Art and Culture of Northern Italy:
The Venice Biennale, The Veneto, Vicenza and Milan
22nd September – 6th October 2026
Join Claire Chamberlain and ArtTravel on our visit to Italy, with a focus on La Biennale.
Visiting Venice, Bassano del Grappa and the Brion Tomb, Verona, Vicenza, Brescia and Milan
Claire Chamberlain (MA Art History with Hons, PGDipEd) currently teaches as part of the Art Today programme at Te Tuhi, one of New Zealand’s foremost contemporary art spaces. Prior to this, she was a secondary teacher of art history for over 20 years.
Claire is the co-head of New Zealand at Venice Biennale Patrons, a patron herself since 2017 and was an invigilator for Lisa Reihana’s Emissaries at the 57th Venice Biennale. A keen supporter of Aotearoa arts and artists, Claire is passionate about communicating her love of art and art history in an accessible and enjoyable way.
Claire says:
This tour will encompass art, both historical and contemporary, architecture, including churches, palazzi, classical ruins, interior design, culture, landscape and gardens, music, food, theatre, people and places.
KEY INFO AT A GLANCE:
- When: 22 September to 6 October 2026
- Where: Venice, Vicenza and Milan
- How many people: Min 12 Max 16
- Claire Chamberlain as your Tour Guide to the Venice Biennale and beyond
- Sefton Rani as your Tour Manager
- Local assistance on the ground as necessary
- Suggested Cost: Per Person Twin share: $16999 NZD
- Suggested Single Supplement: $4000 NZD (Double room for single use)
- Deposit by 1 October 2026 of $4500 NZD per person
- Full payment 3 months prior to departure
Please click here to enquire about this tour
Sample Day:
This morning we will travel to the Ghetto, the original Jewish Quarter of Venice and be guided to various sites within the quarter.
We’ll stop for a canalside lunch at one of the famed local osteria (casual restaurant) before continuing to AMA Venezia, a new private art foundation which opened in early 2025. It houses a significant collection of contemporary art, with a particular emphasis on American artists from the 1960s to the present.
Then, it’s by vaporetto to the Rialto Bridge where we’ll walk back to the Castello sestiere (district) to visit the Foundation Querini Stampalia to one side of the campo with a break in the on-site café. Our focus is the renowned Carlo Scarpa watergate and garden.
We’ll then make our way to Campo S.S. Giovanni e Paolo where Claire will introduce us to The Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni sculpted by Andrea del Verrocchio in the late 15th century.
En route to our final visit for the day, OCEAN SPACE we’ll pass the Libreria Acqua Alta before we arrive at the home of OCEAN SPACE, the deconsecrated church of San Lorenzo. This is a foundation geared towards art and science.
**All inclusions subject to change
Hotels are classed as Italian 4 star – this may vary by city and location.