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BRUSSELS, ANTWERP and GHENT: A Cultural Extravaganza of Art and Architecture
April 5 - April 9
Description
The rich art and architecture of the cities of Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent reflect their historic trading, wealth and prestige. Glorious churches, spectacular decorative and fine arts museums, and an astonishing array of civic buildings are a testament to the country’s role as the great meeting place of Western Europe. Traces of the Austrians, Spanish, French and Dutch are to be found in the eclectic mix of architectural styles, beginning with the Romanesque and culminating in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco of the 20th century. Highlights will include the world-class Musée de Beaux Arts in Antwerp, which recently re-opened after many years of closure and the house and printing workshops of the Plantin Moretus family, a rare survival from the 16th century when Antwerp was at the centre of the book trade. Jan van Eyck’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, in Ghent, will be the subject of a special pilgrimage.
Pricing
Based on 15 participants and strictly limited
£2,900.00 per person sharing a twin/double room
£700.00 deposit is needed to confirm your place
Supplements
£305.00 single-room supplement
The price includes:
- Lecturing by Andrew Spira
- Return scheduled Eurostar tickets from London St. Pancras to Brussels Midi
- 4 nights bed and breakfast at 4* Franq Hotel, Antwerp
- City Taxes throughout
- Services of local licenced guide throughout
- Welcome dinner on arrival day
- 5 lunches in local restaurants
- All local coach transport in Belgium as per itinerary
- All entrance charges and fees for visits as per itinerary
- Vox Headsets
The price does not include:
- Dinners (Days 2, 3, 4)
- Teas or coffees during any mid-morning/mid-afternoon breaks
- Refreshments
- Any incidental and personal expenditure (laundry/telephone etc)
- Taxis or other transport not specified
- Personal Insurance
Your Lecturer: Andrew Spira
Andrew Spira graduated from the Courtauld Institute of Art before completing a Master’s degree in Museum and Gallery Management at City University, London. He worked at the Temple Gallery, London and as a curator at the V&A Museum. Subsequently, he was Programme Director at Christie’s Education.
Your Hotel
Hotel Franq, Antwerp 4 * (4 nights)
Kipdorp 10-12
2000 Antwerp
Belgium
https://www.hotelfranq.com/en/home-2/
This boutique hotel is located in the heart of Antwerp, a stone’s throw from the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral and the Meir, Antwerp’s main shopping area, said to be comparable to New York’s 5th Avenue. The Franq was once a former bank and derives its name from the Belgian franks that were kept in the vault. Its luxurious and timeless elegance has every amenity including a Michelin starred restaurant.
Tour Itinerary
DAY 1 / FRIDAY 5 April 2024
London – Brussels
Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi
Met by local guide and transfer to a local restaurant for lunch.
Visit the Horta House
The former home of the pioneering art nouveau architect Victor Horta, this house is richly endowed with characteristically sinuous designs and artefacts from the period.
Coach to Antwerp
Check in to Franq Hotel
Welcome Dinner in a nearby restaurant
DAY 2 / SATURDAY 6 APRIL 2024
Ghent
Coach to Ghent
Visit the Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Museum of Fine Arts). This museum houses a wonderful collection of paintings, ranging from Bosch to modern Belgian masters, James Ensor and Paul Delvaux and many contemporary artists.
Lunch local restaurant
Visit St Niklaaskerk. The medieval church of St Niklass is one of the most distinctive landmarks in Ghent.
Visit St Bavo’s Cathedral. The cathedral holds a rich collection of religious artefacts ranging from the C8th – C20th but is most famous for a single work, a polyptych by the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck, comprising 24 panels known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, one of the greatest masterpieces of Flemish painting.
Return coach to Antwerp
Evening at leisure
DAY 3 / SUNDAY 7 APRIL 2024
Antwerp
Visit the Plantin-Moretus Museum
A rare survival from the C16th offering a fascinating insight into the production of printed images and text at one of its most important historical moments.
Lunch local restaurant
Visit the Mayer van den Bergh Museum. This museum houses the collection of the art dealer and collector Fritz Mayer van den Bergh. The major works are from the Gothic and Renaissance period in the Netherlands and Belgium, including paintings by Pieter Brueghel the Elder.
Visit the Snijders and Rockoxhuis Museum. Two linked C17th town houses, formerly inhabited by Rubens’ colleague, Frans Snyders, and now home to a spectacular collection of Flemish paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Evening at leisure
DAY 4 / MONDAY 8 APRIL 2024
Antwerp
Visit Royal Museum of Fine Arts
Recently re-opened after 10 years of closure this museum is one of the world’s greatest repositories of Flemish art, including unique masterpieces by Rogier van Der Weyden and Jan van Eyck.
Lunch local restaurant
Visit the Church of St. Charles Borromeo. Built between 1615-1621 as the Jesuit church of Antwerp it has eccentric but splendid Baroque carvings.
Visit the Cathedral of Our Lady and Church of St. Paul. Both these amazing churches contain major masterpieces by Rubens and Van Dyck, still in situ.
Evening at leisure
DAY 5 / TUESDAY 9 APRIL 2024
Brussels-London
Check out of the hotel and transfer to Brussels
Visit Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. This is a group of museums which includes Old Masters, Magritte, Fin de Siecle and Modern Art Museums. The upper floor of the museum represents art from the 14th – C16th including the Breugel Room. The C17th masters such as Rubens are displayed alongside fine Dutch paintings as well as masterpieces of Italian, French and Spanish Art. The Museum of Modern Art is located underground and features art from the C19th to the present day.
Lunch local restaurant
Continue visit to Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Transfer by private coach to Brussels Midi
Eurostar to London St Pancras
Booking Information
For further information:
Contact: Mary Bromley
Telephone: 0770 288 7383
Email: [email protected]
Write: The Course, 105 William Court, 6 Hall Road, London NW8 9PB
This tour is organised by Heritage Group Travel who are responsible for all the arrangements. Please refer to Heritage Group Travel Booking Terms and Conditions which can be sent upon request. The Company holds ABTOT number 5093 and AITO licence number 5060 for your protection. This itinerary is subject to change should local conditions or unexpected restrictions occur. As the tour is arranged many months in advance visits may be subject to amendment.
