traVEL WitH friEnDs in 2011

EmpirEs of EastErn istanbul to Budapest

EuropEwith Liz Gibson

31 August - 22 September 2011(23 days / 22 nights)

Tour Leader Liz Gibson B.a., Dip. art Ed, m.a.(art admin)former senior coordinator of public programs at the aGnsW,Liz lectures on broad rangingaspects of art history and artappreciation.she has led art Gallery societytours to italy, Germany, theCzech republic, russia, theBaltic Countries, slovenia andCroatia, and is keen to furtherexplore the connections betweenthe complex cultures of EasternEurope. Liz’s tours cater for varyingdegrees of knowledge andinterest in art.

EmpirEs of EastErn EuropEistanbul, once the glittering capital of the Byzantine and ottomanEmpires, is the starting point for an exciting adventure into the heart ofEastern Europe. Budapest, once the dual-capital of the grand HabsburgEmpire, is the end point. from turkey to Hungary, trace the cultural legacy imposed by the many warring forces that swept across the vastterritory of today’s Bulgaria and romania.

at the crossroads of east and west, the fragmented history of this part ofthe world is reflected in a richly layered visual culture. see wide rangingarchitecture from ancient thracian tombs, roman ruins, saxon citadels,traditional wooden churches, painted monasteries, ottoman mansions,grand 19th century historicist and early 20th art nouveau buildings, tomonumentally scaled 20th century soviet edifices.

Discover not only a unique cultural landscape, but also enjoy a greatdiversity of nature, from the sweeping valleys of Bulgaria to the spectacular mountain ranges of transylvania.

Chain bridge, Hungary at night

itinErarYtHu 30 auGust 2011DEpart austraLiaDepart sydney on thai airways / austrian viaBangkok and Vienna to istanbul. overnight in flight.WED 31 auGustarriVE istanBuLarrive istanbul in the morning and transfer to yourhotel. in the afternoon enjoy a leisurely cruise on thelegendary Bosphorus, a long strait which joins thesea of marmara with the Black sea and forms a nat-ural border between Europe and asia. along theshoreline of the Bosphorous stand several palacesand fortresses, forested hills and shore villages fea-turing ottoman architecture. tonight join Liz Gibson and fellow group members fora welcome dinner. (D)tHu 01 sEptEmBEristanBuLafter breakfast visit istanbul’s outstanding monu-ments from the Byzantine world, beginning with oneof the world’s greatest architectural achievements,Hagia sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom), built dur-ing the reign of Emperor Justinian in 537. it was con-verted to a mosque under the ottoman turks in the15th century. then explore the underground 6th cen-tury Basilica Cistern and its expansive array of 336Corinthian Columns. Continue to the remains of theold Hippodrome (stadium), which once stood in theheart of the Byzantine city of Constantinople. afternoon at leisure. perhaps visit the museum ofturkish and islamic arts. (B)

fri EptEmBEristanBuLtoday explore the highlights of ottoman istanbul.morning visit to the magnificent topkapi palaceincluding the treasury and the Harem. Built by sultanmehmet ii shortly after his capture of Constantinoplein 1453, the palace became the residence of theottoman sultans between the 15th and 19th cen-turies. the jewelled turban crests, silken caftans andpriceless Chinese porcelain held in the glitteringtreasury collection reveal the extraordinary grandeurof a bygone area. Lunch at the Konyali restaurant,located within the palace grounds. in the afternoon visit the impressive 17th centurysultan ahmed mosque, with its six pencil-thinminarets. the mosque is commonly known as the“Blue mosque”, after the striking blue iznik tile-workof its interior. (BL)sat 03 sEptEmBEristanBuLContinue your exploration of istanbul‘s great arttreasures with a morning visit to the archaeologicalmuseum and its impressive collection of antiquities,including the remarkable 4th century BCE alexandersarcophagus and the beautiful collection of turkishtiles and ceramics held in the tiled pavilion (ÇiniliKöşk). after lunch explore the Grand Bazaar, with itslabyrinth of streets and colourful shops as well as thespice Bazaar. (BL)

02 s

images (L-r): shipka Church near Kazaluk, Bulgaria and Hagia sophia interior, turkey

sun 04 sEptEmBEristanBuL - sofiaafter breakfast, drive along the Golden Horn and visitthe 11th century Church of st saviour in Chora,which contains some of the world’s best-preservedcollections of Byzantine mosaics and frescoes. Enroute see some of city’s early fortification walls androman aqueduct. transfer to the airport for the late afternoon flight tosofia, the capital of Bulgaria and one of Europe’soldest cities. Check into the hotel, which reveals theruins of an ancient roman arena on its lower levels.(BLD)mon 05 sEptEmBEristanBuL – sofiaafter breakfast, embark on a walking tour of sofia’shistoric centre. Highlights include the ruins of theancient roman city (serdica), the 5th centuryByzantine Church of st. sofia, the red brick rotundaChurch of st George, the late 19th century nationalassembly Building and the golden domed aleksandernevski memorial Church, built in the early 20th cen-tury. free afternoon. traditional Bulgarian dinner plusfolkloric performance. (BD)

tuE 06 sEptEmBErsofiain the morning drive to the outskirts of sofia toexplore Bulgaria’s complex history in the nationalHistorical museum, with its most striking exhibit, thegold panagyurishte treasure believed to be the wed-ding dowry of a thracian princess. Drive to the rilamountains for lunch. after lunch, visit the striking rila monastery, aunEsCo World Heritage site located within a lovelyforest reserve. founded in the 10th century by svetiivan rilski, it became the primary spiritual and cultur-al centre of Bulgaria, and flourished until it wasdestroyed by the ottomans in the late 15th century.Devastated by fire in 1833, it was rebuilt and standstoday as Bulgaria’s most impressive example ofnational revival architecture. Enjoy the monastery’sunique architectural style and its profusion of colorfulfrescoes. Evening at leisure. (BL) WED 07 sEptEmBErsofia – pLoVDiV (approx. 202Km)Depart sofia and travel to plovdiv, Bulgaria’s secondlargest city and also one of its most ancient. plovdivstands on three hills which were settled by thethracians over three thousand years ago. Enjoy awalking tour of the old city of plovdiv. Explore itscharming cobbled streets which contain a livingmuseum of the various phases of Bulgarian domesticarchitecture, including the unique buildings of thenational revival style. a highlight of plovdiv is the 2nd century romanamphitheatre built during the reign of Emperortrajan. in the lower town, see the remains of theroman stadium, also built in the 2nd century andmodelled after the Greek stadium in Delphi. Lunch.after hotel check-in, free afternoon and evening toenjoy the lovely ambience of plovdiv. (BL)

image: Central market Budapest

tHu 08 sEptEmBErpLoVDiV – VELiKo turnoVo (215Km)Early departure for Kazanluk, located in the Valley ofthe roses, the geographical centre of Bulgaria whichhas been inhabited by humans since neolithic times.Excavations have revealed ancient thracian settle-ments, mostly from the 5th-3rd centuries BCE, the height of thracian culture.Visit a thracian tomb - the round burial chamber isdecorated with lively murals representing the militaryand political life of the thracian leader.after lunch, visit the “beehive” tomb of thracian Kingseuthes iii who ruled in the 4th century BCE.

Continue on to the shipka memorial Church, just12km north of Kazanluk and one of the most sacredplaces for the Bulgarian people. this Bulgarianorthodox Church was built between 1885 and 1902in the 17th century muscovite style and dedicated tothe russian, ukrainian and Bulgarian soldiers whodied for the liberation of Bulgaria in the russo-turkish War 1877-78. Drive over the shipka pass to Veliko turnovo, theformer capital of Bulgaria and often referred to as the‘City of the tsars’. Evening free. (BL)

fri 09 sEptEmBErVELiKo turnoVo – BuCHarEst (185Km)morning exploration of the medieval fortress oftsarevets, the second Bulgarian Empire’s mainfortress and its strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393,housing the royal and patriarchal palaces.

Drive to the village of arbanassi, an open-air muse-um of architectural and cultural heritage perched ona high plateau overlooking the trapezitsa andtsarevets hills. Visit the 18th centuryKonastanzalieva House and the Church of thenativity. Drive to the border town of rousse, situated on theright bank of the Danube at the mouth of theroussenski Lom river. Lunch. Continue toBucharest. in the 15th century, the princely Courtwas established in Bucharest and by the end of the17th century, the city had become the capital of theprovince of Wallachia. in 1862, Bucharest becamethe capital of romania. (BLD)

images (L-r): Hagia sophia,and Grand Bazaar, turkey

sat 10 sEptEmBErBuCHarEstfull day tour of Bucharest. Drive along parisian-styleboulevards past Belle Époque buildings located inthe old diplomatic area. in great contrast, see theBucharest constructed under the highly erraticromanian president, nicolae Ceausescu, includingthe extravagant palace of the parliament, the secondlargest civilian administrative building in the worldafter the pentagon in Washington DC. Walk inBucharest’s historic heart, through revolution squareand university square to the delightful stavropoleosChurch with it unique combination of Byzantine, laterenaissance and romanian folk elements. Lunch attraditional Carul cu Bere restaurant. after lunch visit the national museum of fine arts,housed in the former neoclassical style royalpalace. the museum comprises two separate build-ings, the Gallery of European art and the Gallery ofromanian art, which includes an excellent collectionof precious icons, and some sculptures by romania’smost internationally celebrated 20th century artist,Constantin Brancusi. free evening. (BL)sun 11 sEptEmBErBuCHarEst – BrasoV (205Km)Depart Bucharest for the imposing, late 19th centuryneo-renaissance peles Castle, the former summerresidence of the royal family, located in an idyllic set-ting in the Carpathian mountains. after lunch drive to Bran Castle, better known asDracula’s castle, a national romanian monument sit-uated on the border between transylvania andWallachia. Continue to Brasov, a former saxonfortress in the heart of transylvania. free evening.(BL)

mon 12 sEptEmBErBrasoV – siBiu (183Km)morning drive to the saxon transylvanian fortifiedchurch of prejmer. Begun in the 13th century, thisfascinating peasant fortress was built around a lateGothic style church, as protection against a succes-sion of invading tribes including the tatars and theturks. return to Brasov and enjoy a walking tour ofthe town’s highlights, including the fortification wallsand the old town Hall square with its many colorbaroque style buildings. Visit the imposing BlackChurch, with its impressive collection of anatoliancarpets,. it is romania’s largest Gothic church,whose name derives from damage caused by theGreat fire of 1689. Lunch in Brasov.after lunch drive to sibiu, the geographic heart ofromania and until WWii, the centre of thetransylvanian saxons. free evening.(BL) tuE 13 sEptEmBEr siBiuWalking tour of sibiu. from the 14th century, thewalled city of sibiu became the most important ethnicGerman city among the seven cities that gavetransylvania its German name siebenbürgen (literal-ly seven cities). see the city’s impressive fortifica-tions, the Lutheran Church decorated with anatolianrugs, the ornate baroque Jesuit Church and the late19th century orthodox Church modelled on Hagiasophia, istanbul. free afternoon and evening to relax. perhaps visitthe Brukenthal palace with its surprising collection ofEuropean old master paintings including an exhibitionof exquisite works by Van Eyck, antonello damessina, Hans memling, Cranach and titian.(B)

Bachkovo monastery, Bulgaria

WED 14 sEptEmBErsiBiu - siGHisoara – tarGu nEamt (360Km)Early departure for the fortified Church of Biertan,which was the Evangelic Episcopal see for 300years (1572 – 1867) and the religious centre for thesaxons in transylvania. featuring late Gothic archi-tecture with double exterior walls, its highlight is thelargesttransylvanian multi-panelled wooden altar and aremarkable wooden door which once protected thetreasures in the sacristy.Continue to sighisoara and travel back in time to aliving medieval citadel, overlooking a valley of pictur-esque villages. Enjoy a short walking tour beforelunch, see the famous 14th century Clock tower andthe birthplace of prince Vladislav iii (known as Vladthe impaler or simply Dracula), ruler of Wallachiafrom 1456 to 1462. it was Vlad who inspired Bramstoker’s fictional creation, Count Dracula. after lunch drive through the impressive sheer lime-stone walls of the Bicaz Gorges in the EasternCarpathian mountains and alongside the so-calledred Lake to the historical region of moldavia and theneamt monastery. Enjoy a “spartan but special”overnight stay in the monastery, located in a pictur-esque setting. (BLD)

tHu 15 sEptEmBErtarGu nEamt –suCEVita (140Km)morning visit to distinctive neamt monastery church,built under the patronage of moldavian King stephenthe Great (1457-1504). Drive to Bucovina, a region inthe north-eastern province of moldavia, renowned forcolourful exterior frescoes on the walls of itsunEsCo World heritage monasteries. these tri-umphs of Byzantine-influenced art reflect a develop-ment of moldavian civilisation in the 15th and 16thcenturies. a key figure in these remarkable paintedmonasteries was stephen the Great’s illegitimateson, peter (petru iV rareş c1487-1546). VisitVoronet monastery, perhaps the most famous of thepainted monasteries. Known as ‘the sistine Chapelof the East’ due to its interior and exterior wall paint-ings, this monastery is decorated with an abundanceof frescoes depicting dramatic religious scenes whichfeature an intense blue known as ‘Voronet blue’. after lunch visit the moldovita monastery, where youwill see the famous siege of Constantinople fresco,with its graphic depiction of the turkish conquest.arrive at the hotel in a quiet forest setting just outsidesucevita in the afternoon. free evening (BL)fri 16 sEptEmBErsuCEVitaLate morning visit to sucevita monastery, the largestmonastery complex in Bucovina, with its outstandingand rather sobering staircase of Virtues fresco. afterlunch enjoy a free afternoon to relax and unwind thisserene location. (BLD)

images (L-r): palace of the parliament, parliament House, romania and Danube river

sat 17 sEptEmBErsuCEVita – siGHEt (202Km)Drive through the picturesque countryside ofmaramures, the most northerly region of romania,close to the ukrainian border. rich in tradition, themaramures villages are distinguished by their uniquewooden churches with tall Gothic-style spires andshingled roofs. Wood has long been the medium ofexpression for the artisans of this densely forestedregion. Elaborate wood carvings decorate the eaves,entryways and windows of houses. the local handi-work is also seen in the hand-woven carpets andintricate embroidery that adorns folk dresses stillworn by the locals. after lunch, visit the traditional 18th century woodenchurch of st nicholas in Bogdan Voda with its cycleof fascinating interior frescos. also visit the expansivecomplex of the orthodox Barsana monastery, a pop-ular pilgrimage spot in maramures with its manyreconstructed wooden buildings. (BLD) sun 18 sEptEmBErsiGHEt – BuDapEst (459Km)morning visit to the fascinating, colourful merryCemetery at sapanta. farewell romania and travelto Debrecen in Hungary for lunch. Late afternoonarrival in Budapest, the grand, elegant capital ofHungary. With a dramatic position straddling theDanube river, Budapest comprises two cities – Budaand pest. free evening. (BL)

mon 19 sEptEmBErBuDapEstBegin your discovery of Budapest with a tour of Budaand the Castle District atop Buda Hill, dominated bythe 18th century neo-Baroque royal palace. Visit thehistoric Gothic style st matthias’ Church and enjoyspectacular views of the Danube and the pest side ofthe city from fisherman’s Bastion. see the rudasBaths, one of the few reminders of 150 years ofturkish occupation.after lunch explore the commercial heart ofBudapest, with a tour of pest. Drive past the impres-sive moorish style Jewish synagogue, the largest inEastern Europe and the neo-Classical Basilica of ststephen, named in honour of Hungary’s first King (c975-1038). Visit Hungary’s largest building, theimposing late 19th century neo-Gothic nationalparliament, which contains the Holy Crown ofHungary. (BL)

images (L-r): rila monastery, Bulgaria and Heroes square detail, Hungary

tuE 20 sEptEmBErBuDapEstDrive to Heroes square and see its imposing monu-ment commemorating the arrival of Hungarians in theCarpathian Basin in 896. Visit the nearby museum offine arts. With substantial holdings of internationalart, the museum features collections of Egyptian art,Classical antiquities and old master paintings includ-ing works by Giorgione, raphael, Bronzino, Durer,Cranach, Brueghel, rubens, El Greco, Velasquezand Goya. afternoon free to explore Budapest on your own anddiscover its renowned ‘café culture’. You may chooseto visit the Central Covered market for some lastminute souvenir shopping. (B)WED 21 sEptEmBErBuDapEsttoday discover Budapest’s many majestic buildingsincluding a significant number of art nouveau build-ings, many of which have been beautifully restoredsince the fall of communism. Visit the striking museum of applied arts, designedby Hungary’s leading art nouveau architect, ÖdönLechner. the building, with its the colorfully tileddomes and turrets, is a remarkable fusion of orientaland Hungarian folk-art. afternoon at leisure. We rec-ommend a visit to memento park displaying discard-ed soviet statues.in the evening enjoy a relaxing Danube river cruisebefore a farewell dinner with Liz Gibson and fellowtravellers. (BD)

tHu 22 sEptEmBErDEpart BuDapEsttransfer to airport for the flight to sydney via Viennaand Bangkok. (B)friDaY 23 sEptEmBEr in fLiGHt

saturDaY 24 sEptEmBErarriVE sYDnEY

alexander nevsky Cathedral domes

tour CoDE aGs EastErn EuropEDEposit $500 per personfinaL paYmEnt 03 July 2011tour priCEsper person, twin-share $8,950single supplement* $1,700*single travellers may request to share. please advise at time of booking.suGGEstED airLinEsplease contact renaissance tours for assistance with airfares and flight reservations. European airlines such asaustrian, Lufthansa or swiss offer flights to istanbul and from Budapest via Bangkok, singapore or Hong Kong inconjunction with thai airways, singapore airlines or Cathay pacific.tour priCEs inCLuDE-accommodation in centrally located 3/4-star hotels and pensions with private facilities & daily breakfast (B) -meals as per itinerary (L=Lunch, D=Dinner) including special Welcome and farewell meals-arrival and departure transfers (if travelling on group flights)-Economy class flight istanbul – sofia (20KG luggage allowance)-transportation in modern, air-conditioned motor-coaches throughout-Comprehensive sightseeing, visits to galleries and attractions including entrance fees as per itinerary-Lectures and talks with your tour leader throughout-Gratuities for local guides and drivers-Hotel porterage (1 piece per person). tour priCEs Do not inCLuDE-international airfares-transfers on arrival and departure (if not travelling on group flights)-Drinks with meals, except Welcome and farewell meals-items of a personal nature, including telephone, laundry, taxis etc.-airport porterage-travel insuranceaustralian citizens do not require visas for Bulgaria, romania and Hungary for stays of up to 90 days. they do how-ever require a visa to enter turkey, which can be obtained upon entry to turkey at the border or at the airport. Your HotELs anD pEnsions istanbul to be advised ****sofia arena di serdica Hotel ****plovdiv Dedeman princess Hotel ***Veliko turnovo Grand Hotel Yantra ***Bucharest Hilton Hotel ****Brasov Hotel aro palace ***sibiu ramada Hotel ***targu neamt neamt monastery *** sucevita Hotel sofia ***sighet Hotel marmatia ***Budapest sofitel *****NB. Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted

Bran Caslte, romania

tErms & ConDitionsHoW to BooKComplete, sign and return the Booking form available from renaissance tours with your deposit of $500 per person. upon receipt of yourBooking form and deposit, you will receive confirmation of your place from renaissance tours.DEposit/ finaL paYmEntsDeposit (at time of booking) $500Your deposit is used for airline and hotel deposits is non-refundable in the event of your cancellation. Your final payment is due 60 days beforedeparture. failure to make your final payment by the due date may result in cancellation of your booking and loss of deposit. We reserve the rightto charge a late payment fee in the event of late booking and/or payment to cover additional communication and other expenses.payment by cash, cheque, american Express, Diners Club, masterCard and Visa is accepted. a 3% service charge applies for payment byamerican Express and Diners Club.CanCELLation & rEfunDsYou may cancel the booking at any time. Written notification is essential even if verbal notification of an intention to cancel has been given.Cancellation charges will be applied as shown below, calculated from the day written notification is received by renaissance tours. in addition tothe charges shown below, airlines may impose up to 100% cancellation charges. 60 days or more forfeit of deposit (includes any flight deposit paid) 59 - 45 days 25% of tour cost44 - 31 days 50% of tour cost30 – 15 days 75% of tour costLess than 15 days 100% of tour costthe above cancellation charges include applicable Gst.in addition to the above cancellation charges, the full insurance premium together with any existing administration fees is also payable in the eventof a cancellation by the Client. if the reason for cancellation is covered by the insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. forCED CanCELLations We reserve the right to cancel a tour for any reason (such as failure to reach minimum tour participant numbers). Except for force majeure or theClient's failure to pay the final balance, we will not cancel a tour less than 60 days before departure. unless the Client fails to pay the final balance, we will return all monies paid, excluding payment for travel insurance and administration fees. no compensation will be paid in the event of cancellation by renaissance tours. a full refund of monies paid for tour costs will be the full extent ofour liability. airlines may impose up to 100% cancellation charges.passports, Visas anD VaCCinationsit is your responsibility to be in possession of a passport valid for 6 months after the date of your return to australia. You are also responsible forobtaining all necessary visas, inoculations and preventative medicines as may be required for the duration of the tour. information about thesematters or related items is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of renaissance tours. traVEL insuranCEit is a condition of travel that you are covered by comprehensive travel insurance. You can make your own arrangements or your travel insurancecan be arranged by renaissance tours. in either case all participants must provide the following information no later than 60 days prior to commencement of travel:- a copy of your travel insurance policy (or details of master policy)- the emergency telephone number of your insurance company- next of kin emergency contactfitnEss anD partiCipationWhile our tours do not require a special level of fitness, for the overall benefit of the group, all tour members must possess a moderate level ofmobility, including the ability to:negotiate airports and railway stations without wheelchair assistance- use combined shower/bath facilities (it is impossible to guarantee walk-in shower facilities)- undertake walking tour of 2-3 hours duration, including using stairs, walking overcobblestones and other uneven surfaces

- stand for long periods in museums and other sites- embark / disembark coaches, trains and other methods of transportation without assistance- handle your own luggageif you (or we) have any doubts about your ability to participate in your chosen tour, you may be required to have a doctor’s appraisal. this wouldrequire a doctor to read the itinerary of your chosen tour and provide you with a written confirmation of your ability to participate. tErms & ConDitionsYou can find a copy of the full terms & conditions attached to the renaissance tours booking form. they can also be found on our website at:www.renaissancetours.com.au or we would be happy to post you a copy on request.

to BooK EmpirEs of EastErn EuropECaLL rEnaissanCE tours on 1300 727 095EmaiL info@rEnaissanCEtours.Com.au

art GaLLErY soCiEtY of nEW soutH WaLEsart GaLLErY roaD, tHE DomainsYDnEY nsW 2000pHonE: (02) 9225 1878www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/member

image (cover and back page): Blue mosque interior, istanbul, turkey