Arts and culture tour operator Curated Touring has announced its luxury tour lineup for 2020, spanning from France, Italy and Scotland. Designed, coordinated and hosted by the co-founders (Meagan Labunski and Matt Woodworth), the new itineraries include solitary tours of major sites/collections like the Vatican and Sistine Chapel in Rome, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar.
New tours for 2020 and highlights are as follows:
Alsace (March 27 - April 3): Guests will start their journey in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Strasbourg and continue on to stay among the winding streets and canals of colorful Colmar. They will visit picturesque villages along the famous Route des Vins and dine at premier restaurants in France. Guests will have a completely private, after-hours visit to the Unterlinden Museum, while day trips will explore medieval villages and private tasting events led by sommeliers.
Rome (April 4-11; October 23-30): The week begins with visits to a selection of catacombs and churches, learning about how the earliest Christians expressed their religious beliefs. Guests will also view art that reflect eras of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque. Other experiences include a rare opportunity to visit one of the world’s best restoration studios, view a Caravaggio in a private palazzo, explore the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums, and the Villa Borghese outside of normal visiting hours.
Loire Valley (May 1-6): On this five-night tour, guests will partake in behind-the-scenes tours of cultural landmarks, including the chateaux of Chambord, Chenonceau and Villandry. Guests will enjoy dinners and tasting events with Michelin-starred chefs, stay at a storied “country retreat” with complimentary spa treatments and horse/bike rides, and delight in a private hot-air balloon ride over the Loire landscape.
Florence & Tuscany (May 8-14): Guests of this tour will view works of Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli and Michelangelo. Highlights include “backstage” access to Uffizi Galleries, frescoed chapels and medieval church towers closed to the public.
Scotland (June 4-11): This itinerary explores both city and countryside with privately guided visits through the historic center of Edinburgh and a private, after-hours visits to the Kelvingrove Museum (Glasgow) and National Gallery (Edinburgh). Guests will then take in the dramatic Scottish countryside, where they will have the opportunity to stay in the privately owned medieval residence of Mary, Queen of Scots and enjoy guided visits through Jedburgh Abbey, Rosslyn Chapel and Castle, Chrichton Castle and more. Guests can enjoy a round of golf at one of the world’s oldest and most scenic courses, and also try the art of falconry or pheasant hunting, whisky and wine tastings with sommeliers, and Michelin-star dining.
Paris (September 13-20): Throughout the week, guests will explore the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée de l’Orangeri, and Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny in complete seclusion. They will also scale the hidden passageways of a Gothic church and tour a chapel closed for a renovation.
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