Our program -
- 1 Night Lucca (Tuscany)
- 5 Nights Monterossa
- 2 Nights Santa Margherita
Olive groves & vineyards cling to the hillsides,
Proud little villages perched above the sea,
Hidden coves nestle at the foot of dramatic cliffs….
Cinque Terre (“Five Lands”)
These five picturesque towns, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore
for a long time accessible only by boat, walking track, and now by train have preserved their character
as fishing villages, ports, and hilltop fortress towns in the face of piracy and foreign incursions.
Now, UNESCO, world heritage listed, they are truly a feast for painters, photographers and walkers.
The dramatic nature of their position on a stunning coastline make them a principal scenic highlight of the whole Italian Riviera.
"The villages are similar to those on the Amalfi coast, but a little
more rustic, not quite as busy, and there are no cars!”
May 2 Arrival in Lucca
Meet up with Henry Vyfvinkel and the other participants in Lucca.
There is frequent bus service from Pisa Airport and train service
from Florence to Lucca. Our hotel is tucked inside the walls of
Lucca, referred to as Tuscany's most graceful walled town.
Lucca, actually in Tuscany is a great place to meet. This ancient walled town has remained ‘Roman-medieval’. It has a fascinating story to tell from its prominence as a major Roman ‘municipum’, it’s growth from the middle ages to the renaissance as a major silk marketing town to its feast of classic architecture and famous son like Puccini. The ramparts that completely surround the town are so wide that everyone promenades them.
May 3 - 8 Monterosso
We will spend the next 5 nights at our base in Monterosso. Our hotel is in the ‘Oldtown’ (even the ‘Newtown’ is 500 years old), overlooking the beach and the Mediterranean offering a beautiful vista to paint right from our hotel terrace ! Over the next five days we will travel between the five villages by train and ferries and take in a few extras like the charming Portovenere with time to sketch and paint a terrific array of sea, cliff, and town scapes.
May 8 - 10 Santa Margherita
Today we move further north to Santa Margherita for the next two nights. Most of the architecture here is of liberty style and the amount of ‘trompe l’oeil’’ on the beautiful turn of the century buildings is amazing. While in Santa Margherita we visit Portofino (the most exclusive harbour and resort town in Italy).
May 10 Depart Italy
Our program finishes after breakfast. We are within a taxi trip to Genoa for departing trains or flights and will be happy to assist with further arrangements.
As a fully licensed travel agency we are happy to assist in arranging your flights and any other custom arrangements either before or after this program.
COST
- Price per person (based on sharing twin accommodation) $2689.00 CAD
- Early Booking Bonus - $75.00 CAD per person for deposits received by Oct 2, 2009
- Price is 'LAND ONLY' (We are also happy to assist with flight and
travel arrangements from anywhere to join up with this program.
- Single rate on request - Limited availability so be sure to book early!
DEPOSIT
- A $500.00 CAD deposit required upon booking of tour. Balance due 70 days prior to departure.
INCLUDED FEATURES
- 1 Night accommodation in Lucca including Welcome dinner
- Transportation from Lucca to Monterosso
- 5 Nights accommodation in Monterosso of the "Cinque Terre"
- Transportation from Monterosso to Santa Margherita
- 2 Nights accommodation in Santa Margherita
- 8 Breakfasts
- 6 Dinners in all
- Morning and afternoon painting sessions
- All accommodations in 3-star hotels with private facilities
- Fully escorted by painting instructor - Henry Vyfvinkel
- All taxes
EXCLUDED FEATURES
- All Flights and airport transfers (We are also happy to assist with flight and travel arrangements from anywhere to join up with this program.)
