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Christopher Menz is a former director of the Art Gallery of South Australia and before that held curatorial positions at the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of South Australia
Explore Adelaide’s cultural heart, historic houses, eclectic art galleries and gardens with fine food and wine in the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills.
Robert Gay is one of Australia’s leading music tour leaders and music educators. He has led more than 80 orchestral music and opera-themed to Europe and the US.
Snow, Christmas markets and fine music abound on our regular Christmas/New Year getaway tour. Includes Christmas in Salzburg and New Year’s Even in Vienna.
Michael Carr is an art dealer and historian with over 20 years’ experience in handling major Australian and international paintings and sculptures.
Experience the wonders of Moscow and St Petersburg on this new residential-style tour focussing on the superb public and private art collections of Russia.
Dr Kathleen Olive has a PhD in Italian Studies, and lectures on European art and history. Her tours focus mainly on the post-classical Mediterranean world, especially Italy.
Take advantage of off-season travel and longer stays to admire these great cities of medieval Tuscany, from Renaissance masterpieces to their modern revival.
Lindy Montgomery taught musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for 13 years. A fine soprano, she is a regular soloist with the Sydney Chamber Choir and Pinchgut Opera.
Swap the Australian summer for Grand Tier seats to five operas at The Met, the New York Philharmonic, contemporary architecture and leading small art museums.
Lucia Gahlin is a UK-based Egyptologist with a wealth of experience as an educator, researcher, archaeologist and museum curator. She has led tours to Egypt since 1994.
Over 3000 years of Egyptian history awaits travelling the Nile Valley from Cairo to Aswan. From the great monuments and museums in Cairo and Luxor to Abu Simbel.
Christopher Menz is a former Director of the Art Gallery of SA. He has published extensively on the decorative arts and is a regular contributor to Australian Book Review.
Lovers of fine art and music can spend two weeks in London and Paris on this residential style tour. Enjoy the opera and see the winter blockbuster exhibitions.
Dr Jeni Ryde is a historian with an excellent knowledge of medieval and modern Italy. Her PhD spanned Renaissance studies, heritage and the impact of tourism.
Experience the remarkable history and culture of Sicily on this new 13-day tour. See Greek temples, Norman mosaics, and visit some of the lesser-known towns.
Robert Veel has a BA and M.Ed from the University of Sydney, where he taught for many years. A director of Academy Travel, he leads tours mainly to Italy, Asia, the USA and Scandinavia.
Enjoy traditional and contemporary art, music, food and luxury accommodation in this forward-thinking island nation, now a regional centre of arts and culture.
Dr Nick Gordon has a University Medal and a PhD in history. He is also a practising painter. He teaches and leads tours with art and history themes.
Visit the great regional galleries in Victoria, products of the Gold Rush and pastoral wealth of Victoria and still vibrant centres of visual art.
Dr Kathleen Olive has a PhD and lectures on art and history. She is one of Academy Travel’s most respected tour leaders.
A cultural tour of the North Island, with visits to private sculpture parks, Art Deco architecture, Maori heritage, superb gardens and dramatic landscapes.
Dr Matthew Laing has a PhD in US politics from the ANU. He has an expert knowledge of New York and a love of the performing arts, especially theatre and music.
Spend two weeks in the world’s most dynamic cultural city. Enjoy seven top performances, with visits to some of the world’s best museums and restaurants.
Dr Estelle Lazer is an archaeologist with an international reputation for her years of work on the human skeletal remains discovered at Pompeii.
This 17-day tour will appeal to those looking to take ‘the road less travelled’ through the regions of Puglia and Basilicata, and on to the Bay of Naples.
Robert Veel has a BA and M.Ed from the University of Sydney, where he taught for many years. Robert has an intimate knowledge of Venice, its history, art and architecture.
Unpack and unwind on this residential tour exploring the art and history of Venice, from its Byzantine origins to its Renaissance glory and modern beauty.
Robert Gay is one of Australia’s leading music tour leaders and music educators. He has designed and led more than 80 performance based tours to Europe and the US.
Experience the very best of Italian opera including performances at La Scala and Le Fenice, on this tour of Italy, travelling from Venice to Milan and Turin.
Dr Mikala Tai Is a curator, researcher, and academic specializing in contemporary Asian art, and the director of 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney.
Discover the wonderful contemporary art and architecture of China’s two most cosmopolitan cities on this new 8-day tour, including visits to Art Basel in HK.
Gerald Deslandes is a former curator and cultural historian with a BA from Cambridge University, and has led more than 50 tours to Europe and the UK.
See Greek temples, Roman villas, Byzantine mosaics, Norman cathedrals and exuberant baroque architecture, in a setting of sea and mountains.
Dr Jeni Ryde is a linguist and art history specialist with over fifteen years’ experience leading tours to Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Explore Sardinia and Corsica, two Mediterranean islands which, despite centuries of invasion and settlement, retain a proud independent spirit.
Elena Ortega is Spanish-born but has lived in Australia since 1992. She has a passion for Fine Arts, European history and literature, with particular expertise in the Iberian Peninsula
Take a comprehensive tour of Spain, designed to give the first-time visitor an overview of the country’s diverse and fascinating history, art and traditions.
Dr Matthew Laing is a historian and political scientist at Monash University who has led tours to the Americas and Europe with Academy Travel for five years.
From the Mid-West to Manhattan, explore the dramatic political and social history, jaw-dropping art museums and exuberant architecture of key American cities.
Sue Rollin is an archaeologist, historian and linguist with 30 years’ experience in leading tours to Central Asia, India, the Middle East and countries around the Mediterranean.
Journey beyond the kasbahs, to uncover a fascinating history, exotic culture and stunning landscapes that have attracted travellers for centuries.
Dr Jennifer Lawless has led tours to Greece, Turkey and Iran. Jenny has been awarded a Churchill Fellowship and a NSW Premier’s History Prize for her research and writing.
Explore ancient Greece and its legacy on this 17-day tour through Classical and Bronze Age sites. Visit Athens, Nafplio, Olympia, Delphi and Santorini.
Dr John Tidmarsh is a classical archaeologist a former lecturer at the University of Sydney. He leads tours throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.
Discover Iran’s cultural highlights on this comprehensive tour visit, museums, monuments, palaces and gardens from the Caspian Sea to the desert city of Yazd.
Robert Veel has a BA and M.Ed from the University of Sydney, where he taught for many years. Robert has an intimate knowledge of Rome, its history, art and architecture.
Discover the city of Rome beyond the tourist trail, with special visits to difficult to access sites and expert guidance through its history, art and culture.
Dr Jeni Ryde is a historian with an excellent knowledge of medieval and modern Italy, Spain and Portugal. Her PhD spanned Renaissance studies, heritage and the impact of tourism.
Journey from Bilbao’s Guggenheim, along the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela before exploring the beautiful cities of Porto and Lisbon in Portugal.
Michael Turner is a garden historian and lecturer. For many years he was Senior Curator of the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney.
Enjoy some of Italy’s finest villas on Lake Como, the Renaissance country houses of Palladio, and the splendour of the Borromean Islands on this 15-day tour.
Robert Gay has led over 80 music tours, including to this Metropolitan Opera Ring Cycle in 2012 and Ring Cycles in Munich, Paris and Vienna
Enjoy Robert Lepage’s visually striking interpretation of Wagner’s masterpiece at the New York Metropolitan Opera, with a fine international cast.
Christopher Menz is a former art museum director and curator and has been leading cultural tours in Europe, the United States and Australia since 2013.
Take an in-depth look at the diverse and fascinating city of Berlin, with days in Leipzig and Dresden, on this 14-day residential style tour.
Dr Rosamund Bartlett is a cultural historian who has lectured and written widely on music. Her books include Wagner and Russia and Shostakovich in Context.
Join our annual musical pilgrimage to Germany based around an outstanding line-up of performances by some of the world’s leading orchestras and opera houses.
Uncover Japan’s history, art and culture in new world Tokyo, Kanazawa’s gardens, Hiroshima’s peace memorial and 7 nights immersed in Kyoto’s cultural delights.
Robert Gay is one of Australia’s leading music tour leaders and music educators. He has designed and led more than 80 performance based tours to Europe and the US
Nine fine performances at northern Europe’s leading venues, including Hamburg’s stunning Elbphilharmonie and the Bergen International Festival.
Ben Churcher has a wide range of experience as an educator, and an archaeologist. Since 1994 Ben has led tours to Jordan, Greece, Syria, Egypt, China, Morocco and Central Asia.
Uncover the wealth of history and culture of the ‘Stans’, with visits to the Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, and the desert oasis of Merv.
Dr Sophie Oosterwijk Is a Dutch art historian who specialises in Medieval, Flemish and Dutch art, and has lived and worked in the UK for over 20 years.
Explore the art of the Low Countries over 14-days: Van Eyck, Bruegel, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, with stays in Brussels, Bruges, Delft and Amsterdam.
Michael Turner is a garden historian and lecturer. For many years he was Senior Curator of the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney
This new tour travels to the counties of Cornwall and Devon to visit the gardens of some of the most famous names in modern garden and landscape design.
Dr Nick Gordon has a University Medal and a PhD in history. He is also a practising painter. He leads art and history-themed tours in Europe and Australia.
Experience the Venice Biennale, and explore this wonderful city from modern art, to tranquil islands and Renaissance masterpieces on this 9 day tour.
Experience the wealth of art on show at Art Basel, one of the world’s premiere art fairs, and enjoy the beauty, history and art of Alsace and the Black Forest.
Dr Matthew Laing is a historian and political scientist with a PhD from the ANU. Matthew leads tours to the United States, Scandinavia and around the Baltic.
This new 15-day tour takes you from Copenhagen, to Oslo, Bergen and Iceland, to explore the region’s distinctive landscapes and cultural traditions.
Visit some of the best-known and best-loved gardens and grand homes in the north of England and North Wales, including Castle Howard and Chatsworth House.
Dr Michael Adcock is a social and cultural historian who specialises in the field of modern France. He has published works on the French Revolution with Cambridge University Press.
Explore in depth Paris’ dramatic history and the remarkable innovations in art, architecture and society that make the city a cornerstone of Western culture.
Enjoy the world's leading opera festivals attending four outstanding performances at the Bavarian State Opera and three unforgettable Glyndebourne operas.
Dr Matthew Dal Santo is a historian with a D.Phil from Cambridge University. His expertise includes modern Russia, Scandinavia and the Balkans.
Explore Russia’s most remote regions, with a blend of Russian and oriental cultures and religions, and dramatic volcanic landscapes in and around Kamchatka.
Royna McNamara is a musician, educator & conductor. She has a passion for travel and has spent extended periods of time working and travelling in Spain and Italy.
Our inaugural Italian Summer Music Festivals tour visits three stimulating festivals: Bellagio and Lake Como, Verona and Puccini.
Robert Veel is a cultural historian with over 20 years’ experience leading tours to Italy, Europe, Scandinavia and the USA. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Education.
From the Vikings to the great age of sea power and the Russian Revolution, explore art, architecture, history and culture in the great cities of the Baltic.
Experience the Venice International Film Festival, explore exceptional art from around the globe and discover Venice’s hidden gems on this 9-day tour.
Dr Nick Gordon holds a University Medal and a PhD in history from the University of Sydney. Nick designs and leads history, art and culture tours for Academy Travel.
Explore Europe’s extraordinary history and archaeology at one of its great cultural crossroads and discover Slovenia and Friuli on this new 17-day tour.
Em Prof. Robert Clancy has led numerous tours, including five to Europe focussed on the history of medicine, and ten to the Spice Islands and Antarctica.
A tour for the Royal Society of NSW, in conjunction with the State Library of NSW Foundation, exploring the history of science from Padua to London.
French Canada and New England
Robert Veel is a cultural historian with over 20 years’ experience leading tours to Italy and has led numerous tours aboard the Sea Cloud II.
Enjoy the best of land and sea travel on this 17 day tour travelling from Malta to Sicily, featuring a six-night cruise on the luxury sailing yacht Sea Cloud II.
Discover Portugal on this 15-day tour, from Lisbon’s Golden Age to the World Heritage-listed sites of Sintra and Évora, medieval Coimbra and colourful Porto.
Dr Matthew Dal Santo is a writer, historian and foreign affairs commentator who currently resides in Copenhagen, Denmark. The current focus of his interest is Russia.
A week in each of Russia’s major cities and a trip to its ancient capitals, exploring a turbulent history and a remarkable legacy of artistic patronage.
Delve into the art and architecture of Classical and Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman Istanbul and discover a fascinating history of where East meets West.
Paris to Madrid
Christopher Bradley Has an honours degree from Liverpool University and specialises in the history and art of North Africa and Arabia.
Ben Churcher has a wide range of experience as an educator, and an archaeologist. Since 1994 Ben has led tours to China, Jordan, Greece, Syria, Egypt & Morocco.
Travel along the Silk Road from Imperial Beijing and Xian’s terracotta warriors to Buddhist monasteries and caves and the Islamic regions in China’s far west.
Follow the Frank Lloyd Wright trail from his prairies style in Chicago through to Buffalo and on to Wright’s most famous work, Fallingwater, outside Pittsburgh.
Thomas Abbott holds a degree in art history, specialising in the architecture of Berlin, the art of 18th-century Germany and the Bauhaus. He has led many tours in Germany.
Warsaw to Berlin
This 16-day tour will appeal to those looking to take ‘the road less travelled’ through the regions of Puglia and Basilicata, and on to the Bay of Naples.
Dr Nick Gordon has a University Medal and a PhD in history and lectures on European art. Nick is also a practising painter and brings this passion to the visual arts.
Discover the best of Melbourne's private homes and fine collections, from the retreats of colonial high society to the contemporary house museum.
Chloe has conducted extensive research and fieldwork on traditional crafts and textiles throughout Mexico. She has lived and worked in Mexico for many years and is a fluent Spanish speaker.
Unravel the unique history, archaeology and natural beauty of Mexico: Aztecs, Maya, the colourful Days of the Dead; volcanos, jungle and tropical coast.
South by Southwest USA
Dr John Tidmarsh is the former president of the University of Sydney’s Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation, and a former lecturer in the Department of Archaeology.
Explore Crete’s sprawling Minoan palaces and cruise the Peloponnese on a small ship, visiting archaeological sites and museums in Olympia, Delphi and Athens.
Ann MacArthur holds a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies and speaks fluent Japanese. Ann has over 20 years experience as a museum educator.
Dr Kathleen Olive has more than 15 years’ experience leading tours to Italy. She has a PhD in Italian literature and speaks fluent Italian.
Take up residence in Florence on this study tour, to understand its medieval innovation, Renaissance masterpieces and current cultural revival.
Dr Chris Carter has an Honours and Master’s degree in archaeology and has recently completed a PhD. He has led tours to Central and South America for over 20 years.
Explore the ancient civilisation of the Maya, visiting the pyramids, temples and tombs of this mysterious culture’s heartland in Guatemala, Honduras and Belize.
Stuart Barrie is a director of Academy Travel and has over 20 years’ experience in travel, including leading groups through western Europe, Russia and the United States.
Enjoy the best of the Big Apple, including jazz, opera at the Met, Broadway plays, a private visit of MoMA, history and architecture walking tours.
Discover the apple isle’s unique beauty, culture and colonial history with visits to Port Arthur, Freycinet Peninsula and Hobart’s magnificent MONA art museum.
Christmas in New York
Enjoy the Chicago Lyric Opera’s visually striking production of Wagner’s masterpiece, Der Ring des Nibelungen, with a fine international cast.
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