COX & KINGS ANNOUNCES ITS 2017 COLLECTION OF ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS TOURS ACCOMPANIED BY EXPERT LECTURERS

London – 4 October 2016

Cox & Kings, the appointed travel partner for the Royal Academy of Arts, has launched its collection of escorted small group tours, focussing on the art and architecture of fascinating destinations and extraordinary civilisations. All the tours are accompanied by specialist lecturers and are open to anyone with a love for the arts, appealing to experts and enthusiasts alike.

The 3-night Ravenna:  Mosaics & Marbles is one of the most consistently popular tours in the collection and is the lead-in tour with a price of £1,045 per person. Many tours include access to artworks not normally accessible to the general public, or talks by curators of local exhibitions.  Lecturers will often organise additional experiences that are not included on the official itinerary, but which are relevant to the tour.

There are 27 expert-led art tours in the portfolio, of which 6 are new for 2017:

Moscow: Art of the Russian Revolution – 5 days from £1,345 per person

22-26 July and 23-27 September with Andrew Spira or Monica Bohm-Duchen

2017 is the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. This new tour, complementing the spring RA exhibition Revolution: Russian Art, includes in-depth visits to Moscow's premier art museums to see the art of the revolution.

Malta & Gozo: Temples, Knights and Caravaggio – 5 days from £1,195 per person

24-28 April and 23-27 November with Dr Konstantine Politis

As well as a visit to St John's Co-Cathedral to see Caravaggio's masterpieces, highlights of this tour include an exclusive tour of Villa Bologna with the owner or member of his family, a private visit to Casa Rocca Piccola and a private dinner at Palazz L-Ahmar, a former hunting lodge built by the Knights of St John.

Bilbao & San Sebastian: Basque Art & Architecture ­­– 4 days from £1,195 per person 

21-24 March and 5-8 September with Thomas Abbott or Dr Anne Anderson

The tour highlights the transformation of Bilbao's industrial riverside into a haven of post-modern art and architecture. A day is spent in San Sebastian, current European Capital of Culture, home to a variety of architectural styles including gothic, baroque and belle époque. A highlight of any visit to the region is its cuisine, renowned for pintxos and txakoli wine.

Bologna: Treasures of Emilia-Romagna – 4 days from £1,245 per person

9-12 May and 3-6 October with Olivia Dobell or Andrew Spira

Home to the west's oldest university and world famous for its cuisine, Bologna is one of Italy's most overlooked cities. The new tour explores the city's eclectic range of architecture and National Art Gallery as well as a day exploring nearby Parma and Modena. No visit to Emilia-Romagna is complete without sampling the region's exceptional cuisine including fresh pastas and meats.

Poland: Art & Music in Warsaw & Krakow – 8 days from £1,845 per person

31 May – 7 June and 13-20 September with Lydia Bauman

The tour discovers the contrasting architecture of the medieval city of Krakow with the Old Town of Warsaw, which was completely rebuilt after the second world war. Bauman is Polish-born and is able to share the personal stories of her family during the war. There is also an exclusive talk from an expert at Dwor Tomaszowicach, a restored 19th-century neoclassical manor.

Iran: Persian Palaces & Gardens – 15 days from £4,495 per person

3-17 April and 9-23 October with Hilary Smith or Diana Driscoll

Travellers to Iran are rewarded with a mix of striking cities, archaeological treasures and spectacular landscapes. While Iran remains an off-the-beaten track destination, many of its sights can be explored in relative peace. A highlight of the tour is a visit to Kerman, a very little-visited city, and two full days exploring the spectacular city of Isfahan.

All tours include international flights, transfers, sightseeing escorted by English-speaking guides, accommodation with breakfast daily and other meals as specified and are accompanied throughout by an expert lecturer.

For the full range of tours please visit www.coxandkings.co.uk/ra

Cox & Kings pays a fee to the Royal Academy for every booking on the arts tours programme and any booking on any Cox & Kings holiday from a Friend of the Royal Academy, which contributes to the work of the Royal Academy and specifically its Learning Department.

For more information, please contact Katie Cosstick on 020 7808 5694 or email katie.cosstick@coxandkings.co.uk

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NOTE TO EDITORS

Cox & Kings is the world's longest established travel company. Its history stretches back more than 250 years to 1758 when Richard Cox was appointed regimental agent to the Footguards (later the Grenadier Guards). The company's fortunes grew hand in hand with the British empire and by the early 20th century the company was acting as agent and banker throughout the armed forces and as a shipping agent. In 1922 Cox & Co merged with the Henry S King bank, which had strong connections with India. The bank became part of Lloyds and the shipping agency grew separately, evolving into the modern travel company.

Today, built on the high quality service and attention to detail established by Richard Cox in the 18th century, the company continues to flourish as an independent tour operator, with operations in London, the US, Japan, Australia and throughout India. Cox & Kings organises escorted small-group tours and private tailor-made travel in the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, the Middle East, the Far East, Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, and the Caribbean.