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Welcome to Painting in ItalyWe organise holidays in which like-minded people can share an activity in an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, and we will try to make this an experience you will want to repeat.The first holiday took place in 2004 with 8 guests. Due
to recommendations the number increases every year – this year
we had 128 guests! The holiday is designed to create the perfect balance between being alone and being part of a group. There is plenty of time to paint and draw, but Italian food and culture are an integral part of this unforgettable week. We have organised two types of holiday. We have 7 days with painting tuition in the morning followed by excursions in the afternoon - see Programme A, B, C & D. We also have 5 days with painting tuition but no excursions which gives our guests more time to paint and draw - see Programme E. As well as painting and drawing there will be talks given on art history to make the excursions more interesting. HotelsWe have carefully selected our locations. The hotels are chosen because of their charm and the way they add to the atmosphere we wish to create for our groups. All hotels have on-suite facilities and all have swimming pools with the exception of Cortona which is situated in the centre of town. Hotel Villa San Donino is situated on a hill top with stunning views over the Umbrian Hills. It is situated near to the medieval walled town of Citta di Castello. In Lake Bolsena, our base is La Reserva Montebello, located on the outskirts of Bolsena which is a charming historical town dating back to Etruscan times. Hotel La Reserva is positioned high on a hill with wonderful views over the lake. For 2008 we have added another destination which we are very excited about. The hotel is based on a family run estate in the Montefiesole hills 12 miles from Florence. Fattoria Lavacchio comprises an organic farm, a vineyard, an olive mill, a restored windmill and working stables. The views from the hotel are again wonderful. Hotel Italia is a 15th century mansion recently renovated with modern conveniences. It is located in the centre of Etruscan Cortona in Tuscany. We have reserved the superior double rooms in this hotel as we believe the increased luxury is worth it. All rooms have luxury on-suite bathrooms and air conditioning. Breakfast is served on the enclosed roof terrace with panoramic views over the valey towards Lake Tresimeno. This is the base for our 5 day holiday. There are no excursions but all museums, shops, restaurants and wonderful painting sites are all situated within walking distance to the hotel. Click here for more details of the hotel. For more information about places we visit on the holidays, please click here, and for full details of the different programmes we offer in Citta di Castello, Lake Bolsena and Florence click here. Painting TutorsThe painting courses are taught by very experienced and successful artist/tutors, and cater for all levels of ability. The tutors include Michael Grey-Jones RSBA, former Head of Art at Eton College, and Alan Robb, Professor of Art at the University of Dundee. To find out more about the tutors and to see samples of their work, click here. ExcursionsAfter painting in the morning and an al fresco lunch, our excursions take place in the afternoon. They include visits to some of the most important and memorable sites of Etruscan and Renaissance art in Italy, including:
For more information about places we visit on the holidays, please click here, and for full details of the different programmes we offer in Umbria and Lake Bolsena, click here. Non Painting Partners and FriendsNon-painting partners are very welcome, and receive a 10% discount. Partners are invited to join in all the excursions, wine tasting, meals, etc. All the hotels we use have large swimming pools and beautiful surroundings. When painting tuition takes place in the morning we can organise, at an extra charge, golf, guided walks, language tuition, horseriding, sailing and mosaics. As well as painting holidays we also organise cooking holidays. Cooking tuition takes place in the morning at the same time as the painting tuition. Please see our cooking tuition website for more details. Guests are invited to stay for an additional week, excluding tuition
but with half board, wine, etc, for an additional £699 (plus
single person supplement of £100 if applicable). We also organise
cooking holidays in Umbria, and painting guests wishing to stay
longer than a week are welcome to stay for a second week of cooking
with our expert chef, Claudio Covelli. The cost is £1,099
for an additional seven nights, with tuition, excursions, meals,
wine, etc. To visit our cooking holiday website, please click
here. TestimonialsThe appeal of our painting holidays is attested to by the number
of returning guests we have, and the positive feedback we've received.
A selection of comments from our visitors' book can be viewed here.
About the CompanyH&G ITALY LTD is a small family business owned by Eddy and Sheila de Vries. From the moment you make contact with their office you will be treated like a welcome guest and looked after personally. Eddy and Sheila will be in Italy throughout the summer, along with the painting and cooking tutors, to ensure this level of service is continued.
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