Decorative Arts & Gardens of England
(9 Days)
London, Cotswolds
Art Tour of France
(10 Days)
Paris & Versailles, Provence, Cote d’Azur
Art & Design Tour of Berlin
(5 Days)
Berlin & Potsdam
Art & Temples of India
(18 Days)
Delhi, Varanasi, Khajuraho & Panna National Park, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Ajanta & Ellora Caves, Mumbai
Culture, Crafts & Cuisine of Ireland
(13 days)
Dublin, Ballyfin, Ballymaloe, Killarney, Adare, Ashford Castle
Italy for Art Lovers
(13 Days)
Rome, Florence & Assisi, Bologna & Ravenna, Venice & Padua, Milan
Contemporary Art & Architecture of Japan
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Miho Museum, Naoshima, Tokyo
Art, Crafts & Design of Mexico
(9 Days)
Mexico City, Oaxaca
Arts & Crafts of Morocco
(13 Days)
Casablanca, Fez, Rabat, Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Marrakesh
Arts & Crafts of Myanmar
(9 Days)
Yangon & Twante, Bagan & Mount Popa, Mandalay
Design, Architecture & Nature of Norway
(9 Days)
Oslo, Alesund & Atlantic Road, Norangsfjord, Geirangerfjord, Storfjord
Art & Design of Portugal
(8 Days)
Lisbon & Sintra, Porto
Contemporary Art & Design in Seoul & Jeju Island
(8 Days)
Seoul, Jeju Island
Swedish Design Tour
(5 Days)
Stockholm & environs
Art Tour of Switzerland
(6 Days)
Geneva, Basel & Weil am Rhein, Zurich with St. Gallen & Winterthur
Design & Gardens Tour of Sicily
(8 Days)
Palermo & Monreale, Taormina with Noto, Syracuse & Villa Romana del Casale
Decorative Arts & Gardens Tour of Paris
(8 Days)
Paris & environs
Traditional Crafts of Japan
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Exclusive Japan: Amans, Art & Onsen
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Naoshima, Kyoto, Ise-Shima region
Food, Design & Culture of Copenhagen & Sweden
(12 Days)
Stockholm, Kingdom of Crystal, Wanas, Malmo, Copenhagen
Dutch & Flemish Art Tour
(10 days)
Bruges & Ghent, Brussels & Antwerp, Amsterdam with The Hague, Delft & Kroller-Muller Museum
(13 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Rome, Florence & Assisi, Bologna & Ravenna, Venice & Padua, Milan
This ultimate private art tour of Italy features the best of Italy’s impossibly rich trove of art and architectural masterpieces. During in-depth touring with expert private guides, experience ancient sites, medieval villages, magnificent churches, outstanding frescoes and mosaics, renowned museums, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the best contemporary art and architecture in Italy. This tour can be fully customized to suit your interests, including private appointments at museums, gardens and private art collections.
Begin in Rome. Enjoy comprehensive private touring and experience the best of Roman culture, history and lifestyle. Discover ancient pagan and Christian monuments, the splendors of Baroque and Renaissance palaces and churches, and the surprising urban additions of the modern city. Highlights include the Roman and Imperial Forums, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Vatican, Saint Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, Via Veneto, the morning fruit and flower market of Campo dei Fiori, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese, the Jewish Quarter, the ruins along the Appian Way, beautiful Aventine Hill, and the catacombs and "Underground Rome." Artisans of Leisure can also arrange special activities such as visits to other ruins and museums according to your interests, a private cooking class, tickets to evening cultural performances, tours of important churches, garden tours, wine tasting and more. During free time in Rome, enjoy la dolce vita and the city's excellent restaurants and boutiques. Also see compelling contemporary highlights such as MAXXI, designed by Zaha Hadid, the Parco della Musica by Renzo Piano, and Jubilee Church by Richard Meier, or visit local markets and design shops.
Next, transfer to Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. En route, stop in Assisi to tour the Basilica di San Francesco and see its extraordinary frescoes. During private touring in Florence, enjoy skip-the-line access at world-renowned museums such as the Uffizi and Accademia, see renowned sites such as the Duomo and Basilica of Santa Croce, browse antiques and artisan workshops of the Oltrarno district, visit a Dominican monastery where monk cells are decorated with frescoes by early Renaissance master Fra Angelico, and tour less-frequented but fascinating museums such as the Museo del Bargello, a prison in the 13th century and now home to sculpture by Michelangelo and Donatello. Perhaps also learn about Tuscan cuisine at specialty food shops and the Mercato Centrale or stroll through the beautiful Boboli Gardens. During free time, enjoy leisurely meals, walks along the Arno River and shopping for Florentine gold jewelry, handmade paper, leather goods, antiques and housewares.
Continue to Bologna, one of Italy’s great gastronomic centers. Tour the city’s cultural and culinary highlights, such as grand churches, interesting museums, frescoed porticoes, outdoor markets and specialty food shops. One day, enjoy a private excursion to nearby Ravenna to see dazzling Byzantine-era mosaics.
Next, transfer to Venice. En route, stop in Padua to see the magnificent mosaics in the Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel. During flexible private touring in spectacular Venice, see highlights such as the Accademia Gallery, art-filled churches, noble palaces gracing the Grand Canal, Palladian architecture, and modern and contemporary highlights such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Palazzo Grassi, the Punta della Dogana and the Giardini, one of the main venues for the Venice Biennale. Also visit favorite local neighborhoods, architectural landmarks, outdoor markets and specialty shops as desired. During leisure time, you might like to indulge in eclectic Venetian cuisine, discover hidden neighborhoods, shop for high-quality local glass and sample local culinary treats at Venetian bacari (wine bars).
End your tour in Milan, a city of fashion, finance and great cultural treasures. During private city touring, see the beautiful Duomo, an impressive Gothic cathedral and city landmark. Browse upscale boutiques under the glass ceilings of the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade. Peruse Italian art masterpieces in the Pinacoteca di Brera museum and see exhibitions of contemporary art at the Fondazione Prada. Perhaps have a meal at one of the many restaurants in the charming Navigli canal district. Artisans of Leisure will arrange tickets to see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
This tour can be extended to include more of Italy’s premier art and architecture destinations.
Itinerary Overview |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Hotels |
||||||||||
|
Cost |
||||
|
Decorative Arts & Gardens of England
(9 Days)
London, Cotswolds
Art Tour of France
(10 Days)
Paris & Versailles, Provence, Cote d’Azur
Art & Design Tour of Berlin
(5 Days)
Berlin & Potsdam
Art & Temples of India
(18 Days)
Delhi, Varanasi, Khajuraho & Panna National Park, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Ajanta & Ellora Caves, Mumbai
Culture, Crafts & Cuisine of Ireland
(13 days)
Dublin, Ballyfin, Ballymaloe, Killarney, Adare, Ashford Castle
Italy for Art Lovers
(13 Days)
Rome, Florence & Assisi, Bologna & Ravenna, Venice & Padua, Milan
Contemporary Art & Architecture of Japan
(14 Days)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Miho Museum, Naoshima, Tokyo
Art, Crafts & Design of Mexico
(9 Days)
Mexico City, Oaxaca
Arts & Crafts of Morocco
(13 Days)
Casablanca, Fez, Rabat, Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Marrakesh
Arts & Crafts of Myanmar
(9 Days)
Yangon & Twante, Bagan & Mount Popa, Mandalay
Design, Architecture & Nature of Norway
(9 Days)
Oslo, Alesund & Atlantic Road, Norangsfjord, Geirangerfjord, Storfjord
Art & Design of Portugal
(8 Days)
Lisbon & Sintra, Porto
Contemporary Art & Design in Seoul & Jeju Island
(8 Days)
Seoul, Jeju Island
Swedish Design Tour
(5 Days)
Stockholm & environs
Art Tour of Switzerland
(6 Days)
Geneva, Basel & Weil am Rhein, Zurich with St. Gallen & Winterthur
Design & Gardens Tour of Sicily
(8 Days)
Palermo & Monreale, Taormina with Noto, Syracuse & Villa Romana del Casale
Decorative Arts & Gardens Tour of Paris
(8 Days)
Paris & environs
Traditional Crafts of Japan
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Yamanaka Onsen, Kanazawa
Exclusive Japan: Amans, Art & Onsen
(15 Days)
Tokyo, Naoshima, Kyoto, Ise-Shima region
Food, Design & Culture of Copenhagen & Sweden
(12 Days)
Stockholm, Kingdom of Crystal, Wanas, Malmo, Copenhagen
Dutch & Flemish Art Tour
(10 days)
Bruges & Ghent, Brussels & Antwerp, Amsterdam with The Hague, Delft & Kroller-Muller Museum
Our guide in Japan arranged one-on-one conversations with some amazing artisans… lots of credit to Artisans for arranging things so well, understanding our interests and making sure they were communicated to Japan.
~ J.R., Raleigh, NC
The art scene in Mexico City was even better than we could have imagined. Thank you for organizing such a great guide. We never would have been able to experience the city in the same way without him. We really appreciated all of the Artisans of Leisure touches and special connections.
~ L.S., New York, NY
Our recent Vietnam trip was excellent…Thank you for arranging for us to visit the home and studio of the renowned art dealer in Hanoi.
~ A.R., Easton, MD
Recommended by:
Departures
Conde Nast Traveler
The New York Times
Wall Street Journal
Travel + Leisure
Town & Country
Must Experience: teamLab Immersive Art in Japan
The Fife Arms & Royal Deeside in Scotland: Highlands Scenery, Royal History, Whisky & Art
The Iconic Reichstag Dome in Berlin, Germany
Highlights of Venice: Art, Architecture, Interiors, Wine, Crafts, History & the Lagoon
Drottningholm Palace: A Favorite Excursion from Stockholm, Sweden
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: Iconic Art & Architecture in Northern Spain
Sanssouci: Exquisite Interiors & Gardens in Potsdam, Germany
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on the Cote d’Azur in France
The Metropol Parasol: Contemporary Design & Architecture in Seville, Spain
Westminster Abbey in London, England
First Look: The New Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt
Exclusive Visits to the Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal
Gaudi & More: The Top Architecture Highlights of Barcelona, Spain
Seeing Tadao Ando Architecture in South Korea
Spectacular Architecture, Gardens & Interiors in Lisbon and Sintra, Portugal
Touring the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris, France
Kelmscott Manor, an Arts & Crafts House in the Cotswolds, England
Just Back: Art, Wine, History & Interiors in Florence, Tuscany & Rome, Italy
A Private Tour of Palacio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) in Porto, Portugal
The Korea Furniture Museum in Seoul, South Korea
Basalt Columns in Iceland: Architecture Inspired by Remarkable Landscapes
Must Visit: Naoshima, Japan’s Art Island
Interiors & Architecture: A Private Tour of Bayt al-Suhaymi in Cairo, Egypt
Architecture and Design Touring in Vienna
Museum Van Loon, a Historic House-Museum and Garden in Amsterdam
Visiting an Ancient Stepwell in Jaipur, Rajasthan
Jeju Island in South Korea: Contemporary Architecture, Tea Plantations, Volcanic Landscapes & More
The Iconic Chapel Bridge in Lucerne
Just Back: French Art, History, Interiors & Fine Dining in Paris & Versailles
Behind-the-Scenes Culinary and Crafts Touring in Japan
Must Experience: James Turrell’s Gathered Sky in Beijing
Ceramics in Japan: Robert Yellin’s Yakimono Gallery in Kyoto
Helsinki: Top 10 Architecture & Design Sites
Luis Barragan: Modern Architecture in Mexico City
Exclusive Tours of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia
Blue-and-white Ceramics and Azulejo Tiles in Portugal
A Conversation with Renowned Art Curator David Elliott
A Private “Sound of Music” Tour in Salzburg, Austria