Europe
(172)
Italy
(59)
France
(21)
Germany
(21)
United Kingdom
(17)
Spain
(16)
Austria
(8)
Czech Republic
(6)
Greece
(5)
Portugal
(4)
Switzerland
(4)
Finland
(3)
Netherlands
(3)
Belgium
(2)
Malta
(2)
Slovakia
(2)
Albania
(1)
Bulgaria
(1)
Croatia
(1)
Cyprus
(1)
Denmark
(1)
Hungary
(1)
Ireland
(1)
Norway
(1)
Poland
(1)
Romania
(1)
Slovenia
(1)
Sweden
(1)
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => Italy
[category] => Array
(
[name] => Country
)
[parent] => Array
(
[name] => Europe
)
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => Rome
[category] => Array
(
[name] => Location
)
[parent] => Array
(
[name] => Italy
)
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => Florence
[category] => Array
(
[name] => Location
)
[parent] => Array
(
[name] => Italy
)
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => Marche
[category] => Array
(
[name] => Location
)
[parent] => Array
(
[name] => Italy
)
)
)
Raphael, in celebration - A pilgrimage from Urbino to Rome
Tour highlights
- An in-depth exploration of the life and work of the Renaissance master, placing his art in cultural, historical and geographical context.
- A journey to the places he lived and worked: his birthplace, Urbino; Florence; and Rome, where he died.
- Private, after-hours visit to the Vatican to view Raphael’s frescoes and the Sistine Chapel, shared with participants on 'Essential Rome'.
Raphael’s birthplace was a small, hilltop fastness remote from the main Italian centres of culture and power. Nevertheless, Urbino was famous for the sophistication of its court, humanist learning and enlightened artistic patronage. The ducal palace remains the most graceful of all Renaissance secular buildings.
The son of the court painter to the dukes of Urbino, Raphael would have imbibed the beauty of the environment and the basics of his trade from an early age. He stayed in Le Marche and Umbria for a few years as an independent master before moving to Florence. From 1508 he lived in Rome where he was acclaimed as the greatest painter since ancient times even before his untimely death in 1520. He also practised as an architect and was renowned as an antiquarian.
This tour celebrates Raphael’s life and work five centuries after his death. By following in his footsteps, travelling through the landscapes he painted, one can gain an insight into the artistic development of this most impressionable, adaptable and experimental of artists. His art will be placed in the context of the culture of the time, while analysis of preparation and design and explication of narrative will bring it to life. The immensity of his talent and his soaring intellect will become evident.
This tour is particularly strenuous. Please read the advice under 'Practicalities'
Practicalities
Two sharing: £4,350 or £4,120 without flights. Single occupancy: £5,210 or £4,980 without flights.
Travel by rail between Florence and Rome; travel by private coach or minibus; hotel accommodation as described below; breakfasts; 1 lunch and 4 dinners with wine, water, coffee; all admissions; all tips; all taxes; the services of the lecturer.
Hotel San Domenico, Urbino: converted from a monastery building and the most centrally located hotel, opposite the Ducal Palace. The hotel is smaller and more rustic than its 4-star rating would suggest; despite being the best available in the city, standards of decor and maintenance are lower than 4-star hotels in major cities. Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence: a delightful 4-star hotel in a very central location. Hotel L’Orologio, Rome: an elegant 4-star hotel located in the heart of Rome, a few steps away from Largo Argentina. Single occupancy rooms are doubles for sole use.
The tour involves a lot of walking in town centres where coach access is restricted, and a lot of standing in museums and churches. Uneven ground and irregular paving are standard. You need to be able to lift your luggage on and off the trains and wheel it within stations. Unless you enjoy entirely unimpaired mobility, cope with everyday walking and stair-climbing without difficulty and are reliably sure-footed, this tour is not for you. Some days involve a lot of driving – average distance by coach per day: 39 miles.
Between 8 and 18 participants.
Before booking, please refer to the FCDO website and Travel Health Pro to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting.
Footpaths of Umbria, 19–26 October 2026
Combine with
We are happy to advise on combining this itinerary with another tour or event. Please contact us for information about linking accommodation and transport.
Sign up to our e-newsletter
e-newsletter recipients are the first to hear about our future plans and our tours as they come on sale. By signing up you agree to our Privacy policy.
My Wishlist
Please note that all saved tours will be removed if you clear your cookies.
Sign up to our e-newsletter
E-newsletter recipients are the first to hear about our future plans and our tours as they come on sale.