A guided behind the scenes tour of Chichester Festival Theatre to explore how theatre is made. The tour will be in the morning and numbers are limited to 15 persons for each tour. 

One of England’s finest historic houses, this remarkable Tudor manor, with over twenty rooms open to explore, is set within beautifully preserved, award winning formal gardens which you will have time to walk around.

The house has a history spanning more than five centuries, with origins in Saxon England. It has witnessed the Tudor period, the upheavals of the seventeenth century, including the Glorious Revolution, and a careful Victorian restoration that preserved its character for future generations. The gardens are among the finest formal gardens in England. Four enclosed walled gardens each present their own distinct planting style and atmosphere.

A 6 days trip to experience the beauty of Slovenia and Lake Bled. Departs 6th May and returns 11th May 2026. Direct flight from Heathrow to Ljubljana, you will be staying half board at a 4* hotel with all excursions, entrance fees and guided tours included. Tour comprises:

- Guided tour of Lake Bled.

- Bled Castle.

- Traditional Pletna Boat excursion to Bled Island.

- Church of the Assumption.

- Guided tour of Ljubljana.

- Guided tour of the National Gallery.

- Postojna Caves.

- Lipica Stud Farm.

- Cruise from Portoroz to Piran.

- Piran.

Places are already taken but a waiting list is being compiled. For details please contact the Tours Secretary.

Whitchurch Silk Mill AND Bombay Saphire Gin Distillery in Hampshire. Two fascinating and very different visits in one day, combining traditional silk weaving with gin making.

Brighton Pavilion and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery including a guided tour of the Royal Pavilion to see the history, decoration and construction of the palace.

This is a truly unique and memorable event -  an evening guided tour of Westmister Abbey together with music sang by the Purcell Club choisters.

Opera at Glyndebourne. Details of the opera and date to be confirmed when the autumn season’s programme is published.

A trip to Henley to visit the ‘River and Rowing’ museum and Nuffield Place. The River Gallery explores the natural history and stories of the Thames, and The Henley Gallery delves into the origins of the town and its characters. With 5 permanent galleries to explore and enjoy.

A guided tour of Romsey Abbey, one of the most imposing churches in the south, and then a short journey to visit historic Mottisfont House and Gardens, an estate whose history stretches back to 1201.  

A day of two parts.

Starting with visit to the Arts and Crafts artists village and Watts Gallery in the Surrey Hills, dedicated to the work of the Victorian-era painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts.

Followed by a visit to the nearby Hannah Peschar Sculpture Park at Churt. Time for a leisurely stroll through 10 acres of enchnating woodland and water gardens to see hundreds of large outdoor sculptures.

A visit to Chartwell House, the home of Sir Winston Churchill.  Stroll through the rooms as Churchill would have known them, visit the museum and gardens and walk in the great man's footsteps.

Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli is an art historian specialising in both Italian Renaissance art and Ottoman art. Her talk will immerse you in some of the architectural marvels of Istanbul. It explores the iconic landmarks of Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque and more.

The vitual tour wil start at 11am. Detauls of how to access zoom wil be given to members nearer the time.

Enjoy a behind the scenes private tour of the Royal Opera House and then time to enjoy Covent Garden and its Christmas decorations. On your private tour which lasts approximately 75 minutes, your expert guide will share with you the history of the beautiful Victorian theatre and tales of the many stars that have performed on our stage. You will explore spaces that are off-limits to the public and witness first-hand the production-making process in one of the world’s most renowned theatres.

Enjoy a behind the scenes private tour of the Royal Opera House and then time to enjoy Covent Garden and its Christmas decorations. On your private tour which lasts approximately 75 minutes, your expert guide will share with you the history of the beautiful Victorian theatre and tales of the many stars that have performed on our stage. You will explore spaces that are off-limits to the public and witness first-hand the production-making process in one of the world’s most renowned theatres.

Sakal Serumu

Sakal ve bıyık, erkeklerin yüz estetiğinde önemli bir yer tutar. Ancak, herkes gür ve sağlıklı sakallara sahip olacak kadar şanslı değildir. Neyse ki, doğru ürünlerle bu durumu değiştirmek mümkün. İşte burada <strong>sakal serumu devreye giriyor. <strong>Mr. Stache</strong> markalı <strong>sakal serumu</strong>, doğal içerikleri ve etkili formülüyle sakal ve bıyıklarınızın sağlıklı uzamasını destekler.

<h3>Sakal Serumu Nedir ve Neden Kullanılır?</h3>

<strong>Sakal serumu</strong>, sakal köklerini besleyen, nemlendiren ve uzamayı teşvik eden bir bakım ürünüdür. Özellikle zayıf sakal yapısına sahip erkekler için geliştirilmiştir. <strong>Bıyık serumu</strong> da aynı şekilde bıyıkların sağlıklı uzamasını destekler. Bu ürünler, düzenli kullanıldığında gözle görülür bir fark yaratır.

Doğru bir <strong>sakal çıkarıcı</strong> kullanmak, sakalın yoğunlaşmasını sağlarken aynı zamanda cilt sağlığını da korur. <strong>Mr. Stache sakal serumu</strong>, içeriğinde bulunan doğal yağlar ve vitaminler sayesinde cilt bariyerini güçlendirir, böylece dökülme gibi sorunların önüne geçer.

<h3>Mr. Stache Sakal Serumu Neden Farklı?</h3>

Piyasada birçok <strong>sakal bıyık çıkarıcı</strong> ürün bulunmaktadır, ancak <strong>Mr. Stache</strong>, etkili formülü ve kaliteli içerikleriyle rakiplerinden ayrılır. Ürünün içeriğinde argan yağı, jojoba yağı ve E vitamini gibi güçlü bileşenler bulunur. Bu bileşenler, cildinize zarar vermeden sakalınızı besler ve güçlendirir. Ayrıca, serumun hafif yapısı gözenekleri tıkamadan cilt tarafından kolayca emilir.

Eğer seyrek sakallarınızdan şikâyetçiyseniz veya bıyığınız istediğiniz gibi çıkmıyorsa, <strong>sakal gürleştirme</strong> için en iyi seçeneklerden biri <strong>Mr. Stache bıyık serumu</strong> olacaktır.

<h3>Sakal ve Bıyık Serumu Nasıl Kullanılır?</h3>

Sakal ve bıyık bakımında düzenli kullanım oldukça önemlidir. Sakal serumu kullanırken şu adımları takip edebilirsiniz:

<ol>

<li>Yüzünüzü yıkayıp iyice kurulayın.</li>

<li>Serumdan birkaç damla alarak sakal köklerinize ve bıyıklarınıza masaj yaparak uygulayın.</li>

<li>Ürünün tamamen emilmesini bekleyin.</li>

</ol>

Bu adımları sabah ve akşam olmak üzere günde iki kez uyguladığınızda, kısa sürede sakal ve bıyıklarınızda gözle görülür bir değişim fark edeceksiniz.

<h3>Doğal Yöntemlerin Gücü</h3>

Birçok kişi, <strong>sakal çıkarıcı</strong> ürünlerin kimyasal içerdiğini düşünerek endişe duyar. Ancak <strong>Mr. Stache</strong>, tamamen doğal içerikleriyle güvenle kullanılabilir. Özellikle hassas ciltler için geliştirilmiş formülü sayesinde, tahriş veya kaşıntı gibi sorunlara yol açmaz.

Ayrıca, <strong>sakal gürleştirme</strong> sürecini desteklemek için dengeli beslenme ve bol su tüketimi de önemlidir. Beslenmenize dikkat ettiğinizde ve doğru ürünleri kullandığınızda, sakal ve bıyıklarınızın daha hızlı uzadığını görebilirsiniz.

<h3>Sonuç: Gür Sakallar için Doğru Seçim</h3>

Eğer sakal ve bıyık bakımında etkili bir çözüm arıyorsanız, <strong>Mr. Stache sakal serumu</strong> sizin için ideal bir tercih olacaktır. Doğal içerikleri ve kolay kullanımıyla, hayal ettiğiniz gür ve sağlıklı sakallara kavuşabilirsiniz.

Düzenli kullanım ve sabırla, <strong>sakal serumu</strong> ile farkı kısa sürede hissedeceksiniz. Hemen bir <strong>sakal çıkarıcı</strong> ürün edinerek sakal ve bıyık bakımınıza bugün başlayabilirsiniz!

We are delighted to confirm tickets for La Traviata at Glyndebourne. We are limited to 40 tickets so it will be on a first come, first served basis.

The performance begins at 4pm and our coach will aim to arrive at leasty one hour before so you can enjoy the gardens before the performance. You can choose between taking your own picnic or making a booking in the tea room.

To book your ticket please contact the Visits Secretary.

ALL TICKETS NOW SOLD!!!

For this 5 day (4 nights) tour of North Wales, you will travel by executive coach and the tour includes visits to:

·      Baddesley Clinton (NT).

·      Guided tour of Anglesey with visits to Plas Newydd (NT) and Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens.

·      Guided tour of Bodrhyddan House

·      Admission to Portmeirion

·      One way journey on the Welsh Highland Railway

·      Private guided tour of Chillington Hall with a ploughman’s luncheon last day.

You will stay at the traditional Celtic Royal Hotel which dates back to the 18th century and is located a 10 minute walk away from Caernarfon Harbour. The hotel features its own restaurant and a wood-panelled bar, with free use of the leisure facilities which include an indoor heated swimming pool. The en-suite bedrooms come equipped with a TV, a hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities.

For full details of the tour visit www.successtours.com and in the "Unique Code" box enter CIT0924.  Alternatively you can call Success Tours on 01225 764205.

Recognised as only one of eight accredited botanic gardens in the UK, enjoy 26 acres of gardens and the Sculptor Park and exhibitions. Sculptures created by the renowned sculptor Simon Gudgeon and his team of makers explore the seamless symmetry between art, nature and relaxation.

We had a fascinating guided tour of Bletchely Park, and were able to explore the stories of code breaking through immersive films, interactive displays, museum collections and faithfully recreated WW2 rooms.  Quite a long way to go but absolutely worth it.

Experience an audio guide tour to the secret headquarters for the core of the British government throughout the Second World War.

This is the place where moments of history were made.

Presented by Prasannajit de Silva, we enjoyed an on-line Grand Tour from the comfort of our armchairs and sofas.  During the 18th and 19th centuries generations of wealthy young Britons visited continental Europe as an important part of their cultural education. Popular souvenirs included portraits of the travellers commissioned from Italian artists, such as Rosalba Carriera and Pompeo Batoni, or from British painters living in or visiting Italy. The tour took in a variety of such works, considering what the Grand Tourists were looking for and the influence of these paintings on art back in Britain.  

This unique tour is given by a speaker who describes the history and architecture of the Abbey in some detail, moving from one location of interest to the next, including the Quire, Sacrarium, High Altar, the Cosmati Pavement (unique in this country), St Edward the Confessor’s Shrine, Henry VII Chapel and Poets’ Corner.  At various points there is a pause for members of the Purcell Club to sing suitable musical items ranging from the 16th to 21st centuries. 

We are limited to only 20 tickets.

Comic opera in two acts by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti - L'ELISIR D'AMORE (“The Elixir of Love” or “The Love Potion”) at Glyndebourne on Friday, 17th November 2023. Performance starts at 4 p.m.

The coach arrival time at Glyndebourne wil give members time to enjoy the gardens and have refreshments before the performance.

ONLY 40 TICKETS AVAILABLE.

The day starts with a guided tour of London's Globe Theatre on the South Bank. Afterwards there will be time  to explore at your leisure the Bankside Walk, see Southwark Cathedral and enjoy Borough Market where there are a variety of artesan foodstalls.

The cost of the  tour of the Globe Theatre and coach is £57.50 for the day. The coach wil depart Chichester at 7.45 AM, and leave London at 4.30pm aiming to arrive back in Chichester at approximately 7.30pm depending on traffic.

Norfolk - 5 days – 4 nights

The outline tour is set out below. For details and booking please click https://www.successtours.com/ and enter the unique code CHI1023 to book.

Day 1

Travel by coach from Chichester to Norwich. On the way visit Anglesey Abbey.

Day 2

Visit Blicking Hall in the morning, followed by a boat trip on the Norfolk Broads in the afternoon.

Day 3

Guided tour of Norwich including the Cathedral.

Day 4

Visits to Holkham Hall and Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts

Day 5

Return to Chichester with an en-route visit to Oxburgh Hall

Spend a day at Windsor Castle including a guided tour of the State Rooms, St George's Chapel, the Round Tower and Queen Mary's Dolls House.

The coach will aim to arrive (traffic permitting) in Windsor at around 11 a.m. and depart from there at 4.30pm. Due to parking restictions, the coach will have to park half a mile distance from the Castle.

Only 40 tickets available.

·

In a very rural and peaceful setting near Fordingbridge in Hampshire, Breamore House is an Elizabethan manor house noted for its fine collection of paintings and furniture. We were treated to an extensive guided tour of the house with very knowledgable guides, who brought the building to life with interesting details of family history.

We also had time to explore the very impressive and extensive countryside museum and to visit the 10th century church.

A selection of photos of the day can be seen in the Gallery.  Thank you to Clive Thorp for the use of his photographs.

The Outline Itinerary is set out below.  For the flyer please click here.

Day 1

Outward flight from Heathrow with British Airways

Day 2

Highlights tour, including Brandenburg gate, Unter den Linden, Berlin wall east side gallery, checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag and the Käfer. Café

Day 3

Potsdam incl Sanssouci Palace, the Cecilienhof Palace and the Neues Palais

Day 4

Free day to explore individually – lots of things to explore including Museum Island

Day 5

The Art Gallery (Gemäldegalerie) and the Jewish Museum. Final group dinner.

Day 6

Check out and free time before our evening flight home.

We will be visiting Leighton House and Sambourne House in the Holland Park area of London.    We had a very interesting Zoom Lecture entitled " The Studio Houses of the Hollands Park Circle" given by Daniel Robbins in January 2022, in which he told us that these houses were undergoing major works and would be re-opening in 2023.     They are now open so here we go to see them!

Leighton House

The home of Frederic Leighton (1830-1896) the painter, sculptor and public figure.

Discover how Leighton's home came to embody the idea of how a great artist should live, and explore the collection of fine art and decorative items.

A short walk away is Sambourne House

Edward Linley Sambourne (1844-1910) was a cartoonist, illustrator and photographer, most famous for being a draughtsman for PUNCH for more than 40 years.   He married Marion Herepath in 1874 and shortly after they moved into 18 Stafford Terrace where they lived for the rest of their lives.

Described as a fine example of a "Home Beautiful" there are collections of William Morris wallpapers, delicate ceramics and works of art to view.

Viscount Linley - 2nd Earl of Snowdon, son of Antony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret and great great grandson of Linley Sambourne is a Patron of both Leighton House and Sambourne House.

The Coach will leave at 8.00am on Monday 17th April.

The Coach will leave London at 4.00pm

We are going to the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 3rd March for a guided tour, taking us to parts of the Hall the general public don't normally see.   The cost of this visit is £45 to include the coach, coffee and a pastry on arrival and the guided tour. The coach will leave Chichester at 8.00am and  will leave the Albert Hall at 3.30pm to return home.    

40 of our members have booked to see La Boheme at Glyndeborne.

The performance begins at 4 p.m. Coach leaves from the Northgate car park lay-bye  at 1p.m.

For those who would like the set afternoon tea (sandwiches, scone with jam and cream and cakes)  in the Mildmay tearooms you must prebook this by phoning  01273 813813 (Box office)and ask for the dining section.  It is priced at £25.00 per person.

OR   You can go to the Mildmay tea room on the day  and do their freeflow system whereby you choose and then pay for whatever you would have   - no pre-booking required

OR    You can take your own refreshments and eat them in the grounds if the weather is nice enough or there is provision for eating undercover if not.

The choice is yours to make.

Twenty nine of us visited Shropshire and Ironbridge in early October. In spite of
fears of bad weather we were lucky that our only spell of rain was one morning – and
that coincided with our visit to the Museum of Iron, so we were under cover!
To break the long coach journey we stopped in Hereford at the Cathedral and saw the
the Mappa Mundi and chained library, most interesting to see how the world was
depicted in the middle ages.

Tuesday was our day in Shrewsbury. Settled in Saxon times, it is a fascinating town and
we had a wonderful and very knowledgeable guide both for the historic town and for
the Abbey. We had several members with walking difficulties but they coped
wonderfully with the steep little alleys.

On Wednesday, our guide at the Museum of Iron at Ironbridgeeee failed to appear,
which might have been a huge disappointment, however, while the group had a cup of
coffee the museum reception staff managed to find a substitute – and how lucky we
were that that substitute was one of the curators who took us on a great tour of the
museum!

That afternoon, after lunch overlooking the iron bridge, we had a short coach ride to
Blists Hill, the Victorian village with typical ‘shops’ and appropriately dressed and very
knowledgeable Victorian shopkeepers/workers.

Thursday was our last full day in the area, and for me was the jewel in the crown of
this tour. Stokesay Castle in the morning, an amazing fortified medieval manor
house. One had the impression that this relatively wealthy family had just stepped
out; the solar was intact as was the main hall and the seventeenth century gatehouse
was just stunning.

When we arrived at Stokesay Court in the afternoon we had another surprise – lunch
had been prepared for us and served in the grand panelled dining room. The current
owner, Caroline Magnus, who had inherited the house unexpectedly, undertook the
mammoth task and labour of love, living in and gradually restoring the crumbling
house. Her dedication paid off when the directors of the film Atonement
approached Caroline to use it as the Tallis family home.

During our journey home we stopped at the underground Dudley canals– a feat of
engineering in themselves, they were a key factor in the growth of the Industrial
revolution in this area. There was an abundance of coal and also limestone and iron
ore in the area but heavy goods were difficult and expensive to transport and
Birmingham badly needed a cheap and reliable source of coal. So, funded by a few
wealthy industrialists, the local canal system was conceived as a way of achieving
this. Once the Birmingham canal was in operation the cost of Black Country coal fell
dramatically as large quantities were mined and transported on the new canals. Two
of our members ‘legged’ the boat through the last part of the canal – all part of the
authentic canal experience.

So as you can see we crammed a lot into our short visit. Our hotel was excellent, we
were on a half board basis which enabled the group to mix with friends old and new.
Our coach driver, Jo, was wonderful, helping members who had mobility issues and
blending in with the group on visits. All in all a great success!

A visit to the beautiful National Trust village of Lacock in Wiltshire with Lacock Abbey, home of the Fox Talbot Phtographic Exhibition.

Puglia Tour 5th to 10th May 2022

Carpeted with laden olive trees and dotted with ancient settlements, Puglia surely presents Italian countryside at its most rustic and idyllic.  Our tour will take in the typical Puglian towns of Alberobello, Monopoli and Locorotondo, the grandeur of Lecce and the ancient city of Matera, home to the Sassi grottos.  We conclude with an excursion to Trani and Castel del Monte.  Our hotel is the Grand Hotel La Chiusa di Chietri set in ten hectares of parkland.

This tour has been postponed from 2020 & 2021 because of Covid-19.  We are delighted to say that it is now fully booked, although there is a waiting list.  Please click here for the flyer and here for the booking form.

On Tuesday 5th April 2022, we will be visiting Leeds Castle in Kent.      (This is a different date to the one printed in the programme)

It has been described as "the loveliest Castle in the world" set on two islands in a magnificent lake,  with 500 acres of stunning grounds and gardens  to explore.    Listed in the Doomsday Book it has during its 900 year history been a Norman stronghold, a Royal residence, a Royal Palace and much much more.   There are many things of interest to see here.

We will leave Chichester at 8.30 am  arriving at Leeds Castle at approximately 11.00 am where we will be served Coffee/Tea and homemade cake before free time to explore the Castle and ground at leisure.      We will leave for Chichester at 4.30 pm.

The ticket price for this visit will be   £44.50   to include the coach, the entrance into the Castle and grounds and coffee/cake on arrival.

The current exhibition in the gallery is of the collected works and works collected by Julian Opie.  This is a rare exhibition showcasing the contemporary British artist's personal collection of both contemporary and ancient art, accompanied by a selection of original works from 1998 to the present.

The visit will include a guided tour.  Because the gallery is not far and the maximum numbers are small, car share has been arranged rather than a coach.

Pepe Martinez was our guide on a fascinating and amusing tour.

Stuart Harvey took us on a fascinating tour of some of the iconic sights of Rome.  His descriptions were full of interesting detail, backed by beautiful and well chosen photographs.  A real joy.

On a srisp, bright autumn day we were able to enjoy the legendary Stourhead autumn colours, and to tour the house and find out more about the history.  A lovely day out, well worth the journey.

After somewhat mixed weather this year, our trip to Yorkshire this Autumn was blessed with (mainly) good weather.

We got off to a great start with lunch at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield.  Its 500 acres of parkland (and six galleries) contain one of the largest collections of Henry Moore bronzes as well as work by Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hurst and many others, including Antony Gormley.   I was particularly drawn to a beautiful Ai WeiWei iron tree, which stands majestically just outside the chapel.   Inside the chapel is a floor to ceiling porcelain tower by Rachel Kneebone– based on Trajan’s column and formed of thousands of incomplete writhing human bodies – fascinating!    Dinner was at the hotel in Harrogate that evening, enabling the group to get to know each other (if they didn’t already).  

On Monday morning we visited Markenfield Hall,  what a wonderful experience -  a stunning moated medieval manor house which was  recorded in the Domesday Book.    It is an absolute gem; its current owners from mid twentieth century have been lovingly restoring it to its medieval glory.  

In complete contrast, in the afternoon we went to Harewood House, a beautiful, classical country house with Adam interiors  Chippendale furniture and Capability Brown gardens.

Tuesday was our day in York.   Luckily the morning was sunny and warm for our walking tour of the city and our guide was extremely knowledgeable and funny – a great combination.

Wednesday, our last full day, found us at Newby Hall in the morning.   Another absolutely  delightful house, built by Wren with Adam interiors and family portraits by Gainsborough and Reynolds.  The gardens, created mainly in the twentieth century were beautiful and so full of colour!   Another lived-in house:  when the visitors leave at 5 pm the family use the whole house – lucky family!

 After lunch we set off for Beningbrough.  After a difficult journey there, taking an extra twenty minutes to avoid weak bridges, we finally arrived to find that many of the rooms were closed for restoration.   We did see a beautiful Chagall and a very interesting Henry Moore sketch but the rest of the advertised ‘glorious art collection’ and the ‘beautiful baroque furniture’ was sadly inaccessible to us. 

Our final visit, en route to Chichester, was to the Hepworth Wakefield.  

What a fantastic gallery, housing some of the most important, mainly sculptural, artworks of mid twentieth century.   A fantastic and very memorable finale to a great week.

This visit is to Arundell's, the former home of the late Sir Edward Heath.  We will be shown around in small groups of 10-12.  The house has an attractive garden and is sited in the cathedral precinct,very close to the city centre.

Coffee will be seved on arrival, lunch own arrangements.

Ian Swankie, who is both an Arts Society lecturer and a London Tourist Guide, led us on this tour of public and street art in London.   We saw parts of London we might have thought we knew well but Ian had lots of surprises up his sleeve to amuse and provoke us.    During our stops along the way, he pointed out monumental sculptural works from the 19th Century, as well as spontaneous expressions of street art, where the paint has yet to dry.   Compositions use mixed media ranging from metal, stone, ceramics, plaster to paint - in fact any material available that will withstand the elements - even chewing gum.  Ian took full advantage of the opportunities afforded by the virtual format and included a few video clips as well as excellent photographs.

A thoroughly enjoyable and informative tour.

Blue Badge Guide Fred Mawer took us on a virtual tour of the famous city of Bath.  He included many of the famous sights plus some lesser known spots for Bath aficionados.  And as we went he skillfully weaved in aspects of the history and culture of Bath, including recent developments.

A much enjoyed presentation which encouraged many to think about a real visit in the future.

As a special spring treat we were guided round this iconic museum by Dr. Sophie Oosterwijk.  She introduced us to a selection of the works on display, including of course The Night Watch by Rembrandt.  She also covered the history of the building, not least the controversial choice of architect, and pointed out many fascinating features.

Our March online visit was a Virtual Walking Tour around Marylebone Village, in the company of our guide, Pepe Martinez.  Pepe is a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide.

Marylebone is one of the four districts of the main commercial centre of London known as the West End.  It is hard to image that only 250 years ago, it was all just farmland.    Today Marylebone is one of London’s most glittering and vibrant districts.   

This one hour virtual tour introduced us to some of its highlights, including a world famous museum, the Wallace Collection, and a world famous concert hall,the Wigmore Hall.  We met a world famous nurse, Florence Nightingale of course, and saw some of the most spectacular aristocratic homes ever built in London.  Marylebone is one of London’s most dynamic districts, and it was a pleasure to be able to view so much of it from the comfort of our own homes.  

Our first online visit was this Virtual Walking Tour from Windsor Castle to Eton College.

Our guide was Barbara Askew - a historian, a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide and a lecturer for the Arts Society. She is an expert on royal history and Windsor Castle for which she has been the Blue Badge Guide's Site Liaison Representative since 1990 and she organises guided tours of Eton College.

Whilst a Virtual Tour cannot replace the real thing, it at least gave the experience of seeing somewhere new, with the added bonus that there was no long walk involved.  As one of our members put it "We did not need our umbrella, and the washing had finished, the greengrocery had arrived, and our meal was ready on our return!"

On our tour we saw Windsor Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in the world. It has been the home of 38 monarchs and is said to be the Queen's favourite residence. We explored the medieval streets with their timber-framed houses and the 17th Century Guildhall. We'll also saw the Long Walk, a three mile avenue that connects the Castle to Windsor Great Park, a former hunting ground. We crossed the River Thames, with its boat house and royally-owned swans, over Windsor Bridge which connects Windsor to Eton, a Saxon settlement dating back to the 8th Century.

We proceeded along Eton's picturesque High Street to Eton College, the world's most famous school and heard of its foundation in 1440 by King Henry VI, also about some of its famous and infamous pupils.  Our tour concluded on the famous Playing Fields of Eton.
 

Sadly this visit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

For a pre-Christmas treat we will have a tour of Westminster Abbey by a Blue Badge Guide followed by Evensong in the Abbey.

Sadly this visit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Tickets have been refunded.

The visit has been rescheduled in our 2021 programme, date to be confirmed.

An autumn visit to wonderful Stourhead, with its world famous 18th century picturesque gardens and Palladian Villa set in the beautiful Wessex landscape.

Sadly this visit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Tickets have been refunded.

The visit has been rescheduled in our 2021 programme, date to be confirmed.

Our mid summer visit takes in two magnificent houses.  In the morning we will see Sherborne Castle, the historic Digby stately home built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 and set in the fine 'Capability' Brown landscape. In the afternoon we will go to Athelhampton House, reputed to be one of the finest 15th Century houses in England

Sadly this visit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Tickets have been refunded.

The visit has been rescheduled in our 2021 programme, date to be confirmed.

A visit to beautiful Wilton House - home of the Earls of Pembroke since 1540 - with its fine 17th Century interiors and world famous art collection by renowned artists such as van Dyck, Pieter Brueghel, Rembrandt and Richard Wilson. In the Afternoon we will travel the short distance to Salisbury for a guided tour of Arundells - the home, gardens and art collection of the late Sir Edward Heath.

Sadly this visit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Tickets have been refunded.

The visit has been rescheduled in our 2021 programme, date to be confirmed.

We will be treated to an historical tour by the pupils of Christ's Hospital founded in 1552. Afternoon tea will be served in the magnificent dining hall which houses the 87 foot long painting by Verrio depicting the school's second Royal Charter granted by Charles 11 in 1673.

A Sunday visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum with a guided tour.

On a sunny late autumn day we visited to St. Paul's Cathedral.  We all enjoyed a guided tour of some of the cathedral highlights in the morning, with enthusiastic and well informed guides.

After a break for lunch most of us chose to go on the Triforium Tour which takes in the Geometric Staircase, the wonderful view down the nave and Wren's great model of the Cathedral.  Others chose either a guided tour of the Art of the Cathedral or just to enjoy a bit of free time.

A thoroughly good day out, helped by both the weather and by relatively trouble free travel in both directions.

This year our popular annual visit to Glyndebourne was to see the touring production of Verdi's Rigoletto. 

In lashing rain we made our way to Glyndebourne by what might be described as a scenic route and certainly not one suitable for a large Woods coach - a product of slavish adherence to satnav.  But we made it and immediately headed for cover as there was no prospect of a leisurely stroll around the gardens this year.

The staging of the opera was "interesting", drawing on Rigoletto's character as a clown and setting the piece as if we were on a film set for a Chaplin film.  Most people found a lot of the stage business somewhat distracting although a moment when a women fell from the battlements was completely amazing.  The music and the performances were stunning however and left us all feeling uplifted by it all.  As ever it was a joy to be in that fabulous theatre.

Tony Clark

In spite of the weather, we had a great week in Cornwall. There were thirty-one of us on this trip and what a really nice group they were.

On Monday we left Chichester by coach with Dave one of our favourite coach drivers. Our lunch stop was at medieval Powderham Castle in South Devon. Our guide took us through many of the beautiful rooms in this fourteenth century castle and told us some of the history of the Courtenay family, who have lived in the castle for six hundred years.

Next stop - our hotel – the Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth. A very attractive, very comfortable Georgian mansion which was to become home for the next four nights. We were on a half-board basis, which proved very successful – after a day battling this Autumn’s unusually wet and windy weather it was very relaxing to dine each evening in the excellent hotel restaurant.

On Tuesday we visited St Ives, having half a day in the Tate, and for those who found the collection too modern there were the magnificent views from the café, across the bay to the Atlantic and the extraordinary light which drew so many iconic artists to the town in the twentieth century. The sun shone on us this morning but by lunchtime it was raining. However, undaunted (most of) the group followed our local guide as she took us on a walking tour of this still thriving little town of narrow streets and interesting little shops. After lunch we changed over and those who had been to the gallery in the morning went to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. Another excellent guide took us on a tour of the collection and the garden, to wonder at the large blocks of granite Hepworth worked with, her tools and studio, set within the beautiful garden she created to complement her amazing large, outdoor sculptures.

Wednesday found us at Newlyn, and at the gallery we had another opportunity to experience the amazing light and spectacular coastline that has drawn artists to Cornwall for more than a century. There was a surrealist installation occupying the main gallery which proved a bit of a challenge for some of the group, some preferring to wander the lanes of Penzance, finding lunch on the way. We met up again in the afternoon for a visit to Penlee. What a beautiful home this must have been, and a stroll in the garden (in the sunshine!) was a ‘must’ . The exhibition, Creative Tensions, which was on while we were there, was a perfect illustration of the dynamics of the group that broke away from the main St Ives group in the 1950s to form the Penwith Society of Arts. We also enjoyed Penlee’s permanent collection of works by artists we have come to regard as the ‘Newlyn School’ – stunning portrayals of life in the fishing community – paintings by Norman Garstin, Elizabeth and Stanhope Forbes and their fellow artists.

On Thursday we visited the innovative Eden Project. In a three day visit there is only time for a ‘taster’ visit to many of the attractions, but, in the rain, there was enough time to gain a good overall impression of the project and to encourage some to return on another occasion and spend more time there. In the afternoon we went to Lanhydrock – a magnificent late Victorian country house with beautiful gardens. Unfortunately by this time the rain was very heavy so we were unable to enjoy the gardens as they deserved. The house, originally Jacobean, refurbished in high-Victorian style after a fire in 1881, offered more than enough reward though with kitchens, nurseries and servants’ quarters to explore as well as the luxurious ‘upstairs’ – the very comfortable and ‘livable’ sitting rooms, the elegant dining room and well equipped bathrooms – an absolute gem!

Before dinner on Thursday we had a little ‘end of tour’ Prosecco reception to round off the holiday – well almost, for on the way home more delights awaited! On Friday we made a ‘half-way’ stop at Montacute House. Wow! What a beautiful Elizabethan masterpiece, used in many film and television productions (including Wolf Hall). A guide explained the unusual features of the Renaissance influenced exterior and inside we roamed freely through this beautiful house with its extremely grand rooms –the Long Gallery which now houses masterpieces on loan from the National Portrait Gallery and the Library formerly known as the Great Chamber, where important guests would be received and musical entertainments and dancing took place. Sadly we had no time for the gardens (which was no bad thing as by this time it was raining heavily). So into the coach and home we went.

Celia O’Shea

In July we will head west to Kingston Lacy and the Russell-Cotes Gallery in Bournemouth. Kingston Lacy is a lavish family home built to resemble an Italian Palace in the rural Dorset countryside. An art lover’s dream, the rooms are teeming with paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel. In the Egyptian Room you can discover the largest private collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the UK.

The Russell-Cotes Gallery is housed in a fine Victorian house overlooking the sea and houses extensive collections of artefacts, furnishings, sculpture and paintings.

June took us to Polesdon Lacey, the perfect setting for an Edwardian country retreat. 'This is a delicious house...' remarked Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on her honeymoon here. The house enjoys glorious views across the rolling Surrey Hills and has acres of countryside to explore. It was home to the famous Edwardian hostess Mrs Greville, who entertained royalty and the celebrities of her time, and built up an extensive collection of art and ceramics.  The gardens were looking exquisite at this time of year.

For our May visit we journeyed to Kent to the fabulous Knole.  Originally built as an archbishop’s palace, Knole passed through royalty to the Sackville family, who still live there today. We were able to take in the scale and magnificence of this 600 year old estate whilst exploring the grand courtyards and tranquil Orangery or wandering the winding paths in the parkland, still populated by wild deer. In the showrooms there were paintings by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Van Dyck to admire, together with 17th century tapestries and furniture.

Our flight to Madrid on 28th April was calm and uneventful, not something which you could say about the rest of the tour! On arrival at Madrid airport we were met by our guide, José who stayed with us for the rest of the tour. Before going to our hotel he took us on a coach tour of the centre of the city.

Our Hotel, the Emperador, was right in the heart of the city surrounded by restaurants and shops and places of interest, however, our days in Madrid were so full that there was little time to explore individually, but we were well placed to find good restaurants to eat on the second and third evening. (the first evening we enjoyed a typically Spanish meal of paella at the hotel).

On Monday we began our tour in earnest. The Prado was our first stop. The Prado has one of the world’s finest collections of European art from the twelfth century to the present day. We were very lucky to have José as our guide – he not only had a degree in art history but also in history, and had so much knowledge to impart he didn’t stop for breath! He took us on a tour of the highlights of the gallery – many paintings by Goya, El Greco, Rubens, Bosch and of course Velázquez’ Las Meninas, and one of my absolute favourite paintings The Descent from the Cross by Netherlandish artist Rogier van der Weyden. What a feast of paintings we had on this day – after lunch we went to the Reina Sofia which houses Spain’s fine collection of twentieth century paintings including the iconic Guernica. It was incredible to stand in front of this huge canvas while José explained Picasso’s symbolism in this painting.

Tuesday found us in Toledo, a very different city, towering above its neighbouring countryside. On our way into the city we stopped at the world famous Toledo Sword factory. These swords were legendary and a mark of superiority for warriors from the 15th to the 17th centuries – the swords used in Game of Thrones were made here! Toledo once housed the court of Charles V and evidence of the three cultures, Muslim, Christian and Jewish, is evident in much of the architecture (reminiscent of Cordoba – another recent very successful NADFAS visit). Toledo Cathedral is considered the pinnacle of High Gothic architecture in Spain. We saw more iconic paintings – this time by, amongst others, El Greco, who made Toledo his home for the final thirty five years of his life. The El Greco Museum is another revelation – the strange elongated forms were not understood at the time and can be puzzling to modern viewers, however, with our guide to explain these spiritual ‘expressionistic’ paintings we gained much insight into his paintings.

Wednesday, another day, another city! This time we checked out of our hotel in Madrid after breakfast, boarded the coach and headed for Avila. Well, how to find the words to describe the city – and our hotel. Avila is a walled, medieval city, a world heritage city. One of the most impressive medieval city walls surround the city with eight gates and 88 watchtowers and turrets. On arrival we had a walking tour of this unique little city (the coach was not allowed into the city), finishing in the main square, close to our hotel – a sixteenth century palace – absolutely stunning! We had dinner there on that evening in the central atrium, a very good dinner enhanced by being in the atrium of the palacio, itself of historical and cultural interest.

Our final full day took us to Salamanca, known as the golden city because of its sandstone architecture. On the road into Salamanca we stopped at the Art Nouveau /Art Deco Casa Lis – a very quirky museum set into the hill at the side of the main road, housing an eclectic collection of artefacts from the late nineteenth century to the 1920s, comprising highly decorative stained glass, dolls, Lalique objects and jewellery. But on arrival in Salamanca we had another complete change of pace. Quite a change of style from our last few days as we savoured the mixture of renaissance and baroque. Our intensely informative guide, José was actually persuaded to allow us time to sit and soak up the sunshine and the stunningly beautiful baroque architecture of the Plaza Mayor; and to be amused at the dozens of street vendors who hastily gathered their wares into a large cloth at the frequent approach of the Guardia. Salamanca is surely one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and during our walking tour of the city we visited the University with its beautiful old library.

After (rather reluctantly) checking out of our hotel on Friday morning we headed back to Madrid. Here we had time for a visit to the Royal Palace, which still functions as a School and as a Monastery – and an art gallery with some beautiful works by Titian, Velázquez and Tintoretto, and the library containing thousands of priceless manuscripts . Again, José had so much to tell us, there was no time for lunch so a quick sandwich at the airport and it was back on the plane to Gatwick. What a whirlwind of a tour and so much to see and (try to) remember!

Celia O’Shea

April took us to Ham House, one of the great Stuart houses situated only 10 miles from central London on the rural banks of the river Thames. With only a few decorative alterations made during the 1740s and 1890s, the house is a rare survival of 17th-century luxury and taste.  A very informative tour of the gardens was also enjoyed by some of the group.

We then went on to see Marble Hill which was built for the remarkable Henrietta Howard, mistress of King George II when he was Prince of Wales, and friend and confidante of some of the cleverest men in England. The house and gardens were intended as an Arcadian retreat from crowded 18th-century London. Its grand interiors have been exquisitely restored and recreated and include a fine collection of early Georgian paintings. There can be few places in England which better recall the atmosphere of fashionable Georgian life.  So informative and knowledgeable were our guides that there was no time left for a cup of tea before departure, the only blemish on an excellent day!

A winter Sunday outing to London has become an established part of our visit programme.  This February we visited Banqueting House and Spencer House during a remarkable spell of warm sunny weather with many people out in the parks enjoying picnics.  

The highlight at Inigo Jones' spectacular Banqueting House is Sir Peter Paul Rubens' ceiling in its original setting.  The building has been witness to many remarkable periods in history, most notably the execution of King Charles 1.   

Spencer House exceeded all expectations as we were treated to a guided tour of the many state rooms in the company of outstanding guides.  In 1772 the celebrated writer, Arthur  Young, said of Spencer House:  ‘I know not a more beautiful piece of architecture… All in richness, elegance, and taste, superior to any house I have seen’. I don't think any of us would have disagreed with him on that Februaru afternoon.

This year's visit to Glyndebourne was to see Cendrillon by Massenet, one of the year’s touring productions.  It was a characteristically exuberant production, inventively staged and beautifully performed.  It was also great fun.

In October we enjoyed a five day tour of Chester and Liverpool. Travelling by coach we had lunch at Wightwick Manor, the Victorian home of wealthy Wolverhampton paint manufacturer Theodore Mander and his wife. Having had a lecture the month before on William Morris and visited Kelmscott Manor, one of Morris’s homes the week before, it was particularly exciting to be in another William Morris inspired interior, and to see the wonderful collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, featuring work by Burne-Jones, Rossetti, Evelyn de Morgan, Ford Madox Brown and their followers. And by another stroke of good fortune there was an exhibition of Lizzie Siddal’s work called “Beyond Ophelia” which we were also able to visit.

Our first full day of the trip was spent in Liverpool, starting with a visit to the Walker Art Gallery which houses probably the best collection of historic art outside of London – from the thirteenth century through to the Impressionists, with work by Rubens, Poussin, Rembrandt, Turner, Stubbs, Rossetti, Millais, Monet and Degas.

From there we went to the iconic Albert Dock and began with a walking tour of this state of the art dock. When it opened in 1846 it revolutionised the way cargo from all over the world was handled – 40% of global trade passed through its vast warehouses. However, when the new steamships became too big to pass in and out of the dock it fell into virtual ruin, to be revived in wartime to be home to small warships, submarines, landing craft and merchant ships. That of course made it a prime target for German bombers and so the ruined warehouses became derelict ad the dock silted up. However, it was reborn in the 1980s and in 2004 achieved World Heritage status, and is now a vibrant tourist area with its shops, galleries, museums and restaurants.

After lunch we visited Tate Liverpool, home to British and international modern and contemporary art, and the exhibition of the moment – Op Art, containing some incredible floor displays, as well as its permanent display of art from the 1960s to the present day.

Our final visit of the day took us to the Slavery Museum, a sobering end to our day, learning about the history of the transatlantic slave trade, Britain, and Liverpool in particular, being part of the trade triangle – Europe to Africa where people were bought in exchange for goods, to the Americas where Africans who had survived the horrific conditions of the voyage were put to work as slaves, then back to Europe laden with goods produced by slave labour.

On Wednesday we had a day in Chester. Our guide walked us around the Georgian square, the Roman barracks and the medieval Chester Cathedral, and in the afternoon we had time to explore the black and white two tiered medieval shopping galleries known as “the rows” and some of us even managed a boat trip. Chester boasts some delightful and interesting restaurants. Some discovered the theatre, not to say, cabaret of the Japanese restaurant a few yards away from the hotel, where the evening’s entertainment takes precedence over the delicious food. Above this restaurant is a Thai restaurant with some of the most delicious Thai dishes I’ve had in a long time. And virtually next door, an Italian restaurant whose delicious cuisine tempted some of the group to make two visits.

Our third full day found us at Port Sunlight, the model village created by William Hesketh Lever in 1888 for his Sunlight soap factory workers. We spent time in the museum finding out about the planning and execution of this philanthropic project. William Lever built his factory and the model village on an area of flat land between the river and the railway, ideal for transporting raw materials and finished goods. The houses in his model village, mostly in Arts and Crafts style were to house his employees in modern, sanitary conditions, a far cry from the grim, insanitary terraced houses in most industrial towns in the area.

Although it had started to rain (we had been blessed with sunshine for the majority of the trip) we drove to Crosby Beach to see the Antony Gormley group of statues ‘Another Place’. 100 cast-iron, life-size figures spread out along three kilometres of the foreshore and stretching a kilometre out to sea. The figures which face out to sea, all modelled on Gormley’s own body are revealed and submerged by the sea as the tides move - a most impressive sight. About half of our members braved the rain and ventured down the beach to examine the figures in detail.

We left our hotel on Friday morning for our journey home. A delicious sandwich lunch was provided for us at Compton Verney, now a major nationally accredited art gallery. We had time to explore the collection of British, German and Italian art in this Georgian stately home, however, there is a surprise on the top floor – the British Folk Art Collection, containing paintings and artefacts of vernacular style, useful or decorative, often in wood, collage and metal. The weather by this time had closed in and so there was no chance (or time in fact) to explore the beautiful Capability Brown gardens, it was all too soon time to board the coach for our homeward journey.

Celia O’Shea

Following the September lecture about William Morris, we visited Kelmscott Manor in the Cotswolds.

“The loveliest haunt of ancient peace”, Kelmscott is a Tudor farmhouse adjacent to the River Thames and was William Morris’s summer residence from 1871 till his death in 1896. The house contains an outstanding collection of his possessions and works of Morris, his family and associates including furniture, textiles, pictures, carpets and ceramics.  A riveting visit to a lovely house.

Visit to Kent to see Ightham Mote and Titsey Place.

Ightham Mote is an outstanding 14th century moated Manor house. Set in a sunken valley and built nearly 700 years ago, it has seen many changes being owned by medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and high society Victorians. Highlights include the picturesque courtyards, great Hall and crypt with Tudor painted ceiling.

Titsey Place is an impressive manor house dating from the 16th century surrounded by stunning gardens including the large walled kitchen garden.

On a perfect summer's day we were treated to a visit to the rarely open Longford Castle, home of the Earl of Radnor.  The building, the setting, the gardens and the contents rapidly had us running out of superlatives.  The rooms were hugely varied, each one a delight, with their treasures being revealed by expert guides.  Simply stunning.

After lunch in Salisbury we had guided tours of Salisbury Cathedral, lit up by rays of afternoon sunshine.

What a brilliant day.

Tony Clark

In lovely early summer weather, we thoroughly enjoyed an outing to Chiswick House and Strawberry Hill.

Chiswick House was Lord Burlington’s villa, inspired by Andrea Palladio and Inigo Jones, with 65 acres of gardens, from classical vistas to ponds, fountains and an 18th century wilderness. We had an excellent talk and tour with an expert guide which brought the design and the thinking behind it to life.

Strawberry Hill is the finest example of gothic revival architecture and interior decoration built in 1698 as a modest home later transformed to its present size in 1747 by Horace Walpole. A really extraordinary place with some amazing rooms which have been lovingly restored. The volunteer room guides were outstanding.

These two contrasting and fascinating houses made for an enthralling day. The journeys to and from London were quick and smooth. Overall hard to see how it could have been better.

Tony Clark

On Wednesday 18th April 2018 we visited Waddesdon Manor, one of the most spectacular houses in England. We were blessed with lovely weather and, fortified on our arrival by coffee and substantial slices of cake, everyone was soon out and about exploring the grounds and the house.

The house was built in 1874 by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to entertain his guests and provide a home for his vast collection of 18th century French decorative arts. Vast is the operative word and the house contains an amazing collection of paintings, with Reynolds and Gainsborough prominent, furniture, sculpture and clocks.

The Victorian gardens are considered to be some of the finest in Britain and famous for the parterre, seasonal displays and the aviary. They were set off beautifully by the spring sunshine.

A longish way to go but well worth it for a thoroughly enjoyable visit.

Tony Clark

36 of us left West Wittering and Chichester at an exceedingly early hour on Friday 9th March to travel to Lisbon. Our hotel, after a fairly straightforward journey, turned out to be located in a central part of the city and was very efficiently managed by extremely pleasant staff. Please see some photos of the tour in the Gallery on this website.

Our Lisboan guide was one of the best, full of knowledge and information. We spent our first full day exploring Lisbon, with its differing districts and architecture. We saw the Jeronimos Monastery gem and the traditional Tile Museum.  By the vast (or so it seemed) River Tagus we visited the Bellem Tower and (my favourite) the stunning Monument to the Discoveries.  

The next day we left Lisbon to visit Evora, one of Portugal’s finest towns with its wonderfully preserved monuments and buildings (including a very strange Chapel of Bones near the Church of Sao Francisco.

 On day 3 we travelled a short distance to the elegant Palace of Queluz and its beautiful gardens. Back to Lisbon, lunch in the lively, fast moving, entertaining Time Out Market before travelling to the calm and beauty of the Gulbenkian Museum for a tour of some of the highlight of its magnificent collection.

Our 4th day was spent in Sintra at the Pena Palace, extraordinary Romanticist castle, built high in the hills, with its nineteenth century (?Disney world) exterior and lovely interior. A wine tasting in a small local winery followed by a very lively, convivial evening at a local restaurant ended the day.

We flew back the following afternoon from a city which many of us felt we could return to for further exploration and interest – not to mention the food and the wine AND the custard tarts!

Betty Smith

A visit to the V & A is always a pleasure, even on a busy Sunday. We were blessed by having a quite marvellous guide who had picked a selection of objects and displays about which she was particularly enthusiastic. Whilst speaking at a measured pace which was easy and clear to follow, she managed to convey an extraordinary amount of information leaving us all inspired to return and explore further.

There was time for the more enthusuastic amongst us to catch the Opera exhibition as well. All in all a great day.

Tony Clark

We were delighted to be able to include one the Glyndebourne Tour productions in our visits programme this year after a gap of some years. The Barber of Seville proved a happy choice for this successful and very popular trip.

Tony Clark

The UK tour this year, from 21st to 24th September, was to Birmingham, a much under-rated city.

On our first day we stopped en route at Madresfield Court for a guided tour. This is the ancestral home of the Lygon family and is widely regarded as the most complete and perhaps the most lovely of all British Arts and Crafts achievements. Madresfield was rated by Sir Simon Jenkins among the 50 best in his book on 1000 historic houses. After arrival at the Marriott Birmingham, we enjoyed dinner together at the hotel.

On day 2 after breakfast, we visited Birmingham’s famous Back to Back Houses, where you can gain a fascinating insight into how people lived from the 1840s to 1970s. We split into small groups to discover coal fires, privies, candlelight and cramped spaces, giving us a real taste of back-to-back life. Next we visited the Birmingham Art Gallery and Museum, home to the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite artwork in the world as well as collections of silver, sculpture and ceramics. We enjoyed a tour of the gallery and the Staffordshire Hoard, followed by a tour of the Jewellery Quarter and Museum.

Our third day started with a visit the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Founded in 1932 and housed in a Grade II listed Art Deco building, the galleries house works by Monet, Manet and Magritte; Renoir, Rubens, Rossetti and Rodin; Degas, Delacroix and Van Dyck, as well as Botticelli, Turner, Gainsborough, Gauguin, Van Gogh and Picasso! The Barber holds one of the most outstanding and internationally significant collections assembled in Britain during the 20th Century, as well as one of the finest collections of Roman, Byzantine and Medieval coins in the world. We then moved on to Winterbourne House, an Edwardian Arts & Crafts property, restored to its former splendour. It boasts one of the best surviving examples of an Edwardian arts and crafts villa garden, with seven acres to explore and enjoy. Inside the house, exhibition rooms bring to life the history of the former owners, John and Margaret Nettlefold.

The final day began with a short journey to Baddesley Clinton. Situated in the heart of the Forest of Arden this historic estate was home to the Ferrers family for 500 years. We had a short introductory talk on arrival followed by timed entry to the house. We had time to explore the gardens and grounds before departing for our homeward journey.

Penny Wilson

It is a while since the society visited Winchester Cathedral and it did not disappoint on a return visit, despite the organ tuning that was going on during our tour. We were expertly guided through the highlights of the building and its fascinating history.

Why a distillery you might well ask! Well of course we were there to admire the conservatories designed by Thomas Heatherwick, whose work was the subject of a lecture last year. And the conservatories are indeed very striking seeming to at once grow out of and pour into the River Test. Whilst there it would have been churlish not to enjoy visiting the rest of the distillery, smell the various herbs and spices used in gin making and of course sample the product at the end. Perhaps not surprising that it was a quiet journey home!

Tony Clark

There is nothing quite like starting a day out with a sea “voyage” particularly on a suny day with calm seas. Once safely on the island we proceeded by a scenic route to Ventnor and the botanical gardens. Once there we were shown round by extremely knowledgeable and enthusuastic guides and enjoyed the great variety of planting which takes full advantage of the situation and favourable climate which the gardens enjoy.

After lunch at the restaurant in the gardens and a bit of time to explore on our own we set off back to the north of the island to visit the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes. We were very privileged to be able to access parts of the building which few visitors ever see and had a most entertaining and informative tour under the guidance of the Steward of the club. Of particular interest were the many nautical and historic paintings; the critical eye of our guide was quick to point out the deficiencies of the many paintings by Huggins which were on show, almost all of which show the flags pointing in impossible directions!

To conclude our visit we had tea with sandwiches and cakes on the terrace with views across the Solent before catching our homeward bound ferry. All in all a very special and enjoyable visit.

Tony Clark

Betty Smith offers a flavour of a marvellous tour to Vienna from 28th April to 3rd May 2017

Vienna is renowned as one of the culturally richest cities in the world and so it proved. We saw majestic, iconic architecture, opulent palaces and museums housing collections of contemporary and fine art. We learnt the varied and fascinating history of the city and its rulers and, for the music of Vienna, we had a very pleasant evening enjoying the music of Mozart and Strauss.

For the record, and while memories are still fresh, our tour included the following:

• St Stephens Cathedral
• The Secession Building and Gustav Klimt’s “Beethoven Frieze”
• The Karlskirche, including taking the lift up to the dome to admire the frescos at close quarters
• The Hofburg Palace, specifically the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi museum and the Treasury
• Vienna Woods, Mayerling hunting lodge and Heiligenkreuz Abbey
• The Belvedere Palace which houses the world’s largest collection of Gustav Klimt’s paintings including “The Kiss”.
• The Kunsthistorische Museum which is considered to be one of the most eminent museums in the world and features works by Rembrandt, Raphael, Rubens and the largest collection of Breughel
• The Schönbrunn Palace, birthplace of Emperor Franz Joseph.

Outside the organised programme members of the group managed variously to visit the Leopold Museum, the Spanish Riding School, the central cemetery, the Mozart Haus and the Musical Instruments Museum amongst other things.  Needless to say there was also time to enjoy coffee, cakes and schnitzel!

Our Viennese guide was a mine of information and contributed greatly to our understanding and pleasure in the city.   Not to mention the company of like minded, light hearted , amusing companions! All in all – a memorable and enjoyable tour.

Betty Smith

The visit was another great success. We were greeted with coffee and biscuits before a short talk about the Palace and in particular the Ladies of Blenheim.

Probably most famous as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Church, Blenheim was built in the early eighteenth century to celebrate the victory over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession; John Churchill (created Duke of Marlborough when William III was crowned) had led his troops to victory in the battle of Blindheim in 1704.

There had been a royal manor and park at Woodstock, which had been ruined by Cromwell and it was this which Queen Anne gave to the family with a substantial gift of money to build the country house. The Duke of Marlborough, contrary to his wife’s wishes commissioned Vanbrugh to design and build the huge baroque palace, but he died before its completion and Hawksmoor finished it.

The Marlboroughs were never rich and by the time of the 5th Duke of Marlborough, in the 1870s they were in financial trouble and when the 9th Duke inherited in 1892 they were virtually bankrupt. He saved both the palace and the family by marrying an American heiress, Consuelo Vanderbilt. It was not a happy marriage and they divorced in 1921. Another American had come into the family earlier, when Lord Randolph Churchill, 3rd son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough (John Winston Spencer-Churchill) met Jennie Jerome at a sailing regatta on the Isle of Wight. They married in 1874 and Winston was born later that year.

Today Blenheim is a monumental country house, a huge grandiose baroque pile, with a stunning interior. The 67ft high hall has stone carvings by Grinling Gibbons and a painted ceiling depicting Marlborough kneeling to Britannia and showing her a map of the Battle of Blenheim. The saloon has a domed ceiling with an allegorical representation of peace with John Churchill in a chariot holding a thunderbolt of war. The long library, designed by Christopher Wren was originally intended as a picture gallery, and at one end is the largest pipe organ in private ownership in Europe.

Surrounding the Palace are over 2000 acres of Capability Brown gardens and many of us enjoyed lunch al fresco overlooking the fine upper water terrace.

Celia O’Shea

On Sunday 26th February 2017 we visited Two Temple Place to see “Sussex Modernism” with paintings from the Bloomsbury and Surrealist group. The visit included a guided tour of the building which would have been worth a visit in its own right even without an exhibition. Two Temple Place is one of London’s architectural gems, an extraordinary late Victorian mansion built by William Waldorf Astor on the Embankment.

The building was designed for use primarily as Astor’s estate office by one of the foremost neo-Gothic architects of the late nineteenth-century, John Loughborough Pearson. Astor had emigrated to England in 1891 as arguably, the richest man in the world and no expense was spared when work began on Two Temple Place in 1892. In addition to the extraordinary, opulent interior, when it was finished in 1895, Two Temple Place contained the largest strong room in Europe as well as two other enormous fortified safes.

Following our tour and time to enjoy the exhibition, the rest of the day was left to individual choice; variously people visited Somerset House, the Courtauld, the National Gallery for the Australian Impressionists or just went for a walk and had a leisurely lunch.

A thoroughly good day out only slightly marred by a windscreen wiper failure on the coach on the way home which resulted in a lengthy sojourn at the side of the A3 awaiting rescue!

Tony Clark

Standen House, near East Grinstead, is one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts workmanship and was designed by Philip Webb. The house sits on a sandstone escarpment enjoying stunning views across the Weir Reservoir towards Ashdown Forest. The gardens are extensive including a rose garden, a quarry garden, vegetable garden and the upper terrace from which the best views can be enjoyed.

We were given an informative talk about the house and the Beale family before starting our tour of the house itself. The interior is beautifully presented and is dressed for a weekend stay in 1925. It feels as if the family might just re-appear at any second. In addition to the famed Morris & Co. wallpapers and fabrics, there are plenty of interesting design features, including early light fixtures. Every room reveals more furniture, paintings and domestic items to enjoy. From the outside the house is functional rather than beautiful and the external views are somewhat dominated by the water tower in the heart of the building.

The cafe in the barn efficiently served us both our coffee on arrival and lunch for those who wished it. Our large and comfortable coach from Woods Travel successfully got us there down some narrow lanes. Overall a thoroughly good day out in a lovely part of the country.

Tony Clark

On our recent tour to Edinburgh as usual we made full use of every minute. Taking an early flight from Gatwick, we were in Edinburgh by early afternoon and went straight to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. There we walked through the long gallery, ‘watched’ by no less than 110 Scottish monarchs painted by Jacob de Wet. In the North-West tower we heard (through the audio guide) the grizzly story of the murder of David Rizzio, almost certainly on the orders of Lord Darnley Mary Queen of Scots’ husband. The tapestries in the Palace are some of the best preserved in the UK, very skillfully worked in France and Antwerp. Before trudging up the hill to our hotel we spent an hour in the Queen’s Gallery, viewing some of the masterpieces from the Royal Collection as well as some beautiful porcelain.

On Monday our coach picked us up from our hotel and took us to the first of the four fine houses we were to visit. Floors Castle – is not a castle – it is one of the most beautiful country houses in Scotland. Still lived in by the 10th Duke of Roxburgh and his family, it is very much a family home. Originally Georgian, designed by Robert Adam, the house was remodelled by William Playfair in the nineteenth century turning it into a fairytale castle. The 8th Duke married an American heiress, who brought with her Gobelin tapestries, porcelain and stunning artworks to add to the collection, including works by Sickert and Matisse. With beautiful furniture, paintings, tapestries and glorious views over the River Tweed it was certainly one of the highlights (one of many) of the tour.

That afternoon we visited Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott. Scott, novelist and poet, designed Abbotsford in the nineteenth century to reflect his tastes, talents and achievements. Abbotsford is an unusual house, not to say quirky. This is very much the home of the ‘Romantic Poet’. He collected sculptured stones from ruined castles and abbeys of Scotland; he collected ancient furniture, arms and armour and other curiosities and artefacts connected with Scottish history.

On Tuesday we had another full day – together with some unexpected excitement! In the morning we visited Hopetoun. Hopetoun is closed at this time of year and they were opening just for us, which meant that we had the house to ourselves and our two guides. It also meant that most of the signage from the road was down and so finding it proved to be our first challenge. Once there the approach to Scotland’s largest stately home, through a very grand stone gateway and the impact of the magnificent east front emerges as you approach through the parkland. Once inside we enjoyed a guided tour of the rooms with their very fine painting, guilded and decorated ceilings, with classical detail and ornate decoration, silk damask furniture and gilded mirrors.

Then the challenge was to find our lunch. We were booked to have lunch at the Queensferry Hotel overlooking the Forth. Despite the coach driver assuring us he knew exactly where it was it soon became clear he did not. First of all he took us to South Queensferry – where there was a Harry Ramsden’s on the edge of the quay…. I pointed him to the address on his instruction sheet which clearly showed the Queeensferry Hotel in North Queensferry, complete with full postal address and postcode. The roadworks associated with building the new bridge made it very difficult to navigate our way to the other side of the river and when we started heading down the carriageway of the new, unfinished bridge I suggested we turn round. Fortunately those in the body of the coach thought the whole incident amusing, and when we arrived at the hotel they had our lunch ready and looked after us beautifully.

Our final grand house of the tour was Dalmeny House – a Gothic revival mansion built in 1817. The Primrose family (the Earls and Countesses of Rosebery) have lived in the house ever since – and Lady Rosebery came to greet us personally, with her little dog. The 5th Earl of Roseberry married a Rothschild heiress and between them they amassed a fine collection of paintings, with family portraits by Raeburn, Romney and Gainsboroough amongst other impressive names and furniture, including a beautiful display of French furniture and porcelain, including a Sèvres oyster pyramid and a Sèvres model of Marie Antoinette’s dog!

On the Wednesday, unusually for a NADFAS tour we had a whole day to please ourselves. There is so much to see in Edinburgh that most of us filled the day from early to late. Many visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, some the castle, almost all visited the National Gallery. I could have spent all day there – what a stunning collection from early Renaissance, North and South through Dutch and Spanish seventeenth century, Velázquez, Rubens, van Dyck, Gauguin, Van Gogh – need I go on! Most of the group at some time visited the new Parliament and listened to a portion of the debate, and with some others I also went to see the Georgian House, the Cathedral and John Knox’ house.

On our final day we packed our cases into the coach and headed off to Glasgow. A guide joined us for a driving tour of Glasgow before letting us loose at Kelvingrove. Again half a day hardly did it justice, but many of us managed to see a good portion of the collection, including the fabulous and very spiritual Dali Last Supper.

What whirlwind tour but a good taster of the delights of Edinburgh in particular – oh and on the subject of taste we visited a selection of the restaurants in Edinburgh – and as we were promised, the food in Edinburgh is very good!

Celia O’Shea

We left Chichester on a beautiful day and arrived at Michelham Priory to be met by coffee and croissants. The group was divided into three and we had a fascinating tour of the Priory learning all about its beginning and the various owners and history over 800 years. Lunch was enjoyed in the beautiful gardens surrounded by the moat.

We then moved on to the Anne of Cleves House in Lewes, so called because it was given to Anne as part of her divorce settlement from Henry VIII. We had a talk by one of the curators and then we were free to walk round the house and have tea in the gardens.

We now use Woods coaches which have proved a great success.

Overall we had a fantastic day.

Penny Wilson

Hever Castle dates back to 1270 and is most noteworthy as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. In 1903 the estate was bought by William Waldorf Astor who invested much time, effort and money in restoring the castle and grounds.

Although we were a small group we were still divided in two for the tour of the castle with very informative guides who gave us a in depth history of the owners and history of the castle. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side so a rather longer time was spent over lunch before a rainy tour of the gardens and grounds.

Our first outing with Woods coaches.

Penny Wilson

The visit was guided throughout by Blue Badge Guide and accredited NADFAS lecturer Tony Tucker. He needed to think on his feet as our start was delayed by nearly an hour due to bad traffic, but some deft re-arranging of the programme allowed us to fit everything in.

First to lunch at the historic pub “The Old Doctor Butler’s Head” before going to the lovely Church of St Margaret Lothbury where we leard the lunchtime organ recital.

We then moved on to the Guildhall before sampling a selection of paintings of works at the Guildhall Art Gallery.

Tony Clark

The Saturday Telegraph last week ran an article on ‘the Best of Sicily”. Well, on our most recent City of Chichester DFAS holiday we covered most of those sites! We began our tour, staying at the Grande Albergo Maugeri Hotel, in Acireale. From there we explored the ancient city of Catania, now a Unesco World Heritage Site, founded by the Greeks and later settled by the Romans. The magnificent Baroque façade of the cathedral dedicated to St Agatha was one of many splendid baroque buildings we were to see during the week.

That first afternoon we went to Taormina.   We climbed up to the Greek amphitheatre (largely rebuilt by the Romans), and this was the first test of our stamina! More were to come! But even the least sturdy among us managed the difficult walk up the hill to enjoy this the second largest amphitheatre in Sicily in its fantastic setting with a view of Mount Etna. Taormina is perched on the side of a mountain and the drive up to the town is spectacular in itself. It has been the most popular tourist destination in Sicily for a couple of hundred years ever since it became a vital part of the Grand Tour. An afternoon of wandering the twisting medieval streets brought many and varied pleasures from little antique and jewellery shops, to bars and restaurants (no time to stop and enjoy those though), to the breathtaking views around every corner, and the ‘must have’ Sicilian ice-cream.

Syracuse was our destination on day two. Birthplace of Archimedes, this 2,700 year old city was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world. Another Unesco World Heritage Site, we spent the whole day here visiting the archeological site and the cathedral. It was in 1086 that Syracuse surrendered to the Norman, Count Roger 1. We were to hear much about Roger and his son Roger II during the week!

On Friday we left Acireale for our one night stay at Agrigento. On the way to the hotel, and just outside Agrigento, we walked the archeological park with its eight temples, all built between 510 and 430 BC, another amazing historical site worth the difficult climb. Our hotel , the Colleverde Park Hotel, had a most fantastic view over the Valley of the Temples (in fact the temples reside on rocky area just south of Agrigento so not really in a valley at all), and after dinner a nightcap overlooking the floodlit site was just magical. Then after breakfast to Piazza Armerina and the Villa Romana del Casale, just outside the town and containing the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world. The bikini-clad female athletes were a surprise as was a mosaic of a youth apparently skiing (not really – the ‘skis’ are shadows). The villa must have been one of the most splendid, not to say palatial villas of the Roman period in Sicily with luxurious apartments for women and children with appropriate mosaics as well as the public rooms and of course standard roman ‘facilities’.

That evening we arrived at our third and final hotel – the Hotel al Madarig in Castellamarre del Golfo. A picturesque fishing and pleasure port, situated within this stunning area of rocky coastline, with a castle and a flight of steps climbing through a stone doorway leading from the port to the old part of the town. Great fun to explore in the evening after dinner (or to find dinner).

Our day in Palermo was certainly a change of pace, another contrast to all we had seen so far. Here we saw the Cathedral of Monreale, one of the greatest intact examples of Norman architecture. Inside it is a mix of East and West. The nave is on the plan of an Italian basilica whilst the apse has more in common with some of the early churches of the Eastern style, with three apses – like two different churches put together end on end. Contrasting with the classical columns in the basilican nave are the impressive glass mosaics, covering the walls, and the apses, arranged in layers reminiscent of early Christian churches of the Byzantine empire, and almost certainly of Byzantine origin.

However in the afternoon we moved on to greater glories – the Palatine chapel. This is the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily and is situated on the ground floor of the Palazzo Reale. The mosaics of the Palatine chapel certainly took my breath away – again. A mix of Norman, Arabic and Byzantine styles – we could do today with the attitude of harmonious co-existence which informed the design of this chapel – for example there are clusters of four eight-pointed stars (Muslim) arranged on the ceiling to form a Christian cross.

Our penultimate day was no less exciting. On a hill just outside the ancient city of Segeste is an unusually well preserved Doric temple. It has an unusual story – although built in the fifth century BC by the Athenians it was never actually finished , probably abandoned when Carthage took control of the territory. It has a few steel bars now for support and some filler, as well as being treated with preservative so that we can see what an ancient Greek temple actually looked like in its original state (although of course the colourful paint scheme has disappeared). And when we went by minibus from the temple up to the site of the amphitheatre, as well as viewing the amphitheatre, we had one of the most stunning views of all – the Doric Temple in splendid state on the hillside and a carpet of the most beautiful wild flowers surrounding us. Yet another “Wow” moment!

The afternoon was spent in Erice, a beautiful medieval hilltown situated high above the natural harbour of Trapani. More steep windy streets to climb but so rewarding.

We had a splendid ‘last night’ meal in one of the finest restaurants in Castellamarre, La Cambusa. By good fortune it coincided with the Golden Wedding of one of our couples and so we were able to begin the meal with a toast to the Happy Couple! During my three years as Visits’ Secretary I have tried to arrange that on the last evening we all eat together, to provide a ‘grand finale’ and this evening was a truly splendid finale!

However not quite that final. Since we weren’t flying out until the evening we had a full day on Tuesday. To Cefalu for the morning – another beautiful medieval hilltop town, with a Norman Duomo with, surprisingly, a byzantine mosaic of Christ Pantokrator (Ruler of All Things) within. By contrast a few streets away is a Saracen wash house.

Our ‘final finale’ was a most interesting lunch of cold meats, salads and all kinds of tasty ‘bits and pieces’ at an outdoor restaurant perched on the cliffside overlooking the rocky crags of the coastline.

And that was that! A very, very busy, not to say packed tour of some of the highlights of Sicily. A beautiful island with a fascinating history, and our Sicilian guide Tullio, not only found us the best places to eat, and the most interesting sites to see but also gave us a comprehensive history of the island on our many coach journeys – featuring Roger I and Roger II – the two Rogers!

Celia O’Shea

Just back from a super day in London! It must have been one of the coldest days this month, Oaklands Way at 8.30 this morning was freezing and to cap that the heating on the coach failed on the journey there! What a good thing that the visit was splendid.

We began with coffee and homemade cookies at the picture gallery and then had an hour long tour, with two super guides, of some of the highlights of the main collection at Dulwich. For such a small picture gallery they have an amazing and significant collection of ‘Old Master’ paintings – half a dozen of the most beautiful Murrillos, some paintings by Veronese, Rubens, Rembrandt and a collection of paintings by Poussin and Claude.

The coach picked us up from the picture gallery and drove us to The White Hart in Eltham for lunch. A very pleasant social interlude, and a very nicely cooked and speedily served Sunday roast.

Then it was a brisk walk to Eltham Palace.

What an extraordinary and fascinating place! Once a royal residence the medieval Great Hall boasts a magnificent oak hammerbeam roof, which was dismantled and reconstructed in the early 20th century.

In the 1930s, the Palace having fallen into disrepair for many years, Stephen and Virginia Courtauld took it over and Stephen Courtauld gained permission to build a house on to the medieval Palace, so long as he agreed to restore the Great Hall.

Fabulously wealthy and rather eccentric, they spared no expense in the design and furnishing of the art deco mansion which they created, from the marquetry walls to the gold tiled bathroom, it was remarkably technologically modern, with underfloor heating, a centralized vacuum cleaning system and a state of the art sound system piped to various rooms in the Palace. They left the house and went up to Scotland towards the end of the war, driven away by the bombing and the noise, but when English Heritage took over the running of the Palace they set about restoring and opening up this fascinating and highly idiosyncratic building.

This was a great day out as a finale to my period of office as Visits’ Secretary. It’s been an immensely rewarding (if busy) three years and I look forward to literally taking a back seat to enjoy future trips.

Celia O’Shea

A group of over 40 members visited the Exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery to view paintings in the Royal Collection from the Dutch Golden Age. This was a period when Britain had few native artists (we had writers and architects) and so our royal families brought Dutch painters to London and became collectors of paintings by some of the greatest names of the age. Van Dyck worked directly for Charles I and became court painter, transforming the visual image of the monarchy and the court. He was succeeded by Peter Lely, another Dutch trained painter. And so collecting became fashionable at Charles I’s court. They liked the marine paintings of father and son van der Velde who generated the fashion for seascapes in British art.

Although some individual paintings by the greatest names of the Dutch Golden Age were brought to England in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was not until the nineteenth century that they were collected in earnest, and in the first three decades of the century George IV formed one of the world’s most important collections of portraits, landscapes, genre and religious scenes.

This was really a wonderful opportunity to see some of the finest paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Lely, de Hooch, Steen, David Teniers, Gerrit Dou, Cuyp and others in our country, some of which are not often on view to the public.

We followed the pattern of previous London visits and left Chichester at midday and returned after peak rush hour times to avoid the worst of the traffic and this worked well again.

Celia O’Shea

We set off from Chichester in glorious Autumn sunshine which stayed with us pretty much throughout the four days – how lucky was that this year! Our first day was decidedly a ‘Constable Day’. We stood in several places where Constable set up his easel to paint/sketch so many of his works from this area. Such beautiful countryside and views is it any wonder he wanted to paint the glorious Suffolk countryside just as it was for the rest of his life!

Castle House in Dedham was the home of Sir Alfred Munnings and his wife, set in beautiful countryside in Dedham Vale and housing the largest collection of Munnings’ work anywhere. For those who like paintings of horses – this is the place to go!

Guide books describe Christchurch Mansion as the jewel in the crown of this area’s historic past. A magnificent Tudor mansion with so much to see from the Georgian and Victorian eras of its history, original clothes displayed in authentic interiors and a dolls’ house. The mansion houses the Wolsey Art Gallery, with works by Constable and Gainsborough amongst others and whilst we were there an exhibition of Freud side by side with Constable – interesting!

And so to Aldeburgh – through torrential rain for about half an hour – which stopped for us when we reached the beach and the sun shone for us on Maggi Hambling’s controversial shell sculpture while (some of us) ate fish and chips out of paper, on the beach! After lunch we visited Sutton Hoo, where we heard the story of the discovery by Mrs Edith Pretty who owned Tranmer House. Mrs Pretty became interested in spiritualism after the death of her husband and had a vision which led her to organise the excavation of the first burial mound (which can be seen from the house) of the 90 foot Saxon ship (whose ghostly imprint they found) and its treasures. Other burial mounds were uncovered and many, many of the artefacts uncovered are displayed in an exhibition in the visitor centre – absolutely fascinating.

The National Trust’s Ickworth House is one of the Trust’s most unusual houses. It’s Georgian neo-classical design with its imposing rotunda was not well liked for many years. The Rotunda was built to house the eclectic collection of the eccentric Hervey family especially the fourth Earl, from their travels in Europe – Grand Tourism! Within the house can be found paintings by Titian, Poussin, Claude, Vigé LeBrun, Angelica Kauffman, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Reynolds…the list goes on!

We stayed at the Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds – a great location, opposite the cathedral. Our lovely guide Ian gave us a most interesting walking tour of the city as well as telling us all about the cathedral and its architecture and features. By the end of that day we knew an awful lot about St Edmund and his re-grown head!

Lavenham was a ‘must’ visit – for many years voted the prettiest village in England it is a wonder of medieval architecture and interesting little shops and cafés, and so lunch here after visiting the church and the guildhall was a treat.

We even managed to pack in an evening at the theatre – the recently restored Regency theatre in Bury St Edmunds where we saw a travelling theatre production of the Great Gatsby, which was all the more interesting for having had a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the theatre in the morning.

Our final day found us at Gainsborough’s House in Sudbury. The earliest part of the house dates from the late 15th century although most of it is 17th century. Gainsborough was born there in 1727 and attended Sudbury Grammar School until at 13 years old he went to London to begin his artistic training in earnest. The house, now a museum houses many of his paintings and drawings.

On our way home we visited the Elizabethan Melford Hall, still lived in by the Hyde-Parker family who nursed the house back to glory after a devastating fire in 1942 gutted one wing. So the house now exhibits the original Tudor brickwork but with a largely 1950s interior. Beatrix Potter was a frequent visitor to the house and memorabilia from her visits abound within the house.

We arrived back in Chichester during Sunday evening, having seen so much in a very packed four days – another great NADFAS holiday!

Celia O’Shea
Visits Secretary

We began our visit to Hampstead with Sunday lunch at the King William IV pub, before a walking tour with Jeanie our blue-badge guide – great guide with a talent for putting across a lot of information, succinctly in a witty and friendly manner.

We first made a short walking tour of Old Hampstead, finishing at St John’s Church in Hampstead where John Constable and his wife are buried. What a gem – a real London village, albeit with eye-wateringly priced houses.

Peter our driver under the instruction of Jeanie took us on a coach tour of the area of Hampstead where so many celebrities live and have lived, to arrive at Kenwood House. Recently refurbished, it is home to paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, van de Velde, van Ostade, Reynolds, George Romney and many, many other famous artists. What a treat. Once again, the sun shone on us making it a great finish to our year’s visits.

Celia O’Shea
Visits Secretary

On the hottest day of the year (so far), July 1st we visited Bateman’s, Rudyard Kipling’s family home.   This is traditionally a half day visit specifically with Waiting List members in mind, although many of our full members came along too, in fact 44 people in total descended on this amazing  gem of a house and garden, hidden in the East Sussex countryside.    One of the volunteers gave a short talk on Kipling’s life and the guides in each room were so eager to share their knowledge of the family that one felt that Rudyard or Carrie might appear at any moment, in Carrie’s sitting room or Rudyard’s study where his desk is strewn with paper and the waste paper basket still overflows with balls of discarded papers.

Half a day was nowhere near long enough for this amazing house and its  beautiful gardens.   After enjoying a tasty cream tea, many of us came away saying we must go back for a full day visit!

Celia O'Shea

Every day brought a new delight and fresh exclamations of the quality of light, the vibrant colours, the stunning coastal scenery which drew Matisse, Chagall, Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh and so many others to the south. We ‘walked in the footsteps of Cézanne’ through the charming town of Aix and visited his studio. We had a day in Avignon and a private tour of the medieval Papal Palace, followed by lunch in the sunshine, in the square. We dipped back into the classical world of gladiators in the Roman quarter of Arles, home to the two tiered Roman Amphitheatre, one of the best preserved monuments of Roman Provence. And in the afternoon we visited the hospital at St Rémy where Van Gogh institutionalized himself after cutting off part of his ear, and suffering yet another bout of mental illness. We saw his bedroom and the grim building where Vincent spent his final year, before moving back to be close to his brother Theo near Paris, two months before he shot himself. The Ephrussi Palace, where Baroness Ephrussi de Rothschild turned the villa she built at Cap-Ferat into a collector’s paradise containing paintings, furniture, porcelain, all of the very finest that money could buy, was the highlight of the tour.. And the gardens where fountains are synchronized to music are a delight in themselves. This was undoubtedly the highlight of the tour.

But who could fail to be captivated by Antibes and the Château Grimaldi, the glorious views from every window and the terrace overlooking the bay. Once the residence of Monaco’s ruling family and now the Musée Picasso, in 1946 Picasso turned part of the castle into a studio and in gratitude donated all 150 works completed there to the nation. The finale to our wonderful week was the visit to Matisse’s Chapelle du rosaire, which the artist described as his masterpiece. He designed every element of the chapel, the architecture, the stained glass and even the priests’ vestments, as a wonderful gesture of gratitude to the young nurse who later became a Dominican nun, who nursed him back to health from surgery for cancer.

What a week – and (barring one chilly day due to the mistral) we had glorious sunshine every day. The group gelled wonderfully and many convivial lunches and suppers were enjoyed in a variety of different groups.

Celia O'Shea

We had a fabulous day at Hampton Court. We arrived at 1030 in time for coffee and buns, then divided into two groups, one touring the house first, the other touring the gardens and then after lunch we changed over. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable and helpful, the sun shone and the gardens were at their Springtime best – how they get their tulips to stand to attention in the way they do I shall never know! We completed our day with an hour in the newly refurbished Cumberland Art Gallery. What an incredible selection from the Royal Collection – we came face to face with Caravaggio, Artemesia Gentileschi, Rubens, Rembrandt, van Dyck, Canaletto and of course those famous Windsor Beauties. A truly wonderful day, enjoyed by all.

Celia O'Shea

Our visit to the Singer Sargent exhibition was extra to our published programme, slotted in between our concert at St Martin in the Fields in January and our visit to Hampton Court next week. We experimented with a different pattern for the day, leaving Chichester at 1130 and returning around 9 pm. This proved popular, avoiding the rush hour traffic and giving us a relaxed day in the London sunshine before and after our timed visit to the exhibition. John Singer Sargent’s patrons paid him to make them look every inch the successful and glamorous people they were and for many years he was derided as just an experienced and highly accomplished portrait painter. But in this exhibition we see the complexity of the works and in particular Sargent’s ability to probe and reveal the innermost characters of his sitters, especially in the portraits of family and friends where we feel a strong relationship between artist and subject. There is a strong psychological element to his portraits, for example Robert Louis Stevenson’s gaunt, consumptive figure strides out of the picture leaving his wife on the far side of the painting, the two separated by a dark doorway. Add to this Singer Sargent’s stunning use of light and ability to render the sumptuous fabrics of, for example, Dr Pozzi in his striking red robe, looking every bit the matinee idol, this exhibition will bring Singer Sargent back to his rightful place as one of the great portraitists of all time.

Celia O’Shea

We enjoyed a very successful visit to London on January 29th, first to the National Gallery for a guided tour of the Manet to Picasso rooms in the East Wing. After supper in London – some to the local restaurants and some to the restaurant in the National Gallery itself, we crossed the road to St Martin-in-the-Fields for the most magical atmospheric evening We were fortunate to have front seats in the church for a candlelit concert. Stephen Ellery conducted The London Gala Orchestra in Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, his Clarinet Concerto and Fauré’s Requiem. A most memorable evening!

Celia O'Shea

As a Christmas Special we visited Uppark House where we were treated to a highly entertaining presentation on Christmas traditions and their origins and a guided tour of a selection of rooms in the house, both “downstairs” and “upstairs”. The latter whilst very interesting was also a rather chilly experience so we were glad of our substantial and convivial lunch afterwards. There were even a few minutes to do some Christmas shopping. An excellent day out.

We were blessed with a gloriously warm and sunny day for our visit to Sandham
Memorial Chapel, home to Stanley Spencer’s series of paintings inspired by his
experiences during the first world war. Although most of us had seen the paintings
which came on tour to Pallant House, to stand in the chapel, which Spencer modeled
on Giotto’s Arena Chapel in Padua, at such close proximity to these masterpieces was
truly breathtaking.

We had lunch at Caversham Heath Golf Club with its glorious views across the golf course before continuing to Mapledurham House. The Easton family still lives in this Elizabethan mansion, where the interior is furnished largely as it was in the time it was built. The Mill is the last working Water Mill on the Thames and the Archimedes screw turbine added in 2011, which enables the estate to produce green electricity, was the highlight of the visit for several of the men in the group. Our guide for the day was the miller himself, who with his wife run the mill as a self supporting commercial enterprise, and many of us bought flour, and other products of the mill, although I have yet to try the semolina porridge mix I bought!

Celia O'Shea

What a wonderful day. The morning was spent at the newly re-opened Mauritshuis with the cream of the Dutch Golden Age. Then the group split with many going to see the Panorama Mesdag, which I am told was spectacular. I and five others went to the Gemeenten Museum, a Modern Art gallery, with works from Cézanne onwards, and a bonus – a touring Mark Rothko exhibition had opened only this week. Wow what a treat. Tomorrow, an early start for Amsterdam.

Today (Sunday) we were in Amsterdam. We began with the Van Gogh museum, what a light airy space this is to display a fairly comprehensive selection of his life’s work charting the dour days in Holland to more experimental work in Paris, the early hopeful year in Arles, before Gauguin’s departure and Vincent’s rapid decline into insanity, the move back to the Parisian outskirts and finally his suicide. And then to the afternoon and the Rijksmuseum – what a transformation from the original Rijksmuseum. Only re-opened last year after a major refurbishment and consequent re-hang, we had a guided tour then time to look around before heading back to the Hague. Although we have half a day in Delft tomorrow before returning home, we had our ‘end of tour’ meal this evening together in a Dutch restaurant – and a jolly evening it has been. More when we return….

Another most interesting visit this morning to Delft. We went to a family pottery first to find out the story of Delft pottery and see how it is made, and then on to Delft itself. What a very pretty town! The Vermeer Centre was fascinating, explaining Vermeer’s painting techniques and analysing some of the most famous paintings, then just time for a quick look in the New Church before getting back on the coach and heading for Brussels and the Eurostar home. What an easy way to travel, we were met by Peter from Richardson’s travel at Ebbsfleet and were home around 9pm.

Celia O'Shea

A full coachload of us, including many from our waiting list, had a fascinating afternoon visit to this remarkable church with its reproduction ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. At 2/3rds scale, it is a truly amazing achievement: in 1987, a local parishioner, Gary Bevans, went on a parish pilgrimage to Rome, where he was overawed by the newly restored Michelango masterpiece. He returned to Goring with a strong desire to reproduce the ceiling in his local church.

Gary Bevans was, and still is, a signwriter by profession, but he had clearly never taken on a project of this scale. Before he could begin, he had to seek permission from the Catholic Bishop of Arundel and indeed from the Pope himself! Dulux were persuaded to donate all the necessary paint. Although Michelangelo had a team of up to twelve assistants, Gary worked alone. It took him five and a half years to complete.

We were amazed at the ambition and scale of the project:  it is the only painted reproduction of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel in the world. Also in the church there were beautiful stained glass windows: the glass for the large “Peter the Fisherman” window was acquired from a convent school in Littlehampton, which was closing down, and the glass was then “recycled” to form a newly designed and stunning work of art.

We travelled on to Parham House, a beautiful Elizabethan mansion in beautiful Downland surroundings, where we enjoyed a clotted cream tea with excellent homemade scones. Many of us found time to visit the lovely little parish church in the grounds of Parham House, where the highlight was the box pews, which are now very rare.

A truly fascinating afternoon, which was greatly enjoyed by everyone. Many thanks to Visits Secretary, Celia O’Shea, whose idea it was, for organising and leading the trip.

We started our walk at St Paul’s Cathedral, rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666, along with 51 other churches in the City. Many of these were destroyed during the London Blitz, but a number were restored to Wren’s former glory.

We saw St Mary Le Bow of the famous Bow Bells and stunning steeple, one of Wren’s greatest achievements. Our guide, a Wren purist was not impressed with the post-war restoration, although personally I thought the modern stained-glass had a beauty of its own.

St Mary Aldermary with its beautiful fan vaulted ceiling, probably the oldest of the ‘St Mary’ churches, is a rare example of Wren working his hand in the Gothic style. St Mary Abchurch, has miraculoursly survived almost entirely unaltered from Wren’s original designs and contains one of the two authenticated Grinling Gibbons carvings in the city.

The purest Wren interior belongs to St Stephen Walbrook with its perfectly proportioned interior, geometric harmony and classical columns. But this church contains another surprise – a Henry Moore carved round central altar – a beautiful thing in itself, however, I gather it has not been entirely welcomed!

We finished our tour on the rooftop garden at OneNewChange from where we could view an almost uninterrupted 360 degree view of the skyline of current London, the old and the new side by side.

Our holiday got off to a flying start on Sunday with a short orientation tour of Bologna with our guide Anna. Bologna boasts the oldest university in the Western world and the second largest church in Italy, next only to St Peter’s in Rome. The porticoed streets and sun-filled piazzas are just enchanting with their distinguishing red stone architecture. Dinner together as a group in a local restaurant (where the meat dishes just kept coming) was great fun.

On Monday we visited Ravenna, a very important Byzantine City, and we were stunned by the incredible mosaics in the Basilica of San Vitale and Sant’ Apollinaire Nuove and also in Sant’ Apollinare in Classe, beautifully preserved and many newly cleaned so that the colours were as fresh and vibrant as they must have been in the Emperor Justinian’s time in the 6th century.

Off to Urbino tomorrow and moving forward fifteen hundred years into the Renaissance.

Urbino, surely one of the ‘must-see’ places in Italy. The ducal palace, houses the art gallery, where you can see paintings by Piero della Francesa including ‘The Flagellation of Christ’, and others, as well as works by Raphael and Ucello and the famous Ideal City by Laurana. Although the original furnishings have now gone you can still get a flavour of life in the household of Federico da Montefeltro, one of the most powerful men in Italy. At the heart of the Palazzo is the studiolo, with the most incredibly illusionistic marquetry any of us had ever seen – cupboard doors you want to open, books tumbling off shelves, musical instruments you want to pick up – amazing!

Whilst in Bologna, most of us managed a visit to the exhibition of paintings on loan whilst the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague is being refurbished. These include Vermeer’s The Girl with the Pearl Earring and Diana and her Nymphs as well as numerous works by other Dutch masters – Pieter de Hooch, Jan Steen, Frans Hals, Rembrandt, van Ruisdael and others.

Today, Thursday we were in Ferrara, the third of the four Renaissnce courts we are visiting this week. We marvelled at the beautiful architecture of this imposing walled town with its iconic moated Palazzo Estense, home to the d’Este family, who owned several palaces in Ferrara, including the Palazzo Diamanti which houses another collection of local Renaissance masterpieces. And we were fortunate to see a special exhibition at the moment of Matisse paintings, drawings and sculpture. Tomorrow is our last day and we are going to Mantua where Mantegna was court painter to the Gonzaga family.

And what a last day it has been. Mantova is magnificent, a huge palazzo, home to one of the most successful and richest Italian Renaissance families. Of their several palaces we visited the Ducal Palace, and got a real flavour of the sumptuous lifestyle they lived and then to the Palazzo Te which houses the most incredible frescoes I have ever seen – the Room of the Giants is incredible, Jupiter and the Gods Hurl thunderbolts and boulders down on to the Giants below in this continuous panorama of action.

For our last evening we went as a group to a local Bolognese restaurant – a super way to end a very enjoyable week, blessed with wonderful warm sunshine.

Celia O’Shea

It was an unusually small group which set off for Brighton and The Royal Pavilion on a sunny April day.  This may have been due in part to it being Maundy Thursday and therefore the beginning of the Easter weekend, but a number of people were also ill on the day and could not join us.  Arrival in very good time allowed us to spend a very pleasant hour having coffee, for which many of us sat outside, or having a look at The Lanes.

Our guided tour of the Royal Pavilion was conducted by an experienced and enthusiastic guide, Jackie Marsh-Hobbs, who really brought it to life and made it all great fun.  After time for lunch in Brighton we re-boarded the coach for the short journey to Preston Manor where Jackie was our guide once more.

This manor house, bequeathed to the Town Council on the death of Charles Stanford in 1932, encapsulates life above and below stairs in the Edwardian era and proved to be the complete antidote to the exotic grandeur of the Royal Pavilion.  We enjoyed hot cross buns and Bucks fizz on the way home and the whole day was deemed a great success.

Penshurst Place with its medieval Barons Hall and mix of medieval and Tudor architecture and furnishing is still a family home. Its beautiful interior is equalled by the stunning exterior and we were lucky enough to have sunshine in which to wander through the delightful gardens.

We were bowled over by our visit to All Saints Tudeley. A little known gem, it is the only church in the world to have all twelve stained glass windows decorated by Chagall. The East window was commissioned by the d”Avigdor Goldsmid family after their daughter Sarah drowned, and when Chagall saw it installed, so delighted was he with the effect he insisted on designing the rest of the windows.

Our visit to the British Library in February to see the Exhibition ‘Georgians Revealed’ was fascinating and brought that extraordinary period vividly to life.

On 5 December 2013, fifty-three of us took up the opportunity of a visit to the Musical Museum near Kew Bridge, followed by a tour by coach of the Christmas lights and a chance to view the skating at Somerset House.

In the morning we were entertained by a fascinating guided tour round the Museum, which contains one of the world’s foremost collections of self playing musical instruments.  We were treated to demonstrations of a variety of musical automata, including reproducing pianos, orchestrions and violin players.

After an excellent lunch at the Garden Centre Restaurant at Syon Park, we returned to the Musical Museum for an hour long entertainment, featuring the mighty Wurlitzer organ, which obligingly rose from beneath the stage to entertain us. We were also amazed by a demonstration of saw playing!

Fuelled by mince pies and a glass of sherry, we travelled to the West End for an informative guided tour of the enchanting Christmas lights, ending up at Somerset House to watch the skating – but no-one volunteered to get their skates on!

Everyone was most appreciative of the day and thoughts are already being directed towards planning an equally enjoyable Christmas Event this year.

Twenty nine of us left Chichester in the sunshine on the morning of 16 September and arrived in Stratford in the rain! But NADFAS members are not put off by a little rain! We went straight to the RSC where in two groups we had a most interesting and fascinating behind the scenes tour of the theatre, which meant that by the time we returned on Wednesday evening for a theatre performance we understood some of the complexities and split second timing involved in all aspects of producing the play.

On our first evening we had dinner together in our hotel, a very comfortable 400 year old building in the centre of Stratford, only minutes from the RSC and the river (and also the shops!). Our rooms were in the new modern block of the hotel, so no-one had the pleasure of the haunted room which the hotel, The Legacy Falcon, boasts.

On Day Two the sun shone as we enjoyed a tour of Stratford, with our Blue-Badge guide, Wendy, who showed us the church where Shakespeare was baptized and is buried, and then on to his birthplace, in the building which was in his day a leatherworks and tannery, his father becoming a successful glove-maker, making some of the finest white kid gloves. After lunch in the town we visited Anne Hathaway’s cottage, where as well as the interesting biographical story of the Hathaway family, we learnt much about domestic life at the time in a middle class household and saw the room and gardens where Shakespeare courted Ann. William and Ann lived with her family in this cottage for a few years before he became prosperous enough to build The New House where the Shakespeares lived until William died in 1616

That evening found us back at the theatre for a modern dress production of ‘As You Like It’. A very modern, off-the-wall production with lots of innovation and novel twists to the traditional rendering of the play, building to a crescendo of singing and dancing in the final act.

Thursday and we packed our bags to leave the hotel, planning a guided tour and free time and lunch at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and then on to Basildon Park for afternoon tea on the way home. But… the coach broke down 17 miles outside of Oxford. This was not the disaster it could have been. Peter, our Richardson’s driver, handled the problem very smoothly and within an hour we were on our way to Oxford. However, having lost a precious hour of this busy day, we decided to cancel our stop at Basildon House and everybody enjoyed an extended stay in Oxford, some of us taking advantage of the Francis Bacon and Henry Moore exhibition at the Ashmolean. I think I can safely say that (as my first trip as leader) all was well and everybody had a good time.

Celia O’Shea

Thirty five of us left Chichester on 29 April for five days in beautiful Andalucia.  On the plane we met our Tailored Travel guide for the week, Paul – a real character.   Paul began his career as a chemical engineer but now works as a tour guide in Spain and America north and south.   His other love is stand-up comedy (really!) and  he kept us amused with jokes and anecdotes  as well as a non-stop flow of historical and contextual knowledge of the region.

Tuesday

Tuesday found us in Granada at the Alhambra Palace. Undeterred by the cold and the rain we were guided through the  ninth century fortress, which was converted into an Islamic royal palace in the fourteenth century. Over the subsequent centuries new sections were added to the complex system of rooms, passages, gardens and park, each following the consistent theme of “paradise on earth”. Moorish  poets have described it as a “pearl set in emeralds”, alluding to the colour of its buildings and the woods around them. Paul then guided us to an area of tapas bars in Granada where we experienced our first truly typical Spanish tapas of the holiday, many of the dishes coming free with the wine!

Granada was the last city to capitulate to the Christian conquerors of Moorish Spain in 1482 when Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille completed the unification of Spain; they ordered the conversion or exile of their Jewish and Muslim subjects and financed Christopher Columbus’ voyage which led to the opening up of the New world: the Golden Age of Spain was beginning.

Wednesday

On Wednesday we checked out of the hotel and boarded the coach for Cordoba. Walking across the bridge to enter by the medieval tower the views greeting us took our breath away. In the hot sunshine we found lunch in the many tapas bars, before wandering through the streets to explore the city’s fusion of Jewish, Christian and Islamic culture. A great cultural political, financial and economic centre, in the 10th and 11th centuries it was one of the most advanced cities in the world. The jewel of the city has to be the Mesquita – the Mosque-Cathedral. The largest mosque in the world, it’s interior arcaded hall has 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite, taken from the Roman temple which had occupied the site previously. In 1236, Cordoba was conquered by Ferdinand II and the mosque became a Catholic Church. The present building has to be seen to be believed –a magnificent Renaissance chapel was built right in the middle of this huge structure; the minaret became the bell tower and houses Santiago de Compostela’s captured cathedral bells. However, Charles V famously said when he saw it “they have taken something unique in all the world and destroyed it to build something you can find in any city’.

Before dinner at our hotel in Seville, Paul took us on a short walk of the city and amongst other notable attractions showed us the house in which Velasquez was born. Seville, once one of the richest cities in the world boasts a rich heritage. The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Sea is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world; it is the burial site of Christopher Columbus. The Giralda, the bell tower, at 343 feet high and  23 feet above sea level was built to resemble the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech. Whilst most of us disappeared into the local tapas bars for lunch a few doughty members of the group climbed to the top of the tower to enjoy the amazing views over Seville.

Thursday
On Thursday we visited Reales Alacazares, the beautiful Moorish Palace, originally a Moorish fortress, still in use today by the Royal Family. It is a magnificent complex of patios and halls in different architectural styles from Mudejar to Gothic, with its beautiful tiled interiors and lace/stone filigree decoration giving on to Moorish courts.   The formal gardens contain pavilions of different styles including the arcaded pavilion of Carlos V built as an exterior dining room – what a life!

Friday
On Friday morning our two Spanish guides, Rothio and Marta met us again for a guided tour of the Museo de Bellas Artes, the second most important art gallery in Spain. Formerly a convent, it now houses works by Goya, Murillo, Surbaran and Ribera amongst others. There was time only for a quick lunch in Seville before heading off to Jerez de la Frontera. Here we were treated to a tour of the famous Gonzalez Byas bodega, which produces Tio Pepe. We completed our tour  with a sherry-tasting session, so unsurprisingly many of our number slept on our way back to Seville, to preserve our strength for the evening’s visit to the Flamenco Bar. We were privileged here to see some of the best and most famous Flamenco dancers in Spain. A real highlight of the tour, and another insight into Paul’s colourful career – he took up flamenco for a while!

Saturday
Saturday morning, on our way home, we visited Ronda, one of the most dramatic locations in the area. The cliffs and the breathtaking gorge, where runs the Guadalevin river, divide the city. Ronda probably has the least Moorish influences remaining, but it does have the largest bullring in Spain and is also the place where Orson Wells is buried! The Blas Infante viewing spot gives spectacular views over the whole city, but was to yield another surprise – we arrived to find a harpist and a pipes player creating a wonderful meditative, almost spiritual oasis on the side of the gorge.   We each went our separate ways in Ronda  to visit the Cathedral, and several museums. The Museo Lara was another surprise in waiting, this time very corporeal – it houses a collection of instruments of torture used by the Inquisition, including a garotte machine which only ceased to be used at the end of the 20th century! On that happy note it was time to head for the bus and the airport.

Celia O’Shea

33 members of CCDFAS left Chichester at 6.30 am in the rain and arrived in Istanbul having had a light rain shower – we were met at Istanbul Ataturk Airport by our local guide, Selim Ak’in, who looked after us for the next four days with his wealth of information on the rich historical and cultural heritage of his country, arriving at the Hotel Mosaic  in the heart of Old Istanbul close to the Grand Bazaar.  We were treated to a welcome dinner in a local fish restaurant, a short journey by coach, close to the fish market in a street full of traditional fish restaurants where we were given a selection of meze, prawns, fish dishes  all washed down with a full bodied local red wine!

On Tuesday we were met by Selim at 9.00 and taken by coach to visit The Basilica Cistern (also called the Underground Palace),  the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath the city,  containing 336 marble columns arranged in 12 rows, each comprising 28 columns and was once the water source for the Grand Palace of the Byzantine Emperors.  We then enjoyed a private boat cruise on the Bosphorus (Istanbul Strait)  which connects the Black Sea with Marmara,  seeing the many Palaces, houses, restaurants and the two suspension bridges connecting Europe with Asia – an underground rail tunnel is currently under construction.  The Bosphorus Strait is about 30 kilometers long and only 700 metres wide which means that the larger of the many ships travelling through are controlled by a one way system on their way to and from the Black Sea.  After lunch we visited the Dolmabahce Palace located on the European shores of the Bosphorus which was a permanent residence of the Ottoman Sultans consisting of 285 rooms and has a 600 metre long waterfront with a collection of European antiques and is famous for its Bohemian and Baccarat crystal chandeliers some of which were sent from Egypt, China and India as gifts, the largest of which hangs in the middle saloon on a suspension system weighing 5.5 tons and was a gift from Queen Victoria.

Having returned to the hotel and freshen up we were free to find our own restaurants for the evening and there were was a wide variety within a short walk from the hotel.

Wednesday started even earlier met by Selim at 8.30 am as there was a lot of ground to cover in the Sultanahmet area – we started off looking at the Topkapi Palace which overlooks the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn constructed between the years of 1460 and 1478 during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror, and was used as the management centre of the Ottoman Empire and primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans and has been expanded over the centuries.  We visited the Treasury section consisting of four rooms containing some of the finest gold, silver, ruby, emerald and diamond treasurers, the third room housing the famous Spoonmaker’s Diamond (which some people claim is the Pigot Diamond) and is 85.5 carats.  There were many other rooms to visit including the Sacred Relics Section, Library of Sultan Ahmet III, Amory Collection, Glass and Porcelain Section, Robes Section, the Baghdad Kiok as well as courtyards and gardens and finally the Harem Section.  After a quick lunch we continued on to the Haghia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)  built by the Byzantine Emperior Justinian circa AD535, after serving 916 years as a church and 481 years as a mosque and now maintains its historical function as a museum since 1935 and is one of the greatest examples of early Byzantine architecture and one of the glorious and oldest buildings of the city.  With its richly decorated preserved mosaics and marble, Hagia Sophia was in a dilapidated condition when Istanbul was conquered and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the immediate cleanup of the church and its conversion to mosque – the mosaics depict the Virgin Mary, Jesus, Saints and Emperors or Emperesses, many of which were destroyed or covered during Iconoclasm with whitewash or plaster only to be uncovered much later during various restorations.

We then visited the Blue Mosque, a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture,  the only mosque in the world to boast six minarets.  The glazed Iznik blue tiles which cover the inside walls have given this magnificent mosque its name,  as well as wood works enriched with inlays of mother-of-pearl, stonemasonry and handwritten calligraphies contributing to its beauty.  The Blue Mosque is located on a vast rectangular courtyard and the classical Ottoman architecture gives an interior space which is more spacious and well lighted and airy than the others.  We then walked to The Hippodrome (Horse Square) area a short walk away and saw the Tripod Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine situated on the spina of the Hippodrome which was a sporting social centre and chariot races took place between opposing stables, the blues (Veneti) and the greens (Prasinoi) and our guide described the races as being similar to those in the film Ben Hur.  Parts of the Hippodrome have been excavated but only the southern most part is visible.  We then made a decision to postpone the visit to the Grand Bazaar until the next day as we all decided we were in need of refreshment and rest having had a full day of sightseeing so the coach took us back to the hotel and another night of investigating the restaurants of the area.  Three of our party took advantage of a Turkish Bath (Hamam) which happened to be located just round the corner from the Hotel and felt refreshed and reinvigorated having been scrubbed and washed all over.

We started  our fourth day at 8.45 am with a short walk to Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent which is the most important of all the imperial mosques as Suleyman and his wife are both buried here and the mosque is considered to be the most beautiful of the city’s Imperial mosques, built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan it is conspicuous by its great size and has four minarets, one on each corner of the courtyard.  The interior is spectacular with a finely carved white marble pulpit (mimber) and magnificent stained glass windows.    We  met the coach which took us to the Galata Tower over the Golden Horn Bridge  which was built in 1349 with a diameter of 8.95m and height of 69.90m and was used as a fire watch tower after 1874.  The tower is now used for touristic purposes and an elevator takes you up to the third floor then stairs to a restaurant/cafe and external viewing platform with fantastic views across the Boshporus.

We were transported to the area close to the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar both of which were visited after a quick lunch and for those who could be torn away from the markets visited the Church of St Saviour in Chora a small Byzantine church renowned for its extraordinary frescoes and mosaics portraying the life and miracles of Christ.    Having got back to the hotel to get ready for our final night in Istanbul another five ladies visited the Hamam to find out what they had missed the night before and were not disappointed.

Our farewell dinner was at a restaurant overlooking the Sea of Marmara next door to the Spice Market and we enjoyed a traditional turkish meal of meze, kebabs, salad and baklava, again washed down by a good local wine, overlooking the water on the second floor of the Hamdi Restaurant  -  and not a Whirling Dervish in sight!!

We checked out at 11 am and the coach took us the short distance to the Airport and said goodbye to Istanbul on a beautifully sunny day – we were certainly shown a large area of this beautifully historic city and hope that everyone enjoyed what was a very full four days of sightseeing.    Both BA flights were on time and our Richardson coach was waiting for us at Terminal 5 getting us back without too much fuss on a busy friday evening on the M25 with Peter finding all the shortcuts necessary to get us to Chichester by 7pm.  I am hoping that any photos taken will be sent to me so that they can be posted on the website as well and look forward very much to selecting the best.

Jane Hopkin
Visits Secretary