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THE SUFFOLK CANVAS East Anglia through the Artist’s eyes 3 days / 2 nights - Wednesday to Friday
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!
DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR YEAR 2008
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Tour Code
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Arrive London
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Depart London
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EEA
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Wednesday
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Friday
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EEA 1
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May 14
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May 16
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EEA 2
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Jun 11
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Jun 13
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EEA 3
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Jul 16
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Jul 18
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EEA 4
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Sep 10
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Sep 12
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This GUARANTEED DEPARTURE begins WEDNESDAYS as above from central London hotels below. It is your responsibility to be there in plenty of time.
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The Royal National, Bedford Way The Corus Hotel, Hyde Park The Grosvenor Thistle, Victoria Station The Holiday Inn Forum The Chiswick Hotel, Chiswick
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08.00 (underground Russell Square) 08.20 (underground Lancaster Gate) 08.30 (underground Victoria Station) 08.45 (underground Gloucester Road) 09.00 (underground Turnham Green)
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NOTE: Clients should wait by the concierge desk. Return drop-offs are to any central London hotel.
Cost: $779 USD per adult sharing a twin/double room; $809 USD single occupancy
What your tour price includes: Your accommodation for 2 nights while on the tour including both full breakfasts and dinners. Your price also includes all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, services of driver/guide-companion and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.
Airport transfers and accommodation pre and post tour is not included but can be reserved at a specially discounted price. Our London tour base is the Chiswick Hotel so you will be picked-up for your tour here at 09.00 if booking pre-tour accommodation with us.
Want to upgrade your tour package to include international airfare? Click here for info.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day One - Wednesday
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 rout 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 - Thursday
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 - Friday
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).
Why not combine this mini-tour with our In Search of Arthur tour departing London each Saturday or perhaps our popular 4-day Southern Literary tour ?
This tour is operated by Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd
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