The Treasures of Turin and the Gardens of Piedmont
The city of Turin, capital of Piedmont, possesses some of the finest Baroque architecture in Italy, and the palaces and churches built by Juvarra and Guarini show why they are regarded as worthy heirs of Bernini and Borromini.
Piedmont was the main beneficiary of the Risorgimento, with Victor Emmanuel, King of Savoy becoming the first king of a united Italy. It therefore retains almost intact the collections formed by the kings of Savoy. They include wonderful Old Masters, many of them purchased by Prince Eugene of Savoy, the great general and colleague of Marlborough, and Egyptian antiquities that rival those in Cairo itself. As a fascinating contrast, we will also visit a remarkable private collection of contemporary art put together by one of Italy's foremost connoisseurs.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Alps, Piedmont boasts some of the most exciting and original gardens in Italy, the most interesting of them designed by Russell Page, one of the greatest landscape architects of the 20th century. With the leading gardening authority Robin Lane Fox as our guide, we will be making private visits to the finest of these, and to the beautiful villas where their owners reside. Piedmont is famed for its gastronomy, and we will end our tour with a dinner in the Whist Club in Turin, the most lavishly decorated club in all Italy, where Count Camillo Cavour, Prime Minister of Piedmont, planned the Risorgimento.
Hotel: The NH Piazza Carlina is Turin's chicest hotel. This elegant 17th century palace, built around a large courtyard and overlooking an elegant square, has been redesigned to offer stylish modern accommodation and every possible comfort.
Lecturers: Robin Lane Fox and Charles FitzRoy
Tour Leaders: Charles FitzRoy and Jane Rae