The Thinking Traveller

For centuries, the Via Francigena carried pilgrims, merchants and armies across Europe to Rome, shaping the towns and communities that grew along its route. In this episode of The Thinking Traveller, Dr Jeni Ryde joins us to discuss the history of this ancient road, from its medieval origins and changing fortunes to the fortified hill towns, landscapes and cultural heritage that still mark its cou...

For nearly three thousand years, the Odyssey has held its place as one of the foundational texts of Western literature – the story of a man's ten-year journey home from Troy. A journey through shipwreck, sorcery and the wrath of the gods, the Odyssey belongs to myth. Yet the Greeks imagined its adventures unfolding across a real Mediterranean landscape, among the volcanic coasts of Sicily and...

Born into a turbulent Castile, Isabella rose to claim a contested throne and, alongside Ferdinand of Aragon, helped forge modern Spain. In this episode of The Thinking Traveller, we welcome award-winning historian and author Giles Tremlett to our program, who will lead our new Spanish Queens, Kings & Caudillos tour in 2027. Giles discusses Isabella’s rise to power, the forces that defined her...

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 a...

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 th...

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 epis...

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, trave...

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...

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 progr...

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 to...

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 epis...

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...

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...

While Venice was a patriarchal society, women nonetheless played vital roles in shaping the city’s political, social and cultural fabric. From patrician marriages that forged alliances among the elite to the quiet influence exerted behind convent and palace walls, what was life really like for women in the Republic of Venice? Their stories span from prominent figures such as Caterina Cornaro, Quee...

Elegant and imperial yet vibrantly modern, Vienna is a city where, like the beloved Danube itself, history and creativity flow together. For over four centuries, Vienna was the heart of the Habsburg Empire – a mecca for musicians, artists, architects and intellectuals. Today, its grand palaces, museums and concert halls still captivate, while the legacy of composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and S...

In the late 13th century, a coalition of Turkic tribes united under a dynamic leader named Osman, forming a small principality situated between the declining Byzantine and Seljuk Empires. Within generations, it grew into the Ottoman Empire, a global power spanning three continents and controlling key trade routes. This rise ushered in a Golden Age marked by grand architecture, Iznik tiles, calligr...

2025 marks the 80th Anniversary of the end of World War II. A year that reshaped the world and transformed Australia, 1945 was a tumultuous time that witnessed fierce fighting, celebrations of peace and the beginnings of a new world order. While the big three allies – Britain, America and the Soviet Union – would go on to challenge each other for supremacy in the post-war world, Australia emerged...

When Alexander the Great conquered much of the known world, creating an empire that stretched from Greece all the way to India, he paved the way for the Hellenistic period. Forged from Alexander’s empire, this unprecedented contact with cultures far and wide disseminated Greek art, architecture, literature and religious practises, and exposed Greek artistic styles to a host of new exotic influence...

Archaeologists have recently uncovered the ruins of an octagonal Armenian church dating back 1,700 years – making it one of the oldest such surviving monuments in the world. The church is located in Artaxata, once the site of a major commercial city that was the Kingdom of Armenia’s capital until the early 2nd century. In this episode we are joined by Dr Mathew Dal Santo as he takes us on a journe...

Johann Sebastian Bach was, besides being a famed organist, harpsichordist, violist and violinist, one of the most prolific and iconic composers of the Baroque Era.  Centuries after his death, Bach’s contribution to music remains immense, with subsequent generations of musicians of all genres channelling his innovative techniques. In this episode, featuring musical excerpts of Bach's works, we...

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most significant architects of the 20th century, and his career is deeply connected to that of Marion Mahony Griffin. A woman ahead of her time, Marion was one of the first licensed female architects in the world and was also Wright’s first employee. With a career spanning 50 years, she contributed as a designer to the development of the Prairie School which revolu...

A bold reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s thrilling musical, Sunset Boulevard, made its Broadway premiere just last week and saw Nicole Scherzinger make her Broadway debut. In this special episode on The Thinking Traveller, Academy Travel tour leader and host of the STAGES podcast, Peter Eyers interviews Theatre Choreographer and Movement Director Fabian Aloise. Fabian's choreography has be...

A tiny speck in the Pacific, Norfolk Island has a fascinating past and occupies a unique position in the history of European settlement in Australia. It is home to a turbulent and varied history, with new archaeological findings about the Island's first inhabitants through to the infamous Bounty mutineers and the relocated Pitcairners, the harsh penal settlement, the Island's Melanesian...

More than 80 years ago, the Fall of Singapore and the War in the Pacific touched almost all Australian households in some way. With Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day recently commemorated on August 15, we are joined by expert military historian Prof. Peter Stanley. Peter is a prize-winning historian and author of more than 40 books, who spent 33 years working at the Australian War Memorial (where he...

Hilary Mantel’s extraordinary Wolf Hall Trilogy ignited popular interest in the turbulent Tudor period of British history. Coupled with the BBC production of the first two novels, the highlighting of Thomas Cromwell’s rise and fall has brought a new understanding to the political upheavals that occurred during the eventful reign of Henry VIII. With an adaptation of Mantel’s third book in the trilo...