Kirker 2016 culturual tours mwt version

CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS F O R

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ARCHITECTURE

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CULTURAL TOURS: ALBANIA • BELGIUM • BULGARIA • cUBa • CZECH REPUBLIC • ENGLAND • FRANCE •holland

italy • JAPAN • morocco • POland • PORTUGAL • Russia • Spain • TURKEY EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS: ischia • MALLORCA • music cruises • SALAMANCA • suffolk • cornwall • TENERIFE ESCORTED Holidays TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & events: BADEN–BaDEN • BONN • BUDAPEST • dresden • GRAFENEGG

La FENICE, VENICE • LA SCALA, MILAN • LEIPZIG • malta baroque • new york • north Norfolk puccini festival • Schubertiade • SIBELIUS • THREE CHOIRS, gloucester • VERONA • vienna

2016 DEPARTURES This list of holidays is updated regulary with additional tour departures added throughout the year. Please visit our website or telephone 020 7593 2284 to speak to an expert consultant for the most up to date information.

JANUARY 2016 14th 15th 25th 28th 30th

Images of Cuba Malta Baroque Musical Festival Opera at La Fenice in Venice La Scala, Milan The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife

48 16 18 19 10

FEBRUARY 2016 10th Opera at La Fenice in Venice

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MARCH 2016 8th 8th 13th 13th 14th 17th 17th 18th 24th

The Metropolitan Opera & Galleries and Museums of New York Seville & Andalucia The Kirker Spring Music Festival at the Hotel Tresanton, St. Mawes The Bay of Naples Ruskin’s Venice Opera at La Fenice in Venice La Scala, Milan Music in Baden-Baden Opera in Budapest

14 38 12 33 31 18 19 24 25

APRIL 2016 1st 1st 1st 5th 9th 9th 11th 11th 13th 13th 14th 16th 16th 17th 17th 18th 18th 21st 23rd

Lucca & the Lucchese Hills Pas-de-Calais: Lille, Lens & Arras Ancient & Mediaeval Provence Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance The Metropolitan Opera & Galleries and Museums of New York Genoa – City of the Doges Opera at La Fenice in Venice The Classic Tour of Bulgaria – Icons, Monasteries & Mountains Opera in Budapest Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Art of the Côte d’Azur The Dordogne Art Galleries of The Netherlands The Peninsular War The Grandeur of Rome Parma, Cremona & Mantua Gardens of the Riviera The Galleries & Museums of Washington DC, Philadelphia & New York 25th Umbria – The Essence of Italy 26th Art & Music in Vienna 26th Sicily – An Enigmatic Island

30 35 35 30 14 31 18 44 25 27 45 36 37 41 46 26 27 36 47 32 21 34

MAY 2016 1st 5th 6th 9th 12th 12th 13th 21st 21st 21st 23rd 25th 25th 27th 27th 28th 30th

La Scala, Milan Opera at La Fenice in Venice The Kirker Music Festival in Salamanca Villas & Gardens around Rome Discovering Lisbon The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Gardens, Temples and Cities of Japan Opera in Budapest Carcassonne & Albi Imperial Cities of Morocco – Fez, Meknès & Rabat The Country Houses of Bohemia & Moravia The Italian Lakes – Gardens and Villas of Como & Maggiore Bilbao, Cantabria & Old Castille Art & Music in Vienna Kraków to Warsaw – Castles & Palaces of Poland Istanbul & Gallipoli The Kirker Music Festival in Suffolk

19 18 9 28 40 45 49 25 37 40 43 29 39 21 42 46 11

JUNE 2106 2nd 2nd 11th 12th 18th 19th 19th 19th

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Opera at La Fenice in Venice Leipzig & Dresden: Music in Saxony An Introduction to Albania Norway’s Midnight Sun – A Midsummer Cruise Across the Arctic Circle Genoa – City of the Doges The Schubertiade Festival Art & Music in Vienna Art Galleries of The Netherlands

Florence

22nd 26th 27th 29th 27th

The Italian Lakes – Gardens and Villas of Como & Maggiore La Scala, Milan The Ring Cycle in Leipzig Opera at the Arena di Verona La Scala, Milan

29 19 22 17 19

JULY 2106 6th 8th 23rd 27th

Music in Baden-Baden The Battle of Waterloo The Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester The Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester

24 46 13 13

AUGUST 2016 10th 21st 23rd 24th 25th

Puccini Opera Festival The North Norfolk Music Festival Opera at the Arena di Verona The Schubertiade Festival Opera at La Fenice in Venice

17 13 17 20 18

SEPTEMBER 2016 1st 5th 7th 7th 9th 10th 12th 12th 15th 17th 18th 19th 19th 19th 21st 24th 24th 26th 26th 29th 30th

The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Umbria – The Essence of Italy The Grafenegg Music Festival The Sebelius Festival Kraków to Warsaw – Castles & Palaces of Poland Art of the Côte d’Azur Opera at La Fenice in Venice The Classic Tour of Bulgaria – Icons, Monasteries & Mountains Gardens of the Riviera Carcassonne & Albi La Scala, Milan The Beethoven Festival in Bonn Villas & Gardens around Rome The Country Houses of Bohemia & Moravia Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara The Dordogne An Introduction to Albania The Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca Parma, Cremona & Mantua Pas-de-Calais: Lille, Lens & Arras The Battle of Waterloo

45 32 15 16 42 36 18 44 36 37 19 15 28 43 27 37 44 8 27 35 46

OCTOBER 2016 2nd 2nd 6th 6th 6th 6th 8th 10th 10th 10th 17th 17th 22nd

Sicily – An Enigmatic Island Art Galleries of The Netherlands Opera at La Fenice in Venice The Schubertiade Festival Discovering Lisbon The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg Genoa – City of the Doges The 11th Kirker Ischia Music Festival The Grandeur of Rome Imperial Cities of Morocco – Fez, Meknès & Rabat Ancient & Mediaeval Provence Bilbao, Cantabria & Old Castille The Galleries & Museums of Washington DC, Philadelphia & New York 31st A Cruise to Spain, Morocco and Portugal

34 41 18 20 40 45 31 7 26 40 35 39 47 50

NOVEMBER 2016 18 23 44 50 31 20 21 41

4th 4th 6th 8th 8th 8th 11th 13th 15th

Lucca & the Lucchese Hills The Bay of Naples Gardens, Temples and Cities of Japan Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance Seville & Andalucia Images of Cuba Art Cities of Flanders, The Netherlands and Germany La Scala, Milan Ruskin’s Venice

30 33 49 30 38 48 50 19 31

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 Kirker Cultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure for 2016.We look forward to welcoming both new and regular travellers on our range of carefully-designed escorted holidays.

Every holiday is meticulously planned and researched and our clients appreciate the attention to detail we invest in each itinerary. Not only do we make sure that excursions include both familiar and lesser-known destinations, but we also pride ourselves on our excellent contacts, which enable us to offer the very best music and opera performances, exclusive access to places not open to the public, and private visits to museums and galleries outside of normal opening hours.

Each year we work hard to get the balance right between perennial favourites such as St. Petersburg, Sicily and New York, and tours to tempting new destinations. For 2016, we have added the Dordogne, Provence and the Pas-de-Calais in France; Moravia in the Czech Republic, Poland and Budapest; and itineraries focussing on the art galleries of New York and Washington DC, plus the temples & gardens of Japan.

This year we have designed several four and five night holidays which run consecutively.These may also be booked together to create a single longer tour with the same tour leader throughout – for example the Art & Gardens of the Côte d’Azur (see page 36) or the Art Cities of Northern Italy (see page 27).

Last year we introduced a highly successful music festival in Suffolk and for 2016 we have created a new Kirker Music Festival in Spain, which will take place on a wine estate close to historic Salamanca.These join established favourites such as Ischia in the Bay of Naples, where we continue to enjoy our autumn concerts at La Mortella, and the Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca.We shall also be back on board Black Watch with three Kirker Music Festivals at Sea – to Norway in June, the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco in October, and Bruges, Hamburg and Amsterdam in November.

Our carefully selected tour leaders play a vital role in the success of our tours and we are delighted to have such a diverse range of individual experts who return to lead Kirker holidays every year. Many clients choose to travel with Kirker not only because of our tour leaders’ expert knowledge, but because of the ease with which they convey their learning.

If you were thinking of arranging a private tour, perhaps for a group of friends or a local society, please contact us to discuss your requirements and we will plan a tailor-made itinerary especially for you.We enjoy sharing our experience and destination knowledge so please telephone our 020preferred 7593 2286 to speak to Malvern one of our experts.

Travel Partner World Travel.

We do hope that you will choose to travel with us in 2016 and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

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ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT TOUR OPERATORS – OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD 2011, 2012 & 2014 ADVANTAGE INDEPENDENT TRAVEL AGENTS – BEST SPECIALIST TOUR OPERATOR 2012 & 2013

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KEY FEATURES OF CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS Our 2016 Cultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure includes a range of holidays that will appeal to a wide variety of tastes and interests.Whether you wish to learn more about the history and art of a particular region, experience one of our exclusive Kirker Music Festivals or enjoy a classical concert or opera performance at one of Europe’s leading festivals or opera houses, we are confident you will find something within this brochure that will whet your appetite for travel. All our escorted holidays are led by a carefully selected lecturer who will help you experience the best of what your chosen destination has to offer, but we will also allow plenty of time to enjoy your surroundings at a leisurely pace with the company of your fellow travellers.We have divided the contents into three sections and the key features of each are listed below.

EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS

Carcassonne

cultural Tours

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 22 passengers. 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.

HOTELS & AIRLINES We always take great care when selecting the hotels and they vary from small, family-run 3 star hotels to luxurious 5 star properties. To us, location and atmosphere are just as important as star rating. Several of the hotels we have selected this year are included in our Short Breaks brochure and have long been popular favourites with Kirker clients. Whilst the tour price is invariably based on flights departing from London, we would be delighted to quote for a flight from your local airport. If you wish to make your own flight arrangements, please call us for a quote for ground arrangements only.

TOUR PLANNING The secret of these tours, which often include private openings and visits that would not be possible for the independent traveller, is the detailed planning that goes into every holiday to ensure that you have an unrivalled experience. They are designed to make the most of the time spent in each location but, once the tour has started, you are perfectly at liberty to opt out of a particular day’s activity if you prefer to relax or explore independently. We have built-in relaxation time in each of the tours – and have, in many instances, included dinners in good local restaurants which will give you more of an opportunity to experience the local flavour.

OUR LECTURERS Our lecturers are a dedicated and loyal team of distinguished academics who have known Barry Cheeseman and other members of the Kirker team, personally for a number of years.

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These music holidays are different from the others included in our brochure in that we have prepared a special programme of music exclusively for Kirker clients and have engaged international musicians of the highest calibre. Artists, concert programmes and venues have all been carefully arranged and we like to think the atmosphere on these holidays will be more akin to a country house party where audiences and musicians alike will share in the uniqueness of the festival. Because the festivals are exclusively for our clients there will be a larger number of participants than on our other escorted holidays.

We have nine festivals planned for 2016 – two in England, three in Spain, one in Italy and three at sea on board Fred.Olsen’s Black Watch. We will be back at La Mortella on the island of Ischia for the eleventh consecutive year (see page 7). La Mortella was the beautiful home and garden of Sir William and Lady Walton. This year, performances will be given by a host of distinguished musicians including German baritone Benjamin Appl and The Doric String Quartet who featured in our first festival in 2006 and are now established as one of the finest quartets in the world.

We will also return in the spring to one of our favourite hotels, the Tresanton which overlooks the sea at St. Mawes (page 12). The four night holiday will feature three concerts by the young and hugely talented Piatti Quartet.

After a very successful premier in 2015, we return to Seckford Hall in Suffolk for our May festival (see page 11) where The Van Kuijk Quartet from Paris will perform four concerts at the magnificent Seckford Hall Hotel in Woodbridge where we stay.

The holiday will include a visit to the Red House in Aldeburgh and a tour of the Maltings at Snape.

In its fourth year, our popular Chopin Festival in Mallorca (see page 8) will feature The Busch Ensemble and pianist Alexander Ullman. Our base is the peaceful and picturesque village of Banyalbufar, a short drive from Valldemossa.

We have two exciting new festivals in 2016; in January we will be escaping the British winter for our new festival in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, staying at the excellent Botanico Hotel. We will be joined by a host of distinguished musicians including violinist Marcia Crayford and cellist Moray Welsh for a series of six concerts in the Anglican Church and at the Casa Abaco. Our other new festival (see page 9) will be held at the wonderful Hacienda Zorita in the heart of the Ribera del Duero wine-producing region and will include, like all our exclusive festivals, a series of guided excursions – Salamanca, Avila and El Escorial, Philips II’s sprawling palace will all be explored.

This year will be our tenth season of music cruises on board the Black Watch and, as usual, will feature a host of exceptional musicians. The Carducci String Quartet and pianist Melvyn Tan will journey to Norway with us in June; The Gould Piano Trio will perform on board as we cruise to Spain, Morocco and Portugal in

KEY FEATURES OF CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS October, and The Navarra String Quartet will play exclusive concerts in November as we visit Flanders, The Netherlands and Germany. A summary of the cruises are shown on page 50 but for more detailed information, please call us on 020 7593 2286 to request a copy of our 2016 Music Cruise brochure.

ESCORTED HolidayS TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & events

DESTINATIONS We have selected the very best festivals of classical music and opera in this section. 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. If you are a fan of Baroque music, we highly recommend Malta’s Music Festival taking place in January. Opera lovers are spoilt for choice with holidays to New York which includes three stand-out performances at the Met; the Verona Opera Festival; La Scala, Milan, La Fenice,Venice and Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Leipzig.

Closer to home, the increasingly popular North Norfolk Music Festival is featured once again, as is a tour to the Three Choirs Festival which takes place in Worcester in 2016.

TOUR LEADERS Each holiday will be accompanied by one of our experienced Tour Leaders who will also be responsible for the day-to-day management of the holiday.

OPERA & CONCERT TICKETS We are very much aware that your enjoyment of musical performances could be marred if you were to be given poor seats.

With this in mind, our tickets will always be of a high category.

practical information

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. In 2016 we are delighted to confirm that our tours to Albania and the North Norfolk Music Festival will have no single supplements.

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.

CHANGES & CANCELLATIONS We will always do our best to avoid making changes to holidays described in the brochure but the tours are planned many months in advance and occasionally our suppliers will make changes which may affect one or more elements of the holiday. All such changes notified less than eight weeks before departure give you the right to cancel your holiday and receive a full refund of all monies paid.

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.

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.

We take responsibility for every element of your holiday and, for those travelling independently, we provide you with a telephone number to contact us 24 hours a day in the event of a problem.

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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DESTINATIONS EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS England The Kirker Music Festival in Suffolk

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

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The North Norfolk Music Festival

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The Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester Cathedral

13

Italy

Gardens of the Riviera

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Carcassonne & Albi

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The Dordogne

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Holland Art Galleries of the Netherlands

The Grandeur of Rome

The 11th Ischia Music Festival

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The Kirker Music Festival in Salamanca The Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife

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Parma, Cremona & Mantua

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Villas & Gardens around Rome

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The Italian Lakes – Gardens and Villas of Como & Maggiore

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ESCORTED HOLIDAYS TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & EVENTS Austria The Schubertiade Festival

20

Finland The Sibelius Music Festival

26

Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara

Spain The Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca

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Italy

16

Germany The Beethoven Festival in Bonn

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The Ring Cycle in Leipzig

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Leipzig & Dresden: Music in Saxony

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Music in Baden-Baden

24

Lucca & the Lucchese Hills

30

Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance

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Ruskin’s Venice

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Genoa – City of the Doges

31

Umbria – The Essence of Italy

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The Bay of Naples

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Sicily – An Enigmatic Island

34

Japan Gardens,Temples and Cities of Japan

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Morocco Imperial Cities of Morocco – Fez, Meknès & Rabat

40

Poland

Hungary Opera in Budapest

25

Kraków to Warsaw – Castles & Palaces of Poland

42

Portugal

Italy Opera at the Arena di Verona

17

The Puccini Opera Festival

17

Opera at La Fenice in Venice

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La Scala, Milan

19

Discovering Lisbon

40

The Peninsular War

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Russia The Palaces & Galleries of St. Petersburg

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Spain

Malta Malta Baroque Musical Festival

16

USA The Metropolitan Opera & Galleries and Museums of New York

14

Seville & Andalucia

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Bilbao, Cantabria & Old Castille

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The Peninsular War

46

Turkey

Vienna The Grafenegg Music Festival

15

Art & Music in Vienna

21

Istanbul & Gallipoli

46

USA The Galleries & Museums of Washington DC, Philadelphia & New York

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CULTURAL TOURS THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS AT SEA Albania An Introduction to Albania

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Bulgaria The Classic Tour of Bulgaria – Icons, Monasteries & Mountains

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Norway’s Midnight Sun - A Midsummer Cruise Across the Arctic Circle

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A cruise to Spain, Morocco and Portugal

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Art Cities of Flanders,The Netherlands and Germany

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Belgium The Battle of Waterloo

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Cuba Images of Cuba

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Czech Republic The Country Houses of Bohemia & Moravia

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France

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Pas-de-Calais: Lille, Lens & Arras

35

Ancient & Mediaeval Provence

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Art of the Côte d’Azur

36

Schönbrunn Palace

e xclusive kirker music festivals

THE 11 TH KIRKER ISCHIA MUSIC FESTIVAL A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 10 OCTOBER 2016 Over the past ten years we have presented a series of high-level 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 and is now universally recognised as one of the world’s great gardens.The autumn is a wonderful time to visit Ischia.The crowds have long since departed and the island reveals its considerable charm.

tour information the ITINERARy We stay at the 4 star Albergo San Montano where the manager and his staff have been giving a warm welcome to Kirker clients every autumn for the past decade. The hotel enjoys a stunning hilltop location with 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 two optional tours; one to Herculaneum and the Villa Oplontis, and 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.

music programme 11 October: Doric String Quartet – Walton: String Quartet in A minor; Beethoven: String Quartet in E minor Op.59 No. 2 ‘Razumovsky’ 12 October: Benjamin Appl, baritone; Gary Matthewman, piano; Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin Op.25 D795 Song Cycle based on poems by Wilhelm Müller 13 October: Doric String Quartet – Haydn: String Quartet Op.64 No6; Rowland-Jones: String Quartet No. 5 ‘The Beheading of St. John the Baptist’ inspired by the painting by Caravaggio in the Oratory at St. John’s Co-Cathedral,Valletta; Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E flat Op.12 14 October: Benjamin Appl, baritone; Gary Matthewman, piano; ‘Distant Beloved’ - a programme of songs about love and separation; Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte Op.98; Schumann: Six Songs and Requiem Op.90 based on poems by Nikolaus Lenau and songs by Brahms and Wolf 15 October: Doric Strin Quartet – Haydn: String Quartet in C Op.64 No. 1; Bartók: String Quartet No. 2; Beethoven: Duo for viola and cello ‘The Eyeglass’; Duos for two violins by Wieniawski and Bartók 16 October: Doric String Quartet – Simon RowlandJones, viola; Benjamin Appl, baritone; Gary Matthewman, piano; Barber: ‘Dover Beach’ for baritone and string quartet; Walton: Passacaglia for solo cello; Benjamin Appl will sing a selection of his favourite arias; Brahms: String Quintet in G Op.11

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 10 October £2,148 £175 Prices based on two people sharing a double room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.50 arrive Rome 14.20 Depart Rome 15.20 arrive London Heathrow 17.00 what we include Return flights to Rome Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Dinner at the hotel each evening Entrance to six private concerts and one concert given as part of the Walton Trust’s series • A half day tour of Ischia and a private guided tour of the gardens at La Mortella • A full programme with notes for all the concerts • Services of the Kirker Tour Leaders including Barry Cheeseman

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the musicians When The Doric String Quartet first took part in the Kirker Ischia Music Festival a decade ago, they were a promising young quartet just at the start of their career.

Today, ten years on, they are firmly established as one of the leading quartets in the world with a busy career that takes them around the globe each season. They made their debut at The Maltings, Snape at the 2015 Aldeburgh Music Festival and will appear at the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg in 2016.

Benjamin Appl, baritone, was born in Regensburg and studied in Munich and then at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was the last student to have studied with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He is currently a member of the BBC Young Generation Artists Scheme and enjoys a very busy schedule on the concert and recital platforms. Simon Rowland-Jones, viola is a well-known chamber musician, professor at the Royal College of Music, composer, and Joint Director of the North Norfolk Music Festival and Director of Music for Kirker. Gary Matthewman, piano, works with all the major singers of his generation and is a Junior Fellow at The Royal College of Music.

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e xclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER CHOPIN FESTIVAL IN MALLORCA a six night holiday | 26 SEPTEMBER 2016 We are returning to Mallorca for the fourth consecutive year in 2016, where we stay on the glorious unspoilt north coast in a traditional, family-owned hotel in the small village of Banyalbufar.This year, the dynamic Busch Ensemble will be playing two seldomly performed chamber pieces by Frédéric Chopin.The young British pianist Alexander Ullman will give two Chopin recitals in the monastery at Valldemossa where Chopin spent three months with his lover the aristocratic Baroness Dudevant, better known as the writer George Sand, and her children in 1838.The romantic legacy of their visit lives on in the village of Valldemossa to this day.

the ITINERARY First-time visitors are instantly struck by the wild and unspoilt beauty of Mallorca’s protected north coast the moment they walk on to the terrace to enjoy a welcome drink. We will explore this coastline on our included excursions which will take us to the village of Deia where Robert Graves, whose house we visit, and other artists and writers have lived. We will visit La Granja, a patrician hacienda, and also take the famous train which runs from Palma to Soller through the heart of the island. A day will be spent in Palma visiting its beautiful old quarter, its narrow streets lined with the stately townhouses of the hidalgos who came to Mallorca in the 15th century. We’ll also see the villa of San Marroig, once the home of the Hapsburg Archduke Luis Salvador who loved the island and lived here for many years.

the hotel

Valldemossa

music programme 27 September: Alexander Ullman Schumann: Fantasie in C Op.17; Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor S.178 28 September: The Busch Ensemble Chopin: Cello Sonata; Dvorˆák: Piano Trio No.2 in G minor 30 September: The Busch Ensemble Chopin: Piano Trio in G minor Op.8; Debussy: Piano Trio in G major L3; Mozart: Piano Trio in C major K548

The Vives family has owned the 3 star Mar i Vent since 1928. It is a simple hotel where the emphasis is on friendly service and it has 29 bedrooms, each with a balcony and a wonderful sea view. It is located in the heart of the quiet village of Banyalbufar which has a few shops and cafés. The church, where some concerts will be held, is within easy walking distance.Valldemossa is an enchanting twenty minute drive away.

1 October: Alexander Ullman An all-Chopin programme: Waltz in F Op.34 No.3; Scherzo No.2 in B flat minor Op.31; Berceuse in Flat Op.57; PolonaiseFantasie in A flat Op.61; Ballade No.4 in F minor Op.52; Nocturne in C sharp minor Op.27 No.1; Nocturne in F minor Op.55 No.1; Polanaise ‘Heroique’ in A flat Op.53

The Musicians

tour information

The Busch Ensemble has already established its reputation in both Europe and the UK where they won First Prize in the Royal Overseas League Competition in 2012. The average age of the players is a mere 23. In January 2015 The Times wrote of the ‘effortless musicianship and unity of thought and attack’ displayed in their Park Lane Group concert on the South Bank. The Ensemble will play throughout the UK and Belgium next season and at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 26 September £1,698 £146 Price based on two people sharing a double room.

Alexander Ullman, piano, born in London in 1991 he studied at the Purcell School and then at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He is currently completing his studies at the Royal College of Music with Dmitri Alexeev and Ian Jones. He has played with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Alexander won through the preliminary rounds of the prestigious Chopin Competition in the spring of 2015 and will return to Warsaw in the autumn later this year to take part in the main competition.

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flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.35 arrive Palma at 15.55 Depart Palma 17.35 arrive London Heathrow at 19.05 NB:There are flights to Palma from London Gatwick, London City and airports around the country – please tell us if you would like to fly from your local airport.

• • • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Palma Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Six dinners – five at the hotel and one in a local restaurant Two lunches in local restaurants Concerts and excursions as described All entry fees and gratuities The services of Barry Cheeseman, the Kirker Tour Leader

e xclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN SALAMANCA A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 6 MAY 2016 Already a firm favourite with Kirker clients, we selected the Hacienda Zorita for the latest addition to our range of Kirker Music Festivals simply because it has everything we need for a successful festival – comfortable bedrooms, a wonderful location and a perfect space for our private concerts. Located on the River Tormes, the Hacienda is in the heart of the Ribera del Duero wine producing region, 20 minutes’ drive from the beautiful, golden city of Salamanca.We have engaged leading Spanish musicians for our exciting music programme including Flamenco guitarist José Luis Montón, soprano Amaia Azcona Cildóz, pianist Luis Bravo and La Ritirata, one of Europe’s foremost Baroque ensembles.

the ITINERARY

music programme The music of Spain holds many secret treasures for British audiences especially in works written for voice and solo piano.

The many great Spanish singers and pianists of the last fifty years have always championed the music from their homeland which demands that the performers are in full command of the idiom needed to bring the often passionate music to its full bloom.

7 May: Amaia Ascona Cildoz, soprano; Luis Bravo, piano: Works by a number of great Spanish composers including Manuel de Falla, Turina, Rodrigo, Obradors, Granados and the poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca who set much of his work to his own music 8 May: Luis Bravo’s programme including excerpts of works

by Albeniz and Granados alongside pieces by the Catalan composer, Joaquim Malata and Martin Sanchez Allu who was born in Salamanca in 1823.

Albeniz: Suite Espanola; Suite Iberia; Cantos de Espana.

Granados: Escenas romanticas: excerpts from his opera Goyescas; Danzas espanolas 9 May: Five members of La Ritirata playing harpsichord, violin, cello, theorbo and Baroque guitar will perform ‘Il spiritillo brando’, a programme which introduces the splendour of Spanish music from Renaissance and Baroque Spain by composers who served in both the Spanish Court and foreign royal courts 10 May: ‘Chiaroscuro’ – three members of the ensemble (recorder, cello harpsichord) present music of the late Baroque period from Italy, Spain, France and Germany with works by Scarlatti, Telemann and others.

With so many bulls being reared in the open countryside around Salamanca, a performance of Alan Ridout's piece based on the reluctant bull Ferdinand simply has to be included.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, Barry Cheeseman, narrator.

Full musician biographies are available on our website www.kirkerholidays.com

Our sightseeing programme will include two visits to nearby Salamanca, one 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, university buildings, colleges 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 New Cathedrals. The Plaza Mayor, the Town Hall and the Convent of San Esteban will all be included on our tour. One day will be spent in Avila, its city walls the best preserved and most complete in the world. We will see the cathedral, the Monastery of the Incarnation and the Church and Convent of St. Teresa. One day will be spent in the vineyards of the Ribera del Duero. Returning to Madrid airport we will stop at El Escorial, Philip II’s sprawling palace with its important art collection. On those free days when there is no excursion we will provide a shuttle from the hotel to the centre of Salamanca.

the hotel Originally a 14th century Dominican monastery, today the Hacienda Zorita is a stylish and comfortable hotel with 40 rooms.

Some of the rooms are in the original building and some are larger, more modern rooms in the annexe, each with its own vine-clad patio. Estates owned by the hotel produce many of the ingredients served in its fine dining room – cheeses, olive oil and hams are its specialities. The hotel has a small spa with a treatment room, and extensive gardens. The main, wonderful old building has a number of cosy bars and lounges.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE

PRICE

6 May £2,240 Price based on two people sharing a double room.

SINGLE SUPP

£398

flight details Flights with Iberia: Depart London Heathrow 10.40 arrive Madrid 14.10 Depart Madrid 15.55 arrive London Heathrow 17.20 what we include Return flights to Madrid Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Six dinners with wine at the Hacienda Four lunches in local restaurants Full sightseeing programme as described, all entrance fees and gratuities • Five concerts at the Hacienda with full music programmes • Wine tasting at the Hacienda • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader and tour escorts

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Hacienda Zorita

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e xclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TENERIFE a seven night holiday | 30 january 2016 Escape from the rigours of the British winter on this fascinating music holiday.Tenerife is a volcanic island with an unspoilt and dramatic interior and a beautiful coastline.

Perfectly preserved villages with colourful painted houses, pretty squares and churches, lush sub-tropical gardens and dramatic mountain drives, all add up to a relaxing and fulfilling week in a temperate climate. Although Tenerife has a reputation for mass tourism, this has been cleverly contained in areas not included on our itinerary. Four of Britain’s leading string players and the pianist Paul Janes will combine forces for an exhilarating and varied series of private concerts of piano trios and quartets, string duos and piano and cello sonatas.

the ITINERARY We fly to Tenerife and on arrival transfer to the 5 star Hotel Botanico in Puerto de la Cruz. Day two is devoted to a selection of the luxuriant gardens on the island. We follow a guided tour of the hotel’s own splendid gardens with visits to the Botanical Garden of Tenerife, the Sitio Litre Orchid Garden where more than 300 varieties of orchid can be seen and the Parque Taoro Water Garden.

Day three is free for you to enjoy the hotel’s gardens and swimming pool. On day four we visit Santa Cruz, the capital of the island and a handsome city of tree-lined streets, parks and art galleries. We will have a guided tour of the stunning concert hall, the Auditorio de Tenerife designed by Calatrava. There will be free time for shopping and an independent lunch before returning to the hotel.

Day five is free and on day six we will have a walking tour of the historic university town of La Laguna, the original capital, founded in 1496. After an independent lunch, we continue to the wild Anaga Mountains where the ‘cloud forest’, like that of the neighbouring island of La Gomera, has survived undisturbed since the dinosaurs walked the earth.

the hotel This long established and very popular property is set within six acres of impeccably maintained gardens. There are spacious lounges, terraces, two swimming pools, (one indoor and one outdoor) and a spa. All bedrooms have balconies and wonderful views of Mount Teide or the sea.

The Musicians Marcia Crayford, violin, made her Royal Festival Hall debut as a soloist when still a student at the Yehudi Menuhin School.

She was the leader of The Nash Ensemble for 25 years and is Guest Leader of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, was for many years the violist with the Chilingirian Quartet. Today he teaches at the Royal College of Music, composes and directs the North Norfolk Music Festival, as well as maintaining a busy performing career.

Moray Welsh, Cellist, studied at the Moscow Conservatoire with Rostropovich. He has performed as a soloist and as principal cellist with leading orchestras, notably the London Symphony Orchestra.

Paul Janes, piano, has been the concerto soloist with every major British orchestra and has worked with many famous composers including Richard Hickox and Leonard Slatkin.

Christopher Monckton, tenor and organist, spent many years in the south of France as a choir master at a boys’ school and gave many performances throughout France.

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music programme Performances will be given in the Anglican Church, the hotel and at the Casa Abaco, a grand 18th century typical Canarian villa close to the hotel. We will have dinner at the Casa Abaco on the days when the performance takes place there.

Concert 1: Turina: Piano Quartet Op.67; Beethoven: String trio in D Op.9 No.2; Schumann: Piano Quartet in E flat Op.47 Concert 2: Haydn: Sonata in C Hob XVI:50; Liszt: Petrarch Sonnet 123 from Années de Pèlerinage Vol.2; Ravel: Alborada del gracioso; Debussy: Estampes; De Falla: Homenaje; Granados: Andaluza and The Maiden and the Nightingale; Albéniz: Evocación and El Puerto from Iberia Vo.1 Concert 3: An organ recital by Christopher Monckton Concert 4: Mendelssohn: Piano trio in D minor Op.49 Rowland-Jones: Wiegenlied Variations for viola and piano; Fauré: Piano Quartet No.1 in C minor Op.15 Concert 5: Schubert: String Trio in B flat D581; Michael Berkeley: Iberian Notebook for solo cello; Mozart: Duo in B flat K424; Dohnányi: Serenade for string trio Concert 6: De Falla: Siete Canciones Populares Espagnolas in an arrangement for violin and piano; Brahms: Piano Quartet in A Op.26 In addition to these concerts, Barry Cheeseman will give a series of interviews with the musicians about their careers.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 30 January £2,395 £298 Price based on two people sharing a double room. what we include Flights with Easyjet: Depart London Gatwick 13.50 arrive Tenerife South 18.10 Depart Tenerife South 12.05 arrive London Gatwick 16.30

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Tenerife Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Seven dinners Six private concerts All sightseeing, entry fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

e xclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN SUFFOLK a four night holiday | 30 MAY 2016 Introduced for the first time in 2015, our Festival in Suffolk proved to be a resounding hit with our clients. Seckford Hall is located just outside the picturesque town of Woodbridge and is a Tudor building with many original architectural features.

It is an ideal choice for a Kirker Music Festival as not only does it have a lovely room overlooking the gardens for the concerts, it is also the perfect base from which to explore this picturesque corner of Suffolk with its rivers and marshes.

It is also close to many places associated with Benjamin Britten whose legacy can be enjoyed everywhere along this stretch of coast between Lowestoft, where he was born, and Aldeburgh. In 2016 we are pleased to introduce the dazzling Paris based Van Kuijk Quartet with an average age of just 28.They were First Prize Winners at the Wigmore Hall International String Competition in 2015.

Snape

the ITINERARY

the hotel

During the Suffolk Music Festival, there will be a visit to The Red House in Aldeburgh where Britten and Peter Pears lived from 1957. The interior of the house is presented exactly as it was when they lived there. Recent additions were made in 2013, the year of Britten’s Centenary, and visitors can now see the studio where he composed and the new library. We visit The Maltings at Snape which is in a beautiful setting overlooking the marshes and Aldeburgh Church where Britten and Pears are buried. Another visit will be to the magnificent garden created by Giles and Sonia Coode-Adams over the past thirty years at their Elizabethan manorhouse. Elegant gazebos sculptured by Ben Coode-Adams add a personal touch to the garden, which runs down to the River Blackwater. There will be lunch after the garden visit. We will also visit the pretty village of Orford with its castle built by Henry II in 1165. There will be a concert in Orford’s 13th century church, St Bartholomews. Britten’s church parables received their first performances here.

We stay at the beautiful and historic Seckford Hall Hotel, close to the centre of the pretty town of Woodbridge. Seckford Hall is a magnificent Tudor building set in 34 acres of grounds and gardens.

The hotel has a spa and an indoor swimming pool. Bedrooms are traditionally and comfortably furnished and the hotel prides itself on the level of personal service it offers to guests. Our concerts will be held in the lovely Lakeside Room in the hotel. There is no lift at Seckford Hall but hotel staff will be on hand to assist with baggage. In the courtyard opposite the main building, there are some rooms on the ground floor – please let us know if you would like to reserve one of these at the time of booking.

The Musicians The Van Kuijk Quartet takes its name from Nicholas van Kuijk, their first violin who plays alongside his compatriots Sylvain Favre-Bulle, Grégoire Vecchioni and François Robin.

The quartet was formed in 2011 while all the members were studying at the Paris Conservatoire. In addition to their London prize, they won First Prize at the Trondheim Competition. They have studied with members of the Alban Berg Quartet and the Hagen Quartet. Simon Rowland-Jones, the viola player and Director of the Kirker music programmes, was on the jury at the Wigmore Hall and immediately engaged them for this Festival.

music programme 30 May: Barry Cheeseman will introduce the musicians who will talk about the works they will be play during the festival.

They will then perform a Mozart Divertimento in D K136.

31 May: Mozart: String Quartet in B flat K 458 ‘The Hunt’ Ravel: String Quartet; Beethoven: String Quartet in F Op.135 1 June: Simon Rowland-Jones will give a musically illustrated talk on Benjamin Britten's three string quartets and the work to be played this evening. Britten: Three Divertimenti for String Quartet; Haydn: String Quartet in B flat Op.76 No.4; Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 ‘From My Life’ 2 June: Mozart: String Quartet in C K465; Schumann: String Quartet in A minor Op.41 No.1; Mendelssohn: String Quintet in B flat Op.87 with Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 30 May £1,287 £242 Prices based on two people sharing a double room.

• • • • •

what we include Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners and one lunch Four concerts and talks as described Excursions, entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Barry Cheeseman

Van Kuijk Quartet

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e xclusive kirker music festivals

THE KIRKER SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE HOTEL TRESANTON, ST. MAWES a four night holiday | 13 March 2016 Our annual spring visit to Olga Polizzi’s fabled Hotel Tresanton, overlooking the sea in St. Mawes, is a highlight of the Kirker calendar. Guests enjoy the superb level of service provided by Federica Bartolini and her staff, as well as delicious food and comfortable accommodation.Three top-level concerts will be held in the delightful Old Methodist Hall with its excellent acoustics.

Superb musicianship and staying in one of England’s finest hotels combine to make for a memorable spring break at a time when Cornwall is looking its best. In addition to the wonderful music on offer we will also enjoy a visit to the private garden at Lamorran, located just behind the hotel in St. Mawes and overlooking the sea.The garden was created by the owner after a visit to Lady Walton’s garden on the island of Ischia.

St. Mawes

music programme the hotel 14 March: ‘Don’t be beaten by Bartók’ – Simon Rowland-Jones unravels the mysteries of Bartók and explains why musicians rank Bartók’s quartets alongside those of Haydn and Beethoven.

Bartók: String Quartet No.5; Dvor˘ák: String Quartet in G Op.106; Schubert: Quartettsatz 15 March: ‘Papa Haydn and his genius’ – Simon Rowland-Jones spent sixteen years editing Haydn’s quartets for Peters Edition. He talks about the genius of the man who invented the string quartet.

Haydn: String Quartet Op.76 No. 3 ‘The Emperor’; Haydn: String Quintet ‘Divertimento’ in G; Hob.II: 2 ‘Der Geburtstag’ with Simon Rowland-Jones; Ravel: String Quartet 16 March: Barry Cheeseman in conversation with members of the Piatti Quartet.

Mozart: String Quartet in B flat K589; Beethoven: String Quartet in F op.59 No. 1 ‘Rasumovsky’; Webern: Langsamer Satz – Webern’s sublimely lyrical slow movement for string quartet.

the musicians The Piatti Quartet – With an average age of 29, the Piatti Quartet is one of the country’s leading string quartets. They won joint second prize at the 2014 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, impressing a distinguished jury which included Levon Chilingirian, Simon Rowland-Jones and Valentin Erben. They currently hold the Richard Carne Junior Fellowship for String Quartet at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance in Greenwich.

The 5 star deluxe 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 and Olga is recognised as a leading hotel designer of stylish but comfortable interiors. 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 locallysourced ingredients. Please note that there is no lift at this hotel.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 13 March £1,297 £280 Price based on two people sharing a double room. what we include Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners at the hotel Three concerts, each preceded by a musically illustrated talk A visit to Lamorran Gardens in St. Mawes The services of the Kirker Tour Leader Transfers from St. Austell Station to St. Mawes and return Please make your own way by car to the hotel or by train to St. Austell station.

Optional Excursion: Lanhydrock House (15 March, 09.30 – 14.30) £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.

• • • • • •

An Autumn Music Festival in Cornwall at Boconnoc 5 September 2016 We are delighted to introduce a new autumn music festival in Cornwall at Boconnoc, a magnificent Cornish estate close to Lostwithiel. The history of Boconnoc dates back to the late 1500s. It was bequeathed to the Fortescue family in 1864 and the current owner, Anthony Fortescue and his family have worked tirelessly over the past fifteen years to restore the house and estate to its former glory. We will stay in the main house and in cottages close by and all the concerts will be held in Boconnoc.

Please see our website for details – www.kirkerholidays.com

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE NORTH NORFOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL a five night holiday | 21 AUGUST 2016 Founded eleven years ago by Kirker’s very own Barry Cheeseman and musician Simon Rowland-Jones, who organises and plans all our music holidays, the Festival is always popular with our clients.

It’s a chance to meet up with old friends and the musicians alike, many of whom regularly take part in Kirker’s range of music festivals. Concerts are held in the beautiful 13th century church of St. Mary’s in the village of South Creake, a few miles from the stunning Norfolk coastline.

The ITINERARY We stay at the 3 star Briarsfield Hotel which overlooks the marshes at Titchwell on the north Norfolk coast and is just six miles from South Creake where the concerts take place. We include visits to Houghton Hall and HM The Queen’s country retreat at Sandringham. We have private tours of Holkham Hall, seat of the Earl of Leicester, and Raynham Hall, home of Marquess and Marchioness Townshend.

South Creake Church

MUSIC PROGRAMME 21 August: The Doric Quartet will be joined by dazzling Russian pianist, Alexander Melnikov for a programme including the Brahms Piano Quintet

Price £1,378 to include five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; five dinners, three at the hotel and two with wine included in the Festival Marquee; all sightseeing as described; entrance NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT fees and gratuities; tickets and programmes for five concerts; the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

22 August: Voces Thule, a leading Icelandic choir will perform music from four centuries from their native Iceland

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.

25 August: Pianist Melvyn Tan

23 August: The Gould Piano Trio 24 August: The Van Kuijk Quartet from France, winners of the 2015 London International String Quartet Competition

THE THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL IN GLOUCESTER A Four or eight NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 & 27 july 2016 MUSIC PROGRAMME All performances are at Gloucester Cathedral at 7.45pm, unless stated.

23 July: Jerusalem by Parry, orchestrated by Elgar; The Kingdom by Elgar with Sarah Connolly 24 July: Finlandia by Sibelius; Violin Concerto by Tchaikovsky; Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz 25 July: (2.45pm) Motets by JS Bach; Elijah by Mendelssohn with Susan Bickley and Sophie Bevan 26 July: (2.45pm) The Carducci Quartet plays quartets by Howells and Debussy, and Death and the Maiden by Schubert.

Three works by Vaughan-Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, The Lark Ascending and Dona Nobis; A Shopshire Lad by Butterworth 27 July: (2.45pm) Recital by Christopher Maltman, baritone (8 night holiday only). Grande Messe des Morts by Berlioz 28 July: Mozart: Te Deum, Clarinet Concerto & Requiem 29 July: Enigma Variations by Elgar and Carmina Burana

by Orff 30 July: (2.45pm) National Youth String Orchestra – works

by Mozart, Elgar and Howells Symphony No.8 ‘Symphony of a Thousand’ by Mahler

It’s the turn of Gloucester Cathedral to take centre stage at the 2016 Three Choirs Festival. Building began here in 1089 and examples of every period of mediaeval architecture can be found. It is particularly renowned for its superb fan-vaulting – thought to have been invented here.

The ITINERARY You can choose one of two four night holidays beginning on 23 or 27 July, or stay for the whole Festival (eight nights). We stay at the 3 star Mercure Bowden Hall Hotel, an elegant Georgian house set in parkland five miles from the cathedral. Our itinerary will include visits to Westbury Court Garden, Painswick Rococo Gardens, Buscot Park and Snowshill Manor, near Broadway. Please make your own way to the hotel.

Price £794 for 4 nights or £1,588 for 8 nights to include accommodation with breakfast; dinner each evening; concerts as described; sightseeing programme; return transfers between the hotel and each concert; all entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader (single supplement £132 for 4 nights, £264 for 8 nights).

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.

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA & GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS OF NEW YORK a FIVE NIGHT ESCORTED HOLIDAY | 8 MARCH 2016 A SIX NIGHT ESCORTED HOLIDAY | 9 APRIL 2016 Join one of our popular tours and enjoy three star-studded performances at the Metropolitan Opera.

Also included is a highlight for opera lovers – a backstage tour of the Met.We see at close quarters just how an opera house of this size and international standing functions.Under the direction of Peter Gelb the Met is reaching a huge global audience thanks to the highdefinition live broadcasts of some of its performances each season.Wonderful though these are, there is nothing quite like the thrill of settling into your own seat at the Met itself.Visits to the city’s major museums and galleries combine to create the perfect cultural experience.

The ITINERARY

A VISIT TO PHILADELPHIA

In addition to the three included opera performances we will visit a selection of the city’s greatest museums and galleries including a visit to the Whitney Museum of American Art. This much-loved New York museum moved from its Upper Eastside location to the heart of the Meatpacking District in May 2015. The stunning new building (designed by Renzo Piano) sits between The High Line and the Hudson River. We will also visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a tour of its American Wing and also go to MOMA for a private visit before the crowds arrive – a wonderful experience, which has been a highlight for many clients in previous years.

We will also see one of the world’s finest private collections of art anywhere at the Frick and visit the Morgan Library and Museum where we see the library of J P Morgan and ever-changing exhibitions of the Morgans’ stunning collections of art, manuscripts, letters and much more. Two dinners are included – one at a Kirker favourite local restaurant and one at The Grand Tier, the Met’s own restaurant. We stay in the heart of Midtown at the 4 star Affinia 50 Hotel between Lexington and Third Avenues on East 50th Street.

Kirker clients are accommodated in guest suites, each with a small and well equipped kitchen so you can make yourself at home. The hotel serves continental breakfast and there are innumerable cafés and restaurants to choose from within a few steps of the hotel.

The tour departing 9 April 2016 includes a full day in Philadelphia, about a two hour drive from New York. We will spend the morning at The Barnes Foundation in its new home. Dr Albert Barnes’s collection of works by French Impressionists and PostImpressionists includes a remarkable number of works by Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse and others. We include lunch at the wonderful Philadelphia Art Museum and a short guided tour of America’s most historic city.

opera programme 8 – 13 March: L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti With Vittorio Grigolo, Alexandra Kurzak and Adam Plachetka.

Manon Lescaut by Puccini; Kristine Opolais sings the title role and Jonas Kaufmann is Des Grieux Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart; Fabio Luisi conducts Mikhail Petrenko in the title role and Rachel Willis-Sorensen as the Countess 9 – 15 April: Roberto Devereux by Donizetti The Met unveils the third of Donizetti’s Three Queens trilogy, with Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I and Elinas Garanca as The Duchess of Nottingham. Matthew Polenzani takes the title role Simon Boccanegra by Verdi; Conductor James Levine. Cast includes Joseph Calleja, Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian as Amelia and Placido Domingo in the title role.

Madama Butterfly by Puccini; Kristine Opolais is Cio-CioSan and Roberto De Biasio is Pinkerton March price: £2,690 (single supp. £490) April price: £3,265 (single supp. £680) Prices per person including return flights with British Airways from Heathrow (depart 13.10, return 19.30) accommodation on a room only basis at the Affinia 50, 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 and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader. *Seats closer to the stage are also available at a supplement – please ask us for details.

Metropolitan Opera

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE GRAFENEGG MUSIC FESTIVAL a five night Holiday | 7 SEPTEMBER 2016 Now well established as one of Europe’s grandest summer music festivals, the closing weekend is always a feast for music lovers.This year the Festival ends with performances by three great European orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic. Festival director and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder will perform all five Beethoven piano concertos in a single day – a veritable tour de force. Grafenegg is an hour’s drive from Vienna in the midst of the lovely Wachau wine producing region of Lower Austria. Concerts are in a spectacular open air auditorium, the Wolkenturm – The Tower of Clouds – with an acoustic which has been universally praised.

The ITINERARY We stay in Krems in the heart of the wine producing Wachau region. The 4 star Hotel Steigenberger, surrounded by the vineyards which produce the local Grüner Veltliner, is a few minutes’ walk from the centre of the town with its footpaths along the Danube. The hotel has a spa, indoor swimming pool, bar and restaurant. Our visits will be to the picturesque village of Dürnstein with its romantic associations between the troubadour Blondel and Richard the Lionheart. We visit the Egon Schiele Museum in the town where he was born in 1890. Schiele was born in the railway station there; his father was the station master. More than sixty of the artist’s works are on display, many from his childhood. Clearly an artist of great talent from the start, the contrast in the style between the juvenilia and the paintings for which he became famous is striking.

Price from £2,286 to include return flights with British Airways from London Heathrow to Vienna (depart 11.35, return 14.10); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; five dinners – one at the hotel and four at the Festival Restaurant; one lunch at Schloss Dürnstein (wine is included with all dinners and the lunch); all entrance fees and gratuities; sightseeing as described; programme for each concert and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader (single supplement £198).

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.

© Alexander Haiden

MUSIC PROGRAMME 8 September: WDR Sinfonieorchester, Köln conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste; Valentina Nafornita, soprano; Mozart: Two concert arias. Bruckner: Symphony No 5 in B major 9 September: Tonkunstler Orchester Niederosterreich; The Vienna Piano Trio; Beethoven:Triple Concerto Op.56 & Symphony No. 6, Op.68 ‘Pastorale’ 10 September: The Dresden Staatskapelle, conductor Christian Thielemann; Bruckner: Symphony No.3 ‘Wagner Symphony’ 11 September: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Rudolf Buchbinder will play all five piano concertos by Beethoven in a single day and direct the orchestra Concert 1 at 11.00: Concertos No.2 op.19, No.4 Op.58, No. 3 Op.37 Concert 2 at 19.00: Concertos No 1 Op.15 and No.5 Op 73 ‘Emperor’

THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL IN BONN A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 19 september 2016 Nike Wagner’s artistic directorship of the Beethoven Festival in Bonn is causing as much comment as Beethoven’s own music did in Vienna when he first stormed onto the city’s musical scene. She is determined to honour Beethoven’s legacy, but at the same time she is bringing a typically Wagnerian imaginative and revolutionary approach to the programme.

music programme At the time of going to press, only three concerts have been announced: Concert 1: ‘Au pays où se fait la guerre’ Quatuor Giardini with Isabelle Druet, mezzo soprano Concert 2: Works by Offenbach, Fauré, Duparc, Donizetti and others WDR Symphony Orchestra, conductor Marek Janowski. Programme includes: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 ‘Eroica’ Concert 3: Mahler Chamber Orchestra, conductor Teodor Currentzis. Two works by Beethoven – Violin Concert with Pekka Kuusisto and Symphony No. 7

Cologne

The ITINERARY Staying in Bonn at the 5 star Hilton Hotel on the banks of the Rhine, we will visit Beethoven’s house, spend a day in Cologne, enjoy a boat trip on the Rhine to Königswinter, and visit Brühl to see two exquisite rococo palaces designed by Cuvilliés.

For full details of the 2016 programme and tour prices please contact Lucy Ayling on 020 7593 2286 or email lucy.ayling@kirkerholidays.com

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

MALTA BAROQUE MUSIC FESTIVAL A seven NIGHT HOLIDAY | 15 January 2016 A visit to Malta and the Valletta International Baroque Music Festival is a splendid way for music lovers to celebrate the start of the New Year. A very impressive line-up of internationally known Baroque musicians perform in the capital’s most historic buildings, including the exquisite Teatru Manoel, one of the finest 18th century theatres in the world.The programme is ambitious, varied and designed to complement the island’s 18th century architecture with music from the same period.

the ITINERARY Valletta

The Festival takes place at a perfect time – Malta has a kind winter climate and the numbers of visitors to this fascinating island are few and far between, allowing those attending the Festival to enjoy the island at its best. Our base is the 4 star Hotel Excelsior in Valletta and from here we will enjoy a varied programme of sightseeing.

Malta and Gozo are small islands but there is a great deal of interest and history on both; beautiful coastlines, attractive fishing ports, pretty villages often dwarfed by immense churches and fine Baroque architecture. In Valletta we will see Caravaggio’s masterpiece, ‘The Beheading of St. John’, and the Grand Master’s Palace. We will also take a cruise in the wonderful natural harbour on board a ‘Luzza’, a traditional Maltese boat. Further afield we visit ancient Mdina, known as ‘the Silent City’ and make a trip to neighbouring Gozo. Another day will be dedicated to Malta’s fascinating prehistoric temples including the Hypogeum, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Price £1,997 per person (single supplement £240) to include Air Malta flights from London Heathrow to Malta (depart 11.25, return 16.55); seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners and two lunches; all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities; tickets for seven concerts and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Christopher Monckton.

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.

music programme 16 January, Teatru Manoel: Le Concert des Nations J S Bach: ‘A Musical Offering’ BWV 1079.

A collection of fugues, canons and other pieces based on a theme presented to Bach by Frederick II of Prussia 17 January, Ta’ Giezu Church: Abchordis Ensemble Unitate Melos – Works by Martini, Colonna and others 18 January, Jesuits’ Church: La Cantoria Campitelli Rubino: Requiem 19 January, Teatru Manoel: Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord J S Bach: Goldberg Variations Ta’ Giezu Church: La Ritirata Works by Gabrielli and others.

20 January, Teatru Manoel: Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahan Esfahani ‘Inspired by Baroque’ Music by Respighi, Poulenc, Stravinsky, and Concerto for Harpsichord by Gorecki.

21 January, St Nicholas All Souls Church: La Compagnia del Madrigale L’arte del madrigale Works by Monteverdi, Gesualdo and others.

THE SIBELIUS FESTIVAL A four NIGHT HOLIDAY | 7 september 2016 After the 150th birthday celebrations of Sibelius in 2015, the Sibelius Festival will return to its usual long-weekend format.

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra under the direction of its new Principal Conductor, the Russian Dima Slobodeniouk, will play each of the three all-Sibelius programmes in the magnificent concert hall by the lake in Lahti, located some sixty miles from Helsinki.The Lahti Symphony Hall is widely considered to have one of the finest acoustics in the world.The acclaimed Kamus Quartet will give a concert of music by Sibelius and other Finnish composers.We stay at Mukkula Manor on the shores of Lake Vesijärvi.This 18th century manorhouse opened in 2015 as a hotel with just 17 bedrooms, a restaurant and a bar. Kirker will have exclusive use of the hotel for the duration of the tour.

THE ITINERARY Our programme of visits will include Hämeenlinna, where Jean Sibelius was born on 8 December 1865 and spend a day around the lovely Lake Tuusula which has always attracted composers, writers and artists. We will visit the villa of Joonas Kokkonen designed by Alvar Aalto. A day will be spent in Helsinki and there will be a visit to Ainola where Sibelius spent the last two decades of his life.

A boat trip on the lake shows us the wild landscape that so inspired him.

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Price £1,668 per person (single supplement £252) to include British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Helsinki (depart 11.30, return 17.15); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners and three lunches; three concerts; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer.

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.

escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

OPERA AT THE ARENA DI VERONA a four night holiday | 29 june & 23 August 2016 Big operas in a big space – the 2016 summer season at the spectacular Arena di Verona promises to be a classic with a programme which includes all of the most popular operas.

There really isn’t anything quite like a night at the Arena di Verona as dusk falls in the still warm air and the huge audience falls silent in anticipation of the delights to come.

Verdi’s spectacular Egyptian opera, Aida, has been Verona’s favourite for a hundred years.This year it is joined by his other perennial favourites, La traviata and Il trovatore, Bizet’s Carmen and Puccini’s Turandot.

the Itinerary We stay at the lovely 5 star Hotel Palazzo Victoria in the centre of Verona, just a few minutes’ walk from the Arena and the city’s elegant centre. There will be a walking tour with a local guide who will introduce the major sights of this beautiful city. We will also visit the AMO Museum, a must for opera lovers where the history of opera in Verona is described. There will be time for independent exploration – the cool green Giardino Giusti, San Zeno and the Roman Forum are all worth a visit as is the Chiesa dei Filippini, where Maria Callas married Giovanni Battista Meneghini on 21 April 1949, right at the beginning of her illustrious career.

OPERA PROGRAMME 29 June departure: Aida (30 June) & La traviata (2 July) both by Verdi Optional performance: Carmen by Bizet (1 July) 23 August departure: Aida (24 August) & Il trovatore (26 August) both by Verdi Optional performance: Turandot by Puccini (25 August) Our tickets are in first category poltronissime seats (numbered, upholstered seats). Price for optional performance: £168 per ticket

Price £1,925 per person to include flights with British Airways from Gatwick to Verona (depart 13.20, return 11.55); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast (deluxe room with shower); two dinners – one at the hotel and one at a local restaurant; guided walking tour of Verona and entrance to AMO Museum; all gratuities; two first category opera tickets; souvenir Opera Programme and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader. (Single supplement £498).

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.

THE PUCCINI OPERA FESTIVAL a five night holiday | 10 august 2016 Giacomo Puccini was born into a musical family in Lucca on 22 December 1858. As a boy Puccini sang in the choir of the Cathedral of San Martino and later received his musical education at the conservatory in Milan.

His first opera, Le Villi, was performed in 1884. For the next forty years, until his death in 1924, Puccini composed operas which today are still the most performed works on the stages of the world’s opera houses. Each year the Puccini Festival is held in Torre del Lago near Lucca on the peaceful shores of Lake Massaciuccoli.

the Itinerary We stay at the modern and comfortable 3 star Hotel Celide, located just outside the city walls. There will be a walking tour of Lucca including a visit to Puccini’s birthplace and other places associated with him. A day is spent in Florence and we visit two gardens near Lucca – the Villa Reale at Marlia and the Villa Garzoni at Collodi.

Price £1,798 per person to include return flights with British Airways from Gatwick to Pisa (depart 11.15, return 15.40); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners – one in local restaurants and three at Torre del Lago; second category tickets for three operas; all entrance fees and gratuities; ticket for a recital of opera arias at Chiesa San Giovanni, Lucca and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader (single supplement £190).

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.

THE OPERAS Madama Butterfly: Tragic consequences await everyone when American and Japanese cultures clash in this bitter and cynical story of life in 19th century Japan.

Tosca: No one wins in this dramatic tale of revolution, lust and love in the 19th century. All the protagonists meet a terrible end.

Turandot: The Chinese Princess Turandot hates men – until Calaf comes along and melts her icy heart.

Departure date and opera programme to be confirmed in October 2015.

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

OPERA AT LA FENICE IN VENICE a Four night holiday | 25 January, 10 february, 17 march, 11 april, 5 may, 2 june, 25 august, 12 september & 6 october 2016 La Fenice in Venice is one of the world’s most historic opera houses. Inaugurated in 1792 the opera house has, like its namesake, the phoenix has been rebuilt, not once but twice, in 1836 and 1996.The latest exquisitely restored La Fenice opened its doors in 2003. Along with the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and La Scala, Milan, La Fenice has always been one of the top three opera houses in Italy. During the 19th century many operas were first performed at La Fenice, including two of Verdi’s greatest and most popular works, La traviata and Rigoletto.

the Itinerary During the stay in Venice there will be a selection of carefully planned walking tours with the Tour Lecturer 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. We will see works from the 18th century at the Ca’Rezzonico and more modern works from the 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 frescoes 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.

One dinner at the hotel and another at a Kirker favourite restaurant are included.

opera programme 25 – 29 January: Stiffelio by Verdi – An early opera, Stiffelio foreshadows the great works to come with their themes of the human conflicts between public and private lives 10 – 14 February: La traviata by Verdi – his best loved opera was given its first performance at La Fenice in 1853 17 – 21 March: Madama Butterfly by Puccini 11 – 15 April: La traviata by Verdi 5 – 9 May: Choose between one of the most performed operas of all, Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia or something rarer – La favorite by Donizetti in the even rarer French version 2 – 6 June: First performed in Rome in 1891, Mascagni’s charming romantic comedy L’amico Fritz is another rare opera 25 – 29 August: Choose between the popular L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti, or Bellini’s great opera Norma 12 – 16 September: Choose between L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti and La traviata by Verdi 6 – 10 October: An opportunity to enjoy either L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti or Verdi’s La traviata

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the hotel Monaco & Grand Canal

Deluxe

The Monaco is one of Venice’s most famous hotels. The entrance leads into a stylish lobby from where a grand staircase takes you up to the beautiful restored 18th century former Venetian theatre, complete with original fresco ceilings. The decor is contemporary and comfortable and combines traditional Venetian elegance with modern design. The Monaco is located just 50 yards from St. Mark’s Square and almost opposite Harry’s Bar, the Grand Canal flows directly in front of the adjoining original wing. Breakfast and dinner are served in the hotel’s canal-side restaurant.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 January £1,369 £140 10 February £1,369 £140 17 March £1,475 £260 11 April £1,475 £260 5 May £1,768 £390 2 June £1,768 £390 25 August £1,475 £260 12 September £1,768 £390 6 October £1,768 £390 Price based on two people sharing a double room. flight details Flights with British Airways: British Airways flies to Venice from London Gatwick, London Heathrow and London City Airport. Timings vary and depend on the date of travel. Flights from regional airports are also available – please speak to one of our team to discuss the option most convenient for you.

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

escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

LA SCALA, MILAN a Four night holiday 28 January, 17 march, 1 May, 26 june, 18 september & 13 november 2016 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: Nabucco; Otello; Falstaff; Madama Butterfly;Turandot; Norma and many others, including Giordano’s seldom performed La cena delle beffe from 1924 which returns to La Scala during the 2016 season.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 Milanese conductor, Riccardo Chailly, is the current Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of La Scala.

Duomo di Milano

the Itinerary Included in our tour to Milan are visits to the city’s great Duomo, 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, the Castello Sforzesco 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.

the hotel Hotel de la Ville 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 cathedral. The hotel has a restaurant, bar and an indoor swimming pool overlooking the cathedral.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 28 January £1,638 £260 17 March £1,638 £260 1 May £1,638 £260 26 June £1,638 £260 18 September £1,638 £260 13 November £1,638 £260 Price based on two people sharing a double room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.55 arrive Milan Linate 14.55 Depart Milan Linate 15.40 arrive London Heathrow 16.40

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

opera PROGRAMME 28 January – 1 February: Rigoletto by Verdi. Mikko Franck conducts Vittorio Grigolo as the Duke, Nadine Sierra as Gilda and Leo Nucci in the title role.

Optional performance: Ein deutsches Requiem by Brahms with Camilla Tilling. Bernard Haitink conducts the Filarmonica della Scala. Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno by Handel 17 – 21 March: I due Foscari by Verdi. Michele Mariotti conducts Placido Domingo, Francesco Meli and Anna Pirozzi in this rare early Verdi opera Optional performance: Overtures to I vespri siciliani by Verdi, Guglielmo Tell by Rossini,Verdi’s String Quartet in a version for orchestra, and the Symphony in D major by Cherubini.

Riccardo Chailly conducts the Filarmonica della Scala 1 – 5 May: La fanciulla del West by Puccini. Eva-Maria Westbroek sings the title role, Marcelo Álvarez is the bandit Dick Johnson and Claudio Sgura is the lecherous sheriff, Jack Rance. Riccardo Chailly conducts Optional performance:A chance to see Giordano’s rarely performed dramatic opera set in Florence at the time of Lorenzo de Medici, La cena delle beffe, on the same stage where it was first given in 1924. Carlo Rizzi conducts and Kristin Lewis is the unhappy Ginevra 26 – 30 June: Simon Boccanegra by Verdi with Leo Nucci, Carmen Giannattasio and Giorgio Berrugi as Gabriele Adorno. Myung-Whun Chung conducts.

Optional performance: Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss.

Zubin Mehta conducts and cast includes Sophie Koch and Christiane Karg 18 – 22 September: A new production by Kasper Holten of Britten’s opera The Turn of the Screw with Ian Bostridge, Miah Persson, Jennifer Johnston and Allison Cook.

Optional performance: Die Zauberflöte by Mozart. Adam Fischer conducts the orchestra, chorus and soloists of the Teatro alla Scala Accademia 13 – 17 November: Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart. Simon Keenlyside and Diana Damrau are the Almavivas and Markus Werba is Figaro Optional performance: Porgy and Bess by Gershwin. Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts and the cast includes Angel Blue and Kristin Lewis

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE SCHUBERTIADE FESTIVAL SCHWARZENBERG: a seven night holiday | 19 june & 24 August 2016 HOHENEMS: a six night holiday | 6 october 2016 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.We stay in the delightful Voralberg village of Hittisau, conveniently located for both Hohenems and Schwarzenberg.The Festival takes place throughout the summer in both Hohenems, where it began in 1976 and in Schwarzenberg where a beautiful concert hall was built in the alpine meadows to accommodate a steadily increasing audience.

THE ITINERARY Our base for both festivals is the pretty village of Hittisau, high in the dramatic peaks of the Voralberg Mountains and surrounded by lush alpine meadows. Our host will be Dietmar Nussbaum, owner of the delightful 4 star Gasthof Krone which has a fine reputation for its cuisine and high levels of personal service and has been welcoming Kirker guests for many years. There is much to enjoy in the village which is at the centre of a network of easy and beautiful walks that begin right outside the door of the hotel. The tour itinerary will include a drive through the Voralberg Mountains, a wine and cheese tasting and visits to the Angelika Kauffman Museum. On the return journey to Zurich airport we will stop at one of the finest private art collections – the Oskar Reinhart Collection in Winterthur.

Schwarzenberg MUSIC PROGRAMMES 20 June (8pm): Marc-André Hamelin, piano Works by Schubert, Liszt and Mozart 21 June (4pm): Daniel Müller-Schott, cello and Igor Levit, piano; Beethoven: Cello Sonatas Op.52/2, Op. 69 and Op102/2 22 June (8pm): Jerusalem Quartet: Sir András Schiff, piano; Haydn: String Quartet Op.64/5; Weinberg: Piano Quintet Op.18; Brahms: Piano Quintet Op.34 23 June (11am): Janne Saksala, baritone, Ning Fong, violin, Daniel Muller-Schott, cello and Igor Levit, piano; Schubert: Piano Trio in B flat D898 and Piano Quintet in A major ‘The Trout’ 24 June (8pm): Sir András Schiff, piano Haydn: Three sonatas; Schubert: Sonata in C minor D958 25 June (4pm): Igor Levit, piano; Three Beethoven piano sonatas: A major Op.2; D major Op.10 No.3; E major Op.31 No.3 25 August (8pm): Matthias Goerne, baritone and Martin Helmchen, piano; Schwanengesang and other songs by Schubert 26 August (8pm): Ian Bostridge, tenor and Julius Drake, piano; Songs by Schubert 27 August (8pm): Igor Levit, piano; Beethoven: Sonatas Op.109, Op.110 and Op.111 28 August (11am): Isabelle Faust, violin, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello and Alexander Melnikov, piano Haydn: Piano Trio Hob.XV:24; Schumann: Piano Trio Op.110; Schubert: Piano Trio D 929 28 August (8pm): Gerald Finley, baritone and Julius Drake, piano; Songs by Schubert 30 August (4pm): Francesco Piemontesi, piano Schubert: Sonata D 958 and Sonata D 959 30 August (8pm): Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano and Wolfram Rieger, piano; Schubert: Winterreis

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Schwarzenberg

Hohenems MUSIC PROGRAMME 7 October (4pm): Till Fellner, piano Brahms: Four Ballades Op.10; Schumann: Humoresque Op.20 and Fantasy in C major Op.17 8 October (8pm): Soile Isokoski, soprano and Ilkka Paananen, piano Songs by Schubert, Brahms, Schumann and Berg 9 October (4pm): Sabine Meyer, clarinet, Gautier Capuçon, cello and Frank Braley, piano Works by Schumann, Beethoven and Clarinet Trio by Brahms Op.114 10 October (8pm): Martin Helmchen, piano JS Bach: Partita in C minor BWV826; Schubert: Sonata in B major D960 11 October (8pm): Christian Tetzlaff, violin, Tanja Tetzlaff, cello and Lars Vogt, piano Brahms: Piano Trio; Schubert: Piano Trio D 929

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 19 June (Schwarzenberg – 7 nights) £1,997 £225 24 August (Schwarzenberg – 7 nights) £2,044 £225 6 October (Hohenems – 6 nights) £1,798 £192 Price based on two people sharing a double room.

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.20 arrive Zurich 15.00 Depart Zurich 15.45 arrive London Heathrow 16.30

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Zurich Accommodation with breakfast and dinner Excursions and concerts as described A pass valid for travel on all local buses The services of our Kirker Tour Leader

escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

ART & MUSIC IN VIENNA a five night Holiday | 26 APRIL, 27 MAY & 19 JUNE 2016 Vienna was the undisputed centre of musical life in Europe from the mid-eighteenth century until the early years of the twentieth. As the capital of its vast empire,Vienna was able to provide all the conditions needed for such musical creativity to flourish. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Schoenberg, Berg,Webern, Korngold, Mahler – these composers and musicians had the closest associations with the city and even though many were not even Austrian, let alone Viennese, their compositions and personal histories are stitched into the very fabric of Vienna’s artistic heritage.Their legacy is such that Vienna still maintains the highest Schönbrunn Palace standards of musical performance, with the world’s leading musicians visiting the city every year to the Itinerary perform in its concert halls and on the stage at the Vienna State Opera. Add to this the beauty and Our programme will include a panoramic tour of the Ring which grandeur of Vienna’s architecture and its first class encircles the old quarter of Vienna and is lined with the imposing buildings of state. We will visit the Belvedere with its collection of museums and galleries and you have one of the world’s work by Austrian artists including The Kiss by Klimt, and see the leading cultural destinations.

MUSIC Programmes 26 April departure: Don Giovanni by Mozart (Vienna State Opera, 27 April) Adam Plachetka is the Don; cast includes Rachel WillisSørensen and Jongmin Park Turandot by Puccini (Vienna State Opera, 28 April) Lise Lindstrom sings the title role and Johan Botha is Calaf.

Optional performances: Vienna Symphony Orchestra (Konzerthaus, 30 April) Tales from the Vienna Woods by Johann Strauss Op.325; Suite from The Cunning Little Vixen by Janácˇek; An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss Op.64 Un ballo in maschera by Verdi (Vienna State Opera, 29 April) 27 May departure: Don Carlo by Verdi (Vienna State Opera, 29 May) René Pape, Ramón Vargas, Anja Harteros, Béatrice UriaMonzon and Ludovic Tézier take the leading roles.

Simon Boccanegra by Verdi (Vienna State Opera, 30 May) Dmitri Hvorovstovsky, Barbara Frittoli and Ferruccio Furlanetto head the cast.

Optional performance: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Musikverein, 28 May): Programme includes the Coriolanus Overture by Beethoven and the Violin concerto by Berg.

19 June departure: Manon Lescaut by Puccini (Vienna State Opera, 20 June) Singing the title role, Anna Netrebko adds to her gallery of great heroines. Marcello Giordani and David Pershall complete the cast and Marco Armiliato conducts.

Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart (Vienna State Opera, 22 June) Luca Pisaroni and Rachel Willis-Sørenson are the Almavivas, with Alessio Arduini as Figaro.

Optional performance: Alceste by Gluck (Vienna State Opera, 21 June)

Old Masters collection at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.Visits will be made to the house where Mozart wrote Le nozze di Figaro, the Haydn House where Joseph Haydn lived for the last twelve years of his life and the houses where Franz Schubert lived and died. A day will be spent in the Burgenland visiting Eisenstadt where we see the palace of the Esterhazy family, for whom Haydn worked for many years, as well as Haydn’s house and his Mausoleum. We also visit the rural house where the composer was born. The elegant façade of the K & K Palais, our base for the holiday, looks out over the Rudolfsplatz and though in a quiet part of the city, is just 10 minutes’ walk from St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Inside the style is contemporary and the service is excellent. There is a bar where light meals are served and 66 stylish, air-conditioned bedrooms decorated in the K & K Hotel’s warm signature colours.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 26 April £1,975 £225 27 May £1,975 £225 19 June £2,136 £225 Price based on two people sharing a double room.

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.35 arrive Vienna 14.45 Depart Vienna 14.10 arrive London Heathrow 15.35 what we include Return flights to Vienna Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast Two lunch and two dinners Sightseeing programme as described, all entrance fees and gratuities • Second Category (Stalls) tickets for two performances as described • Transfers between the hotel and Vienna State Opera for the included performances • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader and a local guide

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

THE RING CYCLE IN LEIPZIG A seven NIGHT HOLIDAY | 27 JUNE 2016 A Ring Cycle is always an important event for opera lovers, but for a performance to be given in the city where Wagner was born on 22 May 1813 is momentous – the Ring has not been performed in Leipzig for several decades.

Plans for the current Ring began in 2013, the 200th anniversary of Wagner’s birth, and the Leipzig Opera will perform two complete cycles at the end of their 2016 season. Leipzig has one of the richest musical histories of any European city: Johann Sebastian Bach worked in the city for years, Clara Wieck married Robert Schumann here in 1840 and Mendelssohn died here.

Grieg had close connections with the city and a host of famous composers studied in Leipzig.The music publisher Peters Edition had its headquarters here and Bluthner pianos were made in the company’s Leipzig factory.

St.Thomas Church, Leipzig The house where Wagner was born no longer stands but we will visit the Nikolaischule where the young firebrand learnt how to play the piano.We have carefully planned a stimulating programme of visits which will show you the best of the city as well as excursions to two places closely associated with Wagner, but there will be plenty of free time so that you can relax before and after the performances.

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Berlin and transfer to Leipzig where 1 we stay in the 4 star Radisson Blu Hotel overlooking the Gewandhaus and the Opera House.

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There will be a walking tour of the centre of Leipzig, which 2 has been much restored since 1990. We will visit Leipzig’s most important and historic buildings including Nikolaischule, the Nikolai Church around which the protests began in 1989, St. Thomas’s Church where Bach was cantor for the duration of his time in the city, and the Bach Museum which houses a collection of musical instruments and a detailed history of the composer’s life. In the evening we will attend the first performance – Das Rheingold.

We will ve to Graupa today to see the Wagner Museum. This 4 occupies an old hunting lodge and the composer stayed here in 1846 when he began working on Lohengrin while he was employed in Dresden.

DAY

DAY

This morning we will visit the Schumann House where the 3 Spring Symphony and the three string quartets Op.41 were composed and the Mendelssohn House which displays much personal memorabilia including letters and paintings. The second part of the Ring Cycle, Die Walküre, will be performed this evening.

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DAY

5

The day is free to explore Leipzig before we attend the performance of Siegfried this evening.

We visit Eisenach today to see the Wartburg where scenes 6 from Tannhäuser are set. We will also visit the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach who was born here in 1685.

DAY

This morning will be free for some final sightseeing before 7 the final performance of the ring cycle, Götterdämmerung, which starts at 3pm.

DAY

DAY

8

We will drive back to Berlin for the flight to London.

tour information Der Ring des Nibelungen

by Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner

28 June: 29 June: 1 July: 3 July:

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Ulf Schirmer, Conductor, Artistic Director and Music Director of the Leipzig Opera will conduct the performances. The producer is Rosamund Gilmore from England, whose work has been seen throughout Germany for many years. The Gewandhaus Orchestra will perform with soloists and guests singers of the Leipzig Opera and the Leipzig Opera Chorus.

Das Rheingold at 19.30 Die Walküre at 17.00 Siegfried at 17.00 Götterdämmerung at 15.00

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 27 June £2,398 £290 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy rooms as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.50 arrive Berlin Tegel 13.40 Depart Berlin Tegel 14.30 arrive London Heathrow 15.30

• • • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Berlin Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast Four dinners and one lunch First category opera tickets for four performances All sightseeing as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader

escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

LEIPZIG & DRESDEN: MUSIC IN SAXONY AN EIGHT NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 JUNE 2016 Just seventy miles separate two of Europe’s great musical cities, Leipzig and Dresden, and we combine them for the first time with our new tour. Leipzig has one of the grandest musical histories of any city.Wagner was born there, Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann lived and worked there, and an astonishing number of composers went to Leipzig to study in the 19th century.The city is home to one of the world’s great orchestras, the Gewandhaus, and to the St. Thomas’s Boys Choir who sing almost every week in the church where Bach was Cantor. Dresden has the Semperoper, distinguished both architecturally and musically, and is home to the fabled Dresden Staatskapelle.

the Itinerary We fly to Berlin and on arrival transfer to Leipzig for a four 1 night stay at the 4 star Radisson Blu Hotel Gewandhaus, located directly opposite the concert hall.

DAY

DAY During our stay in Leipzig there will be a walking tour of 2–4 the historic centre of the city with visits to the Nikolaikirche, the Alte Nikolaischule where Wagner was a pupil, the Town Hall, the Bach Museum and the historic St.Thomas’s Church where Bach worked for twenty seven years from 1723 until 1750. We will also visit the Mendelssohn House, the Schumann House and the Grassi Museum with its unrivalled collection of historic instruments. We will make a visit to Zwickau to see the house where Schumann was born, and the Schönefeld Church in Leipzig where he married Clara Wieck.

We depart from Leipzig and drive to Dresden where we stay 5 for four nights at the 4 star Hilton Hotel in the centre of the city. This afternoon we will visit the Frauenkirche, now fully restored after many years of renovation.

DAY

DAY In Dresden we will visit the Zwinger Gallery with its 6–8 important collection of Old Masters, the Albertinum whose collection includes ten works by Caspar David Friedrich, and the New Green Vault and the Historic Green Vault. We will go to Meissen to see the cathedral and the porcelain factory and visit the Carl Maria von Weber Museum and the Richard Wagner Museum at Graupa.

DAY

9

We transfer back to Berlin for the flight to London.

Semper Opera House, Dresden

music programme Leipzig: 3 June (8pm) Gewandhaus Orchestra; Wagner: Overture to Tannhäuser; Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde; Bruckner: Symphony No.3 in D minor WAB103 4 June (3pm) St. Thomas’s Church: The St. Thomas’s Church Choir; the Gewandhaus Orchestra; JS Bach: Cantata ‘Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder’ BWV 153.

5 June (6.00pm) Leipzig Opera: Tosca by Puccini (There is an alternative performance at the Gewandhaus of ‘The Creation’ by Haydn) Dresden: 7 June (7pm) Semperoper: La traviata by Verdi

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 2 June £2,459 £320 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.50 arrive Berlin Tegel 13.40 Depart Berlin Tegel 14.30 arrive London Heathrow 15.30

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights to Berlin Eight nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners and two lunches All sightseeing and tickets for concerts as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of local guides and the Kirker Tour Leader

Old Stock Market, Leipzig

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escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

MUSIC IN BADEN–BADEN a FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 18 MARCH & 6 JULY 2016 Baden-Baden is one of Europe’s most stylish and beautiful small towns, a fashionable spa for almost two hundred years. Its elegant architecture and great expanses of wooded parks and pathways running through the heart of the resort create an immediate sense of well-being for visitors.With its very smart and comfortable Festpielhaus, Baden-Baden is now firmly at the centre of musical Europe with performances of the highest international standard given throughout the year.The Berlin Philharmonic chose Baden-Baden as the new location for its prestigious Easter Festival, and they will return for their fifth Festival here in 2016 under the direction of the orchestra’s chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle. During July the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and singers take up residence in Baden-Baden under the baton of Valery Gergiev.

the Itinerary Our tour is based at the 4 star Radisson Blu Badischer Hof Hotel which is located in the centre of this delightful spa town and just a few minutes’ walk from the Festspielhaus. The hotel is set in attractive grounds; it has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa, restaurant and lounges. Baden-Baden became an exclusive destination for the rich, royal and famous in the middle of the 19th century and we will enjoy a walking tour of the town including a visit to the casino. There will be a guided tour of the Festspielhaus which will tell us about its remarkable transformation from a disused railway station into one of Europe’s most important concert halls and visits to the Museum Frieder Burda, the Monastery Lichtenthal and the house where Johannes Brahms spent his holidays every year between 1865 and 1874. One day we leave Baden-Baden and travel through the glorious scenery of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to historic Freiburg. There will be a guided visit of the town, which is dominated by a huge mediaeval cathedral known as Freiburg Munster, and afterwards there will be time to explore independently.

July Music Programme Valery Gergiev conducts his Mariinsky Orchestra in all three concerts, including a concert performance of Die Walküre by Wagner with Jonas Kaufmann in the role of Siegmund.

7 July: Die Walküre by Wagner; Valery Gergiev, conductor; Jonas Kaufmann is Siegmund and Eva-Maria Westbroek is his long lost sister, Sieglinde. Rene Pape is Wotan and Evelyn Herlitzius is Brünnhilde 8 July: Valery Gergiev, conductor; Pinchas Zukerman, violin; Nelson Freire, piano An all-Beethoven programme: Violin Concerto Op.61 Piano Concerto No.5 Op 73. ‘The Emperor’ Symphony No. 5 Op.67 9 July: Valery Gergiev, conductor; Hélèn Grimaud, piano Nikolaj Znaider, violin; An all-Brahms programme: Violin Concerto Op.77; Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 Op.15 Symphony No. 1 Op.68

tour information march Music Programme The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra offers a sumptuous programme.

20 March: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Brahms: Tragic Overture Op.81; Schumann: Cello Concerto Op.129; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No, 6 Op.74 21 March: Sir Simon Rattle, conductor Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Mitsuko Uschida, piano Genia Kuhmeier, soprano; Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano Pavol Breslik, tenor; Florian Boesch, bass baritone; Mozart: Piano Concerto in E major KV482; Beethoven: Symphony No, 9 Op.125 22 March: Tristan und Isolde by Wagner Sir Simon Rattle, conductor Eva-Maria Westbroek and Stuart Skelton sing the title roles, Sarah Connolly is Brangäne, Stephen Milling is King Mark, Michael Nagy is Kurwenal and Roman Sednik is Melot

24

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 18 March £2,460 £225 6 July £2,098 £225 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy rooms as shown. flight details Flights with German Wings: Depart London Heathrow 13.55 arrive Stuttgart 16.30 Depart Stuttgart 12.25 arrive London Heathrow 13.15

• • • • • •

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

escorted Holidays to leading music festivals & events

OPERA IN BUDAPEST A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 24 MARCH, 13 APRIL & 21 MAY 2016 A visit to the vibrant Hungarian capital is like seeing two different cities in a single holiday.The Danube runs right through the centre of the city dividing the capital in two: Pest has the characteristics of a major urban capital whilst Buda, with its historic and picturesque castle area, has a more open, almost rural aspect. Imaginative and creative programme planning and high production standards at the Hungarian State Opera and Ballet in Budapest combine to ensure a wonderful short break for music lovers. Performances are given in the State Opera House, which was built in 1884 to rival the great opera houses of Europe and in the Erkel Theatre, named after one of Hungary’s best-loved composers.

THE ITINERARY We fly to Budapest and on arrival transfer to the 4 star hotel 1 K & K Opera, centrally located and directly opposite the State Opera. (NB: for 21 May departure we stay at the Palazzo Zichy. Once the home of a Hungarian Count, it is today a contemporary hotel close to the Hungarian National Museum.) We have dinner this evening in a local restaurant.

DAY

We will begin our visit with an introductory panoramic 2 tour of Pest, the commercial sector of the capital. We will see St. Stephen’s Basilica, Heroes’ Square, the Great Synagogue – the largest in Europe – and the Parliament. We will then cross the Danube and explore Buda, visiting the Castle District, Gellért Hill and the Fisherman’s Bastion.

DAY

Today we will visit the Hungarian National Gallery with 3 works by Hungarian artists from mediaeval times to the present day. Later, we go to the house in a leafy suburb where Bela Bartók lived and composed from 1924 until he fled to the USA in 1940. The day ends with a visit to the apartment where Franz Liszt spent the last five years of his life.

DAY

We visit three pretty, contrasting towns on the dramatic west 4 bank of the Danube. Szentendre has a happy amalgam of Baroque architecture and Orthodox churches while Visegrad is dominated by the romantic ruins of the huge citadel built by King Bela IV in the 13th century. Esztergom, with a lovely Old Town, is the seat of the Archbishop of Hungary and the country’s most sacred city.

DAY

We begin the day at the Hungarian National Museum. The 5 story of Hungary’s colourful and turbulent history unfolds here from Mátyás Corvinus, through the periods of Turkish and then Habsburg rule, and the years following World War II and the 1956 Revolution. Later at the Museum of Fine Arts we see an important collection of art once owned by the Esterhazy family.

DAY

This morning we will go to the Royal Palace of Gödöllo´´, 6 both romantic and flamboyant. This was the favourite residence of the Empress Sisi. Later we go to Martonvásár where in the Brunswick Mansion we discover a Memorial Museum dedicated to Beethoven who was a regular guest here.

DAY

DAY

Music Programme 24 March departure: includes special Easter performances 27 March (double bill): an Easter Sunday performance of Mascagni’s dramatic one-act opera Cavalleria rusticana, set in a Sicilian village where the passionate events reach boiling point on Easter Day; followed by Pagliacci by Leoncavallo 26 March: A fully staged performance of The St. John Passion

by J S Bach at the Hungarian State Opera Optional performance: Parsifal by Wagner (15 March) 13 April departure: Scoundrels, seducers and rakes – three operas with a common theme 14 April: The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky’s dramatic opera about obsession, gambling and death 17 April (double bill): Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni & Pagliacci by Leoncavallo Optional performance: The Rake’s Progress by Stravinsky (15 April) 21 May departure: operas based on plays by Shakespeare 23 May: I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Bellini Bellini’s sublime bel-canto opera based on Romeo and Juliet 24 May: Otello by Verdi Optional performance: The Tempest by Thomas Adès (25 May); Macbeth by Verdi (26 May)

7

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

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 24 March £1,365 £189 13 April £1,498 £228 21 May £1,498 £228 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy rooms as shown. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 14.00 arrive Budapest 17.30 Depart Budapest 13.10 arrive London Heathrow 14.50

• • • • • •

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

25

cultural tours

THE GRANDEUR OF ROME A seven NIGHT holiday | 18 April & 10 october 2016 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 We fly to Rome and transfer to one of our 1 favourite 4 star hotels in Rome, the Marcella Royal, centrally located on the Via Flavia.

DAY

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

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

DAY

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

DAY

DAY

5

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

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

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

DAY

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

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

DAY

8

26

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

tour lecturer : 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 Florence and Rome play an important part in the curriculum and he knows both cities very well.

Charlie Hall writes: “However long one spends in Rome, it is never, ever long enough. How could it be, with its history stretching back so far and with so much from its glorious imperial past still standing for visitors to enjoy? We’ve tried to include a judicious mix of architecture, history and art in this week long tour, but still leave enough time to see Rome’s myriad treasures at a leisurely pace and to enjoy the city’s famous cuisine in the evenings.”

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 18 April £1,796 £320 10 October £1,894 £340 Prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room. Supplements for single occupancy are as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.45 arrive Rome 16.10, Depart Rome 17.10 arrive London Heathrow 18.55 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, Charlie Hall

cultural tours

RAVENNA, URBINO & FERRARA A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 APRIL & 21 SEPTEMBER 2016 Ravenna was the last Western capital of the Roman Empire before it moved to Constantinople, leaving behind the most dazzling mosaics and Byzantine architecture as a lasting memory 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.

THE ITINERARY We stay for five nights in Ravenna at the centrally located 4 star Palazzo Bezzi. Two full days are spent in Ravenna to enjoy the mosaics and architecture at a leisurely pace. The Mausoleum of Galla Placida, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo with its procession of martyrs depicted in mosaics, and the National Museum are all included.

The portraits of Justinian and Theodora at San Vitale and the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe complete our visit. Then we spend a day in Urbino to see Duke Federico’s art collection at the Palazzo Ducale and the frescoes at the Oratory of St.John. Finally, in Ferrara we see a collection of outstanding buildings associated with the d’Este family; the Palazzo Schifanoia, the art collection at the Palazzo Diamanti, and the Casa Romei.

Price£1,428 per person to include return scheduled flights from Heathrow to Bologna (depart 08.35, return 12.45); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners in Ravenna and one lunch in Urbino; all entrance fees and gratuities and the services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer Christopher Monckton (single supplement £198).

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.

Ravenna Mosaics

PARMA, CREMONA & MANTUA A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 18 APRIL & 26 SEPTEMBER 2016 In the company of popular Kirker Lecturer Christopher Monckton, we will explore this relatively unknown corner of northern Italy from our base in Parma, a city of great historic importance. It is synonymous with the very best food and produce in Italy. 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 foods for which the region is world famous, ‘parmigiano e prosciutto’.

THE ITINERARY We stay at the centrally located 4 star Hotel Palace Maria Luigia in Parma, once the seat of the Farnese family and today the centre of Italian cuisine with a gastronomic reputation of worldwide renown.

Highlights in Parma include works by Coreggio and Parmigianino at the art gallery, the wooden theatre of 1628, a tour of the city’s exquisite opera house, the Teatro Regio and the frescoes by Correggio at the Cathedral. Mantua was the power base of the Gonzaga court, patrons of Mantegna and Romano whose works we see. In Cremona, birthplace of Stradivarius, we will see the Museum of the Violin and visit the atelier of a luthier. One day will be spent discovering more about Giuseppe Verdi, who was born in rural Roncole and lived most of his life not far away in Busseto.

Lunch at I due Foscari, a hotel once owned by the son of the great tenor Carlo Bergonzi, and dinner in the magnificent Antico Corte Pallavicino on the banks of the Po, are among the included meals.

Price £1,498 per person to include return flights with British Airways from Heathrow (depart 08.35, return 12.25); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners and one lunch; all entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer Christopher Monckton (single supplement £180).

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.

The two tours on this page run consecutively so why not book both for a ten-night tour of northern Italy’s art cities.

Price £2,598 per person – single supplement £378.

27

cultural tours

VILLAS & GARDENS AROUND ROME a five night holiday | 9 May & 19 September 2016 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 new 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

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

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

The day will be spent in Rome starting with a visit to the 2 Villa Borghese Gardens and Gallery which were formed in the early 17th century. We will have lunch in a family 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. The 3 Villa Lante at Bagnaia is one of the greatest of all Italian Renaissance gardens: its symmetrical design is absolutely perfect.

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

DAY

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

DAY

tour lecturer : charlie hall (See page 26 for biography) Charlie Hall writes: “The gardens and villas around Rome have rich associations with some of Italy's most noble families.The country retreat of the great Farnese family at Capraola and the Aldobrandini villa at Frascati provide a vivid reminder of their immense power and influence. Even grander, the Emperor Hadrian created his villa and garden at Tivoli. For me, the highlights of this tour are the visits to La Landriana and Ninfa, two of the most perfect gardens in Europe.”

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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 9 May £1,497 £260 19 September £1,497 £260 Our prices are per person, based on sharing a double room.

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: £210 per room. flight details Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.45 arrive Rome 16.10 Depart Rome 17.10 arrive London Heathrow 18.55 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, Charlie Hall

cultural tours

THE ITALIAN LAKES: GARDENS & VILLAS OF COMO & MAGGIORE A six NIGHT holiday | 25 May & 22 JUne 2016 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.

Villa Balbianello

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.

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

DAY

We drive 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.

We will take the ferry the short distance to Cernobio 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

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

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 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.

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.”

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 May £1,987 £398 22 June £1,987 £398 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a room. Supplement for single occupancy rooms is 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 14.50 arrive Milan Malpensa 17.50 Depart Milan Linate 15.55 arrive London Heathrow 17.05

• • • • • •

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, Christopher Monckton

29

cultural tours

LUCCA & THE LUCCHESE HILLS A Four NIGHT holiday | 1 April & 4 November 2016 Lucca is a perfect example of a small Italian walled city with artistic treasures of the first order. A popular destination for day visits, Lucca rewards those who stay in the city and take the time to discover its secrets. Four nights is the perfect duration as it enables visitors to enjoy its charms in an unhurried manner, and provides the opportunity to explore the beautiful Lucchese hills which surround the city.

Guinigi are also included. We will visit two of the best of many villas dotted amongst the Lucchese Hills – the Villa Grabau and the Villa Reale at Marlia - as well as the smallest public theatre in the world, built in 1890. On the last day we will visit Pisa to see the Romanesque Campo dei Miracoli, dominated by the leaning tower.

THE ITINERARY We stay in the lovely 4 star San Luca Palace, located centrally but quietly in a mediaeval square within the city walls. We will spend two days exploring Lucca with visits to 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 we will visit his birthplace, which is today a museum. The Romanesque church of San Frediano and the Villa

Price £1,237 per person (single supplement £118) to include British Airways flights from London Gatwick to Pisa (depart 11.40, return 15.30); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners in four different local restaurants close to the hotel; all entrance fees and gratuities; a ticket for a recital of arias at the Basilica of San Giovanni and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Charlie Hall.

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.

FLORENCE – CRADLE OF THE RENAISSANCE A FIVE NIGHT holiday | 5 APRIL & 8 NOVEMBER 2016 The dawning of the golden age of artistic creativity began in Florence and soon spread to other city states in the north of Italy, each ruled by an immensely wealthy family.The Medici in Florence led the way, fully aware that their patronage of artists and architects would increase their power and standing. Others followed but none would ever surpass the legacy of the Medici.

Kirker Tour Lecturer Charlie Hall will introduce you to the works of a litany of great artists and help you to put them and their achievements into context.

THE ITINERARY Based at the erxcellent 4 star Santa Maria Novella hotel, our tour includes the major highlights of Florence alongside some less visited places. At the Uffizi Gallery we will see works by every great Florentine artist, and at Santa Maria Novella works by Masaccio and Ghirlandaio. All the great Florentine sculptors are represented in the Bargello including Michelangelo and Donatello, and at the Accademia we see Michelangelo’s David. Fra Angelico’s frescoes are at the Friary of San Marco and we can see how the Medici made their presence felt after death with their monumental tombs at San Lorenzo. The Franciscan Santa Croce; the great collection at the Palazzo Vecchio; the exquisite Brancacci Chapel

and Brunelleschi’s last great masterpiece; Santo Spirito, are all included. All sightseeing is done on foot and there will be free time each afternoon.

Price £1,468 per person (single supplement £298) and to include flights from London Gatwick to Pisa (depart 11.35, return 16.00); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners in local restaurants; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer Charlie Hall.

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.

The two tours on this page run consecutively so can be booked as a nine night tour in the company of Charlie Hall.

Price £2,455 per person – single supplement £496.

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cultural tours

RUSKIN’S VENICE a four night Holiday | 14 MARCH & 15 NOVEMBER 2016 Dr Nicholas Shrimpton, Emeritus Fellow in English Literature at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and internationally recognised as a distinguished Ruskinian, follows in John Ruskin’s footsteps through Venice.

Visiting the same places as Ruskin, we see La Serenissima through his eyes during the visits he made over a period of thirty years, including the three years he spent there with his wife, Effie Gray, researching his book ‘The Stones of Venice’. He discovered the city through its Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance past.

THE ITINERARY We stay at the 4 star deluxe Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal. In an introductory talk on what Ruskin called ‘the paradise of cities’, Nicholas Shrimpton recreates Ruskin’s journey from his ecstatic discovery of Tintoretto to his growing interest in Byzantine Venice.

We will take a private boat trip to Torcello to see the 11th century Basilica di Santa Maria dell’Assunta, and on the same day we visit San Marco. Other visits will include the Doge’s Palace following the same itinerary taken by Ruskin and described by him in ‘St. Mark’s Rest’. At the Accademia we see Carpaccio’s ‘Scenes from the Legend of St. Ursula’, a work through which Ruskin communicated with his dead inamorata Rose La Touche, and later at the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni we see Carpaccio’s

painting of St. George. At San Giacomo di Rialto we see the inscription which is at the core of Ruskin’s social beliefs.

Price £1,467 per person to include return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways (depart 12.35, return 16.30); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; two dinners and lunch at the Locanda Cipriani on Torcello; private transfers; all sightseeing as described; all entrance fees and gratuities and the services of Dr. Shrimpton (single supplement £160).

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.

GENOA – CITY OF THE DOGES A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 20 APRIL, 15 JUNE & 5 OCTOBER 2016 One of the most beautiful coastlines in the whole of Europe, the Ligurian Riviera is also one of the least visited. Liguria is dominated by Genoa, a city that has only in recent years begun to attract visitors despite its artistic and architectural treasures.

It rivalled Venice as the most important trading centre in the Mediterranean, and like La Serenissima, it too was ruled by all-powerful Doges chosen from the city’s wealthiest families.

Add to that the glorious scenery of its coast and you have the perfect base for a richly enjoyable holiday.

The ITINERARY We stay at the splendid 4 star Grand Hotel Savoia in the heart of the city. We spend two full days in Genoa visiting several magnificent mansions once owned by the city’s grandest families, all clustered along via Garibaldi. We visit the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Museo del Tesoro with its religious art brought back from the Crusades, the Villa del Principe Doria, the art collection at Palazzo Spinola and the Maritime Museum. We drive to Portofino for lunch at the aptly named Hotel Splendido, and on another day have lunch in a private palace in Chiavari. An opera performance at Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa is included.

Price £1,575 per person (single supplement £198) to include British Airways flights from London Gatwick to Genoa (depart 09.10, return 13.00); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners and two lunches; all entrance fees and gratuities; a First category opera ticket and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer.

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.

Villa del Principe Doria

OPERA PROGRAMME 20 April departure: Andrea Chénier by Giordano (20 April) A hot-blooded tale of love, treachery and death during the Terror of the French Revolution. Jorge de León is the romantic hero, Norma Fantini is Maddalena and Carlos Almaguer the revolutionary Gérard.

15 June departure: La forza del destino by Verdi (18 June) Martina Serafin is the unfortunate Leonora, Luca Salsa is Don Carlo and Marco Berti Don Alvaro.

5 October departure: Opera details available in spring 2016.

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cultural tours

UMBRIA – THE ESSENCE OF ITALY A seven night holiday | 25 april & 5 september 2016 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.

Orvieto

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

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 narrow mediaeval streets and enjoy the marvellous views.

DAY

DAY

8

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 and has been leading our tour to Umbria for the past four seasons.

Christopher Monckton writes:“The miracle of Italy is that its regions are so distinct in character from each other.They all share an enormously rich artistic past but when visited, the individuality of each becomes apparent, none more so than in rural Umbria, known as The Green Heart of Italy. Its art towns are all on a more intimate scale but together they add up to provide a wonderfully varied and rewarding experience.”

We visit the small town of Todi with its fine Renaissance 3 church, and then continue to Orvieto with its shimmering marble cathedral and magnificent frescoes by Signorelli. We will see the very grand town hall here, the Palazzo del Popolo.

DAY

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

DAY

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

DAY

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

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

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 April £1,847 £325 5 September £1,847 £325 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy is as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 12.50 arrive Rome 16.10 Depart Rome 15.20 arrive London Heathrow 17.05

• • • • • Arezzo Cathedral

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Spoleto Cathedral

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

cultural tours

THE BAY OF NAPLES A six NIGHT holiday | 13 MARCH & 4 NOVEMBER 2016 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. After troubled years in the 20th century, Naples is now a city determined to show off its unique charms to the full. For this tour we concentrate on the city itself, which is often overlooked in favour of the great Roman sites along the coast.

Pompeii

THE ITINERARY We travel to Naples and stay for five nights at the 5 star 1 Grand Hotel Parker’s, located close to the elegant neighbourhood of Chiaia. Our clients all have the hotel’s splendid rooms overlooking the Bay of Naples.

tour lecturer :

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 visit the vast and impressive Palazzo Reale where we will see the Museum of the Royal Apartments, and the exquisite Teatrino di Corte. We then go to Castel Nuovo which dominates the seafront.

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.

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’.

KARINA MITENS Karina Mitens is a Danish archaeologist who obtained her doctorate at the University of Copenhagen. She now works in the Bay of Naples, the region of Italy closest to her heart and loves to share her archaelogical knowledge of this facinating area.

Karina Mitens writes:“I spend at least half the year working around the Bay of Naples which 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.”

tour information

DAY

Back to the world of the Romans, we visit Pompeii, frozen 5 in 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.

DAY

The morning is spent in the Museum of National Antiquities 6 which is full of impressive finds from the ancient sites around the Bay of Naples. During the afternoon your Tour Lecturer, Karina Mitens will share some of her favourite places with you.

DAY

DAY

7

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

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 13 March £1,695 £290 4 November £1,695 £290 Prices based on two people sharing a double room – single supplement as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 14.25 arrive Naples 18.10 Depart Naples 11.40 arrive London Gatwick 13.30

• • • • •

what we include Return flights to Naples Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Karina Mitens

OPERA AT TEATRO SAN CARLO The Teatro San Carlo is one of the most beautiful and historic opera houses in the world. Why not take the opportunity to enjoy a performance here during your stay in Naples.

13 March departure: Falstaff by Verdi (15 March) Verdi’s last work and his only comic opera: £98 per ticket.

4 November departure: A special concert performance in celebration of the Bourbon King Charles III - Achille in Sciro

by Domenico Sarro (5 November). This opera was the first to be performed at the newly opened Teatro San Carlo on 4 November 1733: £98 per ticket.

Opera Weekends in Naples Please ask us for details of our special Naples Opera Weekends – Norma by Bellini (February); Fedora by Giordano ( May); an unusual double-bill - Goyescas by Granados and Suor Angelica by Puccini (June); and Adriana Lecouvreur by Cilea (November).

Contact Lucy Ayling on 020 7593 2286 or by email lucy.ayling@kirkerholidays.com for more information

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cultural tours

SICILY – AN ENIGMATIC ISLAND A nine NIGHT holiday | 26 April & 2 October 2016 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.

THE ITINERARY DAY

On arrival we visit a private palazzo in Catania before making

1 our way to the 4 star Grand Hotel Ortigia in Syracuse where we stay for the first four nights of our tour.

Syracuse is a charming town and once the most significant city 2 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

DAY

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

3 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.You may wish to take the funicular to the top of Taormina from where there are splendid views over the sea to Calabria.

DAY

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 and drive to Agrigento where we spend one

5 night at the 3 star Hotel Jolly dellaValle, overlooking one of the most mystical and atmospheric sites of the ancient world – the Valley of the Temples.We visit the museum and walk along the Sacred Way overshadowed by the Temples of Zeus and Concord.

DAY

Agrigento

We continue our journey to the northern shore of Sicily,

6 stopping en route at the Piazza Armerina to visit a luxurious villa from the late Roman Empire where the floors are paved with the most magnificent mosaics. After an independent lunch we travel on 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 Federico. Later we go to the opulent Norman Royal Palace where we see the Chapel of the Kings, the Palatine Chapel and the Ermeti Chapel.

DAY

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

8 temples and theatre – the best Greek site on the island. Later we continue to the enormous hillside site of Selinunte, which was founded in 650BC. DAY

This morning we drive to Monreale to visit the great Norman

9 cathedral dating from 1172, its mosaics surviving intact from

the Middle Ages. Its elegant but unexceptional exterior does not prepare the visitor for the splendours within where dazzling mosaics depict scenes from both the Old and New Testaments. In the afternoon we return to Palermo and visit two impressive Norman buildings, both of which have fine mosaics – the San Caldo and the Martorana where we see a graceful Norman tower dating from 1153. .

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

DAY

tour lecturer : 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. Originally trained as a Romanist, he now considers himself a generalist interested in history’s ‘grand narratives’.

Neil Faulkner writes:“I always love unravelling the complex and colourful history of Sicily and explaining why this strategically important island has been the focus of so many civilisations. Each has left behind splendid architectural legacies from the Doric Temples at Agrigento, the glistening mosaics at Piazza Armerina and stunning Norman architecture in Palermo and Monreale.”

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 26 April £2,370 £390 2 October £2,370 £390 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy is as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Depart London Gatwick 15.10 arrive Catania 19.10 (British Airways) Depart Palermo 10.15 arrive London Gatwick 12.15 (Easyjet) what we include

• Return flights • Nine nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner (most dinners are taken at local restaurants in Palermo and Syracuse)

• All entrance fees and gratuities • All visits and excursions as described • The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer, Neil Faulkner

cultural tours

PAS – DE – CALAIS: LILLE, LENS & ARRAS a FOUR night Holiday | 1 APRIL & 29 SEPTEMBER 2016 This new tour has been inspired by a number of major cultural developments in this corner of northeast France, which have revitalised the region after many years of neglect. It is based in Lille, which is just 90 minutes by Eurostar from the centre of London.Visiting the area now, during the centenary of World War One, provides a timely reminder of the battles that took place here, as well as highlighting the area’s cultural attractions, both new and established.

The ITINERARY Lille itself is a lovely city with a townscape that looks more Flemish than Gallic. The art collection at the city’s Palais des Beaux-Arts has always been considered one of the finest outside of Paris, but now there are many other reasons to visit the city.

The Musée d’Art et d’Industrie has displays of art and sculpture in what was an Art Deco swimming pool. The recently opened Villa Cavrois, built in 1929, is a magnificent building combining classical design with modern aesthetics. The Henri Matisse Museum at Le Cateau-Cambrésis, the Louvre-Lens Museum built on a disused coalmine, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Arras are all included.

We will also go to Ypres for the sounding of The Last Post which has been played every evening since 1929. We stay at the comfortable 4 star Carlton Hotel in the centre of Lille.

Lille

Price £996 per person (single supplement £198) to include return standard class Eurostar from London St.Pancras to Lille (depart 12.58, return 15.30); four nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners in local restaurants; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Patrick Bade.

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.

ANCIENT & MEDIAEVAL PROVENCE A seven NIGHT HOLIDAY | 1 APRIL & 17 OCTOBER 2016 Basing our tour in Avignon enables us to explore the wealth of ancient and mediaeval architecture dotted throughout one of the loveliest regions of France.The papacy resided in Avignon for much of the 14th century and today the town is still dominated by its majestic palace.We will be discovering some of the greatest Roman sites and monuments outside of Italy, as well as making visits to Aix-en-Provence for its art collections and to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a lunch amidst the famous vines.

Avignon

THE ITINERARY This is a tour of real contrasts with so many sights all within easy driving distance of Avignon. We stay at the 4 star Hotel Avignon Grand in the centre of the town, close to the ramparts.Visits in Avignon itself will include the Palais des Papes, built by the popes during the period of their residency here in the 14th century and the ruined Charterhouse at Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. The collection of classical and early Christian art at the Musée d’Arles Antique is magnificent. We will go to ancient Glanum at St-Rémy-deProvence and the greatest western Roman theatre at Orange.

We will see the Pont du Gard and the simple elegance of the Maison Carré at Nîmes. In Aix we will see the unusual ensemble of architecture at the cathedral as well as the Caumont Art Centre, opened in 2015 in an elegant 18th century villa.

Price £1,778 per person (single supplement £268) to include British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Marseille (depart 13.00, return 16.45); seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners and one lunch; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer.

If you would prefer to travel by Eurostar on the direct service between London St. Pancras International and Avignon, please call us for further information.

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.

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cultural tours

ART OF THE CÔTE D’AZUR A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 16 APRIL & 10 SEPTEMBER 2016 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 tour is led by Simon Monckton.

THE ITINERARY The tour is based at the 4 star Hôtel Le Grimaldi, close to the old town in Nice. We will visit the Chagall Museum famous for his Biblical Message series of paintings, and in Vence we go to Matisse’s Chapel of the Rosary.The Maeght Foundation at St-Paul-de-Vence has a stunning collection of works by Picasso, Miró and Hepworth and we will have lunch at the Hôtel Colombe d’Or which has its own superb art collection. We’ll also visit the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain and the Musée Matisse where we see not only paintings but ceramics, sculptures and stained glass by the artist. Picasso himself donated most of his works now on display at the Château Grimaldi, and in Le Cannet we visit the Musée Bonnard at the Hôtel Saint-Vinnay in honour of the artist who lived in the town for many years.

Price from £1,632 to include British Airways flights from Heathrow to Nice (depart 11.40, return 15.25); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners in local restaurants and one lunch at Hôtel Colombe d’Or; all sightseeing as described; all entrance fees and gratuities; the services of Simon Monckton, the Kirker Tour Lecturer (single supplement £325).

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.

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

Le Musée Bonnard

GARDENS OF THE RIVIERA A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 21 APRIL & 15 SEPTEMBER 2016 There are many great gardens dotted along the Côte d’Azur between St-Jean-CapFerrat 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 Our base for this tour is the family-owned 4 star Hôtel Napoléon in Menton, a firm favourite with Kirker clients. Located very close to the old centre of Menton, the hotel has a swimming pool and terrace. There is no restaurant but many are close by. At St-JeanCap-Ferrat we visit the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, as famous for its art collection as for the nine beautiful gardens that surround the villa. Afterwards we go to Villa Kerylos, a contemporary, stylish recreation of a classical villa. In Menton, we visit the Val Rahmeh garden developed in 1905 by Lord Percy Radcliffe, as well as Lawrence Johnston’s garden, Serre de la Madonne. William Waterfield cares for the Clos du Peyronnet, which has been in his family’s ownership since 1915. Now, a hundred years later, it is still a wonderfully imaginative garden. In Monaco we see the

principality’s collection of succulents at the Jardin Exotique.

Across the border in Italy we visit the famous Hanbury garden at La Mortola and Ursula Piacenza’s private garden, the Villa Piacenza Boccanegra.

Price from £1,449 to include British Airways flights from Heathrow to Nice (depart 11.40, return 15.25); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners in local restaurants in Menton, including one at the Michelin-starred ‘Mirazur’; all sightseeing as described; all entrance fees and gratuities; the services of Simon Monckton, the Kirker Tour Lecturer (single supplement £215).

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.

ART & GARDENS OF THE CÔTE D’AZUR The idea of having two separate tours to the Côte d’Azur, one devoted to art and the other to the wonderful gardens along the Riviera, proved to be very popular and indeed many clients choose to book both tours as they have been planned to run consecutively.

The price for both tours in 2016 is £2,738 (single supplement £540).

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CULTURAL TOURS

CARCASSONNE & ALBI A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 21 may & 17 SEPTEMBER 2016 Our tour is based at the pinnacle of the mediaeval citadel of Carcassonne from where we explore this beautiful, historic region of southwest France.The arrival here in the 11th century of the Cathars signalled the beginning of the Albigensian Crusades, as the sect strove to defy the tyranny of Pope Innocent III. Delia Gray-Durant, who lived in this region for many years, leads this perennially popular tour to a beautiful area of France.

Carcassonne

THE ITINERARY We stay at the 5 star Hôtel de la Cité, dramatically situated in Carcassonne. We explore the citadel and the modern town below.

A day in the Pays de Foix includes a visit to a tiny church carved deep into the rock. We then go to Mirepoix, a perfect example of a bastide. We see the impenetrable castle at Montségur and spend a day in Albi with its distinctive buildings of pink and ochre stone.

We will visit the Toulouse Lautrec Museum here and the cathedral. A day is spent in Toulouse admiring the Romanesque sculptures in the Musée des Augustins and the largest Romanesque church in Europe, St. Sernin. As a complete contrast we spend a day on the shores of the Mediterranean, visiting

Collioure, a picturesque fishing village that features in many paintings by Derain, Dufy, Matisse and Chagall.

Price £1,996 per person (single supplement £398) to include British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Toulouse (depart 14.10, return 17.50); six nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners including one in the Hôtel de La Cité’s gastronomic restaurant ‘La Barbacane’; all entrance fees and gratuities; sightseeing as described and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer Delia Gray-Durant.

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.

THE DORDOGNE A seven NIGHT HOLIDAY | 16 April & 24 September 2016 The rural landscape of the Dordogne has a unique richness and depth which sets it apart from its neighbours.

Its densely forested hills, wide and fast-flowing rivers and impressive châteaux seem very special even when compared with the loveliest areas of France.Visitors say it is the light and the glowing stone of its buildings that make the difference. Our seven night tour allows you to discover its charms at an unhurried pace, with time to enjoy some special lunches and dinners in restaurants, including La Tour des Vents, carefully chosen by our Tour Leader.

La Roque Gageac, Dordogne

THE ITINERARY Our base for the tour is the 3 star Hôtel de Selves, a few minutes’ walk from the centre of the picturesque market town of Sarlat with its narrow streets and squares lined with the half-timbered houses so typical of the region. During the tour we will visit several of the imposing châteaux which dot the countryside and line the great rivers, including the dramatically-sited Château de Fénelon, the Château Biron and Monbazillac, surrounded by vineyards. We will visit prehistoric sites at Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Abri Pataud and Abri de Laugerie Basse, and the caves at Lascaux. The Dordogne is famous for its mediaeval fortified villages known as bastides, found throughout the region, and we visit Monpazier, perhaps the finest example of all and founded in 1284 by Edward I. A boat ride on

the Dordogne and a visit to Perigueux, a highlight for gourmands, complete the tour.

Price £1,796 per person (single supplement £178) to include British Airways flights from London Gatwick to Bordeaux (depart 13.35, return 16.45); seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners and two lunches in local restaurants; all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Leader.

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.

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cultural tours

SEVILLE & ANDALUCIA A seven Night tour | 8 march & 8 november 2016 Our new tour to Andalucia is based in the city of Seville. It has been planned 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. Cordoba 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 Andalucian landscape with its picture-perfect villages and a visit to Jerez, the centre of the sherry trade, are included.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Seville and on arrival transfer to the Hotel Doña

1 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 townhouses. 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 townhouse.

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 Andalucia. 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 take the AVE train to Cordoba, a journey of less than an

5 hour. 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 ehich makes Andalucia such an absorbing and beguling destination. We will also visit the Alcazar and the noble Palacio de Vena. A typical tapas lunch will be included today.

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 le 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 8 March £1,696 £298 8 November £1,696 £298 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Single supplement as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 16.20 arrive Seville 20.00 Depart Seville 20.45 arrive London Gatwick 22.25

• • • • • • • Arcos de la Frontera

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what we include Return flights to Seville Seven nights' accommodation with breakfast Four dinners including one at the Hacienda de San Rafael Four lunches Sightseeing as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

cultural tours

BILBAO, CANTABRIA & OLD CASTILLE A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 25 MAY & 17 OCTOBER 2016 The power and influence of architecture is nowhere more keenly felt than in Bilbao, a once neglected and unloved industrial city in the Basque region. Everything in Bilbao changed forever when Frank Gehry's iconic Guggenheim Museum opened in 1997. Since then, Bilbao has featured on the itinerary of everyone who loves art and architecture, making the city one of the most visited in Spain.The city's culinary reputation grew too, and now Bilbao has restaurants that rival those of the great centres of Spanish cuisine – as our visit will confirm. A full day is spent in Bilbao, and one day is spent exploring the Cantabrian coast and countryside. Moving south to Burgos, the old capital of Castille, we see the more traditional side of Spain – monasteries, great cathedrals and picturesque mediaeval villages.

San Milán de la Gogolla

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Bilbao and transfer to the 4 star Hotel Melia in the

1 heart of the city where we stay for three nights.

DAY

The day is spent exploring Bilbao with a visit to the

2 Guggenheim, which continues to make an enormous impact on visitors today, as it did almost twenty years ago when first built.

We will also visit the Museo de Bellas Artes with an important collection of works by Spanish artists and go to the Basque Museum where this proud region's culture is celebrated. We will see the dramatic bridge by Santiago Calatrava and some of the striking metro stations designed by Sir Norman Foster.

DAY

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journey from Flanders in 1517. We will visit the picturesque village of Santillana del Mar, where many houses dating back to the 14th century line the pedestrianised streets. We will have lunch in the lovely Parador here today.

We drive to Burgos where we stay for four nights at the

4 4 star Palacio de Burgos in the centre of this historic city.

the time of the Moorish conquest in the early 8th century and not rediscovered until 1920. Both the location and the chapel have a magical, timeless aura. Later at Covarrubias we visit the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos with its superb sculptures from the 12th century.

DAY

Burgos is located on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de

5 Compostela. Today we retrace some of the route that tour lecturer : simon monckton WILL LEAD THE MAY TOUR

christopher monckton WILL LEAD THE OCTOBER TOUR Simon writes: “This tour is one of contrasts and in just a single week highlights both the rich history of Spain and just how much the country has changed over the past twenty years. Staying in Bilbao will illustrate the power of architecture to renew an entire city and region and indeed, how the surge in visitors encouraged a new generation of chefs to put Spain at the top of the culinary league.

Staying in Burgos we will return to a more traditional time when pilgrims arrived foot weary and hungry from all over Europe on their way to the Shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela.”

After a free morning to explore the historic area of Burgos

7 we will drive to the lovely 12th century church of Santa

María at Carrión de los Condes, where countless pilgrims who had erred on their journey across Europe were granted forgiveness before reaching their final destination.

DAY

8 We drive back to Bilbao today for the flight back to London.

This afternoon we will visit Burgos Cathedral, begun in 1221, the Miraflores Charterhouse and the royal monastery of Las Huelgas with its fine cloister.

DAY

Today we drive to Quintanilla de las Viñas to see a remote

6 Visigothic chapel, Santa María de Lara. It was abandoned at

We drive west to the resort of Santander passing by Laredo

3 where the Emperor Charles V landed in Spain after his

DAY

surrounds Burgos, with visits to Santo Domingo de la Calzada with its fine mediaeval cathedral, and to San Millán de la Cogolla, the site of two important monasteries located in a lovely open, rural setting.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 25 May £1,598 £248 17 October £1,598 £248 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Single supplement as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 15.45 arrive Bilbao 18.45 Depart Bilbao 12.45 arrive London Heathrow 13.45

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights to Bilbao Seven nights' accommodation with breakfast Five dinners and three lunches All sightseeing as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer

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cultural tours

DISCOVERING LISBON A five night holiday

| 12 May & 6 October 2016

‘The City of the Navigators’ was once at the heart of European maritime power, and evidence of Portugal’s Golden Age is to be found everywhere in today’s Lisbon.The treasures that fill the city’s museums and galleries were brought back from all corners of a once vast empire and myriad monuments attest to Portugal’s seafaring past.

As well as discovering the city’s art, architecture and museums, we will enjoy the exceptional hospitality, delicious cuisine and atmosphere of faded grandeur which makes Lisbon one of Europe’s most beguiling cities.

THE ITINERARY Staying in the centrally located 4 star Lisboa Plaza Hotel we will visit three great museums.The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga is really the country’s national gallery, with an important collection of old masters.

In the impressive Gulbenkian Foundation the fabulous collection of Calouste Gulbenkian is beautifully displayed.The Museu Nacional do Azulejo is filled with the iconic tiles for which the country is famous.

One day is spent in the lovely hill town of Sintra where we visit the former Royal Palace and Monserrate, once the home of William Beckford.We go to the Belém area to see the San Jerónimos Monastery and the Torre de Belém, perfect examples of the

Manueline style of late Gothic architecture. A visit to the rococo palace of Queluz completes the tour.

Price £1,297 per person (single supplement £225) to include TAP Air Portugal flights from London Heathrow to Lisbon (depart 11.20, return 15.00); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners and one lunch; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Escort and a local guide.

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.

IMPERIAL CITIES OF MOROCCO – FEZ, MEKNÈS & RABAT A five NIGHT HOLIDAY | 21 may & 10 october 2016 Our tour is based in Fez, Morocco’s oldest and most spiritual city. It never fails to impress visitors with its palpable sense of learning, heritage and tradition; a city quite unlike any other. A visit to Fez must not be hurried – its labyrinthine medina, its souks and artisan quarters need time to be discovered and savoured.Visits to the Roman site at Volubilis, and to Meknès and Rabat, complete the tour.We have planned the May tour to coincide with The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music. Concerts are given at the historic Bab Al Makina and other venues.

Fez

THE ITINERARY We fly to Casablanca and stay for one night at the 5 star Sofitel Tour Blanche. En route to Fez we stop at Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco. Four nights will be spent at the Riad Maison Bleue in Fez during which we will enjoy a guided walking tour of the oldest part of the city, Fez el Bali, a place of a thousand alleyways where artisans still ply their trades as they have done for centuries. Two half-day visits, to imperial Meknès and to Roman Volubilis, dating from the 1st century AD, allow for free time to discover more of Fez independently. Lunches and dinners will be taken in a variety of local restaurants.

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Price £1,878 per person (single supplement £346) to include Royal Air Maroc flights from London Gatwick to Casablanca (depart 16.15, return 12.10); five nights’ accommodation with breakfast; four dinners and three lunches in local restaurants; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer Andrew Allen and a local guide.The May tour will include one concert for the Fez Festival of Sacred Music – tickets for other performances will be available on an optional basis.

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.

cultural tours

ART GALLERIES OF THE NETHERLANDS A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 17 april, 19 june & 2 october 2016 AMSTERDAM – THE HAGUE – THE KRÖLLER–MÜLLER MUSEUM There has never been a better time to visit Amsterdam’s great trio of art museums and galleries.The Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk and the Van Gogh Museum are all now back in business after lengthy closures for renovations. Indeed, visitors to the Rijksmuseum will hardly recognise the building which really has been restored to its former glory.We will also visit a fourth museum in the city,The Hermitage, Amsterdam.Treasures from the vast collection at the Hermitage St. Petersburg are on display at the historic Amstelhof on the Amstel Canal. In The Hague we will see the magnificent collection at The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, reopened in June 2014 after the painstaking restoration of its 17th century interiors.We also visit the Kröller-Müller Museum near Arnhem. Amongst its rich collection of 19th and 20th century paintings are over 90 works by Van Gogh.This stunning, modern gallery enjoys an unusual location amid the wild beauty of the national park De Hoge Veluwe.

THE ITINERARY We transfer to the 4 star NH Museums Quarter Hotel 1 which is conveniently located close to the Museumplein.

The hotel has a bar, a restaurant and comfortably furnished bedrooms.

OPTIONAL MUSIC PROGRAMMES AT THE CONCERTGEBOUW

DAY

Our visit starts with a pre-booked guided tour of the 2 Rijksmuseum, telling the story of the renovations. The Rijksmuseum opened in 1895 and was designed by Pierre Cuypers.

We will then visit its great collection of Dutch art, the finest anywhere in the world. Afterwards we will go to the Van Gogh Museum. These visits will take place on foot.

DAY

Today we enjoy a private canal trip to the Hermitage, 3 Amsterdam. Later we go to the Stedelijk whose collection of art and design is displayed to stunning effect in the recently renovated museum.

DAY

Today we drive to The Hague, a sedate and dignified town 4 of great charm. Here we visit the Mauritshuis with its wonderful collection of works by Dutch and Flemish masters, including Vermeer’s ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’ and ‘The Goldfinch’ by Carel Fabritius.

DAY

We drive to Arnhem this morning to visit the Kröller5 Müller Museum, a superb collection displayed in a building surrounded by the great open spaces of the National Park. Helene Kröller-Müller was a collector of great taste and in her lifetime she amassed more than 11,000 objects and works. Her last major purchase was Seurat’s ‘La Chatut’ in 1922.

Amsterdam’s beautiful and distinguished Concertgebouw is one of the best loved concert halls in the world, as much for its superb acoustic as for its long history.

April departure: Franz Welser-Möst, conductor; Laurens Woudenberg, horn Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 2 in E; Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E flat Tickets from £50 June departure: François-Xavier Roth, conductor; Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Emanuel Ax, piano Haydn: Symphony No.22 ‘The Philosopher’ Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Op.58 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A Tickets from £50 October departure: Music programme announced in 2016.

tour information

DAY

DAY

6

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

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 17 April £1,478 £298 19 June £1,478 £298 2 October £1,478 £298 FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.55 arrive Amsterdam 14.05 Depart Amsterdam 14.55 arrive London Heathrow 15.15 NB: We offer alternative flights from many airports in the UK – please ask for details.

• • • • •

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

Rijksmuseum

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cultural tours

KRAKÓW TO WARSAW – CASTLES & PALACES OF POLAND a nine night holiday | 27 MAY & 9 SEPTEMBER 2016 Our tour to Poland visits its two main, but very different, cultural centres – Kraków and the capital Warsaw.

Kraków miraculously remained undamaged during World War II and retains one of the finest mediaeval townscapes in Europe thus contrasting strongly with Warsaw whose beautiful Old Town was systematically destroyed but completely rebuilt as soon as the war ended.We travel between Kraków and Warsaw by way of some lesser known but beautiful rural areas visiting a number of important country houses and palaces which have been restored over the past 25 years.Visits to the homes of Poland's most important composers, Chopin and Szymanovsky add a musical dimension to the art and history which we will discover in this fascinating country.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly from London to Kraków and transfer to the centrally located 4 star Hotel Pod Róz˙a˛ for a four night stay.

There will be a tour of the city this morning, taking us to 2 the Wawel Hill district where we visit the Royal Castle, and the cathedral with the tombs of the country’s monarchs and national heroes. Later, on a walking tour, we will see the city’s great mediaeval civic buildings which line its impressive square.

We follow the Royal Route of Kraków and visit St.Florian’s Church and the Czartoryski Gallery with a fine collection, including The Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo.

The morning is spent in the Old Town with the Royal 8 Castle, St.John’s Cathedral and the Old Market Square and in the afternoon we visit the royal park of Lazienki with its palace.

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DAY

We drive out of the city today and go to Nieborów to see 9 the Baroque palace of the Radziwill family. The day ends at Zelazowa Wola where we see the simple rustic house where Frédéric Chopin was born in 1810.

DAY

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10 We transfer to the airport for the flight back to London.

This morning we will go to the famous salt mines at 3 Wieliczka, the oldest working mine in Europe. During the afternoon there will be a visit to Auschwitz with its vivid reminders of the full horrors of the Holocaust.

DAY

tour lecturer : KRZYSZTOF KISILENICKI Polish-born Krzysztof Kisilenicki has spent long periods in the United Kingdom as well as leading cultural tours in Poland for many years. He enjoys introducing overseas visitors to the less well-known areas of his country.

Krzysztof Kisilenicki writes:“A great many changes have taken place in my country in recent years and I have been thrilled by the fact that many of our fine country houses and palaces have been gloriously restored. I know that Kirker clients will be impressed by the architectural and historic treasures they will see on this tour which includes not just our two main cities but a journey through a lovely region which visitors from abroad often miss.”

We head south through the majestic Tatra Mountains and 4 spend the day in Zakopane, a pretty mountain resort. Here we will visit the home of the composer Karol Szymanowski and ride on a cable car to enjoy the mountain views at their best.

DAY

We visit two castles on our way to Sieniawa: Niepolomice 5 with its 14th century royal castle, and Baranów Sandomierski, a well preserved Renaissance castle. We spend two nights at the 3 star Sieniawa Palace, an elegant hotel in a beautiful landscaped park.

DAY

Two very fine castles are included today – Łan´cut and 6 Krasiczyn. On our way back to the hotel we will stop off at Przemys´l, one of the loveliest small towns in Poland.

DAY

tour information Leaving for Warsaw, we will stop first at Lublin to see the 7 city’s castle, cathedral and the Dominican church. The next three nights are spent in Warsaw at the 5 star Hotel Bristol in the heart of the old city.

DAY

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 27 May £2,498 £360 9 September £2,498 £360 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 British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.50 arrive Kraków 15.20 Depart Warsaw 12.00 arrive London Heathrow 13.45

• • • • • Krasiczyn Castle

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Baranów Sandomierski Castle

what we include Return flights Nine nights’ accommodation with breakfast Nine dinners and eight lunches Sightseeing as described and all entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a Tour Escort

cultural tours

THE COUNTRY HOUSES OF BOHEMIA & MORAVIA a seven night Holiday | 23 May & 19 SEPTEMBER 2016 Our new tour is largely based in Brno, the main city of the Czech region of Moravia, rich with Gothic and Baroque architecture.The extensive aristocracy dominated life throughout the Hapsburg Empire, owning vast country estates each with its own impressive castle. By comparison, the life of the Hapsburg emperors and empresses seemed almost modest as these great families outdid each other in the manifestation of their wealth and social importance. Many of these families’ estates were in today's Czech Republic with an enormous concentration of important houses and gardens in southern Moravia. One day will be devoted to the life and works of Moravia's most famous son, the composer Leoš Janácˇek.The tour will end in Cˇeský Krumlov, a beautiful small town on the River Vltava.

Valtice Castle, Moravia

THE ITINERARY We fly to Vienna and transfer on arrival to Brno, a journey of 1 around two hours. We stay for five nights at the 4 star Hotel Royal Ricc, in the heart of the historic area of the city.

DAY

Our first visit will be to Moravský Krumlov where we see the 2 epic paintings by Mucha. We then continue to Vranov Nad Dyjí with important interiors designed by Fischer von Erlach including the famous Hall of the Ancestors. Our day ends at Znojmo high above the Dyje River. Here we see the St. Catherine Chapel.

DAY

Today we go to Kromeˇˇríž, a fine town on the banks of the 3 River Moravia where we visit the Great Palace and see the dazzling Throne Room and Great Dining Room. There is an important art collection here including Titian’s ‘The Flaying of Marsyas.’ Our second visit is to the former capital of Moravia, Olomouc now a UNESCO listed site which enjoys an impressive natural setting, its narrow streets lined with fine buildings. Our visits here will include the Cathedral of St. Wenceslas. We'll see the Archbishop’s Palace and its lovely gardens from the 17th century.

DAY

We stay in Brno today starting with a visit to the Villa 4 Tugendhat, a stunning example of the work of the architect Mies van der Rohe. After much recent restoration, both internal and external, the Villa is now a wonderful monument to him. We see the exhibition on the lives of Fritz and Grete Tugendhat who lived here until they fled in 1938. We will see the Janácˇek Memorial and the house where Janácˇek (1854 - 1928) lived from 1910 until his death.

We’ll also visit the composer's grave in Brno’s cemetery.

DAY

This morning we will drive to Slavkov and see where the 5 famous Battle of Austerlitz, or the Battle of the Three Emperors as it is popularly known, took place on 2 December 1805 when Napoleon’s forces defeated the combined might of the Russia Tsar and the Hapsburg Empire. Today, the site is marked by a monument and a museum which tells the story of his epic battle.

Next we go to Lednice-Valtice, built by the Liechtenstein family as their summer retreat. In addition to the two main palaces, the park is dotted with delightful pavilions, many now romantic ruins. Our day will end with a tasting of wine produced by the vineyards on the estate.

DAY

OPERA IN BRNO We will be offering the opportunity to attend an optional performance of Smetana’s ‘The Bartered Bride’ at the Opera House in Brno on 27 May. The September schedule is yet to be announced.

Leaving Brno today we journey to southern Bohemia and 6 stop first at Hluboká with its superb neo-Gothic castle.

We then continue to Telcˇ, a perfectly preserved Renaissance town, considered to be the most beautiful in the country. Telcˇ is famous for its picturesque fish ponds which lend a timeless air to the town – not merely decorative; they played an important role in the economy of mediaeval Bohemia. After the visit we continue to Cˇeský Krumlov for a two night stay. ˇ eský Krumlov is perched on a dramatic loop on the River DAY C 7 Vltava. It has one of the best-preserved renaissance town centres in Europe. We will see the majestic palace of the Schwarzenberg family with its beautiful Masquerade Hall where grand and lavish entertainment took place. We’ll also see the museum devoted to the life and works of Egon Schiele. There will be a walking tour of this historic town and an afternoon free for independent exploration.

DAY

We drive to Prague today making a stop at Tabor. This was 8 the centre of the Hussites, a group of 15th century reformers who, in the shadow of the castle here, openly challenged the absolute power of the Emperor and the Church.

DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 May £1,593 £198 19 September £1,593 £198 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Single supplement as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 11.35 arrive Vienna 14.45 Depart Prague 15.35 arrive London Heathrow 16.50

• • • • • •

what we include Return flights Seven nights' accommodation with breakfast Four dinner and three lunches Sightseeing as described All entrance fees and gratuities The services of the Kirker Tour Leader Andrew Taylor and a local guide on occasion during the tour

w w w. k i r k e r h o l i d a y s . c o m

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cultural tours

THE CLASSIC TOUR OF BULGARIA – ICONS, MONASTERIES AND MOUNTAINS A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 11 April & 12 september 2016 Much of the rich heritage of Bulgaria dates back to the days of the Ottoman Empire, although there is a great deal to see from more ancient periods in its history; there are Thracian, Roman and Byzantine sites in abundance, as well as a number of important mediaeval Orthodox monasteries.The countryside is beautiful with plunging valleys and high peaks, covered in wild flowers and the people are friendly and welcoming. All of this combines to provide a rich and diverse cultural experience.

THE ITINERARY We fly from London to Sofia and stay for two nights at a centrally located 4 star hotel. While in Sofia we visit the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Cathedral, two fine Byzantine churches – St. Sophia and St. George – and the National Historical Museum where we see gold and silver Thracian treasures. We cross the Balkans to the Troyan Monastery with its timbered courtyards and frescoed church, before reaching Veliko Tarnovo, the capital during the 13th and 14th centuries where we spend two nights. Continuing to the 17th century church of the Nativity in Arbanassi and the Monastery of the Transfiguration, we will climb into the mountains to reach the spectacular Shipka Pass, the site of battle during the April Uprising. After visiting Koprivshtitsa, where the Uprising began in 1876, we stay for two nights in the Roman town of Plovdiv. As well as Roman sites our tour will visit Bachkovo Monastery, ending the day with a tasting of the region’s wines.

On the way back to Sofia we stop at Bulgaria’s most important monastery at Rila, hidden away in a densely forested valley. The frescoes here are especially uplifting. Returning to Sofia for the last night of the tour, we go to Boyana with its tiny mediaeval church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with frescoes dating from 1259.

In this beautiful but simple setting we can reflect on what we have seen – a fitting place to end our stay in Bulgaria.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia

Price £1,494 per person (single supplement £198) to include British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Sofia (depart 08.30, return 14.35); seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast; seven dinners and six lunches; a wine tasting; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide.

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.

AN INTRODUCTION TO ALBANIA A six night holiday | 11 June & 24 September 2016 Although a small country, Albania is historically and geographically diverse and wherever you are you will always be impressed by the warmth and friendliness of Albanian hospitality.The direct flight to Tirana may be just three hours but when you land you will feel far removed from the rest of Europe and be immediately impressed by the vibrancy of the country. At Butrint we visit one of the most beautiful and romantic Greco-Roman sites to be found anywhere.

THE ITINERARY The tour will begin with a three night stay in Tirana, a lively, colourful city which has seen many urban improvements in the last decade. We stay at the 4 star Rogner Hotel in a leafy residential area a few minutes’ walk from the centre. We visit the splendid National Historic Museum, which charts the history of the country from the era of the national hero, Skanderbeg, through its Ottoman period to its short-lived monarchy, then World War II and the Communist era, which ended in 1990. We drive though the dramatic scenery of the Sari Saltik range to Kruja, where at the Skanderbeg Museum we learn how the eponymous hero saw off the forces of the Ottomans no less than three times. Leaving Tirana we see Apollonia, an important city of ancient Ilyria colonised by Greeks

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in 588 BC and then move on to Vlora, an attractive town on the scenic Albanian coast. We stay in Saranda for two nights with plenty of time to enjoy Butrint, which dates back to the 7th century BC. Price £1,396 per person to include British Airways flights from London Gatwick to Tirana (depart 16.25, return 19.40); six nights’ accommodation with breakfast; six lunches and six dinners in local restaurants; all entrance fees and gratuities and the service of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide. Dr Neil Faulkner will lead the June tour, and Andrew Allen the September tour.

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.

cultural tours

THE PALACES & GALLERIES OF ST. PETERSBURG a six night holiday | 14 april, 12 may, 1 september & 6 october 2016 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 Hermitage

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 excellent 4 star Angleterre, a Rocco Forte Hotel.

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 is devoted to the Hermitage, the great Winter 3 Palace which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of paintings and decorative fine arts. Here we find Old Masters, Impressionists, antiquities, ceramics, porcelain and works by the court jeweller, Fabergé. After a guided tour and time for an independent lunch, we will visit the recently opened Fabergé Museum.

DAY

Today we visit two sumptuous palaces built for members of 4 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.

DAY

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 Shugla 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.”

Today we visit the wonderful collection of art and icons on 5 display in the Russian Museum housed in the Mikhaylovsky Palace. Our day will also include visits to the Church on the Spilled Blood and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. This is followed by a tour of the Yusupov Palace.

DAY

DAY

6

Free to explore the city at your leisure.

The last day of the tour is spent at the glittering palace at 7 Peterhof with its sensational gardens that tumble down to the edge of the Baltic Sea. DAY

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 14 April £1,897 £260 12 May £1,997 £340 1 September £1,997 £340 6 October £1,897 £260 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a double/twin room. Supplements for single rooms as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 09.30 arrive St. Petersburg 15.45 Depart St. Petersburg 16.55 arrive London Heathrow 17.25

• • • • • •

what we include Return scheduled flights to St. Petersburg Six nights’ accommodation with breakfast Five dinners and two lunches All entrance fees and gratuities Russian visa The services of our Kirker Tour Lecturer,Tatiana Shulga

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CULTURAL TOURS: A SELECTION OF MILITARY HISTORY TOURS

ISTANBUL & GALLIPOLI AN EIGHT NIGHT HOLIDAY with DR NEIL FAULKNER | 28 may 2016 On our visit to Gallipoli, during the centenary of the Great War, Dr Neil Faulkner will analyse the events that led to the defeat of the Allies between April 1915 and January 1916 as they tried to wrest control of the Dardanelles from the Ottoman Empire.

the ITINERARY Before leaving for Çanakkale, we stay in Istanbul for four nights and enjoy a full programme of visits to the city’s great palaces, mosques and churches. We focus on the Trojan War first and include a visit to the haunting Plain of Ilium. Crossing the Dardanelles, a day is spent visiting ANZAC Cove, Brighton Beach, the Beach Cemetery and the ANZAC Commemoration site. A further night in Istanbul ends the tour.

Price £1,896 (single supplement £230) to include British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Istanbul (depart 10.30, return 17.35); eight nights’ accommodation with breakfast; six dinners and four lunches; all entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer and a local guide throughout.

Charles Dixon,The landing at Anzac, 1915

For a more detailed daily itinerary, please visit the Cultural Tours section of our website kirkerholidays.com or call us on 020 7593 2286.

THE PENINSULAR WAR A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY with HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN | 17 APRIL 2016 The Peninsular War began in 1808, one year after Napoleon decided it was time to stop Britain from trading with the rest of Europe. Napoleon was taken unawares and had neither considered that the Portuguese would prove to be a steadfast ally nor that the Spaniards would be swept up in their own revolts.The Battle of Salamanca in 1812 saw the beginning of the end for Napoleon, which led to his abdication and exile in Elba

THE ITINERARY Starting from the Portuguese second city, Oporto, we will travel up stop is Salamanca, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. We will the Douro River towards the plains of Castille following in the spend two nights here, exploring the city’s glowing honey coloured footsteps of Wellington and his army. In Oporto we will view the and beautiful buildings, including the two spectacular cathedrals. spot where Wellington made his daring assault across the river, Price £1,879 per person (single supplement £280) to include return driving to the battlefields where The Iron Duke won an flights (Heathow to Oporto with TAP Air Portugal departing unexpected victory over Marshal Soult. After an evening port 11.20, Madrid to Heathrow with British Airways departing 18.20); tasting we will dine in the elegant surroundings of Taylor’s Port seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast; seven dinners; all Wine Lodge overlooking the river. We then travel by train sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the following the course of the river to Pinhao where we spend a night Kirker Tour Lecturer. in the Vintage House Hotel before crossing into Spain where we For a more detailed daily itinerary, please visit the Cultural Tours will spend two nights in Ciudad Rodrigo. From here we will section of our website kirkerholidays.com or call us on 020 7593 2286. explore the open countryside where important battles took place – the Coa Valley, Fuentes d’Onoro and Barba del Puerco. Our final

THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO A THREE NIGHT HOLIDAY with HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN | 8 JULY & 30 SEPTEMBER 2016 The Battle of Waterloo in 1815 involved the three greatest generals of the age and 200,000 troops representing nine countries.

The outcome was on a knife-edge until the very last hour of combat, which finally put paid to Napoleon’s ambitions.

the ITINERARY We stay for three nights at the 4 star Hotel Metropole in the centre of Brussels. After an introductory talk, visits will be made to Napoleon’s command at La Belle Alliance and to La Haye Sainte, the headquarters of Wellington’s campaign. Ligny, Quatre-Bras, Hougoumont, the Wellington Museum and the memorial to the British dead are all included.

Price £829 (single supplement £150) including return standard class Eurostar to Brussels; three nights’ accommodation with breakfast; three dinners; all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer.

For a more detailed daily itinerary, please visit the Cultural Tours section of our website kirkerholidays.com or call us on 020 7593 2286.

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‘Battle of Waterloo from the English side’ by Sir William Allan, 1843.

cultural tours

THE GALLERIES & MUSEUMS OF WASHINGTON DC, PHILADELPHIA & NEW YORK AN EIGHT NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 APRIL & 22 OCTOBER 2016 The cultural institutions of America are spectacular and on this tour we immerse ourselves in the country’s heritage – from George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon on the Potomac River to the dazzling collections of fine and decorative art in Philadelphia and New York amassed by the country’s wealthiest citizens.

THE ITINERARY DAY

We fly to Dulles Airport, Washington DC and transfer to the

1 centrally located 4 star Liaison Capitol Hill on New Jersey

Avenue, just a few steps from the Capitol. It has a restaurant, a bar and a spectacular rooftop pool and terrace.

DAY

During our stay we will first visit the fashionable

2/4 neighbourhood around Dupont Circle to see the Phillips Collection. Housed in the former home of its founder, Duncan Phillips, it has an eclectic range of art from both sides of the Atlantic. It includes works by many American artists such as O’Keefe and Rothko, as well as works by Renoir, Bonnard, Monet and many others in its 3,000 strong collection. There will be a panoramic sightseeing tour of the nation’s capital. We start at the National Mall where we see prominent public monuments honouring the nation’s most significant historic moments. We’ll see The White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court. We spend one day in historic Georgetown where we first visit Dumbarton Oaks, the home of Robert and Mildred Barnes Bliss whose collection of pre-Colombian and Byzantine art is still on display.

Afterwards, we drive to Mount Vernon in Virginia to the 18th century plantation house where Washington lived the life of a gentleman planter from 1754. A morning will be spent in the National Gallery of Art, founded in 1937 by Andrew Mellon and a small group of wealthy art lovers. There will be a visit to the Library of Congress in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Its changing exhibitions are renowned for their scholarly yet accessible presentation of important aspects of America’s history.

DAY

We leave Washington and drive to Philadelphia, which served

5 as the nation’s capital from 1790-1800 and was the centre of cultural life in the United States for most of the 19th century. We will visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art and view the mainly French Impressionist collection of Dr Barnes at the Barnes tour lecturer : ANDREW TAYLOR Andrew Taylor graduated from the University of St. Andrew’s in 1989 with a degree in Church History. He has a further degree in Classical Studies and in 2014 graduated with a Masters in the History of Art from the University of East Anglia.

Andrew Taylor writes: “Visiting the galleries and museums in the United States is about discovering how these great collections came about and the people who assembled them.They started out as collections of European art but have been enhanced with works by major American artists.These museums lead the way in what is know as ‘visitors’ services’ – everything is done to make visiting these great institutions as comfortable and as insightful as possible.”

The Capitol,Washington DC

Foundation. We will have a short sightseeing tour of historic Philadelphia before continuing on to New York. We stay for five nights at the 4 star Affinia 50 located on E 50th Street and Lexington Avenue, in the heart of mid-town.

DAY

Our visits in New York will include the Metropolitan

6/9 Museum of Art where there will be a guided introduction to the marvellous American Wing with works by Winslow Homer and Thomas Eakins, among others. We will go to the Morgan Library to see its extensive collection of paintings and manuscripts and to MoMA for a private tour before the museum opens its doors to the public. We will visit the Frick Collection, universally acclaimed as one of the greatest private collections anywhere.

Visits to the High Line project – a park created along a disused elevated railway line – and to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx complete the tour.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 23 April £3,795 £798 22 October £3,995 £960 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 10.45 arrive Washington Dulles 13.45 Depart New York JFK 19.00 arrive London Heathrow 07.00 the next day. what we include • Return flights • Eight nights’ accommodation on a room only basis • Two lunches and four dinners in local restaurants • All entrance fees and gratuities • Services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Andrew Taylor

OPTIONAL PERFORMANCE AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN NEW YORK Why not go to the Met for a performance of La bohème by Puccini in Zefirelli’s stunning, traditional production with Maria Agresta as Mimi (29 April).

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cultural tours

IMAGES OF CUBA a seven night Holiday | 14 JANUARY & 8 november 2016 Our new tour to Cuba comes at a time when the country is facing great changes as the new generation begins to embrace an outside world ignored by its leaders for the past half century.The name ‘Images of Cuba’ is inspired by the vivid gallery of impressions we all have, whether or not we have stepped foot on the island yet, at the mention of the name Cuba.These include Fidel Castro in his fatigues, brightly coloured portraits of Che Guevara, a bottle of Havana Club rum, Russian missile ships, the bright colours of lovingly restored 1950s Chevys and Buicks. Not to mention the exotic aroma of cigar smoke, the sound of fine jazz, glamorous and athletic ballet dancers, blue skies and grand but crumbling Spanish colonial architecture. Only those who visit the island can experience the natural charm and hospitality of the Cubans themselves who have taken Havana 50 years of revolution in their stride and eagerly await their country’s future.The tour is led by an expert local guide and will be escorted by one of Kirker’s most popular and experienced tour leaders, Siân Walters, who is passionate about Cuba. She studied History of Art at Selwyn College, Cambridge and, in a former career, was a professional dancer. Siân has promised to give salsa classes to everyone on the tour.

THE ITINERARY We fly direct to Havana where we stay for three nights at 1 the 4 star Hotel Santa Isabel in the heart of the historic area of Havana. A beautiful, Colonial style house, the Santa Isabel offers well-furnished accommodation, a courtyard and a terrace with views of Havana’s famous bay.

DAY

We begin our visit with a half day walking tour including 2 the Museo de la Revolución and Havana’s historic quarter with its fine Baroque buildings. Much admirable work has been done in recent years to sensitively restore the crumbling façades.

During the afternoon we will travel to Cojimar to see the Hemingway Museum, where he celebrated his Pulitzer Prize in 1953. On our return to Havana, we shall visit the Basilica San Francisco for a short concert in its simple but elegant interior.

DAY

The exciting and vibrant arts scene in modern Havana will 3 be our focus today. There will be visits to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the studios of two contemporary artists and a tour of The National Art Schools of Cuba: a grandiose project, dreamed up by Fidel and Che, and designed by the Italian architect Vittorio Garatti who has opposed recent plans by Carlos Accosta to restore the complex. We will learn more about the origins and future hopes for the Schools. Later we visit the Cuban National Ballet School, which has more than 3,000 students at any time. The day ends with a lesson in how to make the perfect mojito and a tasting of local rums.

afternoon for a final two nights at the stylish 5 star Hotel Saratoga with its rooftop pool offering breathtaking views over Havana.

This evening we dine at Starbién for a quintessential Cuban musical experience.

In the morning we shall visit the home of the photographer 7 Roberto Salas, whose work tells the story of Cuba over the past 50 years. A close friend of Fidel Castro, he produced many wonderful images through which we will see impressions of the real Cuba. This afternoon we spend some time at a rumba rehearsal where members of the Clave y Guaguanco troupe explain how to dance the perfect rumba.

DAY

DAY

8

After a free morning we drive to the airport for the overnight flight back to London Gatwick.

DAY

This morning we leave for Playa Girón on the infamous Bay 4 of Pigs, stopping en route for a picnic lunch in the National Park. Afterwards we continue to Trinidad, where we stay for two nights at the charming Finca Kenia, a 19th century former house.

DAY

Today we will use 4 x 4 jeeps to travel through the tropical 5 forest of Topes. In the afternoon we will enjoy a walking tour of Trinidad, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a city of quaint cobbled streets, brightly painted houses and a complex history.

DAY

Today we look at the history of slavery in Cuba and visit a 6 sugar plantation to discover more about the life of the sugar barons and the people they enslaved. We return to Havana in the DAY

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tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES Date Price Single Supp 14 January £3,186 £252 8 November £3,668 £298 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Virgin Atlantic: Depart London London Gatwick 11.30 arrive Havana 16.30 Depart Havana 20.10 arrive London Gatwick 09.50 the next day. what we include • Return flights to Havana • Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Seven dinners and five lunches • All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of a local guide and the Kirker Tour Lecturer, Siân Walters

cultural tours

GARDENS, TEMPLES AND CITIES OF JAPAN A TWELVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 MAY & 6 NOVEMBER 2016 The cultural life of Japan, with its myriad traditions and sometimes puzzling customs, remains a mystery to many visitors from the West. A visit to Japan can seem a daunting experience but on this tour, in the company of the same Japanese local guide throughout the tour to smooth the way, the country will reveal its secrets as we visit not just its great cities but the countryside too. In a peaceful Zen garden in Kyoto there is a stone turtle looking back at the flow of the raked gravel, representing the futility of dwelling in the past. On this introduction to Japan you will look forward to each day as the tour unfolds.

THE ITINERARY DAY

1

We fly from London to Tokyo overnight.

Arriving in Tokyo in the morning we will transfer to our 2 centrally located 4 star hotel where we stay for three nights.

The rest of the day is free.

DAY

We spend the day exploring Tokyo. We will see the 3 Imperial Palace, the Meiji Shrine, the Asakusa Shrine and the vibrant Ginza district.

DAY

We drive to Hakone this morning passing by the foot of Mt. 4 Fuji before reaching Hakone. Here we enjoy a cruise on the clear, still waters of Lake Ashi admiring the richly forested hills which line the lake. The day ends back in Tokyo at the colourful Buddhist temple dedicated to The Goddess of Mercy, Asakusa Kannon Temple.

DAY

We leave for the station and travel by a Shinkansen service to 5 Hiroshima, a journey of four hours. On arrival we will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the Museum, which serve as reminders of the tragic events that took place here.

DAY

We leave after breakfast by train for Takayama, a very attractive 10 small town surrounded by high mountains. We visit the Government House, a wonderful showcase for beautiful, delicate handicrafts. We spend two nights in Takayama.

DAY

Takayama is famous for its delightful Asaichi market. Farmers 11 come here every day with their produce to fill the stalls lining the river that flows through the town. During the afternoon we will drive to Shirakawa-go, a mountain village with more than a hundred houses in the gassho-zukuri style – traditional structures with sharply angled roofs designed to deal with the heavy snowfalls of winter. We then drive to Kanazawa, one of the most beautiful cities in Japan and renowned as a great centre for artisans who still practise traditional Japanese crafts.

DAY

This morning we will visit the wonderful Kenrokuen Garden 12 where the artistic glories of Japanese gardens can be appreciated to the full. Later we take the train to Tokyo for the final night of the tour which will end with a farewell dinner.

DAY

DAY

13 Today, in sharp contrast, we visit one of the most beautiful 6 places in all Japan, Miyajima, which translates as ‘shrine-island.’

We travel by ferry to this revered Shinto shrine, Itsukushima, which feels remote despite its proximity to the bustle of modern Japan. We will then travel by train to Kyoto, a journey of under two hours. Four nights are spent in Kyoto at a centrally located 4 star hotel.

DAY

The temples, shrines and Zen gardens of Kyoto are the 7 quintessence of Japan. Our full day tour will take us to the city's most impressive sights – Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Heian Shrine and the Kiyomizu Temple. The impeccably raked gravel gardens, the exquisite planting of the acers, and the unique sense of serenity everywhere make it clear just why Kyoto is at the heart and soul of Japanese culture.

DAY

Today is free to explore at leisure.You can easily travel by 8 bus around the entire city and discover the many different neighbourhoods of Kyoto, alighting at clearly designated stops.

DAY

Today is spent in Nara, home of the magnificent Todai-ji 9 Temple, the largest wooden building in the world. We will also see The Great Buddha of Nara and the shrine of Kasuga-taisha with its glistening lacquered pavilions surrounded by beautiful trees and parkland. Later in the afternoon we drive to Nagoya where we spend one night.

DAY

We drive to the airport for the flight back to London, arriving there in the afternoon.

tour information DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 14 May £4,785 £498 6 November £4,785 £498 Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Single supplement as shown.

FLIGHT DETAILS Flights with Japan Airlines: Depart London Heathrow 19.15 arriving Tokyo 05.50 the following day Depart Tokyo 11.20 arriving London Heathrow 15.25 the same day what we include • Return scheduled flights to Tokyo • Eleven nights' accommodation with breakfast • Four dinners & one lunch • All sightseeing and travel as described • All entrance fees and gratuities • The services of a Japanese guide throughout and the Kirker Tour Escort

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cultural tours

KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS AT SEA 2016 Enjoy a series of included exclusive chamber music concerts by international artists on board the Black Watch during our tenth season of music cruises in 2016.The music is planned by violist and composer Simon Rowland-Jones and a range of optional shore excursions will be available at selected ports of call.

NORWAY ’S MIDNIGHT SUN – A MIDSUMMER CRUISE ACROSS THE ARCTIC CIRCLE A THIRTEEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 12 JUNE 2016 Sailing from Dover: Visiting the North Cape, Finnmark, Tromsø and Trondheim and cruising along some of Norway’s most spectacular fjords.

Featuring:The Carducci String Quartet; Elisabeth Perry, violin; Moray Welsh, cello; Simon RowlandJones, viola; Simon Lepper, piano.They will be joined by a singer, details to be announced.

Travelling along Norway’s long and dramatic coastline is much more than just a cruise; it is a great journey in its own right as the country’s glorious scenery is always within sight of the ship. Calling first at the lovely town of Ålesund we then sail in a northerly direction enjoying some wonderful cruising between the mainland and islands of Norway. At Alta in Finnmark we can discover more about the Sami culture before we reach Honingsvåg, the world’s most northerly city and gateway to the North Cape. Sailing south we experience the Midnight Sun on Midsummer day in Lødingen and call in at one of the country’s most historic cities, Trondheim.

Price from £2,210 per person for thirteen nights including all concerts, talks and interviews, full-board throughout and two private drinks parties.

Norwegian Fjords

A CRUISE TO SPAIN, MOROCCO AND PORTUGAL AN ELEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 31 OCTOBER 2016 Sailing from Harwich: Visiting Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Casablanca (for Rabat), Cádiz, Lisbon, Oporto, Iberia & Morocco.

Featuring:The Gould Piano Trio; David Evans, violin & viola; Robert Plane, clarinet; Alec Frank-Gemmill, Principal Horn of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.They will be joined by a singer, details to be announced.

Sailing to the northwest corner of Spain we will visit Santiago de Compostela, destination of so many weary pilgrims throughout the centuries. We continue to Morocco’s imperial Cities and later call in at Cádiz from where the Spanish conquistadors set sail for South America, and the sherry bodegas of Jerez. From Lisbon we will visit Sintra in the hills above the city, and former home to royal families and other aristocrats. Finally we stop at Portugal’s buzzing second city, Oporto, spectacularly spanning both banks of the River Douro.

Oporto

Price from £1,850 per person for eleven nights including all concerts, talks and interviews, full-board throughout and two private drinks parties.

ART CITIES OF FLANDERS, THE NETHERLANDS AND GERMANY WITH

THREE EXCLUSIVE CONCERTS GIVEN BY THE NAVARRA STRING QUARTET A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 11 NOVEMBER 2016 Sailing from Tilbury: Visiting Zeebrugge (for Bruges), Hamburg and Amsterdam.

We have selected this cruise as one of our three because it allows us a full day in beautiful Bruges and overnight stays in both Hamburg and Amsterdam, giving us plenty of time to enjoy all these cities’ great museums and art galleries. We also hope to be able to attend an optional performance at the historic Concertgebouw, Amsterdam’s beautiful concert hall and at the Hamburg State Opera, one of the most important German opera houses. Today, the Navarra String Quartet is one of Britain’s busiest and most acclaimed quartets, performing throughout the United Kingdom and in Europe at major chamber music venues and festivals. Two of the quartet’s founding members are Dutch and they now have their own festival in Weesp, not far from Amsterdam.

Price from £1,480 per person for seven nights including three concerts, talks and interviews, three private excursions, full-board throughout and two drinks parties.

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Amsterdam

booking form C U LT U R A L TO U R S & M U S I C H O L I DAY S 2 0 1 6 TO ENQUIRE FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO BOOK ANY KIRKER Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST CULTURAL TOUR OR MUSIC HOLIDAY CONTACT : Office hours: 09.00–18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00–16.00 (Sat) MALVERN WORLD TRAVEL 44 SOMERS PARK Reservations: 020 AVENUE 7593 2284 Fax: 020 7593 1461 MALVERN Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 WR14 1SD culturaltours@kirkerholidays.com www.kirkerholidays.com TEL 01684 562406 or malvernworldtravel@hotmail.co.uk

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✂ 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 e-mailed 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 56 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited and insurance premiums held. 56-43 days: 25% of the holiday cost. 42-15 days: 50% of the holiday cost. 14-8 days: 75% of the holiday cost. Within 7 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.

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 Kirker Travel Limited Registered Office: 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST. Registration in England: 1985696 VAT Reg No. 805 1461 59

(ATOL number 2450). When you buy an ATOL protected air inclusive holiday or 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.

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 September 2015 ©2015 Kirker Travel Limited

OUR RANGE OF HOLIDAYS FOR DISCERNING TRAVELLERS Short Breaks

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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, Orient-Express, Eurostar or overnight sleeper combined with private guided tours, opera tickets, museum passes or a table at a Kirker recommended restaurant.

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, tailormade itineraries combining beautiful Tuscan Villas, exquisite Ferrogamo city centre hotels with high speed trains, car hire or the Orient-Express.

SOUTHern AFRICA

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Our Southern 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.

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.

SPAIN

france Our French brochure features classic city breaks to Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Monaco, Strasbourg, Cannes and Lyon and tailor-made 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.

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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.

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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 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 • Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 • Fax: 020 7593 1461

A SSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT TOUR OPERATORS – OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD 2011, 2012 & 2014 ADVANTAGE INDEPENDENT TRAVEL AGENTS – BEST SPECIALIST TOUR OPERATOR 2012 & 2013