Art, culture, and lifelong learning through travel
Founded by Sevan Melikyan in 2024, Artblazing Tours offers curated small-group tours to top cultural destinations in Europe. We value the pursuit of knowledge and we design our journeys to ensure you come home not just with lasting memories, but with a deep understanding of the art, history, and culture of the places we explore. Each tour is preceded by a series of engaging Zoom lectures to prepare you for the adventure ahead.
We invite you to join us and like-minded fellow travelers as together we infuse our lives with the legacy of great artists and their work.
Upcoming Tours
Tour Dates: September 26 to October 4, 2026
Experience 9 unforgettable days in Istanbul, a city where empires have risen, faiths have met, and cultures have intertwined for over two millennia. Explore the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Chora Church, and the Blue Mosque. Wander the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, sail the Bosphorus, and discover the mosaics, markets, and masterpieces that define this legendary city. Enjoy expert-led visits, Turkish cuisine, and 4-star accommodations.
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Tour Dates: October 8 - 17, 2026
Experience 10 extraordinary days across Spain’s cultural and artistic heartlands—Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, Seville, and Granada. Follow in the footsteps of Gaudí, Picasso, Miró, Velázquez, El Greco, and the great masters of Andalusia. Explore the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, the Prado, the Mezquita, the Alcázar of Seville, and the Alhambra. Enjoy expert-led visits, scenic train travel, regional cuisine, flamenco, and 4-star accommodations as you journey through the art, history, and soul of Spain.
NORTHERN SOUL: Belgium & The Netherlands 2027
March 17-27, 2027
This tour celebrates the rich and inspiring art and cultural history of Belgium and the Netherlands. From Van Eyck and Rubens to Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh—whose works we’ll explore in Amsterdam and at the Kröller-Müller Museum—we journey through the great traditions of Northern art. Based in Brussels, Amsterdam, and the fairy-tale city of Bruges, we’ll also enjoy day trips to Antwerp, Ghent, and The Hague, along with a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens, where early tulips should be in bloom.
IMPERIAL LEGACY: Prague & Vienna 2027
May 19-28, 2027
This brand-new journey weaves together art, architecture, and the rich musical traditions of Central Europe. In Prague and Vienna, cities shaped by emperors and artists alike, we’ll explore masterworks by Klimt and Schiele alongside grand imperial collections. Music will play a special role, as we immerse ourselves in the world of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Dvořák, composers whose presence still resonates in these cities. A day trip to Salzburg will further enrich this cultural tapestry, offering a journey that speaks as much to the ear as to the eye.
Tours on the Horizon
As we look ahead, several journeys are taking shape. Your interest plays an important role in bringing them to life. If one (or more) is of interest to you, please fill out the Count Me In form. Your response helps shape what comes next. Artblazing Tours has traveled to many destinations in the past including Provence and Sicily/Malta, both of which we plan to visit in 2028 and beyond. If there are other locations you'd like us to consider, reach out any time.
PARIS 2027
September 2027
Few cities offer such a concentration of artistic masterpieces as Paris. This nine-day journey will take us through the great museums—the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Orangerie—where we’ll encounter works that have shaped the history of art. We will also explore the city’s architectural treasures, including the newly restored Notre-Dame Cathedral and the radiant Sainte-Chapelle, with its breathtaking stained glass. Beyond the city, we’ll visit the Château de Chantilly, Monet’s gardens at Giverny, and the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh spent his final days. This tour offers not just a survey of masterpieces, but a deeper connection to the places that inspired them.
October 2027
Return to one of the world’s most extraordinary cities, where layers of history reveal the meeting of empires, cultures, and faiths. From the grandeur of Hagia Sophia and the mosaics of Chora to the splendor of Topkapi Palace and the vibrancy of the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul offers an unparalleled journey through time. We’ll explore Byzantine and Ottoman masterpieces, cruise the Bosphorus, and experience the textures, flavors, and rhythms that make this city endlessly captivating.
Meet Our Team
Sevan Melikyan
Founder, Guide, Host
Sevan is an art historian and seasoned tour leader with a lifelong passion for connecting people to art and culture. Born in Istanbul to Armenian parents and raised in Paris, Sevan brings a rich cross-cultural perspective to his work. He has led international art tours since 2018. In addition to his tours, he lectures widely on art history and directs Wired Gallery in High Falls, New York.
Maria Guralnik
Host
Maria, Sevan’s wife of more than 30 years, is a veteran performing arts manager and educator. She teaches Arts Management at Purchase College, SUNY, and brings a deep understanding of cultural institutions, music, and coffee, to the Artblazing experience.
Sheyda Eversley
Host
Born in Toronto, Sheyda Eversley is a multilingual educator with nearly 40 years of experience in the international airline industry. She currently teaches French conversation classes in New Paltz, NY, where she focuses on practical language skills and cultural immersion. Sheyda is also Sevan’s sister.
Tori Garritt
Host
Originally from Cragsmoor, NY, Tori Garritt is a voice instructor and producer of musical comedies for after-school programs. For the past four years, she has lived in Tucson with Robert Melikyan, Sevan’s son. Drawing on her background in performance and education, Tori co-hosted her first tour—the Splendors of Sicily and Malta journey—in February 2026.
In the Media
Articles that celebrate how Artblazing Tours connects Hudson Valley travelers with art, culture, and each other. Read the Article.
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