Round out your study of British literature with a survey of the 20th-century masters. Check out the Baker Street of Sherlock Holmes, visit the rural Dorset villages of Thomas Hardy, and then pop over to Bloomsbury in London to see where Virginia Woolf and her comrades created a new kind of literature.

Delve into the history of this famous street, and how it was named. Visit the Palazzo Doria Pamphili (containing a superb private art museum), the Palazzo Odescalchi, and the vast Palazzo Colonna, and learn about the lives of princely families. Discover the frescoes of the Galleria Sciarra, one of Rome's little-known gems.

On a leisurely route to Venice, stop at three romantic hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria. Begin with Arezzo, with its picturesque Piazza Grande and glorious, art-laden churches. Then discover the magnificent guildhalls, Palace of the Priors, and papal fortress of Perugia, and Assisi's Temple of Minerva and sublime Church of St. Francis.

Begin here at Florence's Accademia, home to Michelangelo's David, before visiting other superlative Florentine museums. In particular, explore the magnificent preaching church of Santa Croce, which contains a stunning spectrum of artistic riches, including works of Donatello, Giotto, and della Robbia. Finish at the Pazzi Chapel, a masterwork of architectural geometry.

Continue your study of the political shifts during Renaissance Britain, a period when kings were gradually forced to share power with Parliament. This tension broke bounds in the 17th century, when Charles I, defeated in a civil war, was beheaded at the Banqueting House in London. After Oliver Cromwell's quasi-military dictatorship, the crown was restored to Charles II.

Investigate the Celtic culture of Brittany, starting in the walled port city of Saint-Malo, with its ramparts, forts, and seafaring past. Experience the wild beauty of the northern coast and note two contrasting cities: Quimper, with its Breton traditions and creperies; and Lorient, with its superb seafood and dramatic World War II history. Also, view the enigmatic ancient megaliths of Carnac.

Start your journey through the Camargue with a visit to the spectacular castles of the medieval sect known as the Cathars, as well as the town of Carcassonne with its fairy tale grandeur. Continue with the extraordinary urban landscape of Montpellier, and end at Albi, taking in its fortress-like cathedral, its memories of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and the delicious regional dish of cassoulet.

Continuing with highlights of the Forum, grasp the economic and civic functions of the Basilica Aemilia and the Basilica Julia. Take in important pagan shrines, the Curia or Senate House, and the Arch of Septimius Severus, and learn the remarkable stories of the Church of Saints Mark and Martina and the Mamertine Prison.

Adjoining the Capitoline Hill, take in the grand Piazza Venezia, with its Renaissance and Baroque palaces, famous talking statues, and masterful church of Santa Maria di Loreto. Continue with the imposing forums of Trajan and Augustus, finishing with the history and lore of Rome's iconic Colosseum, site of ancient entertainment and ritual.

On the glorious Venetian waterways, take a vaporetto to view Palladio's churches and the resplendent Santa Maria della Salute, which dominates the waterfront. Stop at fabulous palace museums along the Grand Canal, such as the great Galleria Accademia and the Casa Rezzonico, a stunning evocation of 18th-century Venetian life.