New escorted options include Klimt in Vienna, Dürer in Nuremburg and musical exclusivity in southern Italy
New Year’s resolution makers citing cultural enrichment amongst their commitments for 2012 need look no further than Kirker Holidays’ dedicated programme of escorted tours. Offering carefully-crafteditineraries for small groups of discerning travellers with a love of the arts, each holiday takes clients truly under the skin of their chosen destinationin the company of an expert lecturer or music aficionado.
Covering a variety of specialist subjects from archaeology and architecture to horticulture and history,Kirker’s 2012 selection is as tempting as ever. Included are nine exclusive music festivals - at which the programme of performances is created entirely for Kirker clients’ private enjoyment - eight escorted tours to some of Europe’s best-loved music events, and no less than 25 cultural tours.
NEW for next year are eight cultural tours:
- AUSTRIA: Gustav Klimt in Vienna – join the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Klimt’s birth on this five-night tour of his birthplace, led by Keith Miller. Focusing on the art and architecture of the Golden Age, highlights include Klimt exhibitions at the Albertina, the Leopold Museum and the Belvedere. Departs 28 March. Price is £1,362 pp*.
- CYPRUS: The Island of Aphrodite – an eight-night tour encompassing both the north and south of the island, including visits to Nicosia’s Archaeological Museum, the extensive Roman site of Salamis, traditional villages in the Troodos Mountains, Paphos’ famous Tomb of the Kings and ancient Kourion. Departs 10 March & 6 November. Price is £1,995 pp*.
- GERMANY: The Early Dürer Exhibition in Nuremburg – this significant exhibition, with over 120 items on display, hails the Nuremburg native who became the most widely-regarded artist of the northern Renaissance. The four-night tour also includes a guided city walk and Dürer House, where he worked and lived until his death. Departs 31 May, 22 July & 16 August. Price is £998 pp*.
- ITALY: Apulia – A Land of Conquest – thanks to a fascinating but turbulent history, Apulia’s architecture is appealingly varied, its landscape dotted with great churches combining influences from France, ancient Rome and Lombardy. This nine-night tour takes in the Baroque town of Lecce, historic Martina Franca and coastal Trani. Departs 30 April & 4 October. Price is £2,492 pp*.
- ITALY: Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance – discover the history behind the masterpieces of Michelangelo, Donatello, Brunelleschi and more on this five-night tour which takes in the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello and the Accademia. Departs 28 March & 28 November. Price is £1,397 pp*.
- NORWAY: The Norwegian Fjords – based at one of Norway’s most historic hotels overlooking the Bjorneford, this five-night tour offers ample opportunity to explore the western fjords and nearby Bergen. Enjoy boat trips to Rosendal and on Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, as well as concerts at the homes of Edvard Grieg and Ole Bull. Departs 29 July. Price is £2,677 pp*.
- SPAIN: Gardens & Manor Houses of Galicia– spend seven nights in this rural and verdant region of north-west Spain, where Spring’s early arrival and benevolent climate gives garden lovers true cause to swoon throughout the year. Set amid picturesque villages and rolling vineyards, this week-long tour also includes some of the area’s most impressive manor houses and gardens. Price is £1,735 pp*.
- UK: Gardens of Cornwall – this four-night tour, staying at the celebrated Hotel Tresanton in St Mawes, takes in some of the county’s most unforgettable gardens, from well-known spots such as the National Trust’s Glendurgan and sub-tropical Trebah on the Helford River, to the woodland splendour of Trewithen. Departs 13 May. Price is £1,198 pp*.
Musically-minded travellers will be tempted by a choice of six NEW itineraries for 2012 departures. Expanding its range of escorted tours to leading music festivals across Europe including the iconic Puccini Opera Festival in Torre del Lago, Austria’s Schubertiade Music Festival, and The Metropolitan Opera in New York, Kirker adds Austria’s famous Bregenz Festival to its programme next year. Departing 18 July, this five-night holiday travels to the scenic shores of Lake Constance for an unforgettable performance of ‘Andrea Chénier’ by Umberto Giordano in Bregenz’s vast open-air theatre as well as sightseeing and museum visits. Price is £1,458 pp*.
Joining Kirker’s collection of exclusive music festivals for the first time in 2012 are:
- The Kirker Music Festival in Leipzig, Germany– a six-night tour, departing 11 April, that includes tickets for a Gewandhaus Orchestra concert and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at the Leipzig Opera, plus private concerts performed by three of Britain’s leading chamber musicians. Price is £1,768 pp*.
- The Campania Kirker Music Festival at the Palazzo Ducale, Italy – join the Duke & Duchess of Montalto di Fragnito at their ancestral home in Fragneto Monforte for exclusive performances by The Bordowski Quartet and Simon Rowland-Jones (viola). Departs 10 June (five nights). Price is £1,798 pp*.
- The Kirker Music Festival at Boughton House, UK – this three-night holiday centres on Boughton House, the Northamptonshire seat of His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. Kirker clients enjoy a tour of the property with the Duke himself as well as two concerts in the Great Hall and a private dinner at Boughton. Departs 7 October. Price is £889 pp* with no single supplement.
- Chamber Music at Coworth Park, Ascot, UK – Bordering Windsor Great Park, this impressive new country house hotel is the setting for a two-night cultural break that includes two splendid chamber concerts and musically-illustrated talks. Departs 1 July. Price is £894 pp*.
- The Kirker Mediterranean Music Festival at Sea – One of two exclusive Kirker cruises sailing next year on board Fred.Olsen’s Black Watch, this 15-night no-fly itinerary visits Motril (for Granada), Cagliari, Naples, Palermo, Algiers and Lisbon with private concerts by performers including star soprano Nelly Miricioiu. Departs 7 July. Price is from £2,298 pp*.
*Unless stated otherwise, prices are based on two sharing and include return flights (for overseas tours), internal transfers, accommodation with some meals, excursions/musical performances as per the itinerary and the services of a tour lecturer and/or holiday escort.
Celebrating a special occasion or simply prefer not to travel in a group? Kirker’s expert team can tailor make cultural itineraries to suit all tastes and interests. Independent opera holidays to cultural European cities from Berlin and Budapest to Milan and Madrid are among the selection of sublime options available, all featuring a choice of accommodation (with breakfast), return private car transfers, Kirker’s’ coveted guide notes and the services of the Kirker Concierge to book seats at the ballet or opera, a restaurant for dinner or a private guided tour.
For those travelling alone, Kirker Holidays also offers no single supplement places on a number of its escorted tours. In 2012, these include the new Kirker Music Festival at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, as well as cultural forays to Malta (six nights departing 14 March & 31 October for £1,398 pp*) and Uzbekistan (an 11-night tour departing 20 April & 28 September, the price of which is £1,897 pp*).
For a copy of Kirker’s new Cultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure, please call 020 7593 2284, email culturaltours@kirkerholidays.com or visit www.kirkerholidays.com.