In the afternoons, we embarked on private tours of historic Charlottesville; Monticello, the magnificent home on a hill he designed; the University of Virginia, founded and designed by Jefferson; Montpelier, the home of James Madison, author of the US Constitution, 4th President of the US, and friend and confidant of Jefferson. We also had a […]
Rick Phillips and Ann Kirkland hope you will join them this fall for Sachertorte and Paprikash: Musical Meanderings Along the Blue Danube, September 27 – October 7, 2011. Every Classical Pursuits trip offers the opportunity not only to enjoy the music, art and other cultural aspects of our destination, but also […]
An oil painting of 100 historical personages is one of the Internet’s newest sensations. Figures ranging from Fidel Castro to Shirley Temple are depicted in the large-scale 20′ x 8.5′ (6m x 2.6m) oil painting entitled “Discussing the Divine Comedy With Dante.” The painting also includes world landmarks like the […]
Heaven, Vienna mine I’m in the spell of your charms divine Dressed like a queen, with life so gay You are the love of my heart today Heaven, Vienna mine Laughter and music and stars that shine Wonderful city where I belong Of her I sing my song Dear Friends, […]
A GRAND TOUR OF ITALY FOR GRAND CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS (Recommended ages 10 – 16) Dates: June 30 – July 11, 2012 Intergenerational travel is now one of the fastest growing segments in the travel industry Picture this – you and your grandchild, or even grandchildren, drifting down the […]
WALKING WITH SOCRATES This company offers learning vacations with a difference By Laura Robin, Ottawa Citizen April 2, 2011 Ann Kirkland runs a company called Classical Pursuits that takes people on trips based on readings and ideas. She also puts on summer sessions at the University of Toronto with […]
This June Classical Pursuits travels to Dresden, Weimar, and Berlin, all once part of the Soviet Bloc and now part of a reunified Germany. Each city has a unique story to tell about a different aspect of German history: its triumphs and failures, and its vibrant culture in today’s flourishing country. Germany, the […]
In January 2010, Classical Pursuits travelled to Key West, Florida to discuss the work of several American poets for whom Key West figured prominently in their lives and in their verse. We had the great good fortune of spending time with Rachel Hadas who was a presenter at the Key […]
I received a blog comment from Robert Anderson of Los Angeles. To manage the hard times during his daughter’s grave illness, he created a model kit for Monticello, the extraordinary home Thomas Jefferson designed for himself in Charlottesville, Virginia. Anderson created a 1/100th scale paper model of Monticello desgned from the measured […]
Tahrir Square, Egypt’s Newest Tourist Draw By Jennifer Conlin The New York Times, February 25, 2011 LAST October, on my final day in Cairo after a yearlong stay, I walked across the Kasr el-Nil Bridge toward Tahrir Square, stopping for a moment to take in the view. Though the Nile […]