Tours
SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS | KNOWLEDGE & INSPIRATION | EXPERT TOUR LEADERS
Tour Program
2025
ATHENS
IN DEPTH
Dates: 08-19 January 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Estelle Lazer
Price: $8,750pp 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.
Winter
in Japan
Dates: 16-29 January 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $12,550pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Encounter a different facet of Japan during winter, exploring its small mountain towns, historic villas and gardens, exceptional regional galleries and the overwhelming beauty of Mount Fuji.
ANCIENT ROME
IN DEPTH
Dates: 05-18 January 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathryn Welch
Price: $9,850pp twinshare
Status: Limited places available
Uncover an unparalleled wealth of history, art, architecture and archaeology in Rome and surrounds, on this low season, residential-style tour with Roman historian Dr Kathryn Welch.
Vienna
& Salzkammergut
Dates: 31 March - 12 April 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $9,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Explore Vienna’s exceptional art, history and architecture and enjoy the spectacular alpine scenery and arts and crafts of Salzkammergut.
ROMANIA
Dates: 23 April - 08 May 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $9,250pp twinshare
Status: 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: 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: Places available
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: 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: 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: Limited places 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.
EXPLORING ALSACE & THE BLACK FOREST
Dates: 09-17 June 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $8,900pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Enjoy the cultural wonders and culinary delights of Alsace and the Black Forest, through historical walking tours, gallery visits and a program of 5 half-day walks.
OPERA IN GERMANY: BERLIN, LEIPZIG, DRESDEN & MUNICH
Dates: 24 June - 08 July 2025
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $13,500pp twinshare
Status: Places 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: Places available
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.
Malta & Sicily On The
SEA CLOUD II
Dates: 24 September - 10 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathryn Welch
Price: $21,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Step aboard the tall ship Sea Cloud II and discover Malta and Sicily, for millennia two great crossroads of Mediterranean civilisations.
VIA EGNATIA: FROM ALBANIA TO THESSALONIKI
Dates: 05-19 September 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kristen Mann
Price: $11,950pp twinshare
Status: 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: Places available
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.
Venice
In DEpth
Dates: 23 September - 04 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Lachlan Warner
Price: $9,250pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Unpack and discover the distinctive art and history of La Serenissima and its surrounds on this 12-day residential tour to Venice.
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.
JAPAN’S ART ISLANDS & THE SETOUCHI TRIENNALE
Dates: 04 - 14 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $12,850pp twinshare
Status: Limited 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.
bordeaux, the dordogne & the loire
Dates: 15-28 October 2025
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $11,950pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
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.
Kyoto & Tokyo:
A Tale of Two Cities
Dates: November 2025
Tour Leader: Jackie Menzies OAM
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
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.
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.
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.