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Academic travel articles, written by our expert tour leaders.

The Academy Journal

Written by our specialist tour leaders, these articles explore hidden gems, historical events and artistic masterpieces, enriching your upcoming travels with their unique perspectives.

Sort by Topic and Tour Leader below.

La Raya: Where Spain and Portugal meet
History Dr Jeni Ryde History Dr Jeni Ryde

La Raya: Where Spain and Portugal meet

Iberian history could be viewed as a chronicle of two nations separated by a shared geography. These regions with their charming small towns that lie along the Hispano/Portugal border, the so called La Raya in Spanish (or A Raia in Portuguese), are some of the most spectacular and interesting to visit in both countries.

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Slovenia
Dr Lauren Mackay Dr Lauren Mackay

Slovenia

Romans, Illyrian tribes, Attila the Hun, Habsburgs, Golden Fleeces, Argonauts, and Dragons – Slovenia is a country which straddles history, myth, and legend. Slovenia also straddles four geographic and cultural (and gastronomic) regions, despite its small size; deep green alpine forests near the border with Austria, glittering karst and limestone caves that reach underground to northeast Italy

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Palermo’s Splendid Cappella Palatina
History, Art Architecture & Design Dr Eireann Marshall History, Art Architecture & Design Dr Eireann Marshall

Palermo’s Splendid Cappella Palatina

Few cities in Europe are as cosmopolitan as the wonderful, vibrant city of Palermo, largely because, throughout its long history, it has been ruled by a number of different people. It was founded by the early lords of the Mediterranean, the Phoenicians, in the 8th century BCE, and was conquered by first Rome and later by Muslim Aghlabids, coming from Tunisia, only to be ruled by Spain

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Cosmopolis Crete
Dr Bernadette Drabsch Dr Bernadette Drabsch

Cosmopolis Crete

Due to Crete’s fortunate position at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea, the large mountainous island with its fertile valleys and safe harbours, became a strategic trading hub between Europe, Asia and Africa from the earliest days. In its heyday, the island was a melting pot, home to approximately 250,000 people and, despite its multiculturalism, or perhaps due to it, the thriving country developed

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Georgia’s Election: A referendum on a country’s place in the world
History Dr Matthew Dal Santo History Dr Matthew Dal Santo

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,

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Samarkand, Bukhara & Khiva: Heart of the Silk Road
Art Architecture & Design, Archaeology, History Christopher Bradley Art Architecture & Design, Archaeology, History Christopher Bradley

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

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Unveiling the Enigma
History, Archaeology Neil Moore History, Archaeology Neil Moore

Unveiling the Enigma

Nestled in the heart of Italy, the Etruscans created Italy’s most fascinating and enigmatic culture prior to the emergence of Rome. Flourishing from the 9th down to the 3rd century BCE, they played a pivotal role in mediating the arrival of Greek and Eastern Mediterranean influence in the Italian peninsular and it was, above all, to them that the Romans looked in the early stages of their emergence as a

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José Martí – Cuba’s Hero
History Dr Stephen Wilkinson History Dr Stephen Wilkinson

José Martí – Cuba’s Hero

Every visitor to Cuba who lands in Havana arrives at José Martí International Airport. If the visitor is observant, as they walk through the streets, they will notice that outside the entrance to every school stands a bust of a moustachioed slightly balding man. That, too, is José Martí, and when the visitor takes the tour to Revolution Square, where all the great rallies are held

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The heart of Christmas
History, Archaeology Dr Garth Gilmour History, Archaeology Dr Garth Gilmour

The heart of Christmas

In this season we love to tell again the Christmas story, remembering the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem all those years ago. But the story has grown with the telling, and we cannot always determine what is original, and what has been added. There are two versions of the nativity story in the Gospels, in Matthew and Luke, which nicely complement one another.

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The Flinders Ranges
History, Archaeology Dr Chris Carter History, Archaeology Dr Chris Carter

The Flinders Ranges

The undeniable rugged beauty of the Flinders Ranges attracts visitors for a myriad of reasons. In this article, archaeologist Dr Chris Carter explores the marvels of the Flinders, from its unique geology and evidence of the earliest life on earth, to 49,000 years of indigenous settlement, and the difficulties this arid land posed for early European settlers.

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