Flights
Exhibition
Van Dyck, the European
Genoa, Italy
Palazzo Ducale
20 March 2026 - 19 July 2026
Italy’s most important maritime centre and the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, Genoa was ruled by powerful Doges for 500 years. Their legacy is apparent today in the historic centre with its magnificent museums and palazzi, which stand side-by-side with humble alleyways known as 'carruggi’. It was once a key stop on the Grand Tour, and among the artists, poets and authors who lived here was the Flemish master Anthony Van Dyck.
This spring, the Palazzo Ducale will host the most extensive monographic exhibition in the past 25 years dedicated to the painter, featuring 50 of his paintings on loan from 32 museums across 22 cities. Works have travelled from the Louvre in Paris, the Prado in Madrid, and the National Gallery in London, and include three paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck’s teacher.
Price based on direct Genoa flights from Stansted. Please speak to an expert if you prefer to travel via Milan or Pisa.
Visit the exhibition on a Kirker Short Break
We would be delighted to arrange a tailor-made short break to include entrance tickets for the exhibition, see our suggested package below.
What's included
Transfers
Accommodation
Exhibition tickets
Kirker Concierge
Guide Notes
Local Taxes: Please note that the majority of destinations have now imposed a local Tourist Tax, which guests are obliged to pay directly to the hotel upon check-out as part of your extras bill. The charge ranges from approximately €2 to €15 (i.e.approx £2 to £14) per person per day; depending on destination and hotel star rating. Please note that local governments reserve the right to amend charges from time to time.
Grand Hotel Savoia
superior
Genoa, Italy
One of Genoa’s leading hotels, the Grand Savoia dates from the early 20th century. It enjoys a commanding position in the centre of the city, close to via Balbi which leads to via Garibaldi, lined with imposing and majestic palazzi which were once the homes of rich and powerful merchants.
Speak to an Italy specialist
Contact our expert team for first-hand advice and a tailor-made quotation.
Katherine Wales
Reservations Consultant
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
Villas & Gardens Around Rome
Rome
Italy not only has many of the greatest 16th and 17th century gardens in Europe, it also has some which have been extensively restored and indeed created in the 20th century. We visit two of these at Ninfa and La Landriana.
5 nights price from £2645 per person
Departs: 11 May 2026, 12 Oct 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
The Italian Lakes - Gardens & Villas of Lakes Como & Maggiore
Lake Como
One has to go far to find a more perfect and peaceful landscape than the shores of Lake Como, where this tour is based. Tranquil, serene and timeless, the mountains that fringe the crystal waters provide a dramatic backdrop, as do the countless pristine villas that stretch up the hillsides from the lake shores.
5 nights price from £3659 per person
Departs: 12 Apr 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
Roman Cuisine with Valentina Harris
Rome
Chef, writer and broadcaster Valentina Harris grew up and learned her cooking skills in Rome, a city which has an extraordinary culinary tradition dating back two millennia. This carefully-crafted new itinerary will take you...
5 nights price from £3198 per person
Departs: 12 Oct 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
Opera at La Scala, Milan
Milan
La Scala, Milan is, for most opera lovers, the world’s most revered and important opera house. The theatre opened in 1778 with a performance of an opera by Salieri and since then, many of the greatest Italian operas have received their first performance on its hallowed stage.
4 nights price from £2445 per person
Departs: 13 Jul 2026, 10 Oct 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
An Insider's Rome
Rome
Our new tour to The Eternal City, led by art historian and adopted-Roman Caroline Howard, will showcase the city’s rich and varied cultural history from the perspective of a local expert.
5 nights price from £2849 per person
Departs: 23 Mar 2026, 16 Nov 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
Sicily - An Enigmatic Island
Syracuse, Agrigento, Palermo
The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s strategic importance has given it a violent, eventful and colourful history. Doric temples, Roman mosaics, elegant and powerful Norman architecture and a wealth of Baroque and Renaissance palaces and churches are a reminder of its great past.
9 nights price from £4980 per person
Departs: 4 Oct 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
The Kirker John Hall Venice Course, Week 1: Art & History
Venice
The first of our two weeks in Venice with Charlie Hall provides a fascinating in-depth introduction to the art, architecture and history of La Serenissima in the company of world-class experts, as well as a day in Ravenna, last capital of the Western Roman Empire.
5 nights price from £3265 per person
Departs: 15 Nov 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
The Puccini Opera Festival
Lucca
The Puccini Festival in Lucca, Italy, is a grand celebration of Giacomo Puccini's operas, with this year's 72nd edition of the festival featuring renowned performances of Turandot, Tosca, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, and La Fanciulla del West. The festival takes place annually at the Gran Teatro Giacomo Puccini in Torre del Lago, near Lucca, from July to September. This festival is a tribute to Puccini's legacy, offering a chance to experience his operas in an open-air setting on the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli, where he composed them. The festival is a must-visit for opera lovers and music enthusiasts, providing a magical experience in a picturesque Tuscan town.
4 nights price from £3369 per person
Departs: 3 Sep 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
The Kirker John Hall Venice Course
Venice
An immersion in the art, music, cuisine and culture of Venice, our new two-week itinerary in conjunction with John Hall Venice is much more than an art tour, it is a unique opportunity to take a closer look at La Serenissima in the company of world-class experts.
13 nights price from £7789 per person
Departs: 15 Nov 2026
What's Included
Cultural Tours & Music Holidays
The Science of the Renaissance
Florence
Encounter the great scientific minds and discoveries of the Renaissance, which helped cement Italy's role at the forefront of scientific endeavour – from Brunelleschi and Botticelli to polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei.
5 nights price from £3196 per person
Departs: 16 Apr 2026
What's Included
Speak to an expert - 020 7593 2288
Our expert reservations team regularly travel to a wide range of destinations to explore new cities, visit hotels and to research museums, galleries and restaurants so that we can offer the most up-to-date advice and recommendations.
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