|
THE SUFFOLK CANVAS
East Anglia through the Artist’s eyes
3 days / 2 nights
This is a simply exquisite way to discover one of the UK’s least well-know areas – the ancient eastern England county of Suffolk. With three masterly artist ‘guides’ as company, you are going to discover why this region has provided such an inspiration for artists over at least four centuries. Their works have immortalised the landscape and people. As with others in our ‘Be a Brit Different’ theme tour series, we’re using the main theme as a springboard to visit sites that might normally be missed, or that have not enjoyed the publicity that they perhaps ought to. One this tour, in addition to seeing some amazing museums and historic artist’s homes, you’ll visit picture-postcard villages, see stunning scenery, explore a few beautiful gardens and ‘stately’ homes, and be exposed to England’s immense historical and cultural tradition. And while few of us are artistic enough to be able to capture it all with pen, pencil or paintbrush, we’re sure you’ll take some memorable photographs!
Tour Dates: Your choice! Begin on any day of the week.
This tour begins and finishes in London. You will be picked up from your London hotel at approximately 09:00.
Cost: Depends upon the number of guests in your party.
2 Guests: $1859 USD per person; $75 USD single supplement
4 - 11 Guests: $1349 USD per person; $75 USD single supplement
12 - 15 Guests: $899 USD per person; $75 USD single supplement
16 Guests + - ask us for a quote
What your tour package includes: The private services of your driver/guide for 3 touring days, your accommodation for 2 nights while on the tour including breakfast and dinner daily, all entrance fees to gardens and attractions, transportation, all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.
Airport transfers, accommodation pre and post tour, London city tours, London attraction passes and London transport passes are not included but can be added to your package as you wish. Ask us for details.
Why not Link it? This tour ’links up’ with any of the 3-day tours in our “Name the Date” Series such as Literary Kent and Sussex, Heart of England or Hampshire Gardens to name a few. Heaps of choices! Mix, match and create a holiday break to suit your schedule!
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day One
Sir Alfred Munnings is fittingly our first day’s guide. Munnings was famed for his equestrian paintings of local East Anglian life. As the region is dotted with stud farms, his choice of subject was not surprising but his rural life paintings are often considered his best. After touring though the countryside en rouet from London, we’ll visit his home for 40 years, Castle House. This interesting mix of Tudor and Georgian styles with well-laid out gardens is worth a visit in its own right. Another house adds our second highlight of the day - Kentwell House. This 500 year-old property is going to raise a few eyebrows with its range of unexpected features. There are painted wall and celings, a brick Maze, a topiary, and most intriguingly Baron Munchausen's Galleon! This wondrous vessel was designed by Terry Gillian for the film 'The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'. In addition to our two main visits of the day and scenic touring, we’ll also be seeing Colchester, the once Roman capital of England.
NIGHTSTOP: Suffolk
Day Two
Step forward St Thomas Gainsborough, today’s featured artist. Gainsborough, who lived from 1723 to 1788, is considered one of our greats and his works are hanging in national galleries worldwide. Not only will we visit inspirational landscapes but we’ll spend time at his own home in the pretty village of Sudbury. We’ve two other simply breathtaking villages on our day’s picture book excursion - Lavenham and Long Melford. Both appear to be in a time warp. It is unsurprising that the former has been used as a film location on many, many occasions as it is England's Finest Medieval Town. Long Melford has been ‘in on the act’, too. It was the setting for the popular BBC TV show ‘Lovejoy’.
NIGHTSTOP: Suffolk
Day Three
Suffolk is known as Constable Country and is the subject of today’s fine touring with ‘virtual’ guide John Constable (1776-1837 ). The landscape of the Stour valley, a quintessentially English rural landscape, gave Constable the familiar scenes of The Haywain, The Cornfield and Flatford Mill. To this day much of this quintessentially English rural landscape countryside would easily be recognised by Constable, and at Flatford the sites of six of his major paintings can be located with precision. The tower of Dedham Church appears in a large number of Constable’s paintings. We’ll be visiting these various properties associated with this wonderful artist, including the thatched 16th century Bridge Cottage, in the heart of Dedham Vale, and Willy Lott’s cottage. ‘Timeless’ is a word much abused but on this occasion we’d argue if used to describe our day rises above a cliché.
We return to London for early evening. Accommodation is not included tonight but is available for a supplemental fee.
London touring suggestion: There can be few finer cities in which to discover great art, and its inspiration. We’d recommend the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, the Tate (especially for works by Turner with London as the subject), the Courtauld Gallery (Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces) in the Strand and the lesser-known Wallace Collection in Manchester Square and Sir John Soane's Museum in Lincoln Inn Fields (for the works of Hogarth.)
Please note: All attraction opening times are correct at time of printing this website.
|
