Best Cultural Tours and Trips

Cultural tours in Italy will always appeal. We cannot ignore a country which is home to the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world.

Even in terms of contemporary culture, Italy offers so much. The Venice Biennale Exhibition is the greatest showcase of contemporary art in Europe. Milan is a fashion powerhouse. Italian red wine is the best in the world. Italy’s food heritage and traditions are dedicated to creating the best eating experiences humanly possible. On cultural holidays in Italy, you will find that ancient buildings and contemporary forms are everywhere combined with elegance.

The richness of Italy’s historical and scenic heritage is of course well known. The ancient spa town of Montecatini Terme provides a combination of relaxation and history, and it is located in the beautiful landscapes of Tuscany. It lies between the iconic towns of Lucca and Florence, which are on many itineraries. Highlights of art and history tours are the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum in Rome, the Valley of the Temples in Sicily, and Herculaneum near the Adelphi Coast.

India is a land of such diverse cultures and histories that one trip cannot do the country justice. Here are five cultural reference points for guided trips to India. This small selection serves to illustrate just how many amazing destinations there are in this great subcontinent.

The Lotus Temple in Delhi is a work of modern architectural genius, and was completed in 1986. As a Baha’i House of Worship, it is open to people of all faiths.

The eighteenth-century Mughal astronomy park of Jantar Mantar in Jaipur contains well-preserved and huge structures which measure time, predict eclipses, and chart the paths of the planets. The Vrihat Samrat Yantra arch, for example, is a colossal sundial whose shadow marks the passage of time in two-second intervals.

The great Islamic Mughal Empire established regional peace and exacted heavy agricultural taxes, creating great wealth. With this wealth came patronage of painting, poetry, textiles, and architecture. The Taj Mahal, Shalimar Garden of Delight, and Agra Fort bear testimony to this period of great creative bountifulness.

The tribes of the remote villages of Nagaland, in the far northeast of India, bordering Myanmar, have an annual ‘Festival of Festivals’ in early December to celebrate Nagaland culture and traditions. The people are well known for the bridges they construct by training and weaving tree roots over ravines.

The Kerala ‘Backwaters’ are a labyrinth of canals, lakes and lagoons which create a unique natural habitat for frogs, turtles, and water birds. Traditional fishing and agriculture are integral to the network of waterways. Overnight cruises on traditional houseboats are a favourite way to explore the Backwaters on tours of Kerala.

The best guided trips in India tend to focus on either the ‘Golden Triangle’ (Delhi, Jaipur and the Taj Mahal), Kerala or the Himalayan north. While most travellers would really like to experience these highlights, there is so much more to learn about and enjoy.

Most people choosing their favourite Latin American destination for cultural tours would name Peru, Columbia, Costa Rica, or Mexico. Nicaragua, however, has so much to offer, and at incredible value for money. The country freed itself of an oppressive and self-enriching oligarchy in the Sandinista Revolution of 1979. However, the democracy that arose came under pressure as it became a proxy battlefield in the Cold War. The legacy of this geopolitics remains. However, Nicaragua is very welcoming to an increasing number of visitors.

Tour itineraries tend to include Nicaragua’s colonial cities of Leon and Granada, as well as dramatic volcanoes, island wildlife and the incredible Pacific Coast beaches. For those with an interest in the political history of Nicaragua, there is much to see in post-colonial Granada, the Sandinista stronghold of the uplands city Estelí, and the capital Managua. Although few tours visit Nicaragua exclusively, there are a number that take in Central American countries including Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

We all know about the wonderous rock-hewn architecture of Petra and the beautifully preserved Jerash Roman remains on the outskirts of the capital city, Amman. However, as a discerning cultural traveller, you might wish to visit to the ancient city of Madaba, just south of the capital.

The Madaba Mosaic is the city’s key historic attraction. It is a sixth-century floor-mosaic map of the Holy Land housed in the Byzantine Church of Saint George. The mosaic is of enormous historic and artistic significance. The city has many impressive archaeological remains and has an Archaeological Park. While in Madaba, you will also wish to visit the impressive Mosque of Jesus Christ at Madaba, founded in 2008.

Mount Nebo, just outside Madaba, offers panoramic views of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. It is where Moses is said to have looked upon the Promised Land. The Memorial Church of Moses on Mount Nebo houses the world’s greatest ancient mosaics including the famous Diakonikon-Baptistery hunting and pastoral scene.

Historically, China developed as a great power with technologies ahead of those in the West. The compass, papermaking, printing, and gunpowder were known in the West only centuries after their development in China. The China Printing Museum in Beijing provides a comprehensive insight into the origins and dissemination of this technology.

Cultural tours of China tend to focus on stunning architectural or artistic achievements. The Great Wall and the Forbidden City in Beijing are on most itineraries. The Terracotta Army astounds its visitors. The Summer Palace in Beijing provides an example of exquisite garden design. And China’s museums contain the world’s greatest fine porcelain collections, charting the nation’s dynastic empires.

However, the ethical framework of Confucius (Kong Fuzi) is fundamental in Chinese culture, and this is sometimes underrepresented on organised tours. A visit to Qufu provides an opportunity to see the Temple of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion. However, there are opportunities to reflect on Confucius’ teachings on any trip to China, allowing us to consider the life lived well and the ideal society.