Story telling is one of those ancient arts, practiced across all the eons of existence from cavemen, to the Egyptians, the Etruscans, through rich heritage of the Anglo Saxons and the Medieval Mystery plays and so into the early Renaissance. The latest, richest of narrative cycles are to be found in that “golden age of fresco painting” in Italy, stretching from the 13th to the 16th centuries and the ones we concentrate on in this fascinating journey are spread throughout Central Italy: Rome Orvieto, Monte Oliveto, Montefalco, Spoleto, Siena, San Gimignano and, of course, Florence.

The artists include some of those who are famous and known by all as well as other now lesser-known artists who were suddenly eclipsed by the divine, twin lights of Michelangelo and Rafael. All are skilled not only in the art of fresco painting (no mean feat in itself) but also in the art of story telling.

This very special journey will take us through a feast of colour and light, from all the panoply and procession of church and state, to the humbler passions and fealty of revered personalities, to the deep philosophical harmonies and disharmonies, but most importantly to a deeper appreciation of the significance and continuing fascination that was this greatest of times in art history . . .