Looking for a wonderful European experience? If so, Guelph Arts Council has just the ticket for you with its 19th annual tour scheduled for March 23 to April 5, 2017. The focus will be on Northern Italy between the Alps and the Mediterranean, specifically the provinces of Piedmont, Liguria and Lombardy. Tour participants will enjoy wonderful scenic countryside, charming coastal ports, magnificent art and architecture epitomized by six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as great food and drink and first-class hotels. As in the past, this Guelph Arts Council tour will be led by historian Jacques Pauwels, Ph.D. who offers his own informative and lively commentary along the way!
Highlights will include the major attractions of the elegant, historic city of Turin as well the Susa Valley which stretches west from Turin to the French border and the Piedmont wine country south of Turin.
Further south along the glorious strip of coastline between the mountains and the sea, and using the quaint coastal town of Santa Margherita Ligure as a base, the tour will explore the great seaport of Genoa, the birthplace of Columbus, take a boat trip to the romantic little seaport of Portofino, and experience a full-day excursion by coach and train to the famous Cinque Terre fishing villages.
Parma will be the next stop to see the sights of that historic city and enjoy some of its famous ham and cheese; then on to Pavia, home of one of the largest monasteries in Europe, famous for its exuberant Gothic architecture; and finally to the exciting metropolis of Milan, often described as Italy’s “New York” to view, among many other fine sights, Leonardo’s Last Supper.
Early registration is recommended. The 2016 Guelph Arts Council trip to the Baltics was sold out before the end of last summer, and in fact was so popular that a second Baltic tour was added. Already, there has been considerable interest in the 2017 tour.
For more information or to sign up for the tour, please contact Sally Wismer at 519-824-8131 or [email protected].
