THE GRAND TOUR

WRITTEN BY Tim Surgenor

This may surprise you, but most of the beautiful things in life can be traced back to Italy in the last 700 years. You may have heard of a little thing called the renaissance? It is the rebirth of culture, arts and humanism which originated in Italy and spread to all corners of Europe. Michelangelo, Shakespeare; both renaissance inspired. Everything in western culture since; renaissance inspired.

In the 18th Century, the elite of Europe would send their children on what became known as the ‘Grand Tour Italy’ to become cultured citizens, well versed in the arts and history. There is something mythic about a pilgrimage, walking in the footsteps of people from centuries before you.

Today, that offer awaits you.

Beginning in Venice, and meandering through Tuscany, Rome, Naples before ending in Sicily, this is a once in a lifetime chance to soak up the very best of Italian art, culture, architecture and cuisine. It offers a sense of pedigree and refinement, ensuring that you can keep up in the most cultured of conversations.

Venice; an essential stop on a Grand tour of Italy

Venice

Drift lazily down the Venetian canals and get lost in the floating city. Venice was an epicentre of sorts of the Renaissance, as the incredible wealth patronised some of the most stunning works of art and architecture the world had ever seen. Many of these can still be seen in the Gallerie dell’Accademia, one of the finest collections of Renaissance art in the world. Add to this the spectacle of the Rialto Bridge, the Doge’s Palace and St Marks’ Basilica, and you will have lived Renaissance Venice in a truly authentic way.

Rome

Many of the sites of the Eternal City date back to antiquity and a trip to Rome is simply not complete with a visit to the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Vatican or the Trevi Fountain. But there is so much more to Rome than these. Consider spying out Michelangelo’s Moses, the delightfully charming neighbourhood of Picolla Londra or the Ancient Pyramid. There is simply no end to the history and culture that can be found in the capital. Rome after all, wasn’t built in a day, nor can it be explored in one.

Tuscany

This is a part of the world about which you will daydream for years to come. The sunsets over rugged vineyards viewed with a glass of locally pressed wine… Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance, and today you can walk in the footsteps of the Florentines who put it on the map; Michelangelo, Dante, Leonardo. Florence is home to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore as well as the world famous Ufitzi art gallery. But perhaps what is sometimes overlooked are the towns outside Florence. Both Siena and Lucca are walled cities brimming with good food, art and architecture.

Sicily

Finish your grand tour Italy in the south. Think warmth, think cuisine. Think lazy afternoon swims in the Mediterranean with a chilled glass of locally pressed white wine awaiting you on the shore. Upon your return from your grand tour, you will have truly experienced Italy. Far from the whirlwind tours that other might take, you have immersed yourself into the history, culture and way of life.

You can’t put a price on that kind of knowledge.

Timelessness for those caught in the fever and fret of life.

For all it’s beauty, the thing we value most about Puglia is its gift of time. The days pass differently here – the mornings effortlessly blend into the afternoons and the afternoons into night. One day complements the next in the way that vineyards complement the sea in the Valle d’Itria. Puglia is best enjoyed with others – with those you most love – not just because good food and good wine invites good company, but because the region offers time to reconnect, rekindle, and rejoice.

In short, here is our humble opinion: tours of Puglia never disappoint. They rejuvenate, revive, delight. And while there is more to the region than the ocean, you are never far from the sweet, sweet sound of the sea.