1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. italy

TOUR PROGRAM
August 2015 – July 2016
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your
bags
academytravel.com.au
Why choose
x
x
academy travel?
x
Carefully planned
itineraries
$x pp, twin share (land content only)
$x single supplement
ENJOY
‘The Sistine
•x Chapel private tour was
fantastic, thank you for organising it.’
All itineraries feature a carefully thought
out balance of walking tours, gallery and
museum visits, scenic excursions, dining
and performances.
Grand Tour of Italy, September 2014
like-minded
groups
Share your journey with fellow travellers
who are in tune with your way of seeing
the world. A maximum of 20 participants
– not too small and not too large –
creates a convivial atmosphere.
Overview
x
Touring Highlights
>x
Long stays
Perhaps the most appealing feature of
Your
tour
leadertours, no
our program.
No whistlestop
x xx
7.00am departures,
day after day. In most
destinations we enjoy three or four nights
Getting
there
to really get to
know the place.
x
Special experiences
A private viewing of the Sistine Chapel or
the Museum of Modern Art in New York?
Tickets to sold-out shows at the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra? Many of our
More
details
at academytravel.com.au
tours
feature
top-flight events not usually
offered on group tours.
Itinerary
Day 1: x
Expert tour leaders
Our tour leaders combine academic
expertise with a genuine passion for
the places they visit. Under their expert
guidance you see rather than just
look, hear rather than just listen and
understand rather than just observe.
Your travel experience is transformed.
2
www.academytravel.com.au
Maximum 20 in a group
“Having never done an organised
group tour before, I was apprehensive,
but would have no hesitation doing
another Academy Travel tour.”
Venice, March 2014.
‘This was my first experience of a guided tour
and I found it a very satisfying trip with
a pleasant group of fellow travellers’.
Istanbul and Venice, October 2014
x
contents
x
$xx pp, twin share (land content only)
$xx single supplement
x
ITALY4
Discover
‘I
have travelled with several specialist tour companies
•xx
but think Academy Travel the best.’
Lakes and Villas of Northern Italy, May 2014
EUROPE12
MUSIC TOURS
23
ASIA31
Overview
The Americas
34
Middle east
39
TEACHER P.D.
41
Preview 2016
42
x
Touring Highlights
The next steps 43
>x
academytravel.com.au
Your tour leader
x xx
Getting there
x
Our website contains
detailed itineraries,
maps and tour leader
profiles. Our site also
features an online
booking form.
More information
Detailed itineraries for all
tours are available by calling
us or by downloading
from our website.
academytravel.com.au
Sold out tours
‘I cannot commend the tour highly enough – it was
perfectly organised, the content was
very well considered
Itinerary
Day 1: x
and the tour leader worked incredibly hard ensuring that
everything went smoothly. Fabulous value for money.’
Frank Lloyd Wright, Chicago to New York, May 2014
‘The tour leader brought the history and culture to
life and delighted us with her stories of the Gods and
Goddesses. Her enthusiasm for Sicily was infectious.’
Sicily and the Aeolian islands, October 2014
Sicily and the Aeolian Islands
September
2015
More
details 4-20,
at academytravel.com.au
Cyprus and the Greek Islands
September 17 – October 4, 2015
Classical and Ottoman Turkey
October 8-25, 2015
North East USA: Boston, Washington
and New York
October 16 – November 1, 2015
Front cover: Fabio Mauri’s Il Muro Occidentale
o del Pianto (The Western or the Wailing Wall)
in MAXXI Museum, Rome.
Inset: Van Gogh’s The Gardiner in the Galleria
Nazionale di Arte Moderna, Rome.
Brochure production: Damien Flint
Design: Pro Bono Publico
Tour Product Managers: Stuart Barrie,
Nick Gordon, Robina Frosinini, Hannah Kleboe,
Mark Lalor and Robert Veel.
3
Sicily & the Aeolian Islands
Jewels of the Mediterranean
September 4-20, 2015
May 6-22, 2016
$8,420 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,500 single supplement
EXPLORE
•The thriving colonies of the ancient
Greek world – wealthy, cultured
centres of literature and art
•Ancient Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman societies, and their
struggle to control the Mediterranean
•The lasting legacy of medieval Arab
and Norman rule, expressed in the
mosaics and architecture of Palermo
•The distinctive period of ‘Sicilian
Baroque’ architecture
•Dramatic countryside, including active volcanoes
•The natural beauty and traditional
lifestyle of the Aeolian Islands
OVERVIEW
This 17-day tour around Sicily has been designed to give the first-time visitor an overview
of the island’s diverse and fascinating history, art and traditions. Explore prehistoric, Greek
and Roman sites across the island. Enjoy the dramatic scenery of Sicily and the Aeolian
Islands, with their volcanoes and steep coastlines. Visit medieval Norman cathedrals with
fine Byzantine mosaics. Sample some of Sicily’s excellent wines and Arab-influenced cuisine.
Optional 5-day extension tour to Malta.
YOUR TOUR LEADER
Dr Estelle Lazer is
an archaeologist of
international acclaim.
She has led numerous
trips to southern Italy for
Academy Travel.
GETTING THERE
Emirates offers regular flights to Rome.
Contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
HIGHLIGHTS
>A private boat trip of the Aeolian Islands
from Lipari to Stromboli and Panarea
>Outstanding archaeological museums
in Siracusa, Agrigento and Lipari
>The Sicilian Baroque architecture of
Noto and Ragusa
>The 4th-century mosaics in the Roman
villa at Piazza Armerina
>The UNESCO World Heritage mosaics
of Monreale and the Palatine Chapel
in Palermo, undertaken by Byzantine
masters for their Norman rulers
>An excursion to the summit of Mt Etna
More details at academytravel.com.au
Stromboli
Lipari Islands
(Aeolian Islands)
Palermo
Messina
Segesta
Selinunte
Cefalu
Sicily
Mt Etna
Taormina
Piazza Amerina
Catania
Agrigento
Ragusa
Siracusa
Noto
4
Carefully planned itineraries
ITINERARY
Optional pre-tour 5-day extension tour to Malta.
Days 1–4: Arrive Siracusa and tour the
archaeological sites and Baroque architecture.
Days 5–6: Travel to the Greek temples at Agrigento
via the Roman villa at Piazza Armerina.
Days 7–10: Sightseeing in the capital of Palermo,
including the cathedral at Monreale. Visit
the tiny island of Mozia.
Days 11–13: Continue on to Cefalu and take a private boat trip from Lipari to Stromboli and Panarea.
Days 14–17: In Taormina, visit the fine Graeco-Roman theatre and enjoy superb views of Mount Etna.
Rome to Turin
Italy’s western shores
$8,750 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,950 single supplement
October 8-24, 2015
DISCOVER
•The ancient civilisation of the
Etruscans, rulers of central Italy in the
centuries before Roman dominance
•The island of Elba, controlled by the
Medici princes and the short-lived
home of the exiled Napoleon
•The medieval maritime republics of
Pisa and Genoa, with their distinctly
oriental art and architecture derived
from trade and cultural exchange
•The colourful coastal scenery of the
Riviera di Levante and the Cinque Terre
•The Savoy rulers of Turin, patrons of art, architecture and music
OVERVIEW
Travel with two of our most popular leaders and explore the history and natural beauty
of Italy’s western shores. This 17-day journey begins in Terme di Stigliano, near Rome, and
moves up the Tyrrhenian coast to Turin. Visits to leading archaeological sites, galleries and
museums are combined with boat and land excursions through the fine scenery. Food and
wine play a central role in Italian culture, and we have included several memorable meals,
accompanied by regional wines.
HIGHLIGHTS
>The most important and best-preserved
Etruscan sites in Italy
>The fishing village of Camogli, with walks
and a private boat trip to the Cinque Terre
>On the island of Elba admire its fine
coastline and historic sites
>The elegant medieval Tuscan town of Lucca
>Carrara’s internationally renowned marble
quarries
>Pisa beyond the Leaning Tower, including
superb medieval art galleries and
Renaissance sites
>The remarkable private art collection
at the Pinacoteca Agnelli, located within
the Fiat automotive complex near Turin
ITINERARY
Day 1–3: Arrive Rome and transfer to Terme
di Stigliano. Visit Etruscan sites, a Renaissance
castle and a garden by the British landscape
designer Russell Page.
Days 4–5: Tour the island of Elba, dotted with
villages, ports and historic villas.
Days 6–9: Examine Pisa’s glorious maritime
past, with day trips to Lucca and Carrara.
Days 9–12: From the seaside town of Camogli,
explore the Italian Riviera, with day trips to
Genoa, Portofino and the Cinque Terre.
Days 13–17: Travel to Turin to sample the best
of European art at the astounding Pinacoteca
Agnelli.
YOUR TOUR LEADERS
Dr Kathleen Olive holds a PhD
in Italian Studies from the
University of Sydney. She is
one of Academy Travel’s most
respected tour leaders.
Dr Estelle Lazer is an
archaeologist of international
acclaim. She has led numerous
trips for Academy Travel.
GETTING THERE
Emirates offers the best connections to
Rome and Milan. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Milan
Turin
Alba
Genoa
ITALY
Camogli
Portofino
Cinque Terre
Pisa
Lucca
Piombino
Elba
Portoferraio
Terme di Stigliano
Rome
5
Grand Tour of Italy
Bay of Naples, Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence & Venice
October 13-30, 2015
April 5-22, 2016
$8,250 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,200 single supplement
DISCOVER
•2,500 years of art and architecture,
stretching from the frescoes of Pompeii
to the art of the Italian Renaissance, the Baroque and 20th-century
•The dramatic history of Italy, brimming
with memorable personalities and great dynasties
•The rich regional variety on the Italian
peninsula, from the Mediterranean
south to rural Umbria and Tuscany and
the great centres of Rome and Venice
•Stunning landscapes, such as the Amalfi
Coast, the hills of Tuscany and the
Venetian lagoon
OVERVIEW
Our signature tour is designed to take you to the great sights of Italy in style. We survey
the sweep of Italian history, culture and art from the ancient Romans to cutting-edge
modern design. Three and four-night stays allow you time to take in the important cities
and explore a little on your own. Food and wine play a central role in Italian culture, and
we have included several memorable meals, accompanied by regional wines.
YOUR TOUR LEADERS
Dr Nicholas Gordon (October)
has a PhD in late medieval
Italian and early modern
English history from the
University of Sydney. He has led
many tours for Academy Travel.
Dr Kathleen Olive (April) holds
a PhD in Italian Studies from
the University of Sydney. She is
one of Academy Travel’s most
respected tour leaders.
GETTING THERE
Emirates offers the best connections to
Rome and Venice. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
HIGHLIGHTS
>Pompeii and Herculaneum – Europe’s
premier archaeological sites
>Private boat tour to Capri and Amalfi
>Private evening viewing of Michelangelo’s
Sistine Chapel in Rome – an unrivalled
opportunity to see this masterpiece free
of the tourist crowds
>Italy’s leading art museums, including
the Galleria Borghese, the Uffizi and the
Venice Accademia
>Al fresco lunch at the celebrated Locanda
Cipriani on the island of Torcello in Venice
>Private after-hours tour of St Mark’s
Basilica to witness the illumination of
the mosaics
More details at academytravel.com.au
ITINERARY
Venice
Italy
Ravenna
Florence
San Luca
Rome
Naples
6
Expert tour leaders
Day 1: Arrive Rome and transfer to Naples.
Days 2–4: Explore the Bay of Naples, with
walking tours, a private boat trip and visits to
Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Days 5–8: Four nights in Rome, with walking
tours, leading art galleries and our Sistine Chapel
private visit.
Days 9–12: Over four nights in Umbria exploring
medieval villages, hidden valleys and the world of St Francis of Assisi.
Days 13–15: Travel to Florence via Siena, visiting
key sites of the Italian Renaissance.
Days 15–18: On to Venice, via the 6th-century
mosaics of Ravenna.
Palermo and Naples
art, history & culture in Italy’s southern capitals
$6,950 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,550 single supplement
December 29, 2015 – January 12, 2016
Experience
•Mediterranean history, art and
architecture, showcasing more than
3,000 years of civilisation
•Classical archaeology at leading Greek
and Roman sites is Sicily and on the Bay
of Naples
•The lasting legacy of medieval Arab and
Norman rule, expressed in the mosaics
and architecture of Palermo
•The ‘southern Renaissance’ of the
18th-century, culminating in the period
of Bourbon rule, which made Naples a
major European centre of culture
Overview
A feast for the senses, this 15-day tour begins with seven nights in Palermo where centuries
of diverse cultures, from the ancient Greeks to the Normans, come together. We explore the
layers of the city’s cultural heritage and venture out with day trips to Segesta and Cefalù.
We then fly to Naples, our base for the next seven nights, where we explore the ancient sites
of Vesuvius, Herculaneum and Paestum. Next we travel along the scenic Amalfi Coast and
visit the galleries of Capodimonte and the Naples National Archaeological Museum.
Highlights
Your tour leader
>Well-preserved Greek and Roman culture at
Segesta, Paestum, Pozzuoli and Herculaneum
>Arab-Norman mosaics in Palermo and Cefalù
>Palermo’s and Naples’ excellent gastronomic
scenes, including tastings of local specialties
>Little-visited but world-famous artworks
at Capodimonte and in the footsteps of
Caravaggio
>Only two hotel stays: seven nights at each
>Off-season travel: low visitor numbers and
mild weather
>The highs and lows of local culture, from
the New Year’s Day concert at the Teatro
Massimo in Palermo to the raucous
Epiphany celebrations in Naples!
Dr Kathleen Olive holds a
PhD in Italian studies from
the University of Sydney.
She has an outstanding
knowledge of Italy’s cultural
heritage and is one of
Academy Travel’s most
respected and popular tour leaders.
Getting there
Emirates flies to Rome daily from most
Australian cities. Cathay Pacific flies on most
days. Contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Palermo.
Days 2–7: View Greek architecture in Segesta
and Arab-Norman Byzantine mosaics in Palermo.
Visit the home of author Giuseppe Tomasi di
Lampedusa (The Leopard), and enjoy a New Year’s
Day concert at Palermo’s Teatro Massimo.
Days 8–14: Fly to Naples and explore the ancient
sites of Vesuvius, Herculaneum and Paestum.
Travel along the scenic Amalfi Coast and visit
the galleries of Capodimonte and the Museo
Nazionale. Dine at excellent restaurants, follow in
Caravaggio’s footsteps and enjoy a performance
at the historic Teatro San Carlo.
Day 15: Transfer to Rome airport for flights home.
Rome
Italy
Naples
Palermo
7
x
The
City of Rome
x
from
Antiquity to the 21st Century
$6,890
$x
pp, twin
pp, share
twin share
(land content
(land content
only) only)
$x singlesingle
$1,350
supplement
supplement
x
January
7-21, 2016
REVEL
ENJOY in
•
•A
x unique glimpse of 2,500 years of
Western civilisation, a ‘living museum’
on display in the streets, piazze and
palazzi of Rome
•The huge and complex legacy of
Ancient Rome on Italy’s later history
and culture, from the Renaissance to
the 20th-century
•Little-visited but wonderful sites tucked
away from the centre of the city
•La dolce vita – fine dining, excellent
local trattorie, a symphony concert
and an opera
•The benefits of low-season travel with fewer visitors and mild weather
Overview
Rome is a city of unique character and charm, and well worth an extended visit. Historic sites
x
stretching from Etruscan prehistory to the 21st century are set among the ageless laneways and
Touring
Highlights
piazze of the old city.
Our two-week tour begins with Ancient Rome, source of the modern city’s
pride
and
traditions.
We
then explore the pivotal Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods,
>x
a showcase of fine art and architecture, before turning our attention to impressive 20th- and
21st-century sites. Accommodation is in the centrally located four-star Hotel Ponte Sisto.
Your tour leader
Highlights
Robert
x xx Veel has led groups
to Rome since 1990. Years
of
travel and workthere
in Rome
Getting
have
given him an intimate
x
knowledge of the city that
goes well beyond the tourist
experience. Robert holds a
master’s degree from the University of Sydney,
where he taught Medieval and Renaissance
history for 15 years. He speaks fluent Italian.
>Historically sequenced walking tours and
gallery visits to explore Rome’s evolution
from its earliest days to the 21st-century
>Visits to Rome’s most distinctive
neighbourhoods, including Trastevere,
the Spanish Steps and the Field of Mars
>A full day surveying the remarkable art of
Caravaggio
>A full day inside the Vatican Museums and
St Peter’s Basilica
>Visits to difficult-to-access sites including
the Roman ‘Domus Valentini’ and the
Palazzo Farnese
>Rome’s excellent Museum of Modern Art,
devoted to the 19th and 20th-centuries,
and the contemporary MAXXI art museum
Getting there
Emirates flies to Rome daily from most
Australian cities. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days1:1–4:
Day
x Arrive in Rome. Explore Ancient Rome
with walking tours to key museums and the
Appian Way.
Days 5–6: Retrace the steps of Rome’s medieval
pilgrims in catacombs and mosaic-encrusted
churches.
Days 7–10: Examine the art, architecture and
history of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Visit the Villa D’Este and enjoy a night at the
Teatro dell’opera.
Days 11–15: Survey Caravaggio in Rome, take
a full day to explore the Vatican Museums and
St Peter’s Basilica, and learn about Rome in the
19th, 20th and 21st centuries, including art
museums rarely visited by tourists.
8
Maximum 20 in a group
Puglia to Pompeii
x
Classical Southern Italy
x
$7,970
$xx
pp, twin
pp, twin
share
share
(land
(land
content
content
only)
only)
$xx single
$1,750
single
supplement
supplement
March 10-26, 2016
x
ENJOY
Discover
•
The history and classical archaeology
•xx
of Southern Italy on display at
Paestum, Pompeii and Herculaneum
•Thousands of years of history ranging
from the Greek colonists and the
Romans in the Classical age to the
Arabs, Normans, Germans, Aragonese,
Spanish, Bourbon and French
•The rich diversity of landscapes, from
rugged mountain ranges to stunning
Mediterranean scenery
•The excellent regional food and wine
traditions of southern Italy
Overview
This
x 17-day tour will appeal to those looking to take ‘the road less travelled’ through the regions
of Puglia and Basilicata, and on to the famous archaeological sites of the Bay of Naples. We
Touring
Highlights
explore
sites ranging
from the cave dwellings of Matera to ancient Greek colonies, fine Norman
castles
and
cathedrals
and the striking scenery of the Salentine peninsula. Along the way we
>x
enjoy the fine food and hospitality that is traditional in southern Italy, a region still delightfully
free of mass tourism. (An optional four-day extension to Capri and Amalfi is also available.)
Highlights
Your
tour leader
Your tour leader
>xx
The ‘Southern Baroque’ architecture of Lecce
x
>Unique ‘sassi’ cave dwellings in Matera,
Getting
there
one of Italy’s most
remote cities
>The medieval castles and cathedrals of
x
Puglia, built by Norman and German rulers
>The battlefield of Cannae, where Hannibal
defeated the Romans in 216 BC
>Hidden artistic and architectural gems of
Naples seen by relatively few tourists
>Paestum, Pompeii and Herculaneum –
Europe’s premier archaeological sites
>Capodimonte, one of Italy’s finest art galleries
>The island of Ischia, where history and
intense beauty sit side by side
Dr Estelle Lazer is an
archaeologist who has spent
many years in the Bay of
Naples, working onsite at
Pompeii and Herculaneum.
She has an international
reputation for her research
on the skeletal remains at Pompeii and a
comprehensive knowledge of the history,
mythology and archaeology of southern Italy.
Getting there
Emirates flies to Rome daily from most
Australian cities. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive
x
in Lecce.
Days 2–3: Enjoy three nights in Lecce, visiting
Otranto and Brindisi.
Days 4–5: Tour Taranto and the ‘sassi’ of Matera.
Day 6: Spend four nights in Trani, seeing Roman
and medieval sites and sections of the Appian Way.
Days 10–12: Travel via Mefli to Paestum and
spend a full day enjoying the Greek temples here.
Days 13–16: Enjoy five nights in Naples, exploring
Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capodimonte and the
National Archaeological Museum.
Day 17: Transfer to Rome airport for flights home,
or continue on the optional four-day extension to
Capri and Amalfi.
Italy
Rome
Trani
Naples
Brindisi
Matera
Paestum
Lecce
9
Lakes and Villas
of Northern Italy
April 21 – May 7, 2016
$8,970 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,600 single supplement
DISCOVER
•Italy’s genius for art and architecture in
spectacular lakeside and country sites
•Italian history and art, from medieval
towns to villas and 20th-century estates
•Some of the world’s most beautiful
gardens, still in the hands of Italy’s
leading families
•The Renaissance villas of Palladio
•The stunning colours of pre-Alpine Italy
•The best of northern Italy’s regional
cuisines, famous for prosciutto,
parmigiano and prosecco
Overview
This 17-day tour begins on the shores of Lake Como. We follow a circular route around northern
Italy, visiting the foothills of the Apennines in Emilia-Romagna with their medieval towns and
contemporary villas, and then travelling to the Veneto where we admire the Renaissance country
houses of architect Andrea Palladio. The tour concludes on Lake Maggiore. Our itinerary makes
the most of the spectacular colours of pre-Alpine and its gardens, and enjoy the culinary delights
of the region at a gentle pace. (An optional four-night extension in Milan is also available.)
Your tour leader
Highlights
Dr Nick Gordon holds a PhD
in Italian history from the
University of Sydney. He has
taught European history at
universities in Sydney and
has led tours to Italy for
Academy Travel for several
years. His technical expertise and aesthetic
sense as a painter complement his deep
knowledge of the art and history of Italy.
>Welcome lunch at Villa d’Este, and fine
regional cuisine in superior restaurants
>Lake Como, famed for its natural beauty
and the elegant villas along its shores
>The Apennine foothills, a region dotted
with exceptional castles and hill towns
>Verona: explore villas, gardens and the
medieval city
>Excursions to Lake Garda and Lake Orta
>Visits to the Valdobiadene and
Franciacorta, Italy’s premier sparkling
wine regions
>The Borromean Islands and the gardens
of Lake Maggiore
Getting there
Singapore Airlines and Emirates offer flights
to Milan from most Australian cities. Contact
us for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
switzerland
ITALY
Lake Como
Lake
Maggiore
Bergamo
Milan
Asolo
Verona
Lake Garda
Cremona
10
www.academytravel.com.au
Vicenza
Day 1: Arrive in Milan, and transfer to Bellagio.
Days 2–5: Visit 18th and 19th-century villas that
line the shores of the lake.
Days 6–8: Explore the hill towns and medieval
castles of Reggio-Emilia.
Days 9–10: From Asolo, admire Palladio’s country
houses, theatres and palaces.
Days 11–13: From Verona, explore Roman and
Baroque sites of the region.
Days 14–16: Travel to Lake Maggiore, visiting
Lake Orta, and the beautiful gardens of the
Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore.
Day 17: Transfer to Milan airport for flights home.
Villas and Gardens
of Central Italy
$8,350 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,950 single supplement
May 4-20, 2016
EXPERIENCE
•The history and design of some
of Italy’s finest gardens, from the
Renaissance to the 20th-century
•The joy of small Italian towns, with
extended stays in Frascati, Civita
Castellana and Fiesole, balanced with
time in bustling Rome
•A survey of excellent regional food and
wine, from simple country inns to fivestar luxury at Fiesole’s Villa San Michele
•Stunning and varied landscapes, from
volcanic lakes to the rolling hills of the
Val d’Orcia
Overview
This tour explores the heartland of villeggiatura in the hills of Tuscany and Lazio. Alongside
a superb range of villas and gardens, our itinerary takes in a broad range of little-visited sites,
from painted Etruscan tombs in Tarquinia to the tranquil Cistercian Abbey at Fossanova.
The countryside is also a major attraction, with the rolling hills of Tuscany, steep peaks of the
Castelli Romani and volcanic lakes north of Rome all adding to the beauty of the experience.
Highlights
Your tour leader
>The romantic gardens at Ninfa, south of
Rome, and the pope’s summer gardens at
Castel Gandolfo
>Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este at Tivoli,
ancient Roman villas on the Appian Way
>Suburban villas in Rome, including the
Villa Borghese and the Villa Farnesina
>The classic gardens of Roman cardinals
at the Villa Lante and the Sacro Bosco of
Bomarzo
>The outstanding 20th-century designs of
Cecil Pinsent in Fiesole and Iris Origo at
Villa La Foce
>Public and private gardens in Florence,
from the Boboli to the Torrigiani Gardens
and the Villa Gamberaia
Dr Kathleen Olive holds a
PhD in Italian studies from
the University of Sydney.
She has an outstanding
knowledge of Italy’s cultural
heritage and is one of
Academy Travel’s most
respected and popular tour leaders.
Getting there
Emirates flies daily to Milan daily from
most Australian cities, and home from
Rome. Contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1–4: Meet at Rome airport. Three nights in
the hill town of Frascati, exploring ancient and
Renaissance gardens in the Roman campagna.
Day 5–8: Travel to Rome for the sumptuous
suburban villas and gardens of the city.
Day 9–12: Travel to Civita Castellana and
explore Viterbo, Etruscan Tarquinia and nearby
Roman aristocratic castles and gardens
Day 13–16: Travel to Fiesole, in the hills above
Florence. Visit gardens in the Tuscan countryside
Day 17: Transfer to Rome airport for flights
home.
Fiesole
Italy
Civita Castellana
Rome
Frascati
11
St Petersburg
and Moscow
September 18 – October 4, 2015
$9,300 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,890 single supplement
Get to know
•A rich and tumultuous history
stretching back hundreds of years
•Vast repositories of art and culture in
Russia’s incredible array of museums
and galleries
•Sumptuous palaces built for the tsars
and designed by architects to rival the
best in Western Europe
•The resilience of a people who have
survived catastrophic wars and
revolution
•Ancient wooden towns of the Golden
Ring around Moscow
OVERVIEW
Delve into Russian culture, history and art on this comprehensive 17-day tour. Spend seven
nights in St Petersburg exploring the city’s famous landmarks, art museums, churches and
palaces, with a day trip to Catherine the Great’s palaces. Immerse yourself in Moscow’s Red
Square, visit the Kremlin’s cathedrals and Armoury Collection, the Pushkin Museum and the
Tretyakov Gallery, and experience a performance at the legendary Bolshoi. Spend three nights
in Suzdal, with visits to the Golden Ring towns of Sergiev Posad and Vladimir.
YOUR TOUR LEADER
HIGHLIGHTS
Dr Matthew Dal Santo is
a historian with Honours
degrees from both Sydney
and Cambridge universities.
He was a Fellow in History
at Trinity College, where
he received his PhD, and
speaks numerous languages, including
some Russian.
>Seven nights in St Petersburg visiting
the Hermitage and the Russian Museum.
>Full-day excursion to the magnificent
palaces of Catherine the Great
>Red Square and the treasures of the
State Armoury in Moscow
>A performance at the Bolshoi
>Masterpieces of Russian art at the
Tretyakov Gallery
>Sergiev Posad, home of the Russian
Orthodox Church
>Three nights in Suzdal exploring the
wooden architecture and churches
of the Golden Ring
GETTING THERE
Emirates offer daily flights from Australian
cities via Dubai to St Petersburg and home
from Moscow. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
ITINERARY
St Petersburg
RUSSIA
Pushkin
Suzdal
Vladimir
Moscow
12
Carefully planned itineraries
Day 1: Arrive in St Petersburg.
Days 2–8: Over six days explore the city’s
extraordinary landmarks, galleries, churches,
palaces and museums, including a day trip to
Catherine’s palaces at Pushkin.
Day 9: Travel in luxury by fast train to Moscow.
Days 10–14: Over four days discover Red
Square, the Kremlin, the Tretyakov Gallery and
Moscow’s museums, and attend a performance
at the Bolshoi.
Days 15–17: Stay three nights in the charming
Golden Ring town of Suzdal, with visits to
Sergiev Posad and Vladimir.
Istanbul and Venice
a tale of two cities
$7,770 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,800 single supplement
September 22 – October 6, 2015
Explore
•The Emperor Constantine’s creation of a ‘New Rome’ in Constantinople
•How the Venetians and the Turks ruled
the Mediterranean – one through
conquest and the other through trade
•The shared physical beauty of two
great cities
•Majestic Byzantine and Ottoman art and architecture in Istanbul
•The all-encompassing relationship
between Venice and the sea
•Early Christian art in Ravenna and the islands of the Venetian lagoon
•The distinctive style of Venetian painting
Overview
The great cities of Istanbul and Venice, straddling East and West, are indissolubly linked
through their history, culture and art. Our 15-day journey explores these links in depth.
We begin in Istanbul, imperial capital of both the Byzantines and the Ottoman Turks,
Venice’s implacable enemy. We then fly to Italy, spending two nights in Ravenna,
Byzantium’s capital in the west, before spending six nights in Venice, whose unique
art and culture is profoundly influenced by its links to the East.
Highlights
>Cruise up the Bosphorus to visit the
Sultan Mehmet II fortress
>Sumptuous Ottoman fine and decorative
arts at the Museum of Turkish and
Islamic Arts
>Two nights in Ravenna, the lavishly
decorated imperial capital
>Day trip to Padua to view Giotto’s
Scrovegni Chapel
>The art of Carpaccio, Bellini, Titian and
Tintoretto in palaces, confraternities
and churches
>Farewell lunch at the legendary Locanda
Cipriani on the island of Torcello
Your tour leader
Dr Kathleen Olive holds
a PhD in Italian from the
University of Sydney. She
has been lecturing and
leading tours to Italy, Spain
and Turkey for Academy
Travel since 2009.
Getting there
Emirates offers regular flights from most
Australian cities in to Istanbul and home
from Venice. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–6: In Istanbul, view the mosaics in Hagia
Sophia and the Great Palace Museum, cruise the
Bosphorus and admire Ottoman architecture
and decorative arts at the Blue Mosque and
Topkapı Palace.
Days 7–8: Fly to Venice, then on to Ravenna for its stunning 5th and 6th-century mosaics.
Days 9–15: Return to Venice via Padua to
examine the extensive connections with the East at St Mark’s Basilica, the Correr Museum, the Ghetto and in the Accademia art gallery.
Cruise the Venetian lagoon, visiting Murano,
Burano and Torcello’s Byzantine mosaics.
Venice
Ravenna
ITALY
Istanbul
TURKEY
13
The Riviera to Barcelona
Art, History & Civilisation
September 17 – October 3, 2015
$9,250 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,200 single supplement
Enjoy
•Three millennia of civilization, from
Roman towns to medieval villages and belle-époque resort towns
•The company and leadership of an
expert lecturer as you sample the
artistic heritage of France’s south:
Cezanne, Matisse, Renoir, Van Gogh,
Chagall and more
•The distinctive landscape, cuisine and
culture of France’s Languedoc region
•The late 19th and early 20th-century art
and architecture of Barcelona, capital of
the economically and culturally vibrant
Catalonia region of Spain
Overview
This 17-day journey is a study in contrasts – taking us from the sophisticated elegance
of the Côte d’Azur to the vibrant cosmopolitan city of Barcelona. The sites we visit range from
ancient Roman towns to cutting-edge contemporary design, but there is a strong focus on
the late 19th and early 20th-centuries, especially the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist
French painters, and the Spanish modernista architecture of Gaudí and others. Enjoy long
stays in elegant provincial towns.
Your tour leader
highlights
France-based lecturer
Odette Livingstone-Smith
has an MA in Art History.
She moved to Paris 25 years
ago and now resides in the
Loire Valley. She has led and
lectured on study tours
around the Mediterranean.
>The art heritage of the Matisse and
Chagall museums and the Fondation
Maeght in St-Paul-de-Vence
>A private boat trip from the pretty harbour of
Cassis along dramatic gorges, Les Calanques
>Roman ruins in Nîmes, Arles and Les Antiques
>A day in medieval Avignon
>The Abbey of Fontfroide near Narbonne,
enjoying a long lunch and wine tasting
>The vibrant city of Barcelona, with
a special focus on the modernista
architecture of Gaudí
>Dining at excellent provincial restaurants
>A performance at Palau de la Musica,
Barcelona
Getting there
Emirates have flights from Australia via Dubai
to Nice, and Barcelona. Other airlines require
at least one transfer in Europe. Contact us
for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
FRANCE
Nîmes
Avignon
Arles
St Paul-de-Vence
Aigues-Mortes
Nice
Aix-enCarcassonne
Provence
Antibes
Narbonne
Cannes
SPAIN
Figueres
Barcelona
14
Expert tour leaders
Days 1–3: In Cannes on the Côte d’Azur, visits leading art galleries and enjoy some fine food.
Days 4–9: Based in Aix-en-Provence and then
Nîmes, we visit Roman ruins, take a private boat
trip along the coast and visit Avignon, with its
14th-century papal palace.
Days 10–11: From our base in Carcassonne, we
visit medieval sites in the Languedoc region,
such as Narbonne and the Abbey of Fontfroide.
Days 13–17: Travel through Catalonia and
explore the wonderful art and architecture of Barcelona.
Lisbon
City Break
October 4-11, 2015
$3,490 pp, twin share (land content only)
$950 single supplement
Overview
Unpack your bags for seven days and
discover the birthplace of the Portuguese
Age of Discovery. Enjoy accommodation in
a boutique hotel located in the picturesque
Alfama area, offering spectacular views of
the River Tagus. Travel on full-day excursions
to the palaces of Sintra and the medieval
town of Évora. Dine in some of Lisbon’s best
restaurants. Explore a city of outstanding
art collections, spectacular monuments,
and vibrant neighbourhoods or bairros.
Your tour leader
Dr Jeni Ryde see right.
Grand Tour of Spain
Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Madrid & Barcelona
October 11-28, 2015
April 10-27, 2016
$8,330 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,250 single supplement
REVEL IN
•The Moorish kingdoms of Andalucía in Spain’s south
•The history of Spain in the 16th-century,
the most powerful empire on earth
•The art of Renaissance and Baroque
Spain, including Velásquez, El Greco
and Goya
•The excellent regional food and wine traditions of Spain
•The distinctive culture and modernista
art and architecture of Catalonia in
Spain’s north, from Gaudí to Picasso
highlights
>An exceptional range of museums
and galleries, including the renowned
Maritime Museum and the art collection
amassed by billionaire José Berardo
>An exploration of the different bairros
of Lisbon, from harbourside Belém to
the churches and convents of Bairro Alto
>A full-day excursion to the palaces
of Sintra
>A full day in Évora exploring the vibrant
town square, Roman temples and baths
>A relaxed pace – seven nights to
immerse yourself in a remarkable city
Overview
Take a comprehensive tour of Spain, designed to give the first-time visitor an overview of the
country’s diverse and always fascinating history, art and traditions. Begin with the medieval
Moorish worlds of Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla, then explore royal Madrid and the exuberant
city of Barcelona. Visit major art galleries, palaces and religious sites. Enjoy exceptional dining in
carefully selected restaurants, designed to showcase Spain’s outstanding culinary traditions.
highlights
>The 13th-century Alhambra in Granada,
a complex of palaces and water gardens
>The renowned Mesquita (mosque) of
Cordoba, a blend of Visigothic and Islamic art
>Visiting the mighty cathedral and
wandering the lanes of Sevilla, the city
of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro
>The art collections of the Prado and
Thyssen-Bornemisza museums in Madrid
>Philip II’s monastery-palace of El Escorial,
the epitome of Spanish imperial power
>The extraordinary Alcázar of Segovia
>Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família in
Barcelona, together with other works
Your tour leader
Dr Angela Smith (October 2015)
has a degree in art history from
the University of Leicester and a
PHD from the Warburg institute.
Dr Jeni Ryde (April 2016) is a
former Senior Lecturer at the
University of Western Sydney. Her
PhD focused on the Renaissance,
Heritage Tourism and Museology.
Getting there
We recommend Emirates flights into Madrid
or Barcelona, with connecting flights to
Granada with Vueling or Iberia. Contact
us for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–3: Visit Moorish sites in Granada and
explore Spain’s Roman heritage.
Days 4–6: Travel to Cordoba via small towns
in Andalucía. Explore the Mosque and other
remarkable sites.
Days 7–9: Three nights in Sevilla exploring
museums, architecture and simply relaxing.
Days 10–13: High-speed train to Madrid, where
we visit galleries and palaces, take a trip to El Escorial and have a full free day.
Days 14–17: Travel to Barcelona, centre of
Catalonian art and culture.
Barcelona
spAIN
Madrid
Sevilla
Cordoba
Granada
15
The Baltic States
and Russia
April 1-20, 2016
$9,985 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,920 single supplement
EXPLORE
•The distinctive cultures and traditions
of the Baltic States in World Heritage–
listed cities
•A rich and tumultuous history
stretching back hundreds of years
•Vast repositories of art and culture in
Russia’s incredible array of museums
and galleries
•The sumptuous architecture and
gardens of Russia’s tsars and nobility,
inspired by the Italian Baroque
•The proud performing-arts traditions
of the region, including operatic
performances and concerts
Overview
This new 20-day tour travels through the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to the
Russian cultural capitals of St Petersburg and Moscow. We explore the enchanting cobblestone
streets, church spires, art and architecture of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn, and visit St Petersburg’s
famous landmarks, art museums, churches and palaces, including a daytrip to Catherine’s Palace.
Next we immerse ourselves in Moscow’s Red Square, tour the Kremlin’s cathedrals, the Armory
Collection and the Tretyakov Gallery, and experience a performance at the legendary Bolshoi Theatre.
Your tour leader
Highlights
Marina Campbell was
born in Russia and holds
a master’s degree in
Russian studies from the
University of NSW. She has
spent many years teaching
Russian at the University of
Sydney and has led many successful tours
to Russia and Central Europe.
>A heady mix of Gothic, Renaissance
and Baroque architecture in Vilnius
>The world’s largest concentration of
Art Nouveau buildings in Riga
>Tallinn’s intoxicating mix of medieval
and striking contemporary architecture
>Six nights in St Petersburg visiting the
Hermitage and the Russian Museums
>A full day exploring the Palace of
Catherine the Great
>Moscow’s Red Square and the treasures
of the State Armory
>Performances at Moscow’s famous Bolshoi
Theatre and the Latvian National Opera
Getting there
Emirates flies to St Petersburg daily from
most Australian cities, and home from
Moscow. Contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
St Petersburg
Tallinn
Pushkin
RUSSIA
Estonia
LATVIA
Riga
Lithuania
Vilnius
Trakai
16
Maximum 20 in a group
Moscow
Days 1–3: Enjoy three days in Vilnius touring the old town, and a daytrip to Trakai.
Days 4–6: Explore the Art Nouveau city of Riga,
including a trip to Rundale Palace.
Days 7–9: Admire Tallinn’s wooden houses,
baroque palaces and rooftops of church spires.
Days 10–15: Spend six days exploring St
Petersburg’s extraordinary galleries, churches,
palaces and museums, including a day trip to
Catherine’s Palace at Pushkin.
Days 16–20: Travel by train to Moscow and spend
four days discovering Red Square, the Kremlin,
Tretyakov Gallery and Moscow’s museums.
Northern Spain & Portugal
Bilbao to Lisbon
$7,550 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,650 single supplement
April 28 – May 15, 2016
DISCOVER
•An architectural tradition that
extends from Visigothic, Gothic and
Romanesque cathedrals to striking
contemporary structures
•Medieval pilgrimage along the Camino
to Santiago de Compostela
•The celebrated regional food of Spain’s
north, the fine wines of the Rioja and
Rias Baixas regions and the port wine
of Porto
•A varied landscape of turquoise
coastlines, lush river valleys and
rugged interiors
•The legacy of explorers in the many
layers of history and art in Lisbon
Overview
This journey takes us through the fascinating regions of Northern Spain via Porto to Lisbon,
centre of the Portuguese Age of Discovery. We marvel at the architecture of Bilbao and sample
world-class wine in Rioja, then explore Spain’s medieval history in Castilla and León and the
Asturias regions, including the charming city of Oviedo. In lush Galicia we witness the devotion
of medieval pilgrims on the Camino Francés and the spectacular cathedral at Santiago de
Compostela. We then travel to Lisbon via Porto and the Duoro Valley, where we explore a city of
outstanding art collections, spectacular monuments and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Highlights
Your tour leader
>Frank Gehry’s extraordinary design at
the Guggenheim in Bilbao
>Wine tasting at the avant garde Bodega
Ysios winery in the Rioja
>Two nights in a five-star parador on the
pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela
>The secluded beauty of Visigothic and
Romanesque chapels and monasteries
near Burgos and Oviedo
>Fine tapas in San Sebastián, and Spain’s most
renowned seafood restaurant in Galicia
>An exceptional range of museums and
galleries in Lisbon
>A full day in Évora exploring the vibrant
town square, Roman temples and bath
Dr Jeni Ryde is a former
senior lecturer at the
University of Western
Sydney. Her PhD focused on
the Renaissance, heritage
tourism and museology.
She has travelled extensively
through Portugal and Spain.
Getting there
Emirates flies to Barcelona, and home from
Lisbon. A connecting flight is necessary from
Barcelona to Bilbao with Vueling Airlines.
Contact us for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–3: In Bilbao, visit the Guggenheim, the fine arts museum and San Sebastián.
Days 4–6: Explore the Rioja wine region,
including Burgos cathedral, Romanesque
monasteries and Visigothic churches.
Days 7–8: Follow the Pilgrims’ Way to León and enjoy a stay at an iconic Parador.
Days 9–10: Visit the Romanesque in Oviedo, take
a market tour and taste some of the local cider.
Days 11–13: Visit Santiago de Compostela, and enjoy seafood and wine in Rías Baixas.
Days 14–18: Travel to Portugal and enjoy a night
in Porto followed by four nights in vibrant Lisbon.
Santiago de
Compostela
Oviedo
Leon
Bilbao
Burgos
Porto
Portugal
spAIN
Lisbon
17
Classical and
Ottoman Turkey
May 4-21, 2016
$8,470 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,990 single supplement
Admire
•Majestic Byzantine and Ottoman art and architecture in Istanbul
•Ancient Neolithic, Greek and Roman
civilisations of Asia Minor
•The Byzantine rock-hewn churches and underground cities of Cappadocia
•Medieval Seljuk civilisation – fine
mosques and Whirling Dervishes
•Ancient traditions and vibrant
contemporary culture in Turkey
•Fine food and a bustling modern scene
on the Asian side of the Bosphorus
OVERVIEW
Turkey has for centuries been a crossroads of religions and cultures, connecting the East with
the West. Layers of Neolithic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history have endowed it
with a wealth of unique historical and archaeological sites, often found in places of breathtaking
natural beauty. This 18-day journey follows a comprehensive path through Turkey’s rich past from
Istanbul, one of the great cities of the world, to the Aegean coastal towns of Kusadasi and Assos
and the unique landscape of Cappadocia, before concluding in Istanbul.
Your Tour leader
Highlights
Judy Roberts holds a BA
(Hons) in Archaeology and
Ancient History from the
University of Sydney. She
has travelled extensively
in Greece and Turkey and
has been involved with
the University of Sydney excavation at
Paphos, Cyprus.
>Seven nights in Istanbul with visits to
the major Byzantine and Ottoman sites
>The Gallipoli Peninsula, including Anzac
Cove and Lone Pine
>The archaeological sites of Assos and Troy
>Three nights in Kusadasi, visiting the
ancient city of Ephesus, Priene, Miletus
and Didyma
>Three nights in Cappadocia with its
‘moonscape’ of caves and chimneys
>The painted cave-churches at the Göreme
Open Air Museum
>The Neolithic site of Çatal Hüyük
Getting there
Emirates offers regular flights to and
from Istanbul. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Istanbul
Gallipoli
Assos
TURKEY
Ankara
Cappadocia
Kusadasi
Pamukkale
18
Konya
www.academytravel.com.au
Days 1–4: Explore Istanbul from ancient times
to the Ottoman conquest, visiting the Hagia
Sophia, the city walls and Topkapı Palace.
Days 5–7: Marvel at spectacular cave churches
and unique volcanic landscapes in Cappadocia.
Day 8–9: Examine the Neolithic site of Çatal
Hüyük and Pamukkale.
Days 9–12: On the Aegean coast visiting ancient
Ephesus, Aphrodisias.
Days 13–-14: Two nights in Assos visiting
Pergamum and Troy.
Days 15–18: Return to Istanbul via Gallipoli and for further exploration.
Art Trails: Amsterdam to Paris
from van Eyck to van Gogh
$8,030 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,430 single supplement
May 13-29, 2016
Get to know
•More than five centuries of European
artistic masterpieces, ranging from the middle ages to the modern era
•The innovation and relentless pursuit
of beauty in the works of Van Eyck,
Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer and Van Gogh
•How wealth and the exchange of
goods and ideas from around the
world created a dynamic cultural scene
•The broader history and development
of some of Europe’s richest, most
vibrant and cosmopolitan cities
Overview
The Low Countries have extraordinary artistic traditions which have withstood and evolved
with some of the most significant upheavals in European history. On this tour, Dr Nick
Gordon takes you from Amsterdam to Delft, Brussels, Bruges and Paris, exploring the art
and architecture that flourished in these dynamic environments. We also visit smaller
centres such as Utrecht and Ghent, while enjoying exceptional museums and galleries
and exquisitely preserved medieval and Renaissance cityscapes.
Highlights
Tour leader
>The refurbished Rijksmuseum, housing
the world’s finest collection of Dutch
painting, with masterpieces by Rembrandt
and Vermeer
>Stays in beautifully preserved medieval
and Renaissance cities, including Bruges
and Delft
>European master paintings in some of
Europe’s finest galleries, including the
Louvre and the Mauritshuis
>Visits to many less well-visited galleries,
seeing the extraordinary works overlooked
by most travellers
>Modern masterpieces by northern masters
– Van Gogh, Magritte and Escher
Dr Nick Gordon has a
University Medal and a
PhD in history from the
University of Sydney, lectures
on European art, and has
led many tours to Europe for
Academy Travel. He is also
a practising painter and brings considerable
artistic insight to his tour leading.
Getting there
Emirates, Malaysian and Singapore Airlines
offer flights from Australia to Amsterdam
and home from Paris. Contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–3: Explore Amsterdam, once the centre of an empire extending from Brazil to Japan.
Days 4–6: Visit art sites in Utrecht and The
Hague, as well as Rotterdam and Delft.
Days 7–10: In Brussels, visit superb Old Masters
and modern galleries, admire Gothic and Art
Nouveau architecture and tour Wallonia.
Days 11–13: Visit Ghent to see the famous
altarpiece by the Van Eycks, before exploring
Bruges and Tournai.
Days 14–17: Cap off our tour with visits to the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
Netherlands
Amsterdam
Delft
Bruges
Brussels
BELGIUM
FRANCE
Paris
19
Croatia
The Istrian Peninsula,
Dalmatian Coast, Mostar & Montenegro
$7,790 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,950 single supplement
May 16-31, 2016
EXPLORE
•The complex web of European and
Eastern influences that have created
the unique and distinctive culture of
Croatia
•Impressive early Byzantine art and
Venetian art and architecture
•The archaeology of Ancient Roman
cities with well-preserved ruins
•The competing influence of the
Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman
Turks in the Balkans
•Dramatic coastal scenery, with
mountain ranges plunging to the sea
and hundreds of small islands dotting
the coastline
Overview
Croatia is today recognised as one of Europe’s most enchanting and intriguing destinations.
Through history the region has been the site of great Roman palaces, bustling Venetian trading
ports and seaside playgrounds of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It also formed part of the Byzantine
and Ottoman Empires – all of which have left a lasting influence. We survey all of this diverse
cultural heritage, along with stunning coastal and mountain scenery, in this popular 17-day tour.
Your tour leader
Highlights
Croatian-born archaeologist
Anita Yousif completed her
undergraduate studies in
archaeology at the University
of Belgrade and a master’s
degree in archaeology at the
University of Sydney. This is
her fifth tour to Croatia for Academy Travel.
>The Istrian peninsula, where Italian culture
meets the traditions of the Balkans
>Impressive Roman archaeological sites
in Salona and Trogir
>Diocletian’s Palace in Split and its medieval
streetscape
>The World Heritage–listed site of Starigrad
on Hvar Island and picturesque Hvar Town
>The beautiful historic town of Dubrovnik,
for centuries an independent maritime
republic
>The iconic Mostar bridge in BosniaHerzegovina, built and destroyed many
times
>The stunning natural beauty of the Bay
of Kotor in Montenegro
Getting there
Emirates flies to Venice, and home from
Frankfurt (the most direct hub from
Dubrovnik). Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Venice
Opatija
Croatia
Porec
Pula
Zadar
Mostar
Split
Dubrovnik
italy
20
Carefully planned itineraries
Montenegro
Days 1–3: Arrive in Venice and travel to Porec to tour the Istrian peninsula.
Days 4–7: From Opatija, visit Roman, Venetian
and Renaissance sites.
Explore the walled port city of Zadar and Nin.
Days 8–11: From Split, visit the Roman Emperor
Diocletian’s palace and surrounding sites.
Day 12–17: Travel to Dubrovnik, visiting
medieval Omis. From Dubrovnik, visit the scenic
Bay of Kotor in Montenegro and nearby islands.
Spend a day exploring Mostar, a mountain
town famous for its medieval bridge.
Gardens of Southern England
gardens of a passionate mind
$10,450 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,950 single supplement
June 2-17, 2016
ENJOY
•The exquisite countryside of
midsummer England, experienced
through visits to fine gardens, stately
homes, country houses and castles
•The gardens of passionate professional
gardeners and writers, from Lancelot
‘Capability’ Brown to Gertrude Jekyll, and Vita Sackville-West to
Christopher Lloyd
•The gardens of equally passionate
amateurs, including Henry Hoare at Stourhead and Sir Roy Strong at The Laskett
•The history of the English garden from
1700 to the present day
Overview
This new tour surveys the work of the passionate men and women who, over the past three
hundred years, have created some of the best-loved gardens in the South of England – from
the magnificent 18th-century Arcadian landscapes at Rousham and Stourhead, with their
temples, lakes and grottoes, to idyllic Kelmscott Manor, the Arts-and-Craft country home of
William Morris. We also visit Britain’s oldest Botanic Garden, in Oxford, as well as one of its
newest and most influential gardens, at Highgrove House, of which Prince Charles has said,
‘The garden at Highgrove really does spring from my heart’.
Highlights
Your tour leader
>The private gardens of Their Royal
Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The
Duchess of Cornwall
>Stourhead, the most beautiful 18th-century
Arcadian Landscape garden in England
>Jewels of the Arts and Crafts movement:
Kelmscott Manor, Hidcote, Sissinghurst
and Great Dixter
>Wakehurst Place, the 500-acre country
estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew
>The gardens of romantic Hever Castle and
the beautifully situated Arundel Castle
>The gardens of the Bloomsbury Group
>Opera at Glyndebourne with a farewell
dinner in the garden
Michael Turner is an
antiquarian and art and
garden historian. Since 2005
he has been Senior Curator
of the Nicholson Museum
at the University of Sydney.
Michael has homes in
Sydney and Sussex.
Getting there
Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and
Thai Airways fly to London daily. Contact
us for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1–3: Tour begins in Oxford. Visit the
beautiful Oxford Botanic Garden, Kelmscott
Manor and Rousham.
Days 4–7: From our base in Bath, we visit
Stourhead, Highgrove House and other estates.
Days 8–10: Travel to Rye, from where we visit
Lamb House, Sissinghurst, Battle Abbey and
Great Dixter.
Days 11–15: From Brighton, enjoy several
wonderful castles, homes and gardens in the
Sussex Downs Attend an opera at Glyndebourne
with dinner in the garden.
Day 16: Transfer to London for flights home.
ENGLAND
Oxford
Highgrove
London
Hever Castle
Bath
Glyndebourne
Brighton
Rye
21
Scandinavia AND Iceland
Nature and Design
June 25 – July 11, 2016
$10,590 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,340 single supplement
Experience
•Finland’s remarkable golden age of
art, architecture and music 1880-30,
mixing romanticism and Art Nouveau
with a deep reverence for nature
•Scandinavian modern architecture and
design – Alvar Aalto, Eliel Saarinen,
Joern Utzon, Marimekko and others
•Denmark’s deeply-rooted royal
traditions, from Hamlet’s castle at
‘Elsinore’ to Frederick and Mary
•The fjordlands of Norway, and Bergen,
its cultural capital
•Iceland’s unique blend of Celtic, Viking
and Nordic culture, shaped by its
remarkable volcanic landscape
Overview
Academy Travel’s new 17-day tour has been carefully planned to showcase the best that
Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have to offer the cultural traveller. These northern
lands have strong and distinctive cultural traditions, from the Vikings of the Middle Ages to
the emergence of Art Nouveau and cutting-edge mid-century modern design in the 1950s
and 60s, a tradition that continues to this day. Equally impressive is the natural beauty of
the region, with its forests, lakes, pristine coastlines, fjords and wild volcanic landscapes.
An optional three-day extension to Greenland is also available.
Your tour leader
Highlights
Dr Nick Gordon has a
University Medal and PhD
in European history from
the University of Sydney.
He has taught European
history at universities in
Sydney, lectures regularly
on European art and history, and has led
several tours to Europe for Academy Travel.
>Four days in Helsinki exploring its striking
19th-century and Art Nouveau architecture
>Historical and modern/contemporary
art museums in Helsinki, Copenhagen,
Bergen and Reykjavik
>The architecture of Joern Utzon
>Helsingor castle, the setting of
Shakespeare’s Hamlet
>Bergen, Norway’s cultural capital
>The unique atmosphere of Reykjavik,
the world’s most northerly capital city
>Two days in a beautiful boutique hotel on
the Snaefells Peninsula, where Jules Verne
set his Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Getting there
Finnair has well priced code-share services
between Australia and Scandinavia. Contact
us for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Iceland
Snaefells
Reykjavik
FINLAND
NORWAY
Bergen
Copenhagen
22
Expert tour leaders
Helsinki
Denmark
Days 1–3: Meet in Venice and travel to Porec.
From here we tour the Istrian peninsula.
Days 4–5: Based in the Austro-Hungarian resort
town of Opatija, we visit Roman, Venetian and
Renaissance sites.
Days 6–7: Exploring the walled port city of
Zadar.
Days 8–11: A four-night stop in Split, visiting
the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s palace and
surrounding sites.
Day 12: Overnight in Mostar, a mountain town
famous for its medieval bridge.
Days 13–17: From Dubrovnik we visit the scenic
Bay of Kotor in Montenegro and nearby islands.
Lucerne and Berlin
Orchestral Festivals
$9,150 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,800 single supplement
August 31 – September 12, 2015
delight in
•Ten outstanding performances: eight
major orchestral concerts and two
chamber/instrumental recitals
•Pre-performance talks by music
educator Robert Gay to ensure that
you get the most from each concert
•The musical heritage of Lucerne and
Berlin, visiting places where composers
lived and worked
•The broader historical, artistic and
architectural heritage of Lucerne and Berlin
•Long stays in just two cities: one a fine
provincial city and the other Europe’s
most dynamic capital
Overview
This tour is designed especially for lovers of orchestral music. The Lucerne Festival is a ‘must
see’ event in the musical calendar. The Musikfest Berlin takes place each September when
the Berlin Philharmonic is on tour. There are performances almost every night by leading
orchestras from Europe and the United States.
Paris Extension
$3,580 per person
$1,060 single supplement
Enjoy five nights in Paris, with three
operas and a concert at the new
Philharmonie concert hall.
Your tour leader
Performances
Robert Gay is one of
Australia’s leading music
tour leaders and music
educators. He has designed
dozens of music courses
and led more than 80
performance-based tours
around the world. For 30 years he has been
presenting music history courses for the
Centre for Continuing Education at the
University of Sydney.
Lucerne
>Recital by clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer
>Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted
by Sir Simon Rattle, playing Britten and
Shostakovich
>St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, playing
Rachmaninov and Shostakovich
>St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, playing
Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky
Berlin
>Boston Symphony Orchestra playing
Mahler Symphony No.6
>Recital by countertenor Philippe Jaroussky
>Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted
by Zubin Mehta, playing Mahler Symphony
No.9
>Deutsche Oper Berlin Orchestra conducted
by Donald Runnicles
>Mahler Chamber Orchestra
>Philharmonia Orchestra, London, playing
Schubert Symphony No.9
Paris extension
>Rameau’s Platée, Mozart’s Don Giovanni
and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the
Paris Opera
>Orchestra of the Opéra National de Paris,
playing Mahler’s Symphony No.4
Getting there
Etihad is the only airline that offers one-stop
flights between Australia and both Zurich
and Berlin. Contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
GERMANY
Zurich
Lucerne
Berlin
Days 1–5: Arrive in Zurich and transfer to Lucerne
for five nights. Enjoy performances, walking tours
and a day excursion to Zurich.
Days 6–13: Fly to Berlin for a seven-night stay at
the four-star Hotel Maritim, five minutes’ walk
from the Philharmonie. Enjoy six concerts as well
as coach and walking tours of historic districts of
Berlin.
Paris extension: Fly to Paris for five nights, with
three operas and a concert at Jean Nouvel’s
remarkable new Philharmonie concert hall, as
well as meals and gallery visits.
Switzerland
23
Chicago to New York
orchestras and opera
October 11-25, 2015
$11,950 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,960 single supplement
Experience
•Nine performances – four operas, four concerts and a stage play
•Insightful pre-performance talks
to expand your musical knowledge
and help you get the most out of
performances
•Exclusive events such as a private
visit to the Museum of Modern Art in
New York, and private dining in highly
regarded restaurants
•Long stays in major cities, with time for
relaxing and for individual sightseeing
•The company of like-minded music
lovers
Overview
After a sell-out music tour to the United States in 2014, Robert Gay and Academy Travel
are pleased to offer a follow up in the American fall in 2015. As always, our itinerary is built
around a series of excellent performances by some of the most prestigious orchestras and
opera houses in the United States. Accommodation is in four-star hotels located close to
concert venues. The musical program will be augmented by visits to galleries and walking
tours surveying history and architecture.
YOUR TOUR LEADER
PERFORMANCES
For more than 30 years,
Robert Gay has presented
music history courses for
the Centre for Continuing
Education at the University
of Sydney. Over the same
period he has designed and
escorted more than 80 musical and cultural
tours to Europe and America.
Chicago
>Steppenwolf Theater – Steinbeck’s East of Eden
>The Chicago Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Semyon Bychkov
>Mozart’s The marriage of Figaro at the
Chicago Lyric Opera
Pittsburgh
>Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier
New York
>Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Puccini’s Tosca
and Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Met
>The Boston Symphony Orchestra at
Carnegie Hall
>The New York Philharmonic Orchestra
GETTING THERE
Qantas, United and Delta offer flights from
Australian cities to the USA. Discounted fares
are regularly offered, so please contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Canada
New York
Chicago
Pittsburgh
USA
24
Maximum 20 in a group
Days 1–5: In Chicago for five nights we attend
performances and visit the wonderful Art
Institute of Chicago. Go on walking tours of
Chicago’s renowned skyscrapers, and visit Frank
Lloyd Wright’s Robie House.
Days 6–8: Fly to Pittsburgh for a performance
and a day trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Fallingwater.
Days 9–15: Fly to New York. Over six nights,
attend performances at the Metropolitan
Opera and Carnegie Hall and by the New York
Philharmonic Orchestra. Enjoy a private viewing
of the Museum of Modern Art, architectural
walking tours and several meals.
$8,150 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,380 single supplement
London Music
and Theatre
January 14-26, 2016
ENJOY
•Ten performances of the highestquality opera, ballet, stage drama and
orchestral music, including all four
major London orchestras
•Historic performance venues including
Covent Garden and Wigmore Hall
•Visits to some of London’s best
galleries and historic houses
•Background talks on all performances
and post-performance discussions
•Special lectures on dramatic
performances by Professor Penny Gay
•Accommodation in historic
Bloomsbury
Overview
For lovers of music, theatre and art, January is a great time to visit London. Yes, it’s cold,
but the concert and opera season is in full swing, theatre companies have launched new
productions and the major galleries are featuring exhibitions by leading contemporary artists
and old masters. Best of all, the city is not at all crowded. Our 13-day program is packed with
a range of musical and theatrical performances, including all the major London orchestras.
Performances
Your tour leader
Details of ballet and opera will be available
in April 2015; of plays in July 2015; and of
the Wigmore Hall recital in October 2015.
>One opera and one ballet at the Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden
>London Symphony Orchestra – Elgar Cello
Concerto, plus Tchaikovsky and Dvorak
>BBC Symphony Orchestra – Berlioz’ Romeo
and Juliet
>London Philharmonic Orchestra – Richard
Strauss’ Four last Songs, plus Mozart
>Philharmonia Orchestra – English music
by Vaughan Williams and Finzi
>A major new West End drama or musical
>The Royal Shakespeare Company performing
Richard II (with David Tennant) and Henry V.
Robert Gay is one of
Australia’s leading music
tour leaders and music
educators. He has designed
dozens of music courses
and led more than 80
performance-based
tours around the world. He has a detailed
knowledge of the music scene of London,
where he now lives for part of each year.
Getting there
Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and
Thai Airways fly to London daily. Contact us
for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in London.
Days 2–4: Visit the Tate Britain, the Wallace
Collection and the Handel House Museum. Attend
a West End play, opera at Covent Garden and the
London Symphony Orchestra.
Day 5–8: Visit the Royal Academy of Arts and
Kenwood House, day trip to Oxford and enjoy the
Royal Ballet and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Day 9–12: Visit the Victoria and Albert Museum
and the Tate Modern. Hear performances by
the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London
Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia and a recital at Wigmore Hall.
Day 13: Visit the British Museum.
25
New York
music, theatre, art and food
$9,550 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,830 single supplement
April 6-18, 2016
revel in
•Eight outstanding performances:
opera, orchestral concerts, plays and a Broadway musical
•New York’s marvellous architectural
heritage, with a focus on art deco,
modern and contemporary
•A breathtaking array of visual arts,
ranging from the European Old
Masters to 20th-century classics and
the cutting-edge contemporary scene
•A survey of New York’s food scene,
from historic venues to Michelin three-star establishments
•New York’s excellent small museums
Overview
HIGHLIGHTS
This tour sees us spending two weeks in the
Big Apple, attending the very best in opera,
symphony concerts and drama while visiting
some of the world’s top art and history
museums and dining in a selection of the
city’s best restaurants. Accommodation is in
spacious premier-plus rooms at the Warwick
Hotel on 54th Street in midtown Manhattan.
The location is perfect for theatre and
concert goers, being within walking distance
of major performance venues, art galleries
and some of the city’s architectural icons.
Performances
Full details of all stage plays and musicals
will be available in September 2015.
>Richard Strauss’ Elektra at the
Metropolitan Opera
>Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra at the
Metropolitan Opera, with Placido
Domingo
>The New York Philharmonic Orchestra
playing Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony
>The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at
Carnegie Hall, playing Mahler’s Symphony
No 5
>The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
at Carnegie Hall
>Two stage plays at Broadway theatres,
selected from the 2015–16 season
>A quality Broadway musical, selected
from the 2015–16 season
Fine dining
>The Morgan dining room at the Pierpont
Morgan Library
>The Modern at MoMA
>The Michelin three-star restaurant Eleven
Madison Park
Art, architecture and history
>A private out-of-hours viewing of the
Museum of Modern Art
>An excursion to Philip Johnston’s Glass
House, north of the city
>A curated tour of The Cloisters, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exquisite
Medieval collection
>A private guided tour of the refurbished
Whitney Museum of American Art in
Chelsea
>Architectural walking tours of Midtown
Art Deco, Brooklyn Heights and the
High Line
Your tour leader
Robert Veel has a thorough
knowledge of New York,
developed over 20 years
of visiting, teaching and
tour-leading. He holds a
master’s degree from the
University of Sydney,
where he taught for many years before
co-founding Academy Travel.
Getting there
Qantas and United Airlines fly regularly to
the East Coast. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
26
www.academytravel.com.au
Milan to Madrid
a musical adventure
$11,450 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,330 single supplement
April 11-28, 2016
Experience
•Opera at some of Europe’s leading
houses in Milan, Turin, Lyon, Barcelona
and Madrid
•Orchestral music by excellent
provincial and national orchestras
•Stunning European countryside,
including the vineyards of Italy’s
Piemonte region, the French Alps, the Rhone River Valley and the rugged hills of Catalonia
•Major art galleries holding collections
of Italian, French and Spanish
paintings from the Middle Ages to the 20th-century
Overview
Visiting Milan, Turin, Lyon, Barcelona and Madrid, this new tour includes 11 performances of opera,
orchestral and instrumental music. The itinerary includes five leading European opera houses: La
Scala in Milan, Turin’s Teatro Regio, the Opéra de Lyon, Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, and an
opening night at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Already confirmed are Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra in
Barcelona, a concert performance of Verdi’s Luisa Miller, and Wagner’s Parsifal in Madrid. Most
stays are for three or four night, and accommodation is in centrally located four-star hotels.
Your tour leader
Performances
Robert Gay is one of
Australia’s leading music
tour leaders and music
educators. He has designed
dozens of music courses
and led more than 80
performance-based tours
around the world. For 30 years he has been
presenting music history courses for the
Centre for Continuing Education at the
University of Sydney.
Full details of all performances will
be available in December 2015.
>Opera at La Scala, Milan
>Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra,
Milan
>Opera at the Teatro Regio, Turin
>Performance at the Opéra de Lyon
>Orchestre National de Lyon
>Placido Domingo in Verdi’s Simon
Boccanegra at the Gran Teatre del
Liceu, Barcelona
>Concert at Barcelona’s Palau de la
Musica Catalana
>Concert performance of Verdi’s Luisa
Miller at the Teatro Real in Madrid
>Wagner’s Parsifal at the Teatro Real in
Madrid, conducted by Semyon Bychkov
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
FRANCE
Lyon
Milan
Turin
italy
SPAIN
Madrid
Barcelona
Days 1–4: Four nights in Milan to enjoy
performances, visit sites associated with Verdi,
art galleries and take a trip to Bergamo.
Days 5–6: Drive to Turin for two nights, with an
opera and a concert in this elegant city.
Days 7–9: Drive through the French Alps to Lyon
for performances, art galleries and fine food.
Days 10–13: Fly to Barcelona for four nights to
admire works by Miro, Picasso and Gaudi and
enjoy three performances.
Days 14–17: Spend three nights in Madrid
enjoying performances, the Prado art museum
and more.
Getting there
Emirates flies from most Australian
cities to Milan and home from Madrid on
a daily basis. Other airlines offer connecting
flights. Contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
27
Bonn to Vienna
In the Footsteps of Beethoven
May 16 – June 1, 2016
$8,950 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,800 single supplement
get to know
•The life and times of Ludwig van
Beethoven in Bonn and Vienna,
visiting historic sites associated with the composer
•The fine music, art and architectural
traditions of Dresden
•How the history and culture of the
times, ranging from Napoleon to
Bohemian folklore, found their way into the music of Beethoven,
Mozart and others
•The important role of the enlightened
rulers and aristocrats of Saxony and
the Austro-Hungarian Empire in
supporting music and the visual arts
Overview
This new 17-day tour takes us across northern Germany into the Czech Republic and on to
Austria. We begin in Bonn, Beethoven’s birthplace, and end in Vienna, where the composer
established his name as Europe’s leading composer of the Classical and early Romantic
periods. Extended stays in Dresden and Prague allow us to enjoy the music festivals taking
place in these cities, and the performance season is at its peak in Vienna. Pre-performance
talks enhance our understanding and enjoyment. Walking tours and museum visits with
an emphasis on music round out the program.
Performances
Your tour leader
Full details of all performances will
be available in October 2015.
Bonn
>Cologne Opera
>Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra
Dresden
>Israel Philharmonic Orchestra,
conducted by Omer Meir Wellber
>West German Radio Symphony
Orchestra, conducted by Marek
Janowski
>Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Manfred Honeck
Prague
>Three performances at the Prague
Spring Festival
Vienna
>Two orchestral concerts at the
Musikverein concert hall
>Vienna State Opera
Dr Tom Ford holds a
PhD in history from the
University of Adelaide. He
has written extensively on
classical music, specifically
on Mozart. He has been
a broadcaster on 5MBS
Adelaide and 3MBS Fine Music in Melbourne,
where he still works.
28
Carefully planned itineraries
Getting there
Emirates flies daily from most Australian cities
to Frankfurt and home from Vienna. Contact
us for competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1: Meet in Frankfurt and travel to Bonn.
Days 2–4: Enjoy sightseeing and performances in Bonn and in nearby Cologne.
Days 5–9: Fly to Dresden for the Dresden
International Festival, as well as visits to galleries,
walking tours and an excursion to Leipzig.
Days 10–13: Travel through the Saxon and Czech
countryside to Prague for the Prague Spring Festival
to enjoy three performances and some sightseeing
of the region.
Days 14–16: Opera and orchestral concerts in
Vienna, as well as walking tours and gallery visits.
Day 17: Transfer to Vienna airport for flights home.
GERMANY
Dresden
Cologne
Bonn
Frankfurt
Prague
Czech
repuplic
Cesky Krumlov
Vienna
AUSTRIA
Music in Nordic lands
Finland, Denmark and Norway
$10,950 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,250 single supplement
May 24 – June 8, 2016
Enjoy
•The fascinating relationship between
Nordic music and the region’s culture, tradition and landscape
•Excellent performances by the region’s
orchestras and opera companies
•Outstanding contemporary Nordic
architecture and design in opera
houses and concert halls
•The ‘golden age’ of Nordic painting
from the late 19th to the early 20th-century
•Norse mythology as a source of
inspiration for Nordic and German
composers, including Wagner
Overview
This 16-day tour explores the landscape, history and music of Finland, Denmark and Norway.
These northern lands have a strong and distinctive musical tradition, expressed not only
through their composers – including famous names like Grieg, Sibelius and Nielsen – but also
through the many fine conductors, singers and instrumentalists who hail from these parts.
Nordic music is often inspired by folk literature and traditions, and travelling through the
landscapes that have evoked these ideas will undoubtedly enhance your appreciation of the
haunting music of this region. An optional five-day extension to Iceland is also available.
Your tour leader
Performances
Robert Gay is one of
Australia’s leading music
tour leaders and music
educators. He has designed
dozens of music courses
and led more than 80
performance-based tours
around the world. For 30 years he has been
presenting music history courses for the
Centre for Continuing Education at the
University of Sydney.
At least eight performances will be included,
comprising a combination of operas and
orchestral concerts. Full details will be
available in November 2015.
Helsinki, Finland
>Concert at the new Helsinki Music Centre
>Opera at Helsinki Opera
Copenhagen, Denmark
>Opera at Copenhagen Opera House
>Concert at Jean Nouvel’s Koncertsalen
Malmö, Sweden
>Opera at Malmö Opera House
Oslo, Norway
>Opera at the new Opera House
Bergen, Norway
>Two concerts at the Bergen Festival
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
FINLAND
NORWAY
Helsinki
Bergen
Copenhagen
Malmo
Denmark
Days 1–5: In Helsinki, explore sites associated
with Sibelius and other Finnish musicians, as well as great architecture and design.
Days 6–10: Staying in Copenhagen, enjoy visits to impressive art museums, Helsingor castle and a trip to Malmö in Sweden for the opera.
Days 11–12: Fly to Oslo in Norway to view the
Viking Ship Museum, the art of Munch and
others, and Oslo’s harbourfront opera house.
Day 12–16: Take a train and boat journey to Bergen
for three nights to enjoy the Bergen Festival and
sites associated with Grieg and Ole Bull.
Day 17: Begin four-day Iceland extension, or
return home.
Iceland extension
Fly to Reykjavik and enjoy five days touring
the unique, unspoilt landscape of this
ancient land. May include a performance at
the splendid Harpa Hall, completed in 2011.
Getting there
Finnair offers well-priced flights from
Australia direct to Helsinki, for which
you earn Qantas points. Contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
29
English Summer
Opera Festivals
July 6-22, 2016
$12,250 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,380 single supplement
ENJOY
•Nine operatic performances in unique
rural settings
•A performance by the Royal
Shakespeare Company in its home of
Stratford-upon-Avon
•The tradition of long interval picnic
dinners during performances
•Detailed background information on
each performance
•The atmosphere of Oxford, one of the world’s oldest university towns
•The beautiful countryside of the
Cotswolds and the Sussex Downs
•Visits to Blenheim Palace and
Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Overview
Since the first Glyndebourne Festival of opera in 1934, numerous private estates in England have followed the Glyndebourne example,
opening private opera houses for summer performances of the highest artistic standards. On this carefully crafted tour we attend four of
England’s most prestigious summer opera festivals – Garsington, Longborough, Grange Park and Glyndebourne itself – as well as the annual
summer Shakespeare Festival at Stratford-upon-Avon, featuring the Royal Shakespeare Company. Academy Travel is a corporate sponsor of
the Glyndebourne Festival, which gives us special access to tickets to three of the most in-demand performances.
Your tour leader
Performances
Antony Jeffrey enjoyed a
three-decade career in
the performing arts, working
for Opera Australia and the
Australian Ballet, before
becoming general manager
of the Australian Chamber
Orchestra. He has led music tours to the
UK, Europe and the United States for
Academy Travel.
Ten or 11 performances will be included.
Full details will be available in October 2015.
Garsington Opera
Enjoy two performances in a stunning,
purpose-built pavilion in the Oxfordshire
countryside.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Catch one or two Shakespeare plays at
the annual summer Shakespeare festival.
Longborough
Located in the Cotswolds, Longborough
Festival Opera has been running since
1998 and specialises in Wagner.
Getting there
Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and
Thai Airways fly to London daily from most
Australian cities. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Stratford-upon-Avon
Longborough
ENGLAND
Garsington Opera
Oxford
London
Winchester/Grange Park
Glyndebourne
Brighton
30
Expert tour leaders
Days 1–4: From our base in Oxford, attend two
performances at the nearby Garsington Opera,
explore Oxford and visit Blenheim Palace.
Days 5–8: Travel through the Cotswold Hills to
Stratford-upon-Avon for a four-night stay to
enjoy a performance by the Royal Shakespeare
Company and two evenings at the Longborough
Opera, a short distance away.
Days 9–11: From our base in the historic town of
Winchester in Hampshire, attend the Grange Park
Opera and explore Winchester and Salisbury.
Days 11–16: Travel to Brighton on England’s
south coast for five nights, to attend three
performances at nearby Glyndebourne and visit Sissinghurst Castle’s gardens.
Grange Park
Located close to the charming historic town
of Winchester, performances take place in
a converted 18th-century estate building.
Glyndebourne
Enjoy three performances at England’s oldest
and most prestigious summer opera festival,
with top international artists.
India
echoes of the Raj
$10,740 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,950 single supplement
November 13 – December 4, 2015
Experience
•India’s timeless way of life, religion
and traditions
•A penchant for the magnificent in the
art and architecture of the Mughals
and the Raj
•The dramatic, often violent, history of India under British rule, a period
which nevertheless saw great social
and cultural achievements
•The reassertion of Indian values and
identity by Ghandi and Nehru during
independence
•Thriving modern Mumbai, where a successful nation of traders arose
from colonial rule
Overview
Journey into the glory days of the British Raj on this 22-day tour exploring colonial India.
From the days of the East India Company, through the Great Mutiny of 1857 and the
independence movement to the day the last British troops marched out from the Gateway
of India in Mumbai. Many of the sites visited have remained unchanged since those historic
days. Accompanying lectures, both historical and anecdotal, enhance our understanding of
this extraordinary period of history.
HIGHLIGHTS
>Raj-era colonial monuments in Dalhousie
Square, Calcutta
>Agra in all its glory, with visits to the
incomparable Taj Mahal and the Red Fort
>Significant sites in Delhi associated with
Nehru and Gandhi, as well as bazaars,
forts and architectural masterpieces
of the Raj
>A journey on the narrow-gauge train
to Simla for three nights in the British
summer capital
>Three nights of luxury at the Lake Palace
in Udaipur
>The cosmopolitan city and Gateway of
India, Mumbai
YOUR TOUR LEADER
Judy Tenzing has over 30
years’ experience as a tour
leader in India, Nepal,
Bhutan and Burma. She
has a degree in South Asian
History and a wealth of
knowledge to share.
GETTING THERE
Singapore Airlines offers daily flights
into Calcutta and out of Mumbai with
connections via Singapore. Contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–3: Arrive in Calcutta and explore the
colonial buildings.
Days 4–6: Fly to Lucknow, the site of the Great
Rebellion of 1857.
Day 7–11: Travel to Agra and visit the Taj Mahal
and the Red Fort before spending three nights
exploring Delhi.
Day 12–15: Drive to Pinjore to the Mughal
Gardens, with three nights in Simla.
Day 16–19: Travel overnight to Delhi before
flying to Udaipur for three nights at the Lake
Palace Hotel.
Days 20–21: Fly to Mumbai for two nights.
Day 22: Flights depart Mumbai.
Shimla
Pinjore
Delhi
Agra
Lucknow
Udaipur
INDIA
Calcutta
Mumbai
31
Burma
December 27, 2015 – January 11, 2016
$8,450 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,495 single supplement
DISCOVER
•A nation gradually emerging from years
of military rule
•A rich cultural and artisanal tradition of
silk weaving, world-class lacquerware
and skilled puppeteers
•A wealth of Buddhist culture evidenced
by the multitude of stupas and exquisite
carved teak monasteries
•Colonial history and architecture from
the era of the British Raj
•A remarkably friendly and easy-going
nation made up of over 135 ethnic
groups eager to share their history and culture
OVERVIEW
From its ancient origins in settlement by Hindu Sakyas from India, through millennia of
spiritual and political change, Burma has emerged with all that is quintessentially Burmese
intact and as enchanting and enriching as it has always been. This tour takes you into the
heart of old Burma – the sleepy town of Nyaungshwe on the edge of Lake Inle, the last royal
capital of Mandalay, the vast Buddhist pagoda-studded plain of Bagan, and the splendour
of the great pagodas of Yangon.
YOUR TOUR LEADER
HIGHLIGHTS
Judy Tenzing has over 30
years’ experience as an
administrator and tour
leader in India, Nepal,
Bhutan and Burma. Judy
has a degree in South
Asian History and regularly
presents courses at Sydney University’s
Centre for Continuing Education on the
history and culture of this remarkable region.
>A magical sunset at the golden-domed
Shwedagon Pagoda, the greatest in Burma
>New Year’s Eve on Lake Inle exploring the
monasteries, pagodas, villages and floating
gardens all built on stilts over the lake
>The extraordinary complex of crumbling
stupas at Indein in Shan state
>Roaming through the National Botanic
Gardens in Maymyo, with its stunning
four-acre orchid garden
>An overnight cruise down the famed
Ayeyarwady River
>The amazing pagoda-studded plains of
Bagan, each structure unique in design
and decoration
Getting there
Thai Airways offer daily flights to Yangon.
Contact us for competitive quotes and
bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
ITINERARY
INDIA
China
BURMA
Bagan
Maymyo
Mandalay
Nyaungshwe
THAILAND
Yangon
32
Maximum 20 in a group
Days 1–2: Explore Yangon’s colonial architecture
and the Shwedagon Pagoda.
Days 3–5: Fly to Lake Inle and explore the
communities living on stilted houses.
Days 6–7: Wander amongst the Botanic Gardens
and colonial architecture of Maymyo.
Days 8–10: In Mandalay visit teak monasteries,
pagodas and the Royal Palace.
Day 11: Cruise the Ayeyarwady River to Bagan.
Days 12–14: In Bagan surveying some of the
hundreds of pagodas scattered on the plains.
Days 15–16: Return to Yangon with farewell
dinner at the renowned Strand Hotel.
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan
a journey through Central Asia
$7,390 pp, twin share (land content only)
$870 single supplement
May 6-22, 2016
EXPLORE
•A region traversed by great figures
in history, including Genghis Khan,
Alexander the Great and Tamerlane
•Exceptional World Heritage–listed
Central Asian architecture
•Ancient cultures and dynasties and
their archaeological legacies of citadels
and oasis cities
•Impressive museums and galleries
cataloguing a vast history dating back thousands of years
•Arts and crafts of the Silk Route, from carpets to stunning mosaics
•The vibrant folk culture of the Central Asian people
Overview
With their long and rich histories, outstanding architectural sites and exotic characters,
the Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have long attracted intrepid
travellers from the West. On this 17-day tour we explore Islamic architecture, emirs’ palaces,
mosques and mausoleums, with visits to the Silk Road cities of Khiva, Ashgabat, Bukhara
and Samarkand. We visit Sassanian citadels, Achaemenid cities and archaeological ruins
left by Parthian kings, as well as Tamerlane’s birthplace at Shahr-i-sabz and the desert
oasis of Merv previously occupied by the Persians, Turks, Mongols and Uzbeks.
Highlights
Your tour leader
>The city walls of Khiva’s old town and its
mosques, minarets and madrassas
>Fine Central Asian architecture and design
at the World Heritage–listed site of Kunya
Urgench
>The ruins of ancient Parthian kings dating
from the 3rd century BC at Nisa
>Outstanding examples of Sassanid and
Achaemenid cities at the oasis city of Merv
>Samanid monuments associated with
the last Persian dynasty to rule Central
Asia in Bukhara
>Archaeological sites at Shar-i-sabz and
Tamerlane’s Samarkand, the heart of the
Silk Road
Christopher Bradley holds
an Honours degree from the
University of Liverpool and
is a specialist in the history
and art of the the Silk Road.
He researched, wrote and
photographed the Insight
Guide to the Silk Road.
Getting there
Korean and Asiana Airlines fly to Tashkent
from Australia, with a stopover in Seoul.
Contact us for competitive quotes and
bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–3: Tour Tashkent, and fly to Khiva to
investigate the old town.
Day 4: Drive to Nukus and visit the Savitsky
museum.
Days 5–6: Cross into Turkmenistan and visit
Kunya Urgench, then fly to Ashgabat and visit
the carpet museum and the ruins at Nisa.
Days 7–8: Fly to Mary and visit the oasis city at
Merv.
Days 9–12: Return to Uzbekistan and Bukhara,
exploring Samanid sites, mosques and palaces.
Days 13–15: Drive to Shahr-i-sabz and visit
Tamerlane’s city of Samarkand.
Days 16–17: Return to Tashkent for flights home.
UZBEKISTAN
Kunya
Urgench
Nukus
Khiva
Tashkent
Samarkand
Bukhara
Turkemistan
Ashgabat
Mary
33
south west USA
desert landscapes, art & architecture
September 28 – October 15, 2015
$9,500 pp, twin (land content only)
$2,800 single supplement
get to know
•The story of the Pueblo Indians, who settled the region more than a thousand years ago
•The Spanish conquistadores and the
royal road from Mexico to Santa Fe
•Hauntingly beautiful high desert
scenery along the Rio Grande in New Mexico
•The art of Georgia O’Keeffe and other
US artists who came to the South
West to revolutionise American art
•Superb collections of European and
modern American art in public and
private collections
Overview
A journey through the South West USA offers a refreshing mix of cultures, some of the most
spectacular desert scenery on the planet, and a vibrant visual arts scene. On our 18-day tour,
new for 2015, we explore the history and culture of the Pueblo and Plains Indians, the Spanish
conquest of the Americas, and the arrival of English-speaking Americans in search of oil and
pastures. By the time you get to Phoenix, Arizona, you will have enjoyed the colours and vast
expanses of the desert and gained an understanding of the history and culture of the region.
YOUR TOUR LEADER
HIGHLIGHTS
Dr Matthew Laing holds a
PhD in US political studies
from the Australian National
University. He spent six
months in Washington as a
congressional intern and has
travelled extensively in the
USA and led Academy travel tours there in
2013 and 2014.
>The Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel
in Houston, Texas
>The Albuquerque desert ballooning festival
>The Pueblo and Spanish mission towns
of Santa Fe and Taos
>Georgia O’Keeffe’s ranch and studio near
Santa Fe
>The historic Toltec Railroad between
Antonito and Durango
>Pueblo Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde
>The other-worldly desert rock formations
of Monument Valley
>Staying overnight at the Grand Canyon
>Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West home
and studio near Phoenix
GETTING THERE
Qantas flies non-stop from Sydney to
Dallas daily. Contact us for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Monument Valley
USA
Durango
Antonito
Taos
Grand Canyon
Santa Fe
Albuquerque
Dallas
Phoenix
San Antonio
MEXICO
34
www.academytravel.com.au
Houston
Days 1–3: In Dallas visit superb art galleries and the John F. Kennedy assassination site.
Days 4–6: Fly to San Antonio, Texas, for Spanish
colonial sites, and then to Houston for the Menil
Collection and the Rothko Chapel.
Days 7–12: Fly to Albuquerque then take a coach
to Santa Fe to explore Spanish and Pueblo Indian
influences, Georgia O’Keeffe and others.
Days 13–16: Travel along the Rio Grande, then see
spectacular desert scenery, Pueblo cliff dwellings,
Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon.
Days 17–19: Arrive in Phoenix, Arizona and see
art galleries, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and desert gardens.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Chicago to New York
October 16-30, 2015
May 9-23, 2016
$9,430 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,830 single supplement
admire
•The course of American modern
architecture in the 20th-century, from
Louis B. Sullivan and the ‘Chicago School’
to Frank Lloyd Wright and beyond
•Wright’s transformation of the American
home, using inspiration from the prairie
landscape of the American Midwest and a Japanese-influenced aesthetic
•The story of private wealth and art
patronage in the United States by
Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Carnegie,
Andrew W. Mellon and John D.
Rockefeller
•The vibrant performing arts scene in Chicago and New York
Overview
Follow the Frank Lloyd Wright trail from Chicago to Buffalo, through to Pennsylvania and
on to New York, discovering the wealth of art, architecture and history in some of America’s
most impressive cities. The tour begins in Chicago, then travels north to Wisconsin and
Buffalo before heading to Pittsburgh and the nearby Allegheny mountains of Pennsylvania,
before ending up in New York. The itinerary features private guided visits to homes and
major galleries, fine dining and some great performances. Accommodation is in comfortable
four-star hotels throughout.
HIGHLIGHTS
YOUR TOUR LEADER
>Walking, coach and boat tours of Chicago’s
20th-century architecture
>The Art Institute of Chicago, renowned for
its Impressionist works
>Wright’s home, Taliesin, and his Johnson
Wax Factory in Wisconsin
>A private interior visit to Fallingwater,
arguably his most famous work
>A private out-of-hours viewing of the
Museum of Modern Art in New York
>Dinner at the Central Park Boathouse
>Steppenwolf Theatre performance in
Chicago and an orchestral concert and
a Broadway musical in New York
Stuart Barrie has a passion
for 20th-century American
history and the architecture of
Frank Lloyd Wright. He has led
many tours to the USA. Stuart
holds a Masters degree from
the University of New South
Wales and is a co-founder of Academy Travel.
GETTING THERE
Flights from Australian cities to the USA.
Discounted fares are regularly offered, so
please contact us for competitive quotes
and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Days 1–4: Start in Chicago, with sights including
Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago and
a full day exploring Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses.
Days 5–6: Travel by coach to Wisconsin to view
Wright’s Johnson Wax Building and Taliesin East.
Days 7–8: Fly to Buffalo to view Wright’s Martin
House and tour Niagara Falls.
Days 9–10: Fly to Pittsburgh to see Fallingwater,
Wright’s masterpiece.
Days 11–16: In New York enjoy architectural
walking tours, Wright’s Guggenheim Museum,
the Philip Johnson Glass House and a Broadway
musical.
Canada
Madison
Buffalo
New York
Chicago
Pittsburgh
USA
35
North east usa
Boston, Washington and New York
October 16 – November 1, 2015
April 22 – May 8, 2016
$10,600 pp, twin share (land content only)
$2,990 single supplement
Discover
•The early history of the USA around
Boston, where pilgrims and merchants
sought to forge a new life
•The story of the American Revolution
from the Boston Tea Party to the
Founding Fathers – Washington,
Jefferson, Adams and Franklin
•The Gilded Age, when America’s
wealthy built vast estates and
amassed outstanding collections of European art
•The emergence of a distinctly modern
American style of art and architecture
in the 20th-century
Overview
Explore the dramatic history and superb art and architecture of three of the USA’s most
historic cities. The tour begins in Boston, covering the early days of the American Revolution
and visiting the mansions of Newport, Rhode Island before flying to Washington to explore
the capital’s impressive museums and visiting Thomas Jefferson’s estate, Monticello, in
Virginia. The tour ends with a week in New York, with architectural walking tours, gallery
and museum visits, music and theatre.
Your tour leader
highlights
Dr Matthew Laing is a
research fellow at Monash
University. He holds a PhD
in US political studies from
ANU. He has served as a
congressional intern in
Washington, lectured
widely and travelled the length and breadth
of the USA.
>Five days in Boston, brimming with history
and elegant design
>The superb Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston, and the eclectic Isabella Stewart
Gardner Museum
>A day in Newport, Rhode Island, viewing
the extravagant 19th-century seaside
‘cottages’
>Four days in Washington, DC, visiting
major monuments and galleries
>Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate
in Virginia
>A week in New York, with private walking
tours, galleries, museums and music
>A private viewing of MoMA
Getting there
Qantas and United Airlines offer daily flights
from East Coast Australian cities to Boston,
and home from New York. Contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Boston
USA
Newport
New York
Washington
Charlottesville
36
Carefully planned itineraries
Days 1–5: Explore Boston’s historical precinct,
visit its fine art museums and make a day trip to Rhode Island.
Days 6–10: Fly to Washington and spend
three days exploring the capital’s monuments,
public buildings and galleries. Day trip south to
Virginia to visiting Thomas Jefferson’s estate,
Monticello, and his University of Virginia.
Days 11–17: A full week in New York.
Highlights include a private viewing of the
Museum of Modern Art, a walking tour of
Art Deco skyscrapers and Brooklyn, a night
at the Metropolitan Opera, and of course the
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Cuba
Then and Now
$7,850 pp, twin share (land content only)
$990 single supplement
January 28 – February 11, 2016
revel in
•The melting pot of Afro-Caribbean
cultures in Cuba’s music, literature,
architecture and politics
•The colonial architecture, from French
colonial to Spanish missionary
•The intriguing political history behind
this controversial island nation,
including the Bay of Pigs, scene of the US invasion in 1961
•Fields of sugar cane and tobacco, the backbone of the country’s worldfamous cigar and rum industries
•The evocative and inescapable
rhythms of the Salsa and the lilting
strings of son musicians
OVERVIEW
Journey through Cuba on this 15-day itinerary culminating with a week in Havana. Begin
with the tobacco route through the Viñales Valley and Las Terrazas. Explore the French
colonial town of Cienfuegos and visit the infamous Bay of Pigs. Wander in the botanic
gardens at Trinidad and contemplate the sugar cane and slave trade in Camaguey. Enjoy the
music and culture of Santiago de Cuba, the site of Fidel Castro’s nationalist revolution before
delving into the many cultural, literary and architectural delights in the capital, Havana.
HIGHLIGHTS
YOUR TOUR LEADER
>Two days travelling the tobacco route
through Pinar del Río
>French colonial architecture in Cienfuegos,
including the Terry Theatre where Caruso
once sang
>The Spanish settlements of Trinidad and
Sancti Spiritus where slaves toiled to
make the fortunes of sugar cane barons
>Two nights in Santiago de Cuba, a melting
pot of cultures and capital of the Cuban
carnival and music
>Seven nights exploring the colonial and
the new Havana, from the haunts of
Hemingway to soaking in the vibrant
street life
Dr Stephen Wilkinson
is head of the UK-based
International Institute
for the Study of Cuba.
He holds a PhD in Hispanic
Studies and speaks fluent
Spanish. Stephen has led
several tours to Cuba and has worked as
a researcher and translator for various
Cuba-related film projects.
Getting there
Please contact our consultants regarding
flight information to Havana for competitive
quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
ITINERARY
Days 1–4: From Havana travel through Pinar del Río to artistic communities in Las Terrazas and tobacco farms at Viñales.
Days 5–7: The Bay of Pigs and the French colonial
city of Cienfuegos and the Spanish town of
Trinidad.
Day 8: Drive the coast road and through fields of
sugar cane to Camaguey.
Days 9–10: In Santiago de Cuba, exploring this
melting pot of Afro-Caribbean cultures.
Days 11–15: Four nights in Havana delving
into the heart and soul of the old town and
Hemingway’s modern city.
Havana
Las Terrazas
Vinales
CUBA
Cienfuegos
Trinidad
Camaguey
Santiago De Cuba
37
Chile and Peru
Empires of the Inca
$TBA pp, twin share (land content only)
$TBA single supplement
May 7-29, 2016
treasure
•Incan civilisations and pre-Incan
cultures that stretched from San Pedro
de Atacama in Chile to Cusco in Peru
•The archaeology of South America,
from ancient mummies unearthed
from the dry Atacama desert plains to
those found frozen in ice in the Andes
•The legacy of the Spanish in the
region’s churches, monasteries and
delightful town squares
•Diverse landscapes from high deserts
and soaring mountains to the world’s
deepest canyon
•Contemporary life in the vibrant
capitals of Santiago and Lima
Overview
At its height, the Incan Empire extended from Colombia in the north to central Chile in the
south. This 22-day tour traces the empire from its southern periphery beyond the Atacama
Desert to its inner sanctum in Cusco and Machu Picchu, high in the Peruvian Andes. En route
we examine a range of fascinating sites, both well known and obscure, that present evidence
of the many cultures that either pre-dated or were contemporaneous with the Inca.
Your tour leader
Highlights
Chris Carter holds a firstclass Honours degree
in archaeology from
the Australian National
University. He has worked as
a professional archaeologist
and taught extensively in the
field. He is currently involved with prehistoric
sites in the Atacama region of northern Chile.
>The desert, lakes and saltpans of Atacama
>The outstanding archaeological sites and
museums of Arica
>A soak in the thermal hot springs after
journeying into the deep Colca Canyon
>Traditional cultures found on the islands
of Lake Titicaca
>The spectacular mountain pass from the
Altiplano through the Umayo River Valley
to Cusco
>The colonial town of Ollyantambo, built
on Incan foundations
>The glorious mountain estate of Machu
Picchu, built at the height of the Incan
Empire
Getting there
Qantas and LAN Chile fly to Santiago, and
home from Lima with a connection through
Santiago or Auckland. Contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Lima
Peru
Machu Picchu
Arequipa
Puno
Arica
Iquique
Atacama
CHILLI
Santiago
38
Expert tour leaders
Days 1–2: Take a walking tour of Santiago.
Days 3–5: Fly to San Pedro to visit pre-Incan sites,
salt lakes and the high Andes.
Days 6–8: The Atacama archaeological sites and
the Chinchorro mummies in Arica.
Days 9–11: Fly to Arequipa and visit a monastery
and the Colca Canyon at Chivay.
Days 12–13: Explore Incan ruins and the islands
of Lake Titicaca.
Days 14–15: Visit an Incan sun temple,
storehouse and citadel in Cusco.
Days 16–19: Visit churches and Incan ruins around
Sacred Valley, culminating at Machu Picchu.
Days 20–22: View the sights in Lima.
Iran
Ancient Persia and the Silk Road
$8,700 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,250 single supplement
September 5-23, 2015
Experience
• The clash of ancient civilizations – the world of Alexander the Great and the Persians
• The archaeology of Ancient Persia
• The enduring influence of
Zoroastrianism, Persia’s ancient and indigenous belief system
• The art and architecture of Safavid
Iran in some of the most beautiful
cities on the Silk Road
• The rich cultural life of Islamic Iran –
Persian gardens and Sufi poetry
• A remarkably friendly, cultured and open population, eager to engage with the world outside Iran
Overview
The Persian Empire was a significant force in the ancient world, in which it competed
and interacted with both Greece and Rome and was the last step on the Silk Road before
reaching Europe. In its heyday, Iran’s lavish Islamic architecture inspired Tamerlane’s
Samarqand and the Taj Mahal, its poets stirred generations of Iranians and foreigners,
and its famed gardens were considered an earthly paradise. In recent times Iran has
re-established itself as a leading nation in the Middle East.
HIGHLIGHTS
YOUR TOUR LEADER
>The remarkable museums and palaces
of Tehran
>The imposing Mausoleum of Oljeitu
and the Sassanian watchtowers, palaces
and fire temples at Takht-e Soleiman
>The gardens of Shiraz, where Persia’s
poets are celebrated
>The great classical sites of Persepolis
and Pasargadae
>The desert city of Yazd, with its evocative
Zoroastrian and medieval sites
>The UNESCO World Heritage city of
Isfahan, centre of the ‘renaissance’
Abbasid period
Christopher Bradley has
an honours degree from
Liverpool University,
specialising in the history
and art of the Silk Road.
He has led many different
tours to Iran, the most recent
being while writing and photographing the
Insight Guide to the Silk Road.
GETTING THERE
Emirates offer daily flights from Australian
ports into and out of Tehran. Contact us for
competitive quotes and bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Tehran.
Days 2–3: Explore the city’s extraordinary
palaces and museums.
Days 4–5: Examine the Sassanian ruins of
Takht-e Soleiman.
Days 6–7: Visit ancient Ectabana.
Days 8–10: Relax in beautiful Isfahan.
Days 11–12: Explore Zoroastrian fire temples in Yazd.
Days 13–14: See the citadel at Rayen and the Shazahdeh Garden in Mahan.
Days 15–17: Investigate the Achaemenid capital of Persepolis and visit Pasargadae.
Days 18–19: Back to Tehran.
Zanjan
Tehran
Hamedan
IRAN
Isfahan
Yazd
Kerman
Shiraz
39
Iran in depth
April 29 – May 21, 2016
$9,990 pp, twin share (land content only)
$1,525 single supplement
DISCOVER
•Little-visited sites on the Caspian Sea in the ‘Azerbaijani’ regions of Iran
•Memorable archaeological sites of the Ancient Persian Empire
•The stunning tiled architecture of Iran’s
Savafid era mosques and palaces
•The cross currents of Eastern and
Western cultures at key Silk Road sites
•The bazaars of Tehran, Tabriz, Shiraz
and Isfahan
•A remarkably friendly, cultured and
open population, eager to engage with the world outside Iran
OVERVIEW
Over 23 days we travel through the marvellous spring-time mountain and desert landscapes
of Persia and visit some of the most remarkable monuments in the ancient and Islamic
worlds. We explore awe-inspiring Achaemenid palaces and royal tombs, mysterious
Sassanian fire temples, enchanting mud-brick cities on the desert fringes, and fabled Persian
cities with their enchanting gardens, caravanserais, bazaars and stunning cobalt-blue
mosques. Perhaps more importantly, however, we encounter the unsurpassed friendliness
and hospitality of the Iranian people which leave most travellers longing to return.
YOUR TOUR LEADER
HIGHLIGHTS
Ben Churcher has a wide
range of experience
both as an educator, a
traveller, a historian and
an archaeologist. He holds
an Honours degree in
Ancient History and he
also holds a Diploma of Education from
the University of Sydney.
>The remarkable museums and palaces
of Tehran
>The Armenian church of St Stephanos
and the turquoise mosque in Tabriz
>The imposing Mausoleum of Öljeitü
and the Sassanian watch towers, palaces
and fire temples at Takht-e Soleyman
>The gardens of Shiraz, where Persia’s poets
are celebrated
>Classical sites of Persepolis and Pasargadae
>The desert city of Yazd, with its evocative
Zoroastrian and medieval sites
>The UNESCO World Heritage city of Isfahan,
centre of the ‘renaissance’ Abbasid period
GETTING THERE
Emirates offers daily flights to Tehran.
Contact us for competitive quotes and
bookings.
More details at academytravel.com.au
Tabriz
ITINERARY
CASPIAN SEA
Anzali
Zanjan
Tehran
Kashan
IRAN
Isfahan
Yazd
Shiraz
40
Maximum 20 in a group
Days 1–3: Explore Tehran’s extraordinary palaces
and museums
Days 4–7: Drive to the Caspian Sea then to Tabriz
and visit Safavid mausoleums, St Stephanos
Church and the troglodyte village of Kandovan
Days 8–9: Examine the Sassanian ruins of Takht-e Soleyman
Days 10–14: Investigate Bishapur, Persepolis and the Parthian city of Firuzabad
Days 15–17: Three nights in Yazd, with visits to Pasargadae and the Zoroastrian fire temples
Days 18–21: Relax with four nights in Isfahan
Days 21–23: Return to Tehran via the merchant
houses and water gardens of Kashan
France, Germany & Russia
in the 20th-Century
$TBA pp, twin share (land content only)
$TBA single supplement
July 4-14, 2016
A professional development tour for history teachers
Qualify for 45 hours of accredited professional development with this study tour to France, Germany and Russia for Australian history
teachers. Delve into Revolutionary Paris with visits to Versailles and the Tennis Court Museum, plus relevant sites around the city. Journey
to the Somme Valley to traverse battlefields and see poignant memorials to the fallen soldiers of WWI. Investigate the rise and fall of
the Third Reich and the resulting Cold War in Berlin, with visits to museums and tours with local experts. Travel to Russia to see the sites
associated with the 1917 Revolution and the 1944 Siege of Leningrad with academic expert Dr Matthew Dal Santo.
Professional Development
Please note: This tour is a professional
development tour designed for teachers or
those currently studying to teach history in
Australian schools. We do welcome partners
of teachers or non-teachers that have a strong
interest in the subject material covered.
This tour is offered by the School and University
Program of Academy Travel and differs to
the other tours on offer in this brochure.
Participants will stay in three-star hotels,
often use public transport to move around cities
and tour numbers are not restricted to 20.
Academy Travel is endorsed to provide QTC Registered Professional
Development for teachers accredited at Proficient Teacher. Completing
this study tour program will contribute 45 hours of QTC Registered
PD addressing 2.1.2, 6.2.2, 6.3.2 from the Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher
Accreditation in NSW. This study tour program covers content related
to the four parts of the HSC Modern History syllabus and the four
units of the VCE History syllabus.
Tax Deductibility:
In most cases, this tour will be fully tax deductible for full or part time History
teachers. Please speak to your tax agent for professional advice. Some teachers may
be able to have all or part of the tour fee subsidised by their school’s professional
development program (letter of support available upon request).
More details at schools.academytravel.com.au
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Paris and enjoy the famous
landmarks and monuments of the city. Tour
the Chateau of Versailles and the Tennis Court
Museum. Daytrip to the Somme Valley to
explore WWI battlefields with an expert guide.
Days 4-6: Fly to Berlin. Explore the German
Historical Museum and Jewish Museum. Tour
WWII and Cold War sites with a local guide.
Enjoy a cabaret show.
Days 7-12: Fly to St Petersburg and investigate
the sites of the 1917 Revolution and 1944 Siege
of Leningrad before continuing onto Moscow.
St Petersburg
RUSSIA
Moscow
Berlin
GERMANY
Somme Valley
Paris
FRANCE
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Upcoming Tour Program
August – November 2016
Our program for the second half of 2016 is now being finalised and includes
an exciting range of new destinations, along with repeats of some of our more
popular tours! Further information for each tour, including a detailed itinerary,
will be released 9-12 months before departure dates. Bookings open on
publication of the final itinerary. If you are interested in a tour, please contact
us to let us know and we’ll ensure you get an itinerary and booking form
as soon as they’re released.
August
October
Summer Music Festivals of Europe
Art of the North-East USA
with Robert Gay
with Dr Kathleen Olive
September
Art Trails: Paris to Berlin
Alexander’s Turkey and Iran
Classical and Ottoman Turkey
with Dr John Tidmarsh
Classical art and antiquities in
the museums and stately homes
of England
with Michael Turner
On the Caravaggio trail
aboard the Sea Cloud II
with Dr Kathleen Olive
Florence and the Italian Renaissance
with Dr Nick Gordon
Islands of the Mediterranean:
Corsica, Sardinia and Malta
with Dr Estelle Lazer
Music in the USA
with Lindy Montgomery
St Petersburg and Moscow
with Dr Matthew Dal Santo
Meet our client
services team
Our consultants are here to look after all
matters relating to your travel. If you are
interested in a tour or would like to book your
place, get in touch with one of our consultants
below on 02 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699
outside of Sydney.
with Dr Nick Gordon
with Judy Roberts
Grand Tour of Spain with
Catalonia extension
Stuart Barrie
[email protected]
with Dr Steve Wilkinson
Morocco
with Ben Churcher
Sicily and the Aeolian Islands
with Dr Estelle Lazer
Hannah Kleboe
Venice: City, Republic
and Empire
[email protected]
with Robert Veel
November
Southern India
with Judy Tenzing
Thanksgiving in New York
Erin Laffin
[email protected]
with Stuart Barrie
Tunisia and Upper Egypt
with Chris Bradley
Hayley Monson
[email protected]
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www.academytravel.com.au
The NEXT STEPs
itineraries, bookings, airfares
We’ve tempted you with one of our tours,
so what happens next?
Detailed itineraries
Welcome letter and updates
For each tour, we publish a 10–12 page
itinerary providing day-by-day descriptions
of the tour program and other important
information. This is published 9–12
months before departure. Bookings are
only accepted once the detailed itinerary
is published.
Once we have received your booking
we will send you a letter confirming all
details of your booking and any special
requests. We will keep you updated on
special tour-related events and other
matters as they arise.
Booking on a tour
Each person booking on a tour must
complete and sign a booking form and
send it to us together with a deposit
of $500. Booking forms are attached to
all detailed itineraries and can also be
downloaded from our website.
About a month before your tour begins
we’ll send you a comprehensive package
with your travel documents, tour notes and
practical information. If you prefer you can
arrange a meeting in our Sydney office to
go through your documents in person with
your travel consultant.
Travel consultant
Beyond the tour: Other services
Each of our tours has a dedicated,
professional consultant who will manage
all aspects of your booking from rooming
and special requests to airfares, travel
insurance and additional accommodation.
Your consultant is your one-stop point
of reference for all matters relating to
your travel.
Outstanding small-group journeys are just
one of the services Academy Travel offers.
We are a full-service travel agency and can
also organise your international flights,
additional travel before or after your tour,
private airport transfers and travel insurance.
We organise group airfares for tours to
difficult-to-reach destinations such as
Ethiopia, Russia, Iran and Uzbekistan.
For travel to Europe and the US we offer
competitive individual fares in economy,
business or first class.
Why begin your tour jet-lagged? We can
arrange pre-tour accommodation so you
can relax for a few extra nights in the first
hotel before your tour begins.
Pre-departure
Physical fitness
for travel
Undertaking long-distance flights and
participating in a two- to three-week
travel program requires physical stamina.
Your level of physical fitness will greatly
affect what you get out of a tour,
irrespective of your age. Each detailed
tour itinerary contains a summary of the
physical requirements of that tour. We
urge you to consider this information
carefully. All of our tours require the
ability to:
>walk as a group for 90 minutes or
more at a moderate pace with only
short breaks
>walk four or five kilometres on some
days
>get on and off a large coach unassisted
>move your luggage a short distance if
required
>tours to archaeological sites require you
to walk up steep slopes, clamber over
stones and walk on uneven paths
>tours with long stays in a single place
generally have more walking and
involve the use of local public transport,
with steps, barriers and crowds
>music tours involve many late nights at
performances, sometimes in succession
If you require more detail about the
physical requirements of a tour, please
contact us to discuss them in more
detail. If you have a chronic condition or
are recovering from a major illness we
encourage you to speak to your GP before
booking. If we are concerned about your
ability to meet the requirements we may
contact you for further information.
Back cover: exterior, MAXXI Museum, Rome.
43
Level 1, 341 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
Ph: +61 2 9235 0023
academytravel.com.au