ACE Cultural Tours

Photo credit: Meteora by proslgn

 

Founded in 1958, our special brand of cultural travel has been enjoyed by travellers for over 60 years. All of our departures are carefully planned in conjunction with expert lecturers and guides, whose experiences and personal connections make every tour unique.

You’ll always receive a warm welcome on an ACE tour from our specialists, who host groups throughout our trips and share their passion for their subjects. Our experts include archaeologists, musicians, curators, conservationists, journalists, broadcasters, and many more. Their expertise and local knowledge enables us to offer special access visits, from exclusive recitals to tours of private houses and gardens. No prior knowledge is needed, just an interest in the subject.

 

Photo credit: Ravenna Sant Apollinare Nuovo by Frank

 

In 2022 we look forward to returning to several of our favourite destinations, including a river cruise along the Douro in Portugal and an exploration of the wild and ancient landscapes of Orkney. Further afield, we will be delving into Japanese art and culture, and taking a look at the fascinating archaeology of Morocco. In 2023, perennially popular departures taking in the wildlife of Crete and the world-famous Aldeburgh Festival sit alongside exciting new tours exploring the art of Switzerland and the history and landscapes of Kazakhstan. Whatever your area of interest, our tours have something for everyone.

ACE Cultural Tours is a wholly owned subsidiary of the charity the ACE Foundation, an educational trust founded in 1958 to promote cultural and international understanding through education.

 

Photo credit: Mir i Arab madrasa, Bukhara by dinozzaver

 

If you have a curiosity for travel and are looking for a culturally enriching holiday, come and see what we have to offer, and become a part of the ACE Cultural Tours family.

Find out more via their website at www.aceculturaltours.co.uk or speak to their friendly team on 01223 841055.

Episodes sponsored by ACE

Journey to Britannia: Bronwen Riley (130 AD)

This week we are setting sail for the Roman province of Britannia to traverse the empire's north-western frontier – Hadrian's Wall. Our navigator on this travel through time is Bronwen Riley, a historian who traced this journey in her rigorously researched yet highly readable book, Journey to Britannia.

 

The Mercenary River: Nick Higham (1837)

In this episode we head to nineteenth-century London, when the city's infrastructure was groaning under the strain of its exponential growth and the question of how to get a clean, reliable water supply was of upmost importance.

 

Hidden Hands: Mary Wellesley (1413)

For this spell-binding episode we head to fifteenth-century Norwich to meet two of the most extraordinary women in medieval England: Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich. Our guide is Dr Mary Wellesley, author of Hidden Hands: the Lives of Manuscripts and Their Makers.

 

John Donne, Super-Infinite: Katherine Rundell (1601)

This week we head back to Renaissance England to immerse ourselves in the world of John Donne, one of Britain’s most ingenious poets. In the view of our guest today, Katherine Rundell, Donne should be considered alongside William Shakespeare as one of the finest wordsmiths this country has ever produced.