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Academic travel articles, written by our expert tour leaders.
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Behind the Throne
Henry VIII is one of the most famous monarchs - in his 38-year reign he married six times, broke with the Catholic Church, and ruled during one of the most politically tumultuous periods in England’s history. When the 18-year-old Henry VIII ascended the throne of England in 1509, he was determined to epitomise the age as a Golden Renaissance Prince. His reign marked the shift from the medieval period to
Passion in an Irish Garden
Most gardeners would happily admit that their garden was born of passion, of an intense desire to create something beautiful that excited interest, brought peace, and calmed the soul. And yet the very word passion is a multi-faceted concept. From the Greek word for suffering, it implies a strong or even a barely controlled emotion – a disorientation of the mind, of the soul.
Georgia’s Election: A referendum on a country’s place in the world
Last weekend, the small, former Soviet Republic of Georgia—a country of 3.7m people whose territory lies within the tectonic folds between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains—held parliamentary elections. The result was victory for the ruling “Georgian Dream” party founded by the billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili in 2012,
Top Ten American Revolution Sites
With the 250th birthday of the United States on the horizon in 2026, there’s never been a better time to visit the key sites of America’s War for Independence. It all began in Boston in the early 1760s when colonists there began agitating for better treatment by the British government, soon kickstarting a mass movement across 13 colonies up and down the East Coast to press for complete independence
Scotland: From Edinburgh to the Isles
“Scotland is a land of mountains, glens, and islands, a land of myth and legend”. So wrote Sir Walter Scott and indeed, with its untamed natural beauty, from the deep lochs of the highlands to the vast green meadows of the lowlands, and the rugged Hebridean Isles, Scotland has an almost ethereal quality. Just as the unique terrain captures the imagination, so too do the cairns and ancient stone henges
Samarkand, Bukhara & Khiva: Heart of the Silk Road
The great cities of Samarkand and Bukhara flaunt their magnificent Timurid architecture, whilst remote Khiva beguiles the Silk Road traveller. For many travellers, Uzbekistan holds the very heart of the Central Asian Silk Road. Its three main historical centres – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – all resonate deeply with the weight of history
The Utopian Dream of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian Homes
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the renowned 20th century American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed only for the wealthy elite. After all, household-name architects (or “star-chitects”) like Wright don’t typically get famous by creating homes for the average family. Like his architectural peers, Wright did, of course, design a number of
Oman - Travels in Old Arabia
Far to the east of Beirut, Damascus, Aleppo, Jerusalem and the other great cities of the Levant exists a completely different world, namely that of the Arabian peninsula. The peninsula is, of course, dominated geographically by Saudi Arabia, whilst to the south-east we have Yemen (the land of Sheba) and Oman. Yet while Oman may lack ancient cities comparable in wealth or splendour to Palmyra, Petra or Jerash
Brescia & its Astonishing Museum of Santa Giulia
Few people would put Brescia, the 2nd largest city in Lombardy, near the top of their list of places to visit in Italy – perhaps because it is such an industrial city and associated with steel and arms manufacturing. Walking along the historical streets of the city, sipping the famous bubbly Franciacorta made in the province and, above all, visiting its historical heart
10 great ways to experience Lisbon
Tour leader, linguist and art history specialist Dr Jeni Ryde takes you through one of her favourite destinations – Portugal’s coastal capital city of Lisbon. Situated on seven hills at the wide mouth of the river Tagus (Tejo), where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon enchants travellers with its white bleached limestone buildings, intimate alleyways, and brightly coloured yellow trams.
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