Update: April 2024

Update April 2024

About us

Leaders in the field. Martin Randall Travel is committed to providing the best planned, the best led and altogether the most fulfilling and enjoyable cultural tours available. Operating in around 40 countries, our mission is to deepen your understanding and enhance your appreciation of the achievements of civilisations around the world.

First-rate speakers. Expert speakers are a key ingredient in our tours and events. They are selected not only for their knowledge, but also for their ability to communicate clearly and engagingly to a lay audience.

Original itineraries, meticulously planned. Rooted in the knowledge of the destination and of the subject matter of the tour, the outcome of assiduous research and reconnaissance, and underpinned by many years of reflection and experience, our itineraries are second to none.

Special arrangements are a feature of our tours

– for admission to places not generally open to travellers, for access outside public hours, for private concerts and extraordinary events.

Travelling in comfort. We select our hotels with great care. Not only have nearly all been inspected by members of our staff, but we have stayed in most of them. Hundreds more have been seen and rejected. We invest similar efforts in the selection of restaurants, menus and wines, aided by staff with a specialist knowledge of these areas.

Small groups, congenial company. Most of our tours run with between 10 and 20 participants. Not the least attractive aspect of travelling with MRT is that you are highly likely to find yourself in congenial company, self-selected by common interests and endorsement of the company’s ethos.

Travelling solo. We welcome people travelling on their own, for whom our tours are ideal, as many of our clients testify. There are usually several solo travellers on a tour.

Care for our clients. We aim for faultless administration from your first encounter with us to the end of the holiday, and beyond. Personal service is a feature.

To see our full range of cultural tours and events, please visit www.martinrandall.com.

Martin Randall Travel Ltd

10 Barley Mow Passage, London W4 4PH

Tel +44 (0)20 8742 3355 info@martinrandall.co.uk

From North America:

Tel 1 800 988 6168 (toll-free) usa@martinrandall.com

ATOL 3622

Dresden at Christmas

Art, architecture and music in the Saxon capital

20–27 December 2024 (mk 601)

8 days • £4,340 (including tickets to 3 performances)

Lecturer: Dr Jarl Kremeier

Fine 18th- and 19th-century architecture and outstanding art collections. Musical performances in the Semperoper, Kulturpalast or the Frauenkirche.

Special exhibition at the Albertinum marking 250 years since Caspar David Friedrich’s birth.

Dresden’s greatness as a city of the arts was very much the creation of two electors in the 18th century: Frederick Augustus I (‘the Strong’, 1694–1733) and his son Frederick Augustus II. (1733–1763). Founded at the start of the 13th century, for its first 500 years it was a minor city of little distinction. This despite having been selected as residence in 1485 by the branch of the dukes of Saxony that gained the electorate in 1547.

Augustus the Strong’s pillaging of the state treasury to feed his reckless extravagance was both symbol and to some extent the cause of his dismal record in most areas of statecraft, but his achievements as builder, patron and collector rank him among the most munificent of European rulers.

Subsequent rulers continued the tradition of cultural embellishment. In the 19th century, ‘the Florence on the Elbe’ acquired buildings by Schinkel and Semper, and Weber and Wagner were directors of the opera house. In the 20th century, Richard Strauss added to its illustrious musical history.

From early in the 17th century Dresden has been one of the most important operatic centres north of the Alps. Performing in the magnificent 19th-century theatre designed by Gottfried Semper, the modern company has built upon the long-standing tradition of high standards of musicianship and visually exciting productions.

Itinerary

Day 1. Fly at c. 11.30am from London Heathrow to Berlin. Dinner in the hotel in Dresden.

Day 2. Introductory walking tour of the city including the exterior of the Zwinger, a unique Baroque confection and pleasure palace. Visit the Frauenkirche, whose restoration is now complete. Some free time before dinner and an evening musical performance.

Day 3: Meissen. Drive to Meissen, ancient capital of Dukes of Saxony and location of the discovery of hard-paste porcelain. The 15th-century hilltop castle overlooking the Elbe, the Albrechtsburg, is one of the first to be more residential than defensive, and within is a fine Gothic cathedral. Visit the world famous porcelain manufactory.

Day 4. Morning visit of the Residenzschloss; see the Green Vault and its contents, one of the world’s finest princely treasuries. Free afternoon followed by an evening musical performance.

Day 5, Christmas Eve. In the morning and early afternoon return to the Zwinger. See the porcelain collection and Old Masters Gallery, which is particularly strong on Italian and Netherlandish painting. Some free time before Christmas dinner.

Day 6, Christmas Day. Free morning. Afternoon visit the Albertinum, reopened in 2010 after extensive renovations and home to the New Masters Gallery. See the special exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich’s birth. Dinner; evening performance.

Day 7: Groß-Sedlitz. Drive along the banks of the river Elbe to Groß-Sedlitz, a large formal Baroque terraced garden with two orangeries.

Day 8. Guided walk through the Neustadt district, including the Dreikönigskirche (Church of the Three Kings) and an opportunity to visit the Kügelgenhaus, the Museum of Dresden Romanticism. Fly from Berlin to London Heathrow, arriving c. 4.30pm.

Dresden, the Zwinger Palace, lithograph c. 1850 after Samuel Prout.

Baroque & Rococo

In Southern Germany

6–14 August 2025 (ml 753)

9 days • £4,080

Lecturer: Tom Abbott

Some of the most uplifting and spectacular buildings in Europe.

Glorious countryside, unspoilt towns, charming villages, all well maintained.

Led by Tom Abbott, a specialist in architectural history from the Baroque to the 20th century.

Baroque and Rococo reached a triumphant fulfilment in the churches and palaces of southern Germany, and the styles are manifested in the region. It is astonishing that these marvels are not better known, but many of the choicest items on this tour are not easily accessible, being situated deep in the countryside.

Around the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries there was something of an economic miracle in Germany, accompanied by a frenetic upsurge in building activity. This followed nearly a whole century which was blighted by wars and economic collapse. At the end of it the Catholic Church emerged revitalised, wealthier than ever and triumphant in its defeat of Protestantism.

The Baroque style was the perfect expression both for the Church Triumphant and for the temporal ruler who, taking his cue from Louis XIV at Versailles, wished to overawe his subjects and impress on all visitors the might and magnificence of his person. The Rococo, which arrived in the 1730s, was contrastingly delicate and light-hearted, but produced some of the most exquisite interiors in the history of art.

Itinerary

Day 1: Zwiefalten, Weingarten. Fly at c. 8.30am from London Heathrow to Stuttgart. Visit the church of Zwiefalten by J.M. Fischer followed by a visit to the Baroque basilica of Weingarten Abbey. First of two nights in Weingarten.

Day 2: Steinhausen, Bad Schussenried, Birnau. Visit the oval church at Steinhausen, built by the Zimmermann brothers, and the library hall at Bad Schussenried convent. Finally, to Birnau, among vineyards above Lake Constance and one of the most delectable of Rococo churches.

Day 3: Ottobeuren, Wies. A pinnacle of Baroque and Rococo emotional power is achieved at J.M. Fischer’s church and abbey at Ottobeuren. The pilgrimage church of Wies in the Alpine foothills is beautiful. First of three nights in Munich.

Day 4: Nymphenburg, Augsburg. Visit the palace, pavilions and gardens of Nymphenburg, summer residence of the Electors of Bavaria. Continue to the magnificent Schaezlerpalais in Augsburg. Its sumptuous mirrored ballroom, built 1765–70, has survived in its original condition.

Day 5: Munich. Visit the Theatinerkirche, one of the first Baroque churches north of the Alps, and the little church of St John Nepomuk. See the Residenz, with sumptuous Rococo interiors and recently restored theatre by the architect Cuvilliés. Free afternoon.

Day 6: Weltenburg, Rohr, Pommersfelden. Two abbey churches by the Asam brothers: Rohr, with Assumption altar, and Weltenburg, with controlled lighting and rich decoration. Visit Schloss Pommersfelden, a splendid country house. First of three nights in Bamberg.

Day 7: Bamberg. One of the loveliest and most unspoilt of German towns. See the Romanesque cathedral and Diocesan Museum. The Baroque former town hall built on a bridge houses a porcelain collection. Free afternoon.

Day 8: Bayreuth, Vierzehnheiligen. An enchanting version of Rococo decoration developed in Bayreuth in the town palace, Hermitage, and opera house. Visit the pilgrimage church of Vierzehnheiligen.

Day 9: Würzburg. Visit the Residenz in Würzburg, with frescoes by Tiepolo. Fly from Frankfurt, arriving Heathrow c. 6.30pm.

Contact us: +44 (0)20 8742 3355 | info@martinrandall.co.uk | www.martinrandall.com

Schloss Nymphenburg, engraving c. 1770.

Painted Palaces of Rajasthan

Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, the Shekhawati and Jaipur

4–16 November 2025 (ml 843)

13 days • £7,530

International flights not included

Lecturer: Dr Giles Tillotson

A survey of the remarkable phenomenon of architectural paintings, forts and palaces. Includes places rarely visited by tourists.

Rajasthan has long been famous for the great forts and palaces built by the Rajputs. These Hindu maharajas initially resisted Muslim expansion in North India but then became co-architects of the Mughal empire. In the heyday of the Mughals and of the Raj they built increasingly elaborate and delicately ornamented palace apartments within the embattled forts of their forebears.

The Rajput rulers could never work alone. They looked to other communities to provide the administrative and business acumen that ensured their states were prosperous. The most successful merchants built exquisite painted mansions and developed their own styles of opulence. This tour presents both categories of patronage, and combines relatively short travel distances with maximum cultural impact.

Itinerary

Flights to Delhi are not included. Rooms at the hotel are ready from 2.00pm on 3rd November.

Day 1: Delhi. The tour begins at c. 12.00 noon with a talk followed by lunch. In the afternoon visit Humayun’s striking tomb and those of the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties. Overnight Delhi.

Day 2: Delhi, Jodhpur. Fly from Delhi to Jodhpur (Air India). The magnificent Mehrangarh Fort was built in 1459. Private dinner in the fort’s garden. First of two nights in Jodhpur.

Day 3: Jodhpur. Jaswant Thada, memorial of Jaswant Singh II and cremation site of the Marwar rulers. Return to Mehrangarh Fort to examine the painting tradition of the Marwari Rajputs.

Day 4: Mandore, Nagaur. The royal cenotaphs at Mandore are unique in Rajasthan as they resemble Hindu temples. First of two nights in Nagaur, one of the earliest Rajput settlements.

Day 5: Nagaur. Ahichhatragarh Fort was founded in the 4th cent. and embellished in the 18th.

The Hadi Rani Mahal houses 16th-cent. murals depicting courtly scenes. Overnight Nagaur.

Day 6: Nagaur, Bikaner. Visit the Laxmi Vilas Palace, Bikaner, a masterpiece of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The Jain Bhandasar Temple has fine paintings. First of two nights in Bikaner.

Day 7: Bikaner. Junagarh Fort, displays a variety of painting styles. At the Monsoon Palace there is a special opening of the Phool Mahal, the oldest part of the palace. Overnight Bikaner.

Day 8: Bikaner, Mandawa (Shekhawati). The desert villages of the Shekhawati region of northern Rajasthan are celebrated for their painted mansions. Overnight in Mandawa.

Day 9: Mandawa, Jaipur. Founded in the 18th cent. Jaipur demonstrates its founder’s obsession with mathematics and science. Galta, outside Jaipur, features temples, pavilions and sacred springs. First of three nights in Jaipur.

Day 10: Jaipur. The City Palace contains an unsurpassed collection of paintings and artefacts. Visit the Jantar Mantar, the 1730s observatory.

Day 11: Jaipur. The magnificent yellow walls of the 18th-century Amber Palace conceal fine craftsmanship. The Anokhi museum showcases the art and heritage of wood-block printing.

Day 12: Jaipur, Delhi. Drive to Delhi (c. 5 hours) and on arrival visit the Qutb Minar, site of the first Islamic city of Delhi, established in 1193 on the grounds of a defeated Rajput fort. Overnight near the airport.

Day 13: Delhi. Car transfers to Delhi Airport are arranged for your onward journey.

Jaipur, the Amber Palace, from Indian India, As Seen by a Guest in Rajasthan by C.W. Waddington, 1933.

Naples at Christmas

Art, antiquities, architecture – with Caserta, Amalfi and Ravello

20–27 December 2024 (mk 597)

8 days • £4,120

Lecturer: Dr Luca Leoncini

A selection of the best of the art, architecture and antiquities in Naples.

Excursions to Amalfi, Ravello, and the palaces and gardens at Caserta.

Lunch in a private palace.

Naples is one of those rare places whose very name kindles a kaleidoscope of conflicting images. A highlight of the 18th-century Grand Tour, it is now all but ignored by mainstream tourism. Royal capital of the largest of the Italian kingdoms, in the 20th century it became a byword for poverty and decline. Once it basked in a reputation for supreme beauty; now it enjoys (false) notoriety as a pit of urban ills – chaos, congestion, corruption and Camorra.

Until recently there was some truth in these images of modern Naples. But the city has changed – not entirely, but it is one of the most heartening examples of inner-city regeneration of the last decade or so. Traffic is still appalling, but much of the historic centre is now pedestrianised. A burst of prosperity has transformed the ancient shopping and artisan districts. Restoration of buildings has further increased its beauty, and more churches and museums are accessible. These display some of the finest art and antiquities to be found in Italy, and major architectural and archaeological sites are located nearby.

The Amalfi Coast is the most stunningly picturesque stretch of coastline in Italy. For a while during the Middle Ages, it rivalled Venice and Pisa as a maritime power, and its art and architecture are predominantly medieval.

In many ways, Naples has more in common with Seville or Cairo than Florence or Milan. It is a city of swaggering palaces and stupendous churches, of cacophonous street life and infectious vitality. Exciting, exhausting, energising.

Itinerary

Day 1. Fly at c. 2.00pm from London City to Naples, via Milan.

Day 2: Naples. Walk through the old city centre to see the Cappella Sansevero, a masterpiece of the Baroque, and S.ta Chiara, an austere Gothic church with Rococo tile-encrusted cloister. Among other treasures are the churches of Il Gesù Nuovo and S. Domenico Maggiore.

Day 3: Naples. The medieval Castel Nuovo, located on the waterfront, houses the Civic Museum; its Cappella Palatina contains frescoes by Giotto. See Caravaggio’s Seven Acts of Mercy in the chapel for which it was commissioned and his Martyrdom of St Ursula in a bank.

Day 4: Caserta. A few miles outside Naples, the royal palace at Caserta is Italy’s most accomplished emulation of Versailles. The apartments are superbly decorated and furnished and it is set within parkland and gardens equally magnificent in scale. Lunch at a private palace.

Day 5: Naples. Visit the National Archaeological Museum, one of the greatest collections of ancient antiquities, with many items from Pompeii and Herculaneum. High on a hill, the monastery of S. Martino has a church of extraordinary lavishness and a museum of fine and decorative arts. Dinner is at a Michelin star restaurant.

Day 6, Christmas Day. Free morning (options to attend church services), and Christmas lunch.

Day 7: Amalfi, Ravello. One of the loveliest coastal resorts in Italy, Amalfi rises above a small harbour backed by rugged cliffs. The SaracenicNorman cathedral has a delightful cloister. Ravello sits in the hills above and has a fine Romanesque cathedral. Visit the Villa Rufolo, a 13th-century palace with an evocative garden.

Day 8: Naples. Drive into the hilly suburbs to visit the palace of Capodimonte, with one of Italy’s greatest art galleries. Fly from Naples to London City, via Milan, arriving at c. 6.30pm.

Contact us: +44 (0)20 8742 3355 | info@martinrandall.co.uk | www.martinrandall.com

Naples, 19th-century gouache.

Courts of Northern Italy

Princely art of the Renaissance

2–9 May 2025 (ml 677)

8 days • £3,280

Lecturer: Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

5–12 September 2025 (ml 770)

8 days • £3,280

Lecturer: Professor Fabrizio Nevola

Northern Italy’s independent city states: Mantua, Ferrara, Parma, Ravenna and Urbino.

Great Renaissance art and architecture commissioned by powerful ruling dynasties. Highlights include the most glorious concentration of Byzantine mosaics and important works by Alberti, Mantegna, Piero della Francesca and Correggio.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Italy gradually fragmented into numerous little territories. The city states became fiercely independent and were governed with some degree of democracy. But a debilitating violence all too often ensued as the leading families fought with fellow citizens for dominance of the city council and the offices of state. A common outcome from the 13th century onwards was the imposition of autocratic rule by a single prince, and the suspension of democratic structures: but such tyranny was not infrequently welcomed with relief and gratitude by a war-weary citizenry.

Their rule may have been tyrannical, but the Montefeltro, Malatesta, d’Este and Gonzaga dynasties brought into being through patronage some of the finest works of the Renaissance. Many of the leading artists in 15th- and 16th-century Italy worked in the service of princely courts.

As for earlier court art, little survives, though a glimpse of the oriental splendour of the Byzantine court of Emperor Justinian can be had in the mosaic depiction of him, his wife and their retinue in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna. It is not until the 15th century, in Mantegna’s Camera degli Sposi at Mantua, that we are again allowed an unhindered gaze into court life.

Itinerary

Day 1: Fontanellato, Parma. Fly at c. 10.30am from London Heathrow to Milan. Visit the moated 13th-century castle in Fontanellato. Continue to Parma for the first four nights.

Day 2: Parma, Sabbioneta. The Palazzo della Pilotta houses an art gallery and Renaissance theatre. Drive to Sabbioneta, an ideal Renaissance city built for Vespasiano Gonzaga in the 1550s; see the ducal palace, theatre, and picture gallery.

Day 3: Mantua. Visit Palazzo Te, the Gonzaga summer residence. See the Early Renaissance church of S. Andrea, the cathedral, and the vast rambling Palazzo Ducale – aggregate of 300 years of extravagant patronage by the Gonzaga dynasty.

Day 4: Parma. Free morning. In the afternoon, see Correggio’s set of allegorical lunettes en grisaille surrounding a celebration of Diana as the goddess of chastity and the hunt in the Camera di S. Paolo; visit the Romanesque cathedral.

Day 5: Ferrara. Centre of the city-state ruled by the d’Este dynasty. Pass the Castello Estense and cathedral. The Palazzo Schifanoia is an Este retreat with elaborate astrological frescoes. First of three nights in Ravenna.

Day 6: Ravenna, Classe. Visit Ravenna’s Basilica of S. Apollinare Nuovo, and the Basilica di S. Apollinare in Classe. Private evening visit to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and the church of S. Vitale with sixth-century mosaics.

Day 7: Urbino. Drive to Urbino, city of the Montefeltro dynasty. See Gothic frescoes in the Oratorio di S. Giovanni, and visit the Palazzo Ducale, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. See the beautiful studiolo of Federico of Montefeltro and its excellent picture collection.

Day 8: Cesena, Rimini. See the perfectly preserved Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena. In Rimini visit the Tempio Malatestiano, designed by Alberti for Malatesta. Fly from Bologna, arriving at London Heathrow at c. 6.20pm.

Contact us: +44 (0)20 8742 3355 | info@martinrandall.co.uk | www.martinrandall.com

Parma, theatre in the Ducal Palace, lithograph 1822.

The Venetian Land Empire

A spectrum of north-east Italy’s finest art and architecture

19–28 May 2025 (ml 695)

10 days • £4,880

Lecturer: Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

Huge range of art and architecture from ancient Roman to modern, with the Middle Ages and Renaissance predominating.

Encompasses some of the greatest historic cities and loveliest hill towns in Italy, with landscapes ranging from mountains to alluvial plains.

While the touch of Venice is visible, these great centres have their own traditions and histories.

The maritime empire of the Republic of Venice consisted of a congeries of colonies along the Adriatic and into the eastern Mediterranean, acquired to protect the all-important trade with Constantinople and the East. But Venice had two empires; and the land empire, the terra ferma, was markedly different in character. Stretching across northern Italy from the lagoon to within 30 miles of Milan, these densely populated and highly sophisticated cities and territories were no mere subordinate appendages to La Serenissima – indeed they had histories far longer than that of the relatively upstart maritime republic.

Itinerary

Day 1: Castelfranco Veneto, Asolo. Fly c. 9.00am from London Heathrow to Venice. Drive to the walled town of Castelfranco: see Giorgione’s Madonna Enthroned in the cathedral. Continue to the hilltop town of Asolo for the first of six nights.

Day 2: Treviso. Once an important fortress city, Treviso’s cathedral has a Titian Annunciation, and memorable 1352 frescoes by Tommaso da Modena at the Friary of St Nicholas and in Sta Caterina. See the Villa Barbaro at Maser, designed by Palladio and containing frescoes by Veronese.

Day 3: Bassano, San Vito. Visit nearby Bassano del Grappa, with picturesque squares and a wooden bridge designed by Palladio. Home of

the Bassano family of painters, there is a major holding of their works in the museum. See the Brion cemetery complex by Carlo Scarpa.

Day 4: Padua’s medieval town hall and squares are among the finest in Italy. See outstanding 14th-century fresco cycles by Giotto (Arena Chapel), Giusto de’ Menabuoi (Baptistery) and Altichieri (Basilica of St Anthony).

Day 5: Vicenza. Architecturally the noblest and most homogeneous city in northern Italy. Andrea Palladio spent most of his life here; his buildings include the town hall (Basilica Palladiana), Teatro Olimpico, and several other grand houses. The Palazzo Chiericati houses an art gallery.

Day 6: Vicentine villas, Asolo. Visit two major villas just outside Vicenza, ‘La Rotonda’ and Villa Valmarana ‘ai Nani’, with superb frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo and his son Giandomenico. Return to Asolo for some free time.

Day 7: Montecchio, Verona. See more Tiepolo frescoes in the Villa Cordellina in Montecchio Maggiore. Continue to Verona to visit the 18thcentury Giusti Gardens for wonderful views over the city. First of three nights in Verona.

Day 8: Verona was a major Roman settlement, a powerful medieval nation-state and an important fortress through to 19th-century Austrian rule. Visit the art museum in the elegant red-brick castle, refurbished by Carlo Scarpa.

Day 9: Brescia. See remarkable art and artefacts at Brescia’s City Museum and the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo. Visit the 12th-century Rotunda (round church), the Broletto (town hall) and the Renaissance Loggia.

Day 10: Bergamo’s impressive ramparts befit the westernmost outpost of the Venetian empire. Visit the Romanesque cathedral and the Renaissance Cappella Colleoni with Tiepolo frescoes. See the outstanding paintings in the Accademia Carrara. Fly from Milan, arriving Heathrow at c. 8.15pm.

Right: Vicenza, Teatro Olimpico, 18th-century engraving

Contact us: +44 (0)20 8742 3355 | info@martinrandall.co.uk | www.martinrandall.com

Essential Andalucía

Spain’s southern province

29 September–9 October 2025 (ml 803)

11 days • £4,260

Lecturer: Dr Philippa Joseph

Three nights in each of the major cities: Granada, Córdoba and Seville.

Varied itinerary covering the great Moorish sites, architecture and fine art collections and gardens.

Andalucía is Spain’s most fascinating and varied region. Here it is possible to see great art and architecture of both Islamic and Christian traditions side by side. Spain is unique in Western Europe in having been conquered by an Islamic power. The Moors first crossed from Africa in ad 711, and in the south of the country they stayed for nearly eight centuries. The Moorish civilization in Andalucía was one of the most sophisticated of the Middle Ages. There are also glimpses of the preceding Visigothic kingdom, and of the earlier Roman occupation. Later, both Jews and gypsies made their influence felt, but the dominant contribution to Andalucian heritage has been created by and for adherents to Catholicism. The Christian religion does not get much more intense than in southern Spain.

The unification of Spain, ensured by the marriage in 1469 of the ‘Catholic Kings’, Ferdinand and Isabella, ushered in the period when Spain became the dominant power in Europe, coinciding with the discovery of the Americas. The cities of the south, particularly Seville, were the beneficiaries of the subsequent colonisation and inflow of huge quantities of bullion and of boundless opportunities for trade. The result was a boom in building and a cultural renaissance that lasted into the 18th century.

Itinerary

Day 1. Fly at c. 9.15am from London Gatwick to Málaga (BA). Visit Picasso’s birthplace.

Day 2: Málaga. The Picasso Museum is magnificent. The Carmen Thyssen museum has a

fine collection of old masters. Drive to Granada in the late afternoon for the first of three nights.

Day 3: Granada. The 13th-century Arab palaces of the Alhambra are often reckoned to be the greatest expression of Moorish art in Spain. Adjacent are the 16th-century Palace of Charles V and the Generalife, summer palace of the sultans.

Day 4: Granada. Morning visits to the Cathedral and Royal Chapel which retains Isabel of Castile’s personal collection of Flemish, Spanish and Italian paintings. Afternoon walk through the Albayzín, the oldest quarter in town.

Day 5: Baeza, Úbeda. Baeza has a 16th-century cathedral by Andrés de Vandelvira and many grand houses. In Úbeda the church of El Salvador was designed by Diego de Siloé in 1536. Continue to Córdoba for the first of three nights.

Day 6: Córdoba. Capital of Islamic Spain and the richest city in Europe until its capitulation to the Reconquistadors in 1236. La Mezquita (mosque), contains the 16th-century cathedral. Visit Medina Azahara, site of a 10th-century palace complex.

Day 7: Córdoba. Morning visits to the Alcázar, medieval with good Roman mosaics, and the Archaeological Museum. Explore the old Jewish quarter. Free afternoon in Córdoba.

Day 8: Écija, Seville. The many church towers of Écija are visible from afar. See the Palacio de Peñaflor and Palacio del Marqués de Benameji, and visit the Gothic-Mudéjar church of Santiago. Drive to Seville for the first of three nights.

Day 9: Seville. The Caridad is Seville’s most striking 17th-century building. Visit the immense Gothic cathedral. Free afternoon.

Day 10: Seville. The Alcázar, the fortified royal palace, built by Moorish architects for Castillian kings. Visit the Fine Arts Museum.

Day 11. Free day in Seville, with an optional morning visit to the Palacio Lebrija. Fly from Seville to London Gatwick arriving c. 7.45pm.

Seville, Cathedral and Giralda, mid-18th-century copper engraving.

The Romans in Britain

A midweek symposium in York

6–8 November 2024 (mk 556)

From £970 per person

Eleven 40-minute talks and a plenary, spanning Wednesday afternoon to Friday morning.

Esteemed archaeologists share research and new thinking on the Imperial outpost, Britannia. Based at the comfortable Grand Hotel in York for two nights, with dinner in situ both evenings.

Britain was part of the Roman empire for 367 years yet aside from what is known from Caesar’s account of the initial invasion in his Commentaries on the Gallic War, Roman historians rarely mention Britannia in detail. Most of our knowledge of Roman Britain, whether from a native or colonial perspective, is derived from physical monuments and the fruits of archaeological investigations over many decades. Roman archaeology in Britain is blossoming at present, in part as a result of increases in developer-funded archaeology, while some significant coin hoards and objects unearthed by metal detectorists in recent years have also presented fresh insight and inquiry.

The latest in series of residential symposia brings together leading archaeologists for a series of 40-minute talks. They will evaluate traditional narratives and myths and share new discoveries and fresh interpretation of the Imperial conquest of Britain and its two-way impact.

Our venue is the wood-panelled Grand Boardroom of the former offices of the North Eastern Railway, now a five-star hotel – The Grand, York, where participants also stay and where we will dine on both evenings.

Speakers: Dr Andrew Birley (Vindolanda), Professor Will Bowden (Nottingham), Professor Maureen Carroll (York), Professor Richard Hingley (Durham); Professor Martin Millett (Cambridge); Dr Sam Moorhead (British Museum); Dr Matthew Symonds (Current World Archaeology), Dr Jane Webster (Newcastle).

Session 1: Wednesday 6 November

Talk 1: Dr Matthew Symonds

Roman Britain – life under the Caesars

Talk 2: Professor Richard Hingley

Roman elite attitudes to Britain & the Ocean

Talk 3: Professor Will Bowden Boudica – fact, fiction and archaeology

Session 2:

Thursday 7 November, morning

Talk 4: Professor Martin Millett

Landscapes of Roman Britain: new perspectives

Talk 5: Dr Matthew Symonds

The Hadrian’s Wall Paradox

Talk 6: Dr Andrew Birley

In their own words, the power and the context of the Vindolanda tablets

Plenary chaired by Dr Matthew Symonds.

Session 3:

Thursday 7 November, afternoon

Talk 7: Dr Jane Webster Slavery in Roman Britain

Talk 8: Dr Sam Moorhead

Carausius, Allectus and the First Brexit

Session 4: Friday 8 November

Talk 9: Professor Maureen Carroll

Roman Death, Burial and Commemoration

Talk 10: Dr Sam Moorhead

Roman Britain – breadbasket of the Roman Rhineland

Talk 11: Professor Will Bowden

The ‘End’ of Roman Britain

Contact

The Crosby Garrett Roman cavalry helmet.

18–24 OCTOBER 2024

The south-east corner of Sicily is blessed with many delights, among them a number of gorgeous 18th- and 19th-century theatres. This festival presents five concert performances in some of these atmospheric buildings, all of which are located amid breathtakingly beautiful Baroque towns and cities. Stay throughout in historic Ortygia, one of the loveliest coastal towns in Italy.

Spaces are still available. Please contact us for full details or visit martinrandall.com

Also in 2024:

SALZBURG STRING QUARTET FESTIVAL

7–12 May 2024

MOZART ALONG THE DANUBE

28 July–4 August 2024

THE DIVINE OFFICE:

CHORAL MUSIC IN OXFORD

30 September–4 October 2024

2025 – register your interest:

MUSIC ALONG THE RHINE

8–15 May 2025

COTSWOLDS CHORAL FESTIVAL

16–20 June 2025

MUSIC ALONG THE SEINE

16–23 July 2025

HANDEL IN VALLETTA

November 2025

Calendar | 2024

May 2024

6–18 Civilisations of Sicily (mk 264)

Dr Mark Grahame

7–12 SALZBURG STRING

QUARTET FESTIVAL (mk 262)

8–16 Two Spains: the Spanish Civil War & its Aftermath (mk 267) Giles Tremlett

10–17 Madrid & Toledo (mk 271)

Gijs van Hensbergen

10–17 Art in Scotland (mk 272)

Desmond Shawe-Taylor

11–20 Classical Greece (mk 270)

Prof. Antony Spawforth

13–20 Gastronomic Le Marche (mk 276)

Marc Millon & Dr R.T. Cobianchi

13–26 The Western Balkans (mk 278)

Prof. Cathie Carmichael

14–19 Palladian Villas (mk 281)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

16 The London Backstreet Walk (lk 282)

Martin Randall

16–22 Yorkshire Houses (mk 279)

Christopher Garibaldi

16–28 Samarkand & Silk Road Cities (mk 283)

Dr Peter Webb

19–26 Medieval Heart of Portugal (mk 284)

John McNeill

20–25 Friuli-Venezia Giulia (mk 290)

Dr Carlo Corsato

20–26 Great Swedish Houses (mk 285)

Ulrica Häller

24–27 Versailles: Seat of the Sun King (mk 313)

Prof. Antony Spawforth

24– 5 The Road to Santiago (mk 300)

Dr Richard Plant

26–31 A Festival of Impressionism (mk 301)

Dr Frances Fowle

27– 3 The Ring in Berlin (mk 298)

Barry Millington

28– 2 Stockholm Modern (mk 305)

Prof. Harry Charrington

28– 4 Great Houses of the South West (mk 302)

Anthony Lambert

31– 7 Kraków & Silesia (mk 306)

Dr Hugh Doherty

June 2024

3– 9 Lucca & Vicinity (mk 310) Dr Flavio Boggi

3–11 Cyprus: stepping stone of history (mk 311) Prof. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

5 Holborn: a London Choral Day (lk 312)

5–12 Gastronomic Veneto (mk 322)

Cynthia Chaplin & Dr R.T. Cobianchi

7–14 Gastronomic Asturias & Cantabria (mk 315) Gijs van Hensbergen

8–15 Medieval Burgundy (mk 316) John McNeill

11–17 Leipzig Bach Festival (mk 320)

Prof. John Butt OBE

12 London Gardens Walk (lk 319)

Louisa Allen

14–22 Great Irish Houses (mk 321)

Anthony Lambert

16–23 The Schubertiade (mk 323)

Dr Michael Downes

19–23 Flemish Painting (mk 326) Dr Sue Jones

22–26 The Grange & Glyndebourne (mk 327)

Dr John Allison

24–28 Medieval West Midlands (mk 330)

John McNeill

24–29 Vienna’s Masterpieces (mk 334) Tom Abbott

24– 2 Gardens in the Highlands (mk 332)

Colin Crosbie

26 The City (lk 336) Martin Randall

27– 3 The Plantagenet Empire (mk 339)

Dr Marc Morris

27– 4 Trasimeno Music Festival (mk 337)

Paul Max Edlin & Dr R.T. Cobianchi

27– 5 Finland: Aalto & Others (mk 341)

Prof. Harry Charrington

30– 4 West Cork Chamber Music Festival (mk 342) Leo Samama

July 2024

1– 5 The Welsh Marches (mk 343)

John McNeill

1– 6 Walking to Derbyshire Houses (mk 344)

Anthony Lambert

1– 6 In Churchill’s Footsteps (mk 345)

Katherine Carter

1– 7 French Gothic (mk 346) Dr Jana Gajdošová

2 Whitehall (lk 348) Martin Randall

2– 8 Orkney: 5,000 Years of Culture (mk 347)

Prof. Jane Downes & Julie Gibson

7–11 Savonlinna Opera (mk 352) Dr John Allison

7–14 Lofoten Chamber Music Festival (mk 354)

Dr Michael Downes

8–14 Western Ireland Archaeology (mk 355)

Prof. Muiris O’Sullivan

8–14 Gastronomic West Country (mk 360)

Marc Millon

10–19 Scottish Houses & Castles (mk 361)

Christopher Baker

13–21 Danish Art & Design (mk 358)

Dr Shona Kallestrup

18 London Organs Day (lk 365)

19–26 Franconia (mk 369) Dr Ulrike Ziegler

21–27 Opera in Munich & Bregenz (mk 368)

Patrick Bade

22–29 The Ring in the Alps (mk 370)

Barry Millington

25 The City (lk 371) Martin Randall

28– 3 Walking the Danube (mk 372)

Richard Wigmore

28– 4 MOZART ALONG

THE DANUBE (mk 373)

August 2024

4– 9 King Ludwig II (mk 376) Tom Abbott

6 London Squares Walk (lk 377)

Martin Randall

11–24 Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania (mk 380)

Aliide Naylor

27– 2 Maritime England (mk 390) James Davey

28– 1 The Sibelius Festival (mk 393)

Dr Stephen Darlington

29– 5 The Hanseatic League (mk 395)

Andreas Puth

September 2024

2– 8 Connoisseur’s Prague (mk 411)

Dr Zoe Opačić

2– 9 Gastronomic Basque Country (mk 398)

Gijs van Hensbergen

3– 9 Cave Art in Spain (mk 399) Dr Paul Bahn

5–17 Samarkand & Silk Road Cities (mk 403)

Prof. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

6–12 Sardinia (mk 404) Dr R.T. Cobianchi

7–16 Classical Greece (mk 405) Dr Dan Jolowicz

9–14 The Etruscans (mk 409) Dr Nigel Spivey

9–21 Civilisations of Sicily (mk 410)

Dr Luca Leoncini

11–20 Albania: Crossroads of Antiquity (mk 426) Carolyn Perry

13–23 West Coast Architecture (mk 420)

Prof. Neil Jackson

14–20 Gastronomic Emilia-Romagna (mk 422)

Marc Millon & Dr Thomas-Leo True

15–22 Dark Age Brilliance (mk 424) John McNeill

15–25 Georgia Uncovered (mk 425) Ian Colvin

16–21 Ancient Rome (mk 427) Dr Mark Grahame

16–22 Walking a Royal River (mk 430)

Sophie Campbell

16–23 Footpaths of Umbria (mk 431)

Nigel McGilchrist

17–20 Historic Musical Instruments (mk 429)

Prof. Robert Adelson

18–25 English Georgian Towns (mk 433)

Andrew Foyle

23–28 Pompeii & Herculaneum (mk 435)

Dr Nigel Spivey

23–29 Raphael (mk 437) Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

23–30 Granada & Córdoba (mk 434)

Gijs van Hensbergen

24–28 Arts & Crafts in the Cotswolds (mk 436)

Janet Sinclair

25 The London Backstreet Walk (lk 439)

Sophie Campbell

25–29 Belgian Modern Masters (mk 440)

Desmond Shawe-Taylor

25– 3 The Cathedrals of England (mk 428)

Dr Hugh Doherty

26– 5 Extremadura (mk 441) Chris Moss

28– 7 Bulgaria (mk 474) Dr Nikola Theodossiev

30– 4 THE DIVINE OFFICE (mk 464)

30–10 Frank Lloyd Wright (mk 477) Tom Abbott

October 2024

4–11 Courts of Northern Italy (mk 481)

Dr Fabrizio Nevola

4–12 Basilicata & Calabria (mk 482)

John McNeill

Calendar | 2024

7–13 World Heritage Malta (mk 485)

Juliet Rix

8–15 The Douro (mk 489) Martin Symington

10–16 Gardens & Villas of the Italian Lakes (mk 491) Amanda Patton

10–16 Gastronomic Puglia (mk 545)

Christine Smallwood

10–18 Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden (mk 505)

Dr Jarl Kremeier

11–14 Connoisseur’s Pompeii (mk 507)

Dr Sophie Hay

12–17 Palermo Revealed (mk 508)

Dr Luca Leoncini

12–20 Le Corbusier (mk 509) Dr Richard Plant

14–20 Italian Design in Turin & Milan (mk 412)

Dr Philippa Joseph

14–21 Walking in Southern Tuscany (mk 510)

Dr Thomas-Leo True

14–23 Castle & León (mk 511)

Gijs van Hensbergen

16–22 Art in the Netherlands (mk 520)

Desmond Shawe-Taylor

18–24 Roman & Medieval Provence (mk 524)

Dr Alexandra Gajewski

18–24 OPERA IN SICILY (mk 525)

22–28 Modern Art on the Côte d’Azur (mk 530)

Mary Lynn Riley

24–31 Istanbul Revealed (mk 540) Jeremy Seal

24– 5 Samarkand & Silk Road Cities (mk 543)

Dr Peter Webb

25– 3 Sicily: from the Greeks to the Baroque (mk 526) John McNeill

26– 3 Essential Jordan (mk 480) Graham Philip

28– 4 Gastronomic Catalonia (mk 544)

Gijs van Hensbergen

30– 3 Opera at Wexford (mk 549)

Dr John Allison

30– 3 Art in Madrid (mk 550)

Dr Xavier Bray

30– 3 Florentine Palaces (mk 551)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

31– 5 Music of the Czech Lands (mk 552)

Prof. Jan Smaczny

November 2024

1– 9 Minoan Crete (mk 554)

Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

2– 9 Ancient & Islamic Tunisia (mk 555)

Dr Zena Kamash

5– 9 Venetian Palaces (mk 558)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

6– 8 Symposium: Roman Britain (mk 556)

8–19 The Making of Argentina (mk 560)

Chris Moss

9–22 Essential India (mk 572) Dr Giles Tillotson

11–16 Venice Revisited (mk 565) Dr Susan Steer

15–18 Chamber Music Break: Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective with Matthew Rose (mk 573) Dr Katy Hamilton

19–23 Ravenna & Urbino (mk 575)

Dr Luca Leoncini

25 Advent Choral Day (lk 580)

December 2024 | Christmas & New Year

20–27 Vienna at Christmas (mk 598) Tom Abbott

20–27 Bruges at Christmas (mk 600)

Dr Sophie Oosterwijk

20–27 Paris at Christmas (mk 599) Patrick Bade

20–27 Dresden at Christmas (mk 601)

Dr Jarl Kremeier

20–27 Venice at Christmas (mk 595)

Dr Susan Steer

20–27 Christmas in Emilia Romagna (mk 596)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

20–27 Naples at Christmas (mk 597)

Dr Luca Leoncini

27– 2 Modern Art on the Côte d’Azur at New Year (mk 606) Monica Bohm-Duchen

Illustration: Padua, Basilica del Santo, engraving c. 1740.

Tours listed with a code (e.g. ml 300) are available to book – for full details, visit martinrandall.com. To register your interest in any other title, please contact us. Dates for tours that have not yet been launched are subject to change.

January 2025

21–26 Palermo Revealed

24– 3 Oman, Landscapes & Peoples (ml 620)

Dr Peter Webb

27– 1 Pompeii & Herculaneum (ml 621)

Dr Mark Grahame

Mozart in Salzburg

Opera in Paris

Valletta Baroque Festival

February 2025

11–18 Renaissance Rivals (ml 624)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

17–24 Granada & Córdoba

24– 2 Palaces & Villas of Rome (ml 628)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

25– 3 Essential Rome

Opera in Nice & Montecarlo

Hamburg: Opera & ‘Elphi’

Caravaggio, Lombardy to Naples

March 2025

3–10 Florence & Venice

8–13 Gardens of Madeira

10–14 Ravenna & Urbino (ml 640)

Dr Luca Leoncini

11–15 Venetian Palaces

18–24 Modern Art on the Cote d’Azur

18–29 Indian Summer (ml 642) Raaja Bhasin

22–30 Gastronomic Andalucía

24–31 Walking in Sicily

24–31 Florence Revisited

31–12 Civilisations of Sicily

April 2025

1– 9 Normans in the South (ml 652)

John McNeill

2– 6 Art in Madrid (ml 654)

Dr Zahira Véliz Bomford

2– 9 Romans & Carolingians

2–11 The Grand Duchy of Tuscany

2–13 Morocco

3– 9 Gastronomic Lombardy

3–15 Samarkand & Silk Road Cities

5–13 Minoan Crete

5–14 Cities of Catalonia (ml 660)

Gijs van Hensbergen

10–16 Southern Tuscany

11–13 Welsh National Opera

11–13 Chamber Music Break: Marmen Quartet

11–18 Ancient & Islamic Tunisia

21–28 The Heart of Italy

22–28 Gardens & Villas of the Veneto

22–30 Cornish Houses & Gardens

23– 1 The Cathedrals of England (ml 671)

Dr Hugh Doherty

23– 2 Albania: Crossroads of Antiquity

24–30 Gardens & Villas of the Italian Lakes

25– 4 Classical Turkey

28– 3 Pompeii & Herculaneum (ml 673)

Dr Mark Grahame

28– 4 World Heritage Malta

28– 7 Medieval Saxony (ml 674)

Dr Ulrike Ziegler

28–12 Civilisations of Sicily Habsburg Austria Opera in Vienna Ancien Régime Paris Music in Berlin Traditions of Japan

May 2025

2– 8 Art in the Netherlands

2– 9 Courts of Northern Italy (ml 677)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

3– 9 The Ligurian Coast

4–11 Istanbul Revealed

6–11 Palladian Villas

8–15 Walking the Rhine Valley

8–15 MUSIC ALONG THE RHINE

9–18 Mahler in Amsterdam

10–17 Medieval Normandy

11–15 Welsh Castles

12–18 Gastronomic Friuli-Venezia Giulia

12–18 Walking Hadrian’s Wall

Contact us: +44 (0)20 8742 3355 | info@martinrandall.co.uk

Calendar | 2025

12–25 The Western Balkans (ml 685)

Prof. Cathie Carmichael

14–20 Shostakovich Festival Leipzig

14–22 Aragón: Hidden Spain

15–20 Art in Switzerland

15–27 Samarkand & Silk Road Cities

19–23 Arts & Crafts in the Lake District

19–28 The Venetian Land Empire (ml 695)

Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

22– 1 Moldavia & Transylvania (ml 696)

Dr Shona Kallestrup

27– 3 Footpaths of Umbria

30– 7 Medieval Burgundy

Austria’s Historic Organs

Prague Spring

The Dresden Music Festival

Classical Greece

Tuscan Gardens

Art in Japan

Bergen Music Festival

Ribera del Duero

Great Houses of the North

New English Gardens & RHS Chelsea

Art in Scotland

June 2025

2– 6 Private Houses in Norfolk

2–10 Cyprus: stepping stone of history

5–12 Gastronomic Provence

6–18 The Road to Santiago (ml 712)

Dr Richard Plant

9–15 Traversing the Tyrol

9–24 Eastern Turkey

10–16 Moving on: Architecture & Memory (ml 715) Tom Abbott

13–21 Great Irish Houses

16–20 COTSWOLDS CHORAL FESTIVAL

18–30 Galleries of the American Midwest

19–25 Asturias & Cantabria

23–27 Lincolnshire Churches (ml 722)

John McNeill

23–29 Connoisseur’s Vienna

30– 4 Medieval Oxfordshire (ml 730)

John McNeill

Treasures of Moravia

West Cork Music Festival

Gardens of Sintra

Stockholm Modern

Great Swedish Houses

Glyndebourne & Garsington/ Grange

Chichester & the South Downs Houses of the Midcounties

July 2025

1– 7 Orkney: 5,000 Years of Culture

2– 6 Flemish Painting

7–13 Lusatia: Germany’s Eastern borderlands (ml 736) Dr Jarl Kremeier

16–23 MUSIC ALONG THE SEINE

24–31 The Hanseatic League

Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

Savonlinna Opera

French Gothic

Beaune Music Festival

Opera in Munich & Bregenz

Iceland’s Story

Lofoten Festival

Gstaad Menuhin Festival

In Churchill’s Footsteps

Buxton Festival

Shakespeare & his World

Scottish Houses & Castles

August 2025

4–11 Gdańsk & Eastern Pomerania

6–14 Baroque & Rococo (ml 753) Tom Abbott

24– 1 Mitteldeutschland (ml 762)

Dr Jarl Kremeier

26– 1 Walking in Southern Bohemia

31– 5 Isambard Kingdom Brunel

The Schubertiade

Salzburg Summer

German Stately Homes

Drottningholm & Confidencen

The Lucerne Festival

Maritime England

Santa Fe Opera

Calendar | 2025

September 2025

1– 5 The Age of Bede

1–17 Peru: the Andean Heartland

2– 9 Gastronomic Galicia

3–10 Cave Art of France (ml 768) Dr Paul Bahn

5–12 Courts of Northern Italy (ml 770)

Prof. Fabrizio Nevola

5–15 Frank Lloyd Wright

6–14 Sacred Armenia

6–15 Classical Greece

7–11 Châteaux of the Loire

8–14 The Imperial Riviera

9–12 Normans & Plantagenets in South East England

9–14 Bauhaus

9–16 Medieval Champagne

9–20 Walking to Santiago

10–17 Parma & Bologna

15–20 Gardens & Villas of Campagna Romana

15–25 Georgia Uncovered

17–25 The Cathedrals of England (ml 788)

Dr Hugh Doherty

17–26 Albania: Crossroads of Antiquity

19–26 Gastronomic Asturias & Cantabria

19–29 West Coast Architecture

29– 4 Pompeii & Herculaneum (ml 801)

Dr Nigel Spivey

29– 9 Essential Andalucía (ml 803)

Dr Philippa Joseph

Haydn Festival Graz

Feudal Francia

Gastronomic Campania

Art in Le Marche

Great Palaces of Italy

Fiesole to Lucca: Tuscany on Foot

Gardens of the Bay of Naples

Early Railways: The North Great Gardens of the South

Yorkshire Modern

Thameside Houses & Palaces

Samarkand & Silk Road Cities

October 2025

2– 8 Piero della Francesca

2– 8 Gardens & Villas of the Italian Lakes

4–13 Bulgaria (ml 808) Dr Nikola Theodossiev

7–13 Modern Art on the Côte d’Azur

10–18 Basilicata & Calabria

13–17 Ravenna & Urbino (ml 815)

Dr Luca Leoncini

13–17 Siena & San Gimignano

13–22 Castile & León

17–23 Roman & Medieval Provence

18–24 Gastronomic Piedmont

18–26 Essential Jordan

20–27 Footpaths of Umbria

20– 1 Civilisations of Sicily

23–30 Istanbul Revealed

27– 2 World Heritage Malta

28– 2 Palladian Villas

The Western Balkans

Opera at Wexford

Extremadura

Opera North Tudor England

November 2025

1– 8 Ancient & Islamic Tunisia

1–16 Art History of Venice

4–16 Painted Palaces of Rajasthan (ml 843)

Dr Giles Tillotson

5– 9 Art in Madrid (ml 845) Dr Xavier Bray

11–15 Venetian Palaces

13–16 Les Années Folles

17–23 The Art of Florence

The Printing Revolution

Japanese Gardens

HANDEL IN VALLETTA

Oman, Landscapes & Peoples

December 2025

We usually offer around seven tours over Christmas and New Year. Please contact us to register your interest – either call us, or send an e-mail to alerts@martinrandall.co.uk

Making a booking

Either: on our website

Click ‘Book this tour’ on any tour page. Fill in your details, consent to the booking conditions, and pay the deposit (10% of your total booking price) or full balance if booking within 10 weeks of departure.

Or: by telephone or e-mail

Call or e-mail us to make a provisional booking, which we hold for up to seven days. Within that time, we require you to complete a booking form (we can provide this electronically or by post) and pay the deposit or full balance if booking within 10 weeks of departure.

Confirming your booking

Once you have completed the previous steps, we will send you a formal confirmation. Your deposit is then non-refundable except under the special circumstances mentioned in our booking conditions.

Booking conditions

It is important that you read these before committing to a booking. We will direct you to these when you book, but you can also find them online: www.martinrandall.com/terms

Fitness

Ensure also that you have read ‘How strenuous’ in the ‘Practicalities’ section of the tour description – and that you have taken our fitness tests, available at martinrandall.com/ about-us under ‘Fitness’.

Illustration: Barcelona, Cathedral, engraving, c. 1890.

Online talks with expert speakers

www.martinrandall.com/online-talks

Rethinking the History of Architecture in Britain, 1530–1830 | Dr Steven Brindle

Six talks – £75

View until 30th May 2024

Operas and Places | Simon Rees

Five talks – £65

View until 28th May 2024

Five pictures: when art meets science

Dr Patricia Fara

Five talks – £65

Tuesdays, 9th April–7th May 2024

View until 2nd July 2024

Talks are broadcast live on Zoom at 4.30pm (London time). Recordings are then available exclusively for subscribers to view for up to eight weeks after the end of a series.

Churchill and the Boffins: Science and Scientists at War | Taylor Downing

Five talks – £65

Thursdays, 11th April–9th May 2024

View until 4th July 2024

Crafting the Nation: national styles in art and architecture c. 1900

Dr Shona Kallestrup

Five talks – £65

Tuesdays, 14th May–11th June 2024

View until 6th August 2024

Conduct, Compose, Perform: a musician’s life | in partnership with the Royal Philharmonic Society

Three talks – £45

Thursdays, 23rd May–6th June 2024

View until 1st August 2024

Venice and the Birth of the Modern World: visual culture in the era of print Dr Michael Douglas-Scott

Five talks – £65

Thursdays, 13th June–11th July 2024

View until 5th September 2024

Askeli Gallen Kallela, The Defence of the Sampo, Turku Art Museum. (Crafting the Nation.)