Plan now for a warm-weather themed getaway with Oscar Wilde Tours, led by Professor Andrew Lear, author and expert on same-sex relationships represented in art from the ancient world. An instructor at Harvard, Columbia and New York University, Lear guides participants on handcrafted, luxury tours that explore the often-hidden treasures from gay history. Coming up this year:

• Gay London/Gay Paris, Aug. 14–22, with an extension to Amsterdam, Aug. 22–25: Itinerary highlights include Westminster Abbey, The National Portrait Gallery, The British Museum, Bloomsbury, Bletchley Park, the Left Bank, Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Loire Valley and the Louvre.
• Gay Greece, Sept. 7–19: Itinerary highlights include the Acropolis, Agora, National Archaeological Museum, Peloponnese, Nauplio, Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, the monasteries of Meteora and the royal tombs at Vergina.
• Gay Italy, Sept. 20–29: Itinerary highlights include the Roman Forum, the Vatican Museum, Pompeii, the Uffizi and the Accademia, the Capitoline museums, Tivoli, the Naples Archaeological Museum, Paestum and the Bargello.

Lear notes dates for the Gay Greece and Gay Italy tours are back to back because they are thematically connected, introducing the Classic tradition from Homer to Michelangelo. Travelers interested in doing both tours can look for the Gay Gods and Heroes page on the Oscar Wilde Tours website. If your plans take you to New York, Lear also leads Shady Ladies Tours through New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and its collection of erotic art. Revolving around women’s history, themed options include Sexy Secrets, Nasty Women and Shady Ladies, all of which take participants on an exploration of strong women in history and art.