MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL

ART • ARCHITECTURE • GASTRONOMY • ARCHAEOLOGY • HISTORY • MUSIC • LITERATURE

Prague & for Patrons of the Royal British Columbia Museum

21–28 September 2016 (ed 860) 8 days • CAD $7,520

The most beautiful capital in Central Europe and an enchanting country town – Český Krumlov – staying in the best hotels. Unique insight to be provided by Valerie Raymond, former Canadian Ambassador to the , and Professor Jack Lohman CBE, expert on Bohemian painting and CEO of the Royal BC Museum. Stay at The Four Seasons - the best hotel in , perfectly located in the Old Town. Features special arrangements and private visits, and museum tours with curators. Opera and concert tickets can be arranged.

Built around a loop in the fast-flowing upper reaches of the River , Český Krumlov in South Bohemia is an exceedingly picturesque little town, almost untouched by the twentieth century. Above the town is the castle, mediaeval in origin but with later additions and of national revival and the achievement of Itinerary decorations. independence (in 1918) inspired a ferment Prague, the capital of Bohemia and now of creativity among artists, writers and Day 1: Prague to Český Krumlov. Leave from of the Czech Republic, needs no introduction composers. A bewildering variety of styles the Four Seasons Hotel in Prague Old Town as the most beautiful city in Central Europe, drew on earlier Bohemian traditions, led Art at 2.00pm. Drive through rolling, enchanting with plenty to delight the cultural traveller Nouveau into highly innovatory directions and countryside to Český Krumlov in south for a week or more. Yet many a façade screens pioneered some radical and unique features at Bohemia. A drinks reception is followed by halls and rooms and works of art of the highest the dawn of modernism. dinner. First of two nights here. interest which can scarcely ever be seen except Another high point in Prague’s history was Day 2: Český Krumlov. Clustered around a by insiders. Gaining access to the inaccessible is the fourteenth century, when Kings of Bohemia bend in the upper reaches of the Vltava, Český a major strand of this tour. were also Holy Roman Emperors and the city Krumlov is a highly picturesque little town. Pursuing the private and straying off the became one of the largest in the western world. The hilltop castle was largely rebuilt in the 16th beaten track will not be at the expense of the The Gothic cathedral rising from within the and 18th centuries; among its treasures are a well-known sights, among which are some of precincts of the hilltop Royal Castle is one of unique hall painted with masked revellers, an the most fascinating buildings and artworks in the many monuments of that golden age, and excellently preserved Baroque theatre, perhaps Central Europe. Prague enjoys an unequalled the exquisite panel paintings from this era, the best survivor of its kind, and a large formal density of great architecture, from Romanesque now excellently displayed in the Convent of garden. The afternoon is free for further to modern, but it is the fabric of the city as a St Agnes and Karlštejn Castle, are among the exploration; there is plenty to enjoy in this whole rather than individual masterpieces chief glories of the city. loveliest of Czech towns. which make it so special. The city has the Subordination within the Habsburg Empire advantage of a splendid site, a crescent of hills from the sixteenth century curtailed Bohemia’s Day 3: Kratochvíle, Karlštejn. Drive back to rising from one side of a majestic bend in power but not its wealth or architectural Prague via two contrasting residences. Secluded the River Vltava with gently inclined terrain achievements: some of the finest Renaissance within a moat and walled garden amid on the other bank. A carapace of red roofs, buildings in Central Europe arose here. In particularly lovely countryside, Kratochvíle is green domes and gilded spires spreads across the eighteenth century, some of the richest the finest Renaissance villa in the country. The the slopes and levels, sheltering marvellously landowners of the Baroque age built palaces strongly fortified castle of Karlštejn was built by unspoilt streets and alleys and magically here. Emperor Charles IV, whose reign (1346–78) saw picturesque squares. The itinerary given below does not list by Bohemia reach its apogee. A chapel embedded The whole gamut of Czech art and any means all that you see, and there may be in the impregnable keep, its walls studded with architecture is viewed, including the period adjustments to the order and even the content semi-precious stones and 130 panel paintings, from the 1870s to the 1920s when the spirit of visits as the plan is honed and refined. is the most opulent surviving mediaeval

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Prague & Bohemia continued

interior. Drive to Prague and settle into the Practicalities hotel in the Old Town in time for dinner. The first of five nights here. Price – per person. Two sharing: CAD $7,520. Single occupancy: CAD $9,360. Day 4: Prague, Old Town. Begin with a walking tour of the ancient core of the city Deposit. There is a 10% non-refundable deposit – the Old Town. A dense maze of dazzlingly upon booking the tour. Full terms are available picturesque streets and alleys converges on at www.martinrandall.com/terms Old Town Square, surely the prettiest urban Included: private air-conditioned coach space in Europe, with shimmeringly beautiful throughout; hotel accommodation as described façades – mediaeval, Renaissance, Baroque below; breakfasts and 5 dinners with wine; and Art Nouveau. Then a special visit to the all admissions to museums etc; all tips for Obecní dům (‘Municipal House’) to see the restaurant staff, drivers and guides; local taxes; glorious suite of assembly rooms created the services of the Czech guide-interpreter. 1904–12, a unique and very Czech mélange We will be joined by Valerie Raymond, former of murals and ornament. There follows the Canadian Ambassador to the Czech Republic. 13th-century Convent of St Agnes, where one of the world’s greatest collections of mediaeval International flights are not included. painting is brilliantly installed. A walk in Accommodation. Cesky Krumlov (2 nights): and around Wenceslas Square, threading Hotel Ruže (janhotels.cz): a characterful hotel through a succession of arcades, takes in some in a converted 16th-century Jesuit Monastery, outstanding turn-of-the-century architecture locally rated as 5-stars (closer to international and decoration. 4-star standard). Prague (5 nights): The Four Day 7: Veletržni, Castle District. The Veletržni Seasons (fourseasons.com/prague), probably Day 5: Castle District. Drive up to Prague (Trade Fair) Palace of 1928 now houses the most luxurious hotel in the city, and Castle for a first visit to this extensive and fascinating Czech art of the 19th and 20th excellently located on the river Vltava with fascinating hilltop citadel, residence of Dukes centuries, a remarkable holding of modern views across to the castle hill. There is a and Kings of Bohemia from the 10th century French art. Return to the Castle District to see supplement for rooms with a castle view. and now of the President of the Czech Republic. the delicately arcaded Belvedere in the Royal The Old Royal Palace rises from Romanesque Gardens, the finest Renaissance building How strenuous? There is a lot of walking, much through Gothic to Renaissance and has the in Prague, and the cathedral of St Vitus, a of it on roughly paved streets, some on inclines. largest stone hall in Europe with extraordinary pioneering monument of High Gothic, richly The tour would not be suitable for anyone with vaulting. There follows privileged access to a embellished with chapels, tombs, altarpieces difficulties with everyday walking and stair- wonderful sequence of halls not open to the and stained glass. Walk down through another climbing. public, dating from the 1570s to the 1930s (state part of the Lesser Town and across the 14th- Anticipated group size: 10 to 20 participants. occasions permitting), and a special tour of the century Charles Bridge, the greatest such Lobkovicz Palace. Walk through a sequence of structure in Europe, adorned with sculptures. Booking information. This tour is exclusive delightful gardens on the south slope down to to Patrons of the Royal BC Museum. It is Day 8: , Castle. Strahov Monastery the Lesser Town. administered and operated by Martin Randall has commanding views over Prague and two Travel Ltd. For booking information, call Day 6: Jewish Quarter, Old Town, Troja. magnificent library halls, which by special Martin Randall Travel on +44 20 8742 3355 or The Jewish Quarter retains synagogues of the arrangement we enter. Then walk down email [email protected] or consult the 15th to the 19th centuries, a museum and the the hill, passing the formidable bulk of the website www.martinrandall.com/how-to-book. famous cemetery; a morning of pathos, tragedy Černín Palace and the delightful façade of and enlightenment. There is a special tour of the Loreto Church, for some free time at the the National Theatre (1869–83), to which all the Castle. Located here is the National Gallery of leading Czech artists of the time contributed, European Old Masters, an excellent museum and a visit to the Prague City Museum to see of Czech 19th-century art and the Lobkowicz the extraordinarily detailed model of the city Palace with Canaletto’s paintings of London. In made in the 1830s. Drive to the outskirts of the the early afternoon transfers will be arranged to city to visit Villa Troja, a 17th-century country take you either to the airport or to the hotel. retreat with an Italianate mansion internally coated in frescoes, set in a French formal Illustrations. Previous page: Prague, watercolour garden; a somewhat bizarre rarity. by B. Granville Baker, publ. 1923. This page: Český Krumlov, linocut by Hans Philipp, c. 1940.

www.martinrandall.com • Telephone +44 (0)20 8742 3355 • [email protected]