ART i CITIES OF PISA, SIENA &

JANUARY 7-21, 2019 TOUR LEADER: DR KATHLEEN OLIVE

ART CITIES OF TUSCANY Overview PISA, SIENA, FLORENCE Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo: we are familiar with the great names of the Italian and their close association with Tuscany, long Tour dates: January 7-21, 2019 considered the movement’s birthplace. Drawn by its well-preserved attractions, large numbers flock to the region’s towns in the high season, Tour leader: Dr Kathleen Olive making it difficult to appreciate the subtleties of their vast heritage.

Tour Price: $6,980 per person, twin share This tour takes advantage of off-season travel and longer stays to admire the great cities of medieval Tuscany and to fully understand the cultural Single Supplement: $1,240 for sole use of developments that flowered in them. The combination of longer stays and double room day trips provides an appreciation of Tuscany’s art, history, landscape and food that goes well beyond what the ordinary traveller experiences. Booking deposit: $500 per person Few travellers, for example, take the time to explore the roots of the Italian Recommended airline: Qatar or Emirates Renaissance in medieval Tuscany. The region was at the very heart of Europe’s industrial and economic activities, trading in textiles and on the Maximum places: 20 currency markets and increasingly seeking self-rule as a way to control its enterprises. Despite calamities such as the 1348 Black Death, the region’s population exploded and the mix of political engagement, luxury trade and Itinerary: Pisa (3 nights), Siena (4 nights), innovation led to a rebirth, or “Renaissance”. Florence (7 nights)

We see this development clearly in Pisa, whose medieval maritime Date published: February 5, 2017 influence, wealth and cosmopolitanism – and proximity to elegant towns such as Lucca – make it a rewarding cultural destination. And in Volterra, San Gimignano and Siena, we track the resistance and ultimate surrender of Florence’s rivals, appreciating masterworks by Rosso Fiorentino, Benozzo Gozzoli and Siena’s great Duccio in the beautiful settings for which they were created.

And with a full week in Florence, we have time to explore the Renaissance in depth, moving through the city’s expansion into the territory of Fiesole, and Pistoia, the waxing and waning of Medici power, and on to the city’s reinvention in the 19th century as the Grand Tour destination par excellence.

Your tour leader

Dr Kathleen Olive has more than 15 years’ experience leading tours to . She has a PhD in Italian literature, regularly presents popular adult education courses in Sydney, and speaks fluent Italian.

Kathleen has a specific interest in Italian culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the subject of her PhD. Enquiries and In 2015, Kathleen’s research was published and bookings presented to Pope Francis I as an official gift on his first trip to Florence, and the book has subsequently been launched at the Galleries, the For further information and to , and even at the Custodia della Terra Santa in secure a place on this tour Jerusalem! please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel “Kathleen Olive does a great job – so knowledgeable, so experienced, on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 considerate, generous and fun to be with.” Participant feedback, 699 (outside Sydney) or email Masterpieces of Florence and tour, January 2017 [email protected]

Tour Highlights

WORLDCLASS ART The spectacular developments in Tuscany’s art and architecture from the 14th to 15th century have been termed a “Renaissance”, or rebirth. Explore the stunning collections of Tuscany, from the Uffizi and Accademia galleries in Florence to Pisa’s little-visited Museo Nazionale di San Matteo. Admire Rosso Fiorentino in Volterra, Piero della Francesca in Arezzo, and Filippo Lippi in Prato.

TUSCANY BEYOND FLORENCE Many of Tuscany’s pleasures are to be found far from the major towns of Florence or Siena. Enjoy day trips to Lucca, Volterra and San Gimignano, and journey into the dramatic landscape of southern Tuscany at San Galgano, Pienza and Monte Oliveto Maggiore abbey. Discover Prato and Pistoia, 2017’s Capital of Italian Culture, and admire the vine-covered and celebrated hills of Chianti.

OFF-SEASON TRAVEL Tuscany can be unpleasant in the high season, with many visitors and muggy weather. When the holiday period ends in early January, museums empty out, locals emerge, and regional cuisine – celebrating winter staples, such as hearty ribollita, Chianina bistecca and roasted chestnuts – truly comes into its own. Enjoy the benefits of the off-season and experience Tuscany without the hustle and bustle.

THE GLORY OF GOTHIC SIENA Part of Siena’s charm is its winding streets and alleys, lined with interesting boutiques and tempting places to eat. At night, the city is beautifully lit and the Sienese stroll up and down in the elegant evening passeggiata. Enjoy a longer stay in Siena, exploring the distinctive style of its art at the Pinacoteca Nazionale, historic Palazzo Pubblico and magnificent cathedral.

TUSCANY’S REGIONAL DIVERSITY Pisa, Siena and Florence, despite their relative proximity, all developed in different ways and preserve traces of their distinct histories. From Pisa’s maritime connections and eastern-inspired Romanesque, to Siena’s financial enterprise and ties to Gothic Avignon, and Florence’s classically-inspired Renaissance, discover the unique past and cityscapes of these Tuscan provincial capitals. Detailed itinerary

Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Tour start & finish time The tour starts on Monday 7 January at 5.30pm, at the Hotel Bologna, Pisa.

The tour ends on Monday 21 January at the Hotel Berchielli, Florence, after breakfast.

Monday 7 January Arrival Our tour begins in the afternoon, with a briefing in the hotel and an orientation stroll. There is a light dinner tonight near our hotel. Overnight Pisa (D)

Above: Pisa’s baptistery, umbilicus mundi and a bridge between the stark Romanesque and ornate Gothic styles Tuesday 8 January the splendour of medieval Pisa

Below: Rosso Fiorentino’s Deposition, full of urgency and drama, This morning we explore the cosmopolitan style of medieval both powerful and unsettling Pisa, influenced by its eastern trade. After a talk in our hotel, we walk to nearby Santa Maria della Spina, where the reliquary chapel is entirely covered in delicate Gothic and neo-Gothic tracery. After a visit to the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo, one of Italy’s finest museums of the Middle Ages with a superlative collection of painted crosses, we enjoy a guided tour of the spectacular Piazza dei Miracoli. After we explore the cathedral, baptistery and restored Camposanto frescoes, there is time to climb the Leaning Tower. Overnight Pisa (B)

Wednesday 9 January elegant lucca Today we make the short trip to Lucca. On our walking tour of this well-heeled town, we explore its fascinating history, from Roman origins to Romanesque churches, medieval streets and Renaissance walls. Lucca has excellent shops and, after our welcome lunch in a fine local restaurant, there is free time to look at them before we return to Pisa. We have a talk in our hotel this evening. Overnight Pisa (B, L)

Thursday 10 January clans and commerce in tuscany Today we check out of our hotel and travel to Volterra, famous for its production of alabaster and for its stark Romanesque beauty. Its regional museum contains the startling Deposition altarpiece by Rosso Fiorentino. In the afternoon we explore San Gimignano, its towers symbolising the factional conflict that ravaged medieval Tuscany. We also admire beautiful frescoes here by masters such as Benozzo Gozzoli and Ghirlandaio. After checking in to our hotel in Siena, we enjoy dinner in a nearby restaurant. Overnight Siena (B, D) Friday 11 January siena and the via francigena

Siena’s medieval growth was due in large part to the banking and trade it carried out along the Via Francigena, the primary pilgrimage route from northern Europe to Rome. After a talk in the hotel the morning is at leisure, but we meet in the afternoon for a guided tour of Siena’s cathedral complex. In the cathedral and baptistery, we appreciate the development of sculpture in Siena, from the Middle Ages to Renaissance, while in the Museo dell’Opera and Ospedale della Scala, we admire Duccio’s grand Maestà and the organisation of the city’s pilgrim traffic. Overnight Siena (B)

Saturday 12 January into southern tuscany Today we enjoy an excursion into southern Tuscany, where the bare hills have a dramatic beauty in winter. The Abbey of San Galgano is today an evocative ruin, but in the 13th century it was an important Cistercian complex and a sword belonging to Galgano is still embedded in the stone of a nearby sanctuary. In Pienza, where we have free time for lunch, we see the later reinvention of southern Tuscany in honour of Pope Pius II, who was born here and had the town redesigned in the 15th century according to Renaissance principles. In the afternoon, we tour the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, still surrounded by forest and decorated by Sodoma with frescoes celebrating the Above: Renaissance principles of order exemplified in Pienza – a town everyday life of the monks. Overnight Siena (B) entirely redesigned in the 15th century in honour of Pope Pius II – and in the calculations of Piero della Francesca’s monumental Legend of the True Cross cycle in Arezzo Sunday 13 January public and private art in siena Below: Siena’s town hall, emblem of the medieval city-state, and Campo, a stage for performing civic identity during the Palio horse race We begin the day with a guided visit to Siena’s Pinacoteca Nazionale, little-visited but with a magnificent survey collection of Sienese from the medieval masters to the 16th- century Mannerists. We continue with our guide to the Palazzo Pubblico, the town hall that preserves Lorenzetti’s wonderful fresco cycle on Good and Bad Government, a textbook of medieval political theory, and Simone Martini’s courtly Maestà. The afternoon is at leisure, before an evening talk in our hotel. Overnight Siena (B)

Monday 14 January piero della Francesca in arezzo After checking out, we travel to Arezzo, a picturesque village that preserves the most complete cycle of by Piero della Francesca. He revolutionised and geometry (even publishing a treatise on the topic), and his crystalline style inspired painters such as Jeffrey Smart well into the present day. After admiring the Legend of the True Cross cycle in San Francesco, we continue to the cathedral, which preserves another work by Piero as well as a wonderful medieval reliquary altar carved from marble. After free time for lunch and to explore the pretty town, we make the short trip to Florence. There is an orientation stroll after check-in, followed by a group dinner. Overnight Florence (B, D) Tuesday 15 January life in medieval florence

Today we explore the art of medieval Florence in its context, looking at how art and architecture were used by those who commissioned them. We visit Palazzo Davanzati, a beautifully restored medieval house museum, and continue on to Orsanmichele, where guild rivalry inspired a revolution in sculpture. There are more works by Donatello and Ghiberti, along with masterpieces by Michelangelo, at the Museo del Bargello, Florence’s sculpture museum. We visit the museum before free time for a late lunch. In the afternoon we enjoy a private visit to the terraces of the cathedral, for a panorama of Brunelleschi’s cupola, Giotto’s belltower and the baptistery. There is the option to continue to the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Schedules permitting, we enjoy an evening of classic music in one of the city’s historic venues. Overnight Florence (B)

Wednesday 16 January prato, Pistoia and the periphery While the focus has long been on the glory of medieval Above: Donatello’s resolute St George, from the church of Florence, the Arno river valley was one of medieval Europe’s Orsanmichele – once a market, later a granary and latterly a most populous places and its towns made a fortune from laboratory of Renaissance sculpture textiles. We spend today with a local guide, exploring two towns that later came under Florence’s influence. Both preserve their Below: The medieval laneways of Pistoia, known for its Romanesque architecture and Gothic sculpture, but far from the usual tourist trail own unique charms and are enjoying a renaissance of industry and tourism. At Pistoia, the Romanesque cathedral and baptistery contain precious works in sculpted silver and on painted crucifixes, and the Ospedale del Ceppo, a Renaissance poorhouse, has been recently renovated, the 16th-century ceramic frieze on its exterior recounting the town’s charity. Continuing on to Prato, we admire works by Donatello and Filippo Lippi in the cathedral, which has preserved a relic of the Virgin’s girdle since the Middle Ages. There is the option to remain in Prato for dinner, or to return to Florence with our private coach. Overnight Florence (B)

Thursday 17 January art for the medici The Medici family rose to prominence in 14th-century Florence, making a humble beginning as moneychangers but eventually becoming one of Europe’s most powerful dynasties. After a talk in our hotel, we take a walking tour of their finest contributions to the city, from the Brunelleschi-designed church of San Lorenzo, which they entirely renovated, to Benozzo Gozzoli’s wonderful frescoes of the Magi in the private chapel at the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi. At the Museo di San Marco, a Dominican monastery that the Medici rebuilt, we admire the tranquil beauty of , one of Cosimo de’ Medici’s favourite artists and now the primary subject of this wonderful museum. The afternoon is at leisure, with the option to visit the Museo di Santa Maria Novella with your tour leader. Overnight Florence (B)

Friday 18 January renaissance masterpieces

Painting in 15th-century Florence changed remarkably, with a renewed interest in classical proportions, human anatomy and emotions, and a chromatic brilliance. This new age is known as the Renaissance, and Masolino and ’s frescoes in the are often thought to have ushered it in. We begin the morning here, followed by free time to explore nearby Santo Spirito and the Oltrarno district. After lunch, we meet for a visit to the Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s most significant art collections and established by the Medici to showcase the development of the Tuscan Renaissance. It is usually quiet in the afternoon, allowing us to better appreciate works by Giotto, Botticelli, Titian, Caravaggio and countless others. We meet tonight for a group dinner back in the Oltrarno, to share our experiences and Uffizi highlights. Overnight Florence (B, D)

Saturday 19 January Fiesole and the grand dukes Fiesole started off as early Florence’s great rival, but it was subdued in the 12th century and became a satellite suburb of luxury villas and gardens, a characteristic that it preserves to this day. Yet Fiesole was a significant Etruscan and Roman town, and its Museo Archeologico and Roman theatre contain a fine collection of objects. After time for lunch in Fiesole, with Above: Glorious self-aggrandizement in the Medici family private its panoramic views, we return to the city to meet our local guide chapel, where Benozzo Gozzoli captures in fresco the wealth and at the Accademia Gallery. Michelangelo’s David has been sophistication of Florence’s first family exhibited here since the 19th century and is the museum’s greatest attraction, demonstrating the master’s philosophical as Below: Botticelli’s elegant Annunciation, its craftsmanship more well as technical approach to sculpture. The teaching aspect of easily appreciated in context, thanks to the redesign of the Uffizi’s the Accademia was instituted under the Medici dukes, and we iconic Renaissance galleries explore their love for pietra dura (Florentine mosaic) at a nearby workshop and in San Lorenzo’s Cappelle Medicee, which also contain Michelangelo’s Day and Night. There is a talk in our hotel this evening. Overnight Florence (B)

Sunday 20 January enlightenment to modern In the 17th century, Florence’s dukes ceased to be as important on the European stage and the great developments in painting and sculpture moved elsewhere. But the Medici maintained an active interest in the sciences and medicine, sponsoring the work of Galileo and developing vast collections of scientific instruments, models and maps. At the Museo Galileo Galilei, Florence’s science museum, our guide introduces us to the collection. We continue with a trip into the nearby Chianti hills, stopping at Piazzale Michelangelo for its sweeping views before continuing to the Antinori winery at Bargino. A spectacular example of what modernity looks like in Florence today, the contemporary building is partially enclosed by a hill and surrounded by the countryside. It is a testament to the combination of innovation, respect for traditions and confidence that have made Tuscany what it is. After we enjoy a farewell lunch overlooking the clipped vines, we return to Florence where the later afternoon is at leisure. Overnight Florence (B, L)

Monday 21 January departure Our tour ends after breakfast today.

Hotels

These 4-star hotels have been selected principally for their central location.

 Pisa, Hotel Bologna (3 nights) An elegant hotel in the historic centre of Pisa, a short walk to the main sights in Campo dei Miracoli. www.hotelbologna.pisa.it/en Above: Fiesole, boasting a wonderful view of neighbouring Florence,  Siena, NH Siena (4 nights) was a proud Etruscan city and later Roman settlement, as evidenced in the Roman theatre of its Archaeological Museum Five minutes’ walk from Via di Banchi di Sopra, Siena’s elegant pedestrian thoroughfare, the hotel has well- Below: Modern Florentine know-how, in the stunning architecture of the appointed rooms and a restaurant. Antinori winery in Chianti. The family has been making wine since the 14th century and demonstrates with this design and monumental www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-siena production centre that Tuscany still has the potential to innovate

 Florence, Hotel Berchielli (7 nights) Close by the Ponte Vecchio, the hotel is modern, with well- sized rooms and an enviable location. www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-siena

Hotels may be subject to change (to another hotel of equivalent quality). Any changes will be advised to all clients booked on the tour.

Tour Price Fitness Requirements

The tour price is $6,980 per person, twin share (land content of THIS tour only). The supplement for a single room is $1,240 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is GRADE TWO required to secure a place on the tour. It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this Tour Inclusions tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a Included in the tour price star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature  14 nights’ accommodation in 4-star hotels extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater  All breakfasts and selected lunches/dinners in local fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider restaurants, as indicated in the itinerary by (L) and (D) your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.  Land travel in Italy by air-conditioned coach, and land Participation criteria for this tour excursion to Lucca by train  All entrance fees to sites included in itinerary This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active  Services of a tour leader throughout the tour lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of  Background talks, site notes and onsite guidance, physical activity per day on most days, including longer including local guides where required walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and Not included a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights.  International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below)  Travel insurance You should be able to:  Meals not mentioned in itinerary  keep up with the group at all times  Expenses of a personal nature  walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only short breaks  stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and Air travel OPTIONS museums  tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold, The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour humidity and heat we recommend Qatar Airways and Emirates, which offer  walk up and down slopes flights into Italy from most Australian cities. Please contact  negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites, us for further information on competitive Economy, Business which are often uneven and unstable and First Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel  get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or are included for all passengers booking their flights through boat unassisted, possibly with luggage Academy Travel. These may be group or individual  move your luggage a short distance if required transfers. A note for older travellers Enquiries & bookings If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. For further information and to secure a place on this tour You will have to miss several activities and will not get the please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel on full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your [email protected] situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the Weather on Tour physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour January is a great time for ‘cultural travel’ to Italy. There are are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean few tourists and religious pilgrims around, and rarely queues we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition. for major monuments. Temperatures are cool in the morning (around 3-6 degrees), usually warming up to 10-12 degrees in the day. Rainfall is not usually heavy, although it is reasonable to expect some rain and colder temperatures on tour.