September 3-23 2010

Tour led by: John Osborne

Price: $6,500

This tour is now sold out In Bulgaria our very varied itinerary includes prehistoric Thracian treasures, Roman archaeological sites, orthodox churches and monasteries, 19th century timber houses and a vibrant folk culture. In Romania the focus is on medieval sites in Transylvania, visiting villages and castles in some fine mountain scenery. Since joining the EU, Bulgaria and Romania are rapidly emerging as tourist destinations. Now is the time to visit.
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June 9 - 28, 2011

Tour led by: Dr Tom Duncan

Price: $9,900

With long stays in historic towns and residences, this 17-day tour samples some of the jewels of provincial life in the United Kingdom and Ireland. We begin with five nights in the village of Ripley in north Yorkshire. From here we explore sites such as Ripley Castle, Castle Howard and Harewood House. We then head to Scotland for four nights, to a region controlled for centuries by the Earls of Mar. Our visits to the castles and tower houses of Craigievar, Duff House and elsewhere allow us to enjoy the distinctive style and traditions of Scotland's north. The final week of the program is spent in County Cork, exploring the city of Cork and surrounding houses and gardens. The tour features private meals and receptions in historic houses and access to residences not normally open to the public.
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October 3-23 2010

Tour led by: Robert Gay

Price: $8,500

Limited places available Italy's two great lyric composers of the 19th and early 20th century occupy a special place in Italian civilization. Both grew up in small centres in Italy's north, and made their names in opera houses of Parma, Lucca, Milan and Venice before gaining international fame. This tour explores Northern Italy using the lives and works of Verdi and Puccini as a starting point.
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March 31 -April 18, 2011

Tour led by: Edward Saunders

Price: $6,700

This 18-day journey has been carefully designed to showcase the major attractions of the islands - Greek temples, Byzantine mosaics and Arab architecture, but also to take you to some of the lesser-known but equally impressive towns and natural features of the region. The itinerary progresses in a broadly historical sequence, commencing with the major Greek sites of Syracuse and Agrigento, before moving on to the Arab and Norman world of Palermo and the north coast. Three days are then spent in the Aeolian Islands, exploring Lipari, and taking a cruise to Stromboli and Panarea. The journey concludes with four nights in Taormina, a celebrated European holiday spot for two centuries.
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April 3-21, 2011

Tour led by: Dr John Barclay

Price: $5,500

China's southern provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan contain a splendid amalgam of traditional villages, important historic sites and outstanding scenery - all refreshingly different from the more visited sites in the north. Our 19-day journey begins in Chengdu. We fly south to Da Li, an ancient capital. Over four nights in the world-heritage city of Lijiang we explore the distinctive art, architecture and traditions of China's ethnic minorities. In Kunming, we explore the old walled city and nearby sites. Our tour ends in Kaili, amid the natural splendours of the Leigongshan mountains.
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October 9-31, 2011

Tour led by: Robert Veel

Price: $8,500 approximately

The diverse and dramatic history of the southern United States has left a remarkable cultural heritage. This 20-day tour explores some outstanding cultural and natural sites. We begin with six days amid the antebellum charms of Savannah and Charleston, two of America?s loveliest cities. Our next stop is New Orleans, examining French and Spanish influences and the plantation architecture of the Mississippi Delta. We then head to the deserts of New Mexico. From Santa Fe, we explore the centuries-old Pueblo Indian culture and artistic communities such as Taos. The tour ends with the Grand Canyon.
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October 22 - November 10, 2011

Tour led by: Sue Rollin

Price: $8,900

This tour is fully booked. Waitlist closed This 21-day tour explores two exotic countries steeped in ancient history and archaeology. The itinerary opens with a few days at a resort on the Dead Sea and extended stays in Aleppo, Damascus and the magnificent ancient cities of Petra and Palmyra, featured in several of Dr Rollin's lectures in Australia in 2008. Jordan and Syria offer an extraordinary range of experiences, including Hellenistic and Roman archaeological sites, imposing crusader fortresses, delicate Islamic decorative arts and architecture all set among mountain, desert and seaside landscapes.
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