For more than five centuries, Egypt's pharaohs were buried in a remote desert valley on the west bank of the Nile. Hidden among barren limestone hills, the Valley of the Kings became the final resting place of some of the most well-known rulers of the ancient world, including Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramesses II.

In this episode we are joined by Egyptologist Dr Bill Manley as he explores how and why the Valley of the Kings came into being, the extraordinary tombs cut deep into its cliffs, and the beliefs that shaped Egypt's vision of the afterlife.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Ravenna is one of Italy’s most quietly extraordinary cities – a place where the final centuries of the Roman world can still be read through intricate mosaics and imperial monuments.

In this episode we are joined by Dr Eireann Marshall as she explores how this lagoon city rose to prominence, becoming first a Roman Imperial capital, then the seat of Ostrogothic power, and finally a key centre of the Byzantine world.

At the heart of this story are not only Emperors and armies, but a remarkable group of women whose lives intersected with some of the most dramatic events of late antiquity.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

At the glittering court of Louis XIV, where art functioned as an extension of power, no figure defined the sound of absolutism more completely than Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Rising from modest origins in Florence to become the most influential musician in 17th century France, Lully crafted a distinctly French operatic style that mirrored the grandeur and discipline of the Sun King’s reign.

In this episode we are joined by Dr Tarita Botsman as she explores explores how Lully secured his extraordinary position at court and forged a close working relationship with the king himself. Featuring musical excerpts from Lully's works, Tarita reveals how his compositions helped define the cultural identity of the ancien régime.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Corinth was a central city of the Greek world, influential in shipbuilding, colonisation and pottery production, and later in architecture, politics and early Christianity.

Today we are joined by Dr Amelia Brown – an archaeologist, historian and Hellenist. In this conversation, Amelia moves beyond the familiar comparisons with Athens to reveal a city whose character was forged through trade, travel and cultural encounter.

Amelia is the author of 'Corinth in Late Antiquity: A Greek, Roman and Christian City', based on her extensive on-site research. She is currently preparing a new study examining who was represented in Corinth’s Roman public portraiture, and joins Academy Travel as a tour leader in 2027.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Slovenia sits at a crossroads of Europe – where the Alps meet the Pannonian Plain and where a short Adriatic coastline opens onto the wider Mediterranean world.

From Lake Bled and its island church to ancient pagan traditions and Ljubljana's legendary dragon, Slovenia is steeped in myth and memory.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Lauren Mackay, an historian of Early Modern Europe, as she examines how geography and power intertwined to shape Slovenia’s identity across the centuries.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Marg Horwell is one of Australia’s most acclaimed costume designers, whose work spans opera, theatre and large-scale international productions.

Her work on The Picture of Dorian Gray – which toured the West End and Broadway – earned both an Olivier Award and a Tony Award, marking a rare double recognition across the UK and US stages. Marg’s designs currently feature across two Academy Travel programs: New York Theatre April 2026 with Giant starring John Lithgow as Roald Dahl, and Sydney Theatre April 2026 with My Brilliant Career, where costume plays a defining role in shaping this new stage adaptation.

In this special conversation, brought to us by STAGES – the podcast of our Tour Leader Peter Eyers – Marg reflects on designing for actors, narrative and historical context, the transition of productions between continents, and the craft of costume as a vital storytelling language.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Patagonia is one of the world’s great frontier landscapes – a region shaped by ice, wind and the long histories of those who have lived and travelled there.

In this episode of The Thinking Traveller, we are joined by Dr Chris Carter who traces how Patagonia’s dramatic environment has shaped its people, cultures and national parks.

Chris is an archaeologist with over 25 years’ experience leading tours, including over 30 tours to South American countries. His PhD research was based on excavations he carried out at coastal sites in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Linking the Far East with the Mediterranean world, the Silk Road became history’s most influential crossroads, shaping civilisations through trade, diplomacy and cultural encounter.

From the imperial courts of China to the bustling markets of Rome, artistic, religious and cultural currents travelled these pathways – silk and spices, of course, but also ideas, technologies and beliefs.

In this episode, we are joined by accomplished author, lecturer and cultural specialist Chris Aslan. Drawing on his decades of lived experience and research in Central Asia, he offers vivid on-the-ground insight into the peoples who inhabited this crossroads of empires, revealing how the Silk Road was never a single road at all, but a vast network of vibrant and interconnected routes.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Puccini’s operas remain some of the most beloved in the repertoire, their soaring melodies and emotional intensity instantly recognisable to audiences worldwide.

From the romance and tragedy of La Bohème, to the raw passion of Tosca and the exotic splendour of Turandot, Puccini created worlds of intense drama and unforgettable melody.

In this episode we are joined by musician and broadcaster Sandy Burnett as he explores what makes Puccini's music so distinctive and enduring. With insights from musical experts, Sandy uncovers the orchestral colours, vocal writing and dramatic instincts that defined Puccini's genius.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

A Queen who dared to rule as King, Hatshepsut rose from Royal Consort to become one of Egypt’s most successful and innovative Pharaohs.

Ruling Egypt in the 15th century BCE, she defied expectations by assuming full Kingship – adopting the regalia, titles and divine authority traditionally reserved for men. Her reign was marked by political stability, flourishing trade and monumental architectural achievements, most notably her majestic mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri. Yet, after her death, Hatshepsut’s name and image were systematically erased from monuments and records, plunging her legacy into obscurity for centuries.

In this episode of The Thinking Traveller, we are joined by Egyptologist Lucia Gahlin as she explores the rise and reign of this remarkable ruler, the myths surrounding her identity and the rediscovery that brought her back into the historical spotlight.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/