Art & Literature Trip to Northern Italy: 4 days, 3 nights

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What you’ll experience: Padua, one of Italy’s oldest cities, is celebrated for its historic university, stunning frescoes, and vibrant squares filled with cafes and markets.

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What you’ll experience: Italy’s second oldest university founded in1222. Widely accepted to be the birthplace of modern medicine & a well- respected centre for learning in Shakespearean times.

Select says: Wander the walkways of the university site to get a feel for the Padua of Shakespeare’s day

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What you’ll experience: The Scrovegni Chapel’s frescoes dating back to the fourteenth century cover the entire internal walls and are regarded as a masterpiece, initiating the Italian Renaissance art movement. The frescoes depict the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary with a colour palate which remains incredibly vibrant to this day. The chapel is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Select says: Comparable to the Sistine Chapel this is not to be missed!

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What you’ll experience: Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage city, is famed for its Roman amphitheatre, medieval charm, and its romantic links to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

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What you’ll experience: An impressive & remarkably well- preserved Roman amphitheatre originally built to host gladiatorial games & public spectacles and once accommodating up to 30,000 people.

Select says: The arena pre-dates the Colosseum in Rome

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What you’ll experience: Visit the famed balcony from Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”.

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What you’ll experience: This museum contains cycles of frescoes from the middle ages as well as being the site of “Juliet’s Tomb” where legend dictates that the bodies of Romeo and Juliet were placed.

Select says: One third of Shakespeare’s plays are set in Italy

Subject range: Art, Design, History

What you’ll experience: A fine example of Romanesque architecture, this stunning church was constructed to honour the city’s patron saint, Saint Zeno.

Select says: Reputed to be the site of the marriage of Romeo & Juliet.

Subject range: Art, Design, History

Verona’s modern art gallery featuring works produced between 1840 & 1940. Access the gallery via the striking Scala della Ragioni medieval staircase.

Select says: View works by Giorgio Morandi, Umberto Boccioni and Francesco Hayez

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What you’ll experience: Venice is a unique Italian city built on canals, renowned for its gondolas, historic architecture, and rich cultural heritage.

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What you’ll experience: Considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world, St Mark’s is a fascinating example of rich Venetian historical, artistic and architectural heritage. Admire the Gothic Doge’s Palace & enjoy views over the city from the top of the Campanile.

Select says: The ancient & famed Ponte di Rialto is only 600 metres from the Square

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What you’ll experience: Be bowled over by this awe-inspiring cathedral with its incredibly lavish interior and exterior decoration of over 8,000 square metres of glittering golden mosaics.

Select says: Don’t forget to look up – the ceiling is one of the most resplendent aspects

Subject range: Art, History

What you’ll experience: Home to one of the most important collections of Venetian art. View works from the 14^th to the 18^th century by artists such as Titian, Bellini and Da Vinci.

Select says: Gain an insight into the history of Venice through each painting.

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What you’ll experience: Travel by boat to the island of Murano and see the collection of beautiful Venetian glass at the Glass Museum. Continue on to Burano famed for its lace making and charming brightly coloured houses.

Select says: Stroll through the streets of Burano to find lace workshops

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What you’ll experience: The Rialto Market in Venice is a bustling, centuries-old marketplace where locals and visitors browse vibrant stalls of fresh produce, seafood, and regional delicacies.

Select says: Set along the Grand Canal near the iconic Rialto Bridge, it offers an authentic glimpse into the city’s daily life and culinary traditions.

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What you’ll experience: Sirmione, perched on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Garda, is a picturesque Italian town famed for its thermal baths, medieval Scaliger Castle, and stunning lakeside views.