Honoring the legacy of Tarot artist and scholar Brian Williams, who first enchanted us with Italy's deep connection to Tarot, Arnell Ando, (of Transformational Tarot) and Michael McAteer and most prestigiously, our fabulous friends of Museo dei Tarocchi will lead a merry band of travelers in fall of 2011 to the magical birthplace of Tarot in northern Italy. You are invited to join us on this wonderful adventure!

In cosmopolitan Milan, we'll visit the awe inspiring Renaissance fortress of the Castello Sforzesco, where the ancient Visconti Tarot cards were found in an abandoned well. We’ll bask in the beauty of frescoes by Leonardo da Vinci and by Bonifacio Bembo, the creator of the earliest known Tarot deck. We'll visit living Italian artists, publishers and scholars who are among the most prolific in the field. We'll enjoy inspirational art showing how the richness of this culture fostered the Tarot. We’ll spend time with internationally renowned Tarot artist and publisher, Osvaldo Menegazzi and be mesmerized in his shop Il Meneghello. And later dine with Osvaldo at The Cave , one of Milan’s finer eateries, showcasing his artwork. And we’ll revel in the beauty of Milan itself, with its incredible Gothic Cathedral the famous piazza, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, (world’s oldest Mall) and a metaphysical shop sure to delight with hard to find Tarot. We will visit the incredible Cimitero Monumentale, so moving and unforgettable…entering through a massive Neo-Medieval style building of marble and stone. This gigantic cemetery has rows upon rows of breathtaking sculptures from classical to contemporary, Greek temples, and other elaborate monuments dedicated to the long departed and beloved.

We will travel to historically rich Bologna and get a private tour with the director of Museo dei Tarocchi, Morena Poltronieri. She will reveal early symbology inherent in Tarot found in the magnificent Cathedral, St. Petroni, and St. James churches and wonderful museums waiting to be explored. Onward to Riola, where we will spend a day at the incredible Tarot Museum nestled in a small hilltop village, surrounded by majestic forests and mountains. An impressive array of original Tarot artworks from around the world, as well as a remarkable collection of decks from the rare to the unusual and most popular awaits us. The 400 year old building of the Tarot museum so lovingly restored has many hidden treasures including tree trunks that open to reveal shelves of prized Tarocchi and tiny doors with lit windows hidden in stone walls that open to show off precious miniature artworks. The Museo folks plan to throw a special garden party for us with their artist friends!

Next we will travel to the enchanting Tuscany region, with its tidy lines of cypress trees, endless olive groves, and lazy sunflowers…like gazing into an immense painting. Medieval castles and villages dot the landscape adding to this picturesque scene. We will stay in Florence with time to explore its great and gentle beauty and then on to the charming Renaissance town of Pienza with street signs like titles of Tarot Trumps and enticing shops and beautiful Cathedral. We will stay for a time in the marvelous medieval city of Siena which offers much to tantalize the palette and inspire the artist within; with stunning B&W marbled Duomo di Siena designed to fill the visitor with overwhelming awe. Mosaics and frescoes with pre-Christian, Pagan imagery and symbology also found in ancient Tarot decks. And fabulous museums await with some of the greatest masterpieces of all time. Cobblestone paths spiral out from the Campo de Piazza offering wonderful eateries and unusual shops. Precious Tarot decks can be discovered in nice Tobacco shops just a short stroll away.

At the heart of our tour we will make a spiritual pilgrimage to the Tarot Garden of Niki De Saint Phalle. A breathtaking view of colorful sculptures loom large on the horizon as we draw near… Niki created this amazing magical place where all twenty two trumps welcome us to explore and play in sight of the Mediterranean ocean surrounded by a rocky landscape graced with olives and oaks. Unlike most museums where you’re not allowed to touch or even take photos, the Tarot garden invites us to interact with the art.

In hill-top Bergamo we'll soak in the warm ambiance of an idyllic Renaissance town. In the fine museum of the Accademia Carrara we'll see many of the original Visconti-Sforza cards, and visit splendid works of Tarot-related art in the rich churches of the town.

The tour ends where it began in Milan (convenient for air travel) and having come full circle, we can bask in the collective experience of a lifetime!

This trip coincides with the Association for Tarot Studies (ATS ) Symposium set for September 23rd – 25th in Saint Suzanne, France for those who want to take advantage of attending both. The ATS site will provide details of their Tarot Symposium.

Arnell and Michael have gone on both memorable Tarot art history tours with Brian Williams in 1999 and 2000 and have since returned frequently to become more deeply enamored with this magical place and visit dear Tarot friends who offer to make this tour a very special one indeed.

Please join us for an adventure that can’t be missed! There are still a few openings but this will be a small group. At this point we need to get an accurate headcount of how many people plan to attend this 12 day tour. Because we want to give everyone the best possible rate for this special event, once we know who plans to attend we will then be able to negotiate the best price for nice (3 and 4 Star) hotels and include travel within Italy and some special and group meals. We will stay in touch via e-mail with details about the tour with all participants. Please contact Arnell Ando aando@arnellart.com if you can join us on our Italian Tarot art & history tour in autumn 2011.

Tarot Art & History Tour ~ September 26th – October 7th 2011