Tours
SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS | KNOWLEDGE & INSPIRATION | EXPERT TOUR LEADERS
Tour Program
SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 2026
VIENNA TO TRIESTE
Dates: 05-20 September 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $12,250pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Take a journey from Vienna, through Slovenia and Friuli to Trieste, and discover another side of Europe’s history and culture, on this 16-day tour.
VIA EGNATIA: FROM ALBANIA TO THESSALONIKI
Dates: 18 September - 02 October 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kristen Mann
Price: $12,450pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Journey into history along the Via Egnatia from Albania to Thessaloniki, discovering ancient Roman trade routes and the connected cultures of the Balkans.
emilia-romagna: ART, FOOD & LANDSCAPE
Dates: 20 September – 01 October 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $10,950pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Discover Italy's lesser-known Emilia-Romagna region, from medieval castles to Renaissance masterpieces, as well as its renowned gastronomy in Parma, Cremona, and Piacenza.
AOTEAROA NZ: ART, DESIGN & THE WORLD OF WEARABLE ART
Dates: 23 September – 02 October 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Anna Lebovic & Glen Armstrong
Price: $9,790pp twinshare
Status: One room now available
Explore art, design and fashion in Aotearoa New Zealand, with behind-the-scenes visits and tours of galleries and studios and Wellington’s celebrated World of WearableArt show.
Exploring Kyushu
Dates: 16-30 October 2026
Tour Leader: Relle Mott
Price: $13,650pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Explore Japan’s southernmost island and discover six unique regions endowed with natural beauty, historic treasures, temples in verdant forest settings and steaming hot springs.
SOUTH KOREA
Dates: 23 October - 02 November 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $13,850pp twinshare
Status: On request
Discover South Korea, from its UNESCO-listed temples and palaces to traditional ceramics and its thriving contemporary art scene.
Exploring Kyushu
Dates: 02-16 November 2026
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $13,650pp twinshare
Status: Waitlist
Explore Japan’s southernmost island and discover six unique regions endowed with natural beauty, historic treasures, temples in verdant forest settings and steaming hot springs.
THE JanÁČek FESTIVAL in BRNO
Dates: 06-18 November 2026
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: $13,550pp twinshare
Status: Two places now available
Enter the world of Janáček at the Brno Festival dedicated to his music in Czechia, an opportunity to enjoy world-class ensembles performing masterpieces rarely heard in Australia.
TOKYO, KANAZAWA & KYOTO
Dates: 18-30 November 2026
Tour Leader: Relle Mott
Price: $13,700pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover the contrast between modernity and tradition in three of Japan’s most emblematic cities, the fast-paced metropolis of Tokyo, beautifully preserved Kanazawa and historic Kyoto.
A MUSICAL CHRISTMAS:
PRAGUE & VIENNA
Dates: 23 December 2026 – 03 January 2027
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $13,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Enjoy a feast of performances in two great musical cities and delight in Europe’s festive wintry atmosphere.
january – JUNE 2027
WInter IN JAPAN
Dates: 11-23 February 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $14,900pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Encounter a different facet of Japan during winter, exploring its mountain towns, historic temples and gardens, and exceptional regional galleries outside of peak season.
TUNISIA & ALGERIA
Dates: 13-21 March 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Helen Pope
Price: $16,150pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Take a journey across Tunisia and Algeria, two prominent countries of the ancient world, and discover the Numidian, Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman societies that shaped the Mediterranean.
THE BADEN-BADEN EASTER FESTIVAL
Dates: 20-29 March 2027
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $14,550pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Engage with this outstanding program of opera, oratorio and symphonic works, several of which feature some of the exciting faces in the new generation of talented musicians featured at the annual Baden-Baden Easter Festival.
limelight at the orange chamber music festival
Dates: March 2027
Tour Leader: TBC
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Join Limelight magazine at the 2027 Orange Chamber Music Festival, for chamber music recitals across one of NSW's most captivating cool-climate wine regions.
HONG KONG & SHANGHAI
Dates: 23 March – 03 April 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $9,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Experience the fantastic range of art in Hong Kong and Shanghai, from the finest contemporary at Art Basel HK to exceptional new galleries and museums in each city.
THE BAY OF NAPLES IN DEPTH
Dates: 30 March – 10 April 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Mary Jane Cuyler
Price: $12,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Unpack your bags and uncover the layered history of Naples, the vibrant city of the Greeks, Romans, Caravaggio – and of a modern resurgence.
ALONG THE APENNINES
Dates: 17-30 April 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Mary Jane Cuyler
Price: $13,500pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Explore the heart of Italy, from the spectacular mountains of the less-visited Abruzzo region to the Middle Ages in Umbria and a rich Roman legacy.
MARSEILLE & LYON
Dates: 01-09 May 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $9,875pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover two of France’s most distinctive regional capitals, both emerging as vibrant cultural destinations, and known for their fascinating histories and proud cuisines.
MADE IN ITALY
Dates: 20 April – 02 May 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Anna Lebovic
Price: $16,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Explore Italy’s fashion legacy in Rome, Florence, and Milan, visiting couturiers, artisans, fashion museums and private collections together with a fashion historian.
THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL IN LEIPZIG & DRESDEN
Dates: 09-21 May 2027
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $14,250pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Commemorate the bicentenary of Beethoven’s death as Leipzig’s great Gewandhaus Orchestra dedicates its entire Spring Festival to his music, before enjoying two further performances over four nights in Dresden.
COPENHAGEN TO BERLIN
Dates: 20 April – 02 May 2027
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: $15,850pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Join Limelight’s Clive Paget on an extraordinary musical journey through four of Europe’s great cultural capitals – Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Dresden and Berlin – and enjoy premieres, rarely-performed works and world-class opera.
EXPLORING MEDIEVAL BURGUNDY
Dates: 10-20 May 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Louise Marshall
Price: $11,800pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Explore Burgundy’s cultural heritage, from outstanding medieval art and architecture to prestigious food and wine, complemented by a program of scenic walks in historic districts.
JAPAN’S ART ISLANDS & TOKYO
Dates: 12-21 May 2027
Tour Leader: Emily Wakeling
Price: $13,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Delight in a feast of art on and around the revitalised ‘art islands’ of Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, and discover the cutting edge of contemporary art in Tokyo.
TURIN, GENOA & THE FRENCH RIVIERA
Dates: 03-18 June 2027
Tour Leader: Sarah Burles
Price: $16,495pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Discover outstanding art and architecture in Italy and southern France, including the hidden gems of Turin and Genoa, the wine country of Barolo and the exuberant modernity of the French Riviera.
THE SEA OF JAPAN
Dates: 13-29 May 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $14,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Travel down Japan’s west coast, discovering how castle towns, historic gardens and traditional arts and crafts transformed towns and mountain villages alongside the Sea of Japan.
IN SUSSEX WITH THE BLOOMSBURY GROUP
Dates: 08-16 June 2027
Tour Leader: Prof. Emerita Penny Gay & Dr Kathleen Olive
Price: $11,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Encounter the writers and artists of the Bloomsbury Group in Sussex, from Virginia Woolf to Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, and Vita Sackville-West and their homes, studios and gardens.
FRIULI, TYROL & THE DOLOMITES
Dates: 18-30 May 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Eckstein
Price: $12,950pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Take a journey from Innsbruck to Friuli and discover the distinctive histories, cultures and cuisines of the spectacular alpine landscapes where Italy and Austria meet.
MODERN ART IN GERMANY
Dates: 09-22 June 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $12,750pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Enjoy the rare opportunity to survey two significant art fairs simultaneously, at dOCUMENTA in Kassel and Münster’s Skulptur Projekte, and explore art in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Cologne.
JULY – AUGUST 2027
THE AIX-EN-PROVENCE OPERA FESTIVAL
Dates: 08-18 July 2027
Tour Leader: Clive Paget
Price: $13,950pp twinshare
Status: Now taking provisional bookings
Participate in France’s premier music festival,
enjoying operas and vocal recitals from the baroque era to contemporary premieres in outdoor venues and historic theatres.
HOKKAIDO WITH AOMORI’S NEBUTA FESTIVAL
Dates: July 2027
Tour Leader: Relle Mott
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Discover the path less travelled in northern Japan during its moderate summer, exploring diverse histories, indigenous culture, serene temples and exquisite natural beauty.
MONGOLIA & THE NADAAM FESTIVAL
Dates: 09-24 July 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Nick Gordon
Price: $13,250pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Get off the beaten track to discover Mongolia’s history, art and unique cultures, and participate in the exuberant national festival of Naadam, together with Limelight Arts Travel director Dr Nick Gordon.
SCANDINAVIA’S SAGA ISLES
Dates: August 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Mindy MacLeod
Price: TBC
Status: Register interest
Discover the picturesque islands of Scandinavia, from the legendary sinking island of Gotland to Viking villages and the imposing fortress castles of the Vasa Kingdom.
ORKNEY & SHETLAND
Dates: 19 July – 02 August 2027
Tour Leader: Dr Mindy MacLeod
Price: $18,350pp twinshare
Status: Places available
Journey through a landscape of standing stones, Viking longhouses and Norse sagas, encountering Picts, Celts and Norsemen on islands shaped by myth and memory.
THE SALZBURG FESTIVAL
Dates: 19-29 August 2027
Tour Leader: Robert Gay
Price: $11,750pp twinshare
Status: Now taking provisional bookings
Experience outstanding performances in the beautiful baroque city of Salzburg, as it becomes a stage to showcase a program of world-class opera and concert performances.
SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS
Our tours are designed for travellers with a strong interest in history, art, music and culture and have a maximum of 20 people in a group
GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRATION
Our tour leaders combine genuine scholarly insight with enthusiasm and finely-honed leadership skills
SLOW DOWN AND SEE MORE
Long stays and a balance between group activities and independent exploration are a feature of our journeys
Fitness on Tour
Travel always requires a degree of physical fitness and mental stamina. To help you decide if a tour is right for you, we’ve given them fitness ratings:
MODERATE
ACTIVE
CHALLENGING
You can view our fitness ratings here in our FAQ. Should you have any concerns, please get in touch with us.
Responsible Tourism
Travel is an intensive activity, but it also provides a livelihood for almost 1 in 10 people globally. Our short term goal is to make our Australian operations carbon neutral by 2025. At the same time, we will undertake the first stages of reducing the footprint of our tours and the Scope 3 emissions they entail.
We’ll keep you informed of our roadmap to achieving these goals and the challenges on the way in a dedicated blog in Limelight Arts Traveller.
Our Travel Partner
Limelight Arts Travel is pleased to partner with Mary Rossi Travel, one of Australia’s most recognised luxury travel agents.
You can read more about these arrangements here.