The Hidden World of Popes and Cardinals: Unexplored Papal States Part I 18-28 May 2015
Organised by Sarah Morgan
Teaching done by Sarah Morgan, John Wilton-Ely, Valerie Thornhill, and some local experts.
Come and join us for this unique programme exploring a beautiful area north of Rome important for Medieval popes and Renaissance cardinals. This lovely and overlooked part of Italy comprising southern Umbria and northern Lazio once formed part of the Papal States and is rich in history, art, architecture and archaeology, particularly of the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.
We will use Viterbo, a town of considerable importance in Medieval times and the site of numerous papal elections and residences, as our home base from which to explore sites of interest in the surrounding countryside. We will peel back the many layers of history beginning with the unique archaeological sites such as those at Etruscan Cerveteri and Tarquinia, remains of the Roman past such as the cisterns in Amelia, well-preserved Medieval towns such as Pitigliano, and the frescoed 16th and 17th-century villas and gardens built for cardinals such as those at Bomarzo and Villa Lante. We will spend time in the towns of Viterbo, Orvieto, and Tuscania in order to visit their many beautiful churches, piazzas,
and important museums and historic buildings.
The cultural and artistic aspects of this tour are complemented by the physical setting marked by three volcanic lakes, woodlands, and rolling hills and the absence of mass tourism.
There will be no long journeys as all the sites are within easy reach of Viterbo. We will leave some free time to explore Viterbo better on your own. Together, we will visit a local vineyard and try gastronomic specialities of the region.
The cost of the 11 day/10 nights programme is €1300 (aprox. £1000 or $US1600) and includes hotel room based on a shared room (singles available) in Viterbo, all breakfasts at the hotel, three dinners and two lunches together, entry tickets to sites, teaching, coach transfer to and from Fiumicino airport to Viterbo, and all coach transport during the trip.
For more information contact Sarah at sarah@zedkep.com
Who we are:
Sarah Morgan has a PhD in Italian history from the University of Sydney and an MA in Italian Studies at UC Berkeley. She has experience teaching as well as working in tourism in Italy. She lives in the countryside in Umbria, north of Rome.
Valerie Thornhill has degrees from Cambridge and the Sorbonne and is an art historian and novelist. She has many years of experience in adult education in the UK and the USA. She led cultural travel tours for UC Berkeley in Italy. She founded VISTA Arts, an association with courses and trips in the visual arts. Valerie gives frequent lectures on a wide range of topics.
John Wilton-Ely is Professor Emeritus in the History of Art at the University of Hull. He trained at Cambridge and the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. He has served as director of Educational Studies at Sotheby’s, London. He is on the Executive Committee of the Georgian Group in the UK. He is widely published and continues to write and give lectures.
For more information contact Sarah at sarah@zedkep.com
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