Holiday Extras

The re-unification of Germany in 1990 restored Berlin to its status as capital city. Previously, a long succession of German kings and emperors created many fine palaces but nowhere else in Europe was so much energy expended on building museums and art galleries for the public. Now almost all are fully restored and redisplayed and it is this cornucopia of the arts which we shall explore in Berlin and nearby Potsdam dressed for the festive season.

The Medici family are synonymous with Florence and with the birth of renaissance art - the list of the architects, sculptors and painters employed by the family is astounding. Focusing on the era of the early Medici, we shall explore the monuments, churches and museums of Florence, looking at some of the masterpieces created for successive generations of the family. This visit is specifically designed to bring some of the best-loved works of the Renaissance into sharp relief.

This will be an exciting week spent exploring some of the very best camellia collections in Europe, as well as combining the best of horticultural, artistic and religious traditions as we encounter many sites associated with the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.