2025 Spring Bulletin | May 2024

ACE CULTURAL TOURS

2025 SPRING BULLETIN

Travel for the Culturally Curious

Welcome

Welcome to the ACE Cultural Tours Spring Bulletin, our first publication featuring new releases from our 2025 schedule. In the following pages can be found a selection of tours in the United Kingdom, Europe and further afield.

We are particularly delighted that this publication features a curated selection of natural history and wildlife tours taking place in 2025. This will include two complementary tours to Norfolk, offering the opportunity to enjoy the region’s varied wildlife in both winter and summer with Kevin Hand and Mark Welch respectively; as well as two seasonal tours to Somerset led by Peter Exley.

Further afield, classical archaeologist Niccolò Mugnai will trace the legacy of the Roman Empire in Algeria, with a visit to Timgad, the Roman colony described as the ‘Pompeii of Africa’ on Algeria: Encounters Between Rome & North Africa. Meanwhile, beginning in Hanoi, travellers joining art historian Alex Koller will absorb the regional culture and beautiful landscapes of Vietnam on a tour taking in the length of the country’s east coast – A Journey through Vietnam: History, Art & Culture.

For those seeking the cultural and artistic gems of a location, ACE is pleased to offer a wide range of European departures. Berlin will be host to two art and architecture tours in 2025. Art Treasures of Berlin: Historical Riches will explore the vast collections of the ‘Athens of the North’, including the 13th to 18th century paintings at the Gemäldegalerie and stunning Charlottenburg Palace. Complementing this tour will be Art Treasures of Berlin: The Modern & Contemporary, on which travellers will take in the city’s contributions to modern art including the private Boros Collection and examples of iconic design on display at the Brohan Museum.

We are also delighted to be able to offer two back-to-back tours to the highly anticipated Mahler Festival in Amsterdam, each encompassing half of the festival’s performances in the company of expert musicologists. The festival, which has only run a handful of times since its inauguration in 1920, is an outstanding celebration of Mahler’s work in the city often referred to as the composer’s ‘second musical homeland’.

As we continue to finalise the full details for many more exciting 2025 departures, we invite you to read our full schedule on pages 70 to 73. To register your interest and receieve full tour details by email as soon as they are available, please complete the form on our website or contact the ACE Cultural Tours office on 01223 841055 or email sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming you on tour in 2025.

Above & Cover: Paulownias and Chrysanthemums by Sakoi Hõitsu, early 1800s –Cleveland Museum of Art

FURTHER AFIELD

EUROPE

UNITED KINGDOM

Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives

Treasures of Manchester 58-59

The Association for Cultural Exchange

The unique link between ACE Cultural Tours, The Association for Cultural Exchange and Stapleford Granary

ACE Cultural Tours, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Association for Cultural Exchange, is a key component of the charity’s overall activities. Since its foundation by Philip Barnes in 1958 the charity has fulfilled its objective to foster cultural understanding through education in a variety of ways. As the pioneer of expert-led, special interest tours, Philip believed that cultural understanding is the foundation on which everything else is built.

More than 65 years later that belief remains just as relevant. It runs as a seamless thread through our Tours programme as well as through the activities the charity undertakes at Stapleford Granary.

The commitment to lifelong learning is demonstrated by the strength and depth of the Tours programme, the expertise of our Tour Directors and the ability of our team to create content for tours which deliver a sense of discovery to our culturally curious travellers.

At Stapleford Granary, where the charity is based, we also aim to create a sense of discovery. Our inspirational programme of cultural activities encourages our visitors to marvel and learn.

Our concerts feature performers from all over the world across a range of musical genres. Audiences are introduced to the music of lesser-known composers, unusual repertoires and experience the virtuosity of both world-class and up-and-coming musicians. Our free art exhibitions display art and crafts of all kinds including paintings, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics and wood carving. Free talks given by the artists exhibiting always prove very popular. We regularly hear our visitors discussing the art while enjoying a coffee in our café. Their debate adds to the vibrant atmosphere of the Granary.

We have continued to develop our education programme, ‘Small Grains’. This is intended to inspire school children to foster a lifelong curiosity for culture. Teachers report that there is less absenteeism on ‘Granary days’ and that children who may struggle to engage in the classroom become actively engaged with the creative arts and music activities provided.

Since the charity was established, we have been able to make more than 150 grants and donations to support the communities and organisations worldwide with whom we work. We have also awarded many bursaries and scholarships to individuals whose own work is significantly contributing to cultural understanding.

The Association for Cultural Exchange receives no state grant or subsidy. Our funding primarily comes from the financial surpluses generated by ACE Cultural Tours. These surpluses are giftaided to the charity and used to fund our wider charitable activities.

None of the above would be possible without the unique link that exists between ACE Cultural Tours and The Association for Cultural Exchange or without the loyalty of our many culturally curious supporters.

MARK SANDERS Chair, Trustee Board

April 2024

To find out more about The Association for Cultural Exchange, please visit our website: www.acecx.org

The Association for Cultural Exchange is

Nature tours

Whether exploring Thingvellir, the site of the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and meeting point of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, or traversing Monfragüe National Park, home to hundreds of vultures that circle overhead, ACE groups have myriad opportunities to become immersed in the wonders of the natural world.

ACE nature tours are carefully planned to coincide with the best times of year to experience the natural environment. 2025 will see seasonal editions of some of our bestloved tours, allowing participants to choose the time of year and the resultant wildlife that interests them the most. For example, we look forward to returning to Norfolk both in winter, when huge numbers of migratory birds flock to the beautiful expansive beaches, and in summer, as the region comes alive with insect and plant life, such as butterflies and dragonflies. A further highlight of the year will be a long-awaited return to Iceland, where the tearing of the earth’s crust has created a rich volcanic landscape home to beautiful waterfalls and dramatic topography.

This year we have focused on growing two key collections to help participants choose the right tour for them: a Wildlife & Walking Collection and a Wild & Ancient Collection. With a focus on birds, insects and other fauna, Wildlife & Walking tours typically feature longer walks, delving into the landscape and seeking out the wildlife that calls it home, whether migratory birds on the Isles of Scilly or colourful hoopoes in Extremadura. Wild & Ancient tours, meanwhile, contain a stronger historical dimension, exploring the human impact on natural regions throughout history, including ancient settlements such as Knossos in Crete, and modern-day conservation efforts.

“I think I take particular interest in working with people who have had little experience of watching nature before, because they often have the most to gain. Those of us who are fairly used to these things might be looking for the rarer birds or the more unusual plants, but if it’s all new to you, it’s just a wonderful panorama where everything gets to be exciting!”

– Tour Director Kevin Hand

Active and relaxed tours

In 2025 we are also offering both active and relaxed editions of popular departures to Crete and Extremadura with Kevin Hand. These tours follow similar routes but have been tailored to suit either those who would prefer more walking or a more leisurely approach. For more information on active and relaxed editions, and the fitness requirements for all tours, please see the individual tour descriptions and consult our Booking Conditions (p78-79).

“with botany, you have to search for things but they tend to stay put once you’ve found them. You can be a bit more active with insects and birds and I would encourage people on a tour to give it a go!... If you get in amongst the vegetation it can be a lot of fun and you might find out something about yourself as well!”

– Tour Director Mark Welch

Wildlife & Walking in Norfolk: Winter Tour

January 27–31, 2025

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

Explore Wild Ken Hill, recent host location for the BBC’s winterwatch, learning about regenerative farming and rewilding practices

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, including rapidly wheeling migratory flocks.

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. Meanwhile, stately Holkham Park offers us possible sightings of flocks of pink-footed geese, marsh harriers and barn owls.

The RSPB reserve at Titchwell enables remarkably close views of geese, waders and gulls; and at the Ouse Washes at Welney, we will take part in a floodlit

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.

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. Close to Snettisham is Wild Ken Hill, a 4000acre site stretching inland from the sea through coastal scrub, freshwater marshes, heathland and wood pasture to naturerich farmland. Here, regenerative farming, rewilding and traditional conservation practices have been employed to help return the land to nature whilst farming sustainably, and we will learn about this on a special guided walk.

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.

This tour is based in Old Hunstanton at the characterful four-star Le Strange Arms Hotel, positioned a stone’s throw from the sea.

“ l ovely hotel, great Tour Director, beautiful scenery”

– ACE customer on a previous winter wildlife tour in Norfolk led by Kevin Hand

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a very good level of fitness, mobility and stamina. 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 without opportunities to sit down. In particular, our visit to Wild Ken Hill will involve walking for 2.5 hours. At most of the sites it is necessary to cross rough and uneven terrain, including sand, pebbles, rough grass and woodland tracks, as well as up some modest inclines. In the event of wet or cold weather, it can be slippery and icy underfoot, and there can be wind chill.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to adjustment or confirmation nearer the time. The itinerary may be altered to allow for changes in weather, tides and bird movements. We cannot guarantee the presence of all the wildlife mentioned.

D ay 1 Assemble 1545 at King’s Lynn Station for transfer to Hunstanton for four nights at Le Strange Arms Hotel. 1800 welcome and introductory talk.

D ay 2 Morning at Titchwell Marsh: geese, waders, gulls and rarer birds. Afternoon: Holkham for pink-footed geese, snow buntings and shore larks.

D ay 3 Morning: Snettisham (godwits, knots and oystercatchers) followed by Lynn Museum (Seahenge excavation). Afternoon: Welney Wetland Centre, Ouse Washes for dusk observation of whooper swans.

D ay 4 Morning beach walk towards Gore Point for waders, seabirds and fulmar pairs. Afternoon: Cley Marshes (one of the most famous bird walks in Britain).

D ay 5 Morning guided walk at Wild Ken Hill where tour disperses for those driving. Coach continues to King’s Lynn Station for drop-off at approx 1300 for those travelling by train.

Cost of £1295 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement £40.

TOUR CODE: WILN25

Black-tailed Godwits at Snettisham

Wildlife & Walking in Norfolk: Summer Tour

July 7–11, 2025

Silver-studded Blue Butterfly “Excellent short tour. Programme varied and stimulating”

– ACE customer on a previous summer wildlife tour in Norfolk led by Mark Welch

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a very good level of fitness, mobility and stamina. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions, and be prepared for walks over rugged terrain, including through bracken and heather and on shingle beaches. Most walks will last for at least one hour, with some lasting up to two hours, and there are not always opportunities to sit down. Please note this tour includes an optional excursion at sunset to look for nightjars, and the fading light can make walking more challenging. This tour also includes a boat trip.

Explore Norfolk’s important and increasingly rare heathland, its distinctive wildlife and fascinating geology

Enjoy a boat trip to Blakeney Point before investigating the impact of the last Ice Age on the local landscape

Take a guided walk through Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve, part of the Sandringham Estate

In a landscape where vast beaches stretch for miles, where wind-tousled reeds bob their heads beneath huge summer sunsets and flint-walled churches cleave to the coastline, we will step out to experience some of the UK’s most captivating wildlife.

Tour Director Mark Welch will adopt a holistic perspective, with commentary ranging from the distinctive formation

Tour Director Mark Welch , BSc, PhD, is a former Regional Representative for Cambridgeshire for the British Trust for Ornithology and research scientist in the Department of Earth Sciences at London’s Natural History Museum.

of the landscape to the insects that call it home.

Kelling Heath, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is an important glacial outwash plain formed by retreating glaciers of the last Ice Age. The area provides habitats for a variety of heathland birds, as well as stonechat, adder, brown hare and the rare silver-studded blue butterfly. An evening excursion will offer an opportunity to see nightjar, woodlark and, possibly, tree pipit.

Blakeney will welcome us for a day both on land and sea, taking in the colonies of common seal and their pups, as well as terns and early returning migrants. At St Margaret’s Church in Cley we will view the village’s lasting impression of a rare North American visitor, a white-crowned sparrow, immortalised in a stainedglass window after it was discovered in the vicar’s garden. The Blakeney esker, a remnant of the last Ice Age, offers a fascinating insight into the area’s geological history.

New for 2025, we will enjoy an excursion to the Overstrand-SidestrandTrimingham coastline to learn about the glacio-tectonic effects of the Anglian Glaciation, studying the huge rafts of Cretaceous chalk in the cliffs emplaced by glaciers 450,000 years ago.

We will stay throughout at the four-star Pheasant Hotel, a relaxing country house hotel close to Blakeney.

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 are dependent on local weather conditions and tides. We cannot guarantee the presence of all the wildlife mentioned.

D ay 1 Tour assembles 1345 at King’s Lynn Station for transfer to The Pheasant Hotel for four nights, with visit en route to Titchwell RSPB Reserve. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning: Kelling Heath. Afternoon: Cley Marshes reserve. Short evening talk followed by optional evening excursion to Kelling Heath looking out for nightjars and woodlark.

D ay 3 Whole day excursion to Blakeney for boat trip from Morston Quay followed by Church of St Margaret, Cley and Blakeney esker. Evening talk.

D ay 4 Excursion to Overstrand-SidestrandTrimingham coastline for fascinating walk exploring glacio-tectonic effects of the Anglian Glaciation, geology and contemporary fauna and flora of the shoreline.

D ay 5 Morning: Sandringham Estate for Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve. Tour disperses approx 1515 at King’s Lynn Station.

Cost of £1995 includes: accommodation based on sharing a superior twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four lunches (three packed), four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £370.

TOUR CODE: NORF25

Wild & Ancient Somerset: Winter Tour

February 5–8, 2025

Join the RSPB’s Peter Exley to 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 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: they were 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 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

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 UK and Europe.

have been created from former peat workings, giving refuge to bitterns, barn owls and marsh harriers.

Greylake is a wetland reserve teeming with wildlife, while West Sedgemoor is home to up to 100,000 ducks and waders during the winter.

Our base will be the four-star Swan Hotel in Wells, a 14th century coaching inn with comfortable, classically decorated rooms in the heart of the city.

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, with some stops and occasional seats (although these cannot be guaranteed). The longest single walk is around 1.5 miles, over a maximum of three hours, through Shapwick

Cost of £1195 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 £125. TOUR CODE: SOL125

Swans flying on the Somerset Levels

“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 tour led by Peter Exley

Heath. 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. There is no lift at the hotel, and rooms are accessed by one or more staircases. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness requirements in the 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. Itinerary alterations during the tour are likely due to changeable local weather conditions, and we cannot guarantee the presence of all wildlife mentioned.

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

D ay 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.

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

D ay 4 Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve: pools, reed beds, wet woodlands for winter wildlife (bitterns, harriers, waterfowl). Tour disperses 1230 at hotel.

Wild & Ancient Somerset: Summer Tour

June 19–22, 2025

Join the RSPB’s Peter Exley on this summer departure of one of our most popular wildlife tours, looking out for breeding herons, raptors, invertebrates and plantlife

Visit key historical sites including Muchelney Abbey, founded by King Athelstan in 939

View the orchid meadows at RSPB West Sedgemoor, and journey through woodland glades in search of the rare Large Blue Butterfly on the Collard Hill trail

On this newly updated summer departure of our popular nature tour, we will explore some of the oldest and most captivating nature reserves in the country, discovering an array of wildlife, from breeding herons to raptors and insects, as well as the rich plantlife this season has to offer.

Over 3000 hectares of wetland habitats have been created from the former industrial landscape of the Avalon Marshes, today home to some of our rarest wildlife. As we explore the reedbeds and marshes hoping to spot bitterns and marsh harriers, we shall listen to the songs of thousands of warblers and frogs, and look out for aerial masters from dragonflies to hobbies.

Greylake, once a series of carrot fields, is now home to breeding snipe, curlew, and lapwing. At the National Trust trail at Collard Hill, we will wander through

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 UK and Europe.

woodland glades before rising to climb the grassy hill in search of the rare and stunning Large Blue Butterfly – along with other butterflies and wildflowers – now flourishing at the site after disappearing in the late 1970s.

Our tour will also investigate key historical sites. New for this departure we will stop at the atmospheric Muchelney Abbey, founded by King Athelstan in 939, and the adjacent 15th century church with its rare Jacobean colour painted roof.

Our base will be the charming four-star Swan Hotel in Wells, a comfortable 14th century coaching inn located 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, slippery (when wet), grassy and muddy in places. These vary from half a mile to just under two miles, with some stops and occasional seats along the way (although these cannot be guaranteed). The longest single walk is around 1.5 miles, over a maximum of three hours, through Shapwick Heath. 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 Large Blue Butterfly trail also includes steep to moderate grassy and chalky slopes, which are hard and bumpy when dry, and slippery when wet. Some hides have steep steps. There is no lift at the hotel, and rooms are accessed by one or more staircases. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness requirements in the Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

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

D ay 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.

D ay 3 Morning: Muchelney Abbey and church, RSPB West Sedgemoor and Willows & Wetlands Visitor Centre. Afternoon: Isle of Athelney, RSPB Greylake Reserve and Collard Hill Large Blue Butterfly Trail.

D ay 4 Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve: pools, reed beds, wet woodlands for summer wildlife (white egrets, warblers and bitterns – visit subject to final confirmation). Tour disperses 1230 at hotel.

Cost of £1375 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, three breakfasts, one lunch, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £125. TOUR CODE: SOL225

Glastonbury Tor from the Avalon Marshes

Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura

March 19–26, 2025 (Active Edition) | May 21–28, 2025 (Relaxed Edition)

Explore the rolling plains of Extremadura in one of the most untouched areas of Spain

Stay in historical Cáceres with its wealth of wheeling swifts and fascinating heritage

Explore the Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, the finest raptorwatching site in Europe

With its wild mountain ranges and limitless rolling plains, Extremadura boasts an enticing variety of landscapes. In 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.

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

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 UNESCO-

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 was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society, and continues to act as Vice President. Kevin has a special interest in birds and ecotourism, and has carried out extensive fieldwork in the UK and abroad, making him an ideal director for this Spanish tour.

“An interesting introduction to a part of Spain that is less well known – rich in history and with impressive architecture”

“ kevin is an excellent director [with] lots of knowledge”

– ACE customers on a previous natural history tour to Extremadura led by Kevin Hand

protected 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 are pleased to be offering two variations of this tour. The more active March departure will include a stay in the outstanding Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, allowing us to explore this region in depth on a series of visits and longer wildlife walks, including Los Barruecos with its nesting white storks.

On our more relaxed tour in May, we will journey towards the beautiful Sierra de Gredos just beyond the borders of Extremadura, to stay at the Parador de Gredos. Famed as Spain’s first established Parador, the hotel boasts stunning views over the mountains and will be our base for relaxed explorations of the local pine forests, alpine environments (home to rock thrush, rare butterflies, alpine flowers and Iberian ibex) and historical towns.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: We are now offering active (March) and relaxed (May) editions of this popular tour. Relaxed editions follow much the same itineraries as the active editions, but walks are typically shorter, with more time to rest and appreciate our surroundings; while active editions offer more opportunities for longer walks and in some cases slightly more challenging terrain, taking in more extensive areas. Sometimes there will be minor itinerary differences between the relaxed and active editions, and the Tour Director may also be able to offer different walking options depending on your abilities and preferences. We advise you to consult the advertised itinerary carefully and contact the ACE office if you would like any further details. Please note that participants for both tours should still meet ACE’s general fitness requirements (outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions).

On this tour in particular, 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. Please note that we will be staying in different hotels for the final few days of these tours, with the Parador de Gredos (May tour) chosen specially for its cooler environment (see Accommodation box).

A field of cork oaks

Griffon Vulture at Monfragüe National Park

Bee-eaters

ITINERARY

Please note that these itineraries represent guides 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.

ITINERARY – ACTI v E E DITION (M ARCH )

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0820 on Iberia, arriving Madrid 1150. 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 (great bustards, Montagu’s harriers, calandra larks)

Our Accommodation

Both groups will spend their first few nights in Cáceres at the four-star Hotel NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo, a converted 16th century palace just moments away from the ancient walls of this charming and historical town. The March group will then move on to the four-star Hospederia Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, located within the heart of the national park; while offering a slightly more basic standard of accommodation, the hotel is perfectly positioned to explore the region’s rich wildlife. The May group, meanwhile, will journey to the beautiful Sierra de Gredos to stay at the very first Parador to be established in Spain (in 1928), a wonderfully characterful building with a fascinating history of its own, its viewing terraces allowing guests to appreciate the surrounding pine forests, mountainous views and award-winning night skies.

with visit to roller nesting area. Afternoon in Cáceres (World Heritage site with huge colonies of swifts, storks and lesser kestrels): historical walking tour.

Day 3 Walks along the Via de la Plata (the Silver Way), an ancient pilgrimage path linking southern Spain to Santiago de Compostela (bee-eaters, hoopoes, orioles, booted eagles and red-rumped swallows). Free evening.

Day 4 Depart for Los Barruecos (huge granite boulders, nesting white storks) and Museo Vostell Malpartida (modern art museum housed in an 18th century water mill). Continue to hotel Hospederia Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, located within the Monfragüe National Park, for four nights.

Day 5 Whole day in Parque Nacional de Monfragüe (birds of prey such as golden and Spanish imperial eagles, owls, black storks and griffon, Egyptian and black vultures). Walk through rare Mediterranean woodland to Monfragüe Castle and Peña Falcón Rock (vulture and raptor nesting areas).

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 1755 flight, arriving Heathrow 1925.

ITINERARY – R ELAXED E DITION (M AY )

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0820 on Iberia, arriving Madrid 1150. 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 (great bustards, Montagu’s harriers, calandra larks) with visit to roller nesting area. Afternoon in Cáceres (World Heritage site with huge colonies of swifts, storks and lesser kestrels): historical walking tour.

Day 3 Whole day in Parque Nacional de Monfragüe (birds of prey such as golden and Spanish imperial eagles, owls, black storks and griffon, Egyptian and black vultures). Walk through rare Mediterranean woodland to Monfragüe Castle and Peña Falcón Rock (vulture and raptor nesting areas).

Day 4 Morning: walks in the llanos de Belen and around Trujillo. Afternoon: guided walking tour in Trujillo.

Day 5 Transfer to the Parador de Gredos (stunning mountain views across the ‘Sierra de Gredos’) for three nights, stopping in the Monfragüe National Park and the historical town of Béjar (Iberian Bluethroat) en route.

Day 6 Day spent exploring the hotel’s beautiful natural pine forest surroundings (citril finch, Pyrennean oak and broom) and the Plataforma de Gredos (possible sightings of rock thrush, alpine accentor, northern wheatear, rare butterflies, alpine flowers and Iberian ibex).

Day 7 Visit to the town of Arenas de San Pedro (historical monuments including castle and 16th century church) and wildlife walk.

Day 8 Free time in the morning to relax and explore. Transfer to Madrid for 1755 flight, arriving Heathrow 1925.

Cost of March (active) tour: £2595

Cost of May (relaxed) tour: £2995

Cost 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 (March departure) / £395 (May departure). TOUR CODE: EXT125 / EXT225

Wild & Ancient Crete

April 15–22, 2025 (Relaxed Edition) | September 16–23, 2025 (Active Edition)

Absorb captivating views across the Cretan landscape from the beautiful Lassithi Plateau, where raptors glide in the valley below

Explore fascinating archaeological remains at Gournia and Malia

Look out for waders, migrant pipits and larks in the coastal town of Elounda

Its mountains and gorges alive with wildlife, Crete is one of the most exceptional botanical areas in the Mediterranean, boasting a superb flora containing at least 160 endemic species, including ebony, rock lettuce and birthwort. In spring myriad orchids grace archaeological sites, and fields sparkle with wild gladioli and irises; while in September, the landscape comes alive with cyclamen, autumn crocuses and sea daffodils.

Crete is also well known for its fauna, from the kri-kri – the wild ancestor of the domestic goat – to the rare bearded vulture that haunts the island’s mountain passes. At the head of the Samaria Gorge, where centuries-old cypresses stand sentinel, we will look out for mountain plants (such as aubretia and yellow Starof-Bethlehem) and soaring birds of prey.

New for 2025, we will be offering two variations of this popular tour, the

spring edition adopting a slightly more relaxed approach and the autumn edition offering a more active experience for those who prefer longer walks. Both tours will take in the archaeological remains at Gournia and Malia, with our April tour offering a free afternoon to relax at the hotel, and our September group lingering near Malia to enjoy additional walks.

In April, the majestic Selinari Gorge offers opportunities to visit an old chapel and newly founded monastery; while in September we will embark on an afternoon walk around the edge of the Plateau of Omalos, past orchards,

looking up at the mountains that we will explore the following day and spotting birds that may be resting here during their migration south.

Our first five nights are spent at the Miramare Resort & Spa, a small hotel close to the sea near Agios Nikolaos. In Omalos we stay at the Neos Omalos, a mountain resort hotel, for two nights. This hotel offers a simpler, more basic standard of accommodation, however the surroundings and welcome make for a special atmosphere.

Tour Director Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM, is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. Kevin led a Darwin Initiative project on the taiga forests in Siberia, a project on sustainable forest use in the Ecuadorian Amazon with the Yachana Foundation, and ran National Tree Week in the UK for 13 years. In 2017 he was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society and continues to act as Vice President. He currently also chairs the Newmarket Chalk Streams Trust.

The granaries or ‘kouroules’ in the Palace of Malia, Crete

Samaria Gorge

GREECE

Orthodox Easter

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

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: We are now offering relaxed (April) and active (September) editions of this popular tour. Relaxed editions follow much the same itineraries as the active editions, but walks are typically shorter, with more time to rest and take in our surroundings; while active editions offer more opportunities for longer walks and in some cases slightly more challenging terrain, taking in more extensive areas. Sometimes there will be minor itinerary differences between the relaxed and active editions, and the Tour Director may also be able to offer different walking options depending on your abilities and preferences. Please note that participants for both tours should still meet ACE’s general fitness requirements (outlined in our bookings conditions). On this tour in particular, a number of visits will involve negotiating rugged, uneven or uphill terrain, and both tours also involve a boat trip.

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. Changing local conditions may also affect our itinerary nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the presence of all wildlife mentioned.

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 0710 on Easyjet, arriving Heraklion 1310. 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 and orchids in April, autumn crocuses in September; birds of prey).

Day 3 Minoan Palace of Malia (marsh shore with short turf covered in Cretan camomile and catch fly in April; beautiful white sea daffodils in September). Afternoon: free afternoon (April tour only) or further walks in the vicinity of Malia (September tour only).

Day 4 Lassithi Plateau (large, fertile mountain plateau with panoramic views) for orchids (April) or cyclamen (September), upland plants and fruit groves. Optional visit to Dikteon 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).

Wild & Ancient

This tour is part of ACE’s ‘Wild & Ancient’ series, unique products designed to showcase the many interwoven aspects of the landscapes we visit. These tours usually focus on natural history, interpreting the landscapes, their ecology and their conservation. As part of this wider exploration, they also shed light on an array of fascinating historical sites. Please read the advertised itinerary carefully and if you would like further information, contact the ACE office.

“It was all wonderful”

– ACE customer on a 2023 tour to Crete with Kevin Hand

Day 6 Transfer for two nights at Neos Omalos Hotel in mountains of western Crete, via Selinari Gorge (chapel, monastery and vulture colony – April tour only). Afternoon walk around the edge of the Plateau of Omalos (orchards, sinkholes, sightings of birds that may be resting here during their migration south after breeding in mainland Europe – September tour only).

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

Day 8 Depart Chania 1435, arriving Gatwick 1635.

Cost of £2895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, 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 £210, double room for single use (throughout) supplement £230.

TOUR CODE: CRE125 / CRE225

Sea daffodil

Iceland: Forces of Nature

July 8–18, 2025

Uncover Iceland’s awe-inspiring landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage on this rich and expansive tour

Make an excursion by boat to the Westman Islands and visit the otherworldly Jökulsárlón lagoon

Explore the famous ‘Golden Circle’ including Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir Geothermal Area and Thingvellir

Rising out of the North Atlantic, just south of the Arctic Circle, Iceland is a volcanic island alive with hot springs, geysers, boiling mud-pots and stupendous waterfalls. Renowned for the variety of its stunning landscapes borne of 30 million years of active volcanism and 3 million years of glaciations, Iceland in summer also offers opportunities to see a great variety of birds and plants. Our once-in-a-lifetime tour explores far and wide, uncovering the country’s austere beauty, its singular geology and incredible wildlife.

A profusion of flowering plants are at their best in the summer months,

growing on lava fields and glacial moraine of different ages: thyme, mountain avens, nootka lupine and angelica.

Visits will include the Krossanesborgir reserve and Myvatn, an area of active volcanism which is home to a rich variety of landscapes and wetland birdlife. We hope to glimpse species such as puffins, whales, fulmars and guillemots on a dedicated boat trip.

Further sites include the spectacular Vatnajökull National Park; the falls of Dettifoss (with the greatest volume of any waterfall in Europe); the lunar landscapes of the Krafla volcanic eruptions; and the otherworldly Jökulsárlón lagoon, where luminous blue icebergs drift across the lake.

Uniquely, our tour will feature a whole day excursion by boat to the Westman Islands, exploring the fascinating Eldheimar Museum, while an excursion to the mountain ridge landscape of Thórsmörk will be another unforgettable highlight.

Iceland has a relatively young history of settlement, dating from the 9th century AD. In that time Icelanders have experienced extreme environments,

including volcanic eruptions and the cold periods of the Little Ice Age.

We will explore the famous ‘Golden Circle’: Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir Geothermal Area and Thingvellir, where Iceland’s early settlers established their open-air assembly. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is one of the few places in the world where the separation of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates can be observed.

Summer flowers at Skógafoss waterfall

Jökulsárlón Glacial Lake

ICELAND

We will stay in a series of comfortable hotels. Some of these will be of a simpler standard, with more basic facilities, but all are welcoming and well situated for our daytime visits.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Participants should have a very good level of fitness, stamina and mobility, and be comfortable navigating uneven, rocky and sometimes slippery terrain. Some walks will include steeper sections, although these are relatively short distances, and participants may benefit from using poles, for example when crossing streams. For ACE’s general fitness requirements, please consult our Booking Terms & Conditions. Hotels have been chosen primarily for their location, allowing us to include the spectacular visits outlined in the itinerary. The majority of dinners will take place in the hotels, while lunches will usually be packed and will take place at the most convenient moment during the day’s visits.

Tour Director Harriet Allen writes:

“Iceland is the land of fire and ice, resulting in dramatic landscapes. In July we will have 24 hours of daylight. It’s a wonderful time for wild flowers and encounters with birds... Two of the highlights of this tour are the trip to Thorsmork in the Highlands, and the trip to the Vestmannaeyar (the Westman Islands).

This tour will be led by Harriet Allen , MA, MSc, PhD, a geographer and Fellow and Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge. Harriet has been leading field excursions for over 30 years, and has extensive experience of flora and birds in Iceland, Norway, Canada, Portugal and the northern islands of Scotland.

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 are dependent on local weather conditions. We cannot guarantee the presence of all the wildlife mentioned.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1305 on Icelandair, arriving Akureyri 1900. Two nights at Kjarnalundur Hotel, Akureyri.

D ay 2 Visits to turf-gabled farmhouse at Laufás and Krossanesborgir reserve. Time to explore Akureryi.

D ay 3 Húsavík for boat trip, Godafoss Waterfall and Myvatn. Two nights at Sel-Hotel, Myvatn.

D ay 4 Lake Myvatn: lunar landscapes of Krafla volcanic eruptions. Dimmuborgir lava field. Please note, if the weather is inclement, the group may visit the Sigurgeir’s Bird Museum instead.

D ay 5 Myvatn Nature Baths (optional swim or walk in the area – subject to confirmation), Dettifoss and Krafla Geothermal Power Station. Overnight at Hotel Eyvindará, Egilsstaðir.

D ay 6 Eastfjords fishing village of Djúpivogur and Búlandsnes bird reserve. Overnight at Hotel Smyrlabjörg, close to Höfn.

D ay 7 Vatnajökull National Park, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Vík, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss (time permitting). Three nights in Selfoss at Hotel Selfoss.

D ay 8 Golden Circle: Geysir Geothermal Area, Strokkur, Gullfoss, Thingvellir and crest of MidAtlantic Ridge.

D ay 9 Whole day excursion by 4x4s to mountain ridge landscape of Thórsmörk.

D ay 10 Whole day excursion to Westman Islands (boat tour and visit to Eldheimar Museum). Continue to Reykjavík for overnight at FH Reykjavík.

D ay 11 Some free time. Depart Reykjavík 1610, arriving Heathrow 2020.

Cost of £7995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, full board (some packed lunches) with water and coffee with dinner, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not Included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £1495. TOUR CODE: ICEL25

Krafla Caldera

Secret Treasures of Egypt with a Nile Cruise

January 6–19, 2025

Experience a wealth of iconic archaeological sites rarely featured on most Egypt tours

Visit the stunningly restored Tomb of Nefertari, one of the greatest artistic achievements of the ancient world

Appreciate Egypt’s multi-faceted culture on a journey from the Mediterranean to Nubia

The ancient wonders of Egypt are too numerous to be encompassed in a single tour, and some genuinely extraordinary treasures are omitted from the first-time visitor’s itinerary simply through lack of time. Return to Egypt and you can discover a whole new range of less visited but scarcely less iconic sites.

Optional Abu Simbel excursion

At an additional supplement, we hope to include an optional excursion by air to Abu Simbel on day 13, giving participants the opportunity to visit the Great Temple of Ramses II on the shores of Lake Nasser. Please note that this excursion must be prebooked and cannot be guaranteed as it is dependent upon flight availability nearer to departure. Please speak to a member of our Sales team for more information.

This tour is very much designed for the second-time visitor or those wishing to travel off the beaten track and away from the majority of the tourist crowds. You may have already experienced the Pyramids of Giza, the great Temple of Karnak and the Valley of Kings, but not yet the breathtakingly colourful Tomb of Nefertari, the majestic Temple of Abydos or the poignant cemeteries of El Alamein.

Even as familiar a route as an Upper Egypt Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan – a must-see for any traveller to Egypt –has some surprises for the second-time visitor, such as the Gebel el-Silsila, once the centre of worship of the ancient cult of the Nile.

We will also visit the ultramodern Grand Egyptian Museum (due to open in 2024) and the now spectacularly vibrant Temple of Khnum at Esna, almost unrecognisable after five years of highlyskilled restoration and recolouring.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness as, although our itinerary is not strenuous, we have a full programme of visits. Participants must be prepared for walking over rough ground and in dimly lit temples, using small river boats, and walking over steps, stairs, narrow gangplanks and boat roofs. Crew members are usually available to assist but participants must have a good level of mobility. We recommend consulting ACE’s usual fitness requirements as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Temple of Seti I in Abydos

Sabil of Ibn Tulan Mosque

the Temple of khnum at Esna

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some visits and excursions – including to Abu Simbel – may be subject to confirmation, opening times and/or the weather. While the Grand Egyptian Museum is currently set to open in 2024, please note this cannot be guaranteed. Our itinerary may also be subject to change or reordering depending on final sailing schedules.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1400 on Egyptair, arriving Cairo 2045. Three nights in Cairo at Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel.

D ay 2 Islamic and Ottoman Cairo (Citadel, Mohammed Ali Mosque, Ibn Tulun Mosque, Sultan Hassan Mosque and Gayer Anderson

Accommodation

Nile Lily is a faithful replica –complete with period furniture – of a 19th century dahabiya, a twomasted sailing yacht that once was a common sight on the Nile in the days of the monarchy, when travellers meandered from temple to temple. Guests will enjoy modern comforts and conveniences, including air conditioning, en-suite cabins and international and Egyptian cuisine, as well as the highest levels of service. A maximum of 18 guests will be accommodated in ten cabins.

We will also stay at the five-star Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Cairo, the five-star Sonesta St George Hotel in Luxor and the historic four-star Steigenberger Cecil Hotel in Alexandria.

This tour will be led by Gillian Hovell , BA (Hons), a specialist in archaeology and the ancient world who lectures at York University and for the Arts Society, British Museum and Ashmolean Museum. Gillian runs online courses as ‘The Muddy Archaeologist’, and her expertise spans Neolithic to Roman Britain and the Greek and Roman Mediterranean. Gillian will be joined by an expert local Egyptologist.

Museum). Afternoon: Coptic Cairo (Hanging Church, Holy Family Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue).

D ay 3 Giza: brief reintroduction to Pyramids and Great Sphinx; new Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramid Workers’ Cemetery and Pyramids of Dahshur. Lunch at Mena House Hotel.

D ay 4 Transfer to El Alamein: Taposiris Magna, El Alamein Museum and German, Italian and Commonwealth cemeteries. Two nights at Steigenberger Cecil Hotel, Alexandria.

D ay 5 Alexandria: Mameluke Fortress, Kom el-Dikka archaeological site, catacombs and new library.

D ay 6 Transfer to Cairo airport for flight to Luxor. Overnight at Sonesta St George Hotel.

D ay 7 Travel north to Temple of Seti I at Abydos and Temple of Hathor at Dendera. Embark Nile Lily at Dendera for six nights and sail to Luxor.

D ay 8 Continue cruising to Luxor with afternoon visits to the Valley of the Nobles, Howard Carter’s House and evening Sound & Light show at Karnak.

D ay 9 Morning: Valley of the Queens (Tomb of Nefertari). Afternoon: sail to Esna.

D ay 10 Visit to Temple of Khnum at Esna, then sail to Gebel el-Silsila.

D ay 11 Morning: Gebel el-Silsila. Afternoon: sail to Aswan.

D ay 12 Aswan: Nubian Museum, Botanical Gardens and Gharb Soheil Nubian Village.

D ay 13 Optional excursion by air to Abu Simbel for Great Temple of Ramses II on shores of Lake Nasser (at an additional supplement), or free time on board. Disembark Nile Lily and continue to Aswan airport for flight to Cairo. Overnight at Cairo airport hotel.

D ay 14 Depart Cairo 0925, arriving Heathrow 1235.

Cost of £7595 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded cabin/room, thirteen breakfasts, twelve lunches with water & coffee, thirteen dinners with water & coffee (wine included on board Nile Lily), excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: visa, travel insurance, optional excursion by air to Abu Simbel on day 13 £425, single supplement available on request. TOUR CODE: STOE25

Hieroglyphics at

A Journey through Vietnam: History, Art & Culture

January 19 – February 3, 2025

Travel the length of Vietnam’s east coast, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, becoming immersed in cultural riches and beautiful landscapes

Visit the former imperial capital of Hué with its exquisite imperial tombs, and discover the Cham sanctuary complex at My Son

Enjoy an overnight cruise on a traditional-style wooden boat along Halong Bay, and experience the country during Tet New Year

Our explorations begin in Hanoi, a city of tree-lined boulevards and centuriesold temples. The Temple of Literature was built in 1076 and was the home of Vietnam’s first university, whilst the Tay Phuong Pagoda contains a collection of 17th century Buddhist statues. We will also travel to Hoa Lu to visit the 10th century temples of the Dinh and Le dynasties, and Phat Diem with its 12th century Keo Pagoda.

A cruise across the UNESCO-recognised Halong Bay will be a highlight of our tour: a wooden boat built to model a traditional Vietnamese junk will convey us along this awe-inspiring seascape of craggy island mountains topped with thick jungle.

The Nguyen Kings, Vietnam’s last dynasty, established Hué as the capital of a unified Vietnam in 1802. For the next 150 years, successive monarchs adorned their adopted city with elaborate citadels, palaces, mausoleums, temples and pagodas, including the imperial complex known as the Forbidden Purple City.

Hoi An, situated on the South China Sea, was the focus of Vietnam’s commercial activity from the 15th century onwards; today, its wellpreserved wooden buildings reflect the region’s former trading links with China and Japan.

UNESCO-listed My Son, set in a verdant valley, lies at the heart of Southeast Asia’s

most mysterious civilisation, the Hinduinspired Chams, who flourished between the 4th and 15th centuries.

Our travels conclude in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, where the Jade Emperor Pagoda was constructed by the Cantonese community at the turn of the 20th century.

We will stay at a series of comfortable hotels of four and five-star quality, well located for our visits, and enjoy an overnight stay on the Bhaya Classic III, a traditional-style wooden boat. Please see the Fitness and Practicalities box for more information.

The Purple Forbidden City, Huê

Sanctuary of My Son

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This is one of ACE’s more adventurous tours, with a full itinerary to make the most of our time in Vietnam and take in a breadth of sites, so a good level of fitness, stamina and mobility is required. As we journey through Vietnam, our itinerary involves two internal flights and a significant amount of travel by coach. In particular, day 13 involves a journey of approx 4 hours (with stops en route for refreshments and to stretch one’s legs) to Phan Thiet in the morning, followed by a visit and lunch, then a further 2.5 hours’ travel by coach to Ho Chi Minh City. There are nine separate hotel stays, one of which is an overnight stay on the Bhaya Classic III, a wooden boat built to model a traditional Vietnamese junk, and there will also be a boat trip on the Huong (Perfume River) on a dragon boat. We have some early starts in order to coincide with the quietest times for visiting sites. Participants should be comfortable with extended periods of walking and standing, as well as traversing uneven or rough ground and steps without handrails. There will be opportunities during the tour to sample authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

ITINERARY

The itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Certain visits may be exterior only, or time permitting on the day, depending on local conditions.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1100 on Vietnam Airlines.

D ay 2 Arrive Hanoi 0545. Transfer to Silk Path Hotel, Hanoi, for two nights. Some time to rest. Afternoon walking tour in Old Hanoi: St Joseph’s Cathedral and Ngoc Son Temple.

D ay 3 Morning in Hanoi: Temple of Literature, National Museum of Fine Arts, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior), Ho Chi Minh’s House, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan

This tour will be led by art history expert and experienced tour leader Alex Koller, PhD. Alex studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge and is an accomplished linguist, with a particularly keen interest in Buddhist art and architecture.

Thanh Temple. Afternoon: Thay Pagoda and Tay Phuong Pagoda.

D ay 4 Whole day excursion visiting temples of Dinh and Le dynasties and Hoa Lu, Tam Coc Caves and Bich Dong Pagoda. Continue to Ninh Binh for overnight stay at Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel.

D ay 5 Visits to Phat Diem Cathedral and Keo Pagoda. Continue to Haiphong for overnight stay at Haiphong Harbour View Hotel. Short tour of Haiphong, including Den Nghe Temple.

D ay 6 Early departure to Halong for overnight cruise on Bhaya Classic III for exploration of Halong Bay, limestone mountain islands and cave. Late afternoon opportunity for swimming followed by traditional Vietnamese dinner on board at sunset.

D ay 7 Early disembarkation for But Thap Pagoda and Dau Pagoda. Continue to Hanoi for flight to Hué for two nights at Azerai La Residence Hué.

D ay 8 By dragon boat on the Huong for Thien Mu Pagoda, Temple of Literature and An Hien Garden House. Afternoon: Hué Imperial City, including Forbidden Purple City, Royal Citadel and Museum of Antiquities.

D ay 9 Further visits in Hué: Redemptorist Church, Tu Dam Pagoda, Tu Hieu Pagoda and

royal tombs of King Tu Dac, Khai Dinh and Minh Mang. Afternoon: scenic drive to Hoi An via Lang Co and over Hai Van Pass. Two nights in Hoi An at Anantara Hoi An Hotel.

D ay 10 Early morning excursion to Hoi An: Folk Museum, Tan Ky House, Quan Cong Temple and Chinese Assembly Hall. Afternoon excursion to My Son: Cham sanctuary complex with 7th to 13th century towers, temples and tombs. Free evening in Hoi An.

D ay 11 Tet New Year’s Eve Transfer to Da Nang for Cham Museum. Afternoon flight to Nha Trang for two nights at Novotel.

D ay 12 Tet New Year’s Day Visits to Long Son Pagoda and Po Nagar Cham Towers. Boat trip on Nha Trang Bay.

D ay 13 Transfer by coach to Phan Thiet (approx 4 hours with stops en route) for visit to Po Shanu Cham Towers. Continue by coach to Ho Chi Minh City (approx 2.5 hours with stops en route) for two nights at Grand Hotel Saigon.

D ay 14 Visits to Jade Emperor Pagoda, Fine Arts Museum, Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City Museum and Giac Lam Pagoda.

D ay 15 Day at leisure or optional visit to the Holy See of the Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh Province. Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City airport.

D ay 16 Depart Ho Chi Minh City 0005, arriving Heathrow 0715.

Cost of £6495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, fourteen breakfasts, one brunch, five lunches, twelve dinners with water, beer or soft drink & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: visa, travel insurance, single room supplement £875. TOUR CODE: v IET25

Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi

Algeria: Encounters Between Rome & North Africa

April 1–13, 2025

Learn about the Roman colony of Timgad, the ‘Pompeii of Africa’, founded by Emperor Trajan on the edge of the Aurès Mountains

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

Explore Tipasa, an enchanting coastal town featuring Punic, Roman and Byzantine ruins above a sparkling azure sea

Algeria’s diverse eastern landscapes range from coastal panoramas set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean, through the beautiful mountainous hinterland, to the Sahara desert.

The variety of ancient sites and monuments 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 (birthplace of the builder of the Antonine Wall), 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

Smaller group – limited to 20 guests

the town of Cherchell, once a glittering royal capital, and a day excursion to the remarkable UNESCO-listed coastal site of Tipasa.

This tour will be led by Niccolò Mugnai , BA, MA, PhD, AFHEA, a classical archaeologist who specialises in the architecture, art, urbanism and material culture of the GrecoRoman world, with a particular focus on North Africa. He has recently held a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship at the University of Oxford, having studied and worked at the universities of Siena and Leicester, the British School at Rome and the British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies. Niccolò has led guided visits and been involved in archaeological fieldwork at numerous sites in Italy, Greece, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, and has published extensively on the archaeology and architecture of ancient North Africa among other subjects.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that participants must have a very good level of fitness, mobility and stamina for this tour, and meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Participants should also be prepared for a significant amount of walking. 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, 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.

In particular, the visits to Tiddis, Khemissa and Tipasa are physically demanding, with bare rock in some areas; these visits involve walking up and down steep slopes and over rugged ground, especially in the western part of Tipasa’s main site. Some visits involve navigating steps (sometimes without handrails).

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 a decade of ACE tours 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.

Djémila

ALGERIA

ITINERARY

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

D ay 1 Flight from London to Algiers. Transfer to Hotel El-Aurassi for overnight stay.

D ay 2 Morning talk followed by visits in Algiers (Casbah, an Ottoman Palace). Afternoon: National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art. Early evening flight to Annaba for two nights at Hotel Sheraton.

D ay 3 Morning: site of Hippo Regius. Afternoon: excursion to Seraidi followed by late afternoon walking tour of central Annaba.

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

D ay 5 Morning: hillside ruins of Tiddis. Afternoon: walking tour of Constantine and optional visit to National Museum of Cirta.

D ay 6 Via the Medracen (grandiose pre-Roman tumulus-burial) to Lambaesis (museum and lower site with legionary fortress, amphitheatre,

Arch of Commodus). Continue to Timgad for two nights at Trajan Hotel.

D ay 7 Timgad: Roman and Byzantine ruins, museum containing mosaics.

D ay 8 Transfer to Djémila (ancient Cuicul, extensive Roman ruins) for afternoon visit. Continue to Sétif for overnight at Novotel Sétif.

D ay 9 Morning visits in Sétif (including museum). Transfer to Constantine for evening flight to Ghardaïa. Two nights at Hotel El Djanoub, Ghardaïa.

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

D ay 11 Morning flight to Algiers for visit to Mauretanian Royal Tomb followed by Cherchell (museum with mosaics and sculpture). Two nights at Hotel El-Aurassi, Algiers.

D ay 12 Whole day excursion to UNESCOlisted site of Tipasa.

D ay 13 Flight from Algiers to London.

Cost of £4695 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 £395. TOUR CODE: ALGE25

Hippo Regius, Annaba

Mosaic of Apollo and the nymph Cyrene, Museum of lambaesis

Jordan: Kingdoms of the Desert

April 12–22, 2025

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.

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 GrecoRoman confederation as one of the ten cities of the Decapolis. It 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.

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.

The Roman theatre at Amman

Map of Jerusalem in the Byzantine Church of St George

JORDAN

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.

In Amman we will stay at the Grand 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.

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 consult the ACE website or contact the office for further details on our visit to Petra. Please also be aware that some of the sites we visit are remote. It is important that participants meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

Our Tour Director will be archaeologist and historian Nick Jackson , who studied at the Institute of Archaeology at University College London before going on to take up a research post at the University of Cambridge and excavating in the eastern Mediterranean for many years. He is an experienced tour leader, lecturer and presenter.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1500 on British Airways, arriving Amman 2320. Transfer to Grand Hyatt Hotel, Amman for four nights.

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

D ay 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.

D ay 4 Whole day excursion to the Umayyad Desert Castles of Qasr al-Kharana, Qasr al-Hallabat and Azraq. Continue to Umayyad hunting lodge of Qasr Amra.

D ay 5 Transfer to Petra via the World Heritage site of Umm Al Rasas, Wadi Mujib and Shobak Castle. Four nights at Mövenpick Resort, Petra.

D ay 6 Visits in Petra: rock-cut tombs, Al Khazneh, ancient Roman remains, theatre, colonnaded street, the Great Temple and the Nabataean temple of Qasr al-Bint. Optional walk to Al Deir.

“Nick was both extremely knowledgeable and able to communicate this in a very accessible way. He was able to cover the very wide spread of eras that we were introduced to… He participated fully in the life of the tour which we appreciated”

– ACE customer on the 2024 Jordan: Kingdoms of the Desert tour

D ay 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 Al-Beidha.

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

D ay 9 Transfer to the edge of the Dead Sea for visit to Bethany via the crusader town of Kerak. Two nights at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea.

D ay 10 Whole day excursion to Madaba for Church of St George and Mount Nebo for mosaic museum, Sanctuary of Moses and decorated early churches.

D ay 11 Depart Amman 0920, arriving Heathrow 1155.

Cost of £4995 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 £1075. TOUR CODE: JORD25

Street of Facades, the row of monumental Nabataean tombs, Petra

Great Art Collections of Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington

April 30 – May 8, 2025

Explore a handpicked selection of the superlative museums and galleries to be found along America’s East Coast

Experience great works of art by European masters, from Rembrandt to Picasso, and American artists including Whistler, Mary Cassatt and Mark Rothko

Discover the extraordinary American collectors whose wealth and philanthropy shaped these collections, including Andrew and Paul Mellon, and the Cone sisters

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

We begin in Philadelphia, where the Museum of Art is home to a significant collection of works by Cézanne, Thomas Eakins, Marcel Duchamp and Cy Twombly. The small, tranquil Rodin Museum, meanwhile, contains one of the world’s greatest collections of the artist’s work and occupies a beautiful Beaux Arts-style building and garden.

This tour will be led by experienced ACE Tour Director and art history expert Sarah Burles , MA. Sarah studied History of Art at Cambridge University before gaining a Masters degree at University College London. She enjoyed a career in museum and gallery education which included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum, and is an accredited Arts Society lecturer.

At the Barnes Foundation, some of the world’s most important Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Modern paintings by Seurat, Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse and Picasso are displayed alongside African masks, native American jewellery and Greek antiquities, reflecting the philosophy of its founder, the pharmaceutical philanthropist Dr Albert C Barnes. The collection is housed in an award-winning building close to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighbourhood is considered one of America’s most distinctive museums, whilst the

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

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

Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Thomas Moran, 1892 & 1908, Philadelphia Museum of Art

A Woman and a Girl Driving, Mary Cassatt, 1881, Philadelphia Museum of Art

“First

class tour guide in Sarah who leaves no stone unturned to maximise and enhance guests’ enjoyment and understanding of the works displayed… I strongly recommend ACE to all my friends with an interest in art”

– ACE customer on a 2023 art tour in the USA led by Sarah Burles

The capital is, moreover, home to the National Museum for Women in the Arts; its collections range from works by Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt to Frida Kahlo and Louise Bourgeois.

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

We begin with three nights at the sophisticated four-star Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, located within the city’s historic district. We will then continue to Baltimore for two nights at the refined four-star Hotel Revival Baltimore, dating from the 1920s and located in the historic Mount Vernon neighbourhood, just steps away from

the Walters Art Museum. The final two nights will be spent at the four-star Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC, an upscale hotel housed in a former post office dating from 1839 in the city’s Penn Quarter.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour has a full itinerary to make the most of our time in the USA, so participants should be prepared for a significant amount of time spent on foot, and have a good overall level of fitness and stamina. Stools and benches are sometimes available in galleries but cannot be guaranteed, so it may be necessary to stand for up to an hour and a half, although participants are welcome to opt out of guided tours early if wished. Some sites will involve traversing steps and occasionally uneven ground. 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. Please note we cannot guarantee the availability of individual works of art as occasionally they may be taken off display for cleaning, restoration or loan.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1340 on British Airways, arriving Philadelphia 1635. Transfer to Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia for three nights.

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

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

D ay 4 Morning: Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art (Andrew Wyeth’s studio). Afternoon: Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. Continue to Baltimore for two nights at Hotel Revival Baltimore.

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

D ay 6 Transfer to Washington DC for visits to the Freer Gallery of Asian Art (Whistler’s Peacock Room), National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Two nights at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC.

D ay 7 Visits in Washington: Kreeger Museum, Phillips Collection, National Museum for Women in the Arts.

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

D ay 9 Arrive Heathrow 0900.

Cost of £6495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities for group services & all taxes.

Not included: ESTA, travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £1175.

TOUR CODE: GPBW25

The Peacock Room, James McNeil whistler, 1876-77, Freer Gallery of Asian Art

Japan in Springtime: History, Art & Landscape

May 13–29, 2025

Japan in Autumn: History, Art & Landscape

October 21 – November 6, 2025

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

Visit fascinating temples, including Horyu-ji, Japan’s oldest surviving temple

Experience beautiful Japanese garden design and breathtaking natural scenery

Japan is a country of cultural riches and varied landscapes. For centuries, its arts were synonymous with Buddhist culture, and these will be a focus of our tour, from the art collections of Tokyo and Nara to the fine temples in Kyoto and its environs.

Japan’s history is palpably experienced at castle sites such as Inuyama, Himeji and Edo. Vernacular building traditions 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.

The richness of Japanese garden design is evident at 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

This tour will be led by art historian, experienced tour leader and accomplished linguist Alex Koller, PhD. As a result of his travels to the Far East, Alex has developed a keen interest in Buddhist art and architecture.

reconstructed Okayama Castle serving as ‘borrowed scenery’.

We will delve into the rich heritage of Japanese applied arts, with visits to a Kutani kiln and a gold leaf demonstration in Kanazawa, and experience a diversity of beautiful scenery during our journeys – from cedar forests to mountains and coastline.

This tour also offers an opportunity to get a feel for life in contemporary Japan and enjoy local cuisine.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This comprehensive tour requires a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina. Participants should be prepared for a significant amount of walking and standing, and be aware that it is customary to sit on the floor at times in Japan. Some visits involve walking over uneven or gravelled ground, uphill and up narrow steps. At Tosho-gu Shrine, there are 207 steep stone steps leading to the Inner Shrine, without handrails, and some temple interiors are dimly lit. Participants must meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. The tour also features several hotel changes and some long coach journeys of up to 3 hours in duration. We will make use of the Shinkansen (bullet train) high-speed rail network, and buses in Kanazawa, an efficient way to travel around the city.

Yakushi-ji Temple, Nara

Daibutsu, kamakura

JAPAN

ITINERARY

Please note the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time, or time permitting on the day.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1320 on British Airways.

Day 2 Arrive Tokyo 1055 and transfer to hotel (to be confirmed closer to departure) for three nights. Some time to rest followed by visit to Edo Castle site and garden.

Day 3 Whole day excursion to Nikko: Taiyuin in Reibyo, Futarasan Shrine (exterior) and Tosho-gu Grand Shrine. Optional afternoon

Accommodation

We hope to include a special opportunity on this tour to stay overnight at a traditional house in the mountain village of Shirakawa-go. This 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 an opportunity to see Shirakawa-go without the crowds, and enjoy dinner 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.

visit to Rinno-ji or some free time in Nikko. Free evening in Tokyo.

D ay 4 Visits in Tokyo: Ueno Park, Tosho-gu Shrine, Tokyo National Museum, Mei-ji Shrine, Hama-rikyu Garden and Asakusa Kannon Temple.

D ay 5 Transfer to Kamakura for Engakuji Temple, Kencho-ji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine, Hase-dera and Daibutsu. Continue to Hakone, close to Mount Fuji, for overnight at Prince Hakone Ashinoko Hotel.

D ay 6 By coach and bullet train to Inuyama. Continue to Shirakawa-go for overnight at a traditional house (subject to confirmation).

D ay 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 and visit to Samurai district.

D ay 8 Visits in Kanazawa: Myoryu-ji, Kutani Kosen kiln, Kenroku-en Garden, optional walk around Kanazawa Castle site, visit to Higashi Chaya ‘Geisha area’. Free evening.

D ay 9 Transfer by bullet train to Kurashiki via Himeji for two nights at Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel. Evening lecture.

D ay 10 Cross over the Inland Sea to island of Shikoku. Visit to Shikoku-mura (open-air museum), followed by Yashima-ji, Ritsurin Garden and Zentsu-ji. Return to Kurashiki.

D ay 11 Morning: Ohara Museum of Art followed by free time for independent exploration of Kurashiki. Transfer by coach and train to Nara via Okayama for Koraku-en Garden. Two nights at Hotel Nikko Nara.

D ay 12 Morning visits in Nara: Todai-ji, Kofukuji, Nara National Museum. Free afternoon or optional visits to Hokke-do, Kasuga Taisha and Shin Yakushi-ji. Free evening.

D ay 13 Morning temple visits: Yakushi-ji, Toshodai-ji, Horyu-ji. Afternoon: Uji Byodo-in. Continue to Kyoto for three nights at Noku Hotel.

D ay 14 Visits in Kyoto: Nijo Castle and garden, Heian Shrine, Ginkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji, Ninna-ji and Ryoan-ji. Free evening.

D ay 16 Excursion to Mount Hiei followed by Ohara for Sanzen-in and tea drinking at subtemple of Hosen-in. Return to Kyoto via Shisendo. Optional scenic walk through Kyoto suburbs to Manshu-in.

D ay 16 Free time in Kyoto for optional independent visits. Flight to Tokyo for overnight stay at Villa Fontaine Grande Haneda Hotel (airport hotel).

D ay 17 Depart Tokyo 0945, arriving Heathrow 1525.

Cost of £8995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room (except overnight stay in Shirakawa-go), fifteen breakfasts, five lunches (one light), eleven dinners with water & tea/coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, single room supplement (except overnight stay in Shirakawa-go) £895 (spring tour) / £1395 (autumn tour).

TOUR CODE: JAA125 / JAA225

Ritsurin Garden

Renaissance Florence: City of Wonders

February 10–17, 2025 | November 10–17, 2025

Delve beneath the surface of one of the most important cities of the Renaissance, to explore both famous and less well-known churches, museums and galleries

Trace the development of the Renaissance, viewing major works of art by masters such as Giotto, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Michelangelo

Learn about the influence of the Medici family and other leading patrons on artistic production in Quattrocento Florence

The city of Florence is rightly considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and this tour will focus on the transformation that took place there in art and architecture during the 15th century. To tell this story, we will, of course, visit Florence’s most famous museums, galleries and churches, but also some of the city’s less well-known treasures.

We particularly look forward to viewing the individual ‘cenacoli’ (Last Suppers) by artists such as Castagno, Ghirlandaio and Andrea del Sarto, some of which were hidden for many years behind monastery

walls. In addition, we will travel beyond the city to look down on Florence from the beautiful hillside town of Fiesole, and from San Miniato al Monte – its oldest surviving church, with wonderful views over the city.

Further highlights will include the calm symmetry of Brunelleschi’s Church of San Spirito, where we will find Michelangelo’s early Crucifix, thought to have been carved when he was just 18 years old. The peaceful cloisters of San Marco are home to many important paintings by Fra Angelico, including the frescoes he painted in the monks’ cells.

Standing in front of these works of art, it is no surprise to hear that Giorgio Vasari described Fra Angelico as having “a rare and perfect talent”.

Based in the heart of Florence, a few minutes’ walk from the spectacular Duomo with Giotto’s dramatic campanile and Brunelleschi’s astonishing dome, we will take in the city’s main sights – including the Baptistery, the oldest religious site in Florence, and the churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. The Palazzo Medici Riccardi, created for the leading Florentine banker and patron Cosimo de

The Last Supper by Andrea del Castagno, 1445-1450

St. John the Evangelist at orsanmichele

Medici, features famous Magi frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli in the family’s private chapel.

This tour will include an opportunity to attend sung Vespers at the Badia Fiorentina, which dates back to the 10th century and is now home to the Order of Jerusalem.

We will stay in the historical centre of Florence, at the four-star Grand Hotel Cavour, ideally located for our visits.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that most of this tour is conducted on foot, so participants must have a good level of fitness and mobility. Participants should be prepared for spending up to an hour at a time standing in galleries and churches (it is not always possible to sit in pews). Furthermore, Florentine streets can be uneven, narrow, busy with traffic and slippery underfoot when wet, so care must be taken. There are steps at several sites, including San Miniato and the archaeological site at Fiesole, and handrails are not always available, for instance at the Bargello Museum and the chapel at the Palazzo Riccardi Medici. Church interiors can be dimly lit. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions before booking your place.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and while we will endeavour to deliver the advertised visits in full, some elements may be subject to change, confirmation or reordering nearer the time. Sites

Both departures of this tour will be led by Sarah Burles , MA, an art historian and accredited Arts Society lecturer who studied at the University of Cambridge before going on to work in a number of museums and galleries, including the Accademia Italiana in London and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. Sarah’s studies focused on the Renaissance period, and she lived in Florence for a time.

in Italy can occasionally close at short notice owing to restoration work, and we cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 0815 on British Airways, arriving Pisa 1125. Transfer to Florence for seven nights at Grand Hotel Cavour. Afternoon orientation walking tour. Evening: welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning lecture: The Road to the Renaissance followed by visit to Gothic Franciscan Church of Santa Croce and museum. Afternoon: Uffizi Gallery.

D ay 3 Morning lecture: New Concepts of Space & Form in Florentine Painting followed by visits to the Dominican Church of Santa Maria Novella and the Baptistery. Afternoon: visits to the Duomo and Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Free evening with option to attend sung Vespers at the Badia Fiorentina.

D ay 4 Morning lecture: Speaking Statues –Sculpture in 15th Century Florence followed by visit to Bargello National Museum and view of Orsanmichele. Walk over the Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno area. Afternoon: Santa Maria del Carmine, Santo Spirito and Santa Trinità.

D ay 5 Morning: Ospedale degli Innocenti (exterior), Church of Santissima Annunziata, Dominican Church and Convent of San Marco and Convent of Sant’Apollonia. Afternoon: Palazzo Medici Riccardi and San Lorenzo.

D ay 6 Morning: Church of the Ognissanti (subject to confirmation) and San Salvi followed by Fiesole for Bandini Museum and Romanesque Duomo of St Romulus. Afternoon: San Miniato al Monte (wonderful views over the city). Free evening.

D ay 7 Morning: Cappelle Medicee and Galleria dell’Accademia. Free afternoon.

D ay 8 Transfer to Pisa for 1215 departure, arriving Heathrow 1345.

Cost of February tour: £3595

Cost of November tour: £3895

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

Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £625 (February tour) / £775 (November tour).

TOUR CODE: RFL125 / RFL225

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour

February 4–10, 2025 | November 11–17, 2025

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 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, and where the architecture and adornments speak of its function as a symbol of the city.

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. Whilst the concept of ‘disegno’ underpinned the Florentines’ approach to art during the Renaissance, in Venice, ‘colore’ was key. This involved not only the choice of colours themselves, but also their mode of application by layering and blending.

Our exploration of the richness of the Venetian palette will continue as we discover the city’s fine churches. 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, narrow streets, cobbles and bridges, which can be steep or without handrails. Visits will involve spending time standing, as seats are not always available. 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.

Grand Canal at sunrise

The Apotheosis of Venice, Paolo Veronese, 1582, Doge’s Palace

ITINERARY

The 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.

D ay 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.

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. His expertise ranges from the medieval to the modern, and he is particularly fascinated by the Baroque and Rococo.

“[My] third time in Venice and the first time I feel I truly saw Venice. Tom Abbott is an extraordinary Tour Director. His passion is contagious. His knowledge is deep and wide. He is charming, funny and considerate. A gem. Best trip ever… Cannot praise the tour enough”

“Tom Abbott’s mastery of art and architecture is outstanding. You will never see Venice and its treasure trove of art collections and architecture in the same way. Tom is the best”

“Exceptional in every way”

– ACE customers on the 2024 Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour tours led by Tom Abbott

D ay 2 Morning visits to Doge’s Palace and Museo di San Marco (famous bronze horses and Treasury). Afternoon: San Giorgio Maggiore for Palladio church (Tintoretto) and Church of San Sebastiano (Veronese). Evening lecture: Venice –A History of Art & Architecture.

D ay 3 Morning: Galleria dell’Accademia (largest single collection of Venetian art). Afternoon visits to Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni (paintings by Carpaccio), Dominican Church of Saints Giovanni & Paolo (San Zanipolo, fine altarpieces) and Santa Maria dei Miracoli (exquisite early Renaissance church).

D ay 4 Visits to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta (known as I Gesuiti, with stunning Baroque interior) and Gothic Church of Madonna del Orto followed by walking tour of old Jewish Quarter. Some free time followed by free evening to explore Venice independently.

D ay 5 Morning: Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Franciscan church, Titian and Bellini altarpieces), Scuola Grande di San Rocco (Tintoretto). Free afternoon.

D ay 6 Island of San Francesco del Deserto for guided tour of Franciscan monastery, followed by island of Torcello for Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (vivid Byzantine mosaics). 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).

D ay 7 Morning: Ca’ Rezzonico (beautiful museum of 18th century Venice). Transfer by water taxi to Venice airport for 1755 flight to Heathrow, arriving 1915.

Cost of £2995 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 £415. TOUR CODE: v EN125 / v EN225

Grand Canal from Palazzo Balbi towards the Rialto, Canaletto, 1720-23, Ca’ Rezzonico

Art Treasures of Naples: From the Romans to the Baroque

February 24 – March 3, 2025

Learn about the rich artistic and architectural 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, to take in the island’s beautiful scenery

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. This tour is dedicated to exploring the rich artistic and architectural heritage that emerged across the centuries.

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 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 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.

Our itinerary will also include a day at leisure with an optional excursion by boat to the island of Capri.

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

Tavola Strozzi by Francesco Rosselli, 1472

Certosa di San Martino Fresco by luca Giordano

This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an art historian who studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, where he gained his PhD. Alex has been leading tours since 1998 and is an accomplished linguist.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness, mobility and stamina is required for this tour. Many visits will be made on foot and some by public transport (funicular/bus and metro), although there is the option to get a taxi independently. There are not always opportunities to sit down at visits, and very few churches have facilities. Most of Naples is on flat ground but streets can be uneven, cobbled, slippery and often crowded with people and vehicles, so care must be taken. Some visits involve walking up steps (often without handrails), uphill and over rough ground. The optional boat trip to Capri takes approx 50 minutes, and can be choppy depending on weather. The catacombs are dimly lit. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

The 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

“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”

– ACE customers on a previous Art in Naples tour led by Alex Koller

notice, so some visits may be exterior only, and we cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1415 on British Airways, arriving Naples 1755. Transfer to the Grand Hotel Oriente for seven nights.

D ay 2 Morning introductory lecture followed by visits to Palazzo Reale and Castel Nuovo (Museo Civico). Afternoon: Gesù Nuovo, Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara and San Domenico Maggiore.

D ay 3 Museo Cappella Sansevero, San Gregorio Armeno, San Paolo Maggiore, Baptistery at the Cattedrale di San Gennaro, San

Lorenzo Maggiore, Pio Monte della Misericordia and Sant’Anna dei Lombardi.

D ay 4 Morning: Casertavecchia, San Michele Arcangelo (duomo) and San Leucio. Afternoon: Reggia di Caserta.

D ay 5 Morning: Santa Teresa a Chiaia, Santa Maria degli Angeli, Santa Maria Egiziaca and San Giovanni a Carbonara. Optional visit to Castel dell’Ovo (subject to opening, time permitting). Afternoon: Complesso Monumentale Donnaregina Vecchia (Santa Maria) and Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

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

D ay 7 Excursion by boat to Capri or day at leisure in Naples.

D ay 8 Morning visits including Certosa di San Martino (Neapolitan School), Basilica of S Maria della Sanità and Museo di Capodimonte (final flight times permitting). Depart Naples 1840, arriving Heathrow 2035.

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 £365. TOUR CODE: ATNP25

Interior details at Capodimonte

Roman & Byzantine Ravenna

March 3–7, 2025 with Andrew Wilson | September 15–19, 2025 with Nick Jackson

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, including an intense portrayal of the martyrdom of St Lawrence

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

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

Our first departure 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 is a member of the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies.

Our second departure will be led by Nick Jackson , who graduated from the Institute of Archaeology at UCL, and proceeded to a career as a field director excavating the ancient history of the Eastern Mediterranean in Turkey and the Near East. He has also held a research post at the University of Cambridge.

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 takes visitors on

The Good Shepherd mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

a journey back in time to explore 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: This tour has a full programme taken at a relaxed pace, with visits 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. Some museums do not have lifts, so participants should also feel comfortable ascending 1-2 flights of stairs. For more information on ACE’s minimum fitness criteria, 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. Furthermore, please be aware that the individual itineraries for each departure vary slightly: please see the ACE website for full details.

“From the very first communication from ACE to the final farewell, we were helped every step of the way”

“The organisation and attention to detail are second to none… we were shown all the relevant sites, which were aweinspiring”

– ACE customers on a 2024 Roman & Byzantine Ravenna tour

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 0850 on British Airways, arriving Bologna 1205. Transfer to Ravenna for four nights at Hotel Bisanzio. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning talk: The Church Architecture of Ravenna. Visits to 5th century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (exceptional late antiquity mosaics), Basilica of San Vitale (famous mosaics of Justinian and Theodora), National Museum of Ravenna (archaeological objects from early Christian and Byzantine periods), cathedral, Neonian Baptistery (outstanding early Christian mosaics) and Archiepiscopal Museum.

D ay 3 Morning talk: Church Mosaics of Ravenna followed by Arian Baptistery (built by Theodoric), Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo (splendid frieze of martyrs), 6th century Domus of the Stone Carpets (beautiful floor mosaics), return visits to Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and Basilica of San Vitale.

Back-to-back tour opportunities Customers travelling on these tours may also wish to consider booking on Aquileia: City of Antiquity, departures of which will run in close proximity to Ravenna, from March 10-15, 2025 and September 8-13, 2025. Please see pages 38-39 or contact the ACE office for more information.

D ay 4 Excursion to ancient port of Classe for new museum and Basilica of Sant’Apollinare (gold and turquoise mosaics), followed by Mausoleum of Theodoric.

D ay 5 Depart Bologna 1235, arriving Heathrow 1400.

Cost of March tour: £1695

Cost of September tour: £1795

Cost 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 £105, double room for single use supplement £165. TOUR CODE: RAv125 / RAv 225

The Basilica di San Vitale

Aquileia: City of Antiquity

March 10–15, 2025 | September 8–13, 2025

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.

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.

These tours will be led by expert in ancient history, Jamie Sewell , PhD. Jamie has many years’ experience supervising excavations across Europe, including in Italy, and he has authored a book and many articles on the archaeology of towns in Hellenistic Italy and the broader Mediterranean. His ongoing research is focused on how and why larger settlements in Italy transformed as a result of the Roman conquest of the peninsula. Jamie has lectured at Durham University and Humboldt University in Berlin, and has more than a decade’s experience working as a historical guide.

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 and standing, including over uneven, cobbled and potentially slippery ground, and up steps (which can be steep, and sometimes without handrails). Some roads can be busy with narrow pavements, so care must be taken, and at times the group will walk back to the hotel from local restaurants in darkness. Participants should fulfil our usual fitness requirements as described in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Aquileia Forum

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, in which case adjustments may be made nearer the time.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1340 on British Airways, arriving Venice 1655. Transfer to Udine in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region for five nights at the Astoria Hotel Italia.

D ay 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.

“The itinerary was well designed and offered a banquet of wonderful visits to such impressive sites”

– ACE customer on a 2023 A quileia: City of Antiquity tour

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

D ay 4 Morning lecture followed by excursion to Palmanova (late 16th century defences) and Grado (Basilica of Sant’Eufemia, Santa Maria

Back-to-back tour opportunities Customers travelling on these tours may also wish to consider booking on Roman & Byzantine Ravenna, departures of which will run in close proximity to Aquileia, from March 3-7, 2025 and September 15-19, 2025. Please see pages 36-37 or contact the ACE office for more information.

delle Grazie and old town). Return to Udine for 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 a 16th century castle).

D ay 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.

D ay 6 Depart Venice 1750, arriving Heathrow 1910.

Cost of March tour: £2095

Cost of September tour: £2195

Cost 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 £135, double room for single use supplement £185. TOUR CODE: AQU125 / AQU225

Roman Mosaic at Grado

The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta

Pompeii with Herculaneum

March 21–27, 2025

Gain unrivalled insights into day-today 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

“Meanwhile on Mt Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasised by the darkness of night…” – so wrote Pliny of the sudden eruption of Vesuvius nearly 2000 years ago.

Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed yet preserved by the volcanic catastrophe, offer unrivalled insights into day-to-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.

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.

“Every aspect of the holiday was extremely well organised and efficiently managed. Steve is a natural communicator. He has an extremely wide breadth of knowledge and experience on so many subjects – and is passionate about wanting to educate and share those with others… The hotel was luxurious in so many ways and extremely elegant in its decor and ambience… This was the first ACE tour my friend and I had booked and we were extremely impressed with every aspect of it. I can think of nothing that could have been bettered”

“Beyond all my expectations. Steve’s guiding was infused with his love of history, especially of this period”

– ACE customers on the 2024 Pompeii with Herculaneum tour led by Steve Mastin

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 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

House of the Vettii

Depiction of Flora from the Villa Arianna, Stabiae, Naples Archaeological Museum

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.

ACE is pleased to be offering an additional departure of our Pompeii with Herculaneum tour from October 6–12, 2025, led by Eireann Marshall. To register your interest, please visit our website or contact the office on 01223 841055.

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 few opportunities to sit down. Please note that the optional ascent up Vesuvius involves a steep walk of around 30 minutes, and Cumae also includes 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, including the lecture titles, 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.

D ay 1 Flight from London to Naples. Transfer to Hotel La Medusa, Castellammare di Stabia, for six nights. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning visit to Naples Archaeological Museum (artefacts from Vesuvian sites), followed by lunch on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius. Continue

the ascent by coach, followed by optional ascent to the crater (weather permitting; must be done on foot). Evening talk: The Events of 79 AD –Myth vs Archaeology.

D ay 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.

D ay 4 Herculaneum (panoramic villas, palaestra, baths, shops) followed by the Villa Poppaea, Oplontis (fine wall-paintings, huge piscina) and Villa Regina, Boscoreale. Evening talk: GrecoRoman Religion.

D ay 5 Whole day excursion to Paestum: temples of Ceres, Hera and Neptune, museum (fine archaic reliefs). Evening talk: Aeneas & the Sibyl of Cumae.

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

D ay 7 Morning visit to Villa San Marco and Villa Arianna, Stabiae (final flight times permitting). Flight from Naples to London.

Cost of £2795 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 £425. TOUR CODE: POM125

The forum, Pompeii

Fresco detail from the triclinium in the House of the Vettii”

Art on the Côte d’Azur

March 3-10, 2025 with Sarah Burles | September 22-29, 2025 with Andrew Spira

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

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

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

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. 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 explore the legacy they left in the region: from Matisse’s stunning Chapelle

Our March tour will be led by Sarah Burles , MA, who read History of Art at the University of Cambridge before gaining a Masters at University College London and going on to a career in museum and gallery education, including 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum. Sarah is an accredited Arts Society lecturer.

Our September tour will be led by Andrew Spira , MA, who studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London; he has worked at London’s Temple Gallery, the V&A and Christie’s Education. Andrew has published several books, and lectures widely on topics including Picasso, Matisse, the Cubists and the Fauves.

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 Picasso and Musée Chagall, home to the twelve great paintings that make up the Biblical Message series.

Above the beautiful walled village of Saint-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.

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

La Vie, Marc Chagall, 1964, Fondation Maeght

The Woman with her Hair Down, Joan Miro, 1968, Fondation Maeght

FRANCE

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required, and participants must be prepared to navigate steps and walk for up to a mile at a time, occasionally uphill and on uneven ground. To access the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice requires traversing a number of steps, as there is no ramp, and the museum does not have a lift to reach the first floor. Our March tour includes a coach journey to St Tropez, taking approximately 2 ½ hours, and we hope to return by boat (weather permitting –please note this journey can be choppy if windy). For more information on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that there are some variations in the itineraries for each departure, and they represent guides to what we hope to offer. Some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed. Sometimes temporary exhibitions affect which parts of the permanent collection are accessible.

ITINERARY – TOUR 1

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1015 on British Airways, arriving Nice 1320. Transfer to Hotel Nice Riviera for seven nights. Afternoon visit to Musée Masséna.

D ay 2 Morning lecture followed by walking tour of Nice. Afternoon: Fondation Maeght.

D ay 3 Morning lecture followed by Musée National Marc Chagall (Biblical Message). Afternoon: Musée Renoir. Free evening.

D ay 4 Morning lecture followed by Musée Matisse. Afternoon: Matisse’s celebrated Chapelle du Rosaire.

“My first ACE tour exceeded expectation”

“The visits were very well organised and everything worked beautifully”

– ACE customers on a 2023 Art on the Côte d’Azur tour

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

D ay 6 Morning in Biot: Musée National Fernand Léger. Afternoon in Antibes: Musée Picasso (Château Grimaldi) followed by Château Vallauris (Picasso collection and chapel). Free evening.

D ay 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.

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

ITINERARY – TOUR 2

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1015 on British Airways, arriving Nice 1320. Transfer to Hotel Nice Riviera for seven nights. Orientation walking tour and short visit to Musée Masséna. Evening lecture.

D ay 2 Morning excursion to St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa and Gardens. Afternoon: Musée des Beaux-Arts and Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St Nicholas.

D ay 3 Morning: Musée Matisse and Musée Chagall (Biblical Message). Afternoon: Villefranche-sur-Mer (Cocteau murals in fishermen’s chapel). Free evening.

D ay 4 Morning: Fondation Maeght and walk down the medieval Chemin Sainte-Claire to St Paul de Vence. Afternoon: Chapelle du Rosaire. Evening lecture.

D ay 5 Excursion to Menton via Modernist villa E-1027 (Eileen Gray Villa) for Salle des Mariages, walking tour of the old town and Musée Bastion. Afternoon: ‘Association Diocesaine’ Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Laghet.

D ay 6 Excursion to Chapel of Sainte Roseline (Chagall mosaic) and Cistercian Monastery at Le Thoronet, followed by Mouans-Sartoux for Espace de l’Art Concret. Free evening.

D ay 7 Morning: Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot. Afternoon in Antibes: Musée Picasso (Château Grimaldi) followed by Château Vallauris (Picasso collection and chapel).

D ay 8 Morning: short visit to Musée Renoir. Depart Nice 1545, arriving Heathrow 1655.

Cost of March tour: £2895

Cost of September tour: £3095

Cost includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £385 (March departure) / £455 (September departure). TOUR CODE: ARC125 / ARC225

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Flemish Painting: From van Eyck to Rubens

April 1–6, 2025

Discover the works and worlds of the Flemish masters across Belgium

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

Enjoy a day in Bruges, exploring the Groeningemuseum and Memling Museum

With the development of oil painting in the 15th century onwards, Belgium played an essential role in the evolution of western painting.

In Ghent, the extensive collections of the Museum of Fine Arts focus on Flemish art, and the Cathedral of St Bavo contains the restored panels of van Eyck’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb altarpiece.

In Bruges, the Groeningemuseum is host to an enviable collection of van Eyck and van der Weyden, as well as Hieronymus Bosch’s Last Judgement, while the Memling Museum is located in one of Europe’s oldest medieval hospitals.

Our tour continues in Antwerp, with an exploration of the Old Town and visits to the Snijders & Rockox Huis, two neighbouring 17th century townhouses dedicated to 16th and 17th century Flemish masterpieces.

Antwerp’s Royal Museum of Fine Arts has recently undergone a major renovation project and features works by van Eyck, Brueghel the Elder, Van Dyck,

This tour will be led by art historian, writer, experienced tour leader and Arts Society accredited lecturer

Marie-Anne Mancio, MPhil, DPhil. Marie-Anne originally trained as an artist before gaining her DPhil at the University of Sussex in art and critical theory. She has written and presented courses for Tate and Dulwich Picture Gallery.

Hals, Rodin and Magritte amongst others.

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

The first three nights of the tour will be spent in the centre of Ghent at the fourstar NH Gent Belfort, an NH Collection property located opposite the town hall. We will then continue to Antwerp for two nights at the four-star Hilton Antwerp Old Town, in the heart of the historical city centre.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking between visits, including over cobbled, uneven and occasionally slippery streets, which may be busy with bicycles. A good level of fitness is required. Participants must be prepared for navigating steps, which can be steep and/or winding, and for spending up to 90 minutes at a time standing in galleries, where there are not always opportunities to sit down. Some museums do not have lifts, and light levels can be kept low. Participants should be comfortable handling their luggage on and off Eurostar trains. Please consult ACE’s fitness requirements in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

D ay 1 Depart London St Pancras 0901 on Eurostar, arriving Brussels 1205. Continue to Ghent for three nights at NH Gent Belfort. Afternoon: Stads Museum. Evening welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Walking tour of Ghent and visits to Cathedral of St Bavo and Museum of Fine Arts. Evening lecture: Van Eyck & his Contemporaries in Bruges.

D ay 3 Whole day excursion to Bruges for Groeningemuseum, Church of Our Lady, Hospital of St John (Memling Museum) and optional independent visit to Gruuthusemuseum. Evening lecture: Rubens, Antwerp & the Flemish Baroque. Independent dinner.

D ay 4 Transfer to Antwerp for two nights at Hilton Antwerp Old Town. Walking tour of Old Town and visits to Snijders & Rockox Huis and Plantin-Moretus Museum.

D ay 5 Visits to Mayer van den Bergh Museum, Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady and KMSKA (Royal Museum of Fine Arts).

D ay 6 Transfer to Brussels for Musée des Beaux Arts. Depart Brussels 1756, arriving London St Pancras 1857.

Cost of £2465 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 £335. TOUR CODE: FLMP25

The Holy Family with the Parrot, Peter Paul Rubens, 1614-1633

GERMANY

Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig: Anniversary Tour

May 23–30, 2025

Experience a rich spectrum of works including orchestral and operatic masterpieces, song cycles and string quartets

Attend a staging of lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Visit a range of cultural sites in the city of Leipzig

We are delighted to announce that for the first time, ACE Cultural Tours will attend a festival dedicated to the music of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975). 50 years after his death, this highly anticipated event will take place amidst the outstanding acoustics of Leipzig’s Gewandhaus.

Contributors include the Gewandhaus and Boston Symphony Orchestras, both under Andris Nelsons, for whom Shostakovich’s music has been hugely impactful. We will also hear from awardwinning Latvian violinist Baiba Skride and the much admired Quatuor Danel.

Shostakovich famously grappled with the political and international circumstances of his time, much of which was powerfully conveyed in his music. Satirical, thrilling and horrifying in equal measure, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is a famous example of this and continues to resonate with audiences today.

Daytime visits include the Schumann House Museum, Mendelssohn House Museum and Bach Archive, and an excursion to Dresden.

Our base is Leipzig’s four-star Seaside Park Hotel, within easy walking distance of the Gewandhaus.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves walking tours and excursions to museums, so participants should feel comfortable on their feet for extended periods of time. Not all sites have lifts, and it is necessary to negotiate stairs including at the Gewandhaus. Please consult the fitness requirements in our Booking Terms and Conditions. Evening performances typically start at 1930. Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk will be sung in Russian with German surtitles; the Tour Director will deliver a lecture about the opera in advance, and summaries of each act will be available.

Tour Director Richard Wigmore MA, AGSM, is a broadcaster, lecturer and former professional singer who writes for Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine.

ITINERARY

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

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 0825 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1120. Transfer to Seaside Park Hotel, Leipzig, for seven nights. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning lecture and short walking tour of Leipzig. Afternoon festival performance featuring Quatuor Danel: Shostakovich String Quartets No 6 in G, Op 101; No 11 in F minor, Op 122; and No 8 in C minor, Op 110. Evening festival performance featuring Festival Orchestra, Gewandhaus Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra with Andris Nelsons (conductor): Shostakovich Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op 110a; Symphony No 7 in C, Op 60 ‘Leningrad’.

D ay 3 Morning lecture and festival performance featuring MDR Rundfunkchor with Maki Namekawa (piano), Dennis Russell Davies (piano) and Philipp Ahmann (conductor): Shostakovich Loyalty – Eight ballads for men’s chorus, Op 136; Concertino for two pianos in A minor, Op 94; Antiformalist Rayok – satirical cantata for four voices, chorus and piano; Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms (version for mixed choir and piano fourhands by Shostakovich). Afternoon: Schumann House Museum.

D ay 4 Morning: Mendelssohn House Museum. Afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance featuring Elena Stikhina (soprano), Marina Prudenskaya (alto), Bogdan Volkov (tenor), Günther Groissböck (bass) and Elena Bashkirova (piano): Shostakovich Satires (Pictures of the Past) – Five romances for soprano and piano; Song cycle ‘From Jewish Folk Poetry’. Suite on verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti for bass and piano.

D ay 5 Short morning lecture and excursion to Dresden. Evening festival performance featuring Elena Stikhina (soprano), Marina Prudenskaya (alto), Bogdan Volkov (tenor), Sebastian Breuninger (violin), Christian Giger (cello) and Elena Bashkirova (piano): Shostakovich Six romances on texts by Japanese poets, Op 21a; Six poems of Marina Tsvetayeva, Op 143; Gaetano Braga Serenade – based on Chekhov’s The Black Monk ; Seven romances on poems by Alexander Blok, Op 127.

D ay 6 Morning: Bach Archive Museum. Afternoon lecture and evening festival performance featuring Gentlemen of the MDR Rundfunkchor, Leipzig Opera Chorus and Gewandhaus Chorus with Michael Schönheit (organ), Baiba Skride (violin), Günther Groissböck (bass) and Andris Nelsons (conductor): Shostakovich Passacaglia from Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk , Op 29 (version for organ); Violin Concerto No 2 in C sharp minor, Op 129; Symphony No 13 in B flat minor, Op 113 ‘Babi Yar’.

D ay 7 Short morning lecture and festival performance featuring MDR Rundfunkchor with Andris Nelsons and Anna Rakitina (conductors): Shostakovich Symphony No 2 in B, Op 14 ‘To October’; Symphony No 3 in E flat, Op 20 ‘First of May’; Symphony No 1 in F minor, Op 10. Short afternoon lecture and early evening festival performance featuring Gewandhaus Orchestra, Leipzig Opera Chorus and soloists with Andris Nelsons (conductor): Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk , Op 29.

D ay 8 Transfer to Berlin Airport via Köthen Castle (special private opening – subject to final flight times). Depart Berlin 1515, arriving Heathrow 1625.

Cost of £3995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described (category 1), seven breakfasts, seven dinners (five light) with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, small double room for single use supplement £315.

TOUR CODE: SHOS25

Andris Nelsons conducting the Gewandhaus orchestra

Art Treasures of Berlin: Historical Riches

April 7–13, 2025

Discover Berlin’s fascinating art museums and architecture, with a focus on its historical collections

Enjoy an extended visit to the Gemäldegalerie, part of the Kulturforum

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. In 2025, ACE is delighted to present two complementary tours exploring these in depth, the first of which will focus on the historical art and architecture to be found in and around the city.

We will spend a full day immersed in the Gemäldegalerie’s captivating assembly of 13th to 18th century paintings, ranging from early German and Flemish painting to 17th century Dutch art and works by the Italian Old Masters.

Berlin’s world-famous Museum Island comprises several important museum buildings established by the Prussian rulers. We will explore the Altes (Old) Museum, which opened in 1830 and houses ancient Greek, Roman and Etruscan artefacts, and the Neues Museum, originally built as an extension to the Altes Museum.

A further highlight will be a visit to the Humboldt Forum, located in the

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, Tom’s expertise ranges from the Baroque and Rococo to German Romantic painting, landscape gardens and modern German history.

reconstructed Berlin Palace and home to a collection of non-European art. Meanwhile, the Bode Museum, the ‘moated castle’ on the River Spree, proudly accommodates the world’s largest assemblage of ancient sculpture, with exhibits dating from the early Middle Ages to the late 18th century.

We will make an excursion into the Grunewald Forest to discover Berlin’s oldest remaining palace. Commissioned in 1542 and idyllically situated on the banks of Lake Grunewald, the Jagdschloss was remodelled in a Baroque style in the 18th century and today houses paintings by Lucas Cranach. We will also travel to historical Potsdam to visit the UNESCO-listed Rococo-style Sanssouci Palace.

Our tour concludes with a visit to the Schloss Charlottenburg, a magnificent Baroque palace, where we will discover both the Altes Palace and the New Wing.

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

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

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £395. TOUR CODE: ABL125

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: 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. Not all museums and galleries have lifts or opportunities to sit down. 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.

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 listed.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1030 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1325. Transfer to Martas Hotel Albrechtshof for six nights. Welcome and introductory lecture.

D ay 2 Tour of Berlin by coach including French Quarter, Gendarmenmarkt, Alexanderplatz, Kreuzberg, Kurfürstendamm, Embassy District, Potsdamer Platz and the Government Quarter around the Reichstag (exteriors). Afternoon visit to the Reichstag. Evening lecture.

D ay 3 Whole day visit to Museum Island for the Altes Museum, Neues Museum and Humboldt Forum.

D ay 4 Whole study day at the Gemäldegalerie (guided tour and some free time to explore collections independently).

D ay 5 Morning excursion to the 16th century Jagdschloss Grunewald. Afternoon: return visit to Museum Island for the Bode Museum. Free evening.

D ay 6 Excursion to Sanssouci Palace and historical Potsdam.

D ay 7 Visit to Schloss Charlottenburg. Depart Berlin 1740, arriving Heathrow 1840.

The Fountain of Youth by lucas Cranach (the Elder), 1546

GERMANY

Art Treasures of Berlin: The Modern & Contemporary

September 29 – October 5, 2025

Discover Berlin’s fascinating art and architecture, with a focus on its modern and contemporary collections

Delve into the works of the German Expressionist painters in the Alte Nationalgalerie and Brücke Museum

Explore the Brohan Museum, Boros Collection and Hamburger Bahnhof Museum of Contemporary Art

Berlin is rightly famed for the wealth of its art collections and the vibrancy of its contemporary art scene. In 2025, ACE is delighted to present two complementary tours exploring the city in depth, the second of which will focus on Berlin’s modern and contemporary art, architecture and culture.

To set the scene, we will spend time delving into the memorable array of 19th century German painting and sculpture to be found at the Alte Nationalgalerie, paying particular attention to German Romantic and Expressionist works.

Moving our focus onto the 20th century, we will enjoy a range of visits exploring the important 1920s art, design and architecture to be found in Berlin, from the iconic residential Hufeisensiedlung (Horseshoe Estate) to the decorative arts collections of the Bröhan Museum.

Other highlights will include the Käthe Kollwitz Museum, featuring the world’s largest collection of works by the artist, including prints, drawings, sculptures and woodcuts; the Neue Nationalgalerie, where we will focus on art from 1945 to 1990; and the Museum of Decorative Arts, where we will learn about the pioneering Bauhaus School.

Auguststrasse is part of Berlin’s lively gallery district and home to its vibrant art scene, including the Kunstwerk Institute for Contemporary Art. Our tour concludes with a visit to the Boros Foundation, a private collection of contemporary international art displayed in a converted bunker in Berlin.

This tour will be based at the comfortable three-star Martas Hotel Albrechtshof, conveniently situated within walking distance of Museum Island.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: 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. Not all museums and galleries have lifts or opportunities to sit down. At the Boros Foundation, please be aware that there are three flights of stairs, and at the Alte Nationalgalerie some sections of the staircase do not have handrails. 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.

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.

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.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1030 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1325. Transfer via Hufeisensiedlung (Horseshoe Estate – exterior) to Martas Hotel Albrechtshof for six nights. Welcome and introductory lecture.

D ay 2 Tour of Berlin by coach including East Side Gallery, French Quarter, Gendarmenmarkt, Alexanderplatz, Unter den Linden, Kreuzberg, Kurfürstendamm, Embassy District, Potsdamer Platz and the Government Quarter around the Reichstag (exteriors). Visits to Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church and Reichstag.

D ay 3 Morning lecture followed by visit to the Alte Nationalgalerie. Afternoon: free time to explore the rest of Museum Island independently.

D ay 4 Visits to the Bröhan Museum, Käthe Kollwitz Museum, Brücke Museum and views of the Olympic Stadium and AEG building. Free evening.

D ay 5 Morning visit to the Neue Nationalgalerie. Afternoon visit to the Museum of Decorative Arts.

D ay 6 Morning lecture followed by visit to the Jewish historical district (Hackescher Market) including Kunstwerk Institute for Contemporary Art. Afternoon: Hamburger Bahnhof Museum of Contemporary Art (focusing on Joseph Beuys).

D ay 7 Morning visit to Boris Collection. Depart Berlin 1740, arriving Heathrow 1840.

Cost of £3125 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £395. TOUR CODE: ABL225

Resting Horses by Franz Marc, 1912

Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design

June 3–8, 2025

Discover the highlights of the Bauhaus School and modernist design in Germany in the centenary year of the construction of the Bauhaus Dessau

Take in the major centres of Weimar and Dessau alongside the lesser-visited but culturally rewarding town of Jena, and Halle with its abundance of 1920s modernist architecture

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.

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

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 is the author of many books, including Bauhaus Goes west , which was published in 2019 to coincide with the centenary of the founding of the Bauhaus School.

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. Here, we will take in the Bauhaus Building, including the restored office of Walter Gropius, and the Haus am Horn, a prototype house built to showcase Bauhaus design principles.

In 1925, the school was transferred to Dessau, its most famous location; Gropius designed a new building to house the school which, in its restored state, powerfully evokes what it might have been like to study there. 2025 will mark 100 years since construction began on the complex, and we also look forward to visiting the Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, which opened in 2019 to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the Bauhaus School.

Alongside these major centres, we will also visit other locations in Thuringia and Saxony that reveal a wealth of 20th century treasures. In Jena, we will enjoy a privileged visit to Gropius’s pioneering Haus Auerbach, courtesy of the owners, whilst Halle drew many members of the Bauhaus from Weimar and offers various examples of 1920s modernism.

Bauhaus Dessau

GERMANY

“I loved everything we visited. It was an incredibly rich experience… Throughout, Alan provided fascinating and invaluable historical, political and biographical context to the locations, the art and the personalities”

– ACE customer on the 2023 Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design tour

Our tour begins with three nights in Weimar at the four-star Dorint Hotel Am Goethepark, located close to the Bauhaus Museum. This will be followed by two nights in Dessau at the modern and comfortable four-star Radisson Blu Fürst Leopold Hotel.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness and stamina is required for this tour as we have a full itinerary, to make the most of our time in Germany. The tour involves a significant amount of walking, taken at a reasonable pace, including over cobbled streets, uneven ground and occasionally uphill. Participants should be prepared to traverse steps and stairs, and be mindful of traffic in busy areas. Please note, several of our visits involve spending time outside looking at exterior architecture, and the weather in June can be warm. 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, particularly the visits to private houses, cannot be confirmed until nearer the time and therefore may be subject to change or confirmation.

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

D ay 2 Morning introductory lecture followed by visits to former Bauhaus Building (including restored office of Walter Gropius) and Haus am Horn. Afternoon: Walter Gropius monument and Bauhaus Museum Weimar.

D ay 3 Whole day excursion to Erfurt and Jena: Neufert House, Margarete Reichardt Haus (former weaving workshop and museum), Gropius’s Haus Auerbach and van de Velde’s Ernst Abbe Mausoleum.

D ay 4 Transfer to Dessau via Halle (Saale), featuring examples of 1920s modernism. Afternoon: Kornhaus Dessau (designed by Carl Fieger, draughtsman for Gropius, and situated on banks of the River Elbe). Two nights at Radisson Blu Fürst Leopold Hotel, Dessau.

D ay 5 Optional early morning visit. to the Umweltbundesamt (contemporary building offering opportunity to explore the Bauhaus legacy). Visits in Dessau: Bauhaus buildings, Masters’ Houses and Törten Housing Estate (by Gropius).

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

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a comfort double bedded room, five breakfasts, three lunches (two light), five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, comfort double room for single use supplement £295.

TOUR CODE: GBAU25

The Masters’ Houses

wassily Chairs at the Bauhaus Dessau

Lycian Cruise

April 26 – May 10, 2025 | September 6–13, 2025

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

Visit the impressive ruins of Xanthos, capital of ancient Lycia

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

ACE is pleased to present two departures of our popular Lycian Cruise in 2025: a two-week version taking place in the spring; and a one-week version taking place in early autumn.

Tour Director Gillian Hovell , BA (Hons), is an ancient historian and archaeologist who digs at major sites in the UK and Europe. An experienced tour leader, award-winning writer, and lecturer for the Arts Society, British Museum and Ashmolean, Gillian also runs online courses as ‘The Muddy Archaeologist’.

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.

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. This scenic coastline is dotted with small bays inaccessible to large cruise ships but perfectly suited to traditional Turkish two-masted vessels known as gulets.

Both departures begin with a cruise to Gemiler, where the vestiges of the oncethriving monastic community conjure up the majesty of high Byzantium. There are lovely Hellenistic ruins to admire at Kas and Pinara. At Myra, there are dozens of

Our vessels

The first cruise will be on board the MS Lycian Queen , which launched in 2015, and the second upon the MS Larin Su , launched in 2007 and fully refitted and refurbished in 2020.

These deluxe vessels are traditional, two-masted, motorised wooden Turkish gulets, of the type typically seen along the country’s coastline. Both are equipped with 8 ensuite cabins, making them the ideal size for accessing the ports and bays of the Lycian coast, and amenities include a saloon, sun deck, Wi-Fi and air conditioning.

Myra

A Turkish gulet

TURKEY

superb tombs cut into the vertical rock face; while in the bay of Kekova, we have the opportunity to spot ancient remnants beneath the clear waters (classical Aperlae and Byzantine Tesane). Meanwhile, Xanthos, capital of ancient Lycia, is one of the undoubted historical highlights of the region, where Hellenistic and Lycian influences converge.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Both cruises require a good level of fitness and mobility, in line with the fitness requirements in ACE’s Booking Terms & Conditions. Many archaeological sites involve short but steep ascents, often on broken paths, with the longest taking about 30 minutes. All ascents are 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

The itineraries represent guides to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Opening times can change at short notice, so some visits may be adjusted nearer the time. Our itineraries are fluid and weather conditions can affect the order and nature of visits, so participants should be prepared to be flexible.

ITINERARY – TOUR 1

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

D ay 2 Morning cruise to island of Gemiler: ruined churches, vaulted processional way, ecclesiastical complex. Overnight at Gemiler.

D ay 3 Cruise westwards to Kas: Hellenistic theatre, tombs. Overnight at Kas.

D ay 4 Sail via Uluburun along coast and into bay of Kekova to Kaleköy: citadel with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman remains, Lycian necropolis. Overnight at Gokkaya Liman.

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

D ay 6 Cruise along mountainous shores of Lycian coast to Kalkan then by minibus to Letoon (temples) and Xanthos (Roman theatre, Byzantine citadel and church, remains of Nereid Monument). Overnight at Kalkan.

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

D ay 8 Ancient site of Telmessos (tomb of Amyntas).

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

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

D ay 11 Cruise along peninsula to Loryma: Hellenistic fort. Overnight in Loryma.

D ay 12 Cruise to Knidos: temples of Apollo Karneios and Aphrodite Euploia, Doric portico, early Byzantine churches, harbour theatre. Overnight in Knidos.

D ay 13 Cruise to Bay of Bodrum. Overnight in Bay of Bodrum.

D ay 14 Sail to Bodrum for remains of Mausoleum and St Peter’s Castle including underwater archaeology museum. Overnight in Bay of Bodrum.

D ay 15 Flight from Bodrum to London.

ITINERARY – TOUR 2

D ay 1 Flight from London to Dalaman. Transfer to MS Larin Su for 7 nights. Overnight at Fethiye.

D ay 2 Morning cruise to island of Gemiler: ruined churches, vaulted processional way, ecclesiastical complex. Overnight at Gemiler.

D ay 3 Cruise westwards to Kas: Hellenistic theatre, tombs. Overnight at Kas.

D ay 4 Cruise via Uluburun along coast and into bay of Kekova to Kaleköy: citadel with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman remains, Lycian necropolis. Overnight at Gokkaya Liman.

D ay 5 Cruise to Myra (ancient theatre, rock tombs, Church of St Nicholas). Overnight in Kekova area.

D ay 6 Cruise along mountainous shores of Lycian coast to Kalkan then by minibus to Letoon (temples) and Xanthos (Roman theatre, Byzantine citadel and church, remains of Nereid Monument). Overnight at Kalkan.

D ay 7 Travel inland to ancient Pinara in Esençay Valley (acropolis, Hellenistic theatre, rockcut tombs) and Tlos (bath complex, citadel). Overnight at Fethiye.

D ay 8 Flight from Dalaman to London.

Cost of April / May tour: £4495

Cost of September tour: £2995

Cost includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded cabin, full board (except lunch on Day 8 of Tour 1) with water, tea & coffee, shore excursions & admissions, crew gratuities & all taxes. Not included: visa, travel insurance, master cabins (Tour 1) & cabin for single use supplements (both tours) on request. TOUR CODE: LYC125 / LYC225

Theatre at Pinara

Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge

April 11–18, 2025 | September 26 – October 3, 2025

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, during privileged visits

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 lesserknown delights, including the picturesque town of Pinhão, strikingly situated at the confluence of the Douro and Pinhão Rivers, and the medieval hilltop town of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo.

Continuing into Spain, we will explore Salamanca, famous for its honeycoloured buildings, ancient university, 18th century Plaza Mayor, and twin cathedrals, perched high above the River

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.

Tormes. The city has passed through the conquering hands of Carthaginians, Romans and Moors, a fact that is evident from its mix of architecture.

“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”

– ACE customers on previous Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge tours led by Martin Symington

We will learn about the fascinating winemaking heritage of the area on privileged visits to sites owned by the Symington Family Estates. New for 2025, we hope to enjoy a tour and vineyard walk at the Quinta do Bomfim, and upon our return to Oporto, a visit to the historical Factory House of the British Association, as well as a special tour of Graham’s Port Lodge, to discover and taste some of their fine vintage.

We will also enjoy some traditional music during the tour, as well as opportunities to learn about local cuisine during an onboard 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. The visit to the Castelo Rodrigo involves walking across steep, cobbled ground; and to walk from the mooring point to the Quinta do Bomfim takes approximately 20 minutes over uneven terrain with some uphill sections – the visit itself will involve a further walk around the vineyard. Participants should possess a good level of stamina, although it is possible to opt out of some visits. Please note that certain visits on this cruise 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 Quinta do Bomfim, Factory House and Graham’s Port Lodge, these will be confirmed nearer the time.

D ay 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.

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

D ay 3 Visit to Mateus Palace (beautiful gardens, chapel and winery). Cruise to the riverside town of Pinhão for walking tour. Evening lecture: Port Overnight Pinhão.

D ay 4 Sail past rolling hills and terraced vineyards to Barca d’Alva (on the Spanish border). Afternoon excursion to the medieval

Cost of £4195 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 £475 per person, cabin for single use supplement on request. TOUR CODE: DRR125 / DRR225

de Castelo Rodrigo (castle and churches). Evening lecture: Portugal’s History Overnight Barca d’Alva.

D ay 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.

D ay 6 Morning cruise to Pinhão for afternoon visit to Quinta do Bomfim (vineyard walk and guided tour). Evening lecture: Portugal in the 20th Century. Overnight Porto Antigo.

D ay 7 Morning cruise down river to Oporto (UNESCO World Heritage site): private visit to the historical Factory House of the British Association and tour and tasting at Graham’s Port Lodge. Overnight Oporto.

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

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

Figueira

Pinhão

Salamanca Cathedral

Prague & the Vltava Cruise: A Symphony

September 17–25, 2025

of History & Music

Explore the music, history and culture of Prague and the Vltava region on this spectacular tour, including a seven-day cruise

Enjoy private recitals alongside large-scale performances courtesy of the Dvoř ák Prague International Music Festival

Visit the newly-restored Dvoř ák Museum in Nelahozeves and explore Prague’s awe-inspiring Strahov Monastery on an exclusive guided tour

Join ACE for this brand new edition of our tour to Prague, including a sevenday stretch cruising along the Vltava (or Moldau) River and featuring multiple Tour Directors. Our tour coincides with the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival, and we plan to offer at least one festival concert in the famous Rudolfinum – home to the Czech

Tom Abbott , BA, MA, a proficient lecturer and tour leader, is an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens.

Paul Jackson , MA, PhD, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and formerly Head of Music and Performing Arts and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.

Emilie Capulet , MA, MMus, PhD, is an award-winning international concert pianist, lecturer and musicologist. She is the BMus (Hons) Programme Leader at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Philharmonic Orchestra – in addition to an opera in the city and piano recitals on board our privately chartered vessel.

Beginning with two days in Prague, the tour will offer illuminating glimpses into the country’s multi-layered history. We will explore the city’s old town and castle district, including St Vitus Cathedral, one of Europe’s most important Gothic cathedrals.

We then transfer to our charming paddleboat, the MS Elbe Princesse I, visiting several sites along the waterway and taking in the enchanting landscape of Central Bohemia during relaxed periods of cruising.

Our journey will take us south to the market town of Štěchovice before making an excursion to one of the country’s most important historical sites: Konopiště Castle. Established at the end of the 13th century – and frequently remodelled by its aristocratic owners – the castle was the final residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Returning to Prague through the stunning natural landscape around Slapy and Štěchovice, we will explore the city’s Jewish Quarter including the Spanish Synagogue with its breathtaking Arabic art-inspired interior. Strahov Monastery will welcome us for an exclusive guided

tour taking us ‘beyond the rope’ of the standard visitor route, including its famous Baroque library.

The final stage of our cruise whisks us north to the picturesque town of Mělník where the Vltava and Elbe meet. Litoměřice boasts a characterful centre of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, while Nelahozeves is the site of a Renaissance castle and a newly-restored museum dedicated to Dvořák.

Our Accommodation

We begin our tour with a two-day stay at the five-star NH Collection Prague Carlo IV, a beautiful and welcoming establishment located a short walk from the city’s major monuments. The architecture is palatial both inside and out, with a perfect blend of heritage luxury and contemporary style. We then move onto a seven-day cruise on board the MS Elbe Princesse I, a paddle riverboat completely refurbished to five-anchor standard (similar to a good four-star hotel standard). There are 39 cabins, 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 on other ACE cruises, however they are comfortably designed with attractive regional décor and generous storage space.

Charles Bridge, Prague

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This is one of ACE’s larger cultural tours, including a significant cruising portion on board a privately chartered vessel. There will be a maximum of 50 participants, subject to final cabin allocation. The full group will be divided into two smaller groups for the majority of visits. The cruise portion will offer opportunities to relax on board; however, participants should have a good level of fitness and be comfortable ascending and descending multiple staircases, particularly at Konopiště and Nelahozeves, as well as walking around Prague. Some sites have uneven, slippery surfaces, and not all upper floors are accessible by lift. The approach to Konopiště is partly by small private eco-train, however visitors need to ascend the final 100 metres on foot. Some sites, including Prague Castle District, will be crowded. The boat’s dining room is on the main deck, accessed via a flight of steps, and there is no on-board lift. For our minimum fitness requirements, please consult our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

The itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation. Due to changing conditions associated with waterways,

“The whole tour was well organised and the ACE guides were very attentive and caring”

– ACE customer on a previous v ltava Cruise

the precise timings and order of visits may change nearer the time. In rare cases, portions of the cruise may not be possible, for example due to unforeseen maintenance works or extreme water level changes; if this is the case, we will undertake the advertised visits by private coach or substitute alternative visits. We plan to attend 2-3 public performances (including at least one festival concert) within Prague, however the final musical programme is subject to scheduling, and we may need to substitute on-board private recitals if a public performance is not possible.

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1320 on British Airways, arriving Prague 1620. Transfer to NH Collection Prague Carlo IV Hotel for two nights. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning lecture: The History of Prague followed by walking tour of Old Town. Afternoon: visit to Antonín Dvořák Museum including short private recital. Evening performance in Prague (festival concert or opera).

D ay 3 Morning: Castle District (St George’s Basilica, St Vitus Cathedral and Old Royal Palace). Transfer to MS Elbe Princesse. Welcome reception and introduction from crew. Evening recital on board with Paul Jackson: Pictures of Bohemia. Overnight in Prague.

D ay 4 Morning cruising towards Štěchovice with on-board lectures including an illustrated talk with Paul Jackson: A Musical Introduction to our Journey. Afternoon: Konopiště Castle. Evening recital on board with Emilie Capulet. Overnight in Slapy.

D ay 5 Day cruising through beautiful Bohemian landscape, with on-board lectures. Evening performance in Prague (festival concert or opera). Overnight in Prague.

D ay 6 Visits in Prague: Strahov Monastery (exclusive ‘beyond the rope’ tour) and Jewish Quarter including Spanish Synagogue. Evening recital on board. Overnight in Prague.

D ay 7 Morning cruising towards Mělník with on-board lecture. Afternoon: Nelahozeves for castle and Dvořák Museum (subject to final confirmation). Overnight in Mělník.

D ay 8 Excursion to Litoměřice: walking tour, All Saints’ Church and Diocesan Museum. Afternoon: Liblice Chateau (Baroque chateau located in its own park, belonging to the Czech Academy of Science) after leisurely lunch. Return to Prague. Evening: gala dinner and celebratory recital. Overnight in Prague.

D ay 9 Morning visit in Prague (final flight arrangements permitting). Depart Prague 1415, arriving Heathrow 1520.

Cost of £4795 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a main deck twin cabin, full board cruise with unlimited wine, beer, soft drinks, tea & coffee, 5 star hotel accommodation for two nights including two dinners with wine, water, tea & coffee, two shore excursions & admissions, at least two public performances in Prague (including Dvo ř ák Festival performance with Category 1 tickets – final details subject to scheduling), all gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, hotel twin/double & main deck twin cabin for single use supplement £945. Upper deck supplements available on request. TOUR CODE: v LTA25

Strahov Monastery library Baroque ceiling

MS Elbe Princesse I

Mahler Festival in Amsterdam

May 8–14, 2025 with Russell Keable | May 13–19, 2025 with Michael Downes

Two tours cover the first and second halves of this celebration of Mahler’s music, each encompassing five symphonic concerts at the Royal Concertgebouw, performed by renowned orchestras, conductors and soloists

Attend daytime recitals featuring up-and-coming young artists

Explore Amsterdam’s artistic and architectural treasures

We invite you to join us as we journey to Mahler’s ‘second musical homeland’ for one of the world’s biggest celebrations of his orchestral works and songs. The return of the Amsterdam festival is particularly highly anticipated after its cancellation in 2020, and our two consecutive tours will, between them, cover every festival concert.

Our first departure will take in Symphonies 1-5, performed by an eminent line-up of orchestras and conductors including Klaus Mäkelä and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra under

The first tour will be led by Russell Keable , BA, MMus, a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer who trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and studied conducting at London’s Royal College of Music. He currently teaches at the University of Surrey.

The second tour will be led by Michael Downes , MA, MPhil, DPhil, a conductor and writer who has lectured for most of the UK’s leading opera companies. Michael has held the position of Director of Music at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and at the University of St Andrews.

Tickets

Tickets for the main concerts will be Category 1, and tickets for the recitals Category 1+, providing the highest quality listening and viewing experience

Iván Fischer and the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo under Fabio Luisi.

Our second departure will take in Symphonies 6-9, in addition to the Adagio from the incomplete Symphony No 10. These will be performed by artists including Jaap van Zweden with an “impressively large” Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic (once led by Mahler himself) under both Kirill Petrenko and Daniel Barenboim.

Top category seats will allow us to appreciate the Royal Concertgebouw’s magnificent acoustics as Mahler himself once did; while the concerts will provide a glimpse into the life and development of the composer’s own musical style over time.

Our daytimes will also be filled with the music of Mahler and other composers, performed by prize-winning artists. Furthermore, the tour will encompass visits to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the Our Lord in the Attic Museum.

Our first tour will be based at the luxurious five-star Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park, and the second tour at the four-star NH Amsterdam Leidseplein Hotel.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note, this tour requires a good level of fitness, and participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Time will be spent on foot and we will also use some public transport (trams).

ITINERARY – TOUR 1

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1145 on British Airways, arriving Amsterdam 1405. Transfer to Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel for six nights. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning lecture and short orientation walk. Early afternoon festival performance at Royal Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Catriona Morison (mezzo soprano), James Newby (baritone) and Julius Drake (piano): Mahler Drei Lieder, Lieder und Gesänge (Vol 1), Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Rückert-Lieder Free afternoon followed by evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Concertgebouw Orchestra under Klaus Mäkelä: Mahler Symphony No 1 in D.

D ay 3 Morning visit to Rijksmuseum. Early afternoon festival performance at Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Ema Nikolovska (alto), Jusung Gabriel Park (bass baritone) and Julius Drake (piano): Mahler Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Free time and late afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Budapest Festival Orchestra and Netherlands Radio Choir under Iván Fischer, with Christiane Karg (soprano) and Anna Lucia Richter (mezzo soprano): Mahler Symphony No 2 in C minor.

The Royal Concertgebouw orchestra

D ay 4 Morning festival performance at Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Chianti Ensemble: Mahler Piano Quartet in A minor; Webern Langsamer Satz ; Dvořák Piano Quintet No 2 in A, Op 81. Free time and late afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, Women of the National Radio Choir and National Children’s Choir under Fabio Luisi, with Olesya Petrova (mezzo soprano): Mahler Symphony No 3 in D minor.

D ay 5 Morning visit to Van Gogh Museum. Free time and late afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo under Fabio Luisi, with Ying Fang (soprano): Mahler Songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Symphony No 4 in G.

Day 6 Morning visit to Our Lord in the Attic Museum. Some free time, late afternoon lecture and evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer, with Anna Lucia Richter (mezzo soprano): Mahler Kindertotenlieder, Symphony No 5 in C sharp minor.

D ay 7 Free morning. Depart Amsterdam 1505, arriving Heathrow 1520.

ITINERARY – TOUR 2

D ay 1 Depart London Heathrow 1145 on British Airways, arriving Amsterdam 1405. Transfer to NH Amsterdam Leidseplein Hotel for six nights. Welcome and introduction.

D ay 2 Morning lecture and short orientation walk. Early afternoon festival performance at Royal Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Feride Büyükdenktas (mezzo soprano), Stuart Jackson (tenor) and Julius Drake (piano): Mahler Das Lied von der Erde. Free time and evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden: Mahler Symphony No 6 in A minor.

D ay 3 Morning visit to Rijksmuseum. Early afternoon festival performance at

Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Fleur Barron (mezzo soprano), Laurence Kilsby (tenor) and Julius Drake (piano): Mahler Songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Lieder und Gesänge (Vols 2 and 3) and Kindertotenlieder. Free time and late afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden: Mahler Symphony No 7.

D ay 4 Morning visit to Our Lord in the Attic Museum. Free time and late afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Concertgebouw Orchestra, National Radio Choir, Laurens Symfonisch, Chœur de l’Orchestre de Paris and National Children’s Choir under Klaus Mäkelä: Mahler Symphony No 8 in E flat.

D ay 5 Morning visit to Van Gogh Museum. Early afternoon festival performance at Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Axelle Fanyo (soprano), Raoul Steffani (baritone) and Julius Drake (piano): selection of songs by Alma Mahler, Zemlinsky, Berg, Schönberg, Webern, Pfitzner, Korngold, Krenek and Stravinsky. Free time and late afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Berlin Philharmonic under Kirill Petrenko: Mahler Symphony No 9 in D.

D ay 6 Late morning festival performance at Concertgebouw (Recital Hall) featuring Thomas Beijer (piano): Janáček Piano Sonata in E flat minor 1.X.1905; Mahler Ruhevoll (poco adagio) from Symphony No 4 in G; Zemlinsky Fantasien über Gedichte von Richard Dehmel, Op 9; Brahms Vier Klavierstücke, Op 119. Free time and late afternoon lecture and evening festival performance at Concertgebouw featuring Berlin Philharmonic under Daniel Barenboim: Mahler Adagio from Symphony No 10, Das Lied von der Erde

D ay 7 Free morning. Depart Amsterdam 1505, arriving Heathrow 1520.

For those wishing to join both tours and experience the full range of Mahler’s symphonies, take in all ten main evening performances by combining both Mahler tours with a reduction of £400 per person, based on sharing a room, and £500 per person for single occupancy.

TOUR 1

Cost of £5495 includes: return airfare, accommodation at the Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits based on sharing a luxury twin or double bedded room, performances as described (5 main concerts category 1, 3 recitals category 1+), six breakfasts, one lunch, six dinners (one light) with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, luxury double room for single use supplement £995.

TOUR CODE: MAH125

TOUR 2

Cost of £5295 includes: return airfare, accommodation at the NH Amsterdam Leidseplein Hotel based on sharing a standard twin or double bedded room, performances as described (5 main concerts category 1, 4 recitals category 1+), six breakfasts, one lunch (light), six dinners (one light) with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, standard double room for single use supplement £975.

TOUR CODE: MAH225

The Royal Concertgebouw

Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives

April 7–12, 2025

Discover the works of the Newlyn School artists, who were enchanted by Cornwall in the late 19th century

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

Enjoy beautiful maritime views at Trelissick, on the River Fal

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

The painters of the Newlyn School were led by Stanhope Forbes; they adhered to the principle of painting en plein air and found subject matter amongst the local fishermen and their families. In the 20th century, St Ives became a focus for leading avant-garde artists such as Ben Nicholson, Naum Gabo and Barbara Hepworth, as well as Patrick Heron, Roger Hilton and Peter Lanyon.

Our tour will follow in the footsteps of the artists inspired by the Cornish land and seascapes from the 1800s to the present day. In Truro, a predominantly Georgian town, we will visit John Loughborough Pearson’s neo-Gothic

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

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

Reopened in 2017 after a £20 million transformation by Jamie Fobert

Architects, Tate St Ives was the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year in 2018. The gallery hosts a rich collection of modern art in a dramatic seafront setting, including pottery and stoneware by Bernard Leach and marine paintings by local artist Alfred Wallis. A short walk away is Trewyn Studio, Barbara Hepworth’s home and studio from 1949 to 1975. The rooms feel as though she has only just left them and the small, tranquil garden provides the perfect setting for her sculptures.

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

St Ives

Barbara Hepworth Museum sculpture garden

and the church at St Hilary with its series of unique paintings created by artists such as Dod and Ernest Procter and Roger Fry. We will spend an afternoon at the romantically named and justly famous Lost Gardens of Heligan.

We will stay throughout at the fourstar Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth, a comfortable and uniquely decorated property occupying an elegant Georgian mansion house set in private parkland.

“Couldn’t have been better as far as we are concerned!... This is our 4th tour with ACE and every time we return home feeling very happy. well done and thank you!”

“Sarah Burles was so knowledgeable and had a great network of local people who added their knowledge to the tour. The lectures were interesting and easy to understand, and prepared us well for the visits. Guiding on site was wonderful. I learnt so much. Conversations and discussions on site and over dinner were interesting and stimulating. She was constantly making sure we were all enjoying the tour. A really excellent tour director”

– ACE customers on

This tour will be led by Sarah Burles , MA, who studied History of Art at Cambridge University before going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums. Sarah has worked on the St Ives artists and their links to Kettle’s Yard, and has taught a short course on ‘The Art of Cornwall’.

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

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, depending on local factors. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks mentioned.

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

D ay 2 Morning lecture: The Newlyn School followed by visits in Truro to the neo-Gothic cathedral (designed by John Loughborough Pearson) and Royal Cornwall Museum. Afternoon: Lost Gardens of Heligan (giant Himalayan rhododendrons, bamboos, ferns, palms).

D ay 3 Morning lecture: The Forbes School of Art & Lamorna followed by visit to Trelissick Gardens (unparalleled maritime views). By ferry (weather permitting) to Falmouth for visit to Falmouth Art Gallery (one of the leading art collections in Cornwall).

D ay 4 Excursion to Newlyn (Cornwall’s largest fishing port) for visit to Newlyn Art Gallery followed by Penzance for visit to Penlee House Gallery and Museum. St Hilary’s Church (decorated by members of the Lamorna Group). Evening lecture: St Ives & Modernism.

D ay 5 Whole day excursion to St Ives for Bernard Leach Pottery, Tate St Ives (including works by Patrick Heron, Alfred Wallis and Naum Gabo), Barbara Hepworth Museum and Porthmeor Studios (one of the oldest working artists’ studios in the country – visit subject to confirmation).

D ay 6 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £1895 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £125. TOUR CODE: CORN25

The Breadwinners, walter langley, 1896

the 2023 Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives tour with Sarah Burles

Art Treasures of Manchester

March 3–6, 2025 | March 17–20, 2025

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

Visit the fascinating Silk Museum in nearby Macclesfield, discovering the history of silk weaving

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 tour explores the artistic treasures to be found in Manchester’s art galleries and university collections, as well as some rich cultural heritage outside the city.

Manchester Art Gallery opened in 1883 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, including a particularly impressive group of PreRaphaelite works.

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,

These tours will be led by art history expert Julia Marwood , MA, a lecturer and tour guide specialising in the arts of Manchester as well as those of Scotland and Germany. An accredited Arts Society lecturer and guide at Manchester Art Gallery, Julia originally studied at the universities of Durham and Manchester. She has a passion for travel and for sharing the joys of looking at art.

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, as well as a special tour of Chetham’s School Library, founded in 1653 and the oldest public library in the Englishspeaking world.

We will extend our exploration outside the city into the Cheshire countryside with an excursion to Knutsford. The 18th century Palladian Tabley House boasts paintings by Turner in the rooms for which they were created.

Meanwhile, nearby Macclesfield is home to the Silk Museum, containing “Europe’s largest collection of Jacquard

Going to Work, l S lowry, 1943, Imperial war Museum

work, Ford Madox Brown, 1852-65, Manchester Art Gallery

silk handlooms in their original setting”. We will have an opportunity to explore the mill and also hope to view its assemblage of original pattern books.

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

Tour Director Julia Marwood writes: “In 1744, Clive of India wrote in a letter, ‘If I should be so blessed as to revisit again my own country, but more especially Manchester, all that I could hope or desire would be presented before me in one view’. I’m not sure exactly what he loved so much about the city, but I’m very excited to be able to explore my favourite places with you in this magnificent and often underappreciated city. And as a tour guide at Manchester Art Gallery for many years, I’m particularly looking forward to showing off the wonderful treasures entrusted to our care.”

“The whole Manchester experience was a joy”

– ACE customer on the 2024 Art Treasures of Manchester tour

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

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, over cobbles and up steps, so a good level of fitness and mobility is required. Access to the mill at the Silk Museum currently involves three flights of stairs, totalling 49 steps, however participants can sit out this element of the visit if they prefer. 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.

D ay 1 Tour assembles 1345 at Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre for three nights. Afternoon walking tour of Manchester city centre including visits to Manchester Cathedral and Chetham’s School Library, Royal Exchange (exterior) and St Anne’s Church (exterior). Welcome and introductory lecture.

D ay 2 Morning lecture: Painting Manchester followed by visit to Manchester Art Gallery (celebrated 200 years in 2023). Afternoon: Whitworth Art Gallery (internationally important collection of art, textiles and wallpapers).

D ay 3 Morning excursion to Macclesfield for visit to the Silk Museum (including private viewing of original pattern books – subject to confirmation). Continue to Knutsford for afternoon visit to Tabley House Collection (paintings by Lely and Turner).

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

Cost of £1275 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: MAN125 / MAN225

Tabley, Cheshire, the Seat of Sir J F Leicester, Bt: Windy Day, JMw Turner, 1808, Tabley House Collection

Stained Glass in England: Style, Technique & Colour

March 17–21, 2025 | November 17–21, 2025

From a base in Cambridge, explore some of the country’s finest stained glass across a range of privileged visits to churches, college chapels and cathedrals

Enjoy excursions to Oxford, Norwich and Bury St Edmunds to view important stained glass from the medieval era onwards

Gain insights into the processes and techniques involved in stained glass production at Ely’s Stained Glass Museum and Cathedral

Stained glass might be described as a niche, yet highly significant, genre within the field of decorative painting. Despite its rarity, fragility and technical limitations, stained glass has received a great deal of attention from church visitors and scholars, and it is appreciated for a wealth of reasons: not least its abstract qualities, the technical mastery involved in its creation, and its perceived spiritual values. Even the term ‘stained glass’ is itself complex, raising questions

of design and technique – being opposed to ‘painted glass’, as is often assumed.

Fundamental questions revolving around the making of ‘picture windows’ will be addressed during this tour, as we visit a selection of places boasting significant examples of the art form. Foremost among them is King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, one of the most superlative examples of Renaissance glass, not only in England but anywhere in Europe.

Oxford, by contrast, features some important medieval glass, but also

This tour will be led by art historian Alex Koller, PhD, an experienced ACE Tour Director who has studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge. Alex completed his PhD on the subject of stained glass at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he also lectured and supervised.

benefited from a period of active patronage during the 17th century ‘Beauty of Holiness’ movement. The great west windows of the chapels of New College and Magdalen College rank among the most daring experiments in the genre in the post-medieval world.

Survival is an issue that surfaces in the context of continental glass that was taken to England during the iconoclasm of the French Revolution and its aftermath: examples will be studied at the cathedral in Bury St Edmunds and in Hingham, Norfolk.

The 19th century revival of what are still widely regarded as the true principles of stained glass design can be appreciated in the contrast between one of the most complete medieval schemes of glazing at St Peter Mancroft in Norwich, and the Victorian windows of the Catholic cathedral in the same city. Later developments in stained glass design are evident at Jesus College in Cambridge.

The Stained Glass Museum in Ely provides insights into the history and

The Seven Cardinal Virtures by Joshua Reynolds & Thomas Jervais, New College, oxford

technique of the making of stained glass windows. The fact that this museum is housed in a building where the effects of post-Reformation iconoclasm, which accounted for the loss of so much of this fragile art, are still visible, is a particularly poignant reminder of the changing fortunes of the art form in England.

This tour will be based in the heart of Cambridge at the four-star Hotel du Vin, a comfortable hotel set in a former university building in the heart of Cambridge.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that this tour requires good levels of fitness, mobility and stamina, as we have a full itinerary with a significant amount of coach travel to include a breadth of visits. There is a moderate amount of walking involved between visits and to access sites, including occasionally uphill and uneven surfaces, cobbled ground and steps, which can be slippery if wet. The steps at the entrance to the hotel do not have handrails, and the pavements in Cambridge have wide conduits which can fill with leaves, so care should be taken. The Stained Glass Museum is located in the south triforium (an upper level) of Ely Cathedral, and access is by a stone spiral staircase of 40 steps. No lift is available, but participants can opt out of this visit if wished. Furthermore, please note that

“An excellent tour. Alex was a superb tutor who provided great insights into the history and techniques of stained glass. I learned a great deal”

– ACE customer on the 2023 Stained Glass in England: Style, Technique & Colour tour led by Alex Koller

church and chapel interiors may be dimly lit, and some walking will be done in darkness. There are opportunities to sit down at most visits with the exception of the Stained Glass Museum. For more general guidance, please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

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

D ay 1 Tour assembles 1415 at the Hotel du Vin, Cambridge. Afternoon visits in Cambridge: Peterhouse College Chapel and Great St Mary’s Church. Welcome and introductory lecture.

D ay 2 Whole day excursion to Oxford: Christ Church Cathedral, Magdalen College Chapel, Wadham College Chapel, New College and Merton College Chapel.

D ay 3 Morning excursion to Bury St Edmunds for St Edmundsbury Cathedral (subject to confirmation) followed by Church of Saints Peter & Paul, East Harling and St Andrew’s Church, Hingham. Afternoon: continue to Norwich for Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist and St Peter Mancroft.

D ay 4 Morning visits in Cambridge: King’s College Chapel and Jesus College Chapel. Afternoon excursion to Ely for visits to the cathedral and Stained Glass Museum.

D ay 5 Morning visits in Cambridge: Wren Library at Trinity College and Robinson College Chapel. Tour disperses approx 1215.

Cost of March tour: £1745

Cost of November tour: £1795

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

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

TOUR CODE: STG125 / STG225

Stained glass details at St Peter Mancroft, Norwich

Romney Marsh Churches

April 28 – May 2, 2025

Trace the fascinating history and geography of Romney Marsh through visits to its evocative churches

Take a glimpse into the Marsh’s medieval past, which abounds with dramatic stories of storms and smugglers

Discover less-frequented churches and hidden details, as well as famous sites such as St Dunstan’s in Snargate

Today, the landscape of the Romney Marsh is full of natural charm and echoes of the past – not least the famous sheep who have grazed the marshes for centuries, and the smugglers who once considered it a haven for their illicit trades.

Renowned for their variety, the churches on the Marsh boast long and fascinating histories, some dating back to the early medieval period. Most were built with their communities in mind and reflect their characters: isolated and weatherbeaten – particularly after a great storm in 1287 changed the geography of the area and the Marsh was badly hit by the Plague – but harbouring unexpected treasures.

St Clement’s in Old Romney is one of the oldest churches in Kent, with distinctive medieval features, and St Nicholas’s in New Romney traces a fascinating history thanks to its position on the harbour-front. St Dunstan’s in Snargate possesses a 16th century nave roof and a stunning wall painting of a ‘great ship’, while the Church of St Mary the Virgin, located in St Mary in the Marsh, contains elegant medieval features; it is also the burial place of children’s author and poet Edith Nesbit.

Going back further in time, we look forward to exploring All Saints in Lydd, notable for its very early history, dating back to the 5th century.

We will be based at the four-star Best Western Clifton Hotel, close to Folkestone’s famous Leas cliff top promenade.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, and participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Travellers should be prepared for walks across uneven, hilly, steep and grassy terrain in order to access some of the churches – notably at Hythe and Rye. The ground can be slippery underfoot, and there may be uneven steps into the churches, with handrails not always available. The churches can be dimly lit and chilly, and not all are easily accessible by coach, which on occasion necessitates a longer (sometimes uphill) walk of up to half a mile at a time.

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

ITINERARY

While we will endeavour to deliver the itinerary in full, some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Churches may change their opening arrangements at short notice, and some visits may be time permitting on the day.

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

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

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

D ay 4 Morning: St Dunstan’s Church, Snargate, St Thomas à Becket Church, Fairfield and All Saints’ Church, Lydd. Afternoon: St Nicholas’s Church, New Romney and St Clement’s Church, Old Romney.

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

Cost of £1395 includes: accommodation based on sharing a deluxe twin or double bedded room, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, deluxe double room for single use supplement £125.

TOUR CODE: RMMC25

St Thomas à Becket Church

Glasgow: Patrons, Art & Innovation

May 13–19, 2025

Visit the recently refurbished Burrell Collection

Follow the work of key figures including Robert Adam and Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and explore the worlds of the Glasgow Boys and Glasgow Girls

Take a trip to the Isle of Bute for the lavish Victorian Mount Stuart, and explore Dumfries House, a Palladian mansion housing fine furniture

Glasgow has established itself as a vibrant cultural city, and several of the region’s museums and great country houses have benefitted from major conservation programmes.

The magnificent Burrell Collection, amassed by Sir William Burrell (18611958), was bequeathed to the City of Glasgow. Its purpose-built home in Pollok Country Park has recently undergone a major refurbishment, and the wide-ranging and eclectic collections of fine and decorative art – which include late Gothic and early Renaissance European art, important stained glass and 19th century French painting – have been beautifully redisplayed.

Further highlights range from the modern Riverside Museum, designed by Zaha Hadid, to the little-known neoclassical interiors of Holmwood House. Dumfries House, rescued from

sale and the dispersal of its contents through the intervention of His Majesty

The King when Prince of Wales, is a little-altered gem designed by Robert Adam and home to Chippendale furniture made specifically for the house.

Mount Stuart, on the Isle of Bute, was built for the vastly wealthy 3rd Marquess of Bute, and the interiors reflect his distinctive taste and the influence of his friend, the architect William Burges.

We also look forward to a visit to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, focusing on the works of the Glasgow Boys and Scottish Colourists, and tea at the beautifully restored ‘Mackintosh at the Willow’ tearooms.

Our base is the refurbished four-star Radisson Blu Hotel, conveniently situated in the city centre.

This tour will be led by art history expert Julia Marwood, MA, a lecturer and tour guide specialising in Scottish art as well as the arts of Manchester and Germany. An accredited Arts Society lecturer and guide at Manchester Art Gallery, Julia originally studied at the universities of Durham and Manchester. She has a passion for travel and for sharing the joys of looking at art, and is currently learning Scottish Gaelic.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Glasgow is hilly and this tour involves daily city-based walking, including some steeper sections near to our hotel. Many sites have lifts or ramps but not all, so participants should be prepared for traversing steps as well as uneven ground. The tour involves a moderate amount of time spent standing in museums (up to 2 hours at a time); folding seats are often available but cannot be guaranteed. Our visit to Mount Stuart will involve travel by ferry. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions prior to booking.

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.

D ay 1 Tour assembles 1400 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow, for six nights. Afternoon: Riverside Museum. Welcome and introductory lecture.

D ay 2 Whole day excursion to Dumfries House. Evening lecture: Glasgow Girls.

D ay 3 Morning: House for an Art Lover (subject to confirmation) and Holmwood House. Afternoon: Burrell Collection.

D ay 4 Morning: Hill House (temporarily preserved by an innovative ‘box’ enabling the exterior to be explored from roof to ground level during restoration project). Afternoon: Mackintosh Queen’s Cross and Tenement House.

D ay 5 Morning: Hunterian Art Gallery, Mackintosh House (subject to confirmation) and Hunterian Museum. Afternoon: tea at ‘Mackintosh at the Willow’ tearooms. Free evening.

D ay 6 Whole day excursion by coach and ferry to the Isle of Bute for Mount Stuart (guided tour followed by free time to explore gardens).

D ay 7 Morning: Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum (focusing on the Glasgow Boys and Scottish Colourists followed by some free time to look around independently). Tour disperses approx 1230 at Glasgow Central Station, approx 1245 at Glasgow Queen Street Station and approx 1330 at Glasgow International Airport.

Cost of £2295 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, tea at ‘Mackintosh at the Willow’ tearooms, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.

Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £495. TOUR CODE: GLAS25

The Sleeping Princess, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, 1906

Music & Opera in New York

March 2025

One of ACE’s most popular music tours returns in 2025, offering guests the opportunity to experience live performances in New York’s world famous venues – the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall.

Featuring a carefully chosen selection of operas and concerts courtesy of world class instrumentalists, conductors and singers, our tour will provide an

engrossing introduction to the city’s musical heritage, interspersed with explorations of its architectural, artistic and political history.

Founded in 1883, the Metropolitan Opera stages a huge variety of operatic productions each year, ranging from the traditional to the modern and from Baroque compositions to works of the 21st century. Its iconic Upper West Side venue welcomes audiences under two huge Chagall murals. Carnegie Hall,

Tour Director

Professor Ashley

Solomon , FRAM, FRCM, is Chair and Head of Historical Performance at the Royal College of Music and Director of Baroque ensemble Florilegium. Ashley has strong links with the Juilliard School in New York, to which we hope to include a privileged visit as part of our itinerary.

meanwhile, is resplendent with its grand Italianate façade, and regularly hosts wellknown performers such as Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax.

Previous ACE tours have featured performances from musicians including Sir Bryn Terfel, Joyce DiDonato and Vittorio Grigolo. These have been complemented by visits to a selection of New York’s cultural sites, including the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Frick Collection.

Please note that this description represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Full details, including the tour dates, cost, itinerary and musical programme, will be released later in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: MUNY25

New York and the Brooklyn Bridge

Carnegie Hall

Wonders of Georgia

May 6–20, 2025

Georgia is a country of rich historical treasures and diverse landscapes, which we will explore on this brand new tour as we undertake a cultural adventure journeying from Tbilisi to Batumi via Bolnisi, Mtskheta, Kutaisi and Mestia.

Highlights will include the fascinating Ananuri Fortress Complex, a classic example of Georgian architecture located at the crossroads of trade

routes; the medieval Gelati Monastery, one of Georgia’s first monasteries and typifying the ‘Georgian Golden Age’; and Nokalakevi archaeological site, occupied during the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras. We will also pay a visit to Ushguli, one of the highest continually inhabited settlements in Europe, and the Roman fortress of Apsarus.

Our understanding of Georgian history and culture will be enriched by dedicated lectures from our Tour Director, as well as visits to a plethora of museums

This tour will be led by historian Ian Colvin , PhD, an expert in the late Roman and Byzantine history of the Caucasus regions, who studied modern and classical Georgian at Oxford. Since 2001 he has been Director of an archaeological expedition to Nokalakevi.

displaying important artefacts, from the Georgian National Museum to the Bolnisi Museum, which elucidates the country’s ancient history.

We hope to include an opportunity to hear some traditional Georgian polyphony, part of the country’s rich folk culture. Georgia is also renowned for its winemaking, a tradition dating back over 8000 years, and we hope to sample some Georgian wines at the Tsinandali Estate.

Please note that this description represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Full details, including the cost and itinerary, will be released later in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: GEOR25

Jvari Monastery, Mtskheta

Gelati Monastery

Wildlife & Walking on the Isles of Scilly

May 13–20, 2025

Explore the botanical and ornithological highlights of the tranquil Isles of Scilly in the company of expert ecologists

Visit the famous sub-tropical gardens of Tresco, home to a rich diversity of exotic plants

Take in archaeological sites, wetland birdlife and maritimeinfluenced vegetation

More peaceful and relaxed than mainland Britain, Scilly embraces five inhabited islands and dozens of rocky outcrops, rich in sea birds.

The archipelago’s location and singular maritime microclimate endow this Atlantic haven with great botanical and

This tour will be led by Peter Exley, BSc, an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB, and Diana Ward , MSc, CBiol, MCIEEM, an ecologist and wildlife specialist who has worked on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

“Every day was special!”

“Both guides were very well informed, generous with their knowledge and enthusiastic”

“Could not have been better... This was one of the very best holidays of my life”

– ACE customers on the 2023 Isles of Scilly tour led by Peter Exley and Diana Ward

ornithological interest; with over 350 days of the year warm enough for plant growth, flora from the Canaries, South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand flourish across the islands, and a unique list of migratory birds finds a feeding refuge on the last outpost of south western Britain.

We will take in the islands’ late spring highlights, with a particular focus upon their flora. On coastal paths and nature trails, we will discover the exotic vegetation that makes these islands the subject of such great botanical interest.

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

ITINERARY

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

D ay 1 Check in at hotel on St Mary’s for seven nights. Welcome and introduction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

D ay 8 Tour disperses after breakfast.

Please note that this description and itinerary represent a guide to what we hope to offer. Full details, including the tour cost and hotel details, will be released later in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: ISCY25

New Grimsby Sound between Tresco and Bryher

Chinese Civilisation

October 11–28, 2025

Throughout the centuries, successive dynasties have left a legacy of extraordinary fine art, architecture, garden design, calligraphy and porcelain across China. On a journey encompassing several of the country’s ancient and modern capitals, including Xi’an, Luoyang, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Beijing, we will discover the fascinating history of over 5000 years of Chinese civilisation.

Highlights of our tour will include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army, as well as many lesserknown sites. From early elaborate bronzes to the world of the modern Chinese artist, we will encounter the many facets of Chinese art and creativity.

Examples of traditional architecture include the Qing dynasty Qiao Family Mansion and the walled city of Pingyao, while the fine arts are represented by the

Please note that this description represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Full details, including the cost and itinerary, will be released later in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: CHIN25

rare Song dynasty sculptures at the Jinci Temple, the Tang Murals at the Shaanxi History Museum and the painting and calligraphy collection at the Shanghai Museum.

We also look forward to experiencing elegant Chinese garden design on a visit to the UNESCO-listed classical gardens at Suzhou, and to seeing examples of modern art at the 798 Art District in Beijing.

Experienced ACE Tour Director

Elizabeth Morrell , BA, a sinologist and Chinese speaker, will lead this tour. Elizabeth has been visiting China since 1976 when she studied modern Chinese literature at Fudan University in Shanghai, and she wrote one of the earliest guidebooks to China, published in 1984.

The Great wall of China at Jinshanling

The Forbidden City, Beijing

Mekong Cruise

October 16–30, 2025

Join this brand new ACE cruise exploring the fascinating history and culture of the Mekong Delta

Travel from the vibrant urban hubs of Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh along the lush Mekong to tranquil villages and the extraordinary temples of Angkor

Myriad themes, from archaeology, history and architecture to local customs and gastronomy combine to create an in-depth impression of Southeast Asian culture

This exciting new cruise offers unique insights into the cultural world of the Mekong Delta of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia. Taking history and archaeology as particular focal points, the tour will provide a rounded experience, immersing participants in the heritage to be found along this captivating river.

Our tour begins in lively Ho Chi Minh City, with visits to atmospheric pagodas dedicated to the Taoist god Jade Emperor and the sea goddess Mazu, as well as the Reunification Palace and Cholon, the

This tour will be led by Moira Tait , MA, FRAS, who read archaeology at the University of London, focussing on Paleolithic and Mesolithic Europe before gaining an MA in the archaeology of Southeast Asia from SOAS. She has excavated several Iron Age sites in Thailand exploring the transition from prehistory to city states such as Angkor. Moira has led tours to destinations including Southeast Asia for many years, and undertook a research recce on the Mekong in 2023 to devise this brand new itinerary for ACE. Moira will also be joined by local guides during this cruise, who will be able to share their own unique insights into local life.

Chinese-influenced section of the city. From here we will cruise towards My Tho and Cai Be along the magnificent Chao Gao Canal, with an excursion by riverboat to Thoi Son Island, including a ride in sampans (traditional boats) along picturesque narrow waterways.

En route to the prosperous city of Chau Doc on the border with Cambodia, where we will explore Ba Chua Xu Temple and the Tay An Pagoda, we will visit Tan Chau to experience the floating houses of a fishing farm on a special tour by boat. Our vessel then continues to Phnom Penh, which our Tour Director will introduce in a dedicated lecture,

discussing the development of the city from the 15th century onwards.

A whole day will be dedicated to exploring Phnom Penh, including an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of its troubling recent past, with visits to Cheong Ek (known as the ‘killing fields’) and Tuol Sleng Prison. We will also stop at the Royal Palace, built in 1866 under King Norodom, to experience Khmer architecture and the Silver Pagoda, named after its floor, which is covered with over 5000 silver tiles.

Traditional crafts and produce will form an additional focal point of our

Angkor wat temple complex

Banteay Srei Temple

Tour Director Moira Tait writes:

“This tour offers a wonderful taste of Southeast Asia, taking you from the vibrant urban hubs of Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh to the tranquil villages along the lush Mekong Delta and the extraordinary temples of Angkor. It is a great time to explore Vietnam and Cambodia – especially Angkor – while they are relatively quiet and reminiscent of my visits two decades ago. Many temples have been restored over the past five years, while the forests around the temples are being rewilded and facilities much improved, making the whole visitor experience considerably enhanced.”

tour, with visits to a beekeeping centre; factories producing bricks, pottery and traditional products such as puffed rice; and the small village of Koh Chen, where craftspeople specialise in silver and copper work. Further highlights will include an afternoon cruise on Tonlé Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, and a visit to Kampong Chhnang, one of its largest fishing ports and a region known for producing fine traditional pottery.

No tour of the region would be complete without a visit to Angkor. After our cruise comes to an end, we will spend several additional days in Siem Reap, travelling to Angkor Thom to see the temples of Bayon and Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Angkor Wat, meanwhile, is the largest and most breathtaking monument: built as the funeral temple for Suryavarman II, who ruled from 1112 to 1152, it never fails to reward either the first-time or repeat visitor with its grand scale, surreal bas reliefs and exquisite details.

Banteay Srei was for many years inaccessible due to its remote location and Khmer Rouge activity; built in the late 10th century and dedicated to Shiva, its pink limestone walls contain what are arguably the best bas reliefs of any temple at Angkor. The site has recently been redeveloped with sustainability at the forefront.

Beng Mealea is a spectacular jungle temple north of Siem Reap. Meaning ‘lotus pond’ in Khmer, Beng Mealea is orientated towards the east, and its ancient Khmer architecture has been largely reclaimed by nature, with trees and moss covering the ruins. Its shady, quiet atmosphere, largely devoid of

Accommodation

Our vessel for the cruise will be the RV Indochine, measuring 51 metres long and housing 24 spacious (16 square metre) air-conditioned cabins over two decks. Boasting beautiful wood panelling, the ship offers a restaurant on its upper deck, large picture windows and a sun deck with a lounge and bar area. Either side of the cruise, we will stay at hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap of a four or five star quality.

other visitors, makes this a particularly special place, and we look forward to viewing the exquisite carving of scenes from Hindu mythology – including the Churning of the Sea of Milk and Vishnu being born by the bird god Garuda.

Our tour concludes in Siem Reap with a visit to the Angkor National Museum, offering state-of-the-art displays on Khmer civilisation and the temples of Angkor.

Please note that this description represents a guide to what we hope to offer. Full details, including the tour cost, hotel details and final itinerary, will be released later in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest.

TOUR CODE: MEKO25

The RV Indochine on the Mekong River

SCHEDULE

Full 2025 Schedule

We are delighted to share a provisional overview of our planned departures for 2025. To register your interest in a tour not yet on sale, we warmly invite you to visit our website or contact the ACE office on 01223 841055.

Please note that some tours and dates may be subject to change or confirmation, and we cannot guarantee that all the tours listed below will go ahead.

January

6–19 Secret Treasures of Egypt with a Nile Cruise

19–3/2 A Journey through Vietnam: History, Art & Culture

27–31 Wildlife & Walking in Norfolk: Winter Tour

TBC Mozart Festival in Salzburg

TBC Shakespeare at Stratford

February

4–10 Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour (first departure)

5–8 Wild & Ancient Somerset: Winter Tour

10–17 Renaissance Florence: City of Wonders (first departure)

19–22 Bath Bachfest

24–3/3 Art Treasures of Naples: From the Romans to the Baroque

TBC Cambridge College Chapels & Organs

March

3–6 Art Treasures of Manchester (first departure)

3–7 Roman & Byzantine Ravenna (first departure)

3–10 Art on the Côte d’Azur (first departure)

10–15 Aquileia: City of Antiquity (first departure)

17–20 Art Treasures of Manchester (second departure)

17–21 Stained Glass in England: Style, Technique & Colour (first departure)

19–26 Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura: Active Edition

21–27 Pompeii with Herculaneum (first departure)

TBC Art Treasures of Dresden: Porcelain & Paintings

TBC Country House Music Festival

TBC Music & Opera in New York

April

1–6 Flemish Painting: From van Eyck to Rubens

1–8 Bavarian Baroque

1–13 Algeria: Encounters Between Rome & North Africa

3–6 Bond Men Made Free

3–10 Wildlife & Walking in the Alentejo & Algarve

7–12 Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn, Lamorna & St Ives

7–13 Art Treasures of Berlin: Historical Riches

11–18 Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge (first departure)

12–22 Jordan: Kingdoms of the Desert

15–22 Wild & Ancient Crete: Relaxed Edition

22–29 Wild & Ancient Sardinia

26–10/5 Lycian Cruise (two week version)

28–2/5 Romney Marsh Churches

30–8/5 Great Art Collections of Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington

TBC 20th Century Yorkshire: Art & Architecture

TBC Fenland Abbeys

TBC Music & Opera in Berlin

TBC Music in Provence

Bavarian Baroque

Art & l andscape in Switzerland

May

5–10 Vienna: City of the Arts

6–20 Wonders of Georgia

8–14 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam (first departure)

8–15 The Riviera di Levante (first departure)

10–16 Villas & Gardens in Lazio

11–25 Kazakhstan: From the Silk Road to Sir Norman Foster

13–19 Glasgow: Patrons, Art & Innovation

13–19 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam (second departure)

13–20 Wildlife & Walking on the Isles of Scilly

13–29 Japan in Springtime: History, Art & Landscape

15–21 Art Deco in Belgium

21–28 Wildlife & Walking in Extremadura: Relaxed Edition

21–31 Ancient Cyprus (first departure)

23–30 Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig: Anniversary Tour

TBC Great Bardfield & Beyond: MidCentury Art & Design in East Anglia

TBC Houses & Gardens of Northern Ireland

TBC Wagner’s Ring Cycle

June

3–8 Bauhaus: German Modern Art & Design

9–21 Northern Greece

12–18 Bach Festival in Leipzig

17–24 Islay, Jura & Colonsay

19–22 Wild & Ancient Somerset: Summer Tour

23–27 Churches of Herefordshire & Shropshire (first departure)

23–30 Dingle & the Ring of Kerry

23–3/7 Hungary: Kingdom of the Magyars

26–5/7 Danube River Cruise

30–4/7 Churches of Suffolk

TBC Aldeburgh Festival (first departure)

TBC Aldeburgh Festival (second departure)

TBC East Neuk Festival

TBC Medieval Burgundy (first departure)

TBC St Magnus Festival on Orkney

TBC Verona Opera Festival

July

7–11 Hadrian’s Wall

7–11 Wildlife & Walking in Norfolk: Summer Tour

8–18 Iceland: Forces of Nature

11–18 Wild & Ancient Hebrides

14–21 Ireland’s Ancient Heartland

21–24 Constable & Gainsborough in Suffolk

21–25 Houses & Gardens of Herefordshire & the Welsh Borders

22–29 Wild & Ancient Orkney

23–31 The Hanseatic League: An Artistic Legacy

26–30 Hereford Three Choirs Festival (first departure)

30–3/8 Hereford Three Choirs Festival (second departure)

TBC Art & Landscape in Switzerland (first departure)

TBC Art & Landscape in Switzerland (second departure)

TBC Buxton International Festival (first departure)

TBC Buxton International Festival (second departure)

TBC Medieval Burgundy (second departure)

TBC York Early Music Festival

SCHEDULE

August

4–8 Northumbria in the First Millennium (first departure)

11–15 Northumbria in the First Millennium (second departure)

11–16 Dorset Country Houses & Churches

26–29 Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels

TBC Art & Ceramics in Copenhagen & North Zealand

TBC Art & Ceramics of the Industrial Revolution

TBC Artists’ Houses in Sussex

TBC Glyndebourne Summer Festival

TBC International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival

TBC Music on the Côte d’Azur

TBC Schubert in Schwarzenberg

TBC Sibelius Festival in Finland: 160th Anniversary Tour

September

1–6 Scottish Art & Craft in Edinburgh & Dundee

4–11 The Riviera di Levante (second departure)

6–13 Lycian Cruise (one week version)

8–13 Aquileia: City of Antiquity (second departure)

8–13 Isle of Wight

11–22 The Dodecanese Islands

15–19 Churches of Herefordshire & Shropshire (second departure)

15–19 Roman & Byzantine Ravenna (second departure)

15–23 Prague & the Vltava Cruise: A Symphony of History & Music

16–23 Wild & Ancient Crete: Active Edition

22–29 Art on the Côte d’Azur (second departure)

23–29 Turin: Art & Architecture of the Kingdom of Savoy

26–3/10 Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge (second departure)

29–5/10 Art Treasures of Berlin: The Modern & Contemporary

30–9/10 Ancient Sicily

TBC Bulgaria: Thracians, Ottomans & Painted Monasteries

TBC Country Houses of North Norfolk

TBC Haydn in Eisenstadt: Herbstgold Festival

TBC Jane Austen at 250

Sibelius Festival in Finland

Havelis: Painted Mansions of Rajasthan

SCHEDULE

October

2–11 Palladio: Venice & the Villas of the Veneto

3–10 Wildlife & Walking in Albania

6-12 Pompeii with Herculaneum (second departure)

6–13 The Arts & Crafts of Young Poland

11–28 Chinese Civilisation

13–16 Connoisseurs’ Cambridge

14–25 On the Trail of Caravaggio: His Life, Works & Muses

16–30 Mekong Cruise

17–27 Athens, Delphi & the Peloponnese

21–6/11 Japan in Autumn: History, Art & Landscape

27–31 Bruges

30–9/11 Ancient Cyprus (second departure)

TBC Ethiopia

TBC Glyndebourne (first departure)

TBC Glyndebourne (second departure)

TBC Havelis: Painted Mansions of Rajasthan

TBC International Chopin Piano Competition

TBC Music Festival at Hintlesham Hall

TBC Oxford International Song Festival

TBC Roussillon

TBC Uzbekistan: Cities of the Silk Road

TBC Wexford Opera Festival

November

1–5 Hidden Athens

5–11 Everyday Life in Ancient Rome

7–12 Bath Mozartfest (first departure)

8–14 Al-Andalus: Córdoba & Granada

10–16 From Bologna to Parma: A Feast for the Soul & Senses

10–17 Renaissance Florence: City of Wonders (second departure)

11–17 Venice: The Triumph of Light & Colour (second departure)

12–16 Bath Mozartfest (second departure)

17–21 Stained Glass in England: Style, Technique & Colour (second departure)

17–24 Art & Architecture of Puglia

25–30 Vienna 1900

TBC Ancient Treasures of Naples

TBC Morocco: Archaeology of the Western Kingdom

TBC Music & Opera in Vienna

TBC Oxford College Chapels & Organs

TBC Piero della Francesca

December

TBC Ancient Egypt & the Nile: From Cairo to Aswan

TBC William Morris and Arts & Crafts

TBC York Early Music Christmas Festival

Our Experts

Chosen not only for their specialist knowledge, but equally for the clarity and enthusiasm with which they communicate and impart their passion to others, our expert Tour Directors are personally involved in the creation and planning of our tours. Below you will find the selection of Tour Directors featured in this publication, to view the full biographies of all of our Tour Directors visit aceculturaltours.co.uk/tour-directors

Diana ward

Niccolò Mugnai

Russell keable

Michael Downes

Tom Abbott Harriet Allen

Peter Exley

Alex koller

Alan Powers

Mark welch

Sarah Burles

kevin Hand

Marie-Anne Mancio

Jamie Sewell

Richard w igmore

Emilie Capulet

Gillian Hovell

Eireann Marshall

Andrew Spira

Andrew w ilson

Ian Colvin

Nick Jackson

Julia Marwood

Martin Symington

Imogen Corrigan

Paul Jackson

Steve Mastin

Moira Tait

Tom Abbott

Tom Abbott, BA, MA, is an independent art and architectural historian associated with the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens. He is a proficient lecturer and tour leader, with extensive experience directing cultural and art tours across Europe to destinations including Germany, France, Italy and Poland. His expertise ranges from the medieval to the current.

Harriet Allen

Harriet Allen, PhD, is a geographer and a Fellow, Tutor and Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge. Harriet is Chair of the Biogeography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and a Coordinating Editor for the journal l andscape Ecology.

Sarah Burles

Sarah Burles, MA, studied History of Art at Cambridge and gained a Masters at University College London before going on to a career in museum and gallery education. This included 12 years at the Fitzwilliam Museum as well as work in other Cambridge museums. An accredited Arts Society lecturer, Sarah has a passion for making museums and their collections accessible.

Emilie Capulet

Emilie Capulet, MA, MMus, PhD, is an award-winning international concert pianist, lecturer and musicologist. Emilie studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is the BMus (Hons) Programme leader at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Greenwich. She is currently the recipient of a prestigious Leverhulme Research Fellowship to write the first critical study and biography of Henri Tomasi.

Ian Colvin

Ian Colvin has long experience in leading tours to Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and the southern Balkans. He trained as a historian and byzantinist at Oxford in the 1990s, specialising in late Antiquity and the Roman Eastern Frontier. He moved to the University of Cambridge in the 2000s to become a researcher with the Cambridge School Classics Project. In 2001 he established an archaeological excavation at Nokalakevi in Georgia in collaboration with the Georgian National Museum, which continues training students and investigating sites in Western Georgia to this day. Among his current scholarly projects is the Rustaveli Foundation-funded History of Egrisi.

Imogen Corrigan

Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil, FRSA, spent nearly 20 years in the British Army and retired in the rank of Major before turning to a life-long interest in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History, which she studied at the University of Kent. A proficient lecturer on medieval history and particularly church art and architecture, and accredited with the Arts Society, Imogen has also gained an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. Her book Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals was published in 2019.

Michael Downes

Michael Downes, MA, MPhil, DPhil, is a conductor, writer and lecturer who studied at King’s College, Cambridge and the University of Sussex. Following two years as Director of Music at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, Michael has occupied the same post at the University of St Andrews since 2008. He has a particular interest in Elgar and has conducted all of the composer’s largest choral works with the St Andrews Chorus, Scotland’s largest choral society, for which he is musical director.

Peter Exley

Peter Exley, BSc, is an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB. Peter has also held posts with BirdLife International and the Albatross Task Force in South Africa. He has led and managed many ACE tours in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Algarve, New England, Madeira, the Faroes and Shetland.

Kevin Hand

Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM, is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. Kevin led a Darwin Initiative project on the taiga forests in Siberia, a project on sustainable forest use in the Ecuadorean Amazon with the Yachana Foundation, and ran National Tree Week in the UK for 13 years. In 2017 he was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society and continues to act as Vice President. He currently also chairs the Newmarket Chalk Streams Trust.

Gillian Hovell

Gillian Hovell, BA (Hons), is an archaeologist and expert on the ancient world, and a writer, broadcaster and lecturer at York University. Known professionally as ‘The Muddy Archaeologist’, she has excavated at internationally important sites from the Neolithic through to Roman times. She has extensive experience lecturing on tours throughout the ancient world.

Nick Jackson

Nick Jackson graduated from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, and has held a research post at the University of Cambridge. He was a field director excavating the ancient history of the Eastern Mediterranean, and today leads tours, consults and presents TV documentaries and is a book researcher.

Paul Jackson

Paul Jackson, BA, MA, PGCE, is a conductor, pianist and musicologist and former Director of Music at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of opera and as a chamber musician, performing widely in the UK, Europe and America.

Russell Keable

Russell Keable, BA, MMus, trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and studied conducting with George Hurst and Norman Del Mar at London’s Royal College of Music. He currently teaches at the University of Surrey and is active as a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer.

Alex Koller

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

Marie-Anne Mancio

Marie-Anne Mancio, MPhil, DPhil, trained as an artist in interdisciplinary practice before gaining a DPhil from the University of Sussex in art and critical theory. An accredited Arts Society lecturer and experienced tour leader, she has lectured internationally and was commissioned to write and present courses for Tate and Dulwich Picture Gallery. In addition to writing catalogue essays and articles on art, she now also writes historical fiction.

Eireann Marshall

Dr Eireann Marshall is an expert in the ancient world, who was raised in the Veneto and educated at Barnard College, Columbia University, as well as the universities of Birmingham and Exeter. She is a Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University, as well as an experienced tour leader.

Julia Marwood

Julia Marwood is a lecturer, tour guide and expert in art history. Following degrees from the University of Durham and University of Manchester, she spent much of her career teaching German and English, before becoming an accredited Arts Society lecturer and tour guide at Manchester Art Gallery. She is a specialist in the arts of Manchester, Scotland and Germany, with a passion for travel and for teaching others about art.

Steve Mastin

Steve Mastin, MA, PGCE, FHA, studied history and classics before working as a school teacher for 17 years. During this time he organised and led many trips abroad, and has also worked overseas training history teachers in Singapore, Australia and Kazakhstan. Steve is a regular speaker at history conferences.

Niccolò Mugnai

Niccolò Mugnai, BA, MA, PhD, AFHEA, is a classical archaeologist who specialises in the architecture, art, urbanism, and material culture of the Greco-Roman world, with a particular focus on North Africa. He has recently held a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship at the University of Oxford, having previously studied and worked at Italian and British institutions. He has led guided visits and has been involved in archaeological fieldwork at numerous sites.

Alan Powers

Alan Powers, PhD, is one of the UK’s leading architectural historians, 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. His books include Bauhaus Goes west: Modern Art & Design in Britain & America.

Jamie Sewell

Jamie Sewell, PhD, has many years’ experience supervising excavations in Britain, Germany, Romania and Italy, including Pompeii and Sicily. He has authored a book and many articles on the archaeology of towns in Hellenistic Italy and in the broader Mediterranean. Jamie has lectured at Durham University, Humboldt University in Berlin, and has more than a decade’s worth of experience working as a historical guide.

Andrew Spira

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

Martin Symington

Martin Symington is one of Britain’s most prolific travel journalists, regularly contributing to The Times , The Daily Mail and wanderlust . Born and brought up in Oporto, he is the author of the Dorling Kindersley guidebook to Portugal and the AA Essential Guide to Portugal.

Moira Tait

Moira Tait, MA, FRAS, read archaeology at the University of London, focusing on Paleolithic and Mesolithic Europe, and later gained an MA in the archaeology of Southeast Asia from SOAS. Moira has directed tours to France and Southeast Asia for over 17 years.

Diana Ward

Diana Ward, MSc, CBiol, MCIEEM, is an ecologist and wildlife specialist. Her company, Ward Ecology Ltd, carries out ecological assessment work, and she has worked for many years on Sites of Special Scientific Interest and river restoration projects. She was Senior Editor of The Rivers & wildlife Handbook.

Mark Welch

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

Richard Wigmore

Richard Wigmore, MA, AGSM, is a writer, broadcaster, lecturer and former professional singer. Richard specialises in Viennese Classics, Lieder and Opera and writes for Gramophone , BBC Music Magazine and other journals. He has lectured at Birkbeck College, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music, and his publications include Schubert: The Complete Song Texts and the Faber Pocket Guide to Haydn.

Andrew Wilson

Andrew Wilson, BA, BD, FSAScot, is a specialist in archaeology and ancient history with a particular interest in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics. Andrew is a member of the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. He is also a member of the Hadrianic Society and the Pictish Arts Society.

Booking Conditions

Please complete the booking form and return it with the deposit required. Alternatively, you can either book online or by telephone.

Upon receipt of your deposit we will send you a confirmation/invoice with, in most cases, a reading list. An itinerary, practical information and travel documents (if applicable) will be sent to you approximately two weeks before the commencement of the tour.

INTRODUCTION

ACE Cultural Tours meets or exceeds all the requirements of the Package Travel Regulations 2018, full details of which can be found online at: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/ made

In addition, flight-inclusive tours benefit from the financial protection afforded by our Air Travel Organiser’s License (ATOL 10204), whilst UK and other tours without flights are protected through the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). We are also long-term members of the Association of Independent Tours Operators (AITO). For your own safety and financial security we do not recommend you book a holiday that does not benefit from the above protection.

The Package Travel Regulations 2018 together with the following booking information and our promotional material form the basis of your contract with ACE Cultural Tours. We have tried to keep this as concise and simple as possible, so please read all the following paragraphs to make sure you understand and are happy with the terms of your booking.

PAYMENT

If you are booking 10 weeks or more before departure, the following deposits are payable at the time of booking:

£300 per person for UK tours. £400 per person for all European tours. £550 per person for Worldwide tours. £500 per person for all cruises.*

The balance must be received by us not less than 10 weeks prior to departure. This date will be shown on the confirmation invoice. We do send an email reminder but ask that you also make a note of the date in your diary.

If you are booking less than 10 weeks before departure, full payment for all tours must be made at the time of booking.

*In addition to the deposit at the time of booking all cruises require a further payment of £500 six months prior to sailing.

NO SURCHARGES

Tour prices are confirmed at the time of booking and thereafter will not be subject to any surcharge. We have forward purchase of currency and other precautions in order to guarantee your holiday is not affected by fluctuations in fuel or currency rates. In the event of extraordinary circumstances making the tour unviable we would offer you a full refund or credit note or an alternative tour.

CANCELLATION BY YOU

You may cancel your booking at any time before departure. Notice of cancellation must be in writing and because we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following charges will apply (for which we suggest you purchase appropriate insurance):

Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us Cancellation charge

70 days or more Deposit only

69-29 days 60% of total booking value

28-15 days 90% of total booking value

14 days or less 100% of total booking value

CANCELLATION BY YOU DUE TO COv ID-19 OR OTHER ILLNESS

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.

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 two 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

The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature and, to make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy with visits every day. As such, they require a certain minimum level of mobility, physical and mental fitness, and stamina. Our visits may involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains, cruise vessels and even Zodiac dinghies. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm, and some tours may involve long coach journeys. All customers must be fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot

allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.

We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.

As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following selfassessment tests:

• Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest

• Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace

• Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes

• Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute

• Carry or otherwise move your own luggage

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS IN ADvANCE

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 REDUCED MOBILITY, 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.

If you have a medical condition, disability or restriction (from whatever cause) which develops or becomes worse after booking your tour and before travelling, please let us know as early as possible so that we can discuss the situation including any new requirements. In certain such circumstances, we reserve the right to cancel your booking if we reasonably feel unable to accommodate your requirements or limitations.

DIETARY AND SPECIAL REQUESTS

Please advise us at the time of booking of any food allergies or special dietary requirements you may have for medical or religious reasons and we will do our very best to assist. Please note, it is important that you distinguish between food allergies and other dietary requirements which have or are likely to have medical consequences if they are not met and food or dietary preferences. It is your responsibility to ensure that requirements which have (or are likely to have) medical consequences if not met are clearly communicated in writing as such. We are entitled to assume that failure to meet a request will not have medical consequences if the risk / likelihood of medical consequences is not made specifically clear in writing at the time the request is made. We may ask for independent verification of the medical consequences where we consider it appropriate to do so.

We are happy to cater for vegetarians or pescatarians. It is not, however, possible to offer extensive choices at every meal to cater for food preferences or requirements as many of our menu selections are fixed. Inclusion of the dietary or special request on your booking confirmation or any other documentation is not a guarantee that the request will be met. Food / dietary related requirements which have a medical consequence if not met must be discussed and specifically agreed with us at the time of booking to ensure we fully understand and can meet these requirements.

INSURANCE

It is a requirement of booking with ACE that all participants have comprehensive travel insurance for overseas tours, 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 strongly recommend insurance for our UK tours to cover cancellation for medical reasons.

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 TRAv ELLERS

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 & v ISAS

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.

Quality Charter

AIR TRAvEL ORGANISER’S LICENSE

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays in this brochure are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate.

ABTOT

ASSOCIATION OF BONDED TRAvEL ORGANISERS TRUST LIMITED

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under ABTOT Combined and The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for ACE Cultural Tours, ATOL number 10204, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for the following:

• non-flight packages;

• flight inclusive packages that commence outside of the EU, which are sold to customers outside of the EU;

• flight inclusive packages, flight only and linked travel arrangements (LTAs) sold as a principal under ABTOT Combined.

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if you are abroad. Please note that bookings made by customers outside the EEA are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with ACE Cultural Tours.

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call ABTOT’s 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/ contents/made

All the flights and flight inclusive holidays in this brochure are financially protected either by ABTOT or the ATOL scheme. When you pay for something protected by the ATOL scheme you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to:

www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

AITO

ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT TOUR OPERATORS

ACE Cultural Tours is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association, visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280. AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually owner- managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating.

EXCLUSIvE MEMBERSHIP

AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct.

FINANCIAL SECURITY

An AITO member is required to arrange financial protection for all holidays and other arrangements (including accommodation only) booked by customers with the member under the AITO logo. This financial protection applies to customers who are resident in the UK at the time of booking and to most overseas customers who have booked directly with the member. In doing so, the member must comply with UK Government regulations. Members are required to submit details of their financial protection arrangements to AITO on a regular basis.

ACCURATE HOLIDAY DESCRIPTIONS

All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.

PROFESSIONAL SERvICE AND CONTINUAL IMPROvEMENTS

All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.

MONITORING STANDARDS

AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a postholiday questionnaire from their tour operator, the results of which are scrutinised by the Association. In addition, customers can leave detailed feedback, accessible from the homepage of this website, or via a direct link supplied by their AITO tour operator, about their holiday.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Our members acknowledge the importance of AITOs Sustainable Tourism ethos, which recognises the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS

All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, either party can call on an arbitration service to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.