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Civilisations of Sicily Mediterranean Crossroads: Three Thousand Years of Creativity

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Civilisations of Sicily Mediterranean Crossroads: Three Thousand Years of Creativity MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL ART • ARCHITECTURE • GASTRONOMY • ARCHAEOLOGY • HISTORY • MUSIC • LITERATURE Civilisations of Sicily Mediterranean crossroads: three thousand years of creativity 13–25 September 2021 (mh 889) 13 days • £4,960 Lecturer: Dr Luca Leoncini 11–23 October 2021 (mh 988) 13 days • £4,960 Lecturer: Dr Philippa Joseph 18–30 October 2021 (mh 998) 13 days • £4,960 Lecturer: John McNeill Covers all the island, showcasing the main sights and many lesser-known ones. The whole gamut – Greek, Roman, Norman, Renaissance, Baroque and 19th century. A full tour but carefully paced and with only three hotels. Cross the Straits of Messina to Reggio di Calabria to see the Riace Bronzes. Several special arrangements to visit places not normally open to the public. Option to combine the September departure Segesta, watercolour by Alberto Pisa, publ. 1911 with World Heritage Malta, 27 September–3 October 2021. ornamented with wrought-iron balconies. In glittering greens of intensely farmed valleys. every town there are buildings of unexpected The smoking bulk of Mount Etna, Europe’s Sicily is the pre-eminent island in the magnificence and a plenitude of modest largest active volcano, is visible from much of Mediterranean – the largest as well as the structures of ineffable charm. Some are well the eastern part of the island. most eventful historically. It is also more or preserved, some are crumbling – witness to a less in the middle, a stepping stone between deeper malaise. Itinerary Europe and Africa and a refuge between the For much of its history, Sicily was regularly Levant and the Atlantic. Throughout history one of the most prosperous of European Day 1: Palermo. Fly at c. 3.00pm from London Sicily was viewed as a fortuitous landfall by territories, but political mismanagement and Gatwick to Catania, and drive across the island migrating peoples and a prized possession social dislocation led to a long, deep slump. to Palermo (British Airways). The largest and by ambitious adventurers and expansionist Into the space vacated by absentee landlords by far the most interesting city on the island, princes. And as the Mediterranean has been the and self-serving authorities, the ‘Honoured Palermo has been capital of Sicily since the catalyst and disseminator of a greater variety of Society’ inserted itself as protector – though period of Saracenic occupation in the ninth civilisations than any other of the world’s seas, it has been even more exploitative and malign century. It reached a peak under the Normans the island has accumulated an exceptionally than the worst of earlier tyrants. And the and again during the Age of Baroque. First of rich and incomparably varied inventory of art, region remains low in the tables of prosperity. six nights in Palermo. architecture and archaeological remains. Matters are improving, however. Day 2: Palermo. A morning walk through the Here are to be found some of the finest Conservation and curatorship have made great old centre includes visits to several oratories surviving ancient Greek temples and theatres; strides in recent years, the Mafia has lost its and outstanding Norman buildings including Roman floor mosaics which have no peer dominance, poverty has lessened, and other La Martorana with fine mosaics. Lunch is at a in Europe; and wall and vault mosaics by indicators of wellbeing – the high quality of private palace, by special arrangement. In the Byzantine craftsmen which are unequalled cuisine among them – are more evident as each afternoon see the collection of pictures in the anywhere. Medieval churches and Baroque year goes by. Sicily has been a part of a unified 15th-century Palazzo Abatellis. In the evening palaces abound, and there are many memorable Italy since 1861 and ethnically and culturally it there is an out-of-hours visit to the Palatine paintings, sculptures and other works of art. is unmistakably Italian. But it is also distinctly Chapel in the palace of the Norman kings. As much part of the experience as these Sicilian, a world apart. Forming the backdrop Entirely encrusted with Byzantine mosaics, this masterpieces are the picturesque hill towns, to all this are some ineluctable landscapes, the is perhaps the finest assembly of Byzantine art coastal settlements lapped by a gentle sea, formidable stark hills of the interior and the to survive anywhere. haphazard alleys and vibrant city boulevards book online at www.martinrandall.com Telephone 020 8742 3355 MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL Civilisations of Sicily continued Day 3: Monreale, Cefalù. The small town of coast of mainland Italy. The town itself, later. There is a series of well preserved mosaics. Monreale dominates a verdant valley southwest clinging to a hillside with beaches far below, Day 13: Noto, Modica. Rebuilt after an of Palermo. Its cathedral is one of the finest has buildings from five centuries as well as earthquake in 1693, the hill town of Noto is one Norman churches on the island and possesses further Roman structures. A smart resort since of the loveliest and most homogenous Baroque the largest scheme of Byzantine mosaic the 19th century, our hotel has shaded gardens towns in Italy. All of honey-coloured stone, decoration in existence. Cefalù, a charming which spill down a series of terraces. (Also a vistas are enlivened with carved stone balconies coastal town, has another massive Norman swimming pool which is usually open between with elaborate ironwork. Visit the cathedral, a cathedral, also with outstanding mosaics, and March and October). convent and a suite of Empire-style rooms in a an art gallery with a painting by the 15th- Day 9: Messina, Reggio di Calabria. Drive palazzo. The exceedingly lovely town of Modica century artist Antonello da Messina. along the coast to Messina. The city was one is situated at a conjunction of valleys at the foot Day 4: Segesta, Selinunte. Set in an unspoilt of Caravaggio’s Sicilian refuges, and in the of the Monti Iblei. See the cathedral, designed hilly landscape, the almost complete but art gallery there are two paintings by him and by Rosario Gagliardi. Fly from Catania, fascinatingly unfinished fifth-century temple at the best-surviving work by the 15th-century arriving London Gatwick at c. 11.15pm. Segesta was built by indigenous if thoroughly painter Antonello da Messina. Cross the Straits If combining this tour with World Heritage Hellenised Sicilians. On an adjacent hill is a of Messina by hydrofoil to Reggio di Calabria Malta, fly from Catania to Malta (Ryanair or spectacularly sited theatre with views to the on mainland Italy to see the Riace Bronzes, Air Malta) and taxi transfer to the hotel. Two sea. Selinunte, founded by Greeks from over-life-size male nudes associated with extra nights in Valletta. the Attic city of Megara c. 650 bc, is a vast Phidias and Polyclitus, among the finest Greek archaeological site, renowned for its many sculpture to survive. temples and acropolis. Day 10: Catania, Siracusa. Sicily’s second city, Lecturers Day 5: Agrigento. The remains of the Greek Catania was largely rebuilt after the earthquake Dr Philippa Joseph. Independent lecturer colony of Akragas at modern-day Agrigento of 1693 with long straight streets lined with and researcher with a background in academic constitute one of the greatest sites bequeathed Baroque palaces. Special arrangements to see publishing. Former reviews editor of History by the ancient world. A relatively late a magnificent private palazzo and a Byzantine Today, she is a tutor in architectural and art foundation (580 bc), it rose rapidly to riches chapel, and visits to the enormous monastery history at the Oxford University Department and constructed eight peripteral temples, the of St Nicola and harmonious cathedral square. for Continuing Education. Her teaching and most numerous group in the Greek world. Continue to Syracuse: founded as a Greek research focuses on the artistic and cultural That dedicated to Olympian Zeus was the colony in 733 bc, it became the most important legacies of Andalucía and Sicily. largest of all Doric temples before being felled city of Magna Græcia. Late-afternoon visit to by Carthaginians and earthquakes, while the the fifth-century bc theatre, the largest of its Dr Luca Leoncini. Art historian with a Temple ‘of Concord’ is the best preserved. type to survive, and the Roman amphitheatre. speciality in 15th-century painting and a wide Continue to Syracuse for the first of three knowledge of Italian art and architecture. Day 6: Palermo. San Giovanni degli Eremiti nights. He obtained his degree and PhD at Rome is a Norman church with five cupolas and a University and studied at the Warburg Institute charming garden. The cathedral, a building of Day 11: Syracuse. The Island of Ortygia, the in London. He has also written on Mantegna and many periods (though largely medieval), has ancient heart of Syracuse, is densely packed on Renaissance drawings. He is one of MRT’s grand royal and imperial tombs. See also the with structures from ancient Greek to Stile longest serving lecturers. archaeological museum, which displays one Liberty, and is one of the largest areas of of the richest collections of Punic and Ancient unremittingly picturesque townscape to John McNeill. Architectural historian of the Greek art in Italy. be found anywhere. The day’s walks thread Middle Ages and Renaissance. He lectures for through meandering alleys, little piazze and Oxford University’s Department of Continuing Day 7: Palermo, Piazza Armerina. Visit seaside promenades, lingering at buildings Education and is Honorary Secretary of the Castello della Zisa, an Arab-Norman Palace. such as the cathedral, unique in incorporating British Archaeological Association. Publications Then leave Palermo and drive through the hilly a Doric temple of c. 480 bc, and the medieval include articles in learned journals and interior of Sicily.
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