piero della francesca what’s included · day 2 - arezzo - lesser known than some of tuscany’s...

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*Price based on a minimum of 25 members travelling. Should fewer travel the price will increase. Art and Architecture from Medieval to Renaissance THE ITALY OF PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA 8 days 7 nights. £1,369 per person * What’s included * Return UK airport transfers * Return flights * 7 nights BB accommodation * 2 dinners & 1 lunch * Varied guided excursions (as overleaf) * Wine tasting * Tour manager & local guides * Whisper sets * City tax * Gratuities Extras * Single supplement - £175 per person * Travel Insurance - £52 per person Our Tour The Arts Society West Oxfordshire & The Arts Society Cotswolds 14th – 21st September 2020 Travel with Success. The regions of Umbria, Tuscany and Le Marche are a treasure trove of wonderful gems including classical pastoral landscapes, beautifully preserved medieval architecture and cities and renaissance art. This tour explores some lesser known towns, with an added bonus of being home to Piero della Francesca where much of his exceptional work is still housed. Highlights will include the villages of Monterchi and Sansepolcro, the Renaissance town of Urbino with its Ducal palaces and the historic and pretty city of Spoleto.

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Page 1: PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA What’s included · Day 2 - Arezzo - lesser known than some of Tuscany’s more famous towns, pretty Arezzo still has porticoes and piazzas aplenty and the

*Price based on a minimum of 25 members travelling. Should fewer travel the price will increase.

Art and Architecture from Medieval to Renaissance

THE ITALY OF PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA 8 days – 7 nights. £1,369 per person*

What’s included * Return UK airport transfers* Return flights* 7 nights BB accommodation* 2 dinners & 1 lunch* Varied guided excursions (as

overleaf)* Wine tasting* Tour manager & local guides* Whisper sets* City tax* Gratuities

Extras * Single supplement - £175 per person* Travel Insurance - £52 per person

Our Tour

The Arts Society West Oxfordshire &The Arts Society Cotswolds14th – 21st September 2020

Travel with Success.

The regions of Umbria, Tuscany and Le Marche are a treasure trove of wonderful gems including classical pastoral landscapes, beautifully preserved medieval architecture and cities and renaissance art. This tour explores some lesser known towns, with an added bonus of being home to Piero della Francesca where much of his exceptional work is still housed.Highlights will include the villages of Monterchi and Sansepolcro, the Renaissance town of Urbino with its Ducal palaces and the historic and pretty city of Spoleto.

Page 2: PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA What’s included · Day 2 - Arezzo - lesser known than some of Tuscany’s more famous towns, pretty Arezzo still has porticoes and piazzas aplenty and the

Day 1 - Depart Witney area for our flight to Italy where we will meet our tour manager who will accompany us for the duration of our tour. Transfer to the Hotel Tiferno for dinner (included, with a glass of wine). Day 2 - Arezzo - lesser known than some of Tuscany’s more famous towns, pretty Arezzo still has porticoes and piazzas aplenty and the views from its Medici fortress are breath taking. However, the true draw are its churches and chapels: rich treasure troves brimming with astounding Renaissance art. We’ll visit one of Piero’s masterpieces which is beautifully preserved in its original setting, (San Francesco church), as well as the National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art. Dinner at leisure. Day 3 - Sansepolcro and Monterchi. Within its sixteenth century walls, Sansepolcro (Piero’s hometown) contains numerous ancient and beautiful buildings that still retain the distinctive Italian character. We’ll visit The Civic Museum which displays multiple works by Piero including “The Risen Christ”. At one point, his work in Sansepolcro was requested for an exhibition and the town decided that if you wanted to see his work, you needed to come to them, as “Piero doesn’t move”. The village of Monterchi sits proudly on an isolated hill and is a small gem to be savoured. Here, birthplace of Piero’s mother, we will find Madonna del Parto, (recently moved to a museum of the the same name and with fabulous views of Monterchi and the Valtiberina landscape). Late afternoon we will indulge in some local wine tasting. Dinner at leisure.

Day 4 - Urbino - The Renaissance town and the setting for one of the most impressive Ducal Palaces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Palace was built during the 15thC and is a symbol of Renaissance. It now houses National Gallery of Le Marche which is full of paintings, frescoes, sculptures, furniture, tapestries, drawings and engravings from the 14thC - 17thC. We will also visit the impressive Urbino Cathedral. Dinner at leisure. Day 5 - Città di Castello & Perugia. This morning there will be a little time to independently enjoy the historic town of Città di Castello. En route south we stop in Perugia, the capital city of the region and where Pietro Perugino was apprenticed. Its historic centre consists of cobbled alleys, arched stairways and piazzas framed by magnificent palazzi. We then continue on to the Hotel Dei Duchi in Spoleto for dinner (included with a glass of wine). Day 6 - Spoleto - built on a thousand years of history, Spoleto is one of the most important cities in Umbria and is host to many fine ancient monuments. Its highlights include the Roman theatre, a 12th century cathedral with decorative porticoes, and the pretty piazzas linked by picturesque stone passages. There will be a morning guided tour followed by free time to explore at our own pace. Dinner at leisure.

Day 7 - Spello & Assisi. The small, quaint town of Spello tumbles across the hillside. It’s hidden highlight is the Baglioni Chapel, known for its bright and joyful frescoes by Pinturicchio. The holy

town of Assisi is a medieval gem set amongst the wooded slopes of the Valle. The impeccably preserved historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and showcases a continuous history of art and architecture that stretches back to medieval times, the pinnacle of which is the St Francis Basilica. Highlights here are the series of vibrant frescoes by Giotto and the crypt containing the elaborate tomb of St Francis himself. Dinner at leisure.

Day 8 - Orvieto. Perched atop a butte of volcanic rock, Orvieto is a stunning town. It contains an atmospheric maze of cobbled streets, and hidden below these a labyrinthine network of caves belies the town’s Estruscan past. We’ll visit the cathedral, a masterpiece of Italian Gothic, with its incredible sculpted façade, eye catching stripes and astounding frescoes. Lunch is included today prior to return flight and coach transfer back to the Witney area.

The exact order of excursions is subject to change and flight time dependant. At time of printing, flight schedules have not been released and will be advised in due course.

Our Itinerary

Our Hotels The first 4 nights will be spent at the 4 star Hotel Tiferno which is a lovely character hotel, a former 17th century monastery, and which sits in the quaint square in the historic centre of Città di Castello. This unique hotel has walls filled with original art work by famous, local artist Alberto Burri. The comfortable en suite rooms offer modern amenities including a safe, hairdryer, television. The hotel restaurant and bar offer comfortable social areas to relax. Accommodation is on bed & breakfast basis with dinner included on arrival night.

The last 3 nights will be spent at the 4 star Hotel Dei Duchi which is a family-run hotel located in the centre of the medieval town of Spoleto. Each good en suite bedroom offers a lovely view either over the valley or The Roman Theatre. The hotel offers a friendly welcome and the restaurant overlooks the beautiful Saint Agata valley and serves wonderful regional cuisine. Accommodation is on bed & breakfast basis with dinner included on arrival night.

How to book Bookings will open at the October meeting.

A completed booking form and deposit of £200 per person need to be received by Georgie Fox, 5 Mitford Cottages,

Westwell, Oxon. OX18 4JU by 14 November 2019.

01225 764205successtours.com

Spoleto View