Art Workshops and applied art courses,painting, drawing, clay, and visits to Marche, Umbria, Tuscany Italy.

This is a holiday with art workshops and visits to cities and villages for lovers of Italy and the various expressions of art. 2900,00 € pp for two weeks all inclusive, accommodation, meals, transfers, materials.

If art, history, materials, pigments, light are your passions, if a holiday with art workshops and visits to artists' studios is what you are looking for, then the fresco painting course is the right solution for you.

This tour is not necessarily for people with a certain amount of prior experience in practical art. Together you will create a real fresco mural, from the preparation of the underground to the actual painting 'affresco'. Lively lectures and guided visits to Urbino, Ascoli Piceno, Perugia, Florence and Siena.

Dates on request, Price of the fresco painting course all included: 2900,00 € pp for two weeks

Art Tours with art Workshops in Italy & Fun!
The Fresco Painting Course combines applied Art classes held by experts and Art Tours in Central Italy (Marche, Umbria and Tuscany). The ancient art of fresco painting dates back to Roman times and was brought to perfection during the Italian Renaissance. This luminous, clear, earthy technique challenges the artist with its spontaneity and transparency. There is plenty of time to paint and draw, but Italian food and culture are an integral part of these unforgettable 2 weeks holiday. There will be talks given on art history as a preparation for the excursions to magnificent fresco cycles that you will visit under the guidance of your hosts .

fresco painting step 1

fresco painting step 2

fresco painting step 3

fresco painting step 4

Highlights of the Italy Tour:

Guided visits to Urbino, Ascoli Piceno, Florence, Assisi, Perugia, Siena, Macerata, Tolentino, San Severino and the Abbey of Fiastra.
Under the guidance of experts you will create a real fresco mural.
Art classes
Trips to the private studios of a number of local artists and viewings of their work.
Art tours and excursions with your host Ennio.
Accommodation at the beautiful Caravanserraglio agriturismo with swimming pool, in comfortable self-catering apartments.
Dinners based on regional recipes at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Fresco Painting Course Includes:

14 nights' full-board accommodation: 10 nights accommodation with breakfasts at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo in Marche, 2 nights accommodation with breakfasts at Perugia, 2 nights accommodation with breakfasts in Tuscany
26 Meals & Wine at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo or carefully selected Italian restaurants (wine, soft drinks and coffee included).
8 full-day excursions with lunch (art towns, exhibitions, medieval villages, monuments, open markets).
5 half-day excursions with lunch (art towns, exhibitions, medieval villages, monuments, open markets).
5 Italian painting classes.
Colours, materials, pure ground pigments and all the ingredients for the fresco applied art course.
All tuition and excursions.
All land travel in Italy included in the itinerary by private air-conditioned 8 person coach.
Use of swimming pool at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo
Final cleaning.
Weekly change of linen.
Water, electricity and gas.

What is not Included?

Airfares
Travel insurance
Entry fees to museums, art galleries and monuments.
An optional excursion may be offered which is not included in the tour price.
Personal transport costs, phone calls or tips.

Detailed Itinerary - Fresco Painting Course Italy
Provisional program of the 2 weeks holiday

This is a preliminary itinerary and will be altered to accommodate seasonal activities or local festivals. However the essential content of the itinerary will remain the same.

Day 1

In the afternoon arrival at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo, aperitif and introduction.
8.00 pm Welcome dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
Introduction to the course program.

Day 2 - Excursion to the Basilica of S.Nicolas at Tolentino and the Abbey of Chiaravalle

Tranquil awakening at the peacefull agriturismo. The accommodation with breakfast at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo is in an independent apartment with kitchen. You'll find in the fridge milk, fresh bread, butter, home made marmelate, coffee and tea, for your breakfasts.
10.00 am Excursion to the Basilica and convent of Saint Nicolas at Tolentino with early fourteenth frescoes by Pietro da Rimini, pupil of Giotto. Visit to the Abbey of Chiaravalle di Fiastra, surrounded by woods and Roman remains. Romanesque and Gothic architecture with frescoes.
1.00 pm Lunch at the Abbey of Fiastra.
6.00 pm Salotto - lecture in a warm atmosphere with a glass of wine about Italian Art History and in particular about the theory of the fresco technique.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Day 3 - Excursion to Loreto and applied art lesson.

9.30 am Excursion to Loreto, magnificent frescoed ceilings by Pomarancio (Pomarance, Pisa 1552 Roma 1626).
1.00 pm Lunch at Loreto.
6.00 pm Aplied Art lesson and lively lecture on Italian Drawing during the Renaissance. Practice and theory of drawing with applied art lesson.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Day 4 - Excursion to San Severino and Fresco Painting Course

9.30 am In San Severino we visit Villa Manuzzini with frescoes of the Salimbeni brothers (late 14th Century), major fresco artists and contemporaries of another great Marche artist, Gentile di Fabriano. After a 5 minute walk we reach the Romanesque church of Saint Laurence decorated with superb frescoes by the Salimbeni.
1.00 pm Lunch at San Severino.
Afternoon at leisure.
4.00 pm Fresco painting course at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo. Preparation of the underground for the fresco painting.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Day 5 - Excursion to Urbino

9.30 am Excursion to the Renaissance city of Urbino. In the morning we visit the Ducal Palace, with masterpieces of Titian, Raphael and Piero della Francesca.
1.00 pm Lunch at Urbino
3.00 pm Visit to the family house of the famous Renaissance painter Raphael with an early fresco of the artist in his former bedroom, and to the Oratory of Saint John with breathtaking late Gothic frescoes of the Salimbeni brothers from San Severino. We will set ourselves up in front of these great frescoes with a view to emulating the skill of these masters.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Day 6 - Fresco Painting Course and guided tour to San Ginesio

10.00 am Fresco painting lesson at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo.
1.00 pm Light lunch at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
In the afternoon the fresco painting lesson continues.
5.00 pm Guided visit to San Ginesio, medieval town with walls and gateways intact, designated a place of historic interest. In the crypt of the Collegiate Church frescoes by the Salembeni brothers, in the ex-convent of Saint Francis early frescoes by an unknown master, a visit to the last mentioned frescoes is normally only reserved for research purposes.
8.00 pm Dinner at San Ginesio.

Day 7 - Excursion to the Sanctuary of Macereto and to Visso

9.30 am Excursion to the Sanctuary of Macereto, situated in the Sibillini area. Fresco cycle by Simone De Magistris (1538-1613), also known as the Italian El Greco.
1.00 pm Lunch at the Renaissance town Visso.
5.00 pm At the Caravanserraglio restaurant a Salotto with wine tastings.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Day 8 - Excursion to Civitanova Marche and visit to ceramics gallery

9.00 am Excursion to the market at Civitanova Marche. Visit to the Galleria Centofiorini at Civitanova Alta.
1.00 pm Lunch at Civitanova.
5.00 pm Trip to local pottery studio and viewing of the ceramics
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Film of the local pottery studio that we visit

Day 9 - Ascoli Piceno, Art Exhibition 'Osvaldo Licini' and trip to the private studio of a local artist

9.30 am Excursion to Ascoli Piceno, once one of the most powerful cities in Central Italy. It has a marvelous square and a well conserved historical center. Highlights are the Romanesque architecture and the antique wall paintings.
1.00 pm Lunch at Ascoli Piceno.
5.00 pm Trip to the private studio of a local artist and viewing of his work
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
Dinner at the accommodation is followed by a talk with slides on the fresco cycle by Giotto.

Day 10 - Guided tour to Assisi

9.30 am Excursion to Assisi, the city of Saint Francis, the Saint protector of all living things. A visit to the world City of Peace brings you along the famous frescoes of Giotto, depicting the Saints' life. The best Gothic painters from Pisa, Siena and Rome decorated the basilica, it is one of Italy's most important Gothic Monuments. Frescoes by Cimabue, Simone Martini and The Lorenzetti brothers. Wandering about the streets of Assisi makes you feel like a real pilgrim....a pilgrim of art. Optional: Saint Francis' Hermitage Trail, Assisi Transport is provided to St. Francis' Hermitage on Monte Subasio from where we walk down to the town of Assisi following the legendary trail of Saint Francis, Italy�s favourite saint. Walking at a good pace, one can see almost all the sights of Assisi in one day. In the afternoon there is free time in the town. Walking Time: 2 hours. Some steep downhill plus town walking on cobbled stones and asphalt.
1.00 pm Lunch at Assisi.
6.00 pm arrival and check-in at the carefully selected hotel at Perugia with frescoed ceilings in the rooms and breakfast hall.
8.00 pm Dinner and night at Perugia.

Day 11 - Guided tour to Perugia

9.30 am Guided visit to Perugia, an important city since Etruscan times and the capital of the Umbrian region. Our itinerary includes the extraordinary medieval ghost town under the Renaissance Rocca Paolina, the National Gallery with works by Perugino and other great artists of the Umbrian and Tuscan Renaissance. There will also be free time for exploring the shops and backstreets of Umbria's largest town.
1.00 pm Lunch at Perugia
6.00 pm Check-in at the carefully selected accommodation in the Italian countryside strategically situated between Florence and Siena.
8.00 pm Dinner at the accommodation and relax.

Day 12 - Guided tour to Florence

10.00 am Guided tour to Florence, cradle of the Renaissance. The City seems an open air museum, and art historian Phaedra de Zeeuw is happy to bring you to the most beautiful spots.
1.00 pm Lunch at Florence.
3.00 pm Visit to the Uffizi Gallery with it's spectaculair collection of Art, among which the collection of the Duke of Urbino.
8.00 pm Dinner at the accommodations' restaurant.

Day 13 - Guided tour to Siena

10.00 am Walk through the streets of Siena, we visit the medieval City hall with superb frescoes, and the Kathedral, containing the masterwork of Duccio, the Maestà.
Lunch at Siena
The afternoon in the town is free for shopping or individual sightseeing.
8.00 pm Dinner at the accommodations' restaurant.

Day 14 - Guided tour to Siena and back to Caravanserraglio

10.00 am Guided tour to Siena.
Lunch at Siena
8.00 pm Dinner and night at Caravanserraglio.

Day 15

After preparations farewell and departure...

General description of The Applied Art Tours Italy

The Fresco Painting course is open for everybody, it is designed for people who are passionate about Italian Art and History, and love to enjoy Italian Food and Wines. Art workshops with drawing lessons and the making of a fresco. In addition we will set ourselves up in front of the great fresco cycle of the Salimbeni Brothers in the oratory of Saint John at Urbino with a view to emulating the skill of this important master. You will have the possibility to derive inspiration from the beautiful Italian landscape and from the magnificent fresco cycles that you will visit under the guidance of your hosts. There will be trips to the private studios of a number of renowned Italian artists and viewings of their work. The practical art workshops are held in English language at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo. We will work with pure ground pigments (diluted) in the same way as Giotto and Raphael. During our excursion days, we will visit in situ several fresco cycles in Urbino, Siena and Florence. The maximum number of people for each group is eight, to guarantee our guests a personal entertainment and a good service.

For information and reservations info@terradarte.net

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