Castle that Highlights Wayfarers Walking Vacations’ New Hike ‘Stars’ in ‘Downton Abbey’ Episode

Alnwick Castle in England’s Northumberland, which will take a leading role in a special Christmas episode of “Downton Abbey,” highlights a new 2015 Wayfarers Walking Vacations trip.

A new highlight of The Wayfarers Walking Vacations 2015 program is also set to star in a Christmas episode of “Downton Abbey” on PBS’s hugely popular Masterpiece Classic series.

Alnwick (pronounced ‘Annick’) Castle in England’s Northumberland, will take a leading role in a special Christmas episode as Brancaster Castle. No stranger to the cameras, Alnwick was also the setting for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.

The cast and crew spent two weeks at the castle last summer, filming extensively in the spectacular State Rooms, as well as in the castle’s grounds and at the semi-ruined Hulne Abbey in the Duke of Northumberland’s parklands in Alnwick. 

Visitors to Alnwick Castle in 2015 can explore a brand new Downton Abbey exhibition, featuring photography, costumes, and props from the filming. It is rumoured that the episode, which will be screened on Christmas Day in the UK, is likely to air in the US at the end of season 5, which runs from Sunday, January 4 on Masterpiece on PBS.

The castle is a centerpiece of The Wayfarers’ new itinerary, ‘Northumbria – Land of Castles, Saints and Vikings’, based on the ancient kingdom of one of Britain’s most remote and beautiful landscapes.

It is one of three Walks new to the schedule. The others are in Italy’s Puglia region and a new take on the historic pilgrimage route of the Via Francigena in Tuscany.

A Wayfarers’ Downton Abbey vacation already includes a visit inside the ‘real’ Downton, Highclere Castle, in the south of England, other key locations and hiking amid classic English villages and countryside.

In festive spirit, the company, which has been providing all-inclusive hiking tours for more than 30 years, is offering ‘a walk in an envelope’ – Gift Certificates which can be redeemed by the recipient for a Wayfarers’ vacation in one of 20 countries across the globe.

The vouchers are available for values from $500, up to the full price of a Walk.

“Our Walk in Northumbria was designed before we knew Alnwick would be a location in Downton Abbey, because it is such a wonderful place, steeped in more than 700 years of history,” The Wayfarers’ founder Michael West said. “As on our Downton Abbey Walk, we aim to give our guests much more than just a sight-seeing stop – we really aim to get beneath the skin of a place and I guarantee that Northumbria will be unforgettable.”

“Meanwhile, our Gift Certificates are the chance for someone to give a truly wonderful gift of one of our Walks as a surprise on Christmas morning – or at any time of the year!”

Founded more than 30 years ago, The Wayfarers Walking Vacations was named by National Geographic Traveler as purveyor of one of the ‘50 Tours of a Lifetime,’ and by National Geographic Adventure as one of the ‘Best Hiking Companies,’ The Wayfarers offers an eco-sensitive walking vacation of both culture and fitness in 19 countries with 40+ itineraries.

Walks cover England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, New Zealand, Patagonia, Alaska, Colorado, Southwest USA, and a barging/walk combination in Burgundy, France.

Wayfarers Walks offer exclusive entrees into homes and gardens otherwise closed to the public, graceful accommodations, outstanding cuisine, and meetings with local residents. Walks are from 6-13 days and are rated on a five-level challenge scale. Price per person is all-inclusive from Day One: including all transfers, hotel accommodation, full board plus twice daily snacks, wine with dinner, tips, entrance tickets, maps and postcards.

The Wayfarers is a member of Trusted Adventures, www.trustedadventures.com, dedicated to the highest standards of small-group travel and supporting local economies.

The Wayfarers Walk Away Guide explains the benefits and practicalities of walking vacations and is guaranteed to inspire new walkers. Available at http://www.thewayfarers.com/walkawayguide

The Wayfarers 2015 Brochure http://bit.ly/1t2wwkr

For more information on all the Wayfarers Walks or the Gift Certificates contact www.thewayfarers.com, 800-249-4620 or email walk-info@thewayfarers.com

Facebook The Wayfarers Walking Vacations; Twitter @wayfarers; Instagram Wayfarerswalks.

 

For more travel features, visit:

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

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

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

moralcompasstravel.info

Check out our newest travel site for special deals, insiders’ tips at tidbitts.com: http://www.tidbitts.com/karen-rubin/where-in-the-world

 

New Walking Tour Explores Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace

Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Vienna with Gilded Ambition: a Tour of Schönbrunn Palace, a walk within the spectacular interiors of the Habsburgs’ summer residence and a close consideration of the interwoven history of the Habsburg Monarchy.

Built at the end of the 17th century by Emperor Leopold I, Schönbrunn Palace is situated within an expanse of glorious gardens, and home to almost 1500 exquisitely preserved rooms, many of which are open to the public. The palace provides a unique platform for understanding a complex history, and exploring the lives and loves of a long line of Habsburg monarchs. Each room is adorned with ancient artwork and fine furnishings that reveal an intricate and compelling storyline about those who lived there.

Gilded Ambition guides visitors through the lives of successive Habsburg monarchs, uncovering narratives and provoking discussion and consideration of this hugely influential family. Led by a local expert, the 2.5-hour walking seminar goes beyond standard show-and-tell tours, to instill a deeper understanding of the complex narratives and geopolitical influences revealed by the palace and its interior.

The tour also connects the past with the present, revealing how the Habsburgs’ legacy, as manifest in Schönbrunn Palace, continues to speak to modern day Vienna, its culture, its people and their outlook.

“Schönbrunn Palace is Austria’s most popular tourist attraction, yet we wanted to create a unique way to experience it.” says Natalie Holmes, Context’s Central Europe manager and co-creator of the tour. “The tour joins the dots between this magnificent monument, its complex historical significance, and its modern-day legacy.”

Gilded Ambition: a Tour of Schönbrunn Palace lasts 2 1/2 hours and is available daily. Group walks cost €65 per person, plus €14.50 (adult), €8.50 (child 6-18) for palace entry. Private tours cost €280 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, which is based in Philadelphia, is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in twenty-four (24) 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, Amsterdam, 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.

See also:

On the Danube Bike Trail: Seeing Vienna by Bike and slideshow

Jewish Heritage Preserved in Vienna, Austria and slideshow

 

For more travel features, visit:

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

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

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

New London Walking Tour Delves Into Legacy of England’s Legal System

Context, organizer of acclaimed walking tours, is expanding its programs on culture and history with an innovative tour delving into the development and eccentricities of the English legal system.

During the new walk, Of Inns and Wigs, Understanding Legal London, Context experts and former barristers take visitors through the Inns of Court; a labyrinth located just off the busy Strand dotted with secluded squares, alleyways and courtyards. This hidden area, where tourists would not normally wander on their own, has been home to the legal profession since the Middle Ages and is when students of law first came to study and live.

In addition to tracing the evolution of the legal system, the walk features many architectural gems of the heart of London including the 12th-century Temple Church (once the headquarters of the medieval Knights Templar and later remodelled by Sir Christopher Wren), the Tudor gateway at Lincoln’s Inn to the Georgian splendors of New Square and the Victorian grandeur of the Royal Courts of Justice.

“The English legal system and its codes have always fascinated foreigners,” notes Petulia Melideo, head of Context’s UK operations. “This walk grants a unique window into this secretive world, but also explores its quirks such as barristers’ ubiquitous horsehair wigs and the codes of court.”

Of Inns and Wigs, Understanding Legal London lasts three hours and is available Monday through Friday. Group walks cost £70 per person. Private tours cost £280 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-four (24) 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. More information atwww.contexttravel.com.

 

For more travel features, visit:

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

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

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New Vienna Walking ‘Seminar’ Explores Sigmund Freud’s ‘City of Dreams’

Judenplatz, the old Jewish Quarter in Vienna, where the Misrachi-Haus museum today houses the excavation of the medieval synagogue, destroyed in 1420, and where there is a Holocaust Memorial. A new walking “seminar” examines Sigmund Freud’s Vienna © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

A new walking seminar explores the life and work of Sigmund Freud, through his complex and fascinating relationship with the city of Vienna.

Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Vienna, with City of Dreams, Freud’s Vienna, a new walking tour that traces the life and work of Sigmund Freud and his relationship to Vienna.

The founding father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud spent most of his life in Vienna. His work in the field of psychotherapy remains highly influential, and today carries weight across a range of philosophies and disciplines. Such is the gravity of Freud’s legacy that Vienna has become known as the City of Dreams.

City of Dreams, Freud’s Vienna explores the places Freud lived and worked, to discover how the Austrian capital inspired his work, and how, in turn, his presence influenced the city. Though a successful doctor with a loyal local following, Freud’s story took a dark turn in the 1930s as the Nazis came to power. As a Jew, he and his family faced increasing persecution and were finally forced to flee following the German occupation of Austria.

As well as uncovering the charismatic psychoanalyst’s life, the tour takes an in-depth look at the wider socio-political upheaval that took place during Freud’s 47 years in Vienna. Led by a local scholar, City of Dreams, Freud’s Vienna, pays particular attention to the fate of Vienna’s Jewish community during World War II, and, in its aftermath, collective attempts at coming to terms with this difficult period of history.

“Freud spent the majority of his life in Vienna, and the interrelationship between him and the city is a fascinating story that we’re excited to tell,” says Natalie Holmes, who co-created the walk. “The tour not only covers the history of psychoanalysis and its inventor, but is also a journey into the collective conscience of the city itself.”

City of Dreams, Freud’s Vienna lasts three hours and is available daily. Group walks cost €70 per person. Private tours cost €305 per party. As with all Context walking seminars, groups are led by a credentialed expert and limited to six 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 its website at:www.contexttravel.com.

Sugartooth Tours Offers Special Valentine’s Day Programs in February Made Sweeter Still for Donation to Local Charity

What could be sweeter than spending the day with your Valentine and tasting a variety of New York City’s finest decadent treats? And how about giving back to a great cause? Do both this February with Sugartooth Tours’ Valentine’s Day tour. This annual seasonal tour features a plethora of tasty treats, as well as an equally sweet donation to House of the Roses, a local non-profit that offers homeless and at-risk children free weekly on-site dance workshops at partner outreach facilities, such as homeless shelters and community centers throughout New York City, as well as performance opportunities at outside locations. For each tour ticket sold in the month of February, $1 will be donated to the charity.

“We’re very excited to include a charity contribution with the Valentine’s Day Tour,” said Allyson Tolbert, co-founder of Sugartooth Tours. “February and Valentine’s Day is all about showing love, so this is the perfect opportunity to tie-in a charity aspect for House of the Roses, which makes a significant contribution to local youth. Also, myself and Sarah are both trained actresses and dancers, so this non-profit hits close to home.”

Featured on this year’s tour are six tastings, including chocolate truffles, hot chocolate, cupcakes, cookies and more. Also included is the option to add a wine/beer paring at the tour’s final destination to allow for more one-on-one time with a special someone.

The tour, which starts in the trendy Chelsea neighborhood, lasts approximately 2- 2 ½ hours and covers 1.5 miles of walking with stops along the way. Guests walk down the High Line, and end in the West Village. In addition to scrumptious sweets, guests will also learn culinary and cultural history at each stop, and a few tidbits and facts about Valentine’s Day and it’s history.

To keep it fresh, Sugartooth Tours has changed the route completely from last year’s Valentine’s Day tour to keep the selections, and the experience new. Last year’s tour featured the company’s Hell’s Kitchen route, and this year is an entirely new neighborhood!

“At Sugartooth Tours our goal is to create experiences that allow customers to come back for more than just one tour. We frequently change up our tours to feature new neighborhoods and desserts. This keeps the experience fresh and evolving,” said Sarah Rolleston, co-owner of Sugartooth Tours. “Plus, with New York being so large, there are always hidden gems that we discover when researching for our tours.”

This year’s Valentine’s Day tours are scheduled for February 8^th, 9^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th, and 16^th. Tours run at 5:30pm. Tickets are $50 without the pairing, or $70 with the pairing and can be purchased by visiting www.sugartoothtours.com.

Sugartooth Tours specializes in dessert tasting food tours in New York City. A perfect excursion for all ages, and for locals and visitors to the Big Apple alike! The company’s tours are small in size with no more than 16 people per group for an intimate experience. Sugartooth Tours are dedicated to appealing to the sweet tooth in everyone, providing high quality tastings, superior customer service, and friendly and informed licensed tour guides.

For more travel features, visit:

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

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

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Context Travel Launches Walking Tour Program in Amsterdam

Context, a critically acclaimed walking tour company whose, small-group, scholar-led “walking seminars” have revolutionized day tours in cities throughout the world, has just introduced a program in Amsterdam. Working with local historians, Context opens with 4 innovative tours to help visitors understand and appreciate Amsterdam’s rich history and internationally important legacy.

Offerings include an exploration into the city’s golden age of colonial expansion, taking in the site of a historic decision to start a small colony on the island of Manhattan. Another highlight is a walk around Rembrandt’s Amsterdam, featuring some of the artist’s favorite haunts as well as details about his connection to the Dutch dominance of world trade during the 17th century.

The recently reopened Rijksmuseum also features in the program, with a 2.5 hour guided tour led by art historians and focusing on the Dutch Masters. The Jews in Amsterdam walk completes the Central European set of thematically linked tours on Jewish history and culture.

“Amsterdam is the right fit for Context,” says Paul Bennett, Context co-founder. “Like many of our other cities, such as Paris, Berlin, or Beijing, it has a great historical narrative, and with the right interlocutor one can spend days here digging deep. We’re excited to develop an innovative program.”

Launched in July, walks are offered both privately on request and as regularly scheduled shared group walks. Private walks will start at €280 for the party, and group walks from €65 per person.

Context Travel (http://www.contexttravel.com/) 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.

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

Virgin Vacations offers Harry Potter Fans 7-Day London Package Featuring Behind-the-Scenes Warner Bros Studios Walking Tour

Virgin Vacations is offering Harry Potter fans three opportunities this fall to take a 7-day package to London featuring a behind-the-scenes walking tour at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, where the iconic movie series was made.

The independent package, titled “Virgin’s 7 Day London with Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter,” includes round trip Virgin Atlantic flights from New York to London, 5 nights at the five-star Grange Tower Bridge Hotel in the City of London, airport-to-hotel transfers from Heathrow, daily breakfast, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, and guided London sightseeing by vintage bus followed by a Thames River cruise.

Departures are available September 18, October 9, and 23.  Cost is $1,669 per person, based on double occupancy.  For Boston departures, add $63, Chicago $108, Washington, D.C. $27, San Francisco $272, and Los Angeles $193.  Round trip airport transfers from Gatwick Airport are available at an additional price.

In addition to the Harry Potter and London city tours, travelers have two full free days in London to take in the sights or to select from optional activities such as a full afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason, priced from $79; or a day at Bath and Stonehenge, priced from $92.

The guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter walking tour takes travelers behind the scenes, to discover the special effects and the huge film sets behind the famous movies.  On the walking tour, visitors go inside the actual Great Hall, see video screens of interviews with the cast and crew about the making of the films, and learn about how green-screen technology helped create some of the most memorable sequences.   A visit to the Creature Effects Workshop reveals some of the giant animatronics such as Fawkes the Phoenix, while props such as Hagrid’s motorcycle, and the purple triple decker Knight Bus seen in Harry’s London Escapades make the movie come to life.

Prices are per person, and based on double occupancy. Airline taxes and fuel charges are included. For more information and to book, visit Virgin Vacations, phone 1-877-740-4302, or see your travel agent.

For information on other worldwide destinations available through Virgin Vacations, visit http://www.virginvacations.com.  As a member of the U.S. Tour Operators Association, Virgin Vacations protects travelers’ payments up to $1 Million through the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program.

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

Sugartooth Tours Launches Summertime Ice Cream Walking Tours of NYC

The sun is shining and the temperatures are rising. That can only mean two things for local dessert tour company Sugartooth Tours – ice cream season! The company, which launched this past year, is kicking off its first-ever ice cream and frozen desserts walking tour in the Big Apple. Guests can beat the heat with a cool treat on one of the tours that will run on Sundays from July 21st through August 18th.

For those looking for something to do in the city or just have a love of ice cream, this tour takes the work out of finding the best-hidden ice cream spots in New York City. The tour is by foot and is just under two miles. Along the way, visitors can expect more than just your typical vanilla cone. Stops include: frozen hot chocolate, ice cream with unique flavors (think sesame and avocado!), artisan Italian gelato, ice cream sandwiches, frozen yogurt, rice pudding and more!

Along the way, licensed NYC tour guides share local culinary history and fun facts about how the frozen treats were invented and the secrets to their success. Tour-goers can expect to visit a variety of neighborhoods including: Union Square, SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown.

Tours start at 2pm and last approximately 2.5 hours, enough time to receive the full summer experience: A day in the sun with a nostalgic treat along the way! Tickets are $50 and include six tastings. Guests can purchase tickets by visiting www.sugartoothtours.com or calling Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006.

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 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