Tours
SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS | KNOWLEDGE & INSPIRATION | EXPERT TOUR LEADERS
Tour Program
ROMANIA
Dates: 23 April - 08 May 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $9,250pp twinshare
Status: Limited places available
Discover Romania on a road trip exploring its history between the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, its unique art and architecture and revival after communism.
BARCELONA to paris:
a musical journey
Dates: 27 April – 13 May 2025
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $16,500pp twinshare
Status: Limited places available
Get more out of fine performances in Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Paris, together with expert music educator Robert Gay.
turin, genoa & the french riviera
Dates: 01-16 May 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $12,450pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Discover outstanding art and architecture in Italy and southern France, from the hidden gems of Turin and Genoa to the exuberant modernity of the French Riviera.
exploring
corsica
Dates: 05-15 May 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Estelle Lazer
Price: $10,950pp twinshare
Status: Limited places available
Discover a lesser-known Mediterranean island, proud of its prehistoric sites and ancient Roman, medieval and Napoleonic histories, with guided walks from its spectacular coasts to cool forests.
SHOSTAKOVICH FESTIVAL
IN LEIPZIG
Dates: 14-29 May 2025
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: $13,450 pp twinshare
Status: Limited places available
Experience the Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig, honouring the life of a modern musical giant on the 50th anniversary of his death, including 16 performances.
JAPAN’S ART ISLANDS & THE SETOUCHI TRIENNAlE
Dates: 13-23 May 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $13,250pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Experience the world-class Setouchi Triennale, admiring the revitalised ‘art islands’ of the Seto Inland Sea as well as the beauty and relaxed charm of Shikoku.
exploring medieval burgundy
Dates: 19-28 May 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $9,350pp twinshare
Status: 1 place available
Explore Burgundy’s cultural heritage, from outstanding medieval art and architecture to prestigious food and wine, complemented by a program of scenic walks in historic districts.
LYON & MARSEILLE
Dates: 28 May – 05 June 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $8,900pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover two of France’s most distinctive regional capitals, both emerging as vibrant cultural destinations, and known for their fascinating histories and proud cuisines.
OPERA IN GERMANY: BERLIN, LEIPZIG, DRESDEN & MUNICH
Dates: 24 June - 08 July 2025
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $13,500pp twinshare
Status: 1 place available
Enjoy 9 performances of opera and orchestral music in Germany’s premier theatres and explore the cultural highlights of Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden and Munich with music educator Robert Gay.
Hokkaido and Tohoku:
The road North
Dates: 20 July - 03 August 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $14,500pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover the path less travelled in northern Japan over its colourful summer, exploring diverse histories, indigenous culture, serene temples and exquisite natural beauty.
the aix-en-provence opera festival
Dates: 10-20 July 2025
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: $12,250pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Our annual tour to France’s premiere music festival returns, enjoying baroque operas and vocal recitals as well as contemporary premieres in outdoor venues and historic theatres.
Sculpture, art & landscape in Southern England
Dates: 29 August - 09 September 2025
Tour Leader: Fiona McIntosh
Price: $12,900pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Combine the best of southern England and Cornwall’s modern and contemporary sculpture parks, with the beauty of the English landscape in late summer.
VIA EGNATIA: FROM ALBANIA TO THESSALONIKI
Dates: 05-19 September 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kristen Mann
Price: $11,950pp twinshare
Status: Limited places available
Journey into history along the Via Egnatia from Albania to Thessaloniki, discovering ancient Roman trade routes and the connected cultures of the Balkans.
FRIULI, TYROL
& THE DOLOMITES
Dates: 09-21 September 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $10,750pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Take a journey from Innsbruck to Friuli and discover the distinctive histories, cultures and cuisines of the spectacular alpine landscapes where Italy and Austria meet.
JAPAN’S ART ISLANDS & THE SETOUCHI TRIENNALE
Dates: 04 - 14 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $12,850pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Experience the world-class Setouchi Triennale, admiring the revitalised ‘art islands’ of the Seto Inland Sea as well as the beauty and relaxed charm of Shikoku.
Istanbul To Venice
Dates: 07-22 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Louise Marshall
Price: $13,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Explore the wealth of the Byzantine Empire, from its eastern capital at present-day Istanbul to its apotheosis in Ravenna and enduring influence on Venice.
SOUTH KOREA
Dates: 12-23 October 2025
Tour Leader: Jackie Menzies OAM
Price: $13,850pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover South Korea, from its UNESCO-listed temples and palaces to traditional ceramics and its thriving contemporary art scene.
bordeaux, the dordogne & the loire
Dates: 15-28 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $11,950pp twinshare
Status: One room now available
Explore the south-west of France, from Bordeaux’s celebrated viticulture, to the prehistoric art caves of the Dordogne and impressive châteaux and gardens of the Loire Valley.
JAPAN’S ART ISLANDS & THE SETOUCHI TRIENNALE
Dates: 29 October - 8 November 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $12,850pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Experience the world-class Setouchi Triennale, admiring the revitalised ‘art islands’ of the Seto Inland Sea as well as the beauty and relaxed charm of Shikoku.
FLORENCE
IN DEPTH
Dates: 03-15 November 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Eckstein
Price: $9,995pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Unpack your bags to explore the superlative art, architecture and culture of Florence, on this residential-style tour timed to take advantage of off-season travel.
Kyoto & Tokyo:
A Tale of Two Cities
Dates: 14-26 November 2025
Tour Leader: Jackie Menzies OAM
Price: $13,350pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Enjoy long stays in two of Japan’s most emblematic cities on our popular tour, in the capital of traditional culture in Kyoto and the fast-paced contemporary metropolis of Tokyo.
2026
ATHENS
IN DEPTH
Dates: 14-26 January 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kristen Mann
Price: $9,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Enjoy a long-stay tour in Athens in the low season, and explore its 3,000-year patrimony of ancient Greek, Byzantine and Ottoman sites.
CONTEMPORARY ART IN SINGAPORE & BANGKOK
Dates: January 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon & Fiona McIntosh
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Explore Singapore’s Art SG, one of the largest art fairs in the Asia-Pacific, with Dr Nick Gordon, and dive into the world of contemporary art in Thailand with Fiona McIntosh.
HONG KONG
& SHANGHAI
Dates: March 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Experience contemporary art in Hong Kong and Shanghai, historic gateways between the Chinese and Western worlds, with their exceptional new galleries and museums.
Charmian Clift’s
Kalymnos
Dates: May 2026
Tour Leader: Nadia Wheatley
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Explore the Greek island of Kalymnos through the writing of legendary Australian author Charmian Clift under the guidance of Clift’s award-winning biographer, Nadia Wheatley.
MOZART & THE MOZART FESTIVAL
Dates: 27 January – 07 February 2026
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: $14,250pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Celebrate Mozart’s birthday with special performances at Salzburg’s Mozart Week and then discover his life and times in Vienna, where more performances await.
TÜrkiye
Dates: March 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Helen Pope
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Explore a vast trove of cultural riches, Byzantine and Ottoman history, remarkable museums and ancient ruins on this comprehensive journey where East and West come together.
Naples
In DEpth
Dates: April 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Mary Jane Cuyler
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Unpack your bags to uncover the many-layered history of Naples, one of Italy’s most vibrant cultural capitals and the city of the Greeks, Romans, Caravaggio and a modern resurgence.
MUSICAL CITIES:
PARIS & BERLIN
Dates: May 2026
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Enjoy stand-out performances in the finest venues of Berlin and Paris, including the refurbished Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Opéra Garnier and Jean Nouvel’s stunning Philharmonie.
TUNISIA &
ALGERIA
Dates: January 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Helen Pope
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Take a journey into two prominent countries of the ancient world, and uncover the stories of Numidian, Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman societies and their enduring legacy.
ESSENTIAL
SICILy
Dates: March 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathryn Welch
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Survey Sicily’s breathtaking heritage with extended stays in two principal cities, exploring Greek temples, glittering medieval mosaics, and magnificent landscapes.
ALONG THE APENNINES: Abruzzo, UMBRIA & LAZIO
Dates: April 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Explore the heart of Italy, from the spectacular mountains of the less-visited Abruzzo region to the Middle Ages in Umbria and the Etruscans in Lazio.
ROMANIA
Dates: May 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Discover Romania on a road trip exploring its complex history between the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, its unique art and architecture and modern revival.
MARSEILLE
& LYON
Dates: 22-30 May 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $9,200pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover two of France’s most distinctive regional capitals, both emerging as vibrant cultural destinations, and known for their fascinating histories and proud cuisines.
Shikoku & the Seto Inland Sea
Dates: May 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Olivier Krischer
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Discover the delights of Shikoku and the Seto Inland Sea from the dynamic world-class art scene on the islands to celebrated gardens, serene temples and Hiroshima’s sobering history.
THE VENICE BIENNALE
Dates: June 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon & Dr Lachlan Warner
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Dive into the world of contemporary art, from major retrospectives in Venetian palaces to the global cutting edge in the Giardini and Arsenale, on this 8-day tour.
Exploring Medieval Burgundy
Dates: May 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Louise Marshall
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Explore Burgundy’s cultural heritage, from outstanding medieval art and architecture to prestigious food and wine, complemented by a program of scenic walks in historic districts.
Music in
Northern Europe
Dates: May 2026
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Enjoy a host of first-rate performances in the premiere venues of Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, with music educator Robert Gay.
Handel In HALLE
Dates: June 2026
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Discover the birthplace of Handel at Halle’s annual festival, and enjoy a selection of his seminal operas, oratorios and concerts in historic venues.
TURIN, GENOA & THE FRENCH RIVIERA
Dates: 07-22 May 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $13,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover outstanding art and architecture in Italy and southern France, from the hidden gems of Turin and Genoa and the exuberant modernity of the French Riviera.
THE CHAMPAGNE ROUTE: TROYES, Épernay and Reims
Dates: June 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Explore the fascinating history, food and wine of the Champagne region, in Troyes, Épernay and Reims, from Knights Templar to outstanding stained glass and prestigious wines.
FESTIVAL AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Dates: July 2026
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Our annual tour to France’s premiere music festival returns, enjoying baroque operas and vocal recitals as well as contemporary premieres in outdoor venues and historic theatres.
SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS
Our tours are designed for travellers with a strong interest in history, art, music and culture and have a maximum of 20 people in a group
GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRATION
Our tour leaders combine genuine scholarly insight with enthusiasm and finely-honed leadership skills
SLOW DOWN AND SEE MORE
Long stays and a balance between group activities and independent exploration are a feature of our journeys
Fitness on Tour
Travel always requires a degree of physical fitness and mental stamina. To help you decide if a tour is right for you, we’ve given them fitness ratings:
MODERATE
ACTIVE
CHALLENGING
You can view our fitness ratings here in our FAQ. Should you have any concerns, please get in touch with us.
Responsible Tourism
Travel is an intensive activity, but it also provides a livelihood for almost 1 in 10 people globally. Our short term goal is to make our Australian operations carbon neutral by 2025. At the same time, we will undertake the first stages of reducing the footprint of our tours and the Scope 3 emissions they entail.
We’ll keep you informed of our roadmap to achieving these goals and the challenges on the way in a dedicated blog in Limelight Arts Traveller.
Our Travel Partner
Limelight Arts Travel is pleased to partner with Mary Rossi Travel, one of Australia’s most recognised luxury travel agents.
You can read more about these arrangements here.