The Flemish Art Cities of Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp

A FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 MARCH 2023

Our new tour to these three great Flemish art cities was inspired by the long-awaited reopening of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA) in Antwerp, and while this wonderful museum may be the highlight of the tour for many, the mediaeval charm of Bruges and Van Eyck’s masterpiece ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ in Ghent are not to be overlooked. All three cities offer a vivid insight into the history and art of Flanders in its Golden Age. The spectacular reimagining of the KMSKA in Antwerp puts its extensive collection of Old Masters front and centre, we will see works by Rubens, Memling, Van Eyck and Van Dyck, alongside pieces by Ensor, Fouquet, Titian and Modigliani among others. In Ghent, Jan Van Eyck’s altarpiece has recently been returned to St Bavo’s Cathedral, where visitors can see this remarkable altarpiece with greater clarity than before, after a painstaking renovation restored the work’s original vibrance. Among the highlights of picturesque Bruges are the Groeningemuseum with its own collection of important works by Van Eyck, the Gruuthusemuseum and Michelangelo’s ‘Madonna and Child’ at the Church of Our Lady.

the itinerary

We travel to Belgium in the fastest and most comfortable manner, by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille. Here we will be met by our coach for the two hour drive to Ghent, where we stay at the 4* deluxe Hotel Harmony for the duration of the holiday. Run by the charming De Smet family, the hotel is ideally located in the heart of the historic centre. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the town.

Our first day will be spent in Ghent where we will visit the Museum of Fine Arts and see its varied collection which ranges from works by Hieronymus Bosch and Rubens to Magritte and Rodin. We explore the Ghent City Museum which tells the story of the city from the Middle Ages to the present day from within a 14th century abbey, 17th century convent and a new 21st century building. In the afternoon we will take a walk through the historic centre and visit St Bavo’s Cathedral to view Van Eyck’s masterpiece ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’.

In Bruges we discover an almost perfect mediaeval townscape, protected from modernisation by the farsightedness of the city’s 19th century fathers. Adding to the charm are the canals that meander through the city. We will visit the Groeningemuseum, home to a world-class collection of Flemish Primitives, and visit the recently refurbished Gruuthusemuseum, which brings the history of Bruges from its prosperous Burgundian period to life, through an exhibition of over 600 items. In the Church of Our Lady we will see Michelangelo’s profoundly moving ‘Madonna and Child’.

Royal Musuem of Fine Arts © Karen Borghouts

DAY 4

Today we will make a full day excursion to Antwerp including a visit to the fully renovated Royal Musuem of Fine Arts. An eleven-year project has added a modern white-cube gallery into the courtyards of the original neo-classical building, which dates from 1890. The impressive collection of Old Masters is hung alongside modern works in a series of thematic rooms, prompting fascinating comparisons and conversations between the pieces. We visit the great Cathedral with the ineffably moving altarpiece by Rubens and the Mayer van den Bergh Museum, an intimate collection assembled by Fritz Mayer van den Bergh in the 19th century which includes Pieter Bruegel’s worldfamous painting, ‘Mad Meg’.

5

On our final morning there is some free time to explore Ghent independently before our transfer to Lille and our Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

DAY

TOUR INFORMATION

DEPARTURE DATE & PRICES

DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 13 March £1,985 £198

Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

EUROSTAR DETAILS

Depart London St. Pancras 11.04, arrive Lille 13.26 Depart Lille 15.30, arrive London St. Pancras 16.00

WHAT WE INCLUDE

• Return Standard Premier Class Eurostar between London and Lille • Four nights’ accommodation with breakfast • Two dinners • One lunch • Services of the Kirker Tour Leader • All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities as described