DAYS
7
TOUR CODE
ATNP-27
COST
£3375
DAYS
7
TOUR CODE
ATNP-27
COST
£3375
Naples has a long and eminent history as one of the few European cities able to claim an unbroken continuity as a metropolis since classical times. This study tour immerses travellers in the rich artistic and architectural heritage that emerged during the 17th century.
Overview
A bustling sea port, once the favourite haunt of Roman citizens, and later Italy’s only truly royal city for almost six centuries, Naples has never been short of artistic patronage. Dukes, archbishops, nobles and religious orders contributed to an extremely dense collection of buildings and works of art in and around the city: in particular, many examples of Neapolitan painting from the 17th and 18th centuries have remained in their original locations and can thus be appreciated as part of a uniquely authentic artistic landscape.
Attention will be paid to a number of religious buildings that contain art of the highest order, including the royal tombs at Santa Chiara, and churches that have retained either all or much of their original decoration. Among the most fascinating are Pio Monte della Misericordia, which displays Caravaggio’s Seven Works of Mercy, and the important Baroque Church of San Gregorio Armeno, decorated by Luca Giordano.
Naples flourished under the Spanish Bourbons who, apart from a brief Napoleonic interlude, controlled the city from 1734 to 1860. One of the most outstanding legacies of the Bourbon kings is the palace and parklands of Capodimonte, which houses a fine collection of decorative arts and works ranging from Bellini and Botticelli to Caravaggio and Correggio.
Our tour also covers the significant collections of Neapolitan art at the Royal Palace, as well as offering an opportunity to admire the Renaissance sculpture adorning Castel Nuovo.
Complementing these visits, our itinerary will also include a day at leisure to enjoy further optional excursions on an independent basis, such as travel by boat to the island of Capri to enjoy its famous picturesque views, or to Pompeii, Herculaneum or Sorrento.
THE GRAND TOUR
On this study tour, Alex Koller will examine the artistic and architectural richness of Naples, a living historical city that for centuries enjoyed a reputation as one of Italy’s foremost sites, not least in the days of the Grand Tour.
“The history of Neapolitan art peaked above all in the splendour of the Neapolitan Baroque in the 17th century. This period saw the city, then under the government of representatives of the Spanish Crown, rise to the heights of the European art scene, as it attracted important painters from all over Italy and beyond to add to its significant local tradition.
The churches of Naples are, in particular, veritable galleries of the achievements of the Neapolitan School of painting, and offer an opportunity to view many works of this period in their original setting.
The 18th century saw the building of the last great royal palace of absolutist Europe at Caserta, while the Royal Palace at Portici gave rise to the building of dozens of fashionable villas along the Miglio d’Oro (‘Golden Mile’).
More than any other building the Certosa di San Martino summarises Naples: it is a testimony to the extremely rich religious life of the city, a testimony to royal patronage, home to a unique collection of paintings and sculptures of the 17th century, and provides a view from the heights of Vomero Hill over the city towards Vesuvius and across the Bay of Naples to the Sorrento Peninsula and the island of Capri.”
- Tour Director Alex Koller on exploring Naples
Tour Director
Alex Koller
Alex Koller is an expert in art and architectural history who gained his PhD at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He has extensive experience leading study tours, including in Naples.
This tour will be led by Alex Koller, PhD, an art historian who has studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, where he gained his PhD in History of Art from Magdalene College. Alex has been leading tours since 1998 and is an accomplished linguist. His experience ranges from Eastern Europe, Russia and the Himalayas to Japan and southeast Asia.
– ACE customer on a previous art tour in Naples led by Alex Koller
Our Accommodation
We will stay throughout at the four-star Hotel San Francesco al Monte, offering smart and comfortable accommodation within a former 16th century monastery. Located on the hill of San Martino, the hotel offers panoramic views of the Bay of Naples, as well as a rooftop garden. The property retains historical frescoes and majolica and also contains a collection of contemporary art.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London Heathrow 0915 on British Airways, arriving Naples 1305. Afternoon visit to Museo di Capodimonte (final flight times permitting). Transfer to the Hotel San Francesco al Monte for six nights.
Day 2
Morning introductory lecture followed by visits to Palazzo Reale and Castel Nuovo (Museo Civico). Afternoon visits to religious houses with outstanding schemes of tomb monuments and paintings, including Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara (cloisters) and San Domenico Maggiore (sacristy and cell of St Thomas Aquinas).
Day 3
Visits in the ancient quarters of Naples, including San Gregorio Armeno, Baptistery at the Cattedrale di San Gennaro, Pio Monte della Misericordia, Chiesa dei Girolamini (important paintings), San Lorenzo Maggiore (catacombs) and Museo Cappella Sansevero (18th century sculpture and frescoes). Free evening.
Day 4
Morning excursion to Casertavecchia for San Michele Arcangelo (duomo) followed by San Leucio for Palazzo Belvedere. Afternoon: Reggia di Caserta (Europe’s last great Baroque palace scheme and state rooms).
Day 5
Morning: by funicular to the Chiaia district (churches) followed by San Giovanni a Carbonara. Afternoon: Reggia di Portici (former royal palace) and Villa Campolieto. Free evening.
Day 6
Day at leisure in Naples with opportunity for optional independent excursion to Pompeii, Herculaneum or Sorrento by public transport, or by boat to Capri (ruins of Tiberius’s Villa Jovis).
Day 7
Depart Naples 1235, arriving Heathrow 1425.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
Participants should expect to spend a significant amount of time walking around the city and standing at historical sites, in churches and galleries, where there are not always opportunities to sit down. Most of Naples is on flat ground but the city streets can be uneven, cobbled, slippery and often crowded with people and vehicles, so care must be taken. Some visits involve walking up steps (often without handrails, sometimes steep or slippery), uphill and over rough ground. Certain journeys on this tour will be made by public transport (funicular/bus and metro), as these offer the most convenient ways of getting around Naples. The tour also includes the option to travel independently by boat to Capri (a journey of approx 50 minutes, which can be choppy depending on the weather). Please also be aware that the catacombs are dimly lit and some walking to/from local restaurants is done after dark. Furthermore, very few of the churches we visit have facilities. A good level of fitness, mobility and stamina is therefore required for this tour and participants must meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. While many visits will be made on foot, there is sometimes the option to get a taxi independently if wished. Furthermore, due to the city-based nature of this tour, it is possible for participants to easily opt in and out of visits on the day, should they prefer.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £190.
Cost Details
Art Treasures of Naples: Painters & Patrons of the Baroque
March 15 - 21, 2027
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, one lunch, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, optional independent excursion on Day 6, double room for single use supplement £495.
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