Cultural Tours & Music Holidays 2019 - 2020 by Kirker Holidays

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cultural tours & music holidays

CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS F O R

D I S C E R N I N G

A U G U S T

ART

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ARCHITECTURE

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GARDENS

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T R A V E L L E R S

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ARCHAEOLOGY

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HISTORY

CULTURAL TOURS: ALBANIA • belgium • FRANCE • ireland • italy • Jordan • malta • morocco • oman 2019 - 2020

Portugal • romania • Russia • Spain • turkey • WINE TOURS IN FRANCE & SPAIN EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS: alfriston • cornwall • ischia • Lake como st. mawes • TENERIFE • music cruises ESCORTED Holidays TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & events: amsterdam • baden-baden • bonn dresden • GRAFENEGG • finland • glyndebourne • La FENICE, venice • LA SCALA, milan • new york schubertiade • sweden

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MUSIC

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2019/20 DEPARTURES This list of holidays is updated regularly with additional tour departures added throughout the year. Please visit our website or telephone 020 7593 2284 to speak to an expert consultant for the most up-to-date information. AUGUST 2019 2nd 23rd 25th 28th

Handel in Sweden The Schubertiade Festival at Schwarzenberg The D-Day Landing grounds in Normandy The Grafenegg Music Festival

MARCH 2020 19 17 48 16

SEPTEMBER 2019 2nd 2nd 2nd 4th 10th 15th 20th 23rd 25th 26th 26th 30th 30th

The Kirker Chamber Music Festival in Alfriston, East Sussex Umbria – The Essence of Italy Carcassonne & Albi The 20th Anniversary of the Sibelius Festival Art of The Côte D’Azur Gardens of the Riviera A Journey Through Romania The Kirker Music Festival on Lake Como Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castille The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Parma, Cremona & Mantua The Hill Towns of Le Marche

9 29 41 21 42 43 52 7 30 46 50 31 33

OCTOBER 2019 1st 1st 4th 5th 6th 6th 10th 10th 11th 11th 13th 15th 15th 15th 20th 20th 22nd 28th 30th 31st 31st

The Kirker Cornwall Music Festival The Schubertiade Festival at Hohenems The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg La Scala, Milan Venice & Opera at La Fenice Villas & Gardens around Rome Georgian Dublin Oman – Pearl of Arabia The Kirker Ischia Music Festival Puglia – A Land of Conquest Wines of Rioja and Northern Spain Autumn at Glyndebourne The Duke of Wellington & The Peninsular War Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul Leonardo’s Italy Venice & The Biennale Autumn at Glyndebourne The Grandeur of Rome Jordan – The Land of T.E. Lawrence Autumn at Glyndebourne Madrid & Old Castille

11 17 50 18 18 28 53 55 6 37 57 20 49 51 34 36 20 27 54 20 44

NOVEMBER 2019 8th 10th 12th 12th 18th 18th 24th

The Bay of Naples Lucca & The Lucchese Hills Seville & Andalucía Málaga – Picasso & Beyond The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo Reims & Champagne

39 35 45 47 22 40 56

JANUARY 2020 19th The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife

1st 9th 13th 14th 17th 17th 23rd 23rd

Dutch Masters in Amsterdam & The Hague The Kirker Spring Music Festival at the Hotel Tresanton, St. Mawes Jordan – The Land of T.E. Lawrence The Beethoven Festival in Bonn Music Cruise: Art & Music in the Low Countries Seville & Andalucía The Grandeur of Rome Lucca & The Lucchese Hills

23rd 23rd 25th 30th

The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo Málaga – Picasso & Beyond Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul The Metropolitan & Art Galleries of New York

15 10 54 23 12 45 27 35 40 47 51 22

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

Music in Baden-Baden Art of the Côte D’Azur Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara The Bay of Naples Umbria – The Essence of Italy The Hill Towns of Le Marche Sicily – An Enigmatic Island Gardens of the Riviera Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castille Opera & Art in Dresden Parma, Cremona & Mantua Madrid & Old Castille The Duke of Wellington & The Peninsular War The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg The Metropolitan & Art Galleries of New York

25 42 30 39 29 33 38 43 46 24 31 44 49 50 22

MAY 2020 6th 8th 12th 17th 18th

The Italian Lakes – Gardens & Villas of Como & Maggiore Carcassonne & Albi Music Cruise: The Norwegian Fjords A Journey Through Romania Villas & Gardens around Rome

32 41 13 52 28

JUNE 2020 3rd

The Italian Lakes – Gardens & Villas of Como & Maggiore

JULY 2020 22nd Music in Baden-Baden

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FOR DISCERNING TRAVELLERS

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

Welcome to the new Kirker Cultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure featuring a comprehensive programme of escorted holidays departing in the second half of 2019 and during 2020 (NB. do always visit our website which shows all the latest updates, including any additional departures.) We look forward to welcoming you on one of our escorted holidays soon – whether it is a cultural tour with a focus on art, history, architecture, gardens or battlefields; or one of our itineraries to a major music or opera festival, or perhaps an exclusive Kirker Music Festival. The success of our holidays is based on meticulous research and carefully planned itineraries which often include visits to places that are not usually available to visitors. Many of our clients enjoy the social aspects and so we include a number of dinners at some of our favourite local restaurants, as well as free time for independent exploration. We are also pleased to offer a number of new tours, including to Malta and Istanbul where we will discover elegant art and architecture and fascinating history in the company of experts, to Venice this autumn for the Biennale art exhibition, and Oman – where you will find warm autumn sunshine as well as fascinating history and spectacular landscapes. We also head to Italy in October for a special tour which marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo, and to Normandy in the summer for a tour which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Our two new wine tours – to Rioja and Northern Spain in October, and to Champagne in November – will be led by acclaimed wine guru Tim Clarke, who will open doors to bodegas and cellars which are normally closed to the public. Our exclusive ever-popular Kirker Music Festivals offer the unique opportunity to spend time in the company of acclaimed musicians – as well as the sublime pleasure of listening to them perform. This autumn we return to Italy for the Kirker Ischia Music Festival in the Bay of Naples as well as our festival on the shores of Lake Como, whilst we also enjoy two festivals in the UK, one in Cornwall and the other in Alfriston, East Sussex. Our 2020 season will begin with our annual visit to Tenerife in January, then St. Mawes in March, followed by two spring Music Cruises on board Fred.Olsen’s Black Watch (with its intimate theatre ideal for chamber music concerts); to the great art cities of the Low Countries including Amsterdam, The Hague and Antwerp, and to the dramatic scenery of the Norwegian Fjords. If you are considering a private tour, perhaps to celebrate a special occasion with friends, or travelling with a local society, please do call 020 7593 2284 to speak to an expert. We would be delighted to take full responsibility for the smooth running of your holiday and enjoy sharing our many years of experience and knowledge as we help you to plan the perfect itinerary. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Andrew Layard

Ted Wake Joint managing direCtor and direCtor of SaleS & marketing

CommerCial & ProduCt direCtor

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

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DESTINATIONS EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS

England The Kirker Chamber Music Festival in Afriston, East Sussex

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

The Kirker Cornwall Music Festival

Italy The Kirker Ischia Music Festival

The Kirker Music Festival on Lake Como

Spain The Kiker Music Festival in Tenerife

8 Italy

Music Cruises Art & Music in the Low Countries New

The Norwegian Fjords New

ESCORTED HOLIDAYS TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Austria The Grafenegg Music Festival

The Schubertiade Music Festival

England Autumn at Glyndebourne New

Finland The 20th Anniversary of the Sibelius Festival

Germany The Beethoven Festival in Bonn New

Opera & Art in Dresden New

Music in Baden-Baden New

Holland Dutch Masters in Amsterdam & The Hague

La Scala, Milan

Sweden

Umbria – The Essence of Italy

Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara

Parma, Cremona & Mantua

The Italian Lakes – Gardens & Villas of Como & Maggiore

The Hill Towns of Le Marche

Leonardo’s Italy New

Lucca & The Lucchese Hills

Venice & The Biennale New

Puglia – A Land of Conquest

Sicily – An Enigmatic Island

The Bay of Naples

Jordan The Land of T. E. Lawrence

The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo New

Oman – Pearl of Arabia New

Portugal 49

Romania A Journey Through Romania

France

Russia The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg

Spain

Carcassonne & Albi

Madrid & Old Castile

Art of the Côte d’Azur

Seville & Andalucía

Gardens of the Riviera

Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castille

The D-Day Landing grounds in Normandy New

Málaga – Picasso & Beyond

Reims & Champagne New

Wines of Rioja & Northern Spain New

Ireland Georgian Dublin

The Duke of Wellington & the Peninsular War 19

USA

CULTURAL TOURS

Villas & Gardens around Rome

Oman

Venice & Opera at La Fenice

The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York

Malta

Italy

Handel in Sweden

The Grandeur of Rome

Turkey 53

Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul New

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EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS Each year Kirker organises a series of Exclusive Music Festivals on land and at sea, featuring private concerts by highlyacclaimed musicians in beautiful settings. Each of these holidays is unique, and includes a special programme of music prepared by our Director of Music, Simon Rowland-Jones, and is performed exclusively for Kirker clients by international musicians of the highest calibre. Artists, concert programmes and venues have all been carefully arranged to create an atmosphere akin to a country house party where audiences and musicians alike will share in the experience – groups are larger than on our normal Music Holidays, and we might have 50 or 60 participants. One of the highlights for many clients who return year after year, is the opportunity to not only hear the performers in concert, but to meet them after the recitals, during our private drinks parties and over dinner. The musicians too relish the opportunity to perform before the same listeners over the course of several days, building a rare rapport with their audience. During each holiday there will be free time to explore the local region and several excursions – whether a guided tour of ancient Herculaneum with a local expert during our Ischia Music Festival, a visit to the spectacular Mount Teide National Park in Tenerife, or a gentle walk alongside the River Cuckmere in East Sussex. 2019/20 kirker MUSIC FESTIVALs

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There will be eight Exclusive Kirker Music Festivals operating between September 2019 and May 2020 – three in England, two in Italy, one in Tenerife and two at sea onboard Fred. Olsen’s Black Watch. Highlights include winter sunshine in Tenerife, the Cornish spring at The Tresanton in St. Mawes and late summer sun at La Mortella on the island of Ischia, where we return for the 14th consecutive year. ●

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The Kirker Chamber Music Festival in Alfriston, East Sussex, page 9 2 September 2019 This is our eighth consecutive annual Festival based at Deans Place in the heart of the South Downs where we enjoy three wonderful chamber music concerts. Featuring: The Navarra String Quartet; Adam Walker, flute; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola The Kirker Music Festival on Lake Como, page 7 23 September 2019 We return to Moltrasio on the western shores of Lake Como following a highly successful inaugural Festival in the spring of 2018. Featuring: Luis Gomes, tenor; Ailish Tynan, soprano; Melvyn Tan, piano; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Elisabeth Perry, violin; Iain Burnside, piano The Kirker Cornwall Music Festival, page 11 1 October 2019 Another that debuted in 2018, our Cornwall Festival is based in Fowey overlooking the beautiful River Fowey estuary. Concerts take place at Boconnoc, a magnificent house near Lostwithiel and at the Methodist church in St. Mawes. Featuring: The Sacconi Quartet The Kirker Ischia Music Festival, page 6 11 October 2019 This will be the 14th consecutive year that we return to the Bay of Naples for our popular Music Festival on the beautiful island of Ischia. Our concerts take place in the concert hall at La Mortella, the home for many years of Sir William and Lady Walton. Featuring: The Carducci String Quartet; James Gilchrist, tenor; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Tim Horton, piano

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The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife, page 8 19 January 2020 The perfect escape from the British winter, our Tenerife Festival, based at the Botanico in Puerto de la Cruz, promises warm sunshine, a series of guided excursions and six wonderful chamber music concerts at the intimate 18th century Casa Abaco. Featuring: Daniel Lebhardt, piano; The Castalian String Quartet; Christopher Monckton, organ The Kirker Spring Music Festival at the Hotel Tresanton, St. Mawes, page 10 9 March 2020 Every year since 2009, Olga Polizzi’s Hotel Tresanton in St. Mawes, Cornwall, has hosted our popular spring Festival; 2020 promises more hospitable service, great food and exceptional music making. Featuring: The Piatti String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

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

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Art & Music in the Low Countries, page 12 17 March 2020, departing from Southampton Our music cruise to the Low Countries features five exclusive concerts on board Black Watch and a series of optional excursions to major and important art cities. Featuring: The Aquinas Piano Trio; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola The Norwegian Fjords, page 13 12 May 2020, departing from Liverpool Always a popular destination for a Kirker Music Cruise, we will once again explore Norway’s beautiful fjords and provide optional excursions in Oslo, Stravanger, Bergen and Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. Featuring: Thomas Lonquich, clarine; Jonathan Slaatto, cello; Martin Qvist Hansen; Erike Heide, piano; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; The Marmen Quartet; Tim Horton, piano

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THE KIRKER ISCHIA MUSIC FESTIVAL A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 11 OCTOBER 2019

Over the past thirteen years we have presented a series of concerts on the beautiful island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples with some of the world’s most distinguished chamber musicians, pianists and singers. All six concerts are private and arranged exclusively for our clients and they are held in the concert hall at La Mortella, next to the study where Sir William Walton composed. The hall is reached via the glorious garden at La Mortella which was created by Lady Walton over many years. This year the music programme will include two Schubertiade concerts.

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

music programme 12 October: Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Tim Horton, piano Schubertiade No.1: Piano Sonata in A D959 Arpeggione Sonata in A minor D821 13 October: Carducci Quartet Haydn: String Quartet in D major Op.20 No. 4 Verdi: String Quartet Beethoven: String Quartet in F minor Op.95 No.11 14 October: Carducci Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 2 in A major Op 68 Brahms: String Quintet in G minor Op.111 15 October: James Gilchrist, tenor; Tim Horton, piano Songs by Chopin and Liszt, Rückert-Lieder by Mahler, and Preludes for Piano by Simon Rowland-Jones composed for Tim Horton. 16 October: Carducci String Quartet; James Gilchrist, tenor; Tim Horton, piano Schubertiade No. 2: Adagio and Rondo Concertante D 487 in F major for piano quartet A selection of songs including ‘Death and the Maiden’ String Quartet No.14 in D minor ‘Death and the Maiden’ 17 October: Carducci Quartet; James Gilchrist, tenor; Tim Horton, piano Walton: Two Pieces for strings from Henry V Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge Wolf: Italienisches Liederbuch Wolf: Italian Serenade Liszt: Venezia e Napoli

One of the leading quartets of their generation, the Carducci String Quartet has a keen and loyal following.They won the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2016 and have extensive discography recording on their own label.They will perform works of Bartók and Kurtág in King’s Place, London in the autumn of 2018. One of the best-known English tenors, James Gilchrist is equally at home as a concert soloist and a recitalist. Future highlights include performances of the Monteverdi Vespers in Germany, a performance at Oxford Lieder and a concert of his new programme, Debussy Mirrored. Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, has had a long and distinguished career as performer, teacher and composer, and is editor of the new Peters Edition of the Haydn String Quartets. Tim Horton, piano, needs no introduction to Kirker audiences. A player of immense charisma, his performances are characterised by both deep intelligence and great sensitivity. He studied at Chetham’s School of Music and then at Trinity College, Cambridge. He is a member of Ensemble 360 and of the Leonore Piano Trio and gives many solo recitals.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 11 October 2019 £2,489 £350 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Upgraded room supplements (per room): garden view with balcony £120; side sea view £160; front sea view £398. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 13.00 arrive Naples 16.40 Depart Naples 17.30 arrive London Gatwick 19.25 Alternative flights may be available from regional airports − please call us for details what we include

• Return flights to Naples • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner • Six private concerts plus a concert given as part of the Walton Concert Series

• A half day tour of Ischia and a private guided tour of the gardens at La Mortella

• The services of the Kirker Tour Leaders

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THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL ON LAKE COMO a seven night holiday | 23 september 2019

Our first Kirker Music Festival on the shores of Lake Como in the spring of 2018 was a highlight of the season. Lake Como is one of the most beautiful places in Europe – calm and mysterious, its deep waters edged by elegant cypress trees and low-arching mountains. No wonder Goethe’s Mignon spent her life yearning to return to the land where citrus trees blossom. The lake has inspired countless writers, poets and composers, including Vincenzo Bellini who stayed in Moltrasio and whose statue reclines languidly by the hotel. Hotel Imperiale

music programme the ITINERARY

We will visit the elegant Villa Balbianello, beautifully sited on its promontory. Afterwards we will sail across the lake to the lovely resort of Bellagio for some free time. We will drive inland to the Villa Cicogna Mozzoni, a private villa with a splendid interior and views out across the garden to the mountains beyond. Lunch at one of Europe’s finest hotels, the Villa d’Este, is also included in our tour. It is on the shores of the lake in the neighbouring village of Cernobbio. We stay in the 4 star Grand Hotel Imperiale in Moltrasio, a small village on the shores of the lake. The hotel has a lakeside restaurant, renovated bedrooms, spacious lounges and a spa with an indoor pool. There will be free time for you to use the extensive ferry services that leave from right in front of the hotel. Moltrasio has several excellent restaurants for you to enjoy.

The Musicians The Portuguese tenor Luis Gomes studied at the National Opera Studio and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Later, he was invited to join the Jette Parker Young Artists programme at Covent Garden where he sang many roles including Beppe and Fenton. In 2018 he was awarded the Audience Prize at one of the most prestigious competitions in the world – Placido Domingo’s Operalia - and was presented with his prize by Domingo himself. Irish soprano Ailish Tynan is a well-known name and voice having been a BBC Young Generation Artist. She has sung at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, ENO, Garsington Opera, Grange Park Opera, the Ludlow Song Festival and at Wigmore Hall. This spring she will be singing the role of Iris in Handel’s Semele on tour with The English Concert. The pianist Iain Burnside has worked with leading singers for forty years. He is a well-known broadcaster, his programme Voices having been one of the most popular on BBC Radio 3. Three musicians from the early years of the Yehudi Menuhin School, the violinist Elisabeth Perry, Simon RowlandJones, viola, and the pianist Melvyn Tan reunite to play a series of concerts together.

optional visit to la scala, milan ON 27 SEPTEMBER L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti. A starry, all-Italian cast is led by Rosa Feola as Adina and René Barbera as Nemorino. Ambrogio Maestri is Dulcamara and Massimo Cavalletti is Belcore. Price£325 per person including first category ticket and return transfers to Milan.

24 September: Elisabeth Perry, violin; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Mozart: Duo in G K423; Haydn: Duo in F; Martinu: Madrigals Bach: A solo violin sonata; Rowland-Jones: Duo for violin and viola 25 September: Melvyn Tan, piano Melvyn’s solo recital will include works by Chopin, Liszt and Beethoven 26 September: Elisabeth Perry, violin; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Melvyn Tan, piano Britten: Lachrymae Brahms: Sonata in E flat for viola and piano Op. 120 No.2 Ravel: Sonata for violin and piano 27 September: Elisabeth Perry, violin; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Melvyn Tan, piano Beethoven: A sonata for violin and piano; Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata D821; Debussy: Violin Sonata 28 September: Luis Gomes, tenor; Iain Burnside, piano Luis’s programme will include arias from operas by Lehar, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi and songs by Tosti, Rachmaninov and DeCurtis plus fado songs from his native Portugal. 29 September: Ailish Tynan, soprano; Iain Burnside, piano A programme of songs by a range of composers including Schubert, Wolf, Mendelssohn, and arias from Puccini operas La Bohème and Turandot.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 September 2019 £2,947 £580 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Supplement for room with lake view: £554 per room flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.00 arrive Milan Malpensa 15.00 Depart Milan Malpensa 13.20 arrive London Heathrow 14.25

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what we include Return flights from London Heathrow to Milan Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners and one lunch at the Villa d’Este All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities Five concerts and one talk as described The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

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THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TENERIFE a seven night holiday | 19 january 2020

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

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

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

The Musicians Pianist Daniel Lebhardt was born in Hungary and studied at the Franz Liszt Academy and later at the Royal Academy of Music. He won First Prize in the Young Concert Artists auditions in Paris and New York. He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the USA and given many recitals in Europe. As a chamber musician, he works regularly with the Castalian String Quartet and the violinist Benjamin Baker. The Castalian String Quartet are now Young Concert Artist Trust performers which ensures their prominence at home and overseas.They have enjoyed a residency at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh and have been chosen by Wigmore Hall to take a prominent role in its forthcoming Haydn quartet cycle. Early in 2018 the quartet were presented with the inaugural Merito String Quartet Award/Valentin Erben Prize and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship Award in recognition of their achievements. In April 2019 they gave a five-concert tour of the USA and Canada ending at Lincoln Center for a concert in the Great Performers Series. Tenor, pianist and organist, Christopher Monckton was an organ scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He now lives in Tenerife where he has enjoyed uncovering some of the island's historic organs.

music programme 20 January: Christopher Monckton will open the Festival with an organ recital in a church in La Oratava. 21 January: Castalian String Quartet Beethoven: String quartet in B flat Op.18 No.6 Janacek: String quartet No 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’ Haydn: String quartet in F Op.77 No.2 22 January: Castalian String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Schumann: String Quartet in F Op.41 No.2 Dutilleux: Ainsi la nuit Brahms: String Quintet in F No.2 Op.88 23 January: Castalian String Quartet; Daniel Lebhardt, piano Beethoven: String Quartet in E minor Op.59 No.2 Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat Op.44 24 January: Castalian String Quartet Beethoven: String Quartet in G Op.18 No.2 Rowland-Jones: The Festival Quartet Brahms: String Quartet in B flat Op.67 No.3 25 January: Daniel Lebhardt, piano Kodaly: Seven Pieces for piano Op.11 Granados: Escenas Romanticas Bartok: Out of Doors Suite SX81 BB89 Liszt: Rhapsodie Espagnole S254 R90

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 19 January 2020 £2,885 £398 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart Gatwick 12.30 arrive Tenerife 16.55 Depart Tenerife 12.20 arrive Gatwick 16.50 Alternative flights are available from regional airports – please call us for details what we include • Return flights to Tenerife • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Six dinners in a private room • Six concerts • All sightseeing, entry fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Christopher Monckton

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THE KIRKER CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ALFRISTON, EAST SUSSEX a three night holiday | 2 septeMBER 2019

We have been presenting our popular chamber music concerts in Alfriston for eight consecutive years. Many clients have been returning to Deans Place year after year, enjoying this pretty and historic Sussex village in the heart of the South Downs. There are superb views from the hotel and you can enjoy gentle walks along the winding River Cuckmere. In the village you will find the 14th century Alfriston Clergy House as well as a number of interesting shops and galleries and a very fine bookshop. If you want to explore independently you can visit Berwick Church to see the once controversial murals by Duncan Grant. More of his work can be seen at Charleston Farmhouse with its associations with the Bloomsbury set. You may also wish to visit the excellent Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne.

the musicians Since its formation in 2002, the Navarra Quartet has built an international reputation as one of the most dynamic and poetic string quartets of today. Selected for representation by the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) from 2006 to 2010, they have won prizes at the Banff, Melbourne and Florence International String Quartet Competitions and have appeared at major venues throughout the world including Wigmore Hall and at numerous international festivals. Born in Nottinghamshire in 1987, Adam Walker became the youngest musician ever to be appointed a principal in a London orchestra when he joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 2009. He appears as a soloist with other orchestras around the world and spends time with his Orsini Ensemble, a group of five distinguished wind players who made their debut at the 2018 Aldeburgh Festival. Adam studied at Chetham’s School, Manchester and at the Royal Academy of Music. Performer, editor, composer and teacher, Simon RowlandJones has always led a busy and multifaceted musical life. He was founder violist of the Chilingirian Quartet, in which he played for ten years. He subsequently performed with many other leading chamber groups. Simon teaches viola and chamber music at the Royal College of Music and is codirector of the North Norfolk Music Festival.

tour information

Clergy House

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

music programme 2 September Navarra String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Haydn: String Quartet in F Op.50 No.5 Janáček : String Quartet No. 1 ‘ Kreutzer Sonata’ Dvořák : String Quintet in E flat Op.97 3 September Navarra String Quartet; Adam Walker, flute Mozart: Flute Quartet in D K285 C S Bach: Sonata for Flute in A minor Wq132/H562 Villa-Lobos: ‘The Jet Whistle’ for flute and cello Debussy: Syrinx Debussy: String Quartet in G minor Op.10 4 September Navarra String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Beethoven: String Quartet in F Op.59 No.1 Brahms: String Quintet in G Op.111

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 September 2019 £968 £129 Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room.

• • • • • •

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

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THE KIRKER SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE HOTEL TRESANTON, ST. MAWES a THREE night holiday | 9 MARCH 2020

Our annual visit to Olga Polizzi’s fabled Hotel Tresanton in St. Mawes combines a relaxing spring escape in Cornwall with a series of world-class chamber music recitals, and is a highlight of the Kirker calendar. Performances in 2020 will be given by the Piatti String Quartet and will include works by Brahms, Purcell, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven. In addition to the wonderful music on offer we will also enjoy a visit to the private garden at Lamorran, inspired by Lady Walton’s garden on the island of Ischia.

MUSIC PROGRAMME

the hotel The 5 star Hotel Tresanton enjoys a wonderful position overlooking the sea. Olga Polizzi and her brother Sir Rocco Forte have won accolades around the world for their work as renowned hoteliers. The hotel has 29 bedrooms, a terrace and a cosy bar. The menus for the three candlelit dinners will be carefully selected by the hotel’s chef to ensure guests enjoy the best locally sourced ingredients. Please note that there is no lift at this hotel.

the musicians The Piatti String Quartet is one of the best known quartets of its generation. They came to international attention when they won 2nd prize in the 2015 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition. They appear regularly at major concert halls and festivals throughout Europe. Recent highlights include performances at the 2018 Aldeburgh Festival and at Temple Music, London and on our music cruise to the Canary Islands in February 2019 where they were greeted by our clients with enormous enthusiasm. Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, is a leading chamber musician, composer and teacher who also finds time to plan and organise the programmes for the many Kirker Music Festivals each year. He was a founder member of the Chilingirian String Quartet, teaches viola at the Royal College of Music, and Chamber Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The Piatti String Quartet

Concerts take place in the Old Methodist Hall which has excellent acoustics for chamber music. Simon Rowland-Jones will give two musically illustrated talks with the quartet. 9 March: Purcell: Chacony in G minor arranged by Benjamin Britten Mendelssohn: String Quartet in F minor Op.80 Beethoven: String Quartet in C Op 59 No.2 ‘Razumovsky’ 10 March: Beethoven: String Quartet in F Op.18 No.1 Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8 in C minor Op.110 Brahms: String Quintet in G Op.111 Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, performs with the Piattis 11 March: Brahms: String Quartet in B flat Op.76 Beethoven: String Quartet in C sharp minor Op.131

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 9 March 2020 £1,268 £280 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Extra night available for £115 per person (single occupancy £215). Supplement for suites available on request. what we include • Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners at the hotel • Three concerts, two preceded by musically illustrated talks • A visit to Lamorran Gardens in St. Mawes • The services of the Kirker Tour Leaders Please make your own way by car to the hotel or by train to St. Austell station. optional excursion Lanhydrock House (11 March, 9.30am – 2.30pm) £60 per person. Rebuilt after a fire in 1881, Lanhydrock is a perfect example of a late Victorian country house and estate. Our visit includes a private tour and a light lunch with time to enjoy the gardens

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THE KIRKER CORNWALL MUSIC FESTIVAL a four night holiday | 1 october 2019

The highlights of our popular Cornwall Festival are the visits we make to Boconnoc near Lostwithiel. This magnificent house is set in 20 acres of wonderful gardens. We will be welcomed at Boconnoc by Elizabeth Fortescue who lives on the estate and we will visit the house twice – once for a morning concert after which we will stay on for lunch and a talk on Boconnoc, and again for an evening concert followed by dinner in the house. The tour is based in the pretty town of Fowey, ten miles from Boconnoc. Fowey overlooks the glorious River Fowey estuary and is a town of great charm with a lively quayside and narrow, atmospheric streets. There is much to explore here including the parish church, St. Fimbarrus, a harbour cruise, or a journey on the ferry across the river to Polruan.

the ITINERARY – optional excursions DAY

Please make your own way to The Fowey Hotel. Clients

1 travelling by train should book to Par and continue their journey by taxi (call us if you would like us to arrange a taxi for you). Hotel car parking can be prebooked for a nominal charge. The Fowey Hotel is a traditional resort hotel with magnificent views of the Fowey River. It has comfortable bedrooms, an atmospheric bar and restaurant. DAY

DAY

We spend today at leisure in Fowey. In the evening we return

4 to Boconnoc for our final concert and then enjoy dinner together afterwards. DAY

The tour ends after breakfast.

We are driven to Boconnoc this morning for our first visit.

2 Coffee will be served on arrival before a welcome and

introduction by our hostess, Elizabeth Fortescue. Having fallen into disrepair, restoration work began here in 2000 saving the property from demolition, and we will visit the house and the surrounding outbuildings, including its Georgian bath house and church. Our first concert will be followed by lunch and then we will return to Fowey. DAY

This afternoon we drive to St. Mawes, a picturesque and

Boconnoc

3 fashionable village overlooking the sea. On arrival, we visit Lamorran House for a tour of the evergreen garden. Afterwards, we will go to the old Methodist Chapel for our second concert which has a lovely acoustic and is ideal for chamber music. We will then walk down to the Hotel Tresanton where we will have dinner before returning to Fowey.

music programme 2 October at Boconnoc Haydn: String Quartet in D Op.64 No.5 ‘The Lark’ Beethoven: String Quartet in F minor Op.95 ‘Serioso’ Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E flat Op.12 3 October at St. Mawes Methodist chapel Rachmaninov: Romance, for string quartet Korngold: String Quartet No.3 in D, Op.34 Brahms: String Quintet in F Op.88 4 October at Boconnoc Simon Rowland-Jones: String Quintet No.2 ‘Trouvaille’ Schubert: String Quartet in D minor D.810 ‘Death and the Maiden’

optional excursion: St. Ives, 4 October (9.30am – 4.30pm),

About 90 minutes from Fowey, our visit to St. Ives starts at the Tate, which reopened in October 2017 after a four year redevelopment. The Tate displays a semi-permanent collection in the original building including several works by artists with close association to Cornwall as well as a programme of changing exhibitions in the new wing. We will also visit the nearby Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. £55 per person.

The Musicians Formed in 2001, The Sacconi Quartet still has its four original members, and now, in its 18th year, ranks high among the most established British string quartets. They have enjoyed a highly successful international career, performing regularly throughout Europe, at London’s major venues, in recordings and on radio broadcasts. In 2017 they released three new CDs; ‘In Damascus, music by Jonathan Dove,’ was chosen as Gramophone Magazine’s Recording of the Month. 2019 plans include two Wigmore Hall concerts; the Irish premiere of ‘In Damascus’ with tenor Robin Tritschler; a tour of the rarely heard John Ireland Sextet with Robert Plane and Alec FrankGemmill and a new commission by Judith Bingham.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 1 October 2019 £1,567 £248 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Supplement for sea view from: £148 per room. what we include

• Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Two dinners at the hotel, one at Boconnoc and one at the Hotel Tresanton

• One lunch at Boconnoc • Three concerts as described • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader 11

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KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS AT SEA IN 2020 Our Music Festivals at Sea on board Fred.Olsen’s Black Watch continue to be a popular choice for our clients. We have been sailing on the Black Watch with our carefully selected musicians for over a decade and the cruises attract a mixture of loyal followers as well as a steady flow of newcomers. The concerts are given in the Marina Theatre, an intimate 100 seater theatre with a good acoustic. Details of our plans are summarised here and for full information please visit our website or ask for a copy of our cruise brochure in which you will find details of the music programmes and more information about the Black Watch.

ART & MUSIC IN THE LOW COUNTRIES

a seven night cruise from southampton | 17 march 2020

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

the Itinerary – optional excursions Sailing through the Channel into the North Sea overnight we will journey along the North Sea Canal to Amsterdam where the Black Watch will remain overnight. There will be an optional visit to see the unmatched collection of Dutch art at the Rijksmuseum and also to the Van Gogh Museum where over 200 paintings and drawings are on display. We continue to Rotterdam where we will be offering an opportunity to visit the lovely town of Delft made famous by Vermeer’s ‘View of Delft’. We will also visit The Hague to see the art collection at the Mauritshuis, one of the finest collections anywhere. Next comes Ghent which in 2020 will be celebrating the renovations of the Van Eyck brothers’ ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ in St. Bavo’s Cathedral. Finally, in Antwerp we will visit the house where Reubens lived. We will also see one of his finest works, the altarpiece at Antwerp Cathedral.

The Aquinas Piano Trio

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

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

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THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS

an eleven night cruise from liverpool | 12 may 2020 Liverpool – Kristiansand – Oslo – Stavanger – Bergen – Shetland Islands

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

the Itinerary Sailing from Liverpool, the cruise begins with two full days at sea with our first port of call at Kristiansand, Norway’s fifth largest city.The picturesque historic neighbourhood has many well preserved white wooden houses in the area close to the city’s neo-Gothic cathedral. We continue along the country’s lovely southern coastline and then along the Oslofjord before reaching the capital where we stay overnight. Our visit coincides with Norwegian National Day on 17 May when the Norwegians still celebrate the beginning of the country’s independence in 1814. Retracing our route along the southern shores, Black Watch will cruise past the Langfoss Waterfall before reaching Stavanger. Here there will be an optional excursion to Utstein Monastery with a concert.The next day we will be in Bergen, birthplace of Edvard Grieg.There will be an opportunity to visit the composer’s house as well as the flamboyant villa of the virtuoso violinist, Ole Bull, another distinguished Bergen resident. Our optional tour here will include a concert in the villa. Our final port will be Lerwick in the Shetland Islands before a day spent cruising around the coast of Scotland en route back to Liverpool.

music & MUSICIANS We welcome four distinguished Danish musicians on board Black Watch for the first time – Thomas Lonquich, clarinet, Jonathan Slaatto, cello, Martin Qvist Hansen, piano collectively known as The Danish Clarinet Trio. When the cellist and the pianist, common to both ensembles, are joined by the violinist Erike Heide, they metamorphose in to a piano trio, the Trio Ondine! In either or both guises, the musicians have won an impressive number of competitions and awards. Effectively then, we have two trios with four musicians! In Oslo, the Marmen Quartet will board.They are made up of musicians from Sweden, New Zealand,Wales and Japan and are now firmly established as one of the leading new wave of young quartets. Needing very little introduction is the pianist Tim Horton who has taken part in so many Kirker Music Festivals.Tim will join the cruise in Stavanger. Our music programme will include fifteen concerts including one dedicated to the works of Beethoven in his 250th anniversary year. Kirker’s Director of Music, Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, will perform with the Trios and give several musically illustrated talks. In addition to a number of trios and quartets, the musicians will also include sonatas, songs by Brahms transcribed for cello and piano, works for clarinet, viola and piano, Nordic folk tunes arranges for string quartet, works by Grieg and Niels Gade (1817-1890) and four ballades by Chopin played by Tim Horton in his solo recital.The Beethoven Anniversary celebration will include his Violina Sonata in G Op.30 No. 3 and his cello sonata in D Op.102. No.2.

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

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

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ESCORTED HOLIDAYS TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & EVENTS For those who enjoy opera, classical music and ballet, our range of Music Holidays includes tickets for some of the most important festivals, concerts and events throughout Europe and beyond. Each year we select the finest performances at magnificent venues – from legendary opera houses including La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice and the Metropolitan Opera in New York to Grafenegg’s striking ‘Tower of the Clouds’ in the Wachau Valley of Lower Austria. Itineraries are carefully planned to include not only music of the highest calibre, but also sightseeing excursions to a range of important museums, galleries and monuments, and perhaps lesser-known points of interest in each destination – as well as a certain amount of free time for rest, relaxation, or independent exploration. In 2020 we will return to Amsterdam to explore its great art galleries and experience performances at the famous Concertgebouw and the Muziektheater. In March we travel to Bonn for the Beethoven Festival, especially significant as 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Two more German cities feature, with both Dresden and Baden-Baden offering outstanding music combined with fascinating art and architecture. OPERA & music HOLIDAYS

UK HOLIDAYS

Many Kirker clients enjoy a holiday which includes an opera performance at a famous opera house – it is a magical experience, whether you are an experienced opera aficionado or an enthusiastic amateur. Our popular opera and art holidays to key cities include New York, with three stand-out performances at the Met, Milan, Venice and Dresden. We visit Sweden in August to experience two outstanding works by Handel in historic theatres. Our holiday to Dresden in April 2020 includes a performance at the Semperoper, one of the most historic of Germany’s opera houses, now restored to its former glory. ● Dutch Masters in Amsterdam & The Hague, page 15 ● Venice & Opera at La Fenice, page 18 ● La Scala, Milan, page 18 ● Handel in Sweden, page 19 ● Autumn at Glyndebourne, page 20 ● The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York, page 22 ● Opera & Art in Dresden, page 24 ● Music in Baden-Baden, page 25

At the time of going to press we are featuring just one UK based holiday within this section of the brochure; however, new UK tours are added regularly so please call us for the latest updates or refer to the music holidays section of our website. In October, we head to Sussex for three holidays featuring performances at iconic Glyndebourne. Two are based at Deans Place in Alfriston and one at The Grand in Eastbourne. Top category tickets for two operas are included. Please note that travel to and from the start of the tour is not included for holidays within the UK. ● Autumn at Glyndebourne, page 20

MUSIC FESTIVALs We have selected the very best festivals around Europe; many are world famous, like the Schubertiade Festival in Austria, and others are less well known but equally as enthralling, such as the Sibelius Festival in Finland. A common theme is that they all take place in beautiful surroundings – none more so than the Grafenegg Festival in Lower Austria – and include excursions to local historical and architectural sights. The Beethoven Festival in Bonn is a great example of this.Visits to places such as Cologne, Brühl and Schloss Drachenburg are woven together with an outstanding musical programme. The Puccini Festival in Tuscany offers the perfect combination of summer sun and alfresco Italian opera. ● The Grafenegg Music Festival, page 16 ● The Schubertiade Festival, page 17 ● The Sibelius Festival, page 21 ● The Beethoven Festival in Bonn, page 23 ● The Puccini Opera Festival, page 35

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

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

We are constantly adding new holidays to our programme so please refer to the music holidays section of our website for the latest updates, or call us on 020 7593 2284. 14

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

WITH PERFORMANCES AT THE CONCERTGEBOUW AND BY THE DUTCH national ballet

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

Mauritshuis

the Itinerary

mUSIC Programme

DAY

On arrival we will transfer to our hotel, the NH Museum 1 Quarter (3 Star Superior) which is conveniently located close to the Museumplein. The hotel has a bar, a restaurant and comfortably furnished bedrooms. DAY

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

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

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

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

3 March (8.15pm): Muziektheater Dutch National Ballet Giselle, choreography by Marius Petipa with additional choreography by Rachel Beaujean and Ricard Bustamante. Music by Adolphe Adam. A chance to see this much loved production of one of the great classical ballets.

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

4 great charm. Here we visit the Mauritshuis with its

DAY

2 March (8.15pm): Concertgebouw NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo; Sol Gabetta, cello The orchestra’s principal conductor, Paavo Jarvi from Estonia brings his orchestra from the Suntory Hall in Japan on a tour to Europe. The guest soloist is the distinguished Argentinian cellist, Sol Gabetta. Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor Op 129 Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 in E op.27

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 1 March 2020 £1,598 £298 Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.50 arrive Amsterdam 14.10 Depart Amsterdam 14.55 arrive London Heathrow 15.20 NB: Alternative flights from many airports in the UK are available on request – please ask for details. what we include

• Return flights • Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Two dinners • Tickets for one concert and one ballet • All entrances fees and gratuities as described • The services of a Kirker Tour Leader, Ger van den Munckhof 15

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THE GRAFENEGG MUSIC FESTIVAL A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 28 august 2019

Grafenegg’s varied and starry festival in Lower Austria, just one hour from Vienna, runs throughout the summer and always closes with a feast of music making. Concerts are given in the spectacular Wolkenturm – the Tower of Clouds – an open air space with a stunning acoustic which is much loved by all the musicians who play here. The Austrian pianist, Rudolf Buchbinder, is the Director of the Festival and regularly brings the world’s great orchestras and soloists to the Festival. The holiday includes a number of excursions into the beautiful surrounding countryside.

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

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

During the morning we will drive alongside the Danube to

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

Today we spend the morning cruising a beautiful stretch of 3 the Danube between Krems and the magnificent Benedictine abbey at Melk. After a tour of the abbey we will return by coach to Krems. DAY

This morning we drive to Tulln where Egon Schiele was 4 born in 1890. A lovely museum has been opened in his honour. They are wonderful works from the artist’s youth and a far cry from the disturbing canvases with which art lovers are familiar. We stay on for an independent lunch in the pretty town square.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 28 August 2019 £2,767 £198 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.35 arrive Vienna 14.55 Depart Vienna 15.45 arrive London Heathrow 17.10

• • • • • •

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

DAY

This afternoon we drive to the village of Kirchstetten, close

5 to St. Pölten. Here we visit the house where W.H. Auden

lived with Chester Kallman from 1957, when he bought the cottage, until his death in 1973. We will see the house much as he left it, with his books and with photographs of many of the distinguished visitors who came to Kirchstetten, including Benjamin Britten, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Spender. Auden is buried in the tranquil churchyard in the village. DAY

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

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

music PROGRAMME 29 August (7.15pm): City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Mirga Gražinyt-Tyla, conductor; Kristiane Karg, soprano Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G major Henri Dutilleux: ‘Correspondances’ for soprano and orchestra 30 August (7.15pm): City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Mirga Gražinyt-Tyla, conductor; Katia and Marielle Labèque, pianos Poulenc: Concerto for two pianos and orchestra in D minor Debussy: La mer 31 August (7.15pm): Tonkünstler Orchestra; Peter Ruzicka, conductor; Krassimira Stoyanova, soprano Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs Brahms: Symphony No.4 in E minor Op.98 1 September (11am): Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Rudolf Buchbinder, conductor and pianist Beethoven: Piano Concerto in E flat major Op.73; Piano Concerto No.1 in C major Op.15 1 September (7.15pm): Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra; Lahav Shani, conductor and pianist Mozart: Piano Concerto in B major KV 595 Bruckner: Symphony No.5 in B major

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE SCHUBERTIADE FESTIVAL

SCHWARZENBERG: A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 august 2019 HOHENEMS: A Seven NIGHT HOLIDAY | 1 october 2019

The Schubertiade is considered by many to be the most important chamber music festival in the world, with an astonishing number of distinguished musicians gathering in this beautiful setting. The concerts are divided between two different locations and so we stay in Hittisau for the Schwarzenberg concerts and in the village of Götzis for the Hohenems series. In order to make the most of the surroundings, we have designed different itineraries for each departure.

the Itinerary For the Schwarzenberg concerts in August, we stay in the 4 star Gasthof Krone in the village of Hittisau. A drive through the Vorarlberg Mountains, a visit to the Angelika Kauffman Museum and wine and cheese tasting are included. A number of easy walks start right in front of the hotel. For Hohenems, our base is the 4 star Am Garnmarkt in Götzis, just a few minutes’ drive from the acoustically splendid Markus-Sittikuss Hall where the concerts take place. This modern hotel has a bar and café and well-appointed bedrooms. All dinners will be taken in restaurants either in the village or in Hohenems. We will visit the Principality of Liechtenstein and see the castle and the art gallery with its collection of 19th and 20th century art; the great Romanesque abbey in St. Gallen and the museums in the Schubertiade Quartier of Hohenems. A stop to visit the superb Oskar Reinhart art collection in Winterthur will be included for both tours.

SCHWARZENBERG MUSIC Programme 24 August (4pm): Jerusalem Quartet; Elisabeth Leonskaja, piano Schubert: String Quartet in c minor 702 Beethoven: String Quartet in E major Op.74 Dvořák: Piano Quintet in A major Op.81 25 August (4pm): Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Sonata in E minor H281 Schubert: Fantasy in C major D 760 'Wandererfantasie' Liszt: Benediction de Dieu dans la solitude Liszt: Reminiscences de Norma after Bellini S394 Henri Heart: the closing rondo 'Non piu mesta' from La Cenerentola 25 August (8pm): Andrè Schuen, baritone; Daniel Helde, piano Schubert: ‘Winterreise’ 26 August (8pm): Schumann Quartet; Kit Armstrong, piano Schubert: String Quartet in G major D887 César Franck: Piano Quintet in F minor 27 October (8pm): Martin Mitterutzner, tenor; Gerold Huber, piano Schubert: ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’ 28 August (4pm): Francesco Piemontesi piano Schubert: Four Impromptus D 899 and Sonata in D major D850 29 August (8pm): Julia Kleiter, soprano; Tara Erraught, mezzo soprano; Pavol Breslik, tenor; Andrè Schuen, baritone; Igor Levit, piano; Ryoko Morooka, harmonium. Rossini: Petite messe solennelle

HOHENEMS MUSIC Programme 2 October (8pm): Emerson String Quartet Dvořák: String Quartet in E flat major Op.51 Schubert: String Trio D471 Schubert: Quartettsatz D 703 Beethoven: String Quartet in E minor Op.59 No.2 3 October (8pm): Christiane Karg, soprano; Sabine Meyer, clarinet; Malcolm Martineau, piano Schubert: ‘The Shepherd on the Rock’ and songs by Spohr, Meyerbeer and others. 4 October (4pm): David Fray, piano Schubert: Sonata in A minor D 845 and Sonata in A major D959 5 October (8pm): Modigliani Quartet; Laurène Durantel, double bass; Frank Braley, piano Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major D 667 ‘The Trout’ Schubert: String Quartet in D minor D810 ‘Death and the Maiden’ 6 October (8pm): Günther Groissböck, bass; Gerold Huber, piano Schubert: ‘Schwanengesang’ and other songs by Schubert. 7 October (8pm): Daniel Müller-Schott, cello; Francesco Piemontesi, piano Brahms: Cello Sonata in D major Op.78 – transcribed from the violin sonata Op.78 Schubert: ‘Arpeggione Sonata’ in A minor D821 Brahms: Cello Sonata in F major Op.99

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 August 2019 £2,498 £298 1 October 2019 £2,298 NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT Price based on two people sharing. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.15 arrive Zurich 15.05 Depart Zurich 15.45 arrive London Heathrow 16.40 what we include

• Return flights to Zurich • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner • One lunch (Hohenems only) • Excursions and concerts as described • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader 17

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VENICE & OPERA AT LA FENICE a Four night holiday | 6 october 2019

La Fenice in Venice is one of the world’s most historic opera houses. Inaugurated in 1792 it has, like its namesake the phoenix, been destroyed by fire and rebuilt, both in 1836 and 1996. The latest exquisitely restored La Fenice opened its doors in 2003. During the 19th century many operas were first performed at La Fenice, including two of Verdi’s greatest and most popular works, ‘La traviata’ and ‘Rigoletto.’ Tickets for a performance are included, as are several walking tours and accommodation in one of our favourite Venetian hotels.

the Itinerary We stay at the 4 star deluxe Hotel Splendid, ideally located between St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. There will be a selection of carefully planned walking tours to some of the city’s churches and galleries. At the Accademia, the ‘National Gallery of Venice’, we see works by the most important Venetian artists from the 14th to the 17th centuries and the more modern Peggy Guggenheim collection at the palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal where she lived.Visits to the jewel-like Santa Maria Miracoli, to Santa Maria della Salute, Santi Paolo e Giovanni, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, and to Carpaccio’s fabulous cycle of the story of St.George in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni will all be included. There will be free time each afternoon for independent exploration during which you can use your included Venice pass to visit the Palazzo Ducale, the Museo Correr and the Archaelogical Museum.

Price £1,870 per person to include flights with British Airways from Gatwick to Venice (depart 11.50 return 15.50); water taxi transfers; four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; two dinners; one opera ticket (first category); all sightseeing, entrances and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader (single supplement £360).

opera programme You have a choice of two operas. If you would like to attend the second performance, tickets cost £220. 8 October: La scala di seta by Rossini – a little-known opera with a well-known overture. 9 October: Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini.

LA SCALA, MILAN

a Four night holiday | 5 october 2019

La Scala, Milan is, for most opera lovers, the world’s most revered and important opera house. The theatre opened in 1778 with a performance of an opera by Salieri and since then many of the greatest Italian operas have received their first performance on its hallowed stage. Two very different divas enjoyed their greatest successes at La Scala – Renata Tebaldi and Maria Callas triumphed here season after season at the height of their careers.

the Itinerary We stay at the very comfortable and well established 4 star Hotel de la Ville in the heart of Milan’s historic centre and just a short walk from La Scala and the Duomo. Included in our tour to Milan are visits to the city’s great Duomo, the Brera Gallery, which houses one of the most important art collections in Italy, Leonardo’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Santa Maria delle Grazie and the wonderful La Scala Museum with displays linked to all the great conductors, performers and designers associated with the opera house. Also included are visits to the Basilica Sant’Ambrogio, named after Milan’s patron saint, and Casa Verdi, founded by Giuseppe Verdi and dedicated to taking care of musicians who have devoted their working lives to opera. This is an exceptionally special visit for everyone with an interest in opera and those who perform it.

opera PROGRAMME 7 October: L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti Italian soprano Rosa Feola returns to La Scala in another Donizetti role following her triumph as Norina. She is joined by Vittorio Grigolo as Nemorino, with Ambrogio Maestri and Massimo Cavaletti. Michele Gamba conducts. Price £1,795 per person to include flights with British Airways from Heathrow to Milan Linate (depart 12.00 return 15.30); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; two dinners; one opera ticket (stalls) and synopsis; all sightseeing, entrances and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader (single supplement £298).

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HANDEL IN SWEDEN

A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 august 2019

WITH PERFORMANCES in THE historic theatres At drottningholm & ulriksdal Built across 14 of the 20,000 islands that shelter the city from the Baltic, Stockholm is a revelation and undoubtedly one of the world’s most elegant capitals. The number of Swedish opera singers who enjoy top-level careers and who grace the world’s stages is nothing less than astonishing. Sweden has a population of fewer than ten million and yet there often seems to be a Swedish singer in an opera every night in the world’s most important houses. This has been the case for two hundred years, no doubt due to the enormous number of people who sing in choirs from a very early age. The holiday includes performances of two Handel operas at Stockholm’s historic 18th century theatres.

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

We begin with a guided walking tour through the old town 2 with its medieval maze of narrow streets. The morning ends at Stockholm’s Royal Palace with its commanding views of the harbour. This afternoon we will visit the Nobel Museum which features interactive displays with information on the prize-winners, and recordings of their acceptance speeches. DAY

on her maiden voyage in 1628. Raised from the seabed in 1962, the Vasa can now be enjoyed in a specially-designed museum. DAY

6 The final morning is free before leaving for the airport.

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

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

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

4 Drottningholm, the official residence of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia. We will have dinner before enjoying a performance in the historic theatre. DAY

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

5 reopened National Museum of Fine Art. Next, as a complete contrast we go to the wonderful Vasa Museum to learn about the dramatic sinking of the Vasa as she sailed out of Stockholm’s harbour

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 August 2019 £2,287 £356 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.15 arrive Stockholm 14.50 Depart Stockholm 15.45 arrive London Heathrow 17.25

• • • • • •

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

Theatre Confidencen

THE OPERAS & OPERA HOUSES The holiday includes performances of two exceptional Handel operas; Acis and Galatea at the Theatre Confidencen on 4 August, a pastoral opera extoling the virtues of a simple bucolic life; and Ariodante at Drottningholm on 5 August, an opera containing some of Handel’s most beautiful and virtuosic composition. Drottningholm The first Drottningholm theatre was destroyed by a fire in 1762 but Queen Lovisa Ulrika immediately had it rebuilt. The Queen gave the theatre to her son Gustavus III, but after the king’s assassination, it fell into disuse and lay forgotten for 200 years. The theatre was only rediscovered in 1921 when two royal children went exploring inside. Today, it remains exactly as it was when it was first built, and the original stage machinery and many sets are still in use – only electricity was added, but as all the bulbs produce a constant, flickering light the effect is of candlelight. With its original colours, papier mâché walls and stucco, the Court Theatre feels more authentically 18th century than any other. Theatre Confidencen, Ulriksdal The story of how Confidencen was restored from a ruined and abandoned site to a glittering 200 seat opera house has many similarities with that of Drottningholm. The opera singer Kjerstin Dellert made it her mission to save and restore the theatre when she visited the abandoned site in 1976. The first performance at the Theatre Confidencen took place in 1753.

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AUTUMN AT GLYNDEBOURNE

a three night holiday | 15, 22 & 31 OCTOBER 2019 The annual Glyndebourne on Tour season begins at the company’s East Sussex home on the South Downs and is always the focal point of one of our most popular opera holidays. This year you can choose from three departure dates, two based at Deans Place Hotel in the pretty village of Alfriston, which include two operas and a visit to Charleston Farmhouse, and one with Elaine Padmore based at the impressive Grand Hotel in Eastbourne that includes excursions to all three operas being performed at Glyndebourne.

the hotels 15 & 22 October departures: Deans Place (3 star) Alfriston. Located in the pretty and historic village of Alfriston, Deans Place looks out over the Downs and has a cosy lounge, bar and a restaurant. The nearest station is Polegate, a fifteen minute taxi ride from the hotel approximately £15 each way. 31 October departure: The Grand (5 star) Eastbourne. The Grand is a stately building on Eastbourne’s famous promenade overlooking the sea front and a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. The hotel has associations with Claude Debussy who stayed at The Grand with his mistress, Emma Bardac, in 1905. The Grand is a five minutes’ taxi ride from Eastbourne station – approximately £6 each way.

CHARLESTON FARM HOUSE Tours based at Deans Place will include a visit to nearby Charleston Farm House in Firle. On the recommendation of the writer Virginia Woolf, her sister Vanessa Bell moved into this Sussex farmhouse with Duncan Grant and Clive Bell and created one of the most scandalous ménage à trois of all time, shocking local society with their enlightened views and drawing attention to this hitherto bucolic idyll. Charleston became known as the rural outpost of the Bloomsbury Set.Today visitors see the house much as it was when the trio moved out and a number of paintings by the artists.

TOUR LECTURERs: ELAINE PADMORE (15 October) Elaine Padmore is best known as the Director of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, a post she held with great distinction between 2000 and 2011. She began her career as a BBC producer and was Director of Opera there for many years. She was the Director of the Wexford Opera Festival and the Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen. Today, she supports the work of young singers through her association with British Youth Opera and many charitable trusts. CLAUDIO TEDESCO (22 & 31 October) Claudio Tedesco is an architect and opera director based in London who has been working in the opera field for more than 20 years. After graduating from the prestigious Teatro Colón opera house in his native Buenos Aires, he moved to Europe where in addition to his own productions he has worked with world renowned directors such as Robert Wilson and Nigel Lowery. He runs short courses in opera appreciation and has led many opera tours for Kirker.

the operas

tour information

Rigoletto by Verdi (17 October at 7pm, 24 October at 4pm and 2 November at 4pm). Rigoletto was first performed at the Teatro La Fenice,Venice on 11 March 1851. It is one of the composer’s most popular works in which Verdi returns to his favourite theme, the complex relationship between a father and his daughter. This is a new production and will also be given as part of the summer Festival in 2021. L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti (15, 22 and 31 October at 7pm) Donizetti’s most popular opera was given its first performance at the Teatro Canobbiano, Milan on 12 May 1832. A romantic comedy with a dark underside, this is a revival of the muchadmired production by Annabel Arden. Rinaldo by Handel (1 November at 6.30pm) First performed at the Haymarket Theatre, London on 24 February 1711, this is Handel’s first opera for the London stage. Another story of true love emerging victorious, the opera is set in the time of the Crusades and tells the tale of the Christian knight Rinaldo.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 15 & 22 October 2019 £929 £120 31 October 2019 £1,224 £198 Supplement for a room with a sea view at The Grand: £300 per room. Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room.

what we include

• Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners with wine (all dinners at Glyndebourne except for one at Deans Place for 15 & 22 October departures)

• Top category opera tickets • Return transfers between the hotel and Glyndebourne • Excursion to Charleston Farm House (15 & 22 October departures only)

• The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer/Guest Speaker and a Kirker Tour Escort

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THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIBELIUS FESTIVAL A four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 4 SEPTEMBER 2019

The annual Sibelius Festival in Lahti celebrates its twentieth anniversary in 2019. Held every autumn in the magnificent 1,200 seater Sibelius Hall on the shores of Lake Vesijärvi, it is one of the most important cultural events in Finland. The Hall is universally recognised by musicians who have played there as having one of the best acoustics anywhere. The largest wooden building in Finland, it overlooks the lake and is on the site of a sawmill, reminding us that Lahti was once an important manufacturing and industrial centre.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London Heathrow to Helsinki and on arrival

1 transfer by coach to Lahti, a journey of just over one hour. We stay at the centrally located 4 star Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone for the duration of the holiday. DAY

We begin our tour with a visit to Hämeenlinna where Jean

2 Sibelius was born into a Swedish-speaking family on 8

December 1856. The house where he was born is now a museum with an important collection of photographs, letters and documents relating to his life and works which have been gathered from family members. He spent his childhood and youth in Hämeenlinna before moving to Helsinki. He first studied law at the city’s university before quickly changing direction and studying music at the conservatoire, today The Sibelius Academy. Lunch is included before we travel back to Lahti. DAY

The day is spent around the shores of Lake Tuusula, an

3 unspoilt rural area which has always attracted musicians, artists and writers. In Järvenpää, on the north shore of the lake, we will visit the villa designed by the great Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, for the composer Joonas Kokkonen (1931 – 1996). The Sibelius Academy has a summer school here where we will have lunch. DAY

This morning we will take a boat ride on the calm waters of

4 Lake Vesijärvi. The typical Finnish landscapes of open views, deep lakes and forests were the source of inspiration for Sibelius’s entire music collection. The afternoon is free to explore independently.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 4 September 2019 £2,497 £480 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

DAY

We bid farewell to Lahti and drive to Ainola, the lovely house

5 where Sibelius and his wife Aino lived. Members of their

extended family (the couple had five daughters) lived on in Ainola until 1972 before they sold it to the Finnish state, at which time it became a monument to the composer. The couple are buried side by side in the peaceful garden here. We have lunch in a traditional restaurant close by before continuing to the airport for the flight back to London.

music PROGRAMME This year’s guest orchestra is the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of the conductor Thomas Dausgaard. He is well known to British audiences as Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. 5 September: Lahti Symphony Orchestra; Dina Slobodeniouk, conductor; Marjukka Tepponen, soprano; Tommi Hakala, baritone; The Polytech Choir Kullervo Op.7, an early work for orchestra, soprano, baritone and male chorus based on the story of Kullervo from the epic poem, Kalevala. ‘Have you the Courage?: Op.31 No. 2’ (1904) ‘The Rapids-Rider’s Brides: Op. 33’ (1897) ‘The Origin of Fire: Op.32’ (1902) 6 September: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra; Thomas Dausgaard, conductor Symphonies No.5, 6 and 7 7 September: Lahti Symphony Orchestra; Dina Slobodeniouk, conductor; Karita Mattila, soprano ‘The Bard: Op.64’ (1913) ‘Night Ride and Sunset: Op.55’ (1908) ‘En Saga: Op. 9’ (1893)

flight details Flights with Finnair: Depart London Heathrow 10.20, arrive Helsinki 15.15 Depart Helsinki 17.00 arrive London Heathrow 18.10

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Helsinki Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners and three lunches Tickets for three concerts All sightseeing as described, all entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader Sibelius Hall

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the metropolitan opera & art galleries of new york

a five night holiday | 18 november 2019, 30 MARCH & 28 april 2020

Our visits to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City each season are amongst our most popular tours. Our itinerary will include visits to New York’s leading art collections including The Museum of Modern Art and The Frick Collection. Since the arrival of Peter Gelb, the Met’s General Manager, performances from the Met’s stage are now enjoyed by millions thanks to high definition broadcasts, but there is nothing to match the thrill of entering the Met’s plush auditorium and settling down into your seat in the company of up to four thousand other opera lovers. There is a performance at the Met six nights a week and every Saturday afternoon so the organisation required to put on this number of performances every season is nothing short of miraculous. We will discover just how an opera house of this size and international standing functions on our enthralling backstage tour.

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 18 November 2019 £2,833 £660 30 March 2020 £2,735 £530 28 April 2020 £2,998 £690 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.05 arrive New York JFK 16.20 Depart New York JFK 19.20 arrive London Heathrow 07.15 the following day what we include

• Return flights to New York • Five nights’ accommodation (room only) • Three tickets in the rear stalls with uninterrupted views of the stage

• Two dinners (including one at the Met’s Grand Tier) • All transfers, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader NB: Biometric passports are required for entry to the USA

opera PROGRAMME 18 November 2019 departure: This trilogy of audience favourites covers the full range of human emotions. Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart (20 November). Luca Pisaroni is Figaro, the lustrous Nadine Serra is Susanna, Adam Plachetka is the Count and Susanna Phillips is his longsuffering wife, Marianne Crebassa is Cherubino and Antonello Manacorda conducts. La bohème by Puccini (21 November). Ailyn Perez is Mimi and Matthew Polenzani is Rodolfo with Susanna Phillips as Musetta and David Bizic as Marcello. Marco Armiliato conducts. Madama Butterfly by Puccini (22 November). Hui He sings the title role and Elisabeth DeShong is her faithful maid Suzuki. Andrea Care is Pinkerton and Paolo Szott is Sharpless. Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts 30 March 2020 departure: Two Puccini dramas are performed alongside Rossini’s sparkling La Cenerentola. Madama Butterfly by Puccini (1 April). Ana Maria Martinez is the betrayed Co-Cio-San, Andree Care is the cynical Pinkerton and Markus Bruck is Sharpless. The conductor is Pier Giorgio Morandi. Tosca by Puccini (2 April). Anna Netrebko is the diva Tosca, Najmiddin Mavlyanov is Cavaradossi and George Gasnidze is the lustful Baron Scarpia. The conductor is Bertrand de Billy. La Cenerentola by Rossini (3 April). Irish soprano Tara Erraught takes centre stage in the title role, She is joined by Javier Camarena, Davide Luciano, Maurizio Muraro and Christian Van Horn.The performance is conducted by James Gaffigan. 28 April 2020 departure: The world’s most popular opera is performed alongside a relative Puccini rarity together with the most dramatic of Donizetti’s Tudor Queens trilogy. Maria Stuarda by Donizetti (30 April). Diana Damrau is Mary Queen of Scots and Jamie Barton is her cousin and rival, Queen Elizabeth. Stephen Costello is The Earl of Leicester, Michele Pertusi is Talbot and Andrej Filonczyk is Cecil. Maurizio Bernini conducts. Manon Lescaut by Puccini (1 May). The title role is sung by Sonja Yoncheva, Elchin Azizov is her cheating brother and Marcelo Alvarez is Des Grieux. Brindley Sherratt is Germonte. Richard Farnes conducts. La bohème by Puccini (2 May). Mimi is sung by the Met’s favourite diva, Ailyn Perez and Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja is Rodolfo, Jennifer Rowley is Musetta and Donald Maxwell is Benoit. Emmanuel Villaume conducts.

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THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL IN BONN A six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 14 march 2020

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

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

This morning we visit the house where Beethoven was born.

2 We shall see the permanent exhibition of Beethoven

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

Rhineland. Begun in 1248, it took more than 600 years to be completed. This morning we shall take a cruise on the Rhine. We sail to

4 Königswinter and board a cog railway to Schloss

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

5 The day is free for independent sightseeing.

Today we go to Brühl to see two of the most impressive

6 palaces in Germany, the Augustusberg and Falkenlust, built for the Elector of Cologne. Designed by Cuvillies, they were the first Rococo buildings in Germany and of particular note are the magnificent staircase by Balthasar Neuman and the extensive gardens in the French style. DAY

After breakfast we travel to Dusseldorf airport for the flight

7 back to London.

music PROGRAMME

Today we go to Cologne where we will visit the famous

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

DAY

Eight symphonies will be performed over five concerts at the Opera House, Bonn, under the direction of the colourful conductor, Teodor Currentzis. The Greco-Russian Currentzis will conduct his Music-Aeterna Orchestra of the Perm State Opera where he forged his international reputation. There will be more concerts with two further orchestras. Beethoven Symphonies: Nos 1 & 3 (15 March), Nos 2 & 5 (16 March), Nos 4 & 6 (18 March), Nos 8 & 7 (19 March). Mahler Chamber Orchestra, conductor Enno Poppe with Carolin Widman. Works by Mozart and Poppe (17 March).

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 14 March 2020 £2,246 £398 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

Schloss Drachenburg

flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.05 arrive Dusseldorf 15.25 Depart Dusseldorf 12.35 arrive London Heathrow 13.10 what we include

THE SYMPHONY CYCLE, 3 SEPTEMBER 2020

We will be arranging a second visit to Bonn on 3 September 2020 to include concerts by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Festival Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Ceclia, together with two recitals to hear Beethoven’s symphonies Nos 1, 2, 3 and 5 arranged for solo piano with Boris Bloch, Hinrich Alpers and Konstantin Scherbakov. Please visit our website for full programme details.

• • • • • • •

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

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

OPERA & ART IN DRESDEN

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

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

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

DAY

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

DAY

We meet our local guide and embark on a walking tour of the 2 city, including a visit to the Frauenkirche, which had lain in ruins from 1945 until its reconstruction between 1994 and 2004. Later we will go to the Albertinum with its important art collection of German Romantic and Realist art, including works by Caspar David Friedrich and Max Liebermann, as well as paintings by Van Gogh, Gauguin and others. DAY

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

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

This morning we go to Schloss Wackerbarth, surrounded by

5 terraced vineyards. It was once a retreat for the Saxon court and today it is at the heart of Saxony’s burgeoning wine producing region. We have a wine-tasting and lunch before returning to the city. DAY

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

This morning we will visit the Historic Green Vault and the

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 22 April 2020 £2,272 £298 Prices based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.55 arrive Berlin Tegel 15.40 Depart Berlin Tegel 14.40 arrive London Heathrow 15.40

• • • • • • 24

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

Pillnitz Palace

music PROGRAMME We have chosen two of the most popular operas in the repertory. 24 April: Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini. Sebastian Wartig is Figaro, Taylor Stayton is the Count and Jana Kurucova is the wily Rosina. 25 April: La bohème by Puccini. Maja Kovalevska is Mimi and Tomislav Muzek is Rodolfo. Optional performance: Platée by Rameau (23 April) was written for a haute-contre, a rare type of high tenor voice and is a rarely performed satirical work about an ugly frog. It was composed to celebrate the marriage in 1745 of the Dauphin to the Spanish Infanta, Maria Theresa, well known for her unprepossessing looks. Instead of getting the composer into serious trouble, it was rapturously received at its first performance at Versailles. £69 per ticket.

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

MUSIC IN BADEN-BADEN

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 9 APRIL & 22 JULY 2020

Baden-Baden is one of Europe’s most beautiful and stylish spas. It was for long the favoured destination of royalty and aristocrats and was always popular with Russian visitors who gave the town an added touch of piquancy and glamour which is still in evidence today. The town is surrounded by the Black Forest and has magnificent parks, gardens and open spaces. The Lichtenaler Allee cuts through the town, a verdant and arcadian oasis of trees and shrubs along the River Oos, a tributary of the Rhine. With its very smart and comfortable Festpielhaus, opened in 2000 in the town’s former ducal railway station, Baden-Baden is now firmly at the centre of musical Europe with performances of the highest international standard given throughout the year.

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

THE MARIINSKY SUMMER SEASON MUSIC PROGRAMME Every summer,Valery Gerviev brings the orchestra, choir and principal singers from St. Petersburg for four thrilling concerts. This year the programme includes two Verdi operas in concert performances and two orchestral concerts. 23 July (7 pm): Attila by Verdi First performed at La Fenice,Venice in 1846, Attila comes towards the end of Verdi’s early period, his ninth opera. Ildar Abdrazakov takes the title role and Tatiana Serjan sings one of Verdi’s most demanding soprano roles, Odabella. 24 July (8 pm): Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben Op.40. Other works to be performed in this concert to be announced. 25 July (6 pm): Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D minor WAB109. 26 July (5 pm): Il trovatore by Verdi Back in more familiar operatic territory, Il trovatore is probably the most operatic of all operas, demanding singing of the highest level from the four principals. Here Tatiana Serjan sings the role of Leonora and Ekaterina Semenchuk is Azucena.

EASTER FESTIVAL MUSIC PROGRAMME The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra plays at all performances. 10 April (6 pm): Hanna-Elisabeth Muller, soprano; Okka von der Damerau, mezzo-soprano; Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Tareq Nazmi, bass; Conductor: Kirill Petrenko Beethoven: Missa Solemnis 11 April (6 pm): Elina Garanca, mezzo-soprano; Conductor:Yannick NezetSeguin. Mahler: Symphony No.3. 12 April (6 pm): Leif Ove Andsnes, piano; Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat K482 Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E flat major WAB104 ‘Romantic.’ 13 April (6 pm): Fidelio by Beethoven

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 9 April 2020 £3,398 £498 22 July 2020 £2,987 £498 Price based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with Euro Wings: Depart London Heathrow 14.35 arrive Stuttgart 17.10 Depart Stuttgart 13.00 arrive London Heathrow 13.50 what we include

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

• Sightseeing as described • All gratuities and entrance fees • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader and a local guide. 25

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CULTURAL TOURS Our programme of Cultural Tours includes holidays that will appeal to a wide variety of tastes and interests – including art, architecture, archaeology, history and gardens. Each holiday is led by an expert lecturer who will help you experience the best of what your chosen destination has to offer, and reveal additional insights which you might otherwise miss. The itinerary is carefully planned to include comprehensive visits, to not only the most noteworthy museums and monuments, but also some lesser-visited points of interest which most visitors overlook. We allow plenty of time to enjoy your surroundings at a leisurely pace with the company of your fellow travellers, and each holiday includes some free time to relax or explore independently. A number of meals are included in both hotels and good local restaurants, which allow you to sample the regional cuisine, but most tours also allow for some independent dining – of course your Tour Leader or the Kirker Concierge would be delighted to recommend our favourite local restaurants. EXCLUSIVE GROUPS We operate our tours with a smaller number of participants to ensure a more personal experience. Typically, there will be between 10 and 20 passengers, with a maximum number of 22 – the only exceptions to this rule are our Exclusive Kirker Music Festivals. All our cultural tours are in the company of a guest lecturer and, where necessary, there will also be a local guide available to help with the smooth running of your holiday.

TOUR SUBJECTS All our holidays are designed to include a wide range of sights and subjects, from art and architecture to history and archaeology, but certain itineraries have a particular focus, and we have highlighted a few key themes below: Art Tours The Hill Towns of Le Marche, Page 33 Leonardo’s Italy, page 34 Venice & The Biennale, page 36 Art of the Cote d’Azur, page 42 Madrid & Old Castille, page 44 Málaga – Picasso & Beyond, page 47 The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg, page 50 Garden Tours Villas & Gardens around Rome, page 28 The Italian Lakes, page 32 Gardens of the Riviera, page 43 Archaeology Tours The Bay of Naples, page 39. Jordan – The Land of T.E. Lawrence, page 54 History Tours Umbria – The Essence of Italy, page 29 Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara, page 30 Parma, Cremona & Mantua, page 31 Lucca & the Lucchese Hills, page 35 Puglia – A Land of Conquest, page 37 Sicily – An Enigmatic Island, page 38 The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo, page 40 Carcassonne & Albi, page 41 Ávila, Salamanca & Historic Castille, page 46 Byzantine & Ottoman Istanbul, page 51 A Journey through Romania, page 52 Oman – Pearl of Arabia, page 55 Architecture Tours The Grandeur of Rome, page 27 Seville & Andalucia, page 45 Georgian Dublin, page 53 Military History & Battlefields The D-Day Landing grounds in Normandy, page 48 The Duke of Wellington & the Peninsular War, page 49

Wine Tours Reims & Champagne, page 56. Wines of Rioja & Northern Spain, page 57.

OUR TOUR LEADERS Each of our Cultural Tours is led by a lecturer, chosen not only for their expertise in their chosen field, but also for the charm and character which allows them to share their knowledge with ease and to look after the needs of all members of the party. • Simon Monckton, an expert on art and architecture in Italy, Spain and France, will lead tours to Seville, Carcassonne and the French Riviera. • Christopher Monckton is an expert on art, music and gardens in particular; Christopher travels to the Villas & Gardens around Rome, Umbria, The Italian Lakes and Seville. • Charlie Hall, knows all regions of Italy intimately and will lead our tours to Rome, Umbria, Le Marche, Lucca, Puglia and Venice for the Biennale (page 36). • Dr Neil Faulkner, historian, author and archaeologist, will take Kirker tours to Jordan, Sicily and Romania. • Sian Walters, an art historian who lectures for the Arts Societies, will lead our tour to Madrid & Old Castille. • Robin Wallis, linguist, lecturer and long-time hispanophile, will introduce us to Castille & León and Málaga (pages 46 & 47). • Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan, military historian, will lead two different battlefields tours, focusing on The D-Day Landings and Wellington’s Peninsular War (pages 48 & 49). • Tatiana Shulga, Russian history expert, leads our popular holidays to St. Petersburg (page 50), the city of her birth. • Andrew Allen is an experienced traveller and an expert on art history – he will lead visits to Emilia-Romagna (pages 30 & 31), Jordan and Istanbul. • Louisa Warman is an art historian and a Venetian resident (page 35). • Karina Mitens is an archaeologist who will lead our tour to the Bay of Naples. (page 39). • Juliet Rix is an award-winning journalist and previous author of the Bradt Guide to Malta and Gozo. She will lead our tour to these historic islands (page 40) as well as our Leonardo tour to Milan and Florence. • Roger White leads our tour to Dublin (page 53). He is an architectural historian specialising in the Georgian period and was formerly Secretary of the Georgian Group. • Tim Clarke needs no introduction to anyone interested in wine tours. He leads our tours to Champagne and to Northern Spain (pages 56 & 57).

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cultural tours

THE GRANDEUR OF ROME

A seven NIGHT holiday | 28 october 2019 & 23 march 2020 The 3rd century AD saw Rome at its imperial peak, a densely populated city spreading out over its seven hills, a testament to the power and wealth of the vast Roman Empire. Many of the glorious buildings and sites survive today but added to these are the great architectural and artistic achievements of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Our tour has been planned to show you the very best from its treasure trove, spanning more than two thousand years.

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

TOUR LECTURER, OCTOBER: CHARLIE HALL Charlie Hall has known Italy intimately since 1965 when his father set up the legendary John Hall Venice course for gap year students. Today Charlie runs the course and spends many months in Italy each year.Visits to Rome play an important part in the curriculum and he knows the city very well.

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 28 October 2019 £2,198 £398 23 March 2020 £2,038 £340 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.50 arrive Rome 16.20 Depart Rome 17.15 arrive London Heathrow 19.00 NB: Regional departures available on request

• • • • •

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

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

DAY

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

The morning is spent at the Galleria Doria Pamphili, 6 one of the greatest art collections still in private hands. The afternoon is spent exploring the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. DAY

We begin at Bramante’s Tempietto, cool and serene on 7 the Janiculum Hill with its wonderful views over Rome. Raphael’s glorious and colourful frescoes in the Villa Farnesina, Santa Maria in Trastevere and a walk through the lively Trastevere district complete the morning. Our last visit will be to the Baths of Caracalla, Rome’s second largest public baths built between 212 – 217 AD. DAY

DAY

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

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cultural tours

VILLAS & GARDENS AROUND ROME

a five night holiday | 6 october 2019 & 18 may 2020 Italy not only has many of the greatest 16th and 17th century gardens in Europe, it also has some which have been extensively restored and indeed created in the 20th century. We visit two of these at Ninfa and La Landriana. Our tour will show you a wonderful selection of villas and gardens in the countryside around Rome as well as some in the city itself. We stay at the very comfortable 4 star Park Hotel Villa Grazioli in Frascati, a charming town surrounded by vineyards, which produce its eponymous wine, only 20 kilometres from Rome. Built in 1580 by Cardinal Carafa, the Villa Grazioli has been restored to its former splendour with vaulted ceilings and intricate 17th century frescoes.

Park Hotel Villa Grazioli

TOUR LECTURER, october: CHRISTOPHER MONCKTON Christopher was a choral scholar at Magdalen College Oxford, where he developed a passion for both performing and teaching. This led to a lifelong interest in history, music and art history. He has led countless tours all over the world covering many subjects and periods.

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

Today’s gardens are the Villa Lante and the Villa Farnese. 3 The Villa Lante at Bagnaia is one of the greatest of all Italian Renaissance gardens: its symmetrical design is absolutely perfect. The Summer and Winter Gardens of the Villa Farnese give way to a path which leads through a wooded landscape and eventually reaches the Casino, used by the all powerful Farnese family as a private refuge. This evening we will drive through vineyards to have dinner at the Cantina di Santa Benedetta. There will be a tasting of Frascati wine with the winemaker, followed by dinner in the lovely old farmhouse.

TOUR LECTURER, may: CHarlie hall Charlie Hall has led many Italian tours for Kirker and has proved to be very popular with our clients. He designed courses for the Christie's Education 'Collecting and Great Collections’ programmes and the Serpentine Gallery ‘Collectors Circle’ as well as for the Soho House group of members’ clubs.

DAY

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

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 6 October 2019 £1,766 £298 18 May 2020 £1,785 £298 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Prices are based on rooms in the hotel’s annexe connected to the main villa by an underground walkway. Supplement for room in main villa: £280 per room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.50 arrive Rome 16.20 Depart Rome 17.30 arrive London Heathrow 19.10 NB: Regional departures available on request

• • • • •

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

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cultural tours

UMBRIA – THE ESSENCE OF ITALY

A seven night holiday | 2 september 2019 & 20 april 2020 Perugia, the capital of Umbria and one of the finest cities in Italy is the centre from which we explore this fascinating region. Umbria is filled with historic art towns, perched on hilltops with wonderful views of the rolling countryside planted with olive groves and vineyards. We will visit the most important of these towns including Orvieto, Arezzo and Assisi – each of which is within easy reach of Perugia. Works by some of Italy’s most important artists will be viewed, including frescoes by Giotto, Filippo Lippi and Piero della Francesca.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Rome and transfer to Perugia where we stay for 1 the duration of the tour at the 4 star Brufani Palace Hotel. Opened in 1884, the Brufani Palace is a traditional hotel in every sense with spacious public areas, well appointed bedrooms and a high level of personal service. DAY

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

going to Sansepolcro, the hometown of Piero, where we see his ‘Resurrection’ in the Museo Civico. Today we visit Assisi to see the Basilica di San Francesco, the 7 home of the Franciscan Order. The frescoes by Giotto tell the story of the life of St. Francis. There will be time to wander through the picturesque medieval streets and enjoy the views. DAY

DAY

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

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

DAY

tour lecturer: CHRISTOPHER MONCKTON Christopher was a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford where he developed a passion for both performing and teaching. This led to a lifelong interest in history, music and art history. He has led countless tours all over the world covering many subjects and periods. He is equally at home in the ancient world as he is in the major art galleries of Europe.

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

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 September 2019 £1,998 £378 20 April 2020 £1,998 £378 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.35 arrive Rome 16.05 Depart Rome 15.05 arrive London Heathrow 16.50 Please let us know if you would prefer to fly to Perugia direct from Stansted

• • • • • Arezzo Cathedral

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

Spoleto Cathedral

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cultural tours

RAVENNA, URBINO & FERRARA

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 25 september 2019 & 17 april 2020 The first of our two holidays to this region focuses on three historic cities in the western part of Emilia-Romagna and Le Marche. Ravenna was the last capital of the Western Roman Empire, and remains a treasury of some of the world’s most dazzling mosaics and Byzantine architecture – memories of the final glowing embers of imperial glory. In Urbino in Le Marche we discover an idealised city state created by the Duke of Urbino and in Ferrara we will learn more about the powerful d’Este family whose court was based here.

Castello Estense, Ferrara

THE ITINERARY We fly to Bologna and on arrival transfer to Ravenna 1 where we stay for five nights at the centrally located 4 star Palazzo Bezzi. DAY We spend the first day in Ravenna, famous for its ancient 2 monuments including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We visit the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, with dazzling mosaics from the 4th and 5th centuries, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, with its procession of martyrs depicted in mosaics, and the National Museum. DAY This morning we will see the mosaic portraits of Justinian 3 and Theodora at San Vitale and the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe. A visit to the Cathedral Museum completes the day. DAY We will spend today in Urbino, one of the most perfect 4 ducal hill top towns in Italy. This was the seat of the Dukes of Urbino and at the Palazzo Ducale, dating from the 15th century, we will see the art collection of Duke Federico da Montefeltro, which includes works by Piero della Francesca, Titian, Gentileschi and Raphael. Afterwards we will see the frescoes at the Oratory of St. John and Raphael’s house. DAY Ferrara is today’s destination, where we see a collection of 5 outstanding buildings associated with the d’Este family – the Palazzo Schifanoia, the Palazzo Diamanti with its great art collection, and there will be some free time during which you may like to visit the Casa Romei. DAY We drive to Bologna airport for the flight back to 6 London. Clients joining the second part of the tour will travel on to Parma.

TOUR LECTURER: andrew allen Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and undertook his postgraduate study at the University of Essex, taking his MA in early Italian painting. He worked for Phillips Auctioneers and lectured at Anglia Polytechnic University before beginning his extensive work in the travel industry. He is a prolific traveller, spending much of the year abroad (working and investigating medieval iconography). He often contributes articles to travel publications and has built up particular experience in Islamic art and architecture and the great cities of Europe. Andrew Allen writes: “This is a tour of great contrasts and one which reinforces the image of Italy as the great cultural country of Europe. Seeing the magnificent architecture and art from the Byzantine period, before the capital of the Empire moved east, and a few days later being immersed in the great cultural city states of the Renaissance provides a matchless cultural experience.”

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 September 2019 £1,684 £298 17 April 2020 £1,847 £398 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplements for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.00 arrive Bologna 11.10 Depart Bologna 12.05 arrive London Heathrow 13.25

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

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

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cultural tours

PARMA, CREMONA & MANTUA

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 30 september 2019 & 22 april 2020 In the company of popular Kirker Tour Lecturer Andrew Allen, our second tour to this relatively unknown corner of northern Italy is based in Parma, a city synonymous with the very best food and produce in Italy, and includes visits to the art cities of Cremona and Mantua. Musically, too, the region has the finest credentials; Giuseppe Verdi was born in the small farming village of Roncole and Arturo Toscanini was born in Parma itself. This really is an exploration of the three things we most closely associate with Italy – art, food and music. A number of fine lunches and dinners are included and there will be an opportunity to learn more about the two specialities for which the region is world famous, ‘parmigiano e prosciutto’.

Cremona

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

Parma was once the seat of the influential Farnese family, 2 whose patronage allowed art and music to flourish. Together with a gastronomic reputation that’s renowned around the world, this makes Parma the most perfect of Italian cultural experiences. At the city’s art gallery and former Farnese residence, the Palazzo della Pilotta, we will see works by Correggio and Parmigianino, before continuing to the Teatro Farnese, the wooden theatre of 1628, the first to be constructed with a proscenium arch. We will also see the city’s exquisite opera house, the Teatro Regio, and the frescoes by Correggio at the cathedral. DAY

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

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

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

DAY

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 30 September 2019 £1,738 £278 22 April 2020 £1,738 £220 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplements for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.00 arrive Bologna 11.10 Depart Bologna 12.05 arrive London Heathrow 13.25

• • • • • Parma Cathedral

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

Mantua

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

The price to join both tours is £3,049 (September), £3,298 (April) per person, single supplement £576 (September), £598 (April).

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cultural tours

THE ITALIAN LAKES – GARDENS & VILLAS OF COMO & MAGGIORE A six NIGHT holiday | 6 may & 3 JUne 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DAY

TOUR LECTURER: christopher MONCKTON Christopher is one of our most popular lecturers and has led tours to destinations all over the world. Italy is a particular passion of his and he has escorted Kirker clients to all regions of the country. Christopher Monckton writes: “Lake Como is for me one of the most peaceful and beautiful regions of Europe, its shores swathed in romantic mystery and dotted with the imposing villas of royalty and aristocrats from the past three hundred years. The sense of isolation and secrecy created by the cool, deep waters of the lake and the tall, elegant cypresses that grace the shore create a wonderful atmosphere, far removed from the outside world.”

Villa Balbianello

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 6 May 2020 £2,548 £490 3 June 2020 £2,548 £490 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Our prices are based on superior double/twin rooms and standard double rooms for sole occupancy FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 15.00 arrive Milan Malpensa 18.00 Depart Milan Linate 15.50 arrive London Heathrow 16.55

• • • • • •

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

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cultural tours

THE HILL TOWNS OF LE MARCHE

A Six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 30 september 2019 & 20 april 2020 This charming, unspoilt region remains remarkably unexplored and is one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Located on the Adriatic Sea and surrounded by its more famous neighbours including Umbria and Tuscany, Le Marche is a province of rolling farmland, countless hill towns, elegant squares and important art galleries. The Venetian artists, Lorenzo Lotto and Carlo Crivelli had strong associations with Le Marche and a number of their works remain there to be discovered. This is an area where even the smallest town has a gallery of some importance. Our tour includes a visit to Urbino, the great centre of artistic patronage, and Macerata, famous for its summer festival which takes place in the impressive Arena Sferisterio. Urbino

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

tour lecturer : charlie hall Charlie Hall writes: “It never ceases to amaze me how so few visitors to Italy make it to Le Marche. It is a rural region of great unspoilt beauty with astonishing treasures turning up in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. One of these is the Sanctuary of Macereto (not to be confused with the better known Macerata!). When I first saw the church there I decided on the spot that the Sanctuary would be the subject of my MA thesis – which it was! I look forward to enthusing Kirker clients about this astonishing building and sharing Le Marche’s hidden delights with them.”

Macereto Sanctuary

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 30 September 2019 £1,967 £288 20 April 2020 £1,967 £288 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 08.00 arrive Bologna 11.10 Depart Bologna 18.50 arrive London Heathrow 20.10 what we include • Return flights to Bologna • Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners & three lunches • Sightseeing as described and all entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

LEONARDO’S ITALY

A six NIGHT HOLIDAY |

20 OCTOBER 2019

To mark the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, join our new tour following in the footsteps of Leonardo, from the small Tuscan village where he was born, to his magnificent masterpiece ‘The Last Supper’ in Milan. Perhaps the world’s greatest polymath, Leonardo’s legacy includes not only exceptional paintings, but also innovative machines and inventions which were centuries ahead of his era. We will see reconstructions of some of his greatest inventions, and visit galleries which hold some of his most famous works.

THE ITINERARY Fly to Milan and check in to our hotel, the 4 star Superior 1 Hotel Manzoni. This evening we will have dinner together in the hotel’s restaurant. DAY

Our day in Milan will begin with a walking tour of the city 2 centre, including the Duomo and the Castello Sforzesco, where we will see the Sala delle Asse, which Leonardo decorated while he was painting his famous Last Supper. In the afternoon we will visit the church of Santa Maria della Grazia, where we have a timed entrance ticket to see the Last Supper itself. DAY

This morning we will visit the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, the 3 picture gallery of Milan’s historic library the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, where we will see Leonardo’s Portrait of a Musician, alongside masterpieces by Caravaggio and Raphael. In the afternoon we will travel to Florence by high speed train, where we will stay for the remainder of the holiday at the 4 star Superior Hotel Santa Maria Novella. DAY

Our first day in Florence begins with a walking tour which 4 will include Brunelleschi’s magnificent Duomo, and the Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno. We will arrive at the Uffizi Gallery for our timed entrance, to include the new Leonardo room which has brought together the artists’ works in a striking modern display, as well as the adjacent room devoted to Michelangelo and Raphael. There will be free time for lunch and in the afternoon we will visit the Leonardo museum where we see reconstructions of some of Leonardo’s inventions. DAY

Today we will travel by coach to the charming small town 5 of Vinci, about an hour from Florence, where we will see Leonardo’s birthplace, the Leonardo Museum and a gallery housing reproductions of all his paintings. We will have a private tour and

there will be free time for lunch in Vinci before we return to the hotel in the afternoon. This morning we will travel to the charming Tuscan town of 6 Arezzo, about 70 minutes’ from Florence. Here we will start with a visit to the former home of art historian Giorgio Vasari (Leonardo’s first biographer) and see the famous Piero della Francesca frescoes. After time for an independent lunch in Arezzo, we will visit the 13th century Buriano Bridge just outside the town, which is thought to be the one behind the Mona Lisa’s left shoulder. We will return to Florence in the afternoon, and our final dinner is taken in a local restaurant this evening. DAY

DAY

We drive to Pisa airport for our flight home.

TOUR LECTURER: juliet rix Juliet Rix is an award-winning travel writer, journalist and broadcaster who contributes to magazines, national newspapers, websites and radio. She is also an author of several books ranging from travel guides to children’s titles. Juliet has led a number of tours for Kirker and is one of our most popular tour leaders, with a keen interest in a wide range of subjects including European history, art and architecture.

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 October 2019 £2,798 £450 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.00 arrive Milan Malpensa 15.00 Depart Pisa 11.20 arrive London Heathrow 12.30

‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo Da Vinci

• • • • • •

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

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cultural tours

A Four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 & 23 march 2020

LUCCA & THE LUCCHESE HILLS

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

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

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

historic centre and visit the cathedral of San Zeno Duomo, the Baptistery with its typical Tuscan Gothic green and white striped marble. There will be time to enjoy a coffee in the historic Café Valiani – Puccini often stopped by for a macchiato. Returning back to Lucca we will visit the smallest public theatre in the world – the Teatro Vetriano, located just outside the city in the Lucchese Hills. Built in 1890 and donated to the community by an enlightened farmer, the theatre was saved from ruin by FAI – the Italian equivalent of our own National Trust. En route to the airport we will visit Pisa to see the 5 Romanesque Campo dei Miracoli, dominated by the famous Leaning Tower. DAY

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

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

TOUR LECTURER, NOVEMBER: CHARLIE HALL Charlie Hall has led many Italian tours for Kirker and has proved to be very popular with our clients. He designed courses for the Christie's Education 'Collecting and Great Collections’ programmes and the Serpentine Gallery ‘Collectors Circle.’ TOUR LECTURER, MARCH: LOUISA WARMAN Graduating from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, she went on to take a Master’s in the History of Art, at the University of Warwick. In 2001 she moved to Venice where she has worked in the art world ever since.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 10 November 2019 £1,195 £146 23 March 2020 £1,239 £164 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 07.45 arrive Pisa 10.55 (November) Depart London Heathrow 11.00 arrive Pisa 14.10 (March) Depart Pisa 15.15 arrive London Heathrow 16.40 (both tours)

• • • • • •

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

THE PUCCINI OPERA FESTIVAL A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 8 AUGUST 2019 Anyone who loves Puccini should make the journey to the composer’s beloved Tuscan home at Torre del Lago, in the heart of the countryside and not far from the city of Lucca.The annual festival is given on the stage of the beautiful theatre on the peaceful shores of Lake Massaciuccoli, close to the home where he lived and worked for almost 30 years.We will stay at the Albergo Celide, located just outside the city walls of Lucca.We include a walking tour of Lucca and excursions to three great Tuscan gardens, the Villa Garzoni, the Villa Reale at Marlia and the Villa Grabau.We’ll also spend a day in Florence. Included operas for 2019 are La bohème,Tosca and Madama Butterfly.

Price £2,249 per person to include flights with British Airways from Heathrow to Pisa (depart 08.35, return 12.40) fiver nights’ accommodation with breakfast, four dinners, second category tickets for three operas, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer. Single supplement from £389. For a more detailed day by day itinerary please visit the Cultural Tours section of our website or call us on 020 7593 2284. 35

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cultural tours

VENICE & THE BIENNALE

A FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAY |

20 OCTOBER 2019

Venice is a unique city where 8th century mosaics can be seen alongside paintings by Tintoretto and Tiepolo, and it is also home to one of the world’s most important contemporary art events. Held since 1895, the Biennale presents a diverse array of exhibitions, installations and events throughout the city. Our visit in the company of art expert Charlie Hall, who has worked in Venice for more than 25 years, will take in both classical and modern art in an itinerary which has something for everyone with an interest in the visual arts. This morning we will visit Francois Pinault’s spectacular 4 ‘Punta della Dogana’ gallery of Contemporary art, located in the former customs house at the entrance to the Grand Canal, before visiting the nearby Peggy Guggenheim collection, in the palazzo where she lived. This is one of the finest collections of 20th century art in Europe, with masterpieces by Magritte, Dali and Giacometti. We will have lunch in a local restaurant before continuing to the newly restored church of San Sebastiano with its stunning Veronese frescoes and canvases. Our day will conclude with a visit to the Church of Gesuati, where we will see very important works by the 18th century Venetian masters Tiepolo, Piazzetta and Sebastiano Ricci. DAY

THE ITINERARY Fly to Venice where we will be met by our water taxi for the 1 transfer across the lagoon to the 5 star Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, located in the heart of Venice, with an excellent restaurant. This evening Charlie will give an introductory talk on Venice and the Biennale. DAY

Our first morning will be spent visiting the Biennale’s 2 national pavilions in the Giardini. Entitled ‘May You Live In Interesting Times’, this year’s Biennale is curated by Ralph Rugoff, director of London’s Hayward Gallery. There are 91 national participants and this year’s British entry is by the Turner prize nominee Cathy Wilkes. After free time for lunch we will then continue to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, including a visit to the Cini Foundation.

DAY

The final morning is at leisure before we are collected for the transfer back to the airport.

DAY

This morning we return to the Biennale, exploring the 3 exhibitions at the Venice Arsenale, the former naval dockyards of the city. We will then have lunch in a local restaurant, and then explore the Cannaregio area of Venice, one of the most authentic districts of the city, where you will still find local residents and few tourists. We will see the new installation by author and ceramicist Edmund de Waal in a 16th century synagogue located in the former Jewish Ghetto, before visiting the church of I Gesuiti with its wonderful Baroque interior, and Madonna dell’Orto, adorned with paintings by Tintoretto who was also buried here. DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 October 2019 £1,997 £498 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 13.25 arrive Venice 16.40 Depart Venice 17.15 arrive London Gatwick 18.30

• • • • •

what we include Return flights Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners and two lunches All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Charlie Hall

VENICE BIENNALE Staged every other year (apart from the war years) since the 19th century, The Venice Biennale is the world’s first, and still the most important, exposition of Contemporary Art. Set in the Giardini, the leafy park of the city and in the Corderia, part of the old shipyards, The Biennale has showcased every great artist, from Constable, Hepworth, Jackson Pollock, Klimt, Picasso, Damien Hirst, you name them, they have shown there, often making their debut on the world stage. Our visits will be counterbalanced by visiting works by some of the most wonderful artists from the Venetian School, from Bellini, Carpaccio, Titian and Tiepolo. A work by Chiharu Shiota in the Japsen Pavilion ©Charlie Hall

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cultural tours

PUGLIA – A LAND OF CONQUEST A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 11 october 2019

Alberobello

Puglia, the ‘heel’ of Italy, is an ancient land that produces more olive oil and wine than any other region of Italy. It is highly fertile despite its harsh limestone landscape typical of the Mezzogiorno. It was this remote corner of the peninsula that the Normans conquered in the 11th century, dominating the entire south of Italy and the island of Sicily by the mid-12th century. As they established themselves and their influence grew, great churches appeared on the horizons, built in a hybrid style combining architectural influences from France, Ancient Rome and Lombardy. Our tour is based in the pretty town of Martina Franca which is in the rolling hills of the Valle d’Itria, a region of vineyards, olive groves and trulli, the curious and distinctive bee-hive shaped houses unique to central Puglia.

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Bari and transfer to the Baroque 1 town of Martina Franca where we stay for the duration of the tour. Our hotel is the privately-owned 4 star Hotel Villa San Martino which sits amongst mature gardens and is a short drive from the town centre. The hotel has a spa, a fine restaurant and a lovely swimming pool. DAY

We enjoy a guided walking tour of the characterful old 2 town of Martina Franca this morning before driving to Alberobello, a UNESCO Site famous for its countless examples of trulli – the conical roofed stone houses unique to this region. We will also visit the spectacular limestone Castellana Caves. Discovered in 1938 this is Italy's longest natural subterranean network and is a series of interlinked galleries. DAY

We explore the open countryside in the Valle d’Itria and 5 visit a cluster of picturesque villages, starting with Ostuni from where there are views out to sea, and Cisternino and the labyrinthine streets of Locorotondo. We’ll have lunch in a simple restaurant and sample the local produce. DAY

We head for the coast today and visit Trani with its great 6 Romanesque cathedral right by the sea and a visit to Castel del Monte. DAY

DAY

We drive back to Bari for the flight home.

Today we drive to Lecce, one of the best preserved Baroque 3 towns in Italy. Its honey coloured buildings all have rich sculptural decoration. DAY

We visit Matera, an extraordinary town built on the edge of 4 a steep ravine whose side is pockmarked with caves. People were still living in them as late as the 1950s, when the last residents were moved out. In 1993 Matera became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a number of the caves have been restored and are now open to the public. DAY

Matera

tour information tour lecturer : charlie hall Charlie Hall has known Italy intimately since 1965 when his father set up the excellent John Hall Venice course for gap year students who wish to become enlightened by many aspects of Venetian and Italian culture. He now runs the programme with his father and spends almost half of the year working in Italy. He has designed courses for the Christie's Education 'Collecting and Great Collections’ programmes and the Serpentine Gallery ‘Collectors Circle’ as well as for the Soho House group of members’ clubs. Charlie has now led many Italian tours for Kirker and has proved to be very popular with our clients.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 11 October 2019 £1,869 £288 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 07.25 arrive Bari 11.15 Depart Bari 11.15 arrive London Gatwick 13.10

• • • • •

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

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cultural tours

SICILY – AN ENIGMATIC ISLAND A nine NIGHT holiday | 20 april 2020

The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s strategic importance has given it a violent, eventful and colourful history. Doric temples, Roman mosaics, elegant and powerful Norman architecture and a wealth of Baroque and Renaissance palaces and churches are a reminder of its great past. Add to this the beautiful Sicilian landscape dotted with remote and traditional villages, the friendly people and an agreeable climate; few places can offer such an uplifting, cultural discovery. Agrigento

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

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

Today we drive to Taormina, one of the loveliest resorts in

3 the Mediterranean. Located on the slopes of Mount Etna,

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

DAY

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

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

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

9 afternoon we return to Palermo and visit two impressive

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

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

Today we visit the Baroque buildings and churches of two of

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

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

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

5 late Roman Empire where the floors are paved with

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

We visit the museum in Agrigento and walk along the Sacred

6 Way overshadowed by the Temples of Zeus and Concord.

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

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

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

church of St. Francis of Assisi and the cathedral before enjoying a guided tour of Palazzo Conte Frederico. Later we go to the opulent Norman Royal Palace where we see the Chapel of the Kings, the Palatine Chapel and the Ermeti Chapel. tour lecturer : DR NEIL FAULKNER Neil Faulkner was educated at King’s College, Cambridge, and the Institute of Archaeology, UCL. He is currently Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, Editor of Military History Monthly, and Co-director of archaeological field projects in Norfolk, Jordan, and Slovenia. The author of eight books, he works as a freelance lecturer, writer, and broadcaster.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 April 2020 £2,858 £598 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Easyjet: Depart London Gatwick 11.40 arrive Catania 15.40 Depart Palermo 19.00 arrive London Gatwick 21.00

• • • • • •

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

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cultural tours

THE BAY OF NAPLES

A SIX NIGHT TOUR | 8 NOVEMBER 2019 & 19 APRIL 2020 The ancient and imperial history of Naples and its glorious bay is so powerfully etched into the minds of travellers to the region that it often comes as a shock to remember that, after the fall of the Roman Empire, Naples was reborn and went on to establish itself as a major historic and cultural centre. After the Romans came the Byzantine influence, followed by the Normans, the Spanish and the Bourbons. With a fascinating history and a vibrant present, Naples is now a city determined to show off its unique charms to the full. Visits to the Roman sites along the coast are included, as is a wonderful day on the verdant island of Ischia. Pompeii

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

1 Santa Lucia, located on the waterfront. DAY

We begin our visit with a panoramic sightseeing tour of the

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

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

Today we go to Herculaneum, which contrasts in every way

3 with Pompeii. Excavations began here in 1738 under the

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The morning is spent in the Museum of National Antiquities

7 which is full of impressive finds from the ancient sites

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

tour information

Ischia

TOUR LECTURER: KARINA MITENS Karina is a Danish archaeologist who obtained her doctorate at the University of Copenhagen. She now works in the Bay of Naples and loves to share her archaeological knowledge of this fascinating area. Karina Mitens writes: “The Bay of Naples is one of the most scenically blessed landscapes in the world. Visitors can easily trace the region’s history following the line from its Greek beginnings through its glory days as a summer haven for Roman emperors thanks to the enlightenment of its more recent rulers, the Bourbons, who started the excavations in Pompeii and Herculaneum.”

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 8 November 2019 £1,994 £378 19 April 2020 £2,169 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 14.30 arrive Naples 18.05 Depart Naples 18.55 arrive London Gatwick 20.45

• • • • • •

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

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cultural tours

THE HERITAGE & HISTORY OF MALTA & GOZO A five NIGHT holiday | 18 NOVEMBER 2019 & 23 MARCH 2020

Malta and Gozo are small islands but there is a great deal of fascinating history on each, which will satisfy even the most demanding of travellers. They have beautiful coastlines, attractive fishing ports, pretty villages often dwarfed by immense churches and much fine Baroque architecture. On this tour we will see some of the fascinating treasures of these islands including prehistoric temples which are thought to be the earliest free-standing buildings in the world, medieval settlements and the walled capital Mdina. This is the rich legacy of the Knights of Malta who constructed military fortifications and magnificent buildings, especially in Valletta where the era of British rule, including Malta’s vital role in WWII, will also be explored.

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

1 4 star deluxe Phoenicia.This famous hotel stands at the gateway to Valletta and has a majestic setting overlooking Marsamxetto Harbour. DAY

Our first day in Malta will be spent exploring Valletta which

2 has recently undergone a series of major restorations including the impressive ramparts and Renzo Piano’s new Parliament building. We visit St. John’s Co-Cathedral with Caravaggio’s masterpiece ‘The Beheading of St. John,’ the Grand Master’s Palace and the beautiful jewel-like Teatru Manoel, one of the best surviving Baroque theatres in Europe. The audiovisual presentation ‘The Malta Experience’ reveals the island’s dramatic history and the day also includes a visit to Casa Rocca Piccola, the home of the Marquis de Piro and his family. DAY

Today is devoted to prehistory, beginning with the recently 3 reopened Hypogeum.We will also visit key sites including the temples of Tarxien, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra which enable us to trace the development of temple building on Malta. Lunch is included in a picturesque fishing village. tour lecturer : JULIET RIX An award-winning journalist, Juliet is a regular visitor to Malta and has considerable specialist knowledge of the Islands. She has written extensively about the country including ‘Malta & Gozo’ (Bradt Guides, 2nd edition, April 2013). She has a particular interest in the islands' history and pre-history and although Maltese law prevents her from lecturing in some archaeological sites she looks forward to sharing her knowledge with you on an informal basis during the tour.

DAY

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

4 fertile farmland, picturesque villages and monumental

Baroque churches. We visit the prehistoric temples at Ggantija and continue to the capital,Victoria, where we walk around the fortifications. After an included lunch, we follow a scenic route to the charming fishing village of Xlendi and then visit Fort St. Elmo. The fort was built by the Knights in 1552 to guard the harbours on either side of the Sceberras Peninsula. After restoration, it reopened in 2015, and now contains the National War Museum, which covers Malta's wartime history including the Great Siege and the country's ordeal during WWII. DAY

Today we take a Harbour Cruise on board a traditional

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

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

6 airport for the flight back to the UK.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 18 November 2019 £1,868 £298 23 March 2020 £1,998 £390 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Air Malta: Depart London Heathrow 11.25 arrive Malta 15.35 Depart Malta 16.55 arrive London Heathrow 19.25

Renzo Piano’s parliament building

• • • • • •

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

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cultural tours

CARCASSONNE & ALBI

A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 september 2019 & 8 may 2020 This tour is based at the pinnacle of the medieval citadel of Carcassonne where we stay at the luxurious Hotel de la Cité, built into the ramparts with panoramic views of the countryside. It is from here that we will explore the many distinctive regions of this beautiful part of southwest France. The arrival of the Cathars in the 11th century signalled the beginning of a turbulent and bloody period for the Languedoc as they fought with the established church to defend their religious beliefs. Thus began the Albigensian Crusades as the population struggled against the tyranny of Pope Innocent III. The precipitous mountain strongholds, majestic abbeys and breathtaking scenery all come alive as our tour lecturer Simon Monckton unravels the region’s complex history.

Carcassonne

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Toulouse and transfer to Carcassonne

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

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

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

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

DAY

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

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

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

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

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

We travel to Narbonne which was the Roman capital of

6 Transalpine Gaul. While little remains from the Roman

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

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

tour information

Hotel de la Cité

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

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 September 2019 £2,346 £478 8 May 2020 £2,450 £488 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. Supplement for deluxe room with garden view: £150 per room. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 16.10 arrive Toulouse 19.00 Depart Toulouse 17.40 arrive London Heathrow 18.30 what we include

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

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

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cultural tours

ART OF THE CÔTE D’AZUR

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 10 september 2019 & 15 april 2020 French artists began to discover the attractions of the Côte d’Azur and the iridescent quality of the region’s dazzling light towards the end of the 19th century. Monet was the first artist to be lured to the Riviera, arriving there in 1885. Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and many more soon followed him. The simple villages they painted may have turned into smart resorts but the light and beauty have not changed and still inspire artists today.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Nice and transfer to the 4 star Hotel

1 Le Grimaldi in the centre of Nice. DAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We visit the Château Grimaldi in Antibes. Most of the paintings

5 by Picasso on display were donated to the town by the artist.

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 10 September 2019 £1,798 £320 15 April 2020 £1,798 £340 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.35 arrive Nice 14.35 Depart Nice 15.25 arrive London Heathrow 16.35

• • • • •

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

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

For those who wish to combine the exceptional art and wonderful gardens of the French Riviera, these two tours run consecutively. The price to join both tours is £3,476 (September) £3,296 (April). Single supplement £588. Pierre Bonnard, Amandier en Fleurs, 1930. © Adagp, Paris 2014

Le Musée Bonnard

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cultural tours

GARDENS OF THE RIVIERA

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 15 september 2019 & 20 april 2020 There are many great gardens dotted along the Côte d’Azur between St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the border with Italy. Along with the artists, many gardeners were drawn to the Riviera, attracted by both its climate and its beauty. The legacy of these 19th century gardeners still survives, giving inspiration to today’s visitors. Simon Monckton, who lived for many years on the Riviera, leads the tour.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly from London to Nice and transfer to Menton where

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

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

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

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

Villa Ephrussi Rothschild

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

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

tour lecturer : simon monckton Simon Monckton has been leading tours covering art history, architecture, and gardens in Europe, the Middle and Far East for the past 20 years and is currently based in Tenerife. Having lived on the Côte d’Azur for many years himself, he has an intimate knowledge of this region, which he looks forward to sharing with you.

DAY

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

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

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

The Waterfield family have owned Clos du Peyronnet since

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 15 September 2019 £1,878 £268 20 April 2020 £1,698 £268 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room. Supplement for a sea view: £156 per room. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.30 arrive Nice 14.35 Depart Nice 15.25 arrive London Heathrow 16.35

• • • • •

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

Menton

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cultural tours

MADRID & OLD CASTILLE

a six night holiday | 31 october 2019 & 22 april 2020 Madrid not only has some of the finest art collections in the world at its many museums and galleries, it is also a wonderful base from which to explore the surrounding region. Our tour spends three days in the capital along with three visits further afield, to El Escorial, Toledo and Segovia. Naturally, Spanish art dominates the tour but we also see many works by Flemish masters, reminding us that the Spanish realm embraced the Low Countries. Charles V and Philip II were important patrons of Titian and we see several works by the artist during the tour.

tour ITINERARY DAY

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

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

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

2 we see Flemish masterpieces and a matchless collection by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Back in Madrid we spend the morning at the stunning

4 Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection on display in the 18th

century Palacio de Villahermosa. Masterpieces spanning more than

tour lecturer : sÎan walters Siân Walters studied History of Art at Selwyn College, Cambridge. She lectures for the National Gallery, The Arts Society (formerly Nadfas) and Surrey University and spends much of the year leading art history tours abroad. Her particular areas of interest are Italian Renaissance painting, the art and architecture of Spain and the relationship between art and dance.

DAY

The morning is spent in the sprawling and once remote El

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 31 October 2019 £1,795 £288 22 April 2020 £1,998 £385 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways/Iberia: Depart London Heathrow 10.40 arrive Madrid 14.10 Depart Madrid 18.10 arrive London Heathrow 19.30

• • • • • The Alcázar, Segovia

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

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cultural tours

SEVILLE & ANDALUCÍA

A seven Night tour | 12 november 2019 & 17 march 2020

Based in the city of Seville this itinerary has been carefully designed to give you plenty of time in this beautiful and historic city with its impressive cathedral, important art collections and famous tapas bars in the Barrio de Santa Cruz where we stay. We also visit Córdoba which was one of the greatest centres of learning in Europe until the Reconquista expelled the Moors, but they left their timeless legacy in the city’s buildings, notably the great Mezquita and the Juderia area of the city. Excursions into the lovely rural Andalucían landscape with its picture-perfect villages and a visit to Jerez, the centre of the sherry trade, complete the holiday.

THE ITINERARY DAY

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

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

We begin our first day in Seville on foot with a walking tour

2 through the Barrio de Santa Cruz, its narrow streets and

alleys lined with picturesque town houses. Most houses keep their courtyard doors tantalisingly ajar to allow passers-by fleeting glimpses of the flower-filled courtyards so typical of Seville. We will visit the world's largest Gothic cathedral, Seville's fortified royal palace, the Alcazar and the elegant architecture and patio at the Casa de Pilatos, the finest example of a Mudejar town house. DAY

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

Today we drive south to visit the two prettiest ‘pueblos

4 blancos’, the famous white villages of Andalucía. We will go to Medina Sidona, perhaps the most exquisite example of the many villages which dot the rural landscape and to Arcos de la Frontera, overlooking the Guadalete River. We will have an included lunch before continuing to Jerez de la Frontera, the centre of the sherry trade. We will visit one of the most famous bodegas for a glass of refreshing, cool manzanilla before returning to Seville.

DAY

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

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

The day is free for further independent sightseeing in Seville

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

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

Today we drive to the neighbouring province of Huelva to

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

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 12 November 2019 £2,145 £348 17 March 2020 £2,075 £348 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 15.30 arrive Seville 20.05 Depart Seville 20.00 arrive London Gatwick 21.50

• • • • • •

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

Arcos de la Frontera

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cultural tours

ÁVILA, SALAMANCA & HISTORIC CASTILLE

a seven night holiday | 26 september 2019 & 20 april 2020 Our tour to the province of Castille will include visits to Zamora, Segovia as well as Salamanca and Ávila, home to the best preserved medieval city walls in Spain. We stay in Ávila before moving on to the charming Hacienda Zorita Hotel located in gently rolling countryside, 20 minutes from the beautiful university city of Salamanca, whose golden, honey-hued buildings seem to glow in the vivid Spanish light. The magnificent Plaza Mayor rivals Madrid for style and is at the heart of this dynamic city. This is the real Spain, a land of wide open landscapes dotted with farms and villages. It is the most important area in the country for breeding bulls, and as we drive along the open roads we will see them enjoying the pastures and sitting in the shade, like Ferdinand, smelling the flowers.

Ávila

THE ITINERARY We drive from Madrid to Ávila, and after settling in at the 4 1 star Hotel Palacio de los Velada, there will be a walking tour of Ávila, whose city walls are the best preserved in the world. Our tour will include the cathedral, the Monastery of the Incarnation, Real Monasterio and the Romanesque Basilica of San Vicente.

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

W will begin today with an excursion to see El Escorial, We 2 Philip II’s sprawling, isolated palace with an important art collection. The afternoon is then free to explore Ávila.

Another day in Salamanca where we will see the market, the 7 convent of San Esteban and the Casa Lis museum of Art Nouveau. After our walking tour there will be free time to explore on your own, or you can return to the hotel – transport will be provided. This evening there will be an excursion to Salamanca for an included dinner.

DAY

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

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

DAY

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

DAY

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 26 September 2019 £1,998 £398 20 April 2020 £1,998 £398 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways/Iberia: Depart London Heathrow 10.40 arrive Madrid 14.10 Depart Madrid 17.05 arrive London Heathrow 18.25 what we include • Return flights to Madrid • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Six dinners and two lunches • Wine-tasting at the Hacienda • All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

A six night holiday |

MÁLAGA – PICASSO & BEYOND 12 November 2019 & 23 march 2020

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

THE ITINERARY 1

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

DAY

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

DAY

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

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

This morning we go to the Museo Carmen Thyssen where

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

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

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

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

grandeur and beauty. We will see the Royal Chapel and the sublime Generalife Gardens that surround the palace. After the visit there will be an included lunch and time to wander through the historic Albaicín district before returning to Málaga. DAY This morning we go to the Contemporary Art Centre to see 5 works by leading Spanish and other European artists. Later we go to the first ever branch of the Pompidou Centre outside of Paris, the Centre Pompidou Málaga, an impressive glass cube overlooking Málaga’s harbour. Works by Frida Kahlo, Francis Bacon, Léger, Picasso and others are on display here. DAY

We leave Málaga and drive to Ronda, dramatically sited above

6 a gorge with views out across the Serranía de Ronda

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

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 12 November 2019 £1,954 £398 23 March 2020 £1,954 £398 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick at 09.20 arrive Málaga at 13.20 Depart Málaga at 14.10 arrive London Gatwick at 16.10 There are flights to Málaga from many airports around the country. Our sales team will be pleased to book the flight most convenient for you what we include • Return flights to Málaga • Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Three dinners and two lunches • All entrance fees and gratuities • The service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Robin Wallis

Ronda

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cultural tours

THE D-DAY LANDING GROUNDS IN NORMANDY A five night holiday | 25 AUGUST 2019

This tour is designed to tell the story of the famous D-Day landings in June 1944 that launched the invasion of France and opened the Battle for Normandy that led directly to the capture of Paris in August. Thereafter, the Allies would advance steadily towards Nazi Germany where the European war would end in May 1945. The beaches are extremely evocative with so much of the original battlefields remaining intact replete with bunkers, gun emplacements and many of the farm buildings and villages that were used as defensive positions during the fighting. Apart from the WWII interest, Normandy is a beautiful area to tour with glorious scenery, ancient churches, strong local character and a fascinating history that has for centuries been so closely intertwined with that of the British Isles. Time will be found to explore beyond the battlefields and to take full advantage of the Norman cuisine.

THE ITINERARY We leave London by coach and travel to Portsmouth where 1 we visit the Portsmouth D-Day Museum. Then we continue to the port terminal for the afternoon ferry service to Caen. On arrival we will transfer to the 3 star Ferme de la Ranconniere, which is in the village of Crépon where the only D-Day Victoria Cross was won. DAY

casualties on the retiring German forces but failed to cut them off entirely. We also see the wonderful Norman castle at Falaise where William the Conqueror was born. We leave on the early ferry from Caen back to Portsmouth 6 and then travel back to London by coach, arriving late afternoon. DAY

This morning we visit the Longue Sur Mer battery, the 2 Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches, as well as Gold and Juno Beaches. This afternoon there will be free time to explore Bayeux and visit the cathedral and the famous Bayeux Tapestry. DAY

We begin at Sword Beach and follow the fighting inland 3 through the bunker system in front of Caen to Perier Ridge where the German Panzers were beaten off. We will view Pegasus Bridge where Lovat, famously accompanied by his piper, relieved Major Howard’s glider force. The day ends with a visit to the heights above Ranville and the excellent Caen WWII museum. DAY

Our first stop today is Utah beach followed by the town of 4 St. Mere Eglise which US paratroops defended against furious counter attacks. The morning ends at the German cemetery at La Cambe. After lunch, we go to Omaha Beach where the American army suffered the largest casualties of D-Day. We will see the Pointe du Hoc, a promontory overlooking the English Channel which was captured by US Rangers scaling a cliff face, the beach landing ground, The American Cemetery and the Omaha Museum. DAY

DAY

Today we will explore the battlefields around Caen including The Falaise Pocket where the Allied Armies inflicted vast

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 August 2019 £1,859 £288 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. travel details P&O Ferries: Depart Portsmouth 14.45 arrive Caen 21.30 Depart Caen 08.30 arrive Portsmouth 13.15

• • • • • • 48

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

Omaha Beacch

TOUR LECTURER: HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan specialises in military history especially in Wellington’s Peninsular Campaigns 1808-1814, the Battle of Waterloo 1815, the Western Front 1914-1918, the DDay Landings 1944 and the Fall Of France 1940. Hugh is especially interested in interpreting the course of battlefield action in relation to the local landscape. Hugh has led many small group tours for Kirker, as well as a variety of tailor-made itineraries for private groups, students and charities.

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cultural tours

A SEVEN NIGHT TOUR | 15 october 2019 & 22 april 2020

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON & THE PENINSULAR WAR Military historian Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan leads our tour to Spain and Portugal, which combines fascinating history with spectacular scenery and delicious food and wine. The Peninsular War began in 1808, one year after Napoleon decided to stop Britain from trading with the rest of Europe. But Napoleon had neither considered that the Portuguese would prove to be a steadfast ally of Britain nor that the Spanish would be swept up in their own revolts. The Battle of Salamanca in 1812 saw the beginning of the end for Napoleon, which eventually led to his abdication and exile in Elba. Oporto

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Oporto and transfer to our centrally located hotel, the 4 star Hotel Carris Ribeira for a two night stay.

Our first day begins in Oporto itself, spread out along the 2 banks of the Douro. We will have a panoramic tour of the city and see the spot where Wellington made his daring assault across the river in 1809. Later we drive to the battlefields close to the city where The Iron Duke won his unexpected victory over Marshal Soult’s occupying force. We will enjoy a port tasting, followed by dinner, in the elegant Taylor’s Port Wine lodge. DAY

Today we travel on the scenic railway which skirts the 3 River Douro as far as the town of Pinhão, where we spend a night in the 4 star Vintage House. This charming property is set on the river bank in the heart of the UNESCO protected Douro Valley wine region. DAY

Leaving Pinhão, we cross into Spain and drive to the small 4 city of Ciudad Rodrigo, a key border fortress during the Peninsular Wars and the site of two major sieges. In 1810, Marshal DAY

Ney took the city for the French after a costly battle which delayed the French invasion of Portugal significantly, whilst in 1812 Wellington stormed the city, opening up the route into Frenchheld northern Spain for his Allied force. We stay in the historic Parador of Ciudad Rodrigo for two nights. We will explore the countryside today, visiting all the 5 important sites of key battlegrounds. The fortress of Almeida guarded one of the major roads between Spain and Portugal and was besieged by both sides, whilst the surrounding region became a strategic battleground; we will visit the Côa Valley, Fuentes de Oñoro and Barba del Puerco. DAY

Today we travel to the beautiful city of Salamanca, where 6 we stay for the final two nights at the 4 star Parador. The Battle of Salamanca was a decisive moment and cemented Wellington’s reputation as a master tactician, leading to the eventual capture of Madrid. DAY

As well as a crucial strategic landmark, Salamanca is also one 7 of the most beautiful cities in Spain, and our visit today will explore the cityscape of tiled roofs, Gothic churches and elegant squares. We will see the the magnificent Plaza Mayor, Patio de las Escuelas, the university and both the new and old cathedrals. DAY

We drive to Madrid airport, breaking the journey at El 8 Escoriál, a royal palace built for Philip II. Here we see the imposing Royal Apartments with works by Titian and other Venetian masters. DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 15 October 2019 £2,286 £398 22 April 2020 £2,097 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with TAP (outbound) & Easyjet (inbound): Depart London Gatwick 12.50 arrive Oporto 14.20 Depart Madrid 16.35 arrive London Gatwick 18.00

• • • • •

what we include Return flights and transfers Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

tour lecturer : HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan read Geography at University College London and developed a lifelong interest in the Napoleonic period, particularly the Peninsula War. Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan writes: “Starting our tour in Oporto we will follow Wellington’s progress close to the River Douro which flows through some of the loveliest scenery in Portugal. In the vast open spaces around Ciudad Rodrigo and Salamanca it is not hard to imagine the great battles that took place here. Endless vistas, mountains, mighty rivers and steep terraces of vineyards make this a most rewarding trip for anyone who wants to learn more about the extraordinary Duke of Wellington and enjoy this quiet, unspoilt corner of Iberia.”

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cultural tours

THE PALACES & GALLERIES OF ST. PETERSBURG

a six night holiday | 26 september, 4 october 2019 & 24 april 2020 Peter the Great was a man with a vision. He was determined to show the world that Russia was not a backward nation rooted in tradition but one that was modern and forward thinking, looking to the West, not the East for its inspiration and ideals. How better to do this than to build a new city on the Baltic Sea? Today, the legacy of his ambitions and achievements is displayed in abundance. Monumental buildings of state, great churches and cathedrals, ornate theatres, legendary art collections, all add up to create one of the most rewarding experiences for modern day visitors.

THE ITINERARY We fly to St. Petersburg and transfer to the centre of the city 1 where we stay for the duration of the holiday at the 4 star Angleterre, a Rocco Forte hotel, overlooking St. Isaac’s Cathedral. DAY

We begin with an introductory panoramic tour of the city 2 and see the Peter & Paul Fortress and cathedral, the simple log cabin where Peter lived as his city grew around him, the Menshikov Palace and the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. DAY

Today we visit two sumptuous palaces built for members of 3 the imperial family. Pavlovsk, built for the son of Catherine the Great as a private residence and the Catherine Palace at Pushkin which is a Baroque showpiece. Lunch is included. DAY

We visit the wonderful collection of art and icons in the 4 Russian Museum housed in the Mikhaylovsky Palace. Our day will also include visits to the Church on the Spilled Blood and a visit to the Fabergé Museum in the Shuvalov Palace.

tour lecturer : TATIANA SHUlgA Tatiana lives and works in St. Petersburg and has been leading Kirker's tours to the city for several years. Her knowledge extends over all periods of the city's cultural history and its people. Tatiana Shulga writes: “Visitors are often delighted and surprised to discover how culturally important and influential St. Petersburg was in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today the city is regaining its status as one of the world’s great artistic centres. I visit the Hermitage every week and am still amazed at the depth and breadth of its unrivalled collections.”

DAY

Today is devoted to the Hermitage, the great Winter Palace 5 which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of paintings and decorative fine arts. Here we find Old Masters, Impressionists, ceramics, porcelain and works by the court jeweller, Fabergé. We will include a special visit to the Diamond Room. DAY

This morning we visit the glittering palace at Peterhof 6 with its sensational gardens that tumble down to the edge of the Baltic Sea. Back in St. Petersburg we have a tour of the Yusupov Palace.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 26 September 2019 £2,698 £458 4 October 2019 £2,648 £398 24 April 2020 £2,689 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

DAY

The final morning is free to explore the city at your leisure.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 09.20 arrive St. Petersburg 14.35 Depart St. Petersburg 15.35 arrive London Heathrow 17.10 Regional departures with British Airways via Heathrow also available, supplement on request

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights to St. Petersburg Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners and one lunch Russian visa (supplements may apply for fast track or non-UK passport holders) All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Tour Lecturer Opera, ballet & Concerts in st. petersburg

We will write to you two months before departure with details of optional performances at the historic Mariinsky Theatre and other venues. Peterhof Palace

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cultural tours

a FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 15 OCTOBER 2019 & 25 MARCH 2020

BYZANTINE & OTTOMAN ISTANBUL

Istanbul is one of the world’s most fascinating cities and has a colourful and complex history, spanning many centuries. Our five night holiday will introduce you to both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods; spanning 1,600 years from 330 AD until the early 20th Century. It was during the long period as capital of the vast and sprawling Ottoman Empire that Istanbul took on much of the appearance visitors today can still enjoy. During our visit, there will be a comprehensive programme of sightseeing as well as some free time to explore the Grand Bazaar.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Istanbul and transfer to the 4 star Hotel Eresin Sultanahmet where we stay for the duration of the tour.

Today begins with a guided tour of the sprawling city of 2 Istanbul, starting at the Hippodrome, the most important relic from the city’s Roman period and rebuilt by Constantine in 330 AD. Next we visit the Blue Mosque before proceeding to the Islamic Arts Museum where we see unrivalled collections of decorative arts from all periods of Turkish history displayed in the splendid setting of the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha. Our day ends at the Topkapi Palace, the Sultan’s residence and the nerve centre of the Ottoman Empire. Here we see the dazzling Imperial Treasury and the important collections of ceramics and silver. DAY

We begin our day at the ancient Serefiye Cistern, built by 3 Roman Emperor Theodosius II. Next we visit the Hagia Sophia, considered one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture. It became a mosque in 1453 and served as a model for all future Ottoman mosques. This afternoon, we will wander through Istanbul’s fabled Grand Bazaar, an ideal place to shop for souvenirs including textiles, food, ceramics and spices. DAY

tour lecturer : ANDREW ALLEN Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and undertook his postgraduate study at the University of Essex taking his MA in early Italian painting. He worked for Phillips Auctioneers and lectured at Anglia Polytechnic University. He has built up particular experience in parts of the Middle East and the great cities of Europe. Andrew Allen writes: “After serving as the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires for more than 1,500 years, Istanbul is now enjoying her retirement from political life as a historical theatre where one can experience the liveliness of a modern metropolis accompanied by a breathtaking historical setting.”

This morning we visit the vast Dolmabahce Palace which 4 served as the centre for the Sultan’s extended domestic life. We then board a boat for a journey along the Bosphorus and finish with lunch at a local fish restaurant. Later we visit the Sadberk Hanim Museum with its superb collection of decorative arts before returning to the hotel. DAY

We start with a visit to the small but beautiful Church of 5 St. Saviour in Chora which dates from 1077 and has some of the finest mosaics and frescoes in Istanbul. Then we make our way through the Ottoman districts of Balat and Fener to the spice market before ending our day at the magnificent Süleymaniye Mosque, one of the city’s landmarks. DAY

DAY

This morning is free for independent exploration. We drive to Istanbul airport for the flight back to London.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 15 October 2019 £1,515 £270 25 March 2020 £1,668 £285 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.25 arrive Istanbul 16.40 Depart Istanbul 17.35 arrive London Heathrow 19.55

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Three dinners One lunch All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

Interior of the Blue Mosque

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cultural tours

A JOURNEY THROUGH ROMANIA

a nine night Holiday | 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 & 17 may 2020

Romania has experienced a colourful and dramatic history over the past 1,000 years. Under the control of Bulgaria, Hungary and then both the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, it was not until the downfall of the Ceausescus that Romania was able to forge its own independent path. Saxon villages, painted monasteries and churches, superbly preserved medieval towns and a welcoming people all combine to create one of the most enigmatic countries in Europe.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Bucharest and transfer to our centrally located hotel, the 4 star Athénée Palace Hilton, for a three night stay.

We begin with a walking tour of the historic district. Later 2 we will go to the National Museum of Art in the former Royal Palace and see two magnificent collections. We then visit Ceausescu’s ‘Parliament Palace’– a permanent reminder of the grim years when Romania was ruled by the despised couple. DAY

We drive to the resort of Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, built in 9 archetypal fairy tale style and surrounded by glorious scenery and gardens. Returning to Brașov we will stop at Bran Castle, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s castle of Count Dracula. DAY

DAY

We drive back to Bucharest airport for the flight to London.

We visit the impressive former synagogue to discover more 3 about the history of the Jewish community in Romania. We then go to the Choral Temple, Bucharest’s main synagogue, and then to the church of Stavropoleos. We will have lunch in a traditional tea house and then visit the Rural Museum, a much loved institution. Here in a lovely three acre park, over 300 houses from villages around the nation can be seen. DAY

We travel by train to Suceava, in the region of Bukovina. 4 A picnic lunch will be provided. We spend two nights at the 4 star Gerald’s Hotel in Rădăuți. DAY

Today is spent discovering some of the famous painted 5 churches and monasteries for which Romania is famous. Visits include the Arbore Church and the Voronet Monastery with its great fresco of ‘The Last Judgement.’ DAY

On our journey to Sighișoara we will stop at Târgu Mureș 6 to see the Art Nouveau Palace of Culture. We then reach Bukovina and drive though Székely Land. Two nights will be spent in Sighișoara at the 5 star Hotel Binderbubi. DAY

There will be a walking tour through the small fortified 7 medieval town of Sighișoara, known for its cobbled streets and colourful houses. During the afternoon we explore Saxon Land with visits to the fortified churches in Malancrav and Biertan. DAY

We drive to Brasov today, passing the UNESCO listed 8 church in Viscri. Perfectly preserved, Brasov dates back to the12th century. We will see the stately town square, the Gothic Black Church and the city art gallery. We stay for two nights at the 5 star Aro Palace Hotel.

Voronet Monastery

Neil Faulkner Neil was educated at King’s College, Cambridge, and the Institute of Archaeology, UCL. He is currently Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, Editor of Military History Monthly, and codirector of archaeological field projects in Norfolk, Jordan and Slovenia. He is a renowned author and also works as a lecturer and broadcaster.

tour information

DAY

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 20 September 2019 £2,184 £276 17 May 2020 £2,184 £276 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.40 arrive Bucharest 17.00 Depart Bucharest 18.00 arrive London Heathrow 19.25

• • • • • 52

Brasov

what we include Return flights to Bucharest Nine nights’ accommodation with breakfast Nine dinners, two lunches and picnic lunch on the train All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

GEORGIAN DUBLIN

A six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 10 october 2019

Dublin has one of the best preserved and most complete Georgian aspects; gracious squares, stately terraces and splendid public buildings hide sumptuously decorated interiors. This itinerary will not only include the finest examples in Dublin itself, but also takes us out of the city to a number of Georgian mansions, some still in private ownership.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Dublin and transfer to the four star The Green 1 hotel, ideally located near St. Stephen’s Green Park, Temple Bar and Grafton Street in the very heart of Dublin DAY

We start our tour with a visit to the House of Lords and 2 Trinity College. Originally founded by Elizabeth I as a Protestant university; the earliest buildings of this magnificent complex are now Georgian. We will see three fine interiors not normally open to the public and finish the day with a private lunch at University and Kildare Street Club.

Today we visit Ely House and Leinster House, the home of 5 the Irish Parliament since 1924. In the afternoon we will explore the northern side of Dublin and see 20 Lower Dominick Street, with its outstanding Rococo plasterwork. DAY

DAY

Today we head out of town to visit two Georgian houses, 3 Castletown House and Carlton House. A visit to Shell Cottage is also included, located in the grounds of Carlton House.

This morning we visit Rathfarnham House, and one of the 6 most beautiful houses in Ireland, Russborough House. Built for the 1st Earl of Milltown, the house has lavishly decorated interiors and fine paintings and furniture. Our last visit will be to Kilruddery House, still the current seat of the Earls of Meath and home to the earliest formal gardens in Ireland. DAY

DAY

We will be transferred to the airport for our flight home today.

This morning we visit Newbridge House and continue to 4 Beaulieu House, arguably the earliest surviving proper Irish country house, dating from the late 17th century. Afterwards we visit Barmeath Castle; it commands a wonderful view over Dundalk Bay to the Mountains of Mourne. DAY

TOUR LECTURER: roger white Roger White studied History of Art at Christ’s College, Cambridge and continued his post-graduate research at Wadham College, Oxford. He was Secretary of The Georgian Group and later of The Garden History Society. Since 1996 he has been a freelance architectural historian and has contributed to countless scholarly journals and publications, as well as leading many cultural tours around the world. His recent book on the cottage orné genre has been widely and enthusiastically reviewed.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 10 October 2019 £2,219 £598 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.05 arrive Dublin 14.30 Depart Dublin 15.30 arrive London Heathrow 16.55

• • • • • • Trinity College

what we include Return flights to Dublin Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners Two lunches All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer, Roger White

Trinity College

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e xclusive cultural kirker music toursfestivals

JORDAN – THE LAND OF T.E. LAWRENCE

AN EIGHT NIGHT HOLIDAY | 30 october 2019 & 13 March 2020 The sight of the Great Treasury of Petra is one of the most thrilling travel experiences you will encounter, giving the visitor a great sense of discovery and something very special to savour. There is so much more to Jordan than just Petra though, as this tour will demonstrate. It is a country with a rich and colourful history which has embraced many civilisations. The remarkable site at Jerash reminds us that Jordan was once a prosperous Roman province, and the architecture of numerous churches and castles hints at the country’s Byzantine and Umayyad periods.

THE ITINERARY We fly from London Heathrow to Amman where we stay 1 for the first three nights of the tour at the centrally located Grand Millennium (for our March tour we stay at the Marriott). DAY

A visit to the city’s Archaeological Museum and the new 2 Jordan Museum will be followed by a drive into the surrounding countryside to see a selection of the beautiful desert castles that dot the landscape, including Azraq Castle which was used by Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab revolt.

We will visit Little Petra 6 and Wadi Rum, an area closely associated with T. E. Lawrence. DAY

DAY

We will explore Jerash, one of the finest and best preserved 3 Roman sites to be found anywhere. Its altitude of 500 metres makes for wonderful views over the surrounding fertile countryside which we shall see as we drive through the Jordan Valley to the excavations at Pella. DAY

We leave the capital and drive to Petra, stopping at the 4 Crusader Castle at Shobak. Built in 1115, it is part of a string of imposing castles that stretches from Aqaba to Turkey. We will stay in the Old Village Hotel for four nights (for our March tour we stay at the Marriott Petra). DAY

The day is spent at Petra. Situated at the end of the siq, a 5 narrow passage through a cliff, is the magnificent Treasury of Petra. There will be plenty of time for you to explore the other sites of interest, including The Royal Tombs, Qsar El Bint and the Temple of the Winged Lion.

Today we will discover the 7 route of the grand Hijaz railway project and see abandoned stations, track and rolling-stock left exactly as they were by Lawrence and his Arab guerrillas. W DAY We leave Petra and travel 8 along the Escarpment to the fortified hilltop palace, Machaerus. The tour moves on to the Dead Sea arriving midafternoon where we spend the final night of the tour at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar. DAY

DAY

tour information

DAY

TOUR LECTURER, october: andrew allen Andrew Allen read History of Art at the University of East Anglia and Essex. He is a great traveller and often contributes articles to travel publications. He has led many tours for Kirker throughout the Middle East. TOUR LECTURER, march: DR NEIL FAULKNER Neil Faulkner is an archaeologist who studied at King’s College, Cambridge, and the Institute of Archaeology, UCL. Neil's latest book ‘Lawrence of Arabia's War: The Arabs, the British and the Remaking of the Middle East in WW1’ was published in 2016.

We drive to Amman airport for the flight back to London.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 30 October 2019 £3,248 £598 13 March 2020 £3,559 £698 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a double/twin room. Supplements for single occupancy are as shown. flight details Flights with Royal Jordanian Airlines: Depart London Heathrow 16.05 arrive Amman 23.05 Depart Amman 11.20 arrive London Heathrow 14.45

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights to Amman Eight nights’ accommodation with breakfast Dinner each evening All entrance fees and gratuities Group visa The services of the Kirker Tour Lecrturer and a local guide

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cultural tours

OMAN – PEARL OF ARABIA

A six NIGHT HOLIDAY | 10 october 2019 Known as the Pearl of Arabia, Oman simultaneously surprises with its diversity – of landscape, history and culture – and encapsulates the epitome of the Arabian experience. This itinerary combines the best of the country in a leisurely tour; from azure sea to jagged mountains and the vast dunes of the Wahiba Sands. You will learn about the fascinating medieval history of the region, see modern Muscat’s astonishing architecture, and absorb the natural environment, including the hustle of traditional souqs, the colour and sounds of local fishing villages, and the unique atmosphere of the desert at night. In a Middle East largely overwhelmed by 21st century tourist resorts, the Omanis are rightfully very proud of the traditional culture that they have carefully nurtured in one of the last remaining authentic destinations in the region.

THE ITINERARY We will fly out to Muscat on the daytime flight this 1 morning, arriving late afternoon, and will be transferred to our hotel, the 4 star Radisson Blu in the centre of Muscat. DAY

This morning we will begin with a tour of Muscat itself, 2 starting with a visit to the magnificent Grand Mosque. After a drive through the Embassy area we will stop to see the Royal Opera House before arriving at Al Alam Palace, the residence of the Sultan. We shall visit the Mirani and Jalali forts briefly and explore the Bait Al Zubair Museum, a privately-owned museum in the old town of Muscat which provides an insight into old Oman. In the afternoon we continue to Muttrah Souq, which is one of the oldest markets in Oman, dating back about two hundred years.

carefully reconstructed Jibreen Castle, notable for the frescoes that adorn its rooms and ceilings decorated with paintings and Islamicera style inscriptions. We will then stay in the old capital of Oman, Nizwa, at the 4 star Golden Tulip Hotel.

DAY

Checking out of our hotel this morning, we will travel 3 along the coast, pausing at the picturesque fishermen’s village of Quriyat, known for its stocks of kingfish and tuna, and then at Bimmah Sinkhole, a deep natural depression filled with water. At Wadi Tiwi, a spectacularly narrow gorge carved out of the mountains, we will see traditional villages surrounded by lush plantations of date and banana. In the afternoon we will arrive in the coastal city of Sur, where we can still see the traditional dhow manufacturers at work. We stay at the 3 star Sur Plaza Hotel.

We will venture into the Cattle Market of Nizwa, before 6 exploring the famous Nizwa Fort and the vibrant souq. In the afternoon we will see some of Oman’s most well preserved towns and villages, including traditional mud houses, as well as the UNESCO listed Omani irrigation channels which feed ancient agricultural terraces. We will finish the day at Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest point at 3,009 metres, with panoramic views of the ‘Grand Canyon,’ before returning to our hotel in Muscat in the early evening. DAY

DAY

Leaving Sur in the morning we will visit the enchanting 4 Wadi Bani Khalid, where there will be time to cool off in the crystal clear waters. We will then continue to the vast dunes of Wahiba sands, a region of sandy desert stretching 200 kilometres to the Arabian Sea. This area has been home to the Bedouin for 7,000 years and we will spend an unforgettable night watching the sun set over the dunes before a barbecue dinner under the stars.

The final morning will be at leisure before we are transferred to Muscat airport for the flight home.

DAY

We visit the local Bedouin market before heading up into 5 the historic interior of Oman. There will be a brief visit to Bahla Fort, begun in the third millennium BC, followed by the DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DEPARTURE DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 10 October 2019 £2,929 £398 flight details Flights with Oman Air: Depart London Heathrow 08.25 arrive Muscat 18.50 Depart Muscat 14.30 arrive London Heathrow 19.10 Supplements for business class flights available on request.

• • • • •

what we include Return flights Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five lunches and five dinners All entrance fees and gratuities The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide

Wadi Tiwi

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cultural wine tours

REIMS & CHAMPAGNE

A three NIGHT HOLIDAY | 24 november 2019 This new tour offers an insider’s view of Champagne in the company of wine expert Tim Clarke. The heart of the Champagne region is a relatively compact area to the east of Paris around Reims and Epernay. Here you will find the ‘caves’ of the most prestigious marques including Pol Roger and Tattinger, as well as excellent smaller houses and growers out in the vineyard villages – and on this tour, you will explore both in comfort and style, going behind closed doors for private tastings and exclusive meals at the cellars. During the course of the holiday, Tim Clarke will share his 30 years of Champagne insights with you and host a series of enjoyable tutored tastings in the evenings, which demonstrate the complexity of Champagne. In just four days you will significantly increase your understanding of this most pleasurable of wines.

THE ITINERARY We head to the Champagne region in the fastest and most 1 convenient way, travelling from St. Pancras by Eurostar to Lille. Here we will be met by our coach for the drive to Reims in the heart of Champagne, arriving mid-afternoon. We will then check into the 4 star Hotel de la Paix, which is perfectly located in the centre of the city and will be our base for the duration of the holiday. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax or explore. This evening, Tim Clarke will host a Champagne tasting, comparing the styles and quality of a selection of wines, describing styles, evaluating the quality and judging which suit our taste. He will also discuss tasting technique, explain how the methods used affect the style and no doubt spring a surprise or two. After the tasting we shall dine together at a classic restaurant nearby, including Champagne and other wines.

This morning we have another private visit to a prestigious 3 Champagne cellar. We will then have a guided tour of the magnificent Reims Cathedral, setting for the coronation of monarchs of France. Late in the afternoon, we visit the beautiful cellars at Taittinger, which date back to the Roman period, before driving to Taittinger's Chateau de la Marquetterie near Epernay, where we have a fabulous private dinner.

This morning we will visit the Pol Roger maison for a 2 private tour and tasting. Normally closed to the public, Pol Roger is one of the most prestigious Champagne houses, famous as the personal favourite of Winston Churchill as well as supplier by Royal Warrant to the Queen. We will then enjoy lunch at another producer, paired with various Champagnes served through the meal. The rest of the afternoon is free before we meet at the hotel for our second masterclass with Tim Clarke, this time focussing on the new face of Champagne. We will examine Champagnes from single vineyards and look at village styles, estate producers and the increasingly important role of organics and bio-dynamics. Dinner will be taken independently or you may wish to join Tim at his choice of restaurant.

TOUR LECTURER: tim clarke Tim was co-founder of the UK’s leading wine tours company, which he ran for nearly 30 years leading numerous tours to wine regions worldwide. Having sold the company some years ago, Tim has been busy with other projects, including making a delicious passito wine on the Greek island of Samos. In addition to his huge breadth of wine knowledge, Tim is a keen historian and provides a fascinating historical context to his wine talks. His other many interests include opera, cooking and wild food foraging.

DAY

Our final morning will be spent visiting a small estate 4 Champagne maker in one of the Grand Cru villages outside Reims. This is followed by a last lunch together. We leave the region in the afternoon returning by Eurostar to London. DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 24 November 2019 £2,168 £105 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. eurostar information Depart London St. Pancras 10.14 arrive Lille 12.54 Depart Lille 18.35 arrive London St. Pancras 19.13

• • • • • • Bottle turners

Reims Cathedral

what we include Return Standard Premier (first class) Eurostar tickets Three nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two dinners One lunch Champagne tastings and talks as described The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Tim Clarke

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cultural wine tours

WINES OF RIOJA AND NORTHERN SPAIN A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 october 2019

A superb wine tour through Rioja and Old Castile to discover some of Spain’s greatest vineyards and enjoy the legendary hospitality of the bodegas. We will travel through the Basque Country, La Rioja and Castille, visiting both famous and lesser-known producers as well as fascinating historic cities, before arriving in Madrid – ask about extending your stay with a few days in the beguiling Spanish capital.

THE ITINERARY DAY

On arrival we transfer to the 4 star Hotel Melia near the Guggenheim Museum, housed famously in a spectacular Frank Gehry building. After a light lunch at the museum restaurant, we will have a tour of the highlights with an expert guide.You are free to explore for the rest of the afternoon. We will meet this evening for an introductory talk and wine-tasting with Tim Clarke, followed by dinner. 1

This morning we head for Haro, wine capital of La Rioja. 2 Here, in the area of historic bodegas close to the railway that linked Rioja with the outside world, our first visit is to the ultimate traditionalists, Lopez de Heredia. Lunchtime is free in the hill town of Haro. We continue to the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria mountains, where we stay at the 4 star Hotel Eguren Ugarte for two nights. This striking hotel is also a Rioja winery and overlooks its 130 hectares vineyard. We will enjoy a tasting of their fine wines followed by dinner. DAY

Today is devoted to exploring the vineyards of Rioja 3 Alavesa. We start at the innovative Viña Ijalba, who pioneered the revival of Rioja’s classic grape Graciano and new grape varieties. After this we visit the CVNE group, first their state of the art Viña Real winery, followed by lunch at the farmhouse of Contino, the oldest ‘single estate’ Rioja bodega, one of the most attractive wines and most idyllic places in Rioja. We then visit the Rioja Wine Museum. This evening you can choose to relax at the hotel or visit the hill town of Laguardia. DAY

Ribera del Duero has risen to challenge Rioja as the top 5 region in Spain for red wine. The cold nights and hot days here give intense uplifted aroma, power and elegance to the wines. We will visit several great cellars here. Our first appointment is at Aalto where the great wines don’t come by accident but from extreme care, old vines and the vast experience of winemaker Mariano García. We taste the spectacular wines of Abadia Retuerta over lunch at their Vinoteca. This evening, our visit to Bodegas Alejandro Fernández will be a highlight of the tour. They make the great ‘Pesquera,’ Condado de Haza and other superb wines that we enjoy over dinner. DAY

On O our final day we travel south through the high plains of 6 Castille. We’ll stop for a tasting at an excellent producer of Rueda white wines, before arriving in Segovia, famous for its Roman aqueduct and eccentric ‘Alcazar.’ We will enjoy a traditional lunch at Meson Candido, one of the most famous restaurants in Spain. After lunch we drive to Madrid airport for the flight back to London. DAY

Before we leave Rioja, we have one last visit to one of 4 Rioja’s new star winemakers. Then we head for Old Castille and the historic city of Burgos where we visit the magnificent cathedral and stop for lunch. We continue to Peñafiel in the Duero valley, where we stay for two nights in a 4 star hotel. DAY

Eguren Ugarte

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 13 October 2019 £2,298 £250 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 08.50 arrive Bilbao 11.50 Depart Madrid 18.40 arrive London Gatwick 20.00 Supplements for business class flights available on request.

• • • • • •

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

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GENERAL INFORMATION DEPOSITS & FULL PAYMENT If you are booking more than nine weeks prior to departure, a deposit will be required to secure your reservation. The amount of the deposit (a minimum of £200 per person) will be confirmed at the time of booking. Full payment is required no later than nine weeks before departure. We prefer payment by BACS transfer (call 020 7593 2285 or see your confirmation invoice for Kirker bank details) or by cheque made payable to Kirker Travel Ltd. Payment by debit or credit card can be made by calling us on 020 7593 2288.

CHANGES & CANCELLATIONS We will always do our best to avoid making changes to holidays but the tours are planned many months in advance and amendments may be necessary. All changes notified less than eight weeks before departure give you the right to cancel your holiday and receive a full refund. We do understand the disappointment caused by cancelling a tour, however, we reserve the right to do so because they are dependent on a minimum number of participants. We will try to inform you not less than ten weeks before the departure date if your tour will not be operating.

CANCELLATION CHARGES Cancellations made more than 70 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited. 70-56 days: 30% of the holiday cost or deposit (whichever is the greater). 55-29 days: 50% of the holiday cost. 28-15 days: 80% of the holiday cost. Within 14 days of the departure, on the departure date or after the holiday has commenced: all holiday costs forfeited. Any client who curtails their holiday will not receive a refund for unused accommodation, transportation or other services.

SINGLE TRAVELLERS Escorted holidays are popular with single travellers. We recognise that single room supplements are unpopular and, although we do try to dissuade the hotels from charging high single supplements, we do not always succeed.

WALKING Our tours have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. In order to enjoy these holidays you need to be reasonably fit, able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 20 minutes, to go up and down a staircase without assistance and to stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to our reservations staff who will provide you with advice and perhaps recommend holidays that may involve easier walking.

AGE LIMIT We do not have an age limit but we do ask that you advise us of your age at time of booking and expect all participants to be able to walk comfortably without assistance. Existing medical conditions and walking difficulties must be declared at the time of booking.

TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES Although we are pleased to welcome clients with disabilities, their participation will depend on the nature of the disability and in some cases it will be necessary to be accompanied by an ablebodied companion. In order to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all participants on any tour we must ask you to declare full details of your disability, especially if this affects your mobility, so that we can consider your personal circumstances.

A RESPONSIBLE HOLIDAY COMPANY As a member of ABTA and AITO, we conform fully to government legislation regarding the protection of clients’ money. In addition, in the event that your holiday is affected by something out of our control, we shall always endeavour to take the appropriate steps to minimise any disruption you may experience.

PRIVACY POLICY As with all well-run travel businesses, Kirker has a ‘privacy policy’ (full details of which are set out on our website), and all members of the Kirker team take your privacy seriously. In order to make certain that our holidays run smoothly, and to enable us to maintain the high levels of service our clients require, we need to collect some personal data and store it – and our privacy policy outlines in more detail how and why we obtain and process stored data which can identify you. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Patrick Millar (Marketing Manager) on 020 7593 2281 or email patrick.millar@kirkerholidays.com

the aito quality charter AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually owner-managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating. EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP – AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct. FINANCIAL SECURITY – AITO members are required to protect money paid by customers to the member for any holiday sold under the AITO logo and to comply with UK Government Regulations in this respect. Members submit details of their bonding and guarantee arrangements to the Association on a regular basis. ACCURATE BROCHURES and WEB SITES – All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE and CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS – All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards. MONITORING STANDARDS – AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday questionnaire the results of which are scrutinised by the Association. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM – All members acknowledge the importance of AITO’s Responsible Tourism guidelines, which recognise the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Those demonstrating their achievements beyond the pure acceptance of this principle are recognised by the award of 2 or 3 star status. CUSTOMER RELATIONS – All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, AITO’s low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion. Kirker Holidays is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280.

✂

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booking form CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS 2019/20 Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST Office hours: 09.00–18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00–16.00 (Sat) Reservations: 020 7593 2284 Fax: 020 7593 1461 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 culturaltours@kirkerholidays.com www.kirkerholidays.com CONTACT DETAILS/TRAVEL AGENT’S STAMP

DETAILS OF ALL PASSENGERS

Name:

Title

Full name as per passport:

Address:

Postcode: Contact Phone Number:

HOLIDAY DETAILS

Email:

Tour Name:

PAYMENT

Departure Date:

• Deposit: the amount required for deposit will be advised at the time of booking and should be paid in order to confirm your holiday. • Full balance: must be paid 10 weeks prior to departure. NB for Music Cruises the full balance must be paid 14 weeks prior to departure. • Payments: We prefer to be paid by BACS transfer (call 020 7593 2285 or see your confirmation invoice for Kirker Bank Details) or by cheque made payable to Kirker Travel Ltd. Payment by debit or credit card can be made by telephone on 020 7593 2284.

Preferred departure Airport/Station: Room Type (Double/Twin/Single):

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS & SPECIAL REQUESTS

NEXT OF KIN DETAILS

MOBILITY MATTERS In order to enjoy Kirker Cultural Tours & Music Holidays (and to ensure that other participants are not held up or inconvenienced) you must be reasonably fit, i.e. able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 20 minutes; go up and down a flight of stairs without assistance; stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10/15 minutes. If your circumstances change after booking and prior to your departure, it is essential that you contact Kirker. We regret that clients who are deemed unfit to take part (at Kirker’s discretion) may be obliged to return home at their own additional cost and no refund will be given. In the event that a client is deemed unfit to take part in certain aspects of the tour, please note that it is unfortunately not possible to offer partial refunds.

Next of Kin Name: Contact Telephone: On behalf of all persons on this booking form I have read and agreed the conditions of booking contained in this brochure. SIGNATURE

DATE:

✂ ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF BOOKING All bookings are subject to our full booking conditions which appear on our website www.kirkerholidays.com. A copy of these can also be emailed or posted to you on request. By asking us to make your booking, you confirm you have had access to and agree to the full booking conditions which you should read. CAN KIRKER CANCEL MY HOLIDAY? We understand the disruption and disappointment caused by cancelling a tour but we must reserve the right to do so because they are dependant on a minimum number of participants. The minimum number of participants varies according to the tour. Generally, we will try to inform you ten weeks before the departure date if your chosen tour will not be operating. CANCELLATION CHARGES. Cancellations made by you more than 70 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited. 70 – 56 days: 30% of the holiday cost or deposit, whichever is the greater. 55-29 days: 50% of the cost 28-15 days: 80%holiday cost; of the holiday cost. Within 14 days of the departure, on the departure date or after the holiday has commenced: all holiday costs are forfeited. Any client choosing to leave their hotel before the end of their holiday will receive no refund for unused accommodation. Different cancellation charges apply for Kirker Music Cruises and will be advised at time of booking. The booking conditions provide for the payment of cancellation charges if you cancel or fail to make payment when due.They also include limitations and exclusions of our liability to you. For international travel by air, sea or rail, our liabilities are limited and excluded as if we were a carrier within the applicable international convention or EU regulation (for example, the Montreal Convention, the EC Regulation on Air Carrier Liability and the Athens Convention). A surcharge may be payable in limited circumstances where certain costs increase after booking. Your contract will be with Kirker Travel Limited t/a Kirker Holidays. This contract comes into existence when we dispatch our confirmation invoice to the person who makes the booking or your travel agent. We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL number 2450). When you buy an ATOL protected air inclusive holiday or Kirker Travel Limited Registered Office: 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST. Registration in England: 1985696 VAT Reg No. 805 1461 59

flight* from us, you will receive a confirmation invoice from us (or via our authorised agent) confirming your arrangements and your protection under our ATOL. In the unlikely event of our insolvency the CAA will ensure that you are not left stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. *The air inclusive holidays and flights we arrange are ATOL protected providing either the person who pays for the booking is present in the UK when the booking is made or the first leg of any flight or flights we arrange for you commences in the UK. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. We are also bonded with ABTA Limited (membership number V6595).This means that if your holiday does not include flights arranged by us, all monies you have paid to us for an advance booking will be refunded or if your holiday includes return travel and is already underway, you will be returned to the UK in the unlikely event of our being unable to provide your holiday due to our insolvency. ABTA members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint (details in our full booking conditions), contact ABTA at 30 Park Street, London, SE1 9EQ or see www.abta.com We are also a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). British citizens require a British passport in order to travel to the destinations we feature. This usually takes approximately 6 weeks to obtain unless you are over 16 and haven’t held a passport previously in which case you need to allow at least 6 weeks. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes regularly updated travel information on its website www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo which you are recommended to consult before booking and in good time before departure. In the event of any flight delay or cancellation at your UK or overseas point of departure, the airline is responsible for providing such assistance as is legally required by the Denied Boarding Regulations. The ferry, tunnel or rail operator is similarly responsible in relation to any delayed or cancelled sea crossing or international rail departure. Except where otherwise stated in our brochure or on our website, we

regret we cannot provide any assistance in such circumstances other than information and advice to the extent we are in a position to do so. LOCAL TOURIST TAXES. Many Local Authorities throughout Europe and beyond have now imposed tourist taxes on visitors. In most cases, local legislation imposes the responsibility of collecting the tax on to hoteliers who are instructed to collect this additional tax direct from guests by adding the cost to clients’ extras bills on checkout. NB Local Authorities reserve the right to vary the charges and insist that the tax is paid directly by guests to the hotel, and not through an intermediary. Typically, the cost is approximately €2-7 per person per night depending on hotel category. DATA PROTECTION. For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, Kirker Travel Limited is a data controller. Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect personal data held by us. This information will be passed to the relevant suppliers of your holiday arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them and to other third parties who need it to enable us to provide your holiday (such as credit card companies and banks), or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. Other than in relation to government/public authorities (over whom we have no control), we will take appropriate steps which are intended to ensure that anyone to whom we pass your personal data for any reason agrees to keep it secure and only uses it for the purposes of providing their services. If we cannot pass personal data to the relevant suppliers or any other third party as applicable, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to fulfil your booking. In making your booking, you consent to personal data being passed on to the relevant suppliers and other third parties.When travelling outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We would also like to store and use your personal data for future marketing purposes (for example, sending you a brochure or other marketing material) unless you have told us that you do not wish us to do so. Full details of our data protection policy are available on our website and on request. Publication date May 2019 ©2019 Kirker Travel Limited

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OUR RANGE OF HOLIDAYS FOR DISCERNING TRAVELLERS Short Breaks

SOUTH AFRICA Our South Africa brochure features a range of short break options and longer tailor-made itineraries. As well as including the pick of hotels and guesthouses in outstanding locations such as the Cape Peninsula and the Garden Route, our programme includes game reserves, Zulu and Boer War battlefields,Victoria Falls, Botswana, Zambia and Mauritius.

iNDIA Our comprehensive brochure covers India from Shimla in the North to Cochin in the South and has a broad choice of hotels from converted palaces to characterful homestays. The dedicated Sri Lanka section highlights the many attractions of this fascinating island which can be combined in a tailor-made tour. Call our experienced sales team for further guidance.

Holidays to 60 classic cities and relaxing rural locations throughout Europe and beyond. Our Short Breaks brochure features a range of over 500 selected hotels and we can create any tailor-made itinerary to two or more destinations. Each Kirker holiday is created to suit your personal requirements with travel by air, rail, OrientExpress, Eurostar or overnight sleeper combined with private guided tours, opera tickets, museum passes or a table at a Kirker recommended restaurant.

italY The Kirker Italy brochure features destinations from The Lakes and Venice in the North, to Sicily in the South, and from Puglia in the East, to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Florence and Lucca in the West. Our expertise can cater for your every need; we offer opera and concert tickets, entrance for festivals, museums and special exhibitions, tailor-made itineraries combining beautiful Tuscan Villas, exquisite Ferrogamo city centre hotels with high speed trains, car hire or the Orient-Express.

sicily Our new dedicated Sicily brochure includes a wide range of destinations throughout the island from Modica and Ragusa in the South East corner to San Vito Lo Capo in the West. We offer carefully crafted, multi-centre itineraries to match your particular requirements as well as short breaks to classic cities such as Palermo and Taormina.

france Our France brochure features classic city breaks to Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Monaco, Strasbourg, Cannes and Lyon and tailormade holidays to Normandy, Brittany, the Loire Valley, Champagne, Burgundy, Provence, Languedoc-Rousillon and the idylic island of Corsica. We feature simple family-run hotels up to the grandest palaces and châteaux.

SPAIN Spain offers a great climate and a wonderful range of music, art and architecture; all perfect ingredients for a wonderful short break The Phoenicians, Romans and Moors all left behind an extraordinary legacy for you to explore. Experience this wonderful country by asking one of our experts to suggest a tailor-made holiday, designed to reflect the diversity of this truly fascinating destination.

Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST Office hours: 09.00–18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00–16.00 (Sat)

Reservations: 020 7593 2288 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 • Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 • Fax: 020 7593 1461 Telephone calls: please note that in order to manage and train the Kirker team to deliver the best possible telephone service, from time to time we record calls for internal training purposes only.

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OVERMATTER

OVERMATTER PAGE 35 will stay at the Albergo Celide, located just outside the city walls of Lucca. We include a walking tour of Lucca and excursions to three great Tuscan gardens, the Villa Garzoni with its dazzling water cascades, the Villa Reale at Marlia and the Villa Grabau, a fine example of 19th century Neo-Classical architecture. We’ll also spend a day in Florence, the city of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Giotto, Dante and their patrons, the Medici family. Included operas for 2019 are La Boheme on 10 August, Tosca on 11 August and Madama Butterfly on 12 August.

Price £2,249 per person to include flights with British Airways from Heathrow to Pisa (depart 08.35, return 12.40) fiver nights’ accommodation with breakfast) four dinners, second category tickets for three operas, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer. Single supplement from £389. For a more detailed day by day itinerary please visit the Cultural Tours section of our website kirkerholidays.com or call us on 020 7593 2284.