Plan a warm-weather themed getaway with Oscar Wilde Tours, led by Professor Andrew Lear, an author and scholar specializing in same-sex relationships as represented in art from the ancient world. A lecturer at Harvard, Columbia, and New York University, Lear leads carefully curated luxury tours that reveal often-hidden stories and treasures from LGBTQ+ history. Upcoming departures this year include:
- Gay London / Gay Paris, Aug. 14–22, with an optional extension to Amsterdam, Aug. 22–25: Highlights on this itinerary include Westminster Abbey, the National Portrait Gallery, the British Museum, Bloomsbury, Bletchley Park, Paris’s Left Bank, Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Loire Valley, and the Louvre.
- Gay Greece, Sept. 7–19: This tour visits the Acropolis and the Agora, the National Archaeological Museum, sites in the Peloponnese such as Nauplio and Sparta, Olympia and Delphi, the monasteries of Meteora, and the royal tombs at Vergina.
- Gay Italy, Sept. 20–29: Key stops include the Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums, Pompeii, the Uffizi and the Accademia galleries, the Capitoline Museums, Tivoli, the Naples Archaeological Museum, Paestum, and the Bargello.
Lear explains that the Gay Greece and Gay Italy departures are scheduled back to back because they form a thematic pair, tracing the classical tradition from Homer through the Renaissance, including artists such as Michelangelo. Travelers who wish to join both itineraries can find combined details on the Gay Gods and Heroes page of the Oscar Wilde Tours website.
For those in New York, Lear also leads Shady Ladies Tours through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, focusing on its collection of erotic and gendered art. These themed walks center on women’s history and explore powerful and complex portrayals of women in art. Options include Sexy Secrets, Nasty Women, and Shady Ladies, each offering a thoughtful, engaging look at strong women in history and culture.
Each Oscar Wilde Tours itinerary emphasizes expert-led commentary, small group sizes, and luxury accommodations to create an immersive experience. Whether you are interested in classical archaeology, Renaissance masterpieces, or the queer histories woven through Europe’s museums and streets, these tours are designed to combine rigorous scholarship with enjoyable travel. Advance booking is recommended due to limited group size and the specialized nature of the programs.