich Córdoban and Almoravid history.

We shall spend our first three nights in Cáceres at the NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo, a converted 16th century palace just moments away from

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer and some elements may be subject to change; in particular, the Tour Director reserves the right to amend the programme due to wildlife movements and weather conditions.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0915 on Iberia, arriving Madrid 1245. Transfer to Cáceres for three nights at Hotel NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo. Welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning walks in the llanos (plains) and steppe landscape around Cáceres with visit to roller nesting area. Afternoon in Cáceres: historical walking tour.

Day 3 Walks along the Via de la Plata, an ancient pilgrimage path linking southern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Free evening.

Day 4 Depart for Los Barruecos and Museo Vostell Malpartida. Continue to hotel Hospederia Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, located within the Monfragüe National Park, for four nights’ stay.

Day 5 Whole day in Parque Natural de Monfragüe. Walk through rare Mediterranean woodland to Monfragüe Castle and Peña Falcón Rock.

Day 6 Morning: walks in the llanos de Belen and around Trujillo. Afternoon: guided walking tour in Trujillo.

Day 7 Explore the dehesa in the Monfragüe National Park and learn about its ecology of cork oak woods and famous black Iberian pigs.

Day 8 Transfer to Madrid for 1455 flight, arriving Heathrow 1620.

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

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

TOUR CODE: EXTR24

Sardinia: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi

April 9–16, 2024

Discover Sardinia’s wonderful flora and fauna in a variety of habitats including coastal lagoons, cork oak woodland and karstic mountain landscapes

The lagoons at Mari e Pauli and Sale Porcus offer opportunities to see uncommon water birds such as the purple gallinule, great white egret and red-crested pochard

Examine the island’s Bronze Age civilisation through its characteristic circular towers –Nuraghi

Based in the lakeside town of Cabras, where local fishermen still set out to sea in traditional reed boats, and Cala Gonone, bordering one of the most scenic stretches of the Mediterranean, this tour takes in Sardinia’s coastal waters and rugged interior on an exploration of its natural history and archaeology.

At the lagoons of Marina di Torre Grande, we are likely to see flamingos, stilts and ospreys. At Mari e Pauli and Sale Porcus we may spot water birds like the purple gallinule, great white

egret and red-crested pochard. On the high basalt plateau of Gesturi we will meander through forests of cork oaks looking for Mediterranean spring flowers and survey the bountiful streams and pools for migrant birds. We also hope to find a variety of orchids, explore the island’s fascinating insect life and enjoy encounters with its wild ponies. While this tour primarily concentrates on Sardinia’s natural history, it also touches on the island’s fascinating archaeological remains. The most striking evidence that survives of the indigenous Bronze Age Nuraghic civilisation that once existed here are the circular stone towers – Nuraghi – that are dotted across the landscape. We also hope to visit the museum in Cabras, time permitting, where the Nuraghic finds provide an ideal introduction to our Nuraghi visits on the island.

We will also discover the substantial Punic and Roman ruins at Tharros, standing high above the Mediterranean, and the UNESCO-protected complex at Su Nuraxi di Barumini, comprising a defensive stronghold and surrounding village – an unparalleled survival from the ancient world.

Experienced Tour Directors Harriet Allen and Mark Welch will offer complementary expertise, with Harriet shedding light on the botany of the region and Mark introducing the group to its birds, insects and geology.

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

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of overall fitness is required for this tour, as there will be a number of walks over rugged terrain, as well as visits to sites with uneven steps and surfaces. The tour personnel will advise the group regarding the amount and type of walking involved ahead of each visit. Participants should be comfortable standing and walking for two hours at a time, and also embarking and disembarking small sea-going boats. Our visit to Su Nuraxi involves a steep descent and those who suffer from claustrophobia or lower levels of mobility may prefer to opt out – the group will be fully briefed before undertaking this visit.

Antiphellos Theatre

Santa Cristina

Red-crested pochard

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Some visits and excursions may be weather dependent or subject to change and/or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the presence of all wildlife and flora mentioned.

Day 1 Flight from London to Sardinia Olbia. Continue to lakeside town of Cabras for four nights at Villa Canu. Late afternoon visit, time permitting, to Cabras Museum (introduction

This tour will be led by Mark Welch , BSc, PhD, and Harriet Allen , MA, MSc, PhD. Mark is a former research scientist in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London. He has a PhD in geosciences from Edinburgh University and has held research fellowships at Edinburgh and Cambridge Universities. Harriet is a Geographer and Fellow and Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge. She has been leading field excursions for over 30 years, and has extensive experience of flora and birds across the world.

aceculturaltours.co.uk

to mysterious prehistoric Nuraghic civilisation, including important Giants of Mont’e Prama) followed by welcome and introduction.

Day 2 Morning: lagoons at Marina di Torre Grande (flamingos, stilts, ospreys, saltwater plants, bees and other insects). Afternoon: Tharros (substantial Punic and Roman ruins) on beautiful Mediterranean peninsula (Posidonia beds, insects).

Day 3 Morning: lagoons of Mari e Pauli and Sale Porcus (purple gallinule, great white egret, red-crested pochard, violet-winged mining bee). Afternoon: Su Pallosu for walk through coastal garrigue vegetation of dunes and cliffs to Aragonese defensive tower (coastal macchia, Dartford warbler, Sardinian warbler, shearwaters and possibility of Hermann’s Tortoise).

Day 4 Morning: high basalt plateau of Gesturi for walk through cork oak woodland (sand crocus, cyclamen, orchids, streams, pools, migrant birds, woodlarks and wild ponies). Afternoon: Su Nuraxi (one of the most impressive Nuraghic sites with huge towers).

Day 5 Via Nuraghic site of Santa Cristina (sacred well, orchids, butterflies and bees) and giant’s tomb of S’Ena e Thomes to beautiful coastal village of Cala Gonone for three nights at Hotel Costa Dorada (to be confirmed).

Day 6 Whole day spent exploring the surroundings of Cala Gonone. Depending on local conditions, we hope to take a boat trip and gorge walk at Cala Luna and visit the Bue Marino caves (stalagmites & stalactites). If the weather does not permit this, we will visit the Cala Gonone Aquarium, which showcases fascinating insights into the hidden off-shore world near the east coast of Sardinia.

Day 7 Supramonte Mountains: eagles, Barbary partridge, wildflowers (wild cyclamen and peonies) followed by walk around clifftop site of Nuraghe Mannu with Nuraghic tower and village (superb views). Evening: traditional dinner on local farm.

Day 8 Flight from Sardinia Olbia to London.

“A really memorable experience”

“Harriet’s interest in wildflowers was infectious and Mark’s interest in bees, in addition to birds, a delightful surprise”

“The depth of knowledge, style of delivery and flexibility of all involved was exceptional”

– ACE customers on a previous Sardinia: Birds, Flowers & Nuraghi tour with Mark Welch and Harriet Allen

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

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

TOUR CODE: SARD24

Sardinian coast

Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans

April 30 – May 7, 2024

Absorb captivating views across the Cretan landscape from the beautiful Lassithi Plateau

Explore the Minoan palace at Knossos in addition to the remains at Gournia and Malia

Look out for waders, migrant pipits and larks in the coastal town of Elounda, followed by a nearby cliff walk where wild gladioli and endemic orchids grow above the sea

Its mountains and gorges alive with wildlife, Crete possesses a magical quality that entrances every visitor. One of the most exceptional botanical areas in the Mediterranean, Crete boasts a superb flora containing at least 160 endemic species, including ebony, rock lettuce and birthwort. Myriad orchids grace archaeological sites, and fields sparkle with wild gladioli and irises.

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

mountain passes. During our walks across the Cretan landscape we will enjoy breathtaking views, particularly at the Lassithi Plateau, a fertile mountain expanse where raptors glide in the valley below. At the head of the precipitous Samaria Gorge, where centuries-old cypresses stand sentinel, we will seek out mountain plants such as aubretia and yellow Star-of-Bethlehem.

Although the emphasis of our programme will be on flowers and birds, there will

also be a guided tour of the famous Minoan site of Knossos and visits to the smaller remains at Gournia and Malia. The majestic Selinari Gorge, meanwhile, offers opportunities to visit an old chapel and newly founded monastery. Our tour to Crete coincides with Orthodox Easter, and we will take in local events and celebrations during our stay.

Our first five nights are spent at the Miramare Resort & Spa, a small hotel

Antiphellos Theatre

Lassithi Plateau

Griffon Vulture

close to the sea near Agios Nikolaos. In Omalos we stay at the Neos Omalos, a mountain resort hotel, for two nights. This hotel offers a simpler, more basic standard of accommodation, however the surroundings and welcome make for a special atmosphere on this popular tour.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should have a good overall level of fitness for this tour, as a number of visits will involve negotiating rugged or uneven terrain. For more information, please consult our fitness requirements as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Tour Director Kevin Hand , MSc, MCIEEM, is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. He has led many projects linking nature and communities, and recently led a team providing access to the British countryside for hard to reach groups. Kevin is currently leading a project on eagles, vultures and other wildlife in Albania. In 2017 he was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society.

aceculturaltours.co.uk

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Flight from London to Heraklion. Transfer to Agios Nikolaos for five nights at Miramare Resort & Spa.

Day 2 Morning talk followed by coastal town of Elounda (waders, migrant pipits, larks in former salt-pans) and peninsula of Spinalonga (sunken city of Olous). Afternoon: boat trip to Venetian island fortress of Spinalonga, followed by cliff walk (wild gladioli, endemic orchids, birds of prey).

Day 3 Minoan Palace of Malia (marsh shore with short turf covered in Cretan camomile and catch fly). Afternoon visit to the famous Minoan Palace at Knossos.

Day 4 Lassithi Plateau (large, fertile mountain plateau with panoramic views) for orchids, upland plants and fruit groves with optional visit to Dhiktean Cave (birthplace of Zeus).

Day 5 Morning: ruins of Gournia (unusual Minoan town), rocky coastline in search of Cretan ebony. Afternoon: gigantic gorge mouth at Monastiraki (chough, Alpine swift).

Day 6 Orthodox Easter Sunday Selinari Gorge (chapel, monastery and vulture colony), Rethymnon, Agia Lake (waders and migrant water-birds) then transfer for two nights at Neos Omalos Hotel in mountains of western Crete.

“It was (Kevin Hand’s) ability to accommodate such varying levels of knowledge and interest, and his own tremendous enthusiasm, that made me choose this holiday in the first place”

– ACE customer on a previous Crete: Birds, Flowers & Minoans tour

Day 7 Across Omalos Plateau to Samaria Gorge, exploring little-known paths, searching for mountain plants (endemic Cretan tulip, aubretia, yellow Star-of-Bethlehem, centuries-old cypresses), with possible sightings of bearded vulture and agrimi (wild goat).

Day 8 Flight from Chania to London.

Cost of £2395 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, seven dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

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

TOUR CODE: CRET24

Flora in the Samaria Gorge

Kasuga-taisha

Distant Destinations

For those seeking a cultural adventure further afield, we are delighted to present a collection of tours to distant destinations, offering opportunities to explore regional culture, artistic history and landscapes beyond Europe. Travelling further afield affords time to engage with all aspects of a destination’s cultural history – from archaeology to art and gastronomy to architecture –encouraging a deeper understanding and heightened sense of place.

In 2024, we look forward to returning to South Korea, to view pagodas, palaces, temples and tumuli, and to exploring Japan’s cultural riches old and new in the autumn.

Further highlights will include a tour to Kazakhstan, tracing its history from Bronze Age carvings to futuristic city landmarks, and an exploration of the Silk Road cities to be found in Uzbekistan.

South Korea

March 4–18, 2024

Explore the pagodas, palaces, temples and tumuli of South Korea

Discover maritime Hallyeo, a panoramic seascape strewn with hundreds of islands and rocky islets

Take in six UNESCO World Heritage sites: Changdeokgung, Gyeongju, Haeinsa, Jongmyo, Seokguram and Bulguksa

Seoul, where our tour begins and ends, was the capital of the Joseon dynasty from 1392 until 1910. The ancient city’s royal palaces and sacred sites are better preserved than anything of their type in China, with 15th century Changdeokgung sheltering a particularly beautiful secret garden.

From Seoul, we will journey to Busan, Korea’s largest port, for an excursion north of the city to the temples of

Tongdosa and Beomeosa. Hallyeo Maritime National Park, one of South Korea’s scenic wonders, will be the setting for a boat trip to the naval headquarters of Admiral Yi Sun Shin, famed for his victories over the Japanese in the 16th century. Further highlights of our tour taking in South Korea’s scenery will include visits to Jogyesan Provincial Park, Mount Jirisan National Park, folk villages and a tea plantation.

South Korea is also home to a wealth of historical and artistic treasures. The secluded Temple of Haeinsa on the slopes of Mount Kaya safeguards the Tripitaka Koreana, the world’s most complete corpus of Buddhist texts, engraved in the mid 13th century on 80,000 wooden blocks.

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

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

Temple, where the remarkable twin pagodas were designed by the legendary 8th century master craftsman Asadal. Before returning to Seoul at the end of the tour, we will enjoy visits in the Andong area – including Beongjeongsa Temple, South Korea’s oldest wooden structure, and Byeongsan Seowon and Dosan Seowon Confucian academies –and in Gongju, to the National Museum and Beopjusa Temple, the country’s largest timber pagoda.

Antiphellos Theatre

Gyeongju

Hallyeohaesang National Park

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour has a full itinerary and requires a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina. The tour involves several hotel changes and a significant amount of coach travel, as well as a journey made by Korea Train eXpress, the country’s high speed rail network. We also hope to enjoy a boat trip at Hallyeo Maritime National Park. Please note that several sites are located in mountainous or forested areas and participants will be required to walk uphill, over steps (particularly at Beomeosa Temple) and across uneven ground. There are longer walks at Bongjeongsa and Haeinsa temples. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

Accommodation & Overnight Temple Stay

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

The rest of the tour will be spent at hotels of four-star standard, to be confirmed nearer to departure.

SOUTH

“Alex Koller made this tour a valuable and fascinating one by means of his research, scholarly knowledge and obvious pleasure in sharing it with us”

“Exceptionally well coordinated”

– ACE customers on a previous South Korea tour

Day 1 Depart on flight from London Heathrow.

Day 2 Arrive Seoul and transfer to hotel for two nights. Welcome and introduction.

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

Day 4 Depart Seoul by KTX high-speed train. Visits to Tongdosa and Beomeosa temples (situated in Mount Gajisan National Park). Continue to Busan (Korea’s largest port) for visit to UN Cemetery and overnight stay.

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

Day 6 Depart Tongyeong for visit to Jinju: Cheoksongnu (beautiful riverside pavilion). Continue to Naganeupseong Folk Village and Boseong (tea plantations). Transfer to Suncheon for overnight stay.

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

Day 8 Optional early morning ceremony at Hwaeomsa Temple. Visit to Haeinsa Temple (site of Tripitaka Koreana library). Continue to Gyeongju (former Silla capital) for two nights.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 15 Flight from Seoul to Heathrow.

Cost of £5995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, thirteen breakfasts, twelve dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement (except overnight temple stay) £825.

TOUR CODE: SKOR24

Kazakhstan: From the Silk Road to Norman Foster

May 19 – June 2, 2024

Trace the span of Kazakhstan’s history from Bronze Age carvings to futuristic city landmarks

Explore Silk Road connections at the UNESCO site of Turkistan, home to a famous Timurid Imperial mausoleum

Discover Kazakhstan’s remarkable landscape and geology, including the awe-inspiring ‘Valley of the Castles’ at Charyn Canyon

A vast country harbouring immense cultural wealth, Kazakhstan is a land of crystal lakes and soaring mountains, ancient Silk Road monuments and 20th century cathedrals. To visit is to experience a staggeringly rich geological landscape, some of the most stunning scenery in the world, and a historical and cultural heritage that stretches from the Bronze Age petroglyphs at Tamgaly, through the Timurid mausoleum at Turkistan, to Sir Norman Foster’s futuristic creations in Astana.

Our tour explores the depths of these cultural and historical layers, balancing city-based visits with excursions into the countryside to discover ancient archaeological sites and places of stunning natural beauty.

We will begin in Kazakhstan’s historical former capital of Almaty, its name famously meaning ‘father of apples’; indeed the domestic apple’s wild ancestor, ‘Malus sieversii’, continues to grow on the slopes of the nearby Tien Shan mountains. After familiarising ourselves with aspects of Kazakhstan’s history and geology, including its religious culture, we will make an excursion to one of its most magnificent and remote sites: often considered as impressive as the Grand Canyon, Charyn Canyon’s array of rare and characterful formations is a testament to millennia of wind and water erosion.

Tour Director Steve Mastin , MA, PGCE, FHA, studied history and classics before working as a schoolteacher for 17 years. A fellow of the Historical Association, Steve is a regular speaker at history conferences both in the UK and overseas. He has travelled widely, and spent seven years living and working in Kazakhstan. Steve will lead us through three key stages of Kazakhstan’s evolution: its ancient history, its more recent Soviet-era past, and its vision for the future –mirroring our journey from Almaty and Shymkent to the modern capital.

Following further explorations within Almaty – including a visit to the Green Bazaar, overflowing with diverse produce from across Asia – we will make a further excursion to one of the country’s five UNESCO World Heritage sites, the archaeological landscape of Tamgaly. This remarkable place is home to 5000 ancient rock carvings (or petroglyphs), the majority dating from the Bronze Age.

Antiphellos Theatre

Charyn Canyon

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

Leaving Almaty behind, we will fly to the southern city of Shymkent, originally founded as a caravanserai connected with a nearby Silk Road settlement. From here we will discover Kazakhstan’s trading heritage with a visit to Turkistan, home to the 14th century mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best preserved monuments from the Timurid Empire. Our final journey will transport us forward in time to Kazakhstan’s strikingly modern capital of Astana, site of several astonishing buildings by Sir Norman Foster, including his pyramid-shaped Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. As in Almaty, we will seek to understand the religious history and culture of Kazakhstan with visits to the city’s cathedral and mosque, while also tracing its extensive history at the new National Museum, which houses exhibits ranging from ancient ornaments (including the armour belonging to Kazakhstan’s mysterious ‘golden man’) to artwork and ethnographic artefacts. The country’s recent history as part of the Soviet Union will also be explored through a visit to ALZHIR Memorial Museum, formerly a labour camp for women and children whose lives are both documented and commemorated at the site.

We will stay at several hotels throughout the tour, including centrally located four or five-star establishments in Almaty, Shymkent and Astana, with simpler accommodation for our stay in Turkistan. Please note the hotels are subject to final confirmation.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note this tour will involve a significant amount of walking, frequently over uneven ground, particularly at Tamgaly and Charyn Canyon. Many of Kazakhstan’s most important sites are spread out from one another and participants should expect some long overland journeys by coach in addition to two internal flights. The visit to Charyn Canyon involves journeys of approximately three hours duration each way; this visit is made as a day excursion as there is no suitable accommodation available in the area. Please also be aware that some visits will involve heights, including the Bayterek Tower in Astana. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Sites can close or change their opening times at short notice; therefore, some visits may be reordered.

Day 1 Depart on Turkish Airlines flight from London via Istanbul.

Day 2 Arrive Almaty and transfer to city centre hotel for six nights. Free time followed by afternoon orientation walking tour (including Gogol Street, site of Trotsky’s exile by Stalin). Welcome and introduction.

Day 3 Morning lecture: The History of Kazakhstan. Visits in Almaty (Kazakhstan’s former capital): Ascension Cathedral, WWII Memorial, Museum of Musical Instruments (exterior), Geological Museum and Central Mosque.

Day 4 Whole day excursion from Almaty to Charyn Canyon National Park.

Day 5 Issyk Museum (site of the discovery of the ‘Golden Man’, whose remains are now displayed in Astana), town and lake.

Day 6 Morning lecture: Apples & Tulips are from Kazakhstan. Further visits in Almaty: Green Bazaar, Museum of Arts and Republic Square.

“Steve is an excellent tour expert, I really enjoyed his guiding and talks; the tour was significantly enhanced by his breadth of knowledge and experience”

– ACE customer on a 2022 tour led by Steve Mastin

Day 7 Whole day excursion to UNESCO site of Tamgaly, archaeological landscape in the Chu-Ili Mountains, site of 5000 Bronze Age petroglyphs. Day 8 Morning visit to the Apple Monument. Transfer by air to Shymkent for overnight.

Day 9 Transfer to UNESCO World Heritage site of Turkistan. Afternoon exploring the ancient Silk Road desert fortress of Sauran and the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (commissioned by Timur). Overnight in Turkistan.

Day 10 Return to Shymkent via Arystan Bab Mausoleum and Otrar archaeological site (ancient Silk Road city, now in ruins). Overnight in Shymkent.

Day 11 Transfer by air to Astana and continue to hotel for four nights. River cruise through central Astana followed by walking tour of the old city. Evening lecture: Kazakhstan in the Soviet Era.

Day 12 Cultural visits including National Museum of Kazakhstan (extensive new museum complex with spaces dedicated to history, ethnography, art and more), Independence Square, Hazrat Sultan Mosque and Palace of Peace & Reconciliation (famous pyramid shape, designed by Sir Norman Foster).

Day 13 Morning visits: Bayterek Tower (incredible views over the city), opera house (exterior), Ethno-Memorial complex and park. Afternoon excursion to ALZHIR Memorial Museum.

Day 14 Morning: Expo 2017 and Silk Way Mall. Afternoon: Nazarbayev Centre and Assumption Cathedral. Evening lecture: The Modern Age of Kazakhstan.

Day 15 Morning visit to Khan Shatyr, the enormous entertainment centre designed by Sir Norman Foster. Flight from Astana via Istanbul to London.

Cost of £4895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, fourteen breakfasts, eight lunches (two packed), thirteen dinners with water & tea, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

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

TOUR CODE: KAZA24

Baiterek

Uzbekistan: Cities of the Silk Road

October 4–15, 2024

Journey to the heart of Central Asia to discover an extraordinary civilization

Visit the Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand

Experience Samarkand’s famed Registan Square, bordered by elegant madrasas in shades of gold and turquoise

Uzbekistan has long been a prized territory: in the 4th century BC Alexander the Great married the daughter of a local chieftain, and in the 13th century Genghis Khan waged war over the region. It was Timur, better known to us as Tamerlane, who finally overpowered the Mongols and established Samarkand as the glittering capital of an empire encompassing much of Central Asia.

Our tour begins in the modern capital, Tashkent, where the exhibits of the city’s museums will set our investigations in context. We will explore Khast-i-Imam, an extraordinary architectural complex in the heart of the old city that forms the

spiritual centre of Tashkent. From there, we head to the oasis town of Khiva –once the final stopping-point of caravan trains before they set out on the long journey across the desert for Persia. The inner citadel of Ichan Kala, surrounded by huge crenellated clay walls, was the first site in the country to be listed by UNESCO. Architectural delights include the Juma Mosque, with its forest of carved wooden columns – the oldest of which date from the 10th century.

We will traverse the Kyzylkum desert to Bukhara, a centre of culture and

civilisation from the 6th century BC. The armies of Genghis Khan left little intact from the city’s earliest days, with a notable exception being the perfectly preserved 10th century Ismail Samani Mausoleum.

Founded as early as the 7th century BC, the city of Samarkand is one of the oldest in all of Central Asia. Captured by Alexander the Great in 329 BC, it passed through the hands of successive civilisations before reaching its zenith as the capital of the Timurid Empire. The archaeological site of Afrasiab is

Antiphellos Theatre

Kunya-Ark Citadel

Tilla-Kari Madrassah

preserved, along with astonishing frescoes bearing testimony to the vanished Sogdian civilisation that dominated trade along the Silk Road for centuries.

Although the city walls of Samarkand are gone, the medieval layout remains in the narrow streets and many traditional houses. A highlight of our visit here will be the awe-inspiring Registan Square, bordered on three sides by elaborate madrasas and one of the most important complexes of Islamic architecture in the world. Our tour will also include an excursion to Shakhrisabz, birthplace of Timur himself and recipient of his considerable architectural patronage.

We will stay throughout at comfortable three or four-star hotels close to the key sites on our tour, and our visits will be complemented by regular talks given by our Tour Director.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of general fitness and stamina is required for this tour, and participants should meet ACE’s minimum fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. The tour involves very full days of sightseeing as well as some long and tiring coach journeys (for example, the journey from Khiva to Bukhara takes eight hours with two stops en route), and there are poor road conditions in places. Some visits involve traversing steep steps and uneven ground.

“Steve was an engaging tour guide and great storyteller, knowledgeable and aware of the group’s capabilities and interests”

– ACE customer on a previous tour led by Steve Mastin

ITINERARY

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

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1620 on Uzbekistan Airways.

Day 2 Arrive Tashkent 0310 and transfer to hotel for early check in and time to rest. Afternoon: State Museum of History of Uzbekistan (archaeological and ethnographical). Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 3 Morning: Khast-i-Imam architectural complex (spiritual centre of Tashkent) in the heart of the old city. Afternoon: brief visit to Museum of Applied Art followed by domestic flight to Urgench and transfer to city of Khiva for two nights.

Day 4 Khiva: Ichan Kala (ancient citadel surrounded by crenellated clay walls), Juma Mosque, Kunya Ark Fortress, Kalta Minor Minaret and Muhammad Amin-Khan Madrasa.

This tour will be led by Steve Mastin , MA, PGCE, FHA. Steve studied history and classics before working as a schoolteacher for 17 years, during which time he organised many trips to Italy, France and Germany. He has worked overseas training history teachers in Kazakhstan, Singapore and Australia. A committed advocate of the power of storytelling, Steve is passionate about bringing a lifelong love of history to students of all ages. He is a Fellow of the Historical Association and a regular speaker at history conferences both in the UK and overseas.

Day 5 Drive through the Kyzylkum Desert, occasionally sighting the River Oxus (now the Amu-Darya) crossed by Alexander the Great in 329 BC. Three nights in Bukhara.

Day 6 Bukhara: Poi-Kalyan architectural complex, Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, Kalyan Mosque and Minaret, Ulugh Beg and Abdulaziz Khan Madrasas. Afternoon: Lyabi-Hauz and madrasas.

Day 7 Bukhara: Tchor Minor Mosque, Sitora-i-Mokhi Khossa, 10th century Samanid Mausoleum, Chasma-Ayub Mausoleum (‘Job’s Spring’), Bolo-Hauz Mosque and Ark Citadel.

Day 8 Free morning to explore local sites and markets. Afternoon: transfer by train to Samarkand. Three nights in Samarkand.

Day 9 Samarkand: famed Registan Square with 15th and 17th century madrasas, Guri Amir Mausoleum (burial place of Timur), Bibi Khanum Mosque and colourful Siyob Bazaar.

Day 10 Excursion to Shakhrisabz, hometown of Timur: Portal of Ak-Saray Palace, Dor-us Saodat Memorial Complex, Dor-ut Tilavat Ensemble.

Day 11 Samarkand: Shakhi-Zinda tiled funerary complex, observatory built by Ulugh Beg. Afternoon at ancient site of Afrasiab (rare 7th century Sogdian fresco) followed by train transfer to Tashkent for overnight.

Day 12 Depart Tashkent 1045, arriving Heathrow 1425.

Cost of £3795 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, full board with water & tea, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

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

TOUR CODE: UZBK24

Bukhara

Japan in Autumn: History, Art & Landscape

October 22 – November 7, 2024

Gain a comprehensive understanding of historical and contemporary Japanese art and culture

Visit fascinating temples, including Yashima-ji and Zentsuji, both on the 88-temple Shikoku pilgrimage, and Horyu-ji, the oldest surviving temple in Japan, containing important early Buddhist art treasures

Discover beautiful Japanese garden design, with visits to an array of sites including Okayama’s Koraku-en Garden, one of Japan’s best landscape gardens, and experience the country’s breathtaking natural scenery

Japan is a country of cultural riches and varied landscapes: while it is famed for traditions such as the tea ceremony as well as its modern technological achievements, a closer inspection reveals a much broader range of traditions and aesthetic sensibilities. For centuries, the arts of Japan were synonymous with Buddhist culture, and these will be a focus of our comprehensive tour, with visits to the art collections of Tokyo and Nara, and the temples of Kyoto and its environs.

Japan’s history is palpably experienced at castle sites such as Inuyama, Himeji and Edo – now the Imperial Palace –at the very centre of Tokyo. Military architecture of this variety can be related to vernacular building traditions that survive in the form of traditional farmhouses in mountain settlements like Shirakawa-go. We hope to include an overnight stay in a historical building of this type during our tour.

We will also encounter historical vernacular architecture at open-air museums such as Gassho-zukuri Minkaen and Shikoku-mura, and in surviving historical districts in Kanazawa and Kurashiki. The latter boasts perfectly preserved Edo period streets, with

This tour will be led by art historian Alex Koller, PhD. Alex studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge and is an accomplished linguist. He has been leading tours since 1998, and his experience ranges from Japan and Southeast Asia to Russia and Eastern Europe. As a result of his travels to the Far East, Alex has developed a keen interest in Buddhist art and architecture, and he looks forward to delving into Japan’s history, art and landscape with another ACE group in 2024.

the Bikan historical quarter featuring beautiful buildings surrounding a willowlined canal.

Our itinerary includes visits to a wealth of gardens: the richness of Japanese garden design is evident at a number of temple and castle sites but especially at the large-scale strolling gardens of the Edo period, such as Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, Ritsurin in Takamatsu and Koraku-en in Okayama. Koraku-en is regarded as one of Japan’s best landscape gardens, with its winding paths, ponds and views of the reconstructed Okayama Castle serving as ‘borrowed scenery’. Further highlights will include Ueno Park in Tokyo, an early example of a

public park, and the famous Zen gardens of the Ryoan-ji and Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto. As well as fine art, architecture and garden design, this tour will delve into the rich heritage of Japanese applied arts, with visits to a Kutani kiln and a gold leaf workshop in Kanazawa.

Japan is notable for its highly varied countryside, and we will experience a diversity of beautiful scenery during our journeys – from the cedar forests of Northern Honshu around Nikko, where the Tosho-gu Grand Shrine offers a contrast of deep forests and sophisticated architecture, to the Chuzeniji Lake and Kegon waterfalls, and the coastline on the Pacific Ocean, the Japan Sea and the Seto Inland Sea. We will also take in the mountains of central Japan and, weather permitting, enjoy views of Mount Fuji.

In addition to exploring traditional culture, this tour offers an opportunity to gain an understanding of the transformation of old Edo into modern Tokyo, and to get a feel for life in contemporary Japan, with the chance to enjoy local cuisine and to use its highly efficient public transport system in Tokyo and the well-known Shinkansen ‘bullet train’. Kyoto Railway Station, the ‘floating’ Kansai Airport and the Seto-Ohashi Bridge between the main island and Shikoku demonstrate the achievements of modern Japanese design and engineering.

Antiphellos Theatre

Shinkyo Bridge

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This is a comprehensive tour and will require a good level of fitness and mobility. Participants should be prepared for a significant amount of walking (of up to 1 mile) and standing. Many of the visits, including most of the gardens, are easy to navigate, although some sites require walking uphill and up narrow steps (including at Tosho-gu Shrine, where a series of 207 stone steps leads to the Inner Shrine). Participants must meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

The tour features several hotel changes and some long coach journeys of up to 3 hours in duration, so a good level of stamina is required. Please note that we will make use of local trains and the Shinkansen (bullet train) high-speed rail network. Our visits in Kanazawa will also be made using public transport (buses), an efficient way to travel around the city.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some changes may be made as a result of recommendations arising following the 2023 departure. Some elements may also be subject to change nearer the time, and certain visits may be time or weather permitting on the day.

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0935 on British Airways.

Day 2 Arrive Tokyo 0710 and transfer to Asakusa View Hotel for three nights. Morning: free time. Afternoon: optional visit by train to Meiji Shrine.

Day 3 Whole day excursion to Nikko: Toshogu Grand Shrine, Chuzenji Lake and Kegon waterfalls. Free evening.

Day 4 Full day of visits in Tokyo: Edo Castle ruins and Imperial Palace, Hama-rikyu Garden, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park, Tosho-gu Shrine and Asakusa Kannon Temple.

Day 5 Transfer to Kamakura for visits to Engaku-ji Temple, Kencho-ji Temple, Tsurugaoka

aceculturaltours.co.uk

Accommodation

“I have never encountered a tour guide as knowledgeable as Dr Koller in all my (many) years of art tours”

– ACE customer on a previous tour with Alex Koller

Hachiman-gu Shrine and Daibutsu. Continue to Hakone, close to Mount Fuji, for overnight stay at Prince Hakone Ashinoko Hotel.

Day 6 By coach and bullet train to Inuyama. Continue to Shirakawa-go for overnight stay at a traditional house (subject to confirmation).

Day 7 Morning walking tour of Shirakawa-go and visit to Gassho-zukuri Minkaen open-air museum. Continue to Toyama for visit to Zuiryuji. Afternoon: transfer to Kanazawa for two nights at ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa Hotel.

Day 8 Full day of visits in Kanazawa: Kutani Kosen kiln, Ninja-dera, Samurai district, Kenrokuen Garden, optional walk around Kanazawa Castle site, Higashi Chaya ‘Geisha area’. Free evening.

Day 9 Transfer by bullet train to Kurashiki via Himeji (castle) for two nights at Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel. Evening lecture.

Day 10 Cross over the Inland Sea to island of Shikoku. Visit to Shikoku-mura, followed by Yashima-ji, Ritsurin Garden and Zentsu-ji. Return to Kurashiki.

Day 11 Morning walking tour of Kurashiki and visit to Ohara Museum of Art. Transfer by train to Nara via Okayama for visit to Koraku-en Garden. Two nights at Piazza Hotel Nara.

Day 12 Full day of visits in Nara: Kofuku-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha, Nara National Museum and Todai-ji. Optional further visits to Hokke-do and Shin Yakushi-ji. Free evening.

We hope to include a special opportunity on this tour to stay overnight at a traditional house in the mountain village of Shirakawago. Subject to final arrangements, the group will be split between two houses, with one group accompanied by the Tour Director and the other by our local guide. The stay will involve sharing Japanese-style rooms with futons, split by gender, with 3-4 people per room. The facilities comprise shared bathrooms and toilets, separated by gender. This authentic and immersive experience will offer participants the opportunity to see Shirakawa-go without the crowds, and enjoy dinner prepared by our hosts and served at the houses in Japanese style. This accommodation will be confirmed nearer to departure.

We will stay at hotels of three and four-star standard during the rest of the tour.

Day 13 Morning temple visits: Yakushi-ji, Toshodai-ji, Horyu-ji. Afternoon: Uji Byodo-in (Phoenix Hall). Continue to Kyoto for three nights at Cross Hotel.

Day 14 Full day of visits in Kyoto: Nijo Castle and garden, Kyoto-gosho, Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion), Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Ryoan-ji. Free evening.

Day 15 Excursion to Mount Hiei followed by Ohara for Sanzen-in and tea drinking at the sub-temple of Hosen-in. Return to Kyoto via Shisen-do for scenic walk through Kyoto suburbs to Manshu-in.

Day 16 Some free time in Kyoto for optional independent visits. Bullet train to Tokyo for overnight stay at Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyo (airport hotel).

Day 17 Depart Tokyo 0945, arriving Heathrow 1525.

Cost of £7495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room (except overnight stay in Shirakawa-go), fifteen breakfasts, six lunches, eleven dinners with water & tea/coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement (except overnight stay in Shirakawa-go) £945.

TOUR CODE: JAAU24

Our Experts

View our full list of Tour Directors and their tours online at aceculturaltours.co.uk/tour-directors

Tom Abbott, BA, MA, is an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens. A resident of Berlin for over 30 years, he is a proficient lecturer and tour leader with extensive experience directing cultural and art tours across Europe.

Sarah Burles, MA, studied History of Art at Cambridge and gained a Masters at University College London before going on to a career in museum and gallery education, which included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as at other Cambridge museums. She is an accredited Arts Society lecturer and also runs online art history courses and lectures.

Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil, FRSA, spent nearly 20 years in the British Army, retiring in the rank of Major, before turning to a life-long interest in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History. She studied at the universities of Kent and Birmingham and is a proficient lecturer on church art and architecture, accredited with the Arts Society.

Harriet Allen, PhD, is a geographer and a Fellow, Tutor and Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge. Harriet is Chair of the Biogeography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and a Coordinating Editor for the journal Landscape Ecology.

Emilie Capulet, RSA, MMus, PhD, is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Head of Classical Performance at the London College of Music. Emilie studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She regularly performs in international concert halls and has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and France Bleu Provence amongst other stations.

Rupert Dickens, BA, MA, studied art history at Birkbeck, University of London before gaining a Masters degree in Dutch Golden Age Studies at University College London. Previously a BBC television and radio journalist, Rupert now works as a guide lecturer at the Wallace Collection and as an Arts Society lecturer.

Tom Abbott

Harriet Allen

Sarah Burles

Emilie Capulet

Imogen Corrigan

Rupert Dickens

Peter Exley, BSc, is an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB. Peter has also held posts with BirdLife International and the Albatross Task Force in South Africa. He has led and managed many ACE tours in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Algarve, the Faroes and Shetland.

Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM, is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. Kevin led a Darwin Initiative project on the taiga forests in Siberia, and ran National Tree Week in the UK for 13 years. He has also held the post of President of the Cambridge Natural History Society.

Philip Kenrick, MA, DPhil, is an archaeologist who gained his doctorate on pottery from British excavations at Benghazi. Philip has worked in Libya, Sicily, Italy, Turkey and Jordan, and is a former treasurer of the Society for Libyan Studies. He is the co-author of Classical Antiquities of Algeria: A Selective Guide.

Suzanne Fagence Cooper, MA, PhD, is a curator and historian who specialises in 19th and 20th century art. She spent 12 years working as a curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum, and has collaborated with many of Britain’s regional museum collections, including York Art Gallery. She is an Arts Society accredited lecturer.

Juliet Heslewood, MA, is an author and art historian. She studied history of art at London University and later gained an MA in English Literature at Toulouse. Juliet lived in France for over 25 years, leading art and architecture tours. She is the author of several books including Van Gogh: A Life in Places.

Alex Koller, PhD, is an expert in art history and architecture. Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, gaining his PhD in the history of art from Magdalene College, Cambridge. Alex is an accomplished linguist and has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East.

Peter Exley

Suzanne Fagence Cooper

Kevin Hand

Juliet Heslewood

Philip Kenrick

Alex Koller

Paul Jackson, MA, PhD, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was Head of Music and Performing Arts and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, for over 20 years. He has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor and solo and chamber pianist.

Alan Powers, PhD, is a leading architectural historian and has published widely on all aspects of 20th century architecture and design. Alan was Professor at the University of Greenwich School and currently lectures at New York University in London. He is the author of Bauhaus Goes West: Modern Art & Design in Britain & America.

Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, is a former ACE Bursary student who holds a Junior Fellowship at Birmingham Conservatoire. His career as a solo organist has taken him all over the world, and he was winner of the Poul Ruders Prize at the 2011 Odense International Organ Competition.

Steve Mastin, MA, PGCE, FHA, studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years. During this time he organised and led many trips abroad, and has also worked overseas training history teachers in Singapore, Australia and Kazakhstan. Steve is a regular speaker at history conferences.

Martin Symington is one of Britain’s most prolific travel journalists, regularly contributing to The Times, The Daily Mail and Wanderlust. Born and brought up in Oporto, he is the author of the Dorling Kindersley guidebook to Portugal and the AA Essential Guide to Portugal.

Mark Welch, PhD, has held the position of research scientist in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London for over 25 years. He has a PhD in geosciences from Edinburgh University, and taught at Cambridge University for many years. He is an experienced tour leader, having led many field trips in the UK as a geologist and naturalist.

Paul Jackson

Steve Mastin

Alan Powers

Martin Symington

Nicholas Wearne

Mark Welch

View OUR EXPERTS

full list

Tour Directors

Caspar David Friedrich, Village Landscape in Morning Light (The Lone Tree), 1822. Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin. (See page 22)

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Christopher Wellington

Booking Procedure and Conditions

Please complete the booking form and return it with the deposit required. Alternatively, you can either book online or by telephone.

Upon receipt of your deposit we will send you a confirmation/invoice with, in most cases, a reading list. An itinerary, practical information and travel documents (if applicable) will be sent to you three weeks before the commencement of the tour.

INTRODUCTION

ACE Cultural Tours meets or exceeds all the requirements of the Package Travel Regulations 2018, full details of which can be found online at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ uksi/2018/634/contents/made

In addition, flight-inclusive tours benefit from the financial protection afforded by our Air Travel Organiser’s License (ATOL 10204), whilst UK and other tours without flights are protected through the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). We are also long-term members of the Association of Independent Tours Operators (AITO). For your own safety and financial security we do not recommend you book a holiday that does not benefit from the above protection.

The Package Travel Regulations 2018 together with the following booking information and our promotional material form the basis of your contract with ACE Cultural Tours. We have tried to keep this as concise and simple as possible, so please read all the following paragraphs to make sure you understand and are happy with the terms of your booking.

PAYMENT

All tours and courses costing up to £250 per person must be paid in full at the time of booking.

If you are booking 10 weeks or more before departure, the following deposits are payable at the time of booking:

£250 per person for UK tours.

£350 per person for all European tours. £450 per person for Worldwide tours.

The balance must be received by us not less than 10 weeks prior to departure. This date will be shown on the confirmation invoice. Reminders are not sent, so please make a note of the date in your diary.

If you are booking less than 10 weeks before departure, full payment for all tours must be made at the time of booking.

NO SURCHARGES

Tour prices are confirmed at the time of booking and thereafter will not be subject

to any surcharge. We have forward purchase of currency and other precautions in order to guarantee your holiday is not affected by fluctuations in fuel or currency rates. In the event of extraordinary circumstances making the tour unviable we would offer you a full refund or credit note or an alternative tour.

CANCELLATION BY YOU

You may cancel your booking at any time before departure. Notice of cancellation must be in writing and because we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following charges will apply (for which we suggest you purchase appropriate insurance):

Notice period Cancellation charge

70 days or more Deposit only

69-29 days 60% of total booking value

28-15 days 90% of total booking value

14 days or less 100% of total booking value

CANCELLATION BY YOU DUE TO COVID-19

Please note that if you are personally prevented from travelling as a result of COVID-19 our normal cancellation charges will apply. For this reason we highly recommend that you take out travel insurance at the time of booking that specifically includes cover in the event that you are personally unable to travel. In addition you should have insurance to cover additional accommodation/transport/ repatriation costs incurred due to local/ national quarantine requirements.

CANCELLATION BY US

We reserve the right to cancel your booking if there are insufficient bookings on your tour (this will depend on tour type and destination) or for other unforeseen operational reasons. In such an event, we will provide you with at least 70 days’ notice of cancellation and provide you with a full refund.

Very occasionally, due to extraordinary circumstances in the immediate vicinity of the destination, it may be necessary to cancel the tour with less than 70 days’ notice, in which case we will likewise provide you with a full refund.

Note that in either situation we cannot reimburse any incidental expenses you may have incurred (for example, train fares, additional accommodation or connecting flights). If you are buying your own flights, please liaise with the office before committing to significant expenditure.

CANCELLATION BY US DUE TO COVID-19

We also wish to reassure all our customers that if it is not possible for us to proceed with a tour due to COVID-19, we will transfer your booking to a future tour of your choice, provide a refund credit note or offer you a full refund.

CHANGES BY US

We do our utmost to ensure that all the arrangements and visits are as described. However, it is in the nature of travel that changes are sometimes inevitable, although most of these will be minor in nature. In the event that a particular visit is not possible, we will aim to replace it with another of equal interest. If we have to make more significant changes to the itinerary in advance of departure, we will provide you with a choice of a refund, credit note or an alternative itinerary.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation in hotels is in twin/double bedded rooms, the majority of which have private bath/shower and toilet.

On cruise ships, accommodation is in cabins with shower and toilet only.

Single rooms: As a general rule, we aim to provide our solo travellers with double/ twin rooms for sole use. However, this is not possible on all tour departures, and occasionally, despite a supplement being payable, only single rooms may be available, and such accommodation may not meet exactly the same standard as double/twin accommodation or be located in the same area of the hotel. ACE Cultural Tours very much welcomes single travellers and we make no profit from single room supplements. The costs are simply down to the economics of running a hotel.

Porterage is included on overseas tours where available.

FLIGHTS & TICKETS

Specific instructions relating to the departure and travel arrangements will be sent with your air and/or other travel tickets approximately 2 weeks before departure. It is essential that you check your tickets carefully immediately upon receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. Occasionally carriers will make late changes to departure times but we will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs.

We will always aim to provide you with the name of your likely airline and flight times when you make a booking. However, flight schedules are set by the airlines and outside our control. We therefore reserve the right to change the actual carrier and flight times for your tour.

In accordance with the regulations, we are required to bring your attention to the Community List of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the UK & EU: https:// transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/ eu-air-safety-list_en

HEALTH & SAFETY

We operate a safety audit system and work hard with our suppliers to ensure the safety and comfort of our travellers. However, please note that some of the destinations to which we travel have lower requirements and standards than those of the UK. It is therefore essential that you follow any instructions and guidance provided by your tour manager or director.

FITNESS

All tours involve a significant amount of walking, often over uneven paths, hillsides or steps.You should be prepared to walk at a reasonable pace for at least 60 minutes and additionally stand for at least 30 minutes without requiring a rest.

DIETARY AND SPECIAL REQUESTS

Please advise us at the time of booking of any food allergies or special dietary requirements you may have for medical or religious reasons and we will do our very best to assist. We are also happy to cater for vegetarians or pescatarians. It is not, however, possible to offer extensive choices at every meal to cater for food preferences as many of our menu selections are fixed. Inclusion of the dietary or special request on your booking confirmation or any other documentation is not a guarantee that the request will be met.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Whilst we will provide details of any compulsory health requirements applicable to British citizens for your tour, it is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of all recommended vaccinations and health precautions in good time before departure. Please check with a doctor or clinic not less than ten weeks prior to departure to ensure that you have met the necessary requirements and have the applicable information.The following website may also be helpful: travelhealthpro.org.uk

For tours in the EU/EEA you should obtain an GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) prior to departure from https://services. nhsbsa.nhs.uk/cra/start. Please note that an GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance.

You must be in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure (and pay for any related costs).

We regret that we cannot accept any liability if you incur fees or are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR DISABILITY

We aim to provide authentic cultural experiences and to provide excellent value for money. As a result, the majority of itineraries are quite intensive and can be tiring. They may involve a significant amount of walking, uneven surfaces at outdoor sites or in historic buildings, long journeys, and uncomfortable climatic conditions which might exacerbate existing medical or mobility issues. Destinations include many countries with lower standards of health and safety than the UK and limited adaptations for people with reduced mobility. Some destinations do not (and cannot reasonably be expected to) provide emergency and/or health care to the standard that travellers with mobility and/or health conditions may require in the event of any form of incident or emergency.

For the above reasons, our holidays may not be suitable for people with certain disabilities, medical conditions or significantly reduced mobility.

If you suffer from any medical condition, disability or reduced mobility (including any which affect the booking process) or have any special requirements as a result, please tell us before making your booking so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the arrangements and in order that we can assess the potential risks to your welfare and health and safety.

If we feel that we cannot reasonably accommodate your needs, we reserve the right to decline your booking or, if full details are not given at the time of booking or the condition of disability develops after booking, cancel when we become aware of these details.

When we refer to reduced mobility, this means any material reduction in mobility whether this is permanent or temporary and whether caused by age or by physical or mental disability or impairment or other cause of disability.

INSURANCE

We consider comprehensive travel insurance essential for all tours (UK and abroad), including cover for medical expenses, infectious diseases including Covid, quarantine, repatriation and personal liability, as well as cancelled, delayed and missed departure and loss or damage to personal possessions. Whilst accidental damage is a rare occurrence, your insurance should also cover any damage or loss caused by you and cover any resultant claims made against you or us. For overseas tours, you must give us details in writing of your insurance, preferably on your booking form but in any case no later than before the departure date of your tour. If you fail to do so, we reserve the right to cancel your booking.

We recommend that insurance premiums are paid as soon as you receive your booking confirmation as cover (in particular cancellation cover) will not be effective until you have done so. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs.

We cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of this contract, for example, any additional services or facilities that you agree directly with a local hotel or other supplier. Please make sure you have adequate insurance to cover such services and the acts of other third parties.

CONSIDERATION FOR FELLOW TRAVELLERS

One of the great pleasures of ACE tours is meeting other people with shared interests and making new friends. This has always depended on mutual consideration for your fellow travellers. We therefore reserve the right that in the unlikely event you cause danger, upset or distress to any third party, we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate your tour without liability for any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

Whilst we will provide guidance for each individual tour and help where we can, your specific passport, visa and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant embassy or consulate. In particular, if you are not a British Citizen or hold a non-British passport, you must check the requirements for all countries to or through which you are intending to travel. Requirements may change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure. For some tours and destinations we will require a copy of the picture page of your passport.

ISSUES

If you are unhappy with any element of your tour or the arrangements, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can attempt to resolve the issue. If you are on tour you should speak directly to your tour manager or tour director and not wait until you return home, when it may be impossible for us to help. In the unlikely event that we cannot agree on a satisfactory outcome between us, we will ask AITO’s Independent Dispute Settlement Service to find an amicable solution.

Our contract with you is subject to English law (and no other) and the jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales only.

ACE CULTURAL TOURS – BOOKING FORM

Payment Instructions

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Place of Birth:

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Bank transfer : Sort Code 16 – 15 – 19 Account Number 10410774 Account name ACE CULTURAL TOURS LTD

Please quote your family name and tour code/ booking reference.

Cheque: please enclose cheque payable to ACE Cultural Tours Ltd.

Card payments: please telephone the ACE reservations team on 01223 841055

Booking Authorisation

I agree to accept the booking conditions, including fitness criteria in section 4, on behalf of myself and others included on this form. Please also see our Privacy Policy for information on how we handle your personal data. This is available on our website but if you require a hard copy please contact the office.

Holidays for the Culturally Curious

ACE CULTURAL TOURS

Stapleford Granary

Bury Road

Stapleford CAMBRIDGE

CB22 5BP

01223 841055

ace@aceculturaltours.co.uk

www.aceculturaltours.co.uk