2015Heritage Tours

Dear Members,It is a real pleasure for me to introduce to you the three original Heritage Tours for 2015, prepared by Specialtours and us especially for our Members. As is often the case, the selection of destinations was partly influenced by suggestions we received from our Members, which we are always pleased to receive.

The first tour of the year will be a private tour of Houses and Gardens in Kent, that lovely county in southeastern England. The tour was the initiative and design of the late Jane Wade, active member of our Heritage Tours Committee, who, very sadly, suddenly passed away. Most gracefully, her husband, conservation expert John Sell (a Vice-President of Europa Nostra), has taken upon himself the task of completing and accompanying this tour, and we are grateful and proud now to be able to offer you a range of exclusive visits to some fascinating properties. To visit the ‘Garden of England’ in mid May will be an exceptional experience.

In mid September there will be a rare opportunity to visit magnificent Transylvania in western Romania, one of the last virtually unspoiled regions in Europe. Apart from its great scenic beauty, the region is known for its untouched and charmingly rural Saxon Villages, its historic castles and its important family houses, some being actively restored after their tragic destruction by the past regime. This tour, expertly designed by Transylvania connoisseurs, will offer a special chance to see many of the matchless splendours of this region. A tour not to be missed.

The final 2015 tour in late October needs little introduction or recommendation – such is the reputation of Sicily, whose formidable cultural heritage has a perennial appeal to travellers.

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During this tour we shall concentrate on the island’s abundant patrimony of private palaces and country villas. Exploration of the fascinating capital, Palermo, of historic Syracuse and of several less-visited small Baroque cities, will be enriched by receptions, lunches and dinners at a range of splendid private homes.

On the strength of their unique quality, some of our recent tours have been very popular with Members, and, regretfully, we have had to disappoint quite a few potential travellers, since these tours were fully booked at an early stage. Some Members reserve their places on receipt of the flyer we issue in July. Therefore, we recommend that you do not delay registering for the tour(s) of your choice.

Your participation in our tours cuts both ways: you will enjoy a thrilling journey, and Europa Nostra gains the benefit of a donation to its Heritage in Danger campaigns and its Hans de Koster Fund for Eastern Europe. Clearly, two very good reasons to join the tours we create exclusively for our Members.

On behalf of the Heritage Tours Committee, I wish you happy travels for 2015 and thank you for your valued support.

Tom HenkemansChairman of the Heritage Tours Committee

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Contact: Barbara Zander Heritage Tours Co-ordinator Lange Voorhout, 35 2514 EC The Hague The Netherlands T: +31 70 302 40 54 F: +31 70 361 78 65 E: bz@europanostra.org

Heritage Tours Committe: Tom Henkemans (Chairman) Reinildis van Ditzhuyzen Robert Engels Jeanette Scholz Barbara Zander (Secretary)

Heritage Tours 2015: The Garden of England: Houses & Gardens of Kent 17 – 21 May 2015

Exploring Transylvania 17 –23 September 2015

Sicilian Palaces & Country Villas 29 October – 4 November 2015

Cover: Bánffy Castle, Bontida (© Catalindan / Dreamstime.com)

This page: Saltwood Castle, Kent

The Garden of England: Houses & Gardens of Kent

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17 – 21 May 2015We continue to lunch with Richard and Julie Webb at their lovely home, Tunstall House. It has been described as ‘a remarkably complete example of a small 17th-century gentry house’. In the afternoon we will visit Belmont, a neo-classical mansion designed by Samuel Wyatt, set in gardens with wonderful views over the North Downs. It is noted for its mementoes of the Harris family and their involvement in the British Empire and includes a superb collection of clocks. Later, members are invited to drinks in the delightful walled garden at Lords, home of John Sell. This will be followed by dinner at Provender with Princess Olga Romanoff, great niece of the last Tsar. This charming timber-framed medieval house has a remarkable vaulted solar, recently restored, as well as an 18th-century wing.

The celebrated gardens at Sissinghurst, created by Vita Sackville-West, remain an inspiration for the lover of the romantic English horticultural style. A special guided visit has been arranged for members.

Following lunch at a typical country pub, a visit is planned to the unspoilt Norman church at Brooke, with its 13th-century wall-paintings and to the remarkable medieval barn at Court Lodge. In the evening, members will be received at Doddington Place, a Victorian mansion set in landscaped gardens, built for Sir John Croft of the port wine company. It is now the home of Richard Oldfield and his wife Amicia, author of the recently-published

‘Twentieth Century Castles in Britain’.

On the Wednesday, we are planning special visits to two houses which are not open to the public. Lady Clark has agreed show us her atmospheric home, moated Saltwood Castle, which dates mainly from the 14th century. The second visit, to a stately 18th-century house, is subject to a decision nearer the time. In the afternoon there will be a tour of Canterbury Cathedral, mother church of Anglican Christianity and scene of Thomas à Becket’s martyrdom, guided by the Head Mason. Dinner will be in one of the 15th-century houses in the Cathedral precincts, by special arrangement.

On the last morning we will visit Nettlestead Place, a romantic 13th-century manor in a beautiful riverside setting. Nearby is Lullingstone Castle, the ancestral home of the Hart-Dyke family, of Tudor origin but elegantly remodelled in the Queen Anne period. Here we will have lunch and a tour of the ‘World Garden’ imaginatively created by plant-hunter and horticulturist Tom Hart-Dyke.

Price: €2,350 Single Room Supplement: €220The tour price includes accommodation at a first class hotel (4 nights) / all meals / ground transport by private coach / guides / entrance fees / gratuities / taxes.

The tour price is based on 20 participants. We hope it will not be necessary, but should the number fall below this we reserve the right to charge a supplement.

Europa Nostra Representative: Mr John Sell

Tour Organiser: Mrs Antonia Lloyd Owen

The tour starts on Sunday, 17 May at 16.00hrs at London Gatwick Airport and ends there on Thursday, 21 May by 15.00hrs. The hotel is convenient for Ebbsfleet International (Eurostar) and Sittingbourne (trains from London Victoria) stations.

Nettlestead Place

Oast Houses, Sissinghurst

Belmont House The Gatehouse, Lullingstone Castle

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Our stay in ‘The Garden of England’ offers a unique opportunity to visit a range of appealing private country homes of architectural or artistic interest, as well as gardens of exceptional beauty. This exclusive tour is arranged by Kent resident and conservation expert John Sell, Vice-President of Europa Nostra and was originally designed by his late wife, Jane Wade.

The hotel selected for this tour is Hempstead House, a comfortable country house hotel in a garden setting near Sittingbourne. The first full day will be devoted to one of the prettiest parts of the county, famous for its orchards. First we shall visit Chilham Castle, a fine Jacobean manor on the site of an ancient castle, restored by the current owners Stuart and Tessa Wheeler.

Chilham Castle Provender (© Provender House)

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Our first hotel is in Cluj, where the Cock Church and Ethnographic Museum offer an introduction to Transylvanian rural tradition. We will drive to the historic town of Turda, for lunch hosted by Pamela Ratiu at the Turda Brewery, a sustainability initiative of the family Foundation. Next we will visit the picturesque village of Rimetea, focus of the Heritage Conservation Project and see the progress of restoration of the Bánffy Castle at Bontida, a major family home administered by the Transylvania Trust. The conservation training centre here received a Europa Nostra prize in 2008.

The following day we set off for Targu Mures, where we will be shown Count Teleki’s remarkable early 19th-century library and the Palace of Culture with its Art Nouveau interior. Lunch will be at the nearby Haller Castle, a country mansion turned hotel. We continue to the well-preserved medieval citadel of Sighisoara, where our hotel overlooks the clock tower and Church on the Hill. Dinner will be at the Apafi Manor in Malancrav, beautifully restored by the Mihai Eminescu Trust, which pioneered efforts to safeguard the ‘Saxon Villages’.

On Sunday morning we will visit atmospheric and unspoilt Viscri (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999). We continue to Prejmer, one of seven walled towns which gave the name ‘Siebenbürgen’ to this area, for lunch by invitation of Dr Hans-Christian Habermann (a Europa Nostra Lifetime Dedicated Service Award Winner in 2011) and the Siebenbürgische-Sächsische Stiftung. Members will be shown the fortified church compounds of Prejmer and neighbouring Harman. Later we will dine with Count Tibor Kalnoky at his family estate in the distinctively Hungarian village of Miklosvar.

We will see the fortified church of Mosna and the impressive UNESCO-listed church and Priest’s House at Biertan, before drinks with Paolo and Giovanna Bassetti, who, since 2005, have restored a number of houses in the nearby village of Copsa Mare. Lunch will be at a typical Saxon farmhouse in Richis, owned by British art historian Lucy Abel Smith. We also plan to visit the richly-endowed church at Medias, with its fine oriental carpets, before arriving at our hotel in Sibiu.

This medieval town remains miraculously intact. Baroque additions, dating from the period of Habsburg rule, include the Brukenthal Palace, with a fine 18th-century collection of furnishings and paintings. Participants will have special entrance to the conservation workshop at the ASTRA open air Museum of Folk Civilisation while at nearby Sibiel we will see the remarkable Zosim Oancea Museum of Icons on Glass.

Depending on flight schedules, there should be time to explore the old town of Alba Iulia on the last morning.

Exploring Transylvania17 – 23 September 2015

Price: €1,820 Single Room Supplement: €190

The tour price includes accommodation at comfortable hotels in Cluj (2 nights) and Sighiasoara (2 nights) and at a first-class hotel in Sibiu (2 nights) / all meals except one dinner / ground transport by private coach / guides / entrance fees / gratuities / taxes.

The tour price is based on 20 participants. We hope it will not be necessary, but should the number fall below this we reserve the right to charge a supplement.

Europa Nostra Representative: Mr Tom Henkemans

Tour Organiser: Mrs Harriet Landseer

The tour starts on Thursday, 17 September at the Hotel Opera Plaza, Cluj and ends at Cluj-Napoca Airport on Tuesday, 23 September by 14.00hrs.

The Brukenthal Palace, Sibiu

The Weisskirch, ViscriThe Teleki Library, Targu Mures

The lovely, unspoilt landscape and timeless way of life of rural Romania, is now rare in Europe. This special tour will focus on the future of the spell-binding ‘Saxon Villages’ with their fortified churches, cobbled streets and gabled manor houses. Another highlight will be visits to a number of fascinating historic family properties.

Fortified Chuch, Biertan

Apafi Manor (© Mihail Erminescu Trust)

Inner Walls, Harman

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This tour evokes the ‘lost’ world of the Sicilian aristocracy, as we visit remarkable palaces and country houses which have remained in private hands for generations - and learn of the challenges in their upkeep. Although not focusing on the great classical sites of Sicily, we will absorb much of the history and culture of this endlessly fascinating island.

Our planned introduction to the capital, Palermo, is an exclusive visit to the Palatine Chapel of Palazzo dei Normanni, celebrated for its superb Byzantine mosaics and intricate painted ceiling, of Islamic inspiration. We shall be staying at a converted palace close to the Baroque crossroads of the ‘Quattro Canti’, the church of La Martorana, with its spectacular 12th-century mosaics and the richly-decorated Counter Reformation church of Santa Caterina. Dinner will be at the splendid 17th-century Palazzo Mazzarino, as guests of Marchese Berlingieri.

After a visit to the imposing 14th-century Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri, palace of the Aragonese-Spanish viceroys, we continue to the evocative former home of the author of ‘The Leopard’, Giuseppe di Lampedusa. We will be received for lunch by his adopted son, Professor Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi and his wife, who have patiently restored the palace and the author’s library. In the afternoon we will visit Palazzo Mirto, with its Chinese Room. Later we will walk to the vast Palazzo Gangi, famous as the location of the ballroom scene in Visconti’s 1963 film of ‘The Leopard’, where Burt Lancaster dances with Claudia Cardinale. It is now the home of Princess Carine di San Vincenzo, who employs a team of full-time restorers.

On the following day, we will be shown the Baroque oratories of Santa Zita and San Domenico, remarkable for their stucco decoration by the Sicilian master, Giacomo Serpotta. Nearby is Palazzo Branciforte, recently restored by architect Gae Aulenti, with a fine archaeological collection and important library.

After lunch there will be a guided tour of the Teatro Massimo, masterpiece of Ernesto Basile. Members have been invited to dine at the Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata, which dates from the 15th century, but was later renovated in the rococo, neo Classical, neo-Gothic and even Modernist taste. Our hostess is Princess Signoretta Alliata.

Leaving Palermo, we drive to Bagheria, once a summer resort for the aristocracy. Many of their palatial villas are in a sad state of dilapidation, but we will be received for lunch at the magnificent Villa Valguarnera, as guests of Antea and Marco Kinloch. Next, we continue across the interior of Sicily, to our hotel on the ‘island’ of Ortigia, site of the original city of Syracuse, and the focus of restoration in recent years.

From here there will be a visit and lunch at ‘Il Biviere’, country home of Princess Maria-Carla Borghese, who has created a magical garden from reclaimed land. A day’s excursion to explore the beautifully-preserved small Baroque cities of Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Noto is also planned. The final highlights will be dinner with Baron Pietro Beneventano at his spectacular 18th-century palace in Syracuse and a special visit to the elegant family-owned Palazzo Biscari in Catania.

Price: €2,990 Single Room Supplement: €295

The tour price includes accommodation at first class hotels in Palermo (3 nights) & Syracuse (3 nights) / all meals except one dinner / ground transport by private coach / guides / entrance fees / gratuities / taxes.

The tour price is based on 22 participants. We hope it will not be necessary, but should the number fall below this we reserve the right to charge a supplement.

Europa Nostra Representative: Dr. Reina van Ditzhuyzen

Tour Organiser: Miss Frances Roxburgh

The tour starts on Thursday, 29 October at 17.30 hrs at the Hotel Centrale Palace, Palermo and ends at Catania Airport on Wednesday. 4 November by 14.00hrs.

Ragusa Ibla

Villa Valguarnera

Salon, Palazzo Biscari Biblioteca, Palazzo Branciforte

Palazzo Beneventano, Syracuse

Sicilian Palaces & Country Villas29 October – 4 November 2015

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Booking ConditionsThe tours featured in this brochure are operated by Specialtours at The Ultimate Travel Company Limited, which is registered in England under company number 3528325.

SuppliersThe Ultimate Travel Company Limited acts only as agent for the owners of accommodation and services provided, for all carriers by air or otherwise and for road transport proprietors, and all bookings must be accepted subject to the ticket or transport conditions and regulations of the carriers or transport proprietors, and also subject to the laws of the country in which such carriage or other facility is required.

CancellationYou or any member of your party may cancel your tour at any time providing that the cancellation is made by the person who signed the booking form and is communicated in writing. Cancellation charges, based upon the length of time prior to departure when said cancellation is received, will apply. The sum due, shown below, is stated as a percentage of the total tour cost.

More than 70 days Deposit

69 to 30 days 50%

29 to 15 days 75%

14 days or less 100%

If you are obliged to cancel you may, with reasonable notice, transfer your booking to a third party who satisfies any conditions necessary to take that tour; in which case we reserve the right to levy an administration charge.

Alterations by The Ultimate Travel CompanyWe will do our utmost to provide the tour arrangements that have been confirmed, but we must retain the right to modify or cancel any tour, flight schedule, accommodation or arrangement should unforeseen circumstances amounting to ‘force majeure’ arise. In such circumstance we will inform you as soon as possible, and, should the change be such that it alters the nature of the tour, we will give you the choice of an alternative tour or a full refund of all monies paid. In recognition we will absorb all financial loss, except personal expenditure, consequent upon cancellation due to

‘force majeure’. We shall not cancel any tour for reason of political tension or natural disaster unless specifically recommended to do so by the relevant government office.

Tour CancellationThe price of a tour is based on a varying minimum number of passengers travelling. If the minimum number is not reached, at least 8 weeks prior to the scheduled departure date we will either cancel the tour and offer a full refund, or we may propose a supplementary charge which, subject to passengers agreement, will enable the tour to operate.

Our LiabilitiesWe do not exclude or limit any liability to our clients which may arise from proven negligence by any person employed directly by us or by our suppliers and subcontractors, servants or agents of the same whilst acting in the course or their employment (other than air and sea carriers performing any domestic internal or international carriage of whatsoever kind) in respect of death, bodily injury or illness. Such liabilities shall be subject to English law and all proceedings shall be within the exclusive domain of the English courts.We shall endeavour to afford general assistance to our clients in the event of illness, injury or death during the period of the tour. We accept responsibility for ensuring that all parts of the tour are supplied as described and that all services shall reach a reasonable standard. These obligations and responsibilities shall be limited to where international conventions in respect of air or sea carriers apply. We do not assume responsibility for loss or expense due to war, riot, strike, terrorist activity or natural disaster.

Travel InsuranceWe believe travel insurance is essential and reserve the right to cancel a booking if cover is not obtained. Care should be taken to ensure you have adequate cover particularly for cancellation and emergency repatriation in the event of medical problems.

Complaints & ArbitrationWe endeavour to resolve any complaints on the spot, however if the matter cannot be resolved please write our Managing Director, Nick Van Gruisen, within 14 days of the end of the tour. We will endeavour to resolve the problem as promptly as possible. In the unlikely event that the problem is not amicably resolved the case may be referred to arbitration, if the customer so wishes, under a special Scheme arranged by the Association of British Travel Agents and provided by CEDR Solve, Europe's leading commercial and workplace mediation service.

The scheme provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the customer in respect of costs.

The Scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £5,000 per person. There is also a limit of £25,000 per booking form. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences. The Scheme can however deal with compensation claims which include an element of minor injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,500 on the amount the arbitrator can award per person in respect of this element. The application for arbitration and Statement of Claim must be received by ABTA, who will forward them to CEDR Solve, within eighteen months of the date of return from the holiday. Outside this time limit arbitration under the Scheme may still be available if the company agrees, but the ABTA Code does not require such agreement. Full details will be provided on request or can be obtained from the ABTA website (www.abta.com).

Baggage & Personal EffectsThese remain your responsibility and risk at all times.

Final NoteThe tour organiser, in conjunction with the appropriate medical advice if applicable and in consultation with Europa Nostra, has the right to disqualify any client at any time during the course of the tour, if considered necessary for the medical well being or safety of the individual or in the tour organiser’s opinion, the client’s actions are materially affecting the enjoyment of the tour for the remainder of the group. Any decision with regard to any reimbursement for any part of the tour not completed will be decided between the Managing Director of The Ultimate Travel Company Limited and the tour organiser.

Data Protection StatementPlease be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal booking information held by us.

Full details of our data protection policy are available upon request.

Making a BookingMaking a bookingAs places on each of the three tours are limited, especially single accommodation, we recommend that initially you telephone us on 0044 (0)20 7386 4690 or email us on info@specialtours.co.uk to make a reservation.

Thereafter, please complete the booking form and forward it to The Ultimate Travel Company Limited. At this stage a non-refundable deposit of €350 per person is required, payable by bank transfer or debit / credit card as indicated on the booking form. We have the facility to accept payment by most major credit and debit cards and are now able to take these payments in Euros at no additional charge. If you are booking less than eight weeks prior to departure the full cost of the tour is payable.

On receipt of your booking form and deposit we will confirm your booking in writing, then no less than 10 weeks before departure we shall send you further information relevant to the tour you have booked, together with a final invoice which will also show any surcharges due (if applicable). You must pay the invoice within 14 days of the invoice date otherwise we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and apply the cancellation conditions as set out below.

Your travel documents will be dispatched approximately 10 days before the date on which the tour actually begins.

Fitness to travelWhilst we do not impose any age limitations on joining a tour, participants must be reasonably fit. The very nature of the sightseeing involved in our tours (and the difficulties of direct access by coach in various places) means that a considerable amount of walking and standing is unavoidable on almost all tours. We regret that our tours are not suitable for people who have difficulty in walking, may require wheelchair assistance at any time, or are unable to keep pace with the group.

If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a tour, please make this known to us before you book and we will advise you accordingly. The Ultimate Travel Company reserves the right to decline a reservation without necessarily giving a reason.

Passport, Visas & HealthAll clients are personally responsible for ensuring that they have a valid passport / identity card, any required visa, and conform to the health regulations required by the relevant country.

Europa Nostra The Voice of Cultural Heritage in Europe

In a globalised world cultural heritage is vital to a better understanding and a deeper respect between Europe's citizens. Cultural heritage builds bridges between past, present and future generations, and represents beauty, enchantment and meaning, all vital elements in everybody's life.

In 50 years, Europa Nostra has built a pan-European network of 250 member organisations (heritage associations and foundations with a combined membership of more than five milliuon people), 150 associated organisations (governmental bodies, local authorities and corporations) and also 1500 individual members who directly support our mission.

Europa Nostra is a partner of the European Union, the Council of Europe and UNESCO in heritage matters. We celebrate the best of cultural heritage achievements through our annual awards, we campaign against the many threats to Europe's built and natural heritage, and we offer opportunities for sharing your cultural heritage experiences and concerns through our network, website, magazines and public debates.

The Europa Nostra Heritage Tours are exclusively created for, and especially tailored to, Europa Nostra's Individual Members and offer high quality and value. Members of Europa Nostra Member Organisations may also join these tours. Every booking on these tours financially benefits the Hans de Koster Mobility Fund for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the important activities related to Heritage in Danger.

For full details about Europa Nostra's rapidly expanding activities, please visit our website:

www.europanostra.org

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For further details and reservations, please

contact: 0044 (0)20 7386 4690 or

info@specialtours.co.uk

Specialtours at The Ultimate Travel Company25 - 27 Vanston Place, London SW6 1AZ T 0044 (0) 20 7386 4690 E info@specialtours.co.ukwww.specialtours.co.uk