Arrive into Granada and make your way to your hotel…Check in time is 2 pm

Sercotel Palacio de los Gamboa

Plaza de Gamboa, s/n esquina, C. Escudo del Carmen, 18009 Granada, Spain

Located in an old two-story palace that distributes its 68 rooms around two beautiful patios. Around us, the Cathedral, the Albaicín or the Monastery of San Jerónimo. Sercotel Palacio de los Gamboa features a charming Andalusian courtyard with a fountain and colorful glass roof. Your Classic Rooms are air-conditioned and feature elegant, classic-style décor. Each room has satellite TV and a mini-bar. The spacious bathrooms include a hairdryer and toiletries. Free wifi.

https://www.sercotelhoteles.com/es/hotel-sercotel-palacio-de-los-gamboa

We meet later on this evening to enjoy a Welcome Dinner.

Please Note that you might want to arrive a pre tour night so you are rested and ready to go for the tour…if you do want a pre tour night, please request this on the registration form asap to secure it.

One of the most beautiful gems of architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens started as far back as the 13th Century by the Nasrites. The Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs (Ferdinand and Isabel) conquered the city of Granada. The summer palace is called Generalife. The Generalife is the most charming corner of the Alhambra, thanks to its gardens, ponds and fast-flowing water. In fact, the name of the main courtyard is the Patio de la Acequia – Courtyard of the Water Channel – in reference to the water which coursed through the villa before supplying the Alhambra below. It stands at the foot of Spain’s highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada. The Alhambra (Arabic root meaning ‘red’ or ‘crimson’) and Generalife both became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.

Did you know? The word “Generalife” has been translated as “garden of paradise“, “orchard” or “garden of feasts“.

https://www.alhambra.org/en/alhambra-information.html

Then back to our hotel for the rest of the day and evening on your own.

Breakfast included, Lunch and Dinner on own

Pack up this evening, check safe and power adaptors you may have used.

Cordoba’s hour of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of El-Andalus, and this was when work began on the Great Mosque, or “Mezquita” in 785, which – after several centuries of additions and enlargements – became one of the largest in all of Islam. When the city was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city were so awed by its beauty that they left it standing, building their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns, and creating the extraordinary church-mosque we see today. The Mezquita de Cordoba is most notable for its giant arches and its forest of over 856 (of an original 1,293) columns of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite. These were taken from the Roman temple which had previously occupied the site and other destroyed Roman buildings. The Mezquita also features richly gilded prayer niches. But the Mezquita’s most interesting feature is certainly the mihrab, a domed shrine of Byzantine mosaics built by Al Hakam II (961-76). It once housed the Koran and relics of Muhammad. In front of the Mihrab is the Maksoureh, a kind of anteroom for the caliph and his court; its mosaics and plasterwork make it a masterpiece of Islamic art.https://mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es/en/

As well as the unique mosque-cathedral, Cordoba’s treasures include the Alcazar, or Royal House, built by the Christians in 1328. The Alcazar served as one of the primary residences of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. From 1490 to 1821 the Inquisition operated from here. Today the castle’s gardens are among the most beautiful in Andalucía and also take time to enjoy the Roman mosaics…they are truly special. In a hall which housed the former chapel of the Inquisitions there are exhibited a magnificent collection of Roman mosaic art from the 2nd and 3rd century AD. The collection was discovered under Corredera Square in the city in 1959 and once belonged to a wealthy Roman Mansion. Outside the main castle walls the gardens occupy 55.000 square metres. It is certainly a very relaxing place to wander. There is a wide variety of plants, palm trees, cypresses, orange and lemon, trees to be seen which overlook stone fountains and large ponds. Originally the water was brought in by an aqueduct from the Sierra Morena and the great Albolafia waterwheel in the River Guadalquivir nearby helped with the supply. The large ponds were added in the 19th century.https://alcazardelosreyescristianos.cordoba.es/?id=3

Then we enjoy Lunch with a wine tasting.

…and a floral feast for the eyes, the Palacio de los Viana.

We enjoy guided visits of the Alcazar and Mezquita and a quiet joyful time to wander on our own through the many gardens of Viana. This 17th-century palace is one of Córdoba’s most splendid aristocratic homes. Also known as the Museo de los Patios, it contains 12 interior patios, each one different; the patios and gardens are planted with cypresses, orange trees, and myrtles and more. I was so delighted to see this that I bought a book on the patio gardens here…well worth it! https://www.palaciodeviana.com/

Hotel NH Amistad – Superior Room – 1 Night

History surrounds you the second you step inside the NH Collection Amistad Córdoba hotel. Made up of two 18th century palaces, its traditional courtyards are filled with flowers and shaded by orange trees, archways and woodwork have been restored to their 18th-century glory, with a few carefully-chosen modern touches. Plus it’s right in the historic heart of Córdoba, 5 minutes’ walk from the city’s shops. Our quiet, contemporary-style rooms all come with views of our pretty courtyards, Maimonides Square or the historic wall which once separated the Jewish and Christian sections of Cordoba. Our stylish courtyard café offers up delicious local dishes while our 2 open-air patios are a wonderful place to unwind with a drink. https://www.nh-collection.com/hotel/nh-collection-amistad-cordoba

Breakfast and Lunch with wine tasting included, Dinner on own Pack up this evening, check safe and power adaptors you may have used.

Sit back, enjoy the spectacular Mediterranean views from our coach as we make our way out of Barcelona to the Botanical Gardens of Marimurtra.

Located in Blanes, in Costa Brava, the Marimurtra Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens on the Mediterranean. At the top of steep cliffs running along the sea, you can enjoy one of the most spectacular panoramic views over the coastline and get to know more than four thousand plant species, most of them exotic ones, as well as several specimens that are extraordinary because of their age or size. Marimurtra is the work of a man with a passion for nature. Carl Faust was a businessman residing in Catalonia who devoted his hopes, his efforts and all his fortune to make his dream come true, the Botanical Garden Marimurtra.

https://marimurtra.cat/en/

Tossa de Mar – Some leisure stroll time in this glorious seaside resort before our Lunch.

Before becoming a tourist resort, Tossa de Mar was a small fishing village, and before this, was involved in various other industries such as cork, food preservation, charcoal burning, wine making and olive oil production. At one time, Tossa even had a fleet of boats which traded with other Mediterranean ports and America. Another important part of Tossa’s history was the filming of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman in the 1950s, with Ava Gardner and James Mason in starring roles. At one of the most spectacularly astounding viewpoints of the Vila Vella, there is a magnificent bronze statue of the renowned American actress, Ava Gardner. A tranquil stroll around the old town reveals a multitude of intricately interwoven alley ways laden with plants, each leading to it’s own spectacular pine framed view of the bay of Tossa, lapped by the sparkling topaz blue Mediterranean, sunlight drizzling through the branches. It is one of the most enchanting villages you will ever walk around in…

We finish off this exquisitely relaxed day with a guided visit to Santa Clotilde Gardens in Lloret de Mar.

This wonderful garden was landscaped in a setting of great beauty on top of a cliff with breath taking views over the sea. It is a fine specimen of the spirit that animated the Noucentista movement in Calalonia – an early 20th century movement for intellectual and aesthetic renewal that found a distinguished spokesman in the writer Eugeni d’Ors. The Santa Clotilde gardens were designed in the manner of the dainty yet austere gardens of the Italian Renaissance by Nicolau Rubió i Tuduri at the age of twenty-eight, when he was still brimming over with admiration for his master in the art of landscape gardening, JCN Forestier. In these gardens, Rubió ignored Forestier’s teachings with their Spanish-Arabic slant mixed up with images of the French garden, as he had seen when working with Forestier, and instead sought to recover the spirit of the Italian Renaissance as the essence of modernity. A new bourgeoisie was then emerging, looking back nostalgically on the prestige enjoyed by patrons of the arts during the Renaissance. The garden greets us with a blend of features from the Villa Medici, the Villa Borghese and perhaps the Boboli gardens as well – Florence was where one went for inspiration at the time. The spirit of romanticism underlies the garden, expressed in the marble bust glimpsed amid the vines, looking out to sea with its back to us – another delightful parody of that romantic sentiment of union with nature, closer to Leopardi than to his master C.D. Friedrich. These gardens, work on which began before the house, feature a collection of marble statues in the neo-classical style and the mermaids by the sculptress Maria Llimona. All the paths, avenues, squares and steps are set off by clipped hedges that form splendid green architectural shapes.

https://barcelonanavigator.com/santa-clotilde-gardens/

Then we make our way back to our hotel…renewed in spirit and basking in the memories. Evening at your leisure.

Breakfast and Lunch included with Dinner on own.

Barcelona is very easy to walk around and enjoy and our hotel is very close to great shopping venues as well. Make your own memories today as you stroll, remember to look up as you walk too or you will miss some great architectural features. Cafes seem to be on every street corner and as I walked along the streets I had the distinct feeling I was at home…Barcelona can do that to you.

Breakfast included, Lunch and Dinner on own.

Today, our last day together, I want to share two very special places we will visit…both so special and so utterly unique.

Casa Milà, popularly known as ‘La Pedrera’, is probably one of the most famous buildings of the Catalan Modernisme or Catalan Art Nouveau period and one of the architect Antoni Gaudí’s most ambitious works. It is a structure that is a work of art in itself. Gaudí planned Casa Milà (1906–1912) at the age of fifty-three, when he was at the height of his powers and had found a style of his own – independent of any established ones. It turned out to be his last civil work and one of the most innovative in its functional, constructive and ornamental aspects. Indeed, thanks to his artistic and technical ideas, it has always been considered a breakthrough work, outside the concepts of the time, a rara avis in Modernisme itself and, especially, a work that anticipated the architecture of the 20th century.

https://www.lapedrera.com/en/home

and ever wonder what it is like to live there?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/29/world/europe/barcelona-gaudi-la-pedrera-casa-mila.html

and

https://thisisglamorous.com/2022/08/design-history-decor-inspiration-the-last-resident-of-casa-mila-ana-viladomiu-barcelona-designed-by-antoni-gaudi.html/

and lastly

https://www.througheternity.com/en/blog/history/barcelona-casa-mila-la-pedrera-gaudi-guide.html

And Finally…

The Palau de la Música Catalana is one of the most representative monuments of Art Nouveau architecture. An emblematic building of the Catalan Modernism, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. Built between 1905 and 1908 by the great architect Lluis Domènech i Montaner, the Palau de la Música Catalana is an architectural jewel of Barcelona. Our guided tours starts in the Rehearsal Hall of the Orfeó Catala, where the foundation stone of the building was laid in 1905 and where even today, as it has for more than 100 years, the choir of the Orfeó Català rehearses regularly. Sitting in this intimate space, you can find out the reason for its importance with an audiovisual tour. The tour continues along the grand staircase decorated with flowers, Catalan flags and a single rail: built in a clever combination of a range of materials including iron and glass to create a world of detail which never ceases to amaze. Next we’ll visit the Lluís Millet Hall, where you can glimpse the large balcony with columns symbolizing flowers of every kind, in a tribute to nature. Finally we’ll go into the Concert Hall where an explosion of colour, shapes and light will welcome you to this great masterpiece of decorative art which amazes and inspires visitors and artists day after day. You will also go up to the second floor, next to the great skylight a drop of water and honey, a source of both light and inspiration. And finally the organ of the Palau, overlooking the room, will accompany you on a little musical journey. What an ending to a magical tour!

https://www.palaumusica.cat/en/the-art-nouveau-building_23602

We will all then enjoy our final Farewell Lunch together – a time to say goodbye to old and new friends, toast a wonderful tour and make our way back to our hotel.

Breakfast and Farewell Lunch Included with Dinner on your own

Or you may have chosen to stay on. If you want to use the same hotel do let me know so I can confirm post tour nights for you.

Your Hotel… Holiday Inn London – Kensington High Street, Wrights Lane, London in Premium Rooms

After arrival into London please make your way to your hotel. Check in 3 pm and if you arrive earlier they will hold your luggage. Once in your room, unpack that bag and put it away…you won’t need to see it again for 8 nights.

Located steps from Kensington’s popular and stylish High Street, minutes from the nearest tube station and walking distance to London attractions such as Kensington Palace & Gardens, Hyde Park, The Royal Albert Hall, Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum & Science Museum. The Boulevard Restaurant serves hot full English & Continental buffet breakfast every day, and delicious contemporary European dishes for lunch or dinner.  Also Lounge Bar and Open Lobby Café.

https://www.hilondonkensington.com/

The simplest and most economical way to get to the Holiday Inn Hotel is to take the underground from the London Heathrow Airport at whatever terminal – Piccadilly Line to Earls Court then change to District Line getting off at the High Street Kensington Station where you will find not only Boots but Marks & Spencer with a great food hall. Hotel is a short walk through the back of the station. Note: Stairs at the various stations. If more than one person you may want to share a cab but it is expensive.

After breakfast we will leave by coach for our visit to this delightfully plant packed garden. You are free to wander the gardens on your own.  There is so much to see here including the new Welcome Building.  You can see it here… https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/welcome-building

Wisley was founded by Victorian businessman and RHS member George Ferguson Wilson, who purchased a 60-acre site in 1878. He established the “Oakwood Experimental Garden” on part of the site, where he attempted to “make difficult plants grow successfully”. Wilson died in 1902 and Oakwood was purchased by Sir Thomas Hanbury, the creator of the celebrated garden La Mortola on the Italian Riviera which I have had the pleasure of visiting. He gave both sites to the RHS the following year. Wisley is now a large and diverse garden covering 240 acres. In addition to numerous formal and informal decorative gardens, several glasshouses and an extensive arboretum, it includes small scale “model gardens” which are intended to show visitors what they can achieve in their own gardens, and a trials field where new cultivars are assessed.

We should be there at the perfect time for the Rhododendrons and Azaleas and you will have time to enjoy the gardens on your own and have lunch on your own at their fabulous café with views to the gardens. Be sure to check out the new exotic garden…I love it. The garden will showcase a diverse range of plants, from palms and bananas to vibrant flowers such as dahlias, cannas and gazanias. Providing an alluring contrast from the nearby Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden and Cottage Garden, the oasis will feature more than 100 species originating from tropical areas as far as Brazil and South Africa in an array of bold shapes and textures. A gorgeous place to wander and just be…

Return back to hotel.

Breakfast included, lunch on own and Our Welcome Dinner – 3 courses with glass of wine

‘In a house, each room can be quite different to the next, both in appearance and purpose. Each section of a garden can also vary in its appearance and purpose. This is how some of the best landscape designers think of gardens.

Rooms or sections of a garden can be separated by hedges, dense shrubberies, trellis or walls of stone, timber or any other material. The floor of a garden may be covered with gravel, lawn, paving, creepers, low shrubs or even water. The roof is most often the sky; but it could also be the interlocking canopy of large trees or the framework of some other structure such as an arched walk or pergola.

One of the best examples of the outdoor room concept is Hidcote Manor, near Stratford upon Avon in England. Even if you only have a small garden, you can find inspiration in some of Hidcote’s smaller outdoor rooms.

There are 28 distinct garden areas at Hidcote. The series of smaller hedged gardens close to the house are particularly inspiring. Soon after entering Hidcote, most people find themselves at the circle garden. From this point, paths lead in two main directions; one through the Red Borders to the stilt garden, and the other down a series of terraces to the bathing pool garden.’ Café and Garden Center.

https://www.acsgarden.com/articles/garden-travel/hidcote-a-garden-with-many-rooms.aspx

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote

Three Generations of Women Gardeners …

Perched on the edge of the Cotswold Hills, Kiftsgate Court is a family home and garden that has been loved and cultivated by the same family for over 100 years. Three generations of women gardeners have left their mark, each building on the legacy of the previous owner. When Jack and Heather Muir bought the Grecian-fronted Victorian house in 1919, Heather, without any horticultural training, started to layout the Kiftsgate garden straight away. Instead of a lawn, she planted semi-formal beds of roses and other flowers, a Tapestry Hedge with a mix of beech, yew and plain and variegated holly, and a Rose Border full of unusual varieties. Heather’s horticultural aesthetic favored the Arts & Crafts Movement which emphasized perennials and plants chosen for their adaptability, including drought tolerant cistus, spiky agaves and other Mediterranean style plantings. She was encouraged by her friend and next-door neighbor at Hidcote, Lawrence Johnston, and other notable garden designers including Norah Lindsay and Vita Sackville-West—who planted the enormous and famous Kiftsgate Rose (Rosa filipes) at Sissinghurst.

Heather’s daughter, Diany Binny continued the family gardening tradition during the 1950s and quickly became an accomplished plants woman. She extended the planting, creating paths and replanting more borders with shrubs and herbaceous plants and re-fashioned the White Sunk Garden with a pool and fountain. Since the late 1980s, her daughter Anne Chambers and her husband Johnny have brought the garden into the 21st century. They introduced plants that flower year-round and are suited to warmer winters. They also created a new Water Garden with a sculpture by Simon Allison, a woodland with plants from the Scilly Isles, an avenue of tulip trees, and an orchard among other features.    http://www.kiftsgate.co.uk/

Return to our hotel

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on own.

We will arrive at the gates just prior to them opening and once in with show guide in hand, be transported to another world.  It is truly amazing that you are looking at gardens that have just been put together for this show –  you will know what to do first as you will know the tips and secrets of enjoying it… Tips on enjoying this show will be sent prior to the tour.

The show closes at 8 pm but if you wish to leave before that, I will have some ideas for you as well.  You can make your own way back to the hotel at your leisure.  This way you are free to enjoy the show for as long as you like.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

Great Dixter was built in 1910–12 by architect Edwin Lutyens, who combined an existing mid-15th century house on the site with a similar structure brought from Benenden, Kent, together with his own additions. It is a Grade I listed building. (In simple terms, if a building is Grade 1 listed it is deemed to be of exceptional interest and may also have been judged to be of significant national importance. Grade 1 listing is usually reserved for much older and historically-important buildings) The garden, widely known for its continuous tradition of sophisticated plantsmanship, is Grade I listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd – it was the focus of his energy and enthusiasm and fuelled over 40 years of books and articles. Now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett and the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Great Dixter is an historic house, a garden, a center of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. As you enter the grounds you are struck at the sight of the house, so perfect in every quirky way and the planting is perfectly suited to the timbered façade. As you walk through the various gardens you are in fact walking around the house as well.  Perfectly placed plants surrounding home, barns and oast houses. There is a café and shop here.

Great Dixter   https://www.greatdixter.co.uk/

Every gardener I think has heard of Vita Sackville-West and now you are in for another exceptional garden as we visit the home of Vita and her husband Harold Nicolson. They lived at Sissinghurst until 1962, the year she passed away and then in 1967 Harold gave Sissinghurst to the National Trust. She was a prolific writer, poet and most of all gardener. Their history as a couple is really quite amazing and many books have been written on it. The tower is where she wrote novels, plays, poetry and gardening books and is still left as though she was just out for a moment checking something in the garden. They had the most extraordinary life and relationships and both wrote many books…it is worth digging deeper. There is a café and shop here.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9346537/Vita-Sackville-West-her-gardening-legacy.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/11166590/the-many-sides-of-vita-sackville-west.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-16-bk-6473-story.html

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

In my tour notes to you,  I include lots of ideas on what to do with your day of leisure.  I would suggest that tonight would be the night to book shows or theatre as the tour days are not advised. We just do not know about traffic and I would hate for you to miss an event that you had planned to go to.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on own.

25May, Sunday Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

After a hearty breakfast, we are off to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Kew Gardens is a world heritage site and a place of global significance. Kew contains the most diverse collection of living plants of any botanic garden in the world. The collection contains plants from tropical, temperate, arid and alpine climates, and are grown out in the Gardens and in controlled conditions within glasshouses and nurseries. A must visit is the Palm House and the Lily House right next to it…and the Marianne North Gallery for the most remarkable collection of botanical paintings you will ever see…833 paintings from her travels around the world.  The Shirley Sherwood Gallery – the world’s first public gallery dedicated to classic and contemporary botanical art. There are cafes to have lunch or a cup of tea. I will give you plenty of time here because there is just so much to see and places to rest and enjoy being in this extraordinary garden…plus a huge giftshop!

Map of garden – takes a while to download

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/visit-kew-gardens/map

https://www.kew.org/

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/shirley-sherwood-gallery-of-botanical-art

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/marianne-north-gallery

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

Now you have seen some extraordinary gardens on this tour and it only seems fitting that the last garden we visit should be West Green House Gardens…it is also extraordinary!! In a beautiful corner of North Hampshire, visit a garden of contrast and inspiration, created by acclaimed garden designer Marylyn Abbott. It is a garden with a special and distinctive sense of place created over two decades by Marylyn Abbott a renowned Australian garden designer whose twin passions for English Gardens and International Opera have created a unique environment. West Green House Gardens combines neo-classical style with contemporary design. A grand water staircase provides a focal point to the Nymphaeum Fountain designed by architect Quinlan Terry. The magnificent Walled Garden, faithfully restored to its original lines, is entered through an arbor of wisteria. An alley of apple trees divides an elaborate potager with its berry-filled fruit cages, annual flowers and colourful vegetables from its signature perennial borders exuberantly planted in subtle hues of mauve, plum and blue. There is a lot more to discover here. There is a lovely gift shop here as well.

To finish off our tour we will also enjoy a wonderful Afternoon Tea in the original Orangery, built in the 1770’s. This is a delightful and enchanting setting, filled to the rafters with plants and garden accessories. The perfect spot to chat and say Farewell….I cannot say enough about this garden, it is truly the perfect ending to an incredible variety of gardens that we have been privileged to visit.. To sit here among the flowers and enjoy Afternoon Tea is just well…magical.

Map of the Garden http://westgreenhouse.co.uk/garden/

Website http://westgreenhouse.co.uk/

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure or to drag that suitcase out reluctantly and begin to pack…

If your flight is early you can arrange with the hotel to have a grab-and-go bag ready for you.

Arrive into Granada and make your way to your hotel…Check in time is 2 pm

Sercotel Palacio de los Gamboa

Plaza de Gamboa, s/n esquina, C. Escudo del Carmen, 18009 Granada, Spain

Located in an old two-story palace that distributes its 68 rooms around two beautiful patios. Around us, the Cathedral, the Albaicín or the Monastery of San Jerónimo. Sercotel Palacio de los Gamboa features a charming Andalusian courtyard with a fountain and colorful glass roof. Your Classic Rooms are air-conditioned and feature elegant, classic-style décor. Each room has satellite TV and a mini-bar. The spacious bathrooms include a hairdryer and toiletries. Free wifi.

https://www.sercotelhoteles.com/es/hotel-sercotel-palacio-de-los-gamboa

We meet later on this evening to enjoy a Welcome Dinner.

Please Note that you might want to arrive a pre tour night so you are rested and ready to go for the tour…if you do want a pre tour night, please request this on the registration form asap to secure it.

One of the most beautiful gems of architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens started as far back as the 13th Century by the Nasrites. The Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs (Ferdinand and Isabel) conquered the city of Granada. The summer palace is called Generalife. The Generalife is the most charming corner of the Alhambra, thanks to its gardens, ponds and fast-flowing water. In fact, the name of the main courtyard is the Patio de la Acequia – Courtyard of the Water Channel – in reference to the water which coursed through the villa before supplying the Alhambra below. It stands at the foot of Spain’s highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada. The Alhambra (Arabic root meaning ‘red’ or ‘crimson’) and Generalife both became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.

Did you know? The word “Generalife” has been translated as “garden of paradise“, “orchard” or “garden of feasts“.

https://www.alhambra.org/en/alhambra-information.html

Then back to our hotel for the rest of the day and evening on your own.

Breakfast included, Lunch and Dinner on own

Pack up this evening, check safe and power adaptors you may have used.

Cordoba’s hour of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of El-Andalus, and this was when work began on the Great Mosque, or “Mezquita” in 785, which – after several centuries of additions and enlargements – became one of the largest in all of Islam. When the city was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city were so awed by its beauty that they left it standing, building their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns, and creating the extraordinary church-mosque we see today. The Mezquita de Cordoba is most notable for its giant arches and its forest of over 856 (of an original 1,293) columns of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite. These were taken from the Roman temple which had previously occupied the site and other destroyed Roman buildings. The Mezquita also features richly gilded prayer niches. But the Mezquita’s most interesting feature is certainly the mihrab, a domed shrine of Byzantine mosaics built by Al Hakam II (961-76). It once housed the Koran and relics of Muhammad. In front of the Mihrab is the Maksoureh, a kind of anteroom for the caliph and his court; its mosaics and plasterwork make it a masterpiece of Islamic art.https://mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es/en/

As well as the unique mosque-cathedral, Cordoba’s treasures include the Alcazar, or Royal House, built by the Christians in 1328. The Alcazar served as one of the primary residences of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. From 1490 to 1821 the Inquisition operated from here. Today the castle’s gardens are among the most beautiful in Andalucía and also take time to enjoy the Roman mosaics…they are truly special. In a hall which housed the former chapel of the Inquisitions there are exhibited a magnificent collection of Roman mosaic art from the 2nd and 3rd century AD. The collection was discovered under Corredera Square in the city in 1959 and once belonged to a wealthy Roman Mansion. Outside the main castle walls the gardens occupy 55.000 square metres. It is certainly a very relaxing place to wander. There is a wide variety of plants, palm trees, cypresses, orange and lemon, trees to be seen which overlook stone fountains and large ponds. Originally the water was brought in by an aqueduct from the Sierra Morena and the great Albolafia waterwheel in the River Guadalquivir nearby helped with the supply. The large ponds were added in the 19th century.https://alcazardelosreyescristianos.cordoba.es/?id=3

Then we enjoy Lunch with a wine tasting.

…and a floral feast for the eyes, the Palacio de los Viana.

We enjoy guided visits of the Alcazar and Mezquita and a quiet joyful time to wander on our own through the many gardens of Viana. This 17th-century palace is one of Córdoba’s most splendid aristocratic homes. Also known as the Museo de los Patios, it contains 12 interior patios, each one different; the patios and gardens are planted with cypresses, orange trees, and myrtles and more. I was so delighted to see this that I bought a book on the patio gardens here…well worth it! https://www.palaciodeviana.com/

Hotel NH Amistad – Superior Room – 1 Night

History surrounds you the second you step inside the NH Collection Amistad Córdoba hotel. Made up of two 18th century palaces, its traditional courtyards are filled with flowers and shaded by orange trees, archways and woodwork have been restored to their 18th-century glory, with a few carefully-chosen modern touches. Plus it’s right in the historic heart of Córdoba, 5 minutes’ walk from the city’s shops. Our quiet, contemporary-style rooms all come with views of our pretty courtyards, Maimonides Square or the historic wall which once separated the Jewish and Christian sections of Cordoba. Our stylish courtyard café offers up delicious local dishes while our 2 open-air patios are a wonderful place to unwind with a drink. https://www.nh-collection.com/hotel/nh-collection-amistad-cordoba

Breakfast and Lunch with wine tasting included, Dinner on own Pack up this evening, check safe and power adaptors you may have used.

The Portocarrero Palace, together with its Hispano-Mudejar-style botanical gardens surrounded by Almohad walls from the 11th-12th centuries, form a spectacular complex located in the heart of Andalusia, between Córdoba and Seville. It is an architectural jewel that was hidden and in ruins and that after years of careful restoration it shines again. A beautiful architectural monument cataloged BIC (Well of Cultural Interest) that has a rich ancient history, a mix of civilizations that dates back to 105 AD in Roman times. The Portocarrero Palace offers us its Roman legend, both Roman and Arab archaeological remains and a building with areas from the 15th and 16th century mainly.

https://palacioportocarrero.com/

According to legend, Sevilla was founded by Hercules and its origins are linked with the Tartessian civilization. It was called Hispalis under the Romans and Isbiliya with the Moors. Sevilla lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centers in Europe, it has the Minaret of La Giralda, the Cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure also includes Casa de Pilatos.

From the Palacio we head to Sevilla and our first stop is Lunch in Carmona

The history of Carmona begins at one of the oldest urban sites in Europe, with nearly five thousand years of continuous occupation on a plateau rising above the vega (plain) of the River Corbones in Andalusia, Spain.  30 minutes away from Seville, it impresses with a manifold history. Stronghold during the time of Julius Caesar, occupied by the Moors and finally captured by the Castilians, Carmona is an architectural melting pot of 3 cultures.  We will enjoy lunch in a very special place.

After our lunch we visit the Palacio de las Duenas in Sevilla a very special place in time…

For the first time the Palacio de las Dueñas— built between the XV and XVI centuries and residence of the renowned Duchess of Alba— opens its doors to the public, thus offering a unique opportunity to discover this Andalusian gem and the pride of Spain. One of the oldest and most illustrious noble houses in Spain, the House of Alba, boasts a rich heritage, which dates back many centuries and encompasses several magnificent estates located all over the country as well as a great cultural and artistic legacy. (Audio guide here)

https://www.azureazure.com/travel/palacio-de-las-duenas-official-residence-house-alba-pride-seville

https://www.lasduenas.es/visitor-information

Then on to our hotel where the rest of the day/evening is at your leisure.

Hotel Becquer – Standard Room – Two Nights

Hotel Bécquer is located in the old town of Seville, in a unique and privileged location in the city. From here, you can enjoy pleasant walks on the city streets, discover its emblematic spots, mix with the people, taste the exquisite cuisine (especially in the traditional Triana district) and admire its characteristic architectural beauty. Seville Cathedral, the Giralda or the Santa Cruz district are all less than a 10-minute walk away.

https://www.hotelbecquer.com/en/

Breakfast and Lunch included, Dinner on own

After breakfast we start our day out with a visit to the Hospital Venerables Sacerdotes. This building was founded by Justino de Neve in the 17th century as a hospital and retirement home for priests. It is in the Baroque style and comprises two sections. The first is the residence built by Leonardo de Figueroa and features original elements such as the tiled galleries arranged in a circle leading to the fountain, and the staircase beneath an elliptical vault decorated with Baroque plasterwork. The second part of the building is a church with a half-barrel vault with lunettes and rib arches. It now houses the Centro Velázquez, devoted to famous painter Diego Velázquez.…A beautiful 17th century baroque mansion, Seville’s most typical patio – embellished with plants and intimate in design and of course decorated in tiles, a church filled with rich murals and frescoes (now used for music), and a painting done by Diego Velazquez called ‘Santa Rufino’ the Patron Saint of Seville, painted between 1632 -1634 and what more you do need? If you know your artists this is indeed a very special and very rare visit.

https://hospitalvenerables.es/

Then on to visit the Alcazar and Gardens. Our guide will take us through this incredibly impressive monument of Sevilla. The site was initially a Roman settlement, later used by the Visigoths. In 712 Seville was conquered by the Arabs, who transformed the building into a palace-fortress. When Fernando III of Castile regained the city in 1248, the Alcázar became the Royal Palace. His son, Alfonso X, initiated the first works and ordered the construction of the Gothic Palace. The numerous rooms, patios and halls vary in architectural styles from the Islamic to Neoclassical. The beautiful gardens and fountains are all different in look, feel and decoration. The garden-orchards not only supplied food for the palace residents but had the aesthetic function of bringing pleasure. Water was ever present in the form of irrigation channels, runnels, jets, ponds and pools. The gardens adjoining the Alcázar of Seville have undergone many changes. In the 16th century during the reign of Philip III the Italian designer Vermondo Resta introduced the Italian Mannerist style. Resta was responsible for the Galeria de Grutesco (Grotto Gallery) transforming the old Muslim wall into a loggia from which to admire the view of the palace garden. https://alcazar.nomadgarden.org/gardens/real-alcazar/

Then we will enjoy Lunch.

Followed by a panoramic tour by coach on our way to our next visit….. Plaza de España was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929 (Expo 29), along with many of the pavilions you can see in and around the Parque Maria Luisa which is across from this. The Maria Luisa Gardens were built by JCN Forestier. Plaza de España will take your breath away. I was simply stunned as I stood and looked at it. Seville’s most impressive and majestic after the cathedral, for its sheer scale and grandeur. All that tilework – from guardrails to finials on the roofs and everything in between – you must see this in person to truly appreciate that each tile piece is unique. The building is a semi circular brick building, Renaissance/neo-Moorish in style, with a huge tower at either end. All along the wall in front of the building are 48 alcoves with benches – one for each province of Spain, each with a relevant tableau and map, all designed on colourful azulejos (painted ceramic tiles). In front of the building, following the curve of its façade, is a 500-metre canal crossed by four bridges. Lots of boats on this lake with people happily paddling as they made their way around. It was simply amazing to stand on one of these bridges and take it all in.

https://www.seville-traveller.com/plaza-de-espana/

Then back to our hotel for the rest of the day/evening at your leisure.

Did you know? The Giralda minaret is a masterpiece of Almohad architecture built in 1184 to 1197. It stands next to the Cathedral with its five naves; the largest Gothic building in Europe (and holds the tomb of Christopher Columbus). Make time to visit if you can as it is worth seeing and yes – do walk all the way up to the top of the minaret for an incredible memory. (I did) to discover that there are no steps, just a wide ramp because when the minaret was built the Imam used to ride a horse up to the top for the call to prayer! (or so the story goes)

Breakfast and Lunch included, Dinner on own.

Pack up this evening, check safe and power adaptors you may have used. Keep passport in carry on.

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is a Mediterranean and cosmopolitan city with Roman remains, medieval quarters and the most beautiful examples of 20th century Modernism and avant-garde. It is no surprise that emblematic constructions by the Catalan architects Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Doménech i Montaner have been declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO. We will have a box lunch while on the train as we pass by olive groves and orange orchards. It is a lovely ride.

Arriving into Barcelona on the AVE Train, we board our coach and go to Sagrada Familia.

Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia.

I did not know what to expect on the inside…I only knew that even with the scaffolding from continual building I was mesmerized by every inch of it on the outside. It was so totally bizarre. The outside is busy, colourful in spots with the tiles yet so very grey, having so much symbolism and inside….well, I loved it for being so different from the outside! As with all of Gaudi’s work, you either like it or not but I don’t think you can make that presumption without seeing it in person. It is so different from our usual thinking and it just plain takes time for it all to sink in. I loved the peace that I felt inside, especially when the sun shone through the most beautiful and unique stained glass windows you will set your eyes on. When this happens you cannot help but look up and feel you are being transported on one of the beams of colour. At the time of Gaudi’s death in 1926 less than a quarter of this project was complete. They say it should be complete by 2026, the centenary of his death.

Paul Goldberger, an American architectural critic and educator, called it “The most extraordinary personal interp retation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages.” The building’s design itself has been polarizing. Assessments by Gaudí’s fellow architects were generally positive; Louis Sullivan greatly admired it, describing Sagrada Família as the “greatest piece of creative architecture in the last twenty-five years. It is spirit symbolized in stone”. George Orwell called it “one of the most hideous buildings in the world” James A. Michener called it “one of the strangest-looking serious buildings in the world” and British historian Gerald Brenan stated about the building “Not even in the European architecture of the period can one discover anything so vulgar or pretentious.” The building’s distinctive silhouette has nevertheless become symbolic of Barcelona itself, drawing an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually.

Did you know? Since he was convinced that nothing of value could be achieved without sacrifice, Gaudi dedicated himself to an austere life of prayer and detachment. On occasion Gaudi had expressed a desire to die in a hospital among the poor people. This came to pass when he was run down by a street car. The police didn’t recognize him and seeing him a poor man, they took him to the Holy Cross Hospital, where he died June 10th, 1926.

https://sagradafamilia.org/

https://sagradafamilia.org/-/la-sagrada-familia-ofereix-una-nova-visita-virtual-de-l-obra-a-135-metres-d-altura?redirect=%2F

I have chosen what I think are the most representative of his works on this tour but there is much more that you can discover on your leisure day in Barcelona. Here are some more ideas….

http://www.globotreks.com/destinations/10-gaudi-buildings-barcelona/

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/attractions/barcelona-architecture.html

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/attractions/barcelona-tourist-attractions.html

Also worth walking to is the Block of Discord, noted for having buildings by four of Barcelona’s most important Modernista architects. Their styles were very different and here you see them all up close and they seem to clash with each other creating this discord.

https://www.barcelonas.com/manzana-de-la-discordia.html

Capri by Fraser – Studio Apartment – Four Nights

Nearby is the impressive National Theatre of Catalonia, the modern musical complex L’Auditori and the club Razzmatazz that hosts the hottest gigs and parties in Barcelona. Capri by Fraser also has the perfect view point to see the sky scraper Torre Agbar, a must see attraction when in town. The hotel has a lovely rooftop terrace where you can sit back and enjoy the view. Your room is lovely and bright and comes with its own little mini kitchen. Twin beds for those sharing a room and Queen bed for single or double.

https://www.frasershospitality.com/en/spain/barcelona/capri-by-fraser-barcelona/?utm_source=google_map&utm_medium=organic

Breakfast and Box Lunch Included, Dinner on own

Sit back, enjoy the spectacular Mediterranean views from our coach as we make our way out of Barcelona to the Botanical Gardens of Marimurtra.

Located in Blanes, in Costa Brava, the Marimurtra Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens on the Mediterranean. At the top of steep cliffs running along the sea, you can enjoy one of the most spectacular panoramic views over the coastline and get to know more than four thousand plant species, most of them exotic ones, as well as several specimens that are extraordinary because of their age or size. Marimurtra is the work of a man with a passion for nature. Carl Faust was a businessman residing in Catalonia who devoted his hopes, his efforts and all his fortune to make his dream come true, the Botanical Garden Marimurtra.

https://marimurtra.cat/en/

Tossa de Mar – Some leisure stroll time in this glorious seaside resort before our Lunch.

Before becoming a tourist resort, Tossa de Mar was a small fishing village, and before this, was involved in various other industries such as cork, food preservation, charcoal burning, wine making and olive oil production. At one time, Tossa even had a fleet of boats which traded with other Mediterranean ports and America. Another important part of Tossa’s history was the filming of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman in the 1950s, with Ava Gardner and James Mason in starring roles. At one of the most spectacularly astounding viewpoints of the Vila Vella, there is a magnificent bronze statue of the renowned American actress, Ava Gardner. A tranquil stroll around the old town reveals a multitude of intricately interwoven alley ways laden with plants, each leading to it’s own spectacular pine framed view of the bay of Tossa, lapped by the sparkling topaz blue Mediterranean, sunlight drizzling through the branches. It is one of the most enchanting villages you will ever walk around in…

We finish off this exquisitely relaxed day with a guided visit to Santa Clotilde Gardens in Lloret de Mar.

This wonderful garden was landscaped in a setting of great beauty on top of a cliff with breath taking views over the sea. It is a fine specimen of the spirit that animated the Noucentista movement in Calalonia – an early 20th century movement for intellectual and aesthetic renewal that found a distinguished spokesman in the writer Eugeni d’Ors. The Santa Clotilde gardens were designed in the manner of the dainty yet austere gardens of the Italian Renaissance by Nicolau Rubió i Tuduri at the age of twenty-eight, when he was still brimming over with admiration for his master in the art of landscape gardening, JCN Forestier. In these gardens, Rubió ignored Forestier’s teachings with their Spanish-Arabic slant mixed up with images of the French garden, as he had seen when working with Forestier, and instead sought to recover the spirit of the Italian Renaissance as the essence of modernity. A new bourgeoisie was then emerging, looking back nostalgically on the prestige enjoyed by patrons of the arts during the Renaissance. The garden greets us with a blend of features from the Villa Medici, the Villa Borghese and perhaps the Boboli gardens as well – Florence was where one went for inspiration at the time. The spirit of romanticism underlies the garden, expressed in the marble bust glimpsed amid the vines, looking out to sea with its back to us – another delightful parody of that romantic sentiment of union with nature, closer to Leopardi than to his master C.D. Friedrich. These gardens, work on which began before the house, feature a collection of marble statues in the neo-classical style and the mermaids by the sculptress Maria Llimona. All the paths, avenues, squares and steps are set off by clipped hedges that form splendid green architectural shapes.

https://barcelonanavigator.com/santa-clotilde-gardens/

Then we make our way back to our hotel…renewed in spirit and basking in the memories. Evening at your leisure.

Breakfast and Lunch included with Dinner on own.

Barcelona is very easy to walk around and enjoy and our hotel is very close to great shopping venues as well. Make your own memories today as you stroll, remember to look up as you walk too or you will miss some great architectural features. Cafes seem to be on every street corner and as I walked along the streets I had the distinct feeling I was at home…Barcelona can do that to you.

Breakfast included, Lunch and Dinner on own.

Today, our last day together, I want to share two very special places we will visit…both so special and so utterly unique.

Casa Milà, popularly known as ‘La Pedrera’, is probably one of the most famous buildings of the Catalan Modernisme or Catalan Art Nouveau period and one of the architect Antoni Gaudí’s most ambitious works. It is a structure that is a work of art in itself. Gaudí planned Casa Milà (1906–1912) at the age of fifty-three, when he was at the height of his powers and had found a style of his own – independent of any established ones. It turned out to be his last civil work and one of the most innovative in its functional, constructive and ornamental aspects. Indeed, thanks to his artistic and technical ideas, it has always been considered a breakthrough work, outside the concepts of the time, a rara avis in Modernisme itself and, especially, a work that anticipated the architecture of the 20th century.

https://www.lapedrera.com/en/home

and ever wonder what it is like to live there?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/29/world/europe/barcelona-gaudi-la-pedrera-casa-mila.html

and

https://thisisglamorous.com/2022/08/design-history-decor-inspiration-the-last-resident-of-casa-mila-ana-viladomiu-barcelona-designed-by-antoni-gaudi.html/

and lastly

https://www.througheternity.com/en/blog/history/barcelona-casa-mila-la-pedrera-gaudi-guide.html

And Finally…

The Palau de la Música Catalana is one of the most representative monuments of Art Nouveau architecture. An emblematic building of the Catalan Modernism, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. Built between 1905 and 1908 by the great architect Lluis Domènech i Montaner, the Palau de la Música Catalana is an architectural jewel of Barcelona. Our guided tours starts in the Rehearsal Hall of the Orfeó Catala, where the foundation stone of the building was laid in 1905 and where even today, as it has for more than 100 years, the choir of the Orfeó Català rehearses regularly. Sitting in this intimate space, you can find out the reason for its importance with an audiovisual tour. The tour continues along the grand staircase decorated with flowers, Catalan flags and a single rail: built in a clever combination of a range of materials including iron and glass to create a world of detail which never ceases to amaze. Next we’ll visit the Lluís Millet Hall, where you can glimpse the large balcony with columns symbolizing flowers of every kind, in a tribute to nature. Finally we’ll go into the Concert Hall where an explosion of colour, shapes and light will welcome you to this great masterpiece of decorative art which amazes and inspires visitors and artists day after day. You will also go up to the second floor, next to the great skylight a drop of water and honey, a source of both light and inspiration. And finally the organ of the Palau, overlooking the room, will accompany you on a little musical journey. What an ending to a magical tour!

https://www.palaumusica.cat/en/the-art-nouveau-building_23602

We will all then enjoy our final Farewell Lunch together – a time to say goodbye to old and new friends, toast a wonderful tour and make our way back to our hotel.

Breakfast and Farewell Lunch Included with Dinner on your own

Or you may have chosen to stay on. If you want to use the same hotel do let me know so I can confirm post tour nights for you.

Your Hotel… Holiday Inn London – Kensington High Street, Wrights Lane, London in Premium Rooms

After arrival into London please make your way to your hotel. Check in 3 pm and if you arrive earlier they will hold your luggage. Once in your room, unpack that bag and put it away…you won’t need to see it again for 8 nights.

Located steps from Kensington’s popular and stylish High Street, minutes from the nearest tube station and walking distance to London attractions such as Kensington Palace & Gardens, Hyde Park, The Royal Albert Hall, Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum & Science Museum. The Boulevard Restaurant serves hot full English & Continental buffet breakfast every day, and delicious contemporary European dishes for lunch or dinner.  Also Lounge Bar and Open Lobby Café.

https://www.hilondonkensington.com/

The simplest and most economical way to get to the Holiday Inn Hotel is to take the underground from the London Heathrow Airport at whatever terminal – Piccadilly Line to Earls Court then change to District Line getting off at the High Street Kensington Station where you will find not only Boots but Marks & Spencer with a great food hall. Hotel is a short walk through the back of the station. Note: Stairs at the various stations. If more than one person you may want to share a cab but it is expensive.

After breakfast we will leave by coach for our visit to this delightfully plant packed garden. You are free to wander the gardens on your own.  There is so much to see here including the new Welcome Building.  You can see it here… https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/welcome-building

Wisley was founded by Victorian businessman and RHS member George Ferguson Wilson, who purchased a 60-acre site in 1878. He established the “Oakwood Experimental Garden” on part of the site, where he attempted to “make difficult plants grow successfully”. Wilson died in 1902 and Oakwood was purchased by Sir Thomas Hanbury, the creator of the celebrated garden La Mortola on the Italian Riviera which I have had the pleasure of visiting. He gave both sites to the RHS the following year. Wisley is now a large and diverse garden covering 240 acres. In addition to numerous formal and informal decorative gardens, several glasshouses and an extensive arboretum, it includes small scale “model gardens” which are intended to show visitors what they can achieve in their own gardens, and a trials field where new cultivars are assessed.

We should be there at the perfect time for the Rhododendrons and Azaleas and you will have time to enjoy the gardens on your own and have lunch on your own at their fabulous café with views to the gardens. Be sure to check out the new exotic garden…I love it. The garden will showcase a diverse range of plants, from palms and bananas to vibrant flowers such as dahlias, cannas and gazanias. Providing an alluring contrast from the nearby Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden and Cottage Garden, the oasis will feature more than 100 species originating from tropical areas as far as Brazil and South Africa in an array of bold shapes and textures. A gorgeous place to wander and just be…

Return back to hotel.

Breakfast included, lunch on own and Our Welcome Dinner – 3 courses with glass of wine

‘In a house, each room can be quite different to the next, both in appearance and purpose. Each section of a garden can also vary in its appearance and purpose. This is how some of the best landscape designers think of gardens.

Rooms or sections of a garden can be separated by hedges, dense shrubberies, trellis or walls of stone, timber or any other material. The floor of a garden may be covered with gravel, lawn, paving, creepers, low shrubs or even water. The roof is most often the sky; but it could also be the interlocking canopy of large trees or the framework of some other structure such as an arched walk or pergola.

One of the best examples of the outdoor room concept is Hidcote Manor, near Stratford upon Avon in England. Even if you only have a small garden, you can find inspiration in some of Hidcote’s smaller outdoor rooms.

There are 28 distinct garden areas at Hidcote. The series of smaller hedged gardens close to the house are particularly inspiring. Soon after entering Hidcote, most people find themselves at the circle garden. From this point, paths lead in two main directions; one through the Red Borders to the stilt garden, and the other down a series of terraces to the bathing pool garden.’ Café and Garden Center.

https://www.acsgarden.com/articles/garden-travel/hidcote-a-garden-with-many-rooms.aspx

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote

Three Generations of Women Gardeners …

Perched on the edge of the Cotswold Hills, Kiftsgate Court is a family home and garden that has been loved and cultivated by the same family for over 100 years. Three generations of women gardeners have left their mark, each building on the legacy of the previous owner. When Jack and Heather Muir bought the Grecian-fronted Victorian house in 1919, Heather, without any horticultural training, started to layout the Kiftsgate garden straight away. Instead of a lawn, she planted semi-formal beds of roses and other flowers, a Tapestry Hedge with a mix of beech, yew and plain and variegated holly, and a Rose Border full of unusual varieties. Heather’s horticultural aesthetic favored the Arts & Crafts Movement which emphasized perennials and plants chosen for their adaptability, including drought tolerant cistus, spiky agaves and other Mediterranean style plantings. She was encouraged by her friend and next-door neighbor at Hidcote, Lawrence Johnston, and other notable garden designers including Norah Lindsay and Vita Sackville-West—who planted the enormous and famous Kiftsgate Rose (Rosa filipes) at Sissinghurst.

Heather’s daughter, Diany Binny continued the family gardening tradition during the 1950s and quickly became an accomplished plants woman. She extended the planting, creating paths and replanting more borders with shrubs and herbaceous plants and re-fashioned the White Sunk Garden with a pool and fountain. Since the late 1980s, her daughter Anne Chambers and her husband Johnny have brought the garden into the 21st century. They introduced plants that flower year-round and are suited to warmer winters. They also created a new Water Garden with a sculpture by Simon Allison, a woodland with plants from the Scilly Isles, an avenue of tulip trees, and an orchard among other features.    http://www.kiftsgate.co.uk/

Return to our hotel

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on own.

We will arrive at the gates just prior to them opening and once in with show guide in hand, be transported to another world.  It is truly amazing that you are looking at gardens that have just been put together for this show –  you will know what to do first as you will know the tips and secrets of enjoying it… Tips on enjoying this show will be sent prior to the tour.

The show closes at 8 pm but if you wish to leave before that, I will have some ideas for you as well.  You can make your own way back to the hotel at your leisure.  This way you are free to enjoy the show for as long as you like.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/

the 2023 Show

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

Great Dixter was built in 1910–12 by architect Edwin Lutyens, who combined an existing mid-15th century house on the site with a similar structure brought from Benenden, Kent, together with his own additions. It is a Grade I listed building. (In simple terms, if a building is Grade 1 listed it is deemed to be of exceptional interest and may also have been judged to be of significant national importance. Grade 1 listing is usually reserved for much older and historically-important buildings) The garden, widely known for its continuous tradition of sophisticated plantsmanship, is Grade I listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd – it was the focus of his energy and enthusiasm and fuelled over 40 years of books and articles. Now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett and the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Great Dixter is an historic house, a garden, a center of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. As you enter the grounds you are struck at the sight of the house, so perfect in every quirky way and the planting is perfectly suited to the timbered façade. As you walk through the various gardens you are in fact walking around the house as well.  Perfectly placed plants surrounding home, barns and oast houses. There is a café and shop here.

Great Dixter   https://www.greatdixter.co.uk/

Every gardener I think has heard of Vita Sackville-West and now you are in for another exceptional garden as we visit the home of Vita and her husband Harold Nicolson. They lived at Sissinghurst until 1962, the year she passed away and then in 1967 Harold gave Sissinghurst to the National Trust. She was a prolific writer, poet and most of all gardener. Their history as a couple is really quite amazing and many books have been written on it. The tower is where she wrote novels, plays, poetry and gardening books and is still left as though she was just out for a moment checking something in the garden. They had the most extraordinary life and relationships and both wrote many books…it is worth digging deeper. There is a café and shop here.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9346537/Vita-Sackville-West-her-gardening-legacy.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/11166590/the-many-sides-of-vita-sackville-west.html

https://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/garden-designers/31-vita-sackville-west-1892-1962.html

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-16-bk-6473-story.html

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

In my tour notes to you,  I include lots of ideas on what to do with your day of leisure.  I would suggest that tonight would be the night to book shows or theatre as the tour days are not advised. We just do not know about traffic and I would hate for you to miss an event that you had planned to go to.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on own.

After a hearty breakfast, we are off to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Kew Gardens is a world heritage site and a place of global significance. Kew contains the most diverse collection of living plants of any botanic garden in the world. The collection contains plants from tropical, temperate, arid and alpine climates, and are grown out in the Gardens and in controlled conditions within glasshouses and nurseries. A must visit is the Palm House and the Lily House right next to it…and the Marianne North Gallery for the most remarkable collection of botanical paintings you will ever see…833 paintings from her travels around the world.  The Shirley Sherwood Gallery – the world’s first public gallery dedicated to classic and contemporary botanical art. There are cafes to have lunch or a cup of tea. I will give you plenty of time here because there is just so much to see and places to rest and enjoy being in this extraordinary garden…plus a huge giftshop!

Map of garden – takes a while to download

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/visit-kew-gardens/map

https://www.kew.org/

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/shirley-sherwood-gallery-of-botanical-art

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/marianne-north-gallery

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

Now you have seen some extraordinary gardens on this tour and it only seems fitting that the last garden we visit should be West Green House Gardens…it is also extraordinary!! In a beautiful corner of North Hampshire, visit a garden of contrast and inspiration, created by acclaimed garden designer Marylyn Abbott. It is a garden with a special and distinctive sense of place created over two decades by Marylyn Abbott a renowned Australian garden designer whose twin passions for English Gardens and International Opera have created a unique environment. West Green House Gardens combines neo-classical style with contemporary design. A grand water staircase provides a focal point to the Nymphaeum Fountain designed by architect Quinlan Terry. The magnificent Walled Garden, faithfully restored to its original lines, is entered through an arbor of wisteria. An alley of apple trees divides an elaborate potager with its berry-filled fruit cages, annual flowers and colourful vegetables from its signature perennial borders exuberantly planted in subtle hues of mauve, plum and blue. There is a lot more to discover here. There is a lovely gift shop here as well.

To finish off our tour we will also enjoy a wonderful Afternoon Tea in the original Orangery, built in the 1770’s. This is a delightful and enchanting setting, filled to the rafters with plants and garden accessories. The perfect spot to chat and say Farewell….I cannot say enough about this garden, it is truly the perfect ending to an incredible variety of gardens that we have been privileged to visit.. To sit here among the flowers and enjoy Afternoon Tea is just well…magical.

Map of the Garden http://westgreenhouse.co.uk/garden/

Website http://westgreenhouse.co.uk/

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure or to drag that suitcase out reluctantly and begin to pack…

If your flight is early you can arrange with the hotel to have a grab-and-go bag ready for you.

Independent arrivals, then make your way to your hotel for the next 7 nights. 

Hotel Quinta Penha de França

Rua Imperatriz da Amelia no 85, 9000-018 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Your lovely Superior Room includes a balcony with a side view to the ocean and also to the tropical gardens surrounding the hotel.  Free Wifi, hair dryer mini fridge, tea & coffee tray, safe, tv and aircon.  Unpack that bag and don’t even think about it until the end of the tour.

https://www.penhafrancahotels.com/en/ 

TBC  Drinks and Guest Greetings at the hotel – the timing depends on when everyone arrives.

9:00 am Depart with Guide

Funchal guided tour on foot – a wonderful walk along the streets tells you just how much life goes on here.  Mosts of the shops and restaurants are located in this area and there is lots of shopping and eating to be had! The concierge should have lots of ideas for you.

… a visit to Mercado dos Lavradores or The Workers Market, filled with exotic fruits and flowers – another must visit.  The building dates from 1940 and so well organized…and we are so lucky, we shall even see the ‘flower ladies’ in their traditional costumes.  Large Batisttini Faience tile panels of Maria de Portugal, dated 1940 and painted with regional themes by João Rodrigues, adorn the facade, the main entrance and the fishmonger.

…Cathedral – built in the 16th Century and a main historic landmark, a symbol of power and prosperity.  Of undeniable historical, architectural and artistic value, one of the interior highlights of the Cathedral is the chancel’s altarpiece ordered by King D. Manuel I in 1510-1515. The altarpiece, surmounted by a Gothic canopy, is in the form of a large polyptych, composed of gilt woodwork, supplemented by small sculptures, and oil paintings on wood. The high value of this altarpiece derives from the high technical quality of execution and the fact that it constitutes the only altarpiece of the Manueline period which remains, entirely, in its place of origin. Funchal’s Cathedral (Sé) also features one of Portugal’s most beautiful ceilings, made with wood from the island and the stalls of the chancel boast in Flemish style. The main entrance displays Gothic lines and the gilded woodwork pieces of the 17th Century point to some features of the Manueline period. The church also features an exceptional processional cross, donated by D. Manuel I, considered one of the masterpieces of the Portuguese Manueline goldsmithery.

… Municipal Garden – Also known as Donna Amélia Garden, in memory of the Queen, the Municipal Garden boasts beautiful flowers, plants and trees indigenous to Madeira as well as many other exotic species from all over the world. The construction of this garden dates back to 1880, and the first plants came from Paris and Porto.

… House Frederico Freitas –  The building, identified as a palace in the 19th century press, is the result of successive renovations and expansions, with the romantic interventions, bordering on the exotic, carried out in the second half of the 1800s being particularly striking. In 1941 the House was leased to Dr. Frederico de Freitas (1894-1978), Madeiran lawyer, notary and collector, who lived there for around 40 years, gathering an impressive collection of works of art, later bequeathed to the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
An illustrious personality, Frederico de Freitas played an active role in the local society and culture. He started collecting in the 1930s, but it was the move to the spacious house on Calçada that allowed him to organize his Casa das Coleções. And if its initial focus was on objects related to Madeira, it soon became more encompassing, involving a vast array of sculpture, painting, furniture, ceramics and engraving, of national and foreign origin including an extremely important collection of tiles.

Also of note is the Jardim sobre a Calcada, one of the rare traditional raised gardens still existing in the city complete with flower beds, pebbled pavement, vineyard corridor and the Casinha de Prazer or Pleasure House.

https://cultura.madeira.gov.pt/casa-museu-frederico-de-freitas

…Explore Rua Santa Maria with the characteristic painted doors.  The perfect example of how a bit of imagination can bring a city to life.  Completely reborn and wonderful!  It is now a public outdoor gallery displaying over 200 works of art, most painted on the doors of the houses and local cafes. Up until 2010, Rua de Santa Maria was an old cobbled street in Funchal with old abandoned buildings.

In comes photographer José Maria Zyberchem. He wanted to bring this historic street back to life and make it a center of art – alive and full of spirit. He started the Painted Doors Project, calling on local artists to start painting the old doors in the street. The talented artists were to ‘make something nice’ of these ordinary doors. More and more artists signed up to be part of the project and revive the area door by door. The result is impressive. And the goal of bringing back life to this area? Definitely accomplished! Now it’s filled with good restaurants and galleries, and is a must see destination in town.

…We will taste some local food and drinks… a different way to explore Funchal though its local shops, little restaurants and cafes.

Night: Quinta Penha de França

Breakfast and Food tour Lunch included with Dinner on own

9:00 am Depart with Guide and Driver   

…Palheiro Gardens have been featured in the book “The Gardener’s Garden” by Phaidon press. The book contains a selection of 250 noteworthy gardens from around the world. Of the 250 selected gardens, five are Portuguese and of those, one is in Madeira. This is the Palheiro Gardens, praised among the most beautiful in the world. Palheiro Gardens has also been noted in the Spanish edition of the tourism magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

The land first belonged to the Count of Carvalhal back in 1801. Here he built a hunting lodge with a carriageway entrance of 200 plane trees and imported exotic trees from all over the world including Camelia. In 1885 the estate was purchased by John Blandy and the following generations devoted themselves to the continuous development of the gardens so that today it is considered a Mecca for all botanic lovers. The gardens are famous not only for the variety of plants that grow there but for the beauty of their setting in the hills to the east of Funchal. Many tropical plants have found a home and the visitor can see Hibiscus and Bougainvillea in flower almost all the year round along with Jacaranda, Spathodeas, Erythrinas and Bauhinias in their season. Large specimens of tulips trees, sequois, ginkgo and cedars feature next to South African and Australasian flora for which the gardens are justly famous. Don’t forget to take a look at one of the rarest trees in the garden – the Burmese Saurauia nepalensis.

The family continued the development of the Gardens in the 1900s and it was Mildred Blandy who introduced many plants including proteas from South Africa. In 1997 the Counts’s house was renovated and converted to a hotel known as the Casa Velha do Palheiro, a Relais & Château member.

This Eden is divided into several areas: Main Garden, Sunken Garden, Ribeiro do Inferno, Rose Garden, Lady’s Garden and the Tea-House area where you may admire a Brazilian auracaria and a magnificent New Zealand metrosideros. You may also enjoy lakes with water lilies, an interesting bush-sculptured family of hens and beautiful flower beds with purple and orange flowers. The preservation of this natural treasure has the personal touch of Christina Blandy and a team of dedicated gardeners.

http://www.palheirogardens.com/

https://www.palheironatureestate.com/palheiro-gardens/history.html

https://essential-madeira.com/en/index.php/places/1198-a-garden-amongst-gardens

…Leave for Vale Paraíso for an al fresco lunch followed by a visit of their gardens. The owner, Sofia Camara, will lead the visit and introduce us to the Madeira rich flora here.

Night: Quinta Penha de França

Breakfast and al fresco Lunch included with Dinner on own

9:00 am Depart with Guide and Driver   

…Monte Palace ‘‘Every corner another surprise, so well kept. We walk down to the sound of birds & the water from all the water features. It’s impossible not to go photography mad lol. The richness of the fauna & flora is formidable’  Thousands of plant species and a section devoted solely to the flora of Madeira.’

In the 18th century the English Consul Charles Murray, bought a property south of the church in “Monte” and transformed it into a beautiful estate, then called “Quinta do Prazer” (The Pleasure Estate). Towards the end of the 19th century, some of the wealthiest families of Madeira lived in fine estates situated on the outskirts of Funchal. In 1897, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues acquired the estate and, inspired by the palaces that he once saw on the margins of the Rhine River, he built a palace-like residence which was later converted into a Hotel named the “Monte Palace Hotel”. This Hotel was visited by eminent national and foreign people who appreciated and enjoyed this lovely resort with its breathtaking views of Funchal and the natural surroundings.

In 1943, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues passed away. Unfortunately his family did not pursue his undertaking, consequently leading to the closing of the hotel which, in the meantime, was taken over by a financial institution, the “Caixa Económia do Funchal”. In 1987, that Financial Institution sold the Monte Palace Hotel to the entrepreneur José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo. This was how the “Monte Palace Madeira” originated.

Since it’s acquisition the “Monte Palace Madeira” has been re-established, with both exotic plants native to various countries (Cycads and Protea from South Africa, azaleas from Belgium, heather from Scotland, among others) and indigenous plants from the Madeira forest namely, “Laurissilva”, such as ferns, cedars, laurels, Canary Laurels, etc. The garden was also enriched with the introduction of Koi fish into the existing lakes. Two more lakes with a capacity of 300,000 litres of water were also built. These incorporate a sophisticated filtering system and water purifier, without the use of chemicals that ensure a healthy habitat for the fish, which provide an enjoyable display of colours for their visitors.

The garden lanes were adorned with blazonry, squared stones, windows, niches, pagodas, Buddhas, lanterns from different parts of the world and sculptures in natural or cut stone. Walking through the garden, you can admire the renowned ceramic tile collection (dating from 15th – 20th centuries), a panel of 166 terracotta glazed tiles entitled “The adventure of the Portuguese in Japan” and a group of 40 panels portraying the History of Portugal, including the most important events of the kingdoms and the Republics.

During a trip to Japan and China the beauty, culture, way of living as well as the influence of the Portuguese on the Orient charmed Berardo. This is the reason for the existence of two oriental gardens and of a panel called ‘The Adventure of the Portuguese in Japan’. The last is an iron structure where 166 ceramic plates tell the story of a social, commercial and cultural relationship between Portugal and Japan. Among many Chinese and Japanese elements the visitor can find two ‘Fó’ dogs in marble, mythological animals usually put in the temples’ entrance as guardians, several Buddhist sculptures, a dragon surrounded by children representing fertility and several stone lanterns used in Japan to light the way to the tea house.

http://montepalace.com/desktop/?sid=28&lang=en

…Visit Monte village.   

…Lunch at Quinta Jardins do Lago followed by a visit to its tropical gardens, one of the most beautiful quintas on the island and which is now used as a luxury “botanical” hotel. History tells that during the occupation of Madeira, at the time of the Napoleonic wars, this Quinta served as the residence of General Beresford, commander of the British forces. His magnificent sideboard, a reminder of his stay, still adorns their dining room. Dating from 1803, the garden has a fantastic collection of centenary trees, such as Dracaena draco from Madeira, Syncarpia glomulifera from Australia, Cinnamomum camphora from China/Japan, as well as many other fantastic varieties from all over the world as the Jacaranda mimosifolia from Brazil, Pandanus útilis and Revenala madagasceriensis from Madagascar. Recently the gardens have been enlarged by the addition of many new plants including bromeliads, cycads and palms. The different owners of this Quinta always kept in contact with various Botanical Gardens worldwide and invested lots of love and time improving these relaxing and colourful gardens which for 47 years have been the home of “Colombo”, the Quintas giant tortoise.

https://www.jardinsdolago.com/en/

Night: Quinta Penha de França

Breakfast and Lunch included with Dinner on own

9:00 am Depart with Guide and Driver   

…Quinta da Vigia… Bigger isn’t always better, and if you want to enjoy a small but perfectly formed secret garden, then this is it. It isn’t flashy or large, but it makes up for that by being beautifully curated. As part of the president’s residence, this garden is very well cared for, and it has been maintained by many leading figures since the sixteenth century, and it enjoys an elevated position above the port. There is a wide range of stunning flora throughout the garden, and you will see and hear many tropical birds swooping through the air. Wander through the peaceful pathways and spot the resplendent fountains adding a deeper sense of peace to this little and lovely oasis.

https://www.madeira-web.com/en/places/funchal/gardens-parks/quinta-vigia.html

…Continue to Quinta da Boa Vista, where we will tour a spectacular habitat for American bromeliads, martinets from Australia and with a superb collection of hybrid orchids, with owner Patrick Garton.

The garden was founded in the 1960s by the late Group Captain Cecil Garton, O.B.E., in the grounds of the Quinta da Boa Vista, which had been in his family for the past 100 years or so, and where he was born. Cecil Garton’s widow, Betty, is the daughter of Sir William Cooke, one of the pioneers of orchid breeding, particularly of Cymbidiums, as well as being a collector of rare and beautiful natural species. As a bonus, many of the thousands of different varieties of orchids on show here are deliciously fragrant, a fact which is not widely known or appreciated.

Their son Patrick began painting after leaving Oxford University in 1990 with a degree in Botany, after which he pursued a horticultural career, spending three years at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where he obtained his Horticultural Diploma. The gardens include one of the last and oldest remaining systems of walled stairs terracing, as they were back in the 19th century to be found within the close proximity of the city centre. Visitors to the estate will also chance upon the vestiges of that era such as the wine press and original storage house alongside, not to mention also the thatched cow house which looks so perfect in this setting. The quinta formerly grew market garden produce for visiting ships until approximately 60 years ago when the estate was prepared for Estrelicia (commonly known as the bird of paradise) plants and cut flower production

https://www.madeira-web.com/en/places/funchal/gardens-parks/quinta-boa-vista-orchids.html

…Lunch in a local restaurant

…In the afternoon we have something special planned with a local family – you will just have to wait to see what it might be but it does involve exquisite freshly baked bread, garden chatter, food and a wee bit of wine! Oh, and two very special friends of ours who now make Madeira their home….

Night: Quinta Penha de França

Breakfast and Lunch included with Dinner on your own

9:00 am Depart with Guide and Driver   

…The island’s characteristic levadas – an ingenious system of irrigation using ancient canals that brings mountain water to the slopes and valleys – offer a fascinating 1,400km course to explore a country side of rare beauty. The laurel forest, which dates back to the Tertiary Age and survived the last glaciations, covers about 22, 000 hectares of the island area. Due to its amazing richness, diversity and state of preservation UNESCO recognized and considered the Laurissilva forest a World Natural Heritage.

Funchal, the largest settlement, means “fennel” and was erected on the less windy south side of the island. The only problem, though, was that all the freshwater was on the blustery north side, so an elaborate system of levadas, or aqueducts, was constructed to carry water up and over 6,000-foot volcanic spires. Dug into the forest floor, they trace intricate routes through seven distinct microclimates.

…Visit the village of Santana where you can find the traditional houses of Madeira. These are small triangular and colorful houses made of straw from the cereal plantations and wood dating back to the century when Madeira was discovered.  The high slopes of the roof allowed rainwater to drain.

https://www.idealista.pt/en/news/lifestyle-in-portugal/2022/10/26/5241-traditional-santana-houses-in-madeira-history-and-what-makes-them-so-special#:~:text=The%20typical%20houses%20of%20Santana%2C%20also%20known%20as%20thatched%20roof,people%20of%20this%20autonomous%20region.

…Continue to lunch at Quinta do Furão,  a stunning and magnificent natural landscape that will take your breath away!

…A very special visit today is to a private garden – to be confirmed as we get closer to the tour!

Night: Quinta Penha de França

Breakfast and Lunch included with Dinner on own

9:00 am Depart with Guide and Driver   

…Visit Madeira Botanic Gardens.  Since the 17th century Madeira Island had been waiting for a botanical garden, a dream that came true in 1960. Located 3 km from the centre of Funchal, at Quinta do Bom Sucesso – a private Quinta belonging to the Reid family – where the climate conditions are much in favour of exuberant vegetation.

Once home of hotelier William Reid, these 15 acres of gardens date from 1881. Although famous for its carpet garden (created from all kinds of plants with colourful leaves) the Botanic Garden has much more to offer the visitor. With more than 2000 different plant species and cultivars organised to reflect each of the different ecosystems of the Madeira Islands – coastal plain, mountain forest and upland plateau – there is a great deal to see. There are few places in the world where you can see plants from three continents and three habitats during one visit as you can here. The gardens reach up to 350 metres above sea level and offer a splendid view over the Bay of Funchal. It is owned by the Regional Government of Madeira and, apart from being a beautiful place of leisure, it also serves as a Science and Culture Centre. Throughout the gardens visitors can find the plants labelled with their scientific names, common name and origin.

– Indigenous and endemic plants: This is the place where one can see plants exclusively from Madeira and other Atlantic islands, like the Azores, Canaries and Cape Verde. There are about 100 indigenous plants exhibited, ranging from those characteristically found on the more exposed slopes of Madeira to those typical of mid-altitude vegetation and trees found in Madeira’s natural forest, the ‘Laurissilva’ forest.

– Tree Garden: Here you find plants from ecologically opposed areas of the Earth, like the Himalaya and the Tropics.

– Succulents: The capacity of storing water is what distinguishes the plants in this department, most of them coming from South America.

– Tropical/Cultivated/Aromatic/Medicinal: Several tropical and subtropical fruit trees, such as mango, papaya and avocado, as well as coffee trees, sugar cane and popular medicine plants can be seen in this area.

https://essential-madeira.com/en/index.php/places/400-a-eterna-primavera

…Light Lunch at Quinta Splendida and visit the gardens…a botanical garden at a hotel!

 https://www.quintasplendida.com/botanical-garden

….You have to admit…it has been a stellar time in Madeira and what a fitting finale.  Surrounded by lush subtropical gardens, Reid’s Palace perches above picture-perfect Funchal Harbour. We will experience a visit to these glorious gardens, soaking all we can in as a reminder of this wonderful time together and afterwards sit and relax over late Afternoon Tea on the terrace facing that beautiful sea before saying our final goodbyes….or will they be ‘see you again soon!’

On November 1, 1891, the first “afternoon tea at Reid’s” was served, a tradition that continues to this day. In order to celebrate its 131 years, Reid’s Palace, a Belmond Hotel, teamed up with the famous Portuguese porcelain producer Vista Alegre to design a porcelain tea set. Inspired by the blue jade flower, the highlight of Reid’s gardens and the iconic flower of Madeira Island, Vista Alegre conceived a commemorative collection, reflecting, according to Vista Alegre representatives, “the tradition, exclusivity, sophistication and the art of hospitality in forms, motifs and tones of this service, destined to perpetuate the famous five o’clock tea, which attracts visitors from all over the world”, and “Vista Alegre embraced the challenge with the Flor Jade decoration, full of sensitivity and symbolism, homage to the Reid’s Palace hotel and the natural beauties of the Pearl of the Atlantic”.

NOTE: Smart Casual attire for Afternoon Tea please

Night: Quinta Penha de França

Breakfast and Light Lunch and Afternoon Tea included with Dinner on own

‘The ‘pearl of the Atlantic’ is in fact made of green, cherished among the ocean blue. And her gardens give Madeira all the colors of the world.’  Safe Journey Onward…..

Transfer on your own to your hotel in Istanbul where the rest of the day is at leisure. Check in time is 3 pm.

Taking a taxi from the airport is very easy to do as well.  Recent check on pricing was around 35-40 Euros.  We can arrange a private transfer for you but they are expensive…120 Euros for 1 or 2 people.  Advise if you would prefer this.

I also advise coming in 1 pre tour night so that you have time to settle in before our tour but I do need to know that asap.

Located along the banks of the Bosphorus strait, the city of Istanbul is rich in culture and history, and is an amazing place to visit. You can learn a lot about Islamic culture and see dazzling displays of artwork and architecture that were created during the reign of the Ottoman Empire.  Istanbul, formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople, played for centuries a major part in world politics, first as the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, then as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, the most powerful Islamic empire in the world. Nowadays, Istanbul’s Asian side is filled with Western-style sprawling suburbs, while its European side is a wonderland of mosques, magnificent palaces, and crowded bazaars.  Istanbul, the only city that straddles two continents.

Overnight in Istanbul

Radisson Blu Pera Hotel – Superior View Room

https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-istanbul-pera

Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul Pera offers you the ultimate Turkish experience with unique views to the Golden Horn. The hotel is in the Pera district which is known as the center for cultural, arts and entertainment in İstanbul and is within walking distance to most historical sights and public transportation. Between the hotels, delicious food and drink facilities are the Super Breakfast buffet and the A la Carte restaurant with its magnificent Golden Horn view.

After breakfast we drive to the Asian Side of Istanbul to explore Nezahat Gokyigit Botanic Garden, an unexpected oasis amongst the towering high-rise blocks and motorways that surround it. To date, more than 50,000 trees and shrubs have been planted in this 50-hectare park, which aspires to establish the largest collection of oaks in the world. A section of the garden is devoted to scented plants and there is also a rock and screen garden.     https://www.ngbb.org.tr/en/index.html

Our tour continues to a very peaceful Baltalimanı Japanese Garden, inspired by the Chofu Garden on the Kanmon Straits of Japan. Complete with a traditional pergola, stone bridges, a natural pond and the famous sakura cherry tree, the garden was opened in 2003, which was the year of Turkey in Japan and was to be the first of a hundred Istanbul gardens dedicated to the horticultural heritage of Istanbul’s many sister cities.

https://www.istanbul.tr.emb-japan.go.jp/japonbahcesi/bahce.html

Sakip Sabanci Museum The former  home of the Sabanci Family, one of the two richest families of Turkey with their gardens – one of the most important gardens of Istanbul with its 100-year history, with 115 different plant varieties, colored by flowers such as redbud, lavender, and mimosa from the Far East, America, Australia, North Africa and Caucasus regions, including rare plants in Turkey – overlooking the Bosphorus.

https://sakipsabancimuzesi.org/ and https://sakipsabancimuzesi.org/ziyaret/bahce

Dolmabahce Palace. Until the 17th Century this site was one of the coves in Bosporus. In mythology it is the place where Argonauts’ legendary ship “Argo” had anchored in order to find the Golden Pelt, and in history Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror had breached his ships again in this cove to cross over to Golden Horn during the conquest of Istanbul. One of the unique gardens of Bosporus called Dolmabahce (Filled up Garden).  The sultans moved here from Topkapi because it was more comfortable. There is a terrace garden and landing stage beside the Bosphorous. The enclosed back gardens served the harem quarters and the favourite girls (cariyeler). The administrative section of the palace, used by the sultans and then by Ataturk, as a formal garden.

https://www.doaks.org/resources/middle-east-garden-traditions/catalogue/C112

Overnight in Istanbul.

Radisson Blu Pera Hotel

(B, Welcome Lunch)

Blue Mosque whose interior walls are covered with twenty thousand blue Iznik tiles, featuring many different tulip, rose, carnation, and lily designs, magnificent!  It is named for the blue Iznik tile work that decorates its interior and its dome can be seen from all over the Sultanahmet district. It was built by Mehmet Aga, the imperial architect and was very controversial due to its six minarets, which many at that time believed was sacrilegious as it rivaled the architecture of Mecca itself! There is some incredible art and architecture throughout, but keep in mind that it is an active mosque with daily prayer services. When visiting the Blue Mosque, it’s important to dress appropriately with your shoulders and legs covered as it is a religious site.          http://www.sultanahmetcamii.org/

We will walk through the site where the Hippodrome used to be…

Hagia Sophia that has inspired architects and religious leaders for over fifteen hundred years. Constructed in 326 by Constantine the Great, it has been a cathedral, a mosque, and now a museum. Built in the 6^th century, this church influenced architecture for centuries. Its original design was created as a mirror of the heavens. Explore the vast galleries and beautiful mosaics. Given its age, the church is in remarkable condition and the interiors are full of important frescoes and mosaics depicting holy subjects.. It’s considered to be one of the most influential works in architectural history and has a lot of impressive features, including artwork throughout its many spaces.  https://ayasofyacamii.gov.tr/

Then transfer to the Istanbul Airport to have late afternoon flight to Cappadocia.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Utopia Cave Cappadocia– Standard Room

https://www.utopiacave.com/

(B, D)

In the heart of Anatolia, this whimsical destination is famous for its “fairy chimneys” and the rainbow of hot air balloons that flow overhead.  Please note that if you wish to go ballooning, it will depend on the weather so this cannot be confirmed until we arrive and our guide in conversation with them determines if today or tomorrow…it is also very early to rise…I think around 4:30 am but wow what a thrill and memory it was, truly something you will never forget.  Ride lasts about an hour.  We will then advise cost and you pay them directly to our guide if you wish to go.

After breakfast visit local municipality carpet cooperation, sort of a carpet farm where you will get the chance to explore the district from a cultural perspective.

Goreme Valley. The lunar like landscape of this region is eerie, yet beautiful. Over thousands of years, the rain has eroded this landscape to give rise to strange rock formations known as “Fairy Chimneys”. Many of these have homes and churches carved into them. Some of the grottos are magnificently decorated with colourful frescoes depicting biblical scenes.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Utopia Cave Cappadocia

(B, D)

After breakfast explore typical Turkish village, Avanos to see the techniques of ceramic art dating from 12th B.C. to 3rd B.C. periods and then we will explore. Avanos, famous for its beautiful old houses, pottery, and onyx.

Then we enjoy a home cooking class followed by lunch.

In the afternoon we will explore one of the underground cities of Cappadocia.

Optional Whirling Dervishes performance? If you’re interested in learning more about Turkey’s rich cultural heritage, you may enjoy this. Historically, the term dervish referred to a specific group within Sufism, an Islamic order. Sufi whirling is a type of active meditation performed as part of a religious ceremony, with participants dressed in flowing robes or gowns, sometimes in bright colors and patterns.  I was amazed at this myself…our guide will advise what night and the price.

Overnight in Cappadocia.

Utopia Cave Cappadocia

(B, L, D)

Transfer to airport for our flight to Izmir. Now this flight could be as long as 4.5 hours.  We will just have to wait until later to see the timing and if possible to do anything, or just go to our hotel and relax….it’s a big day tomorrow!

With over 3500 years of history, the port city known historically as Smyrna offers a variety of archaeological sites, not to mention easy access to ancient Ephesus. CN Traveler labeled this spot as “Turkey’s most overlooked city” and it’s easy to see why. While tourists flock to Istanbul and other coastal hotspots, this treasure is left for the locals. Turkey’s third-largest city, this coastal city has always looked toward Europe. A meeting point of cultures, Izmir offers a unique blend of European and Middle Eastern influences.

Overnight in Izmir

DoubleTree by Hilton Izmir – Alsanack – Guest Room

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/izmiadi-doubletree-izmir-alsancak/

Centrally located in the heart of Izmir, Turkey, the hotel is just a short distance from the old town. Enjoy close proximity to shopping malls, markets and restaurants.

(B, D)

The old stomping grounds of everyone from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra, the ancient city of Ephesus was a key Roman city. It was the capital of Asia Minor, and second only to Rome in terms of population and cultural significance. As one of the best-preserved ancient Roman cities along the Mediterranean, this cultural mecca is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Today’s excursion takes us to Ephesus, the largest ancient city ever uncovered.  Once populated with 300,000 people, it has an enormous amphitheatre, which can still hold 24,000 spectators.  As you walk down the marble covered streets, see gymnasiums, bath houses, public latrines, the library of Celsus and the Temple of Artemis.  Ephesus was included by Alexander the Great in his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world today and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In the afternoon explore House of Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent her last few days.

Clinging to the side of the Bulbul Mountain, there is a chapel in honor of the place St. John is said to have brought Mary at the end of her life.

Overnight in Izmir

DoubleTree by Hilton Izmir – Alsanack – Guest Room

(B, L, D)

Our destination today is Urla where we will visit a truly beautiful and hidden plantation that has some of the largest collections of plant species in Europe with over 58 varieties of palms, various types of conifers, cacti, aromatic plants, broad leaved trees and olive trees, some of which date back 1,000 years, and taste delicious local olive oil . Klazomenai Ancient City is also home to the oldest (2600 years) olive producing factory…. an area full of ancient olive trees and ancient olive jars.

After tasting local wines having a history dating from  the 4^th Millennium BC. in one of the boutique vineyards West of Turkey, we will head back to our hotel.

Overnight in Izmir

DoubleTree by Hilton Izmir – Alsanack – Guest Room

(B, L, D)

Early morning flight then visits to…

Spend the morning visiting of Underground Basilica Cistern, largest surviving Byzantium Cistern. Cisterns are large underground reservoirs used to collect rainwater, of which there are hundreds beneath Istanbul. The Basilica Cistern is the largest, and you can actually descend into the chambers because it holds very little water today to see some amazing rock carvings and columns. Two of the columns are made of reclaimed blocks that have been carved to resemble Medusa, the snake-haired woman from Greek mythology who could turn anyone who made eye contact with her to stone.

http://yerebatansarnici.com/

Grand Bazaar. The term bazaar refers to a market, specifically a large market space with numerous stalls and vendors.  The Grand Bazaar is the world’s oldest and largest, boasting 61 streets and over 4,000 individual stalls selling spices, sweets, dried fruit, jewelry, and more..  You might recognize the view from the rooftops from James Bond’s iconic chase scene in “Skyfall”.   https://www.kapalicarsi.com.tr/

We will likely have our Farewell Lunch before the Bazaar just in case you might not want to go but instead head back to the hotel.  This will be decided the day of.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Radisson Blu Pera Hotel – Superior View Room

https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-istanbul-pera

(B, Farewell Lunch)

Transfer on your own to Istanbul Airport.  Again, we can arrange a car (120 Euros) if you wish but taxis can be arranged from the hotel.

(B)

After arrival into London please make your way to your hotel. Check in 3 pm and if you arrive earlier they will hold your luggage. Once in your room, unpack that bag and put it away…you won’t need to see it again for 8 nights.

The Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington is a contemporary hotel in prestigious Kensington, located just behind High Street Kensington Metro station. Renowned for its warm hospitality, the hotel offers well-appointed and comfortable guest rooms with an enviable central location in Kensington. The hotel is a short stroll away from Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens including the Princess Diana Memorial Gardens, and also very close to the Science Museum and Natural History Museum. High Street Kensington’s ‘first class’ shops are only a stone throw away from the hotel. At the metro station you will find all kinds of places to eat as well as Marks & Spencer and Boots drugs.

Your standard room includes with one bed for Double and Single or twin beds for those sharing. WiFi is complimentary and so are coffee and tea making facilities. There is also a mini fridge, safe, hairdryer and trouser press.  

https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/london/copthorne-tara-hotel-london-kensington/#home

After breakfast we will leave by coach for our visit to this delightfully plant packed garden. Our guide will highlight the most important aspects as this is a huge property…in a one hour tour, then you are free to wander the gardens on your own.  There is so much to see here including the new Welcome Building.  You can see it here… https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights/welcome-building  I cannot imagine what is waiting for us there!

Wisley was founded by Victorian businessman and RHS member George Ferguson Wilson, who purchased a 60-acre site in 1878. He established the “Oakwood Experimental Garden” on part of the site, where he attempted to “make difficult plants grow successfully”. Wilson died in 1902 and Oakwood was purchased by Sir Thomas Hanbury, the creator of the celebrated garden La Mortola on the Italian Riviera. He gave both sites to the RHS the following year. Wisley is now a large and diverse garden covering 240 acres. In addition to numerous formal and informal decorative gardens, several glasshouses and an extensive arboretum, it includes small scale “model gardens” which are intended to show visitors what they can achieve in their own gardens, and a trials field where new cultivars are assessed.

We should be there at the perfect time for the Rhododendrons and Azaleas and you will have time after the guide leaves us to enjoy the garden on your own and have lunch on your own at their fabulous café with views to the gardens. Be sure to check out the new exotic garden…I love it. The garden will showcase a diverse range of plants, from palms and bananas to vibrant flowers such as dahlias, cannas and gazanias. Providing an alluring contrast from the nearby Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden and Cottage Garden, the oasis will feature more than 100 species originating from tropical areas as far as Brazil and South Africa in an array of bold shapes and textures.

Return back to hotel.

Breakfast included, lunch on own and Our Welcome Dinner – 3 courses with glass of wine

‘In a house, each room can be quite different to the next, both in appearance and purpose.

Each section of a garden can also vary in its appearance and purpose. This is how some of the best landscape designers think of gardens.

Rooms or sections of a garden can be separated by hedges, dense shrubberies, trellis or walls of stone, timber or any other material. The floor of a garden may be covered with gravel, lawn, paving, creepers, low shrubs or even water. The roof is most often the sky; but it could also be the interlocking canopy of large trees or the framework of some other structure such as an arched walk or pergola.

One of the best examples of the outdoor room concept is Hidcote Manor, near Stratford upon Avon in England. Even if you only have a small garden, you can find inspiration in some of Hidcote’s smaller outdoor rooms.

There are 28 distinct garden areas at Hidcote. The series of smaller hedged gardens close to the house are particularly inspiring. Soon after entering Hidcote, most people find themselves at the circle garden. From this point, paths lead in two main directions; one through the Red Borders to the stilt garden, and the other down a series of terraces to the bathing pool garden.’

https://www.acsgarden.com/articles/garden-travel/hidcote-a-garden-with-many-rooms.aspx

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote

Three Generations of Women Gardeners

Perched on the edge of the Cotswold Hills, Kiftsgate Court is a family home and garden that has been loved and cultivated by the same family for over 100 years. Three generations of women gardeners have left their mark, each building on the legacy of the previous owner. When Jack and Heather Muir bought the Grecian-fronted Victorian house in 1919, Heather, without any horticultural training, started to layout the Kiftsgate garden straight away. Instead of a lawn, she planted semi-formal beds of roses and other flowers, a Tapestry Hedge with a mix of beech, yew and plain and variegated holly, and a Rose Border full of unusual varieties. Heather’s horticultural aesthetic favored the Arts & Crafts Movement which emphasized perennials and plants chosen for their adaptability, including drought tolerant cistus, spiky agaves and other Mediterranean style plantings. She was encouraged by her friend and next-door neighbor at Hidcote, Lawrence Johnston, and other notable garden designers including Norah Lindsay and Vita Sackville-West—who planted the enormous and famous Kiftsgate Rose (Rosa filipes) at Sissinghurst. 

Heather’s daughter, Diany Binny continued the family gardening tradition during the 1950s and quickly became an accomplished plants woman. She extended the planting, creating paths and replanting more borders with shrubs and herbaceous plants and re-fashioned the White Sunk Garden with a pool and fountain. Since the late 1980s, her daughter Anne Chambers and her husband Johnny have brought the garden into the 21st century. They introduced plants that flower year-round and are suited to warmer winters. They also created a new Water Garden with a sculpture by Simon Allison, a woodland with plants from the Scilly Isles, an avenue of tulip trees, and an orchard among other features.    http://www.kiftsgate.co.uk/

Return to our hotel

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on own.

Great Dixter is a house in Northiam, East Sussex, England. It was built in 1910–12 by architect Edwin Lutyens, who combined an existing mid-15th century house on the site with a similar structure brought from Benenden, Kent, together with his own additions. It is a Grade I listed building. (In simple terms, if a building is Grade 1 listed it is deemed to be of exceptional interest and may also have been judged to be of significant national importance. Grade 1 listing is usually reserved for much older and historically-important buildings) The garden, widely known for its continuous tradition of sophisticated plantsmanship, is Grade I listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd – it was the focus of his energy and enthusiasm and fuelled over 40 years of books and articles. Now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett and the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Great Dixter is an historic house, a garden, a center of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. As you enter the grounds you are struck at the sight of the house, so perfect in every quirky way and the planting is perfectly suited to the timbered façade. As you walk through the various gardens you are in fact walking around the house as well.  Perfectly placed plants surrounding home, barns and oast houses. There is a café and shop here.

Great Dixter   https://www.greatdixter.co.uk/

Every gardener I think has heard of Vita Sackville-West and now you are in for another exceptional garden as we visit the home of Vita and her husband Harold Nicolson. They lived at Sissinghurst until 1962, the year she passed away and then in 1967 Harold gave Sissinghurst to the National Trust. She was a prolific writer, poet and most of all gardener. Their history as a couple is really quite amazing and many books have been written on it. The tower is where she wrote novels, plays, poetry and gardening books and is still left as though she was just out for a moment checking something in the garden. They had the most extraordinary life and relationships and both wrote many books…it is worth digging deeper. There is a café and shop here.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9346537/Vita-Sackville-West-her-gardening-legacy.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/11166590/the-many-sides-of-vita-sackville-west.html

https://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/garden-designers/31-vita-sackville-west-1892-1962.html

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-16-bk-6473-story.html

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

We will arrive at the gates just prior to them opening and once in you will be able to pick up your show guide which is also included at 1 each for singles and 1 each for Double and start enjoying this most prestigious flower show. I will share some of my tips on enjoying this show on our way back from RHS Wisley so you can arrive prepared.

After you have finished seeing all you want to see – it is open until 8 pm for those diehards – then you can make your own way back to the hotel. This way you are free to enjoy the show for as long as you like.

I would suggest that either tonight or tomorrow night would be the nights to book shows or theatre as the tour days are not advised. We just do not know about traffic and I would hate for you to miss an event that you had planned to go to.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/

Chelsea Flower Show 2022 – Top Garden Trends

https://www.moderngardensmagazine.co.uk/garden/garden-trends/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-trends/

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on your own.

In my tour notes to you, sent out about a month before the tour begins, I include lots of ideas on what to do with your day of leisure.

The splendour and history of Windsor Castle is perfectly matched by the beauty and serenity of The Savill Garden, just four miles away. 

The Savill Garden is one of the finest royal gardens within Windsor Great Park. In 1932 Queen Mary gave Sir Eric Savill permission to develop a 35-acre garden in Windsor Great Park. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother showed great interest in the garden, and the Temperate House is dedicated to her. The attractions include the New Zealand Garden, the Queen Elizabeth Temperate House and trees planted by members of the Royal Family. In June 2010, a new contemporary rose garden designed by Andrew Wilson and Gavin McWilliam of Wilson McWilliam Studio was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. Eric Savill was the grandson of Alfred Savill the founder of a large firm of estate agents and was involved in managing Windsor Great Park from 1930 to 1970, being Director of Gardens from 1962 to 1970. He opened the Savill Garden to the public in 1951 and left it as a heritage to the nation. In June 2006, a specially designed new visitor centre, the Savill Building by Glenn Howells Architects was opened. The timber for the floor and roof came from the Windsor Estate.

Return to our hotel

Breakfast included with lunch and dinner on own.

Now you have seen some extraordinary gardens on this tour and it only seems fitting that the last garden we visit should be West Green House Gardens…it is also extraordinary!! In a beautiful corner of North Hampshire, visit a garden of contrast and inspiration, created by acclaimed garden designer Marylyn Abbott. It is a garden with a special and distinctive sense of place created over two decades by Marylyn Abbott a renowned Australian garden designer whose twin passions for English Gardens and International Opera have created a unique environment. West Green House Gardens combines neo-classical style with contemporary design. A grand water staircase provides a focal point to the Nymphaeum Fountain designed by architect Quinlan Terry. The magnificent Walled Garden, faithfully restored to its original lines, is entered through an arbor of wisteria. An alley of apple trees divides an elaborate potager with its berry-filled fruit cages, annual flowers and colourful vegetables from its signature perennial borders exuberantly planted in subtle hues of mauve, plum and blue. There is a lot more to discover here. There is a lovely gift shop here as well.

To finish off our tour we will also enjoy a wonderful Afternoon Tea in the original Orangery, built in the 1770’s. This is a delightful and enchanting setting, filled to the rafters with plants and garden accessories. The perfect spot to chat and say Farewell….I cannot say enough about this garden, it is truly the perfect ending to an incredible variety of gardens that we have been privileged to visit.. To sit here among the flowers and enjoy Afternoon Tea is just well…magical.

Map of the Garden http://westgreenhouse.co.uk/garden/

Website http://westgreenhouse.co.uk/

Return back to hotel with your evening at leisure.

If  your flight is early you can arrange with the hotel to have a grab and go bag ready for you.

Participants make their own way to the hotel on arrival. 7 nights accommodation at 4 Star, Park Plaza Utrecht, Netherlands

Hotel https://www.parkplazautrecht.com/

Superior Double or Twin Sharing room… wifi, hair dryer, mini bar fridge, coffee/tea making facilities, iron and board. Hotel has fitness area, restaurant and bar.

Located just a five-minute walk from the city centre and Utrecht Central Station which runs directly from the Schiphol airport and is approximately a 30 minute ride and costs approximately 10 euros (could change), the canals of Utrecht, the Beatrix Theatre and the Jaarbeurs. Highlights such as the Dom Tower, TivoliVredenburg, Museum Catharijneconvent and Shopping Mall Hoog Catharijne are also within walking distance of the hotel. The Railway Museum and the Rietveld-Schröder House are also within easy reach.

Welcome dinner this evening…

We join our guide and coach for a full day…

Royal FloraHolland Auction House, including a guided tour

Royal FloraHolland is a flower auction company located in Aalsmeer, Naaldwijk, Rijnsburg, Venlo, Bleiswijk and Eelde. Together, the auction houses are home to the largest flower auction in the world. Well over 20 million flowers and plants are sold at Royal FloraHolland every day. The flowers do not just come from the Netherlands, but from 50 other countries as well. There are 35 auction clocks and over 100,000 transactions are made every day. The most popular flower varieties are roses, tulips and chrysanthemums. You will be amazed at how smoothly this runs…

https://www.royalfloraholland.com/en/about-floraholland/visit-the-flower-auction/aalsmeer

Did you know? The red tulip is the global favorite, red being a positive color in many cultures. It is the first color to catch the eye.

Flower Art Museum Entrance, visit on own.

An ode to the flower that inspires artists to create the most beautiful works of art. The Flower Art Museum in Aalsmeer focuses on the representation of flowers and plants in contemporary art. Paintings, photographs, objects and other works by contemporary Dutch and international artists are on display in changing exhibitions. A large sculpture garden with terrace is located on the roof of the building, from where you can enjoy a lovely view of the Westeinderplassen. Museum shop and café https://www.flowerartmuseum.nl/

Hortus Bulborum Foundation, visit on own.

The foundation manages the unique Hortus collection garden with its 4,000 spring-flowering historical bulbs, some even dating as far back as the 16th century. This collection consists primarily of tulips, narcissus and hyacinths, but there is also a small number of Fritillaria and crocus, primarily the C.vernus types. In addition to functioning as a gene bank, the garden has a seasonal display of thousands of heirloom bulbs, some of which are no longer in commercial production. The Fritillaria persica on display was already in cultivation as early as 1577, while the oldest narcissus is several centuries older yet. The garden, therefore, provides a fascinating overview of these immensely popular spring bloomers grown through the centuries. https://hortus-bulborum.nl/?lang=en

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

We join our guide and coach for a full day…visit on own

Keukenhof is a park where more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year. Gardens and four pavilions show a fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many other flowers. You will be overwhelmed by a spectacle of colors and perfumes on display not only outside in the 32 hectares of planted gardens but inside the pavilions showcasing a variety of flower displays.

Did you know? The lily is number four on the list of most frequently sold flowers, after the rose, tulip and chrysanthemum.

The history of Keukenhof dates back to the 15th century. Countess Jacoba van Beieren [Jacqueline of Bavaria] (1401-1436) gathered fruit and vegetables from the Keukenduin [kitchen dunes] for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to encompass an area of over 200 hectares.
Landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, who also designed Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, redesigned the castle gardens in 1857. That park, in the English landscape style, still constitutes the basis of Keukenhof.

In 1949 a group of 20 leading flower bulb growers and exporters came up with the plan to use the estate to exhibit spring-flowering bulbs, signaling the birth of Keukenhof as a spring park. The park opened its gates to the public in 1950 and was an instant success, with 236,000 visitors in the first year alone. 2022 will be the 72nd edition of Keukenhof. Cafes and shops https://keukenhof.nl/en/

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

We join our guide and coach for a full day…

Helene Kröller-Müller had a dream to create her own ‘museum-home’. With her wealthy husband’s money and help from an advisor, she purchased over 11,500 art objects. The Kröller-Müller Museum opened its doors in 1938 in the Hoge Veluwe National Park. There’s plenty to see at the Kröller-Müller Museum, but these are the two particularly interesting highlights:

The Van Gogh collection here is the largest privately owned collection of Van Goghs in the world (not counting the collection of the Van Gogh family itself). You will also find masterpieces by modern masters such as Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondriaan.

In the sculpture garden, one of the largest in Europe, you can enjoy both sculptures and nature. Distributed throughout the garden are over 160 sculptures by iconic artists, from Aristide Maillol to Jean Dubuffet, from Marta Pan to Pierre Huyghe. Museum shop and restaurants https://krollermuller.nl/en visit here is on your own

Did you know? One of the sweetest facts about the Netherlands is that the Dutch adore liquorice. So if you adore it too, you can find 80 different kinds to tempt you.

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

We join our guide and coach for a full day…

Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is located in the historical center of Leiden and is the second oldest botanical garden of the Netherlands. This amazing garden has a large collection of plant species from Asia, Southern Europe and South Africa. This is where Carolus Clusius grew Europe’s first big tulip collections towards the end of the 16th century. The Hortus botanicus has been collecting and doing research on plants from all over the world for over four centuries. It was established in 1638 to battle the black death. Over 10.000 plants and dozens of bird species can be seen in the Japanese, historical, winter, rose, fern and medicinal herb garden, groundnut field and tropical greenhouse. Shop and café. Visit here is on your own.

Excerpt from Atlas Obscura…

Originally known as Hortus Medicus, the garden grew medicinal herbs and by 1682 the Dutch East India Company had stocked it full of rare and exotic plants never before seen in this part of the world. Their spectacular cycad collection in the Palm House is home to one of the most fascinating plants in “captivity”, offsets from Wood’s Cycad. Other famous residents include a 2,000-year old agave cactus that dates back to the Roman era, and Victoria amazonica, a lovely water lily whose 150th birthday has come and gone. Every night at dusk during bloom season, Victoria opens up the petals of her white flower, decade after decade. The garden’s coffee plants, Coffea Arabica, are considered the “parents” of 74% of the coffee plants in the Americas.

https://hortusleiden.nl/en/

Cruise Canal sightseeing cruise in Amsterdam (75 minute cruise).

The Rijksmuseum is the principal national museum in the Netherlands. It illustrates the art and history of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the present. World-famous highlights from the Dutch Golden Age, including Rembrandt van Rijn’s Night Watch and Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, can be admired at the Rijksmuseum. Start by going to the first link to help you prepare for your visit, it is a huge place, so this should help you narrow down what you wish to see… visit here on your own https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/stories Shop and Café https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en

Breakfast Included with Lunch and Dinner on own

We will enjoy a hearty breakfast then board coach for our short drive to the Expo. The Floriade World Horticultural Expo has been held in the Netherlands since 1960. It is organised every ten years in a different location. A Celebration of Green!! It is an extraordinary park in which the Dutch horticulture industry presents its latest trends and developments to the rest of the world. Topics range from water, sustainability, flowers, gardens and architecture to culinary delights. You will be amazed at just how dynamic the ‘green industry’ in the Netherlands is! Walk through fairytale gardens and tropical greenhouses, past lovely ponds and architectural wonders. The Floriade also devotes ample attention to art, theatre and music performances as well as culinary workshops. The Floriade park will be a celebration of green and sustainable technology. New technologies for greenery, food, energy and health will be researched and implemented at this living laboratory. Visitors will be touched by what they see, smell and taste. The park consists of permanent elements and expo-specific ones. All contribute to Floriade’s four sub-themes: Greening the City, Feeding the City, Healthying the City and Energising the City. Inspiring gardens, conferences, workshops and exhibitions will be mixed with impressive attractions, surprising tasting sessions, art and culture. The site will be full of energy and action. Naturally, all in wonderful, green surroundings. Floriade Expo 2022 will be the third expo I have been to. Visit here is on your own. https://floriade.com/en/

Did you know? Carrots are orange because of the Netherlands… Back in the 10th century, carrots were originally white, purple, or pale yellow. So how did they get their distinct orange colour? The story goes that when William of Orange (King William III) helped the Dutch win independence from Spain in the 17th century, Dutch farmers honoured the King by turning their carrots orange through clever breeding.

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

I doubt you will sleep in…just too much to do and see today so get up, have a good breakfast then off you go to discover….

April 27^th is the King’s Birthday!!  As you are out and about I am sure you will see plenty of orange… The Dutch Royal family bears the name ‘House of Oranje’. This literally means the colour orange. As a result it has become the Netherlands national color. On King’s Day people wear orange clothes, often even donning orange wigs or make-up. A feast requires a toast. On King’s Day, the people make a toast to the King with Orange Bitter, a bright orange liqueur. The drink was created in 1620 to celebrate Prince Fredrick Henry’s victory. Initially it was not well-known but after William of Orange became the first king, it was produced once more. Since then, Orange Bitter has been closely associated with the Dutch Royal family…..oh, and so many flags will be flying too!

Did you know?  If you are a beer drinker…. The Netherlands is the world’s second-biggest exporter of beer after Mexico.  If you love gin as I do….they also invented gin in the 16^th century….

Breakfast and Farewell Dinner Included with Lunch on own

After breakfast you are on your way….I wish you safe travels home with lots of wonderful memories to enjoy.

You will be likely coming into Schiphol Airport and from there making your way to Utrecht where you hotel is located.  Easiest is in and out of that airport.  Details on getting to hotel will be given with final detail email…

Participants make their own way to the hotel on arrival. 7 nights accommodation at 4 Star, Park Plaza Utrecht, Netherlands

Hotel https://www.parkplazautrecht.com/

Superior Double or Twin Sharing room… wifi, hair dryer, mini bar fridge, coffee/tea making facilities, iron and board. Hotel has fitness area, restaurant and bar.

Located just a five-minute walk from the city centre and Utrecht Central Station which runs directly from the Schiphol airport and is approximately a 30 minute ride and costs approximately 10 euros (could change), the canals of Utrecht, the Beatrix Theatre and the Jaarbeurs. Highlights such as the Dom Tower, TivoliVredenburg, Museum Catharijneconvent and Shopping Mall Hoog Catharijne are also within walking distance of the hotel. The Railway Museum and the Rietveld-Schröder House are also within easy reach.

Welcome dinner this evening…

We join our guide and coach for a full day…

Royal FloraHolland Auction House, including a guided tour

Royal FloraHolland is a flower auction company located in Aalsmeer, Naaldwijk, Rijnsburg, Venlo, Bleiswijk and Eelde. Together, the auction houses are home to the largest flower auction in the world. Well over 20 million flowers and plants are sold at Royal FloraHolland every day. The flowers do not just come from the Netherlands, but from 50 other countries as well. There are 35 auction clocks and over 100,000 transactions are made every day. The most popular flower varieties are roses, tulips and chrysanthemums. You will be amazed at how smoothly this runs…

https://www.royalfloraholland.com/en/about-floraholland/visit-the-flower-auction/aalsmeer

Did you know? The red tulip is the global favorite, red being a positive color in many cultures. It is the first color to catch the eye.

Flower Art Museum Entrance, visit on own.

An ode to the flower that inspires artists to create the most beautiful works of art. The Flower Art Museum in Aalsmeer focuses on the representation of flowers and plants in contemporary art. Paintings, photographs, objects and other works by contemporary Dutch and international artists are on display in changing exhibitions. A large sculpture garden with terrace is located on the roof of the building, from where you can enjoy a lovely view of the Westeinderplassen. Museum shop and café https://www.flowerartmuseum.nl/

Hortus Bulborum Foundation, visit on own.

The foundation manages the unique Hortus collection garden with its 4,000 spring-flowering historical bulbs, some even dating as far back as the 16th century. This collection consists primarily of tulips, narcissus and hyacinths, but there is also a small number of Fritillaria and crocus, primarily the C.vernus types. In addition to functioning as a gene bank, the garden has a seasonal display of thousands of heirloom bulbs, some of which are no longer in commercial production. The Fritillaria persica on display was already in cultivation as early as 1577, while the oldest narcissus is several centuries older yet. The garden, therefore, provides a fascinating overview of these immensely popular spring bloomers grown through the centuries. https://hortus-bulborum.nl/?lang=en

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

We join our guide and coach for a full day…visit on own

Keukenhof is a park where more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year. Gardens and four pavilions show a fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many other flowers. You will be overwhelmed by a spectacle of colors and perfumes on display not only outside in the 32 hectares of planted gardens but inside the pavilions showcasing a variety of flower displays.

Did you know? The lily is number four on the list of most frequently sold flowers, after the rose, tulip and chrysanthemum.

The history of Keukenhof dates back to the 15th century. Countess Jacoba van Beieren [Jacqueline of Bavaria] (1401-1436) gathered fruit and vegetables from the Keukenduin [kitchen dunes] for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to encompass an area of over 200 hectares.
Landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, who also designed Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, redesigned the castle gardens in 1857. That park, in the English landscape style, still constitutes the basis of Keukenhof.

In 1949 a group of 20 leading flower bulb growers and exporters came up with the plan to use the estate to exhibit spring-flowering bulbs, signaling the birth of Keukenhof as a spring park. The park opened its gates to the public in 1950 and was an instant success, with 236,000 visitors in the first year alone. 2022 will be the 72nd edition of Keukenhof. Cafes and shops https://keukenhof.nl/en/

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

We join our guide and coach for a full day…

Helene Kröller-Müller had a dream to create her own ‘museum-home’. With her wealthy husband’s money and help from an advisor, she purchased over 11,500 art objects. The Kröller-Müller Museum opened its doors in 1938 in the Hoge Veluwe National Park. There’s plenty to see at the Kröller-Müller Museum, but these are the two particularly interesting highlights:

The Van Gogh collection here is the largest privately owned collection of Van Goghs in the world (not counting the collection of the Van Gogh family itself). You will also find masterpieces by modern masters such as Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondriaan.

In the sculpture garden, one of the largest in Europe, you can enjoy both sculptures and nature. Distributed throughout the garden are over 160 sculptures by iconic artists, from Aristide Maillol to Jean Dubuffet, from Marta Pan to Pierre Huyghe. Museum shop and restaurants https://krollermuller.nl/en visit here is on your own

Did you know? One of the sweetest facts about the Netherlands is that the Dutch adore liquorice. So if you adore it too, you can find 80 different kinds to tempt you.

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

We join our guide and coach for a full day…

Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is located in the historical center of Leiden and is the second oldest botanical garden of the Netherlands. This amazing garden has a large collection of plant species from Asia, Southern Europe and South Africa. This is where Carolus Clusius grew Europe’s first big tulip collections towards the end of the 16th century. The Hortus botanicus has been collecting and doing research on plants from all over the world for over four centuries. It was established in 1638 to battle the black death. Over 10.000 plants and dozens of bird species can be seen in the Japanese, historical, winter, rose, fern and medicinal herb garden, groundnut field and tropical greenhouse. Shop and café. Visit here is on your own.

Excerpt from Atlas Obscura…

Originally known as Hortus Medicus, the garden grew medicinal herbs and by 1682 the Dutch East India Company had stocked it full of rare and exotic plants never before seen in this part of the world. Their spectacular cycad collection in the Palm House is home to one of the most fascinating plants in “captivity”, offsets from Wood’s Cycad. Other famous residents include a 2,000-year old agave cactus that dates back to the Roman era, and Victoria amazonica, a lovely water lily whose 150th birthday has come and gone. Every night at dusk during bloom season, Victoria opens up the petals of her white flower, decade after decade. The garden’s coffee plants, Coffea Arabica, are considered the “parents” of 74% of the coffee plants in the Americas.

https://hortusleiden.nl/en/

Cruise Canal sightseeing cruise in Amsterdam (75 minute cruise).

The Rijksmuseum is the principal national museum in the Netherlands. It illustrates the art and history of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the present. World-famous highlights from the Dutch Golden Age, including Rembrandt van Rijn’s Night Watch and Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, can be admired at the Rijksmuseum. Start by going to the first link to help you prepare for your visit, it is a huge place, so this should help you narrow down what you wish to see… visit here on your own https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/stories Shop and Café https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en

Breakfast Included with Lunch and Dinner on own

We will enjoy a hearty breakfast then board coach for our short drive to the Expo. The Floriade World Horticultural Expo has been held in the Netherlands since 1960. It is organised every ten years in a different location. A Celebration of Green!! It is an extraordinary park in which the Dutch horticulture industry presents its latest trends and developments to the rest of the world. Topics range from water, sustainability, flowers, gardens and architecture to culinary delights. You will be amazed at just how dynamic the ‘green industry’ in the Netherlands is! Walk through fairytale gardens and tropical greenhouses, past lovely ponds and architectural wonders. The Floriade also devotes ample attention to art, theatre and music performances as well as culinary workshops. The Floriade park will be a celebration of green and sustainable technology. New technologies for greenery, food, energy and health will be researched and implemented at this living laboratory. Visitors will be touched by what they see, smell and taste. The park consists of permanent elements and expo-specific ones. All contribute to Floriade’s four sub-themes: Greening the City, Feeding the City, Healthying the City and Energising the City. Inspiring gardens, conferences, workshops and exhibitions will be mixed with impressive attractions, surprising tasting sessions, art and culture. The site will be full of energy and action. Naturally, all in wonderful, green surroundings. Floriade Expo 2022 will be the third expo I have been to. Visit here is on your own. https://floriade.com/en/

Did you know? Carrots are orange because of the Netherlands… Back in the 10th century, carrots were originally white, purple, or pale yellow. So how did they get their distinct orange colour? The story goes that when William of Orange (King William III) helped the Dutch win independence from Spain in the 17th century, Dutch farmers honoured the King by turning their carrots orange through clever breeding.

Breakfast Included, Lunch and Dinner on own

I doubt you will sleep in…just too much to do and see today so get up, have a good breakfast then off you go to discover….

April 27^th is the King’s Birthday!!  As you are out and about I am sure you will see plenty of orange… The Dutch Royal family bears the name ‘House of Oranje’. This literally means the colour orange. As a result it has become the Netherlands national color. On King’s Day people wear orange clothes, often even donning orange wigs or make-up. A feast requires a toast. On King’s Day, the people make a toast to the King with Orange Bitter, a bright orange liqueur. The drink was created in 1620 to celebrate Prince Fredrick Henry’s victory. Initially it was not well-known but after William of Orange became the first king, it was produced once more. Since then, Orange Bitter has been closely associated with the Dutch Royal family…..oh, and so many flags will be flying too!

Did you know?  If you are a beer drinker…. The Netherlands is the world’s second-biggest exporter of beer after Mexico.  If you love gin as I do….they also invented gin in the 16^th century….

Breakfast and Farewell Dinner Included with Lunch on own

After breakfast you are on your way….I wish you safe travels home with lots of wonderful memories to enjoy.

You will be likely coming into Schiphol Airport and from there making your way to Utrecht where you hotel is located.  Easiest is in and out of that airport.  Details on getting to hotel will be given with final detail email…