Context Travel Launches Two New Walks in Istanbul Geared to Families with Children

Context, organizer of expert-led tours in major cities worldwide, announces the expansion of its critically-acclaimed family program to Istanbul. The company will launch two new walking tours designed specifically for kids 12 and under, designed by museum educators and teachers.

Sultan’s Way takes children into Topkapi Palace with a trained Ottoman historian for a hands-on learning experience. Using the figure of the sultan and his life as the narrative thread, museum educators with Context have designed a series of fun, engaging activities for kids that introduce basic ideas of Ottoman history and reveal the extent and power of the Ottoman Empire, at one time the largest empire in the world.

Young Archaeologists of the Ancient Orient focuses on Istanbul’s famed Archaeological Museum, home of one of the world’s best collections of antiquities. Designed for families with children between primary and middle school, this kid-friendly walking tour asks children to put on their archaeologists’ hats and, using objects from Mesopotamia to the Ottoman period, tell a tale of ancient empires.

“Istanbul is a city of layers,” explains Ceylan Zere, manager of Context in Istanbul and a mother who raised her own son in the museums and monuments of the city, “It can be complicated and daunting, especially for parents of young children. These tours flip that dynamic around. They make the city accessible, reveal the richness of Istanbul, and take children back in time.”

Context’s Family Program employs museum educators, teachers, and other experts trained in such inquiry-based learning techniques as Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to create interactive tour experiences for children under 12.

Sultans Way Private tours  cost 575 Turkish lira and last 3 hours. Young Archaeologists of the Ancient Orient Private tours cost 535 Turkish lira and last 2.5 hours.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-three world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and Kyoto. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Context Introduces New Walking Tour Offering Access to Budapest’s Baroque Palaces Not Ordinarily Open to Public

Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Budapest with Barons of Budapest, a new history and architecture tour that offers travelers exclusive access to the city’s Palace District, including homes and palaces not ordinarily open to the public.

The story starts in 1867, the year Budapest was crowned the twin capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and saw an influx of politicians, aristocrats, and entrepreneurs eager to develop the city. In an attempt to compete with Vienna and Paris, the great noble families of Budapest set about constructing palaces of Baroque opulence and splendor. Led by art historians and cultural experts, Context’s walk equips travelers with an understanding of the singular set of social and economic circumstances that made this boom possible, and explores a wealth of architectural masterpieces.

The experience takes in Pest’s 8th district, including the area behind the Hungarian National Museum. The scholars and experts who will be leading the walk—including professors from local universities and historians attached to local research institutions—investigate how the area, known as Józsefváros, evolved from an outlying agricultural zone to the epicenter of Budapest’s economic, political, and cultural blossoming. Detailed stucco work, carved woodwork, and rich interior furnishings provide the lavish setting for an exploration of themes of politics, upper class daily life and leisure activities, taking visitors inside the homes of Hungary’s 19th century aristocrats.

“The Palace Quarter is one of the most dynamically developing parts of Budapest. This tour offers a rare opportunity to see the interior of the palaces,” explains Enikő Békés, art historian and creator of the walk. “Being able to go inside provides a unique backdrop for visitors to learn about Hungarian history, and situate it within contemporary urban development.”

Barons of Budapest lasts two and a half hours and is available Monday to Friday. Group walks cost Ft9,900 per person. Private tours cost Ft47,000 per party. As with all Context walking seminars, groups are led by a credentialed expert and limited to six (6) people maximum.

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in twenty-three (23) world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Tokyo, and Kyoto. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit the website at: www.contexttravel.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Context Travel to Offer Guided Tours of Vienna’s Newly Re-Opened Kunstkammer

In celebration of the re-opening of Vienna’s Kunstkammer, Context Travel has expanded its offerings to include a two-hour guided visit to the collection in the company of local art historians.

After a closure for renovation that lasted ten years, the re-opening of the Kunstkammer today is set to be one of Vienna’s biggest cultural events in 2013.

Context Travel will begin guided visits to the collection from March 18 onward, providing clients with advance tickets to enter into the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Kunstkammer without queuing. The Kunstkammer’s magnificent collection of 16th and 17th century objects, which includes Benvenuto Cellini’s famous golden salt cellar, fits firmly in Context’s niche of in-depth experiences for the intellectually curious traveler.

“We’ve been anticipating the opening of the Kunstkammer for some time,” says Alexa Brauner a Viennese art historian and docent for Context in Vienna. “The exact displays are still top secret. But since the works themselves are breathtaking, we’re extremely excited.”

Launching on March 18, the Context Travel  Kunstkammer Visit will be offered both privately on request and as regularly scheduled shared-group walks. Private walks start at €255 for the party, while group walks will start at €60 per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-three world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and Kyoto.  To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com/

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Context Travel New London Walking Tour Features Music Experts Who Explore History of Music and Entertainment in England

 

Context Travel has added a new walking tour of London that gives travelers a unique way to engage with the social history of the city.  Music for Kings: Handel and the Baroque Court focuses on the figure of George Frideric Handel and his role in the music and social scene of London in the 1700s. Beginning at the Theatre Royal Haymarket where the Messiah made its debut performance in London, and continuing in Piccadilly and Mayfair, the tour focuses on the world of 18th-century baroque London, when the British empire was expanding rapidly. As with all Context walking seminars, the tour is capped at six participants maximum and led by a scholar trained in classical music.

“This walk was designed for locals as well as travelers—people who want to look at the history of Britain through a different lens,” says Paul Bennett, co-founder of Context. “It is both obscure and yet incredibly central to understanding British history and society.”

This new walk joins a series of lifestyle and history walks that Context offers in London, making the company’s offering in this area the richest among local tour companies. The walk will be offered privately for GBP 260 per group or as a shared-group experience for GBP 65 per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-three world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and Kyoto. A certified B Corporation, Context was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 and 2012 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Context Travel launches scholar-led ‘walking seminars’ of Tokyo, Kyoto

A girl with her father admires one of the dolls on view at the Tokyo National Museum. Context has a new walking tour of Tokyo that features the Tokyo National Museum © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

Context, a critically acclaimed walking tour company whose small-group, scholar-led “walking seminars” have revolutionized day tours in cities across Europe and North America, is continuing its expansion into Asia with the opening of tours in Tokyo and Kyoto. Working with local historians, Context has opened with five innovative tours in each city, designed to help curious visitors understand and appreciate Japanese history and culture.

Offerings in Kyoto include a thematic walk on Japanese garden and landscape design that visits the Golden Pavilion, as well as a tour on Shinto and Buddhism in the historic Gion neighborhood. Context also offers a woodblock printing workshop with a well-regarded master of the craft as part of its ongoing “experiential tours” program in all cities where it operates. Context’s Kyoto experts include historians of 19th century Japan, architects, and culinary writers.

Context’s Tokyo program includes a tour of anime, manga, and other forms of pop culture, focused on the Akihabara neighborhood, an epicenter of such otaku culture. The organization is also offering a walk on Japanese aesthetics in the Omotesando and Harajuku areas, as well as a visit to the Tokyo National Museum, and a three-hour Welcome to Tokyo program in which a local expert meets travelers at their hotel and assists them with the basic logistics of visiting this large, complex city.

“We have been blown away by the local scholars we’ve pulled together in Tokyo and Kyoto,” says Jessica Stewart, expansion manager at Context. “From an anthropologist in Kyoto who researches ghost possession and religious healing to a pop-culture expert in Tokyo who’s authored several scholarly treatments of this topic, we’ve gathered an amazing array of docents. Our clients, who’ve come to expect immersive experiences when they join our walks, are going to love Context in Japan.”

In both Tokyo and Kyoto Context offers walks privately on request and as regularly scheduled shared group walks. Private walks start at ¥32560 for the party, while group walks start at ¥7040 per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-one world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai and Beijing. A certified B Corporation, Context was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 and 2012 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com

See:

Day One in Tokyo: Hitting Tourist Highlights and slideshow

Day Two: A day in Tokyo spanning all the days of Japan and slideshow

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Context Travel Develops Walking Tour With Local Scholars to Explain Greek Crisis

Working with local economists, Context Travel announces the launch of a walking tour that explains the Greek economic crisis in plain language. Lasting three hours and visiting major sites in Athens relative to the crisis, including Syntagma Square (location of the major protests against austerity), the Central Bank of Greece, and the Old Stock Exchange, the Greek Crisis tour aims to demystify and explain the complexity of Greek debt, political instability, and economic crisis for the culturally curious traveler.

“This is one of the most exciting tours we’ve launched in the last several years,” says Context co-founder Paul Bennett. “I hear all the time from our clients who visit Athens that they want to meet a local financial person, an economist, who can explain the Greek situation. They want to engage with a teacher on the ground who can help them make sense of the headlines. This is the tour that does it.”

The Greek Crisis begins in Syntagma Square, epicenter of the most recent unrest. Here docents from the Context network who are economists, financial experts, and university professors, paint a portrait of the historical underpinnings of the Greek situation, from the first debt defaults of the late 19th century to the accession to the EU to the mismanagement of the 2004 Olympics to today’s sovereign debt problems. The focus of the tour is on explaining the headlines in plain language and creating a forum for visitors to ask question and explore the causes and effects of the crisis.

The Greek Crisis will be offered privately for EUR 305 per group or as a shared-group experience for EUR 70 per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-two world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Beijing, and Kyoto. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

Context Introduces ‘Modernista Menu’ Exploring Barcelona’s Avant Garde Culinary Trends

Context, organizer of expert-led tours in major cities worldwide, is introducing a new culinary experience in its Barcelona program. Modernista Menu explores Barcelona’s avant garde culinary trends, including molecular gastronomy. In the company of a local chef or food writer, participants will have a chance to tour the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant before sitting down to a “curated” meal based on the theories of molecular cuisine.

Working with Victor Quintilla, protege of Ferran Adria and owner/chef of Lluerna, one of Barcelona’s most inventive restaurants, docents with Context have put together an annotated dinner at Lluerna that explores modernista ideas and emerging trends. One focus of the program will be to discover and understand the current interest in reviving Catalan traditions and how certain chefs—including Quintilla—are reinventing these tradition within an innovative, modern context.

Participants begin with a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen and learn about some of the specialized equipment that is used in molecular cuisine. Then, they’ll sit down to a dinner designed by Quintilla in consultation with Context that takes participants on a gastronomic journey through recent trends. Along the way they will get an insider’s view of how Barcelona and Catalunya generally have re-imagined cooking and influenced a generation of chefs worldwide.

“This is an insider’s look at cutting-edge Catalan cuisine,” explains Spain manager for Context, Sara McCarty. “Lluerna is a very unique place: untouched by tourism, but celebrated within the industry.”

Modernista Menu will be available for private bookings and also within Context’s small-group program, which limits shared group tours to 6 people max. Private tours will cost 425 Euros for the party + 80 per person for dinner; group tours will cost 180 euros per person.

Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead “walking seminars” in twenty-one world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai and Beijing. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit: www.contexttravel.com

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New ‘Civil War and Madrid Under Franco’ Walk in Madrid Commemorates 75th Anniversary of Guernica Bombing

Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Madrid with a new walk designed and led by historians and political experts to commemorate the 75thth anniversary of the Guernica bombing.

“Civil War and Madrid under Franco” traces a path through the center of the city where key events of the Spanish Civil War took place. The walk explores the origins of the war, the deep division between the Republicans and Francists, and finally, how the latter attained victory. It also looks at the fundamental role of international media, and volunteers who came to the aid of the Republicans, including American Lincoln Brigade and the Canadian Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.

The discussion, led by historians and political experts, presents first hand testimonials accompanied by personal artifacts of the era, supported by a clear analysis of the facts from the point of view of the international media, illustrated by rare photographic documentation. The walk ends in the Reina Sophia Museum with a focus on Picasso’s Guernica, a work of both art and denunciation.

“The events of the Spanish Civil War are still fresh in the minds of many Spanish people as well as Americans and British who participated in the battle.” said historian Almudena Cros, one of the docents leading the walk. “This is a difficult, but fundamental subject to discuss in order to understand modern Spain. I think this walk achieves this”.

Civil War and Madrid under Franco, launching this month, draws upon the expertise of Context’s network in Madrid, which includes historians, political experts and social historians. As with all of Context’s programs, groups are limited to six people. Civil War and Madrid under Franco runs Monday to Saturday at 10 am as group walks (Euro 65 per person). Private groups can be scheduled upon request (Euro 290 flat fee).

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and graphic designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is
a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects
and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in eighteen world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, and Athens. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit its website at  www.contexttravel.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

                                                                               

New Context Travel Walking Tour of Boston Celebrates African-American Heritage

Context, organizer of critically walking tours, is celebrating Black History Month with the creation of a new walk focusing on the history of African Americans in Boston.

Led by a public historian and former director of operations at Boston’s Museum of African American History, the walk covers the area from the North End to Beacon Hill, including stops at seminal places such as the Copp’s Hill Burying Ground and the African Meeting House. The discussion will evolve from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Boston in the early 17th century and will culminate with their struggle for freedom and civil rights and eventual suffrage victory in the late 19th century.

“When most people think about early Boston history, they think about figures such as Paul Revere and John Hancock,” said Carolyn Macuga, manager of Context’s Boston programs, “but there is an equally prominent roster of African American figures who had significant impact on shaping the city into what it is today. This tour tells the story of those individuals.”

“Boston was home to a small, highly organized, free black community by the end of the 18th century, which organized on a national level for equal civil rights and the abolition of slavery,“ said Alex Goldfeld, the docent leading the walk. “In addition to successfully bringing slavery to an end in the United States, Boston was the epicenter for the creation and recruitment of the famous Massachusetts 54th Infantry Regiment, the base for the first statewide desegregation of schools in 1855, and a center of resistance to discriminatory laws on marriage, employment, and politics.”

Black Boston: Freedom in the Empire and the Republic, launching in February, draws upon the expertise of Context’s network in Boston, which includes historians, journalists and social historians. As with all of Context’s programs, groups are limited to six people. Black Boston runs Tuesday to Saturday at 10 am and 1 pm as group walks ($65 per person). Private groups can be scheduled upon request ($300 flat fee).

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and graphic designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in eighteen world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, and Athens. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit its website at: http://www.contexttravel.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

Context Travel and The Fiction Desk join forces to promote link between literature and travel, offer contest

Context Travel’s website now features a month-long series of articles and blog posts focused on the connection between travel and literature, culminating in a reader competition. Posts will be written by Context docents and authors from the literary world, and guest edited by British publishing house The Fiction Desk.

Throughout the month of October, the Context Travel blog – www.contexttravel.com/blog/ – is featuring posts about bookshops, authors, and literary locations in Context cities, as well as guest posts from authors and publishers. At the end of the month, readers will be asked to vote for the Context City of Literature for 2012. The city with the highest number of votes will get the title and two randomly selected voters will win two spaces on a city walk and a one-year subscription to The Fiction Desk’s anthology series.

“Our clients are avid readers, and they are always interested in new literature – especially if linked to the destination they are about to visit,” says Petulia Melideo, UK manager for Context. “By partnering with The Fiction Desk, we’re able to take our literary coverage to the next level.”

“Travel has always played an important role in great literature, whether it’s authors traveling to exotic places and reporting back in their writing, or readers exploring other countries and cultures through books,” says Rob Redman, editor and founder of The Fiction Desk. “For us, teaming up with Context Travel is a great way to explore how that role has changed and evolved over the years.”

About Context Travel

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and graphic designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in fifteen world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, and Athens. Travel + Leisure has named Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit its website at: www.contexttravel.com

The Fiction Desk

Based in the UK, The Fiction Desk publishes a quarterly series of anthologies dedicated to new short fiction. Their titles feature established and debut authors from both sides of the Atlantic, with an emphasis on strong, character-driven storytelling. The company began life as a book blog, until editor Rob Redman relaunched it as a publishing house in 2010. Their second title, All These Little Worlds, is published on September 30. To learn more about The Fiction Desk, visit www.thefictiondesk.com.

For more travel features, visit

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin