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7-11 June 2007 (Please note change of dates from those originally advertised)
 
Ravenna
Ravenna is a quiet and attractive north Italian town that all but conceals an extraordinary and distinguished ancient history. For several centuries it was in effect the capital of western Europe. In 402 AD Flavius Honorius made it the Roman imperial residence. In 476 the barbarian leader Odoacer took the city. He was ousted in 493 by the Ostrogoth Emperor Theodoric, who made it the headquarters of his Gothic empire. After Theodoric's defeat by Belisarius in 540, Ravenna was the seat of the Byzantine emperors' viceroys in Italy till the eighth century.
 
The historic centre of Ravenna contains a unique collection of buildings dating from the fifth and sixth centuries. Eight of these are entered on UNESCO'S World Heritage list, of which seven are decorated with magnificent and beautifully preserved mosaics, many of them devoted to an early Christian iconography that is unusual and fascinating. Most impressive perhaps is the astonishing Byzantine church of San Vitale; famous throughout Christendom, it was a model for Aghia Sofia in Istanbul, and Charlemagne's cathedral in Aachen. Though the Christian buildings and their mosaics will occupy most of our attention during our stay, there are domestic mosaics visible in the remains of secular buildings from the imperial past, as well as a number of museums and art galleries. Dante's tomb is in Ravenna; it was here that he finished his Divine Comedy and died in 1321. Some five centuries later the English poet Byron also stayed here while he conducted his affair with Teresa Guiccoli, an episode explored in Iris Origo's book The Last Attachment (1971).
 
 
We will be guided throughout our stay in Ravenna by an official guide to the sites, Signora Verdiana Baioni, who speaks excellent English.
 
Present-day Ravenna is a clean and pleasant town, with an historic centre composed of charming pedestrian streets and small squares. As in many other cities in Emilia-Romagna, here the bicycle is a primary mode of transport, and our hotel has half a dozen that may be borrowed. We will stay in a small but charming villa a short walk from the main sites. As it only has a dozen rooms, the size of the group will be between twelve and sixteen.
 
 
Ferrara
For those who want to enjoy a day of contrast, we will visit Ferrara, seat of the Dukes of Este. The huge, moated, red-brick castle in the centre is only one of several Este family palaces in the planned Renaissance streets. Pre-dating the Este magnificence is the cathedral, with a remarkable twelfth-century façade with sculptures by Wiligelmus; its museum contains a set of excellent bas-reliefs depicting the labours of the months.
 
Rimini
For those who want another trip out of Ravenna, we will spend an afternoon in Rimini.
This huge, brash sea-side town has a small and surprisingly pleasing ancient centre, of which the principal treasure is the celebrated Tempio Malatestiano, cited as a seminal masterwork in every book on the Renaissance. The architect Alberti converted a Franciscan church into the current structure at the behest of the infamous Sigismondo Malatesta. The result is a many-faceted monument to this reputedly wicked man and his family, filled with extravagantly decorated tombs and chapels, including superb reliefs by Agostino di Duccio
 
 
Guideline prices, excluding flights:
Per person, single use of double room:   £670
Per person, sharing a double room:   £485
 

These prices include:
four nights bed and breakfast in a central hotel in Ravenna;
two dinners in local restaurants;
entrance to the UNESCO heritage sites;
services of a tour organiser and an expert guide in Ravenna;
transport to Ferrara (train or coach) and entry to the Castello d'Este;
transport by train to Rimini;
coach transfers between Bologna airport and the hotel.
 
The flight to Italy is not included. Tickets on a designated flight can currently be bought for about £120 over the Internet or via our chosen travel agent. You could of course extend this visit to Ravenna with a stay in another nearby city, such as Venice or Bologna.
 

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