CONNECTIONS
APR 2025 VOL. 13 NO. 4
A TRAVEL GUIDE TO AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY What makes an outstanding vacation for you? Is it slowing down to take in magnificent Terry Douglass scenery or to marvel at historic NHPBS Major Gifts Officer art and architecture? Maybe you want to eat your way through a cuisine you love and be surrounded by people who share your enthusiasm for the place you’re visiting? After joining New Hampshire PBS on a trip last fall, I’d like to add one more ingredient: having experienced tour guides and experts who can take care of the details and enrich your journey with insider knowledge. Throughout our journey last year, we had excellent local guides who regaled us with colorful stories of what it was like to live in Yorkshire. I loved being able to ask whatever quirky question came to mind, like what it was like to drive down windy country lanes and who repaired the countryside’s beautiful stone walls if someone went around a corner too fast! This fall, on our Discover Italy trip, NHPBS will join forces with the Currier Museum of Art. Inspired by Ken Burns’ documentary LEONARDO DA VINCI, Discover Italy will be hosted by Currier Museum Senior Curator Dr. Kurt Sundstrom, who has studied extensively in Italy and written about the Renaissance in Florence. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been to Italy,” said Dr. Sundstrom. “It’s always exciting to walk where Leonardo walked.” Da Vinci is credited with saying that “the noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.” Throughout the journey, Dr. Sundstrom will be on hand to connect each day’s sights to the life and work of this quintessential Renaissance man. The trip begins in the timeless city of Florence, where a local guide will help you tap into da Vinci’s spirit of curiosity as you explore his old stomping grounds, including Santa Maria del
Fiore, or the Duomo, one of the world’s largest cathedrals, and the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge that is still home to many quaint shops. Another afternoon will be spent in the charming village of Vinci to visit the Leonardo’s childhood home. In Milan, a local guide will take travelers through Sforza Castle, home to a remarkable art collection, including rooms dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. “No one’s been able to do as well as they have,” Sundstrom said of Renaissance artists. “Their skill and vision is beyond compare. You look at a da Vinci, and you can’t stop looking at it.” Visiting all these amazing locales is, of course, a great opportunity, but I think what took my last trip to the next level was having a tour manager who could handle all the confusing technicalities that come up when travelling. It meant I could really take in all we were seeing and enjoy myself. NHPBS Videographer Steve Giordiani has travelled on several NHPBS trips, and he shares my appreciation. “It really takes a different kind of person to run these tours. We’ve had tour managers who even know which people tend to sleep through alarms.” This was my first time travelling internationally, and I had a lot of questions. What was the best way to change money? How would I deal with jet lag? Our tour manager helped me figure it all out. It felt like I just needed to know when to wake up and when to meet in the lobby. It was such a luxury to be free to satisfy my curiosity about the beautiful place we were visiting. I had the time to make new friends and build lasting memories. Now that, to me, is a dream vacation! If you’d like to learn more about our exciting Discover Italy trip with the Currier Museum of Art, visit nhpbs.org/travel. Buon viaggio!
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