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November 2004
 
A short visit to Padua is being planned, around the weekend of 6 and 7 November. The main purpose will be to see Giotto's masterpiece, the Scrovegni Chapel. Normally visitors are restricted to a fifteen minutes glimpse of these magnificent frescoes, and even this must be booked in advance. For the purposes of this study weekend, it is proposed that two special half-hour visits will be booked for the group. In addition all participants will have the right to another quarter-of-an-hour's visit at a time arranged by them.
 
Tutor for the weekend will be Dr Cathy Oakes from Oxford University's Department for Continuing Education, who will offer lectures about Giotto's frescoes preceding each visit.
 
The group will stay at a comfortable four-star hotel in the historic centre of Padua, about twelve minutes walk from the Scrovegni Chapel to the north, and the same distance from the Basilica of Sant'Antonio to the south. There are plenty of cheap and good restaurants in the vicinity. Central Padua has interesting markets and excellent shops of all kinds.
 
 
Everyone in the group will be provided a card allowing them free travel on buses, and free or reduced entry to all Padua's many monuments and museums. In the pilgrimage complex devoted to St Anthony of Padua, there is Donatello's famous equestrian statue of Gattamelata, as well as various other sculptures by him. The Basilica is packed with fascinating works of art. Particularly celebrated are nine Renaissance panels depicting scenes from the saint's life in the Cappella del Santo. Padua is also famous for its university, founded in 1221, where Galileo lectured, and the first woman to achieve a university degree was given her doctorate in 1678. Its Botanic Garden dates from 1545.
 
The guideline prices below include three nights bed and breakfast, pre-visit lectures about Giotto's frescoes and other works of art in Padua, a PadovaCard, and coach travel between Wellington Square and Heathrow (if enough people wish to depart from Oxford) and between Venice airport and Padua. These prices do not include the flight to Italy. At present seats on a British Midland flight to and from Venice have been reserved at £205, but if enough people sign up quickly for the holiday, it may be possible to find a cheaper flight. Some group meals will be organised at cost price.
 
 
Guideline prices, excluding flights:
Per person, single use of double room:   £410
Per person, sharing a double room:   £365
 
 
These prices do not include the flight to Italy. Based on current prices, it should be possible to arrange flights for £205 or less. As usual a booking will be made for the group by Italia nel Mondo, an ABTA and ATOL registered travel agent.
 

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