The Glyndebourne Festival Traveller Reviews

Wonderful excursion to see several operas, several of the leading private houses in the area as well as other items of general interest, led by an operator who gave fascinating and useful insight into the many areas that the tour encompassed.

Ciceroni Travel are a specialist tour company providing holidays for people interested in art, architecture, gardens. Ciceroni have a team of specialist guides and leading experts that help ennoble the holiday and offer insight and appreciation.

Ciceroni Tours look after their clients - whom they think of, and treat as friends- by ensuring that they are accommodated in excellent hotels and delighted by fine dining in nearby hostelries. Our visit to the Gravetye Manor benefited from the Head Gardener's enthusiastic expertise and advice and included a superb lunch in the Manor's Michelin=-starred restaurant. Inside Firle Place, facing a painting by Van Dyck, we were guided by the art historian Debo Gage, who stated, simply; "My family has lived in this house for 500 years. At Glyndebourne we saw operas which had received outstanding critical acclaim: Mozart's La Clemenza de Tito, Donizetti's Don Pasquale and - the climax - Verdi's La Traviata. On each occasion we dined indoors in one of the Glyndebourne restaurants.

Founded by Dr Tom Duncan, who has both studied Music and taught Art Hiistory, Ciceroni Tours combine - according to their location - gardens, art history and music. When leading a tour, Tom Duncan himself gives short background lectures on our coach journeys. When he is not himself the leader, other members of the Ciceroni staff - or local guides furnish us with the same kind of information . There are seldom more than 22 members per tour. An outstanding feature is the use of a sound system which enables us to head a quietly delivered commentary at some distance from the guide. As a tour group, we are, therefore unobtrusive.

Very comfortable hotel , excellent visits to gardens and Firle Place. Organisation excellent with very good transport. My only quibble was our long evening journey from the hotel to Glyndebourne. I feel two smaller buses and a trip along the more direct route would have been preferable.

Efficient.

Very good balance between outdoor visits and opera evenings. Excellent and knowledgeable guides. Very good choices for food.

Excellent, everything well organised.

A five day visit to Sussex, viewing magnificent gardens, visiting privately owned houses, and taking in two performances at Glyndebourne (including excellent dinners).

Ciceroni runs arts/culture tours and Tom Duncan is a superlative communicator, with a vast amount of knowledge. He also enjoys and appreciates good food and wine, and dining experiences are always excellent. The 'back office' is extremely efficient, friendly and helpful. This was my 15th tour with the Company in ten years - which comment speaks for itself!

As above

Excellent in all respects

Each morning we set out from our comfortably luxurious hotel to drive through small Sussex villages to visit splendid houses and gardens. Our guides in each location - whether chatelaines or gardeners - shared with us their enthusiasm for the history of each, leaving us assured of the future progress of our shared cultural heritage. The operas we saw at Glyndebourne had both received rave reviews:see The Times review of The Cunning Little Vixen and The Week's review of The Marriage of Figaro. Relaxing in one of the theatre restaurants during the intervals we added our acclaim of the operatic experience to our appreciation of the good food and wine set before us.

Having travelled with Ciceroni Tours since 2008, I would not consider joining any other group. After 8 years I now look forward to greeting again others whose company I have previously enjoyed elsewhere. Dr Tom Duncan's combination of academic expertise, care for his clients and an engaging sense of humour - supported by sheer hard work behind the scenes - makes him more than a mere "tour guide" - a valuable friend.

Buses were always on time and manned by courteous and helpful bus drivers The gardens our party visited were fascinating and we had good guides to inform us Our visit to Glyndebourne was made more exciting by a champagne reception

Witty, well informed and prepared to increase our knowledge and enjoyment

A week in Sussex & Kent visiting amazing gardens & going to two performances at Glyndebourne. A perfect week lead by our very accomplished tour guide Tom Duncan. He always chooses very good hotels to stay in & the Alexander House Hotel was no exception.

The firm of Ciceroni is the best there is as far as I am concerned. Tom Duncan who leads most tours has an unrivalled knowledge of his subject & has an amazing catholic taste in that he can speak so well on so many subjects & has a great sense of humour! He is brilliant at coping with"difficult customers" who complain about everything. Luckily they are few & far between.