Unforgettable Holidays with Art Workshops and visits to Marche,
Umbria and Tuscany for Lovers of Italy and Italian Art
If Art, Italian History, good food and wine 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 solution for you.
This tour is not necessarily for people with a certain amount of prior
experience in practical art. Together with Ennio and the professional
guidance of Lisa Tomassini (restorer of old paintings) and Elisa Gianfelici
(docent at the Accademia di Belle Arti at Macerata Italy) you will create
a real fresco mural, from the preparation of the underground to the actual
painting 'affresco'. Lively lectures and guided visits with Art Historian
Phaedra de Zeeuw to Urbino, Ascoli Piceno, Perugia, Florence and Siena.
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 Ennio
Barbieri and Phaedra de Zeeuw.
The Fresco Painting Course
Art Tours with applied Art Workshops in Italy & Fun
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.
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. Visit to the exhibition 'Osvaldo
Licini' at the Modern Art gallery. At the wonderful Piazza del Popolo
we will enjoy a coffee or tea at Bar Meletti. This is one of Italies
most beautiful bars, with an original Art Nouveau style interieur.
- 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...
