Giorgio Vasari, Self-Portrait (c.1571–74), Uffizi Gallery.
Public domain; image via Wikimedia Commons.
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DAYS
8
TOUR CODE
VASA-27
COST
£4250
DAYS
8
TOUR CODE
VASA-27
COST
£4250
The canon of Italian art history is indebted to Giorgio Vasari and the biography of artists he published in Florence in 1550. This comprehensive study tour delves into the lives of the great Italian masters he codified, and provides a critical lens through which to view the world-renowned art and architecture of Tuscany.
Overview
Giorgio Vasari’s (1511–74) modern fame derives from his pioneering contribution to art history, The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects, first published in Florence in 1550. Vasari moved to Florence as a young boy to study under Michelangelo, and it is in this most beautiful of cities, the cradle of the Renaissance, that we will scrutinise the story of Italian art history through his analytical eyes.
Vasari’s writing is brought to life through the artistic treasures of Florence, from the celebrated frescoes by Giotto and Ghirlandaio adorning the city’s churches to the sculptural masterpieces of Ghiberti, Donatello and Michelangelo. These can be viewed both in their original architectural settings and in great museums like the Bargello and Accademia.
Florentine painting is, perhaps, even more stunning, ranging from the devotional masterpieces of Fra Angelico to the pioneering works of Uccello, Masaccio and Botticelli. Furthermore, we will journey to Prato to examine frescoes by Fra Filippo Lippi, a painter who was closely studied by Vasari.
Vasari’s own work as an artist and architect will form another focus of our tour. The Uffizi, designed by Vasari for the Grand Duke of Tuscany, not only offers a feast of religious and secular painting, but also an opportunity to traverse the Vasari Corridor. This elevated passageway, now reopened following restoration works, links the Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, and was built in 1565 to a design by Vasari in order to enable Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici to move easily between the palaces.
From Florence we will enjoy a day’s excursion to Arezzo, Vasari’s birthplace, to examine his own origins and artistic flourishing. The Casa Vasari is richly decorated with frescoes, which Vasari painted between 1542 and 1568, and is a veritable celebration of Mannerist art. A further highlight whilst in Arezzo is the Church of San Francesco which contains Piero’s Legend of the True Cross.
Our tour concludes with two nights in Pisa, where we will investigate the work of Pisano which, according to Vasari, anticipated Renaissance sculpture. Meanwhile, the Piazza dei Cavalieri – comprehensively redesigned in 1558 for Cosimo I de’ Medici – offers a final glimpse of Vasari’s own work.
Tour Director
Alex Koller
An expert in art and architectural history, Alex Koller gained his PhD in the history of art from Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Alex Koller, PhD, is an expert in art history and architecture. Born in Vienna, Alex has lived and studied in Vienna, Salzburg and Cambridge, gaining his PhD in the history of art from Magdalene College, Cambridge. Alex is an accomplished linguist, speaking Italian fluently, and has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East.
“Alex Koller’s erudition continues to amaze me – his detailed explanations, plus the broader historical, artistic, political and religious contexts of what we are seeing are deeply enriching”
– ACE customer on a previous tour led by Alex Koller
– ACE customer on a previous tour led by Alex Koller
Our Accommodation
We will stay first in historical Florence at the four-star Grand Hotel Cavour, close to the Piazza Signoria, with a wonderful rooftop terrace overlooking the Duomo. In Pisa we will stay at the four-star Grand Hotel Duomo, a traditional property chosen for its convenient location, just a few minutes on foot from the cathedral.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London Heathrow 0815 on British Airways, arriving Pisa 1130. Transfer to Prato: cathedral with Fra Filippo Lippi frescoes, Santa Maria della Carceri. Continue to Florence for five nights at Grand Hotel Cavour.
Day 2
Morning: Santa Croce (tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo) and Museo Nazionale del Bargello (Michelangelo, Donatello). Afternoon: Duomo (Brunelleschi’s dome and Giotto’s campanile), Baptistery (Ghiberti’s famous bronze doors) and Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (Duccio’s Maestà).
Day 3
Whole day excursion to Arezzo: Vasari’s Abbey of Santissime Fiora e Lucilla, Museo Statale d’Arte Medievale e Moderna, Casa Vasari (decorated by Vasari), Church of San Francesco (Piero’s Legend of the True Cross), Duomo. Free evening.
Day 4
Morning: Museo delle Cappelle Medicee, San Lorenzo (including sacristies), Laurentian Library, Museo di San Marco (Fra Angelico’s Annunciation). Afternoon: Brunelleschi’s Ospedale degli Innocenti, SS Annunziata, Galleria dell’Accademia (Michelangelo’s David and The Prisoners). Free evening.
Day 5
Morning: SS Trinita, Palazzo Rucellai (exterior), guild church of Orsanmichele (sculptures by Ghiberti, Donatello and Verrocchio) and Santa Maria Novella. Afternoon: Santa Maria del Carmine (Cappella Brancacci with Masaccio’s masterpieces), Santo Spirito.
Day 6
Morning: Casa Vasari, Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor. Afternoon: Galleria Palatina in the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. Transfer to Pisa for two nights at Grand Hotel Duomo.
Day 7
Visits in Pisa: Cathedral (Pisano pulpit), Baptistery and Camposanto (The Triumph of Death frescoes and antique sarcophagi), Vasari’s Piazza dei Cavalieri. Free afternoon in Pisa or optional excursion to San Piero a Grado.
Day 8
Depart Pisa 1235, arriving Heathrow 1400.
Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. We cannot guarantee the availability of all artworks listed. Historical buildings in Italy sometimes undergo restoration at short notice and therefore visits may be reordered.
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?
This tour accommodates a maximum of 23 participants. Please contact us if you wish to double check the specific situation for this tour.
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
If you are booking 10 weeks or more before departure, the deposit for this tour is £400 per person. If you are booking less than 10 weeks before departure, full payment for this tour must be made at the time of booking.
What tour staff will be on this tour?
This tour will be led by a Tour Director, who provides the cultural content through a series of lectures and/or on-site guiding, and a Tour Manager, who ensures the smooth day-to-day running of the itinerary. Please note that in rare cases, where the group size is smaller than expected, the tour may be led by a solo Tour Director without a Tour Manager – we will notify you if this is the case.
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
This tour requires the standard level of fitness as outlined in our Fitness Requirements information. Please consult the tour specific fitness requirements below for more information about this particular 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.
Tour specific fitness information
This study tour requires a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina, as we have a full itinerary to make the most of our time in Italy, and the tour involves a significant amount of time spent on foot, both walking around cities and standing in galleries and at historical sites (where there are not always opportunities to sit down). Participants should be prepared for traversing steps and uneven surfaces, and navigating narrow city streets which can be busy with traffic and require care to be taken. Please be aware that some churches can be dimly lit. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Terms & Conditions.
This study tour requires a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina, as we have a full itinerary to make the most of our time in Italy, and the tour involves a significant amount of time spent on foot, both walking around cities and standing in galleries and at historical sites (where there are not always opportunities to sit down). Participants should be prepared for traversing steps and uneven surfaces, and navigating narrow city streets which can be busy with traffic and require care to be taken. Please be aware that some churches can be dimly lit. Participants should meet ACE’s fitness criteria, as outlined in our Terms & Conditions.
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
Vasari & the Story of Italian Art
April 6 - 13, 2027
from £4250
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £695.
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