The Portal June 2015 | Page 8

THE P RTAL

June 2015

Day Seven – FriDay 27th May

Page 8

LOretO – OPtiOnaL excurSiOn tO urBinO

Today will be at leisure in Loreto or for those who wish there will be an optional excursion
to Urbino (cost £36). We will drive east to the city of Urbino in the mountains of the Marche
region, sometimes called the ‘ideal city of the Renaissance’, thanks to the work of one of
its greatest lords, Frederico da Montefeltro, Piero della Francesco’s patron. Fredrico was
very much a prince of his times and was a student of the classics and the new humanities,
the library that he assembled was one of the finest of his day. His intellectual interests led
him to redesign much of his city and his palace, which is a triumph of the Renaissance and
is a very fitting home for his art collection which now forms part of the Galleria Nazionale
della Marche. The star of this exhibition is Piero’s Flagellation (1445) and there is also his
Madonna of Senigallia (1470’s). The authorship of the Città Ideale is not certain, it could
be Piero or perhaps Laurana but what is not in doubt is its fascination and great interest as
a testament to Renaissance thought. A guided walking tour of some of the main sites of the
city will be included. During the morning we also hope to celebrate at one of the churches in
Urbino.

Day eiGht – SaturDay 28th May

ravenna – BOLOGna

Early breakfast and departure from Loreto. We drive to Ravenna, an important port on the
Adriatic coast founded by the Emperor Augustus, Ravenna became the capital of the Western
Roman Empire when the Emperor Honorius moved the Imperial Court here in 401 AD when
Rome was under threat from barbarian invasion. Despite itself falling to the barbarians and
then being reconquered by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 540, Ravenna contains the
finest Byzantine mosaics, sculpture and architecture in western Europe. In our guided tour, we
visit San Vitale (completed in 547 under Justinian), the tomb of Galla Placidia, the Cathedral,
Battistero Neroniano and Church of Saint Apollinare Nuovo. Mass will be celebrated during
the course of the day. Lunch will be at choice in one of the many cafés and restaurants. In the
afternoon we drive to Bologna for our return flight on British Airways to London Heathrow.

Price = £899

incLuDeS: Scheduled flights by British Airways or Vueling: London Gatwick – Rome and on

British Airways: Bologna – London Heathrow. U.K. and Italy airport departure taxes. 7-nights
accommodation in shared twin or double en-suite room as follows: 21st – 25th May at Domus
Romana Sacerdotalis (or similar), Rome; and 25th- 28th May at Hotel Pellegrino e Pace (or similar), Loreto. Meal plan: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 7 dinners. Entrance fees as per the itinerary. All
touring and transfers in Italy by air-conditioned coach as per the itinerary. Daily Mass and Papal
Audience tickets. Pax Travel Italian-speaking tour manager to accompany the group throughout
their pilgrimage. ATOL and ABTA financial protection

extraS: Travel insurance at £32. Single room supplement at £42 per person for 7 nights (limited availability). 6 lunches. Optional day excursion to Urbino at £36 per person. Entrance fees
not included in the itinerary. Transfers within the U.K not in the itinerary. Gratuities to driver,
guides and hotel staff. City tax if applicable at the time. Fuel charges if passed on by the airline.
City tax if applicable.
To reserve your place please send us a completed booking form along with a deposit of £180
per person (plus insurance premium if the insurance we offer is required). Final payment
payable two months before the departure date.
The above pice is guaranteed until Monday 17th August 2015. Any bookings received after this
date may be subject to a flight surcharge.
This tour involves a substantial amount of walking, some of which may be over irregular surfaces such as
cobblestones and badly-maintained walking areas. If everyday walking is something you find difficult, this tour
may be unsuitable for you.
This itinerary is a guideline and is subject to change without prior notification.
Copyright 2015 © Pax Travel Ltd
Full information and Booking Form at
www.portalmag.co.uk

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Front page photo by Massimo Roselli. Back page photos by : Photos 1. © Marie-Lan Nguyen, 2. Public Domain, 3. Zorro2212, 4. Colin - CC-BY-SA-3.0, 5. and 6. Ludo Smith, and 7. Il conte di Luna.
Photos 1, 3, 4 and 7 are from users on Wikimedia Commons.

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