The Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe

The sights and smells of the medieval city; exploring the rich details of markets, monasteries, churches and religious and civic events; life in the townhouses of the rich, the tenements of the poor; the activities of medieval societies.

A well-preserved German medieval city; exploring the imposing mansions of the city's former elite, the grand fountains and the market square with its remarkable gothic town Hall; visiting St. Jakob's Church; walking the bastions of the city walls.

Malta's Mdina through the history of the Knights of Malta, who rule the island for nearly 300 years; the great palaces of the nobility and their Gothic and classical architecture; the city's medieval atmosphere in the winding Moorish streets.

The Roman history of Malta and St. Paul's internment on the island; in Rabat, experiencing key sites such as the splendid Roman villa, the Grotto of St. Paul and the catacombs where Christians seek refuge; the events of the Great Siege of 1565.

The sumptuous interiors of the Norman Palace are an entry point to Palermo's history; Norman Sicily's role as the best-governed state in the West; the architecture of the city's churches and Palazzo Abatellis; the cosmopolitan past of the seaport.

The most magnificent of the city's medieval palaces, the Palazzo Chiaramonte; the eras of German, French and Spanish rule; the Zisa Castle, ornate churches and the Norman summer palace; in Monreale, enjoying fine Norman ecclesiastical architecture.