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Bloomfield House, Christchurch, New
Zealand. Photo by Suzanne Parker
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COOPERSMITH'S
garden and fine arts tours are upscale without being ostentatious,
energetic without being exhausting, instructive without being academic.
Here are some distinguishing features of our trips that attract
discerning travelers of all ages, and inspire many of them to return
year after year:
“Gardens
Plus.” Though all of our tours feature
superb public and private gardens, we differ from other garden tour
companies in that our itineraries also include visits to notable
towns and villages, museums, castles, and palaces. Among our 2010
offerings is a tour that focuses on the gardens, homes and haunts
of English artists, writers, and horticulturists, and another that
features a cooking class with a prominent Bolognese chef, a private
performance of Verdi arias, and owner-led tours of some of Europe’s
most extravagant villas.
Small
groups. A
maximum of 16, 18 or 20 people per tour, depending on the tour category
(See 2010 Tour Schedule). Unlike virtually
all of our competitors, we are able to operate with as few as 5
members.
Three-
and four-night stays at historic country
inns, elegant manor houses, and atmospheric city-center hotels.
Hotel Accademia in Verona (see Emilia-Romagna
& the Veneto) has consistently ranked at the top of the list
of over 100 Verona hotels rated by travelers on TripAdvisor.com.
In some cases, an entire seven-night tour is based at the same delightful
stately home. For 2010 that hotel is Corse Lawn House in England¹s
Cotswolds, named 'Country Hotel of the Year' by the prestigious
Good Hotel Guide in 2005.
Large
comfortable motorcoach. Unlike other
tour companies, we routinely use motorcoaches that are large enough
to guarantee each passenger a window seat throughout the tour.
Gourmet
meals. Yes, even in Great Britain and
Ireland!
Relaxed
pace. If you are looking for an “If it’s
Tuesday, it must be Belgium” type tour, we are decidedly not it.
Instead, our tours are crafted in a way that enables you to savor,
and remember, each day (see "What is a typical day like" in Frequently
Asked Questions).
Visits
to special places, with special people.
In addition to world-renowned places like Sissinghurst, Winston
Churchill’s Chartwell, Christopher Lloyd’s Great Dixter, Prince
Charles’ Duchy Home Farm at Highgrove House, Ian Hamilton Finlay’s
Little Sparta, the Chelsea and Malvern Flower Shows, Villa Capra
“La Rotunda,” and the Alhambra, we'll take you to the private homes
and gardens of horticultural celebrities such as Beth Chatto, the
Marchioness of Salisbury, Helen Dillon, and Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd.
You'll also meet the owners of many lesser-known, but equally memorable
and inspiring gardens and manor houses that seldom, if ever, open
to the public.
Topnotch
tour leaders. This is what makes a good
tour great. Our guides, who have lived and worked in the countries
concerned, and have a minimum of ten years’ experience in the field,
are among the most knowledgeable and creative tour leaders anywhere!
(See "Who leads your tours" in Frequently Asked
Questions).
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