Altarpiece Tour

DAY 1   CAGLIARI

Meeting with our representative at chosenport/airport. Departure for Cagliari, arrival in hotel, accommodation in reserved rooms. Free time for lunch. Afternoon visit to Castello quarter, Roman amphitheatre, the Basilica Bonaria and the Poetta, the civic beach with a walk through the little tourist port of Marina Piccola. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 2   CAGLIARI

Breakfast in hotel. Guided visit to the nationalGallery which houses some beautiful altarpieces (period 1400 to including the Annunciation and Madonna and Child, all works of outstanding splendour. Visit to the Cathedral of Santa Maria built at the beginning of the 13th century by Pisans with the interior displaying three altarpieces from the period 1500 – 1847 and precious baroque altars. Farm-house or local restaurant lunch. Afternoon dedicated to discovering the ancient techniques of local artisans with visits to their workshops. Free time for shopping. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 3   VILLAMAR / LAS PLASSAS / BARUMINI / TUILI

Breakfast in hotel. Departure for visit to Villamar the old Capital of the Marmilla judicial district with its historic centre distinguished by architecture in “ladiri”,  mud bricks. Visit to the church of S. Giovanni with two altarpieces from the 15 hundreds by Pietro Cavaro. On to Las Plassas, a charming  well kept little town with its portals, museum and castle. Proceeding to Barumini and visit to the famous nuraghe “Su Nuraxi”, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage site. Lunch in a restaurant featuring local dishes. In the afternoon, skirting the upland of the Giara Park, arrival at Tuili. Visit to the parish church of San Pietro Apostolo, which houses the splendid Alterpiece of the Master of Castelsardo, from 1489 with the central figure of the Virgin and child entroned and the crucifiction above. On the return journey a stop at Sanluri to visit the “Eleonora d’Arborea” Castle, home to the Duca d’Aosta Museo Resorgimantale, displaying mementos of the Wars of Independence, the colonial wars and World War II, swords and belongings of the Bonaparte family, Gabriele d’Annunzio’s letters, and a rich collection of  16th to 20th century cero plastics. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 4    MONSERRATO

Breakfast in hotel. Continuing the guided tourof Altarpieces there Remain yet to be admred the great masterworks in the church of S. Giacomo, the Palazzo Vicereggio, the Palazzo Municipale, and the church of San Sepolcro. On to Monserrato, where in the S. Giovanni Batista church two very large altarpieces are to be seen. Lunch in restaurant. Transfer to chosen port/airport and the end of our tour.