FLORENCE, RAVENNA & VENICE ART, ARCHITECTURE & HISTORY APRIL 3-15, 2018 TOUR LEADER: DR NICK GORDON FLORENCE, RAVENNA Overview & VENICE ART, ARCHITECTURE & HISTORY Florence, Ravenna and Venice have extraordinary and distinct histories but are united by the sheer density of masterpieces they have Tour dates: April 3-15, 2018 accumulated. This new 13-day tour takes in the best of these cities, from the UNESCO World Heritage Byzantine and Ostrogothic mosaics of Tour leader: Dr Nick Gordon Ravenna, to Renaissance masterpieces by Botticelli, Donatello and Leonardo in Florence, and the splendour of Venice, from its glittering Tour Price: $6,575 per person, twin share mosaics to its quiet islands and excellent modern and Renaissance art collections. Single Supplement: $1,575 for sole use of The tour also takes you to less well-visited sites, such as villas and double room gardens of Fiesole, the Renaissance country houses of Palladio, and Prato, a once thriving medieval city with abundant treasures of its own. Booking deposit: $500 per person The itinerary is rounded out by a private after hours tour of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice and fine dining in Florence and Venice. Recommended airline: Emirates Maximum places: 20 Your tour leader Itinerary: Florence (5 nights), Ravenna (2 Dr Nick Gordon holds a University Medal nights), Venice (5 nights) and a PhD in History from the University of Sydney. He lectures regularly on art Date published: May 9, 2018 and history for Sydney University’s Nicholson Museum and Centre for Continuing Education, and has taught European history at universities in Sydney for 10 years. His knowledge of and passion for art and history have developed from both academic research and his practice as an artist. He has led tours for Academy Travel since 2007. “Loved the itinerary – good mix of cultural sites and activities. Nick was an excellent tour leader who took care of our group. He shared his expertise and enthusiasm with us in a friendly and unassuming way, answering our questions and providing further information when asked.” Tour participant on Venice: City, Republic and Empire, 2015. “Nick was an extremely knowledgeable guide; he organised us very well; he was calm and unflappable; and his lectures were excellent… The information he provided, the places he selected for us, and the art he revealed to us gave us a wonderful insight into Renaissance times.” Tour participant on Florence and the Italian Renaissance, 2016. Enquiries and Connect this tour bookings with Naples, Capri and Rome, March 2018 For further information and to Consider combining both of these tours Naples, Capri & Rome and secure a place on this tour Florence, Ravenna & Venice to create a 26-day program touring the major please contact Jemma York at cities and cultural highlights of Italy. Travel from Naples to Venice with 5 Academy Travel on 9235 0023 days in between each tour to celebrate Easter in Italy. For more or 1800 639 699 (outside information please contact Jemma York (details left). Sydney) or email [email protected] Tour Highlights PRIVATE VIEWING OF ST MARK’S BASILICA IN VENICE Enjoy St Mark’s Basilica without the crowds on a private evening visit. As one of Italy’s most visited sites, during the day it is filled by hordes of people filing through a narrowly prescribed path. The private, after-hours experience is incomparable: the mosaics are illuminated specially for us allowing you to admire them in peace. DONATELLO, MICHELANGELO, BOTTICELLI The artists of Renaissance Florence left an indelible mark on history and in the city of Florence, which has the greatest concentration of Renaissance art in the world. Enjoy expert guidance in the Uffizi and beyond, as we explore the art and culture of one of history’s most dynamic periods. THE WORLD HERITAGE MOSAICS OF RAVENNA From the 4th and 6th centuries CE, Ravenna was the capital of successive empires in Italy – first Roman, then Ostrogothic and Byzantine. Each empire left its mark on the city and today it is one of the best places to explore the tumultuous history of Late Antiquity, through the beautifully preserved buildings and mosaics from each period. ITALIAN VILLAS OF FLORENCE AND VENICE Renaissance Italians sought to emulate the great writers and citizens of the Roman world, and began to build villas to pursue the good life according to classical rules. This new villa culture produced some of the most significant architects of the West, such as Andrea Palladio whose World Heritage listed villas in the Veneto have inspired generations of architects. FROM MEDIEVAL TO MODERN ITALY Hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of years of constant inhabitation have produced wondrous cities, with medieval cobblestoned laneways and Renaissance palaces forming the backdrop for that uniquely Italian modern style. Find out what’s behind the doors too, whether it’s an altarpiece by Bellini or one of Italy’s many fine collections of modern art. Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D. Tuesday April 3 Arrive The tour starts this afternoon, when we meet in the hotel for a walking tour of the historic centre of Florence, from the Ponte Above: the Ponte Vecchio Vecchio, through the medieval streets of the Oltrarno with their artisan workshops, and the palaces of some of Florence’s great Below: Benozzo Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi, in the private Renaissance families, which now house galleries, designer chapel of the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, and Michelangelo’s Pieta, in the recently renovated Museo del Opera del Duomo in Florence flagships and boutiques. In the early evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner. Overnight Florence (D) Wednesday April 4 The Renaissance in Florence From the 1200-1500s Florence was one of the economic and cultural powerhouses of Europe and its citizens - from Dante, to Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and the Medici - revolutionised banking, literature, politics and art. After a background talk in the hotel, we explore the genesis of the Italian Renaissance. Our morning walking tour includes a visit to Orsanmichele and Santa Maria Novella, which has extensive frescoes by Masaccio, Uccello, Ghirlandaio and Lippi. Seeing these works in their original context gives us a better understanding of the social and political relationships behind Renaissance art, and the particularly complex demands placed on artists. In the afternoon, we have a guided visit of the 15th century palace of the Medici, with its jewel like chapel painted by Benozzo Gozzoli, and their local church, San Lorenzo – a beautiful church designed by Brunelleschi, with works by Donatello and Verrocchio inside, and the Medici Chapels nearby, with tombs by Michelangelo. Evening at leisure. Overnight Florence (B) Thursday April 5 Sculpture and the Dome The cupola of Florence’s cathedral is symbolic of the confidence, energy and audacity of Renaissance Florentines. When work started on the new cathedral in 1290s, the architects knew they did not yet have the technology to span the space, but proceeded nonetheless. Brunelleschi’s dome was an awe inspiring achievement both in terms of engineering and aesthetics. But the dome was just one part of a much larger project to represent the greatness of Florence and its citizens. After a morning talk, we explore the sculpture and architecture of Renaissance Florence. We visit the Bargello for its excellent collection of sculpture and the recently renovated Museo del Opera del Duomo, which has Ghiberti’s extraordinary ‘Gates of Paradise’ and a beautiful Pieta by Michelangelo. In the late afternoon, we ascend to the terraces of cathedral. Evening at leisure. Overnight Florence (B) Friday April 6 Villas and Fiesole According to classical authorities, one must have a place to go to relax just outside the city and high enough to provide respite from the summer heat. The hills to the north of Florence provided exactly this, and the villas have been built here since the 1400s. This morning we visit Villa Gamberaia, whose 18th- century formal gardens take perfect advantage of the views across the Tuscan countryside, and Villa Le Balze, whose gardens were designed by Cecil Pincent. After lunch at Villa San Michele, an excellent and exclusive restaurant, we visit the town of Fiesole, with its Etrsucan and Roman ruins, and picturesque views over Florence and the countryside. Evening at leisure. Overnight Florence (B, L) Saturday April 7 Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi When the Medici took control of the city in the 1500s, they set about radically transforming it in their image. The Palazzo Vecchio was transformed from a republican city hall to a ducal private residence, and it is lavishly decorated with scenes from history and mythology. The administration of their duchy was moved into the custom-built Uffizi next door. The Uffizi has undergone a lot of changes over the years; most recently it has been renovated and enlarged, so that there is more than double the amount of space to display their treasures. After a talk in the morning, we have a guided visit of the Palazzo Vecchio, including its secret passages, usually unavailable to the public. Above: a view of the parterre at Villa Gamberaia. Above: the In the early afternoon, we have a guided visit of the Uffizi, Romanesque cathedral of Prato followed by time explore the galleries independently. Evening at leisure. Overnight Florence. (B) Below: Theodora, the accomplished Empress of the Byzantine Sunday April 8 Empire, from the 6th-century World Heritage listed mosaics of Ravenna Prato We depart by coach this morning for Ravenna. Our first stop on route the Medici villa at Poggio ai Caiano. This villa was designed for Lorenzo the Magnificent in the late 1400s and completed by his son, Pope Leo X.