TRASIMENO MUSIC FESTIVAL

Day 1 | Sunday 21 June
Arrive Rome - To Cortona
Our tour commences at Rome Fiumicino airport in the early afternoon, before we make our way by coach to the beautiful hilltop town of Cortona in the heart of Tuscany. After time to check in, we meet for a welcome drink in the hotel before enjoying a dinner of traditional Tuscan cuisine in a local restaurant. Overnight Cortona (D)

Day 2 | Monday 22 June
Cortona
Soaring above Valdichiana Aretina in the rural heart of Tuscany, with tantalizing glimpses of Lake Trasimeno on the horizon, Cortona is one of the region’s oldest settlement, dating back to the 8th-century BCE, when it was one of the important cities of the Etruscan League. We’ll devote our day to exploring its history with a walking tour of the town centre, taking in the Duomo, which rises on Etruscan-Roman walls, and the church of San Francesco, said to contain a piece of the Holy Cross. Our tour will narrate the town’s turbulent history as it was subsequently fought over and claimed by Romans, Goths, Ghibellines, the Florentine Medici and the House of Lorraine, all of whom left their mark. We’ll then stop for lunch in a traditional Tuscan restaurant set in an elegant 16th-century dining room, before an afternoon visit to the Etruscan Academy Museum, MAEC, housed in the historic Palazzo Casali. This museum presents a comprehensive overview of Cortona’s ancient past, with a particular focus on its Etruscan heritage. Among the most significant artifacts on display is the Tabula Cortonensis, a rare bronze inscription that contributes to the limited corpus of known Etruscan texts. The museum also explores Cortona’s later Roman and medieval history, offering us a diachronic perspective on the city’s development. Overnight Cortona (B, L)

Day 3 | Tuesday 23 June
Villa La Foce, Pienza and Castelmuzio
Our day begins with a drive through the UNESCO-inscribed Val d’Orcia, a hauntingly beautiful landscape of dune-like hills that unfurl down to the magnetic sight of Mount Amiata on the boundary between Tuscany and Lazio. Rising on the hill crests are several medieval hamlets and hill towns which create a harmonious dialogue between landscape and architecture. Our tour will begin at Villa La Foce whose luxuriant gardens - created by the writer Iris Origo and the landscape-architect Cecil Pinsent – draw together the rational ideals of the Italian Renaissance with the romantic ethos of English gardens. We’ll also sample some of the writings of Iris Origo, including her classic account of the impact that World War II had on this Tuscan utopia. We then move on to Pienza – known as ‘the ideal Renaissance town’ as it was laid out according to new Renaissance principles on the orders of its most famous son, Enea Silvio Piccolomini, Pope Pius II. We have some free time to enjoy the historic ambience of the town before our lunch in a 15th-century ex-convent beside the Palazzo Piccolomini, with spectacular views across Tuscany from the restaurant’s terrace. We continue on to the picturesque village of Castelmuzio to visit the workshop of Bruce Kennedy, whose world-famous harpsichords are prized for their extraordinary sound and have graced some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world. We then return to Cortona, where the evening is at leisure. Overnight Cortona (B, L)

Day 4 | Wednesday 24 June
Le Celle Hermitage and Cortona
This morning we’ll enjoy one of the most serene and spiritual places in the local area: the Eremo Le Celle which lies in a secluded, wooded valley just outside Cortona. Founded in 1211 by St. Francis of Assisi, this still-working hermitage consists of simple stone structures and little monastic cells, all harmoniously integrated into the natural landscape. More than eight centuries after Francis of Assisi sought refuge here, it remains a place of silent beauty. In the afternoon, we’ll return to Cortona for a visit to the Diocesan Museum, which houses a fine collection of sacred art and artefacts. Among the highlights are Fra Angelico’s Annunciation, renowned for its ethereal beauty and treatment of light, and the profoundly moving Lamentation over the Dead Christ by the Cortona-born artist Luca Signorelli. After the visit, there’ll be free time to wander around this delightful Tuscan town and enjoy it shops and cafés. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Cortona (B)

Day 5 | Thursday 25 June
Perugia | Performance I
After a leisurely morning in Cortona, we’ll check out of Villa Marsili and transfer to our hotel in Perugia. Described by Henry James as ‘the little city of the infinite view’, Perugia is not only the capital, but also the heart of Umbria, with a history stretching back to the ancient Etruscan period. This seraphically beautiful city rises and dips across hazy hills and valleys, with expansive panoramas across the plains and mountains of the region. On arrival, we’ll enjoy an introductory walking tour of the historical centre to see sights such as the Romanesque pink-and-white marble Fontana Maggiore and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. We reconvene in the early evening for a Gala Dinner offering the chance to meet pianist and festival director Angela Hewitt and socialise with other music lovers, followed by the opening concert of the Trasimeno Festival (venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Perugia (B, D)

Day 6 | Friday 26 June
Gubbio | Performance II
Rising up the slopes of Mount Ingino in northern Umbria, Gubbio, known as the “city of stone”, is a gracious labyrinth of medieval alleys and narrow streets, with a history that spans the ages. Once the capital of Umbria, the town still holds a series of bronze tablets written in the language of the ancient Umbri, who named their settlement Ikuvium. The town’s multi-layered history is written in its architectural monuments: from the imposing Roman theatre and the towering medieval Palazzo dei Consoli, to the Renaissance Ducal Palace and the precious Baroque oratory of the Misericordia. As well as these sites, our tour today will explore Gubbio’s influential and distinctive tradition of making ceramics and the colourful and popular Festa dei Ceri, one of the oldest street festivals in Italy. We’ll return to Perugia in the afternoon, with free time to rest and refresh. Tonight we’ll attend the next concert in the Trasimeno Festival (venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Perugia (B)

Day 7 | Saturday 27 June
Perugia | Performance III
After a relaxed start to the day, we’ll visit the impressive and architecturally striking 15th-century Gothic Palazzo dei Priori in Perugia – home to the National Gallery of Umbria where we can enjoy works by Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Perugino and Il Pinturicchio. The Palazzo also houses the Arte del Cambio – the moneychangers’ guild – one of the most influential guilds in 15th-century Perugia, who commissioned Perugino to fresco their magnificent hall. The results are an exquisite Renaissance jewel box. In the evening, we’ll attend another concert in the Trasimeno Festival (venue and time
to be confirmed) Overnight Perugia (B)

Day 8 | Sunday 28 June
Todi
Founded by the ancient Umbri, the Italic people of ancient Italy whose history predates the Etruscan civilisation (and after whom the region is named), the medieval town of Todi is a ruggedly handsome example of an Umbrian hill town, with sweeping views of the Tiber valley and the majestic Martani and Sibillini Mountains. We spend today exploring the town of Todi, whose concentric rings of walls reveal the different stages of its flourishing. We begin with the Temple of St Mary of Consolation, a Renaissance sanctuary-church and pilgrimage site which houses a ‘miraculous’ image of the Virgin. Our tour will also include the radiant Gothic church of San Fortunato, the Duomo and the civic buildings of the Piazza del Popolo – one of the finest examples of medieval urban planning in all of Italy. We then enjoy a lunch of traditional Umbrian dishes before returning to Perugia in the later afternoon, and the evening is at leisure. Overnight Perugia (B, L)

Day 9 | Monday 29 June
Assisi | Performance IV
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian mystic, poet, and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. His tomb, hidden for almost 600 years, was discovered beneath the Basilica di San Francesco in 1818 following a 52-day dig, and painstakingly restored in 2011. Today’s visit to the town of Assisi will examine the creation of this majestic architectural structure, a sublime fusion of Roman and Gothic styles, as well as its world-renowned frescoes – notably, the celebrated Life of St Francis attributed to Giotto and his workshop. We will also enjoy a walking tour around the labyrinthine streets with the option to visit the basilica of Saint Clare – a paradigm of Umbrian Romanesque architecture. We return in good time before our evening concert which will begin with a pre-concert talk by the artists (venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Perugia (B)

Day 10 | Tuesday 30 June
Perugia | Performance V
We begin our day in the characterful ‘rione’ of the Porta Sant’Angelo, with its crenelated medieval gate and walls located at the end of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, the main street of Perugia’s historic district. There, we’ll take in the remarkable 5th-century church of St Michael the Archangel, raised on the hill just above the old gateway and built when Perugia was still a Roman city. We’ll then enjoy a private visit to the nearby Brozzetti Atelier, one of the last workshops in Italy which continues the tradition of hand-loomed fabrics, housed in a luminous 13th-century Franciscan convent. After a break for lunch and free time, we’ll reconvene for the next festival event (venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Perugia (B)

Day 11 | Wednesday 1 July
Lake Trasimeno | Performance VI
We depart in the late morning for a boat cruise exploring Lake Trasimeno – Italy’s fourth largest lake. Described by Lord Byron as a “silver veil”, Trasimeno’s clear, calm waters are girdled with olive groves, vineyards, historic villages and castles. Throughout the 13th and 14th-centuries the islands across the lake were settled by Franciscans and Olivetans, and the evocative remains of former monasteries, medieval churches and castles create a sense of spiritual peace. Our tour takes us to the only inhabited island on the lake, Isola Maggiore, beloved by Saint Francis of Assisi for its otherworldly serenity. In the afternoon, we’ll return to Perugia to relax before the final concert of the Trasimeno Music Festival, followed by a Gala Dinner with the artists and festival director, Angela Hewitt (venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Perugia (B, D)

Day 12 | Thursday 2 July
Spello and Spoleto
Departing Perugia for Spoleto today, we stop en route at the enchanting medieval town of Spello. Set in a bucolic landscape at the southern foot of Mount Subasio and forged from Subasio’s pink-hued stone, Spello is simply one of the most beautiful towns in the entire region. Centuries of history and culture will unfold as we explore its ancient Roman gateways, Roman villas and mosaics, and its maze of flower-filled medieval streets, stone houses and noble palazzi. Our day will include a visit to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Here, we’ll take in the exquisite 16th-century Baglioni Chapel, entirely frescoed by the outstanding Umbrian artist Il Pinturicchio, whose Biblical scenes play out against a verdant Umbrian landscape. There will also be time to visit the Villa dei Mosaici, which boasts ten rooms of beautiful Roman mosaic floors, and remains one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the century. After Spello, we will continue to our base for the last four nights of our tour: the ravishing and culturally rich town of Spoleto. Once settled into our hotel, we’ll enjoy dinner together in a local restaurant. Overnight Spoleto (B, D)

Day 13 | Friday 3 July
Spoleto | Performances VII
Like many of the hill towns in Umbria, Spoleto began as a city-state of the ancient Italic people known as the Umbri, but it was subsequently conquered by the Romans who named it Spoletium. Its strategic importance – perched on a steep hill guarding the southern approach to the Vale of Umbria – has resulted in these rich layers being still visible in the ancient city walls, originally built by the Umbri. Here we will encounter centuries of Roman remains, including the theatre, forum, the honorary arch of Drusus Minor and Germanicus, and the atmospheric and remarkably well-preserved Casa Romana – speculated to have been the home of Vespasia Polla, mother of the Emperor Vespasian. After lunch, we’ll visit Spoleto’s majestic Duomo, home to Filippo Lippi’s masterpiece and final work, the Life and Death of the Virgin, created in 1469, and we’ll also attend our first performance at the Festival of Two Worlds, Spoleto’s main feature since 1958 (concert venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Spoleto (B)

Day 14 | Saturday 4 July
Colle del Marchese and Montefalco | Performance VIII
We begin our day with a convivial visit to the home of distinguished artist (and Academy Travel tour leader) Neil Moore. Since 1988, Neil has made his home and studio in the historic borgo of Colle del Marchese and today he’ll recount the story of restoring his medieval tower-house. Neil will then accompany us on an excursion to the fortified medieval town of Montefalco, whose panoramic views have led to its nickname as ‘the Balcony of Umbria.’ Our tour will include a visit to the Church of San Francesco to see the captivating fresco cycle by Benozzo Gozzoli. Neil will bring his professional insights to these works, making connections between them and the famous Magi frescoes in Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Florence. After a traditional Umbrian lunch, and the chance to sample the distinctive local wine made from the Sagrantino grape unique to this region, we’ll return to Spoleto in the mid-afternoon, in time to freshen up before the next festival concert (venue and time to be confirmed). Overnight Spoleto (B, L)

Day 15 | Sunday 5 July
Spoleto | Performance IX
After a late-morning coffee together, we’ll walk up to the top of the town to explore the impressive Castle Rocca Albornoz, which has dominated the cityscape since the 14th-century. Here we’ll visit the Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto, whose exhibitions bear witness to the town’s multi-layered history. We then have time to wander to the nearby Ponte delle Torri bridge. Created from an ancient Roman aqueduct, this soaring limestone structure spans a deep ravine, from whose flanks we can enjoy the very same view which inspired St Francis to declare: ‘Never did I see anything more joyous than my Spoleto valley’. Our day will also include another concert in the Spoleto Festival (venue and time to be confirmed) followed by a farewell dinner of Umbrian cuisine in one of the town’s top restaurants. Overnight Spoleto (B, D)

Day 16 | Monday 6 July
Depart to Rome
Our tour ends after breakfast this morning, followed by a private transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport. (B)