Ceramic tile (32) insulation for protecting a substrate material (34) in a high temperature environment. A plurality of ceramic tiles (78) may be used in combination with a monolithic layer of ceramic insulation (80) to protect a fillet region (76) and an airfoil section (80), respectively, of a gas turbine vane (72). Individual ceramic tiles (84) may be applied to repair a damaged area of the monolithic insulating layer. Ceramic tile insulation may be applied in two layers (56, 58) with the material properties of the two layers being different, and with the gaps (38) of the two layers being misaligned.