Blog

Insider’s Venice: 10 less-visited islands, museums and palaces

Aug 23rd, 2017 | Robert Veel

By Robert Veel, Academy Travel The crowds in Venice are almost as famous as the gondolas. At the cruise port, as many as five large ships can arrive in a day, disgorging up to 20,000 fun-seeking day-trippers. An equal number can arrive by coach, arriving at the island car-park of...

Ten cultural experiences in Florence not to miss!

Aug 8th, 2017 | Dr Kathleen Olive

You’ve waited in line to see Michelangelo’s David and you’ve sighed over Botticelli’s Birth of Venus – so what else shouldn’t you miss in Florence, the cradle of the Italian Renaissance? Tour leader Dr Kathleen Olive, who lived and studied in this beautiful city, has some suggestions. “As long as...

The Russian Revolution, a century on

Jul 24th, 2017 | Dr Matthew Dal Santo

This piece was first published on the Lowy Interpreter on 15 March 2017 at 15:45 AEDT. By Academy Travel tour leader Dr Matthew Dal Santo A century ago today, Emperor Nicholas II, 'Tsar and Autocrat of all the Russias', pencilled his name to a document renouncing a throne three...

The Best Travel Books on Spain

Jul 11th, 2017 | Dr Jeni Ryde

Spain’s remarkable history makes it a compelling destination for travellers. Its origins go back to at least the 11th century BC, when Greek and Phoenician settlers first encountered indigenous Iberian tribes. As the Roman province of Iberica, Spain was the birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, before becoming a...

Top Ten Cultural Things To Do in Vienna

Jun 27th, 2017 | Dr Tom Ford

The once imperial city of Vienna, often described as Europe's cultural capital, is steeped in history and a wealth of experiences for the cultural traveller. With an impressive musical legacy (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Mahler are among the celebrated composers who lived and worked here), many fascinating museums...