Painting Puglia
September 29 to
October 5 , 2019
Have you always wanted to try your hand at painting and drawing but felt intimidated? Are you a painter who is looking for new inspiration? Discover your inner artist in Puglia, arguably one of the most dazzling landscapes in Italy. With Pascarosa and working artist and painting workshop leader extraordinaire Debby Bloom, you'll learn a light-hearted, low-stress approach to painting what you see during your week among the olive groves, stone houses and aquamarine seas. Add visits to food artisans, dreamy local restaurants, wineries and markets with old and new friends in this magical region, and you have everything you need for a magical sojourn in Italy.
Itinerary—
Painting Puglia
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September 29 to October 5, 2019
Sunday
We’ll begin our week by gathering in your masseria, a grand Italian noble farmhouse converted into a luxury hotel, for an aperitivo and a welcome dinner in the masseria’s dining room. You'll meet your Pascarosa hosts and guest artist and teacher Debby Bloom, who will give you an overview of the week's activities, along with all the supplies you need to start painting.
Wednesday
After a visit to the region’s largest weekly market in Martina Franca, where we’ll appreciate the bounty of local produce, we’ll visit an artisanal cheese producer and learn how mozzarella, ricotta and burrata are made by hand every day. We'll settle into an outdoor bistro for another painting session, this time focusing on objects and viewscapes found in this exquisite Baroque town while enjoying a light lunch. Later, we’ll stroll through the meandering streets of the town's historical center, visiting its exquisite basilica, ducal palace and medieval alleyways. Dinner tonight involves one of the region's most-loved dining rituals: fornello pronto.
Thursday
Today you have a chance to use your hands without a paintbrush: you'll get to experience your inner artistry in the kitchen! From choosing your ingredients in your masseria's organic garden to making pasta by hand, you'll learn to create a classic Pugliese lunch with local home cooks. After you dine on the fruits of your labor, your afternoon will be spent painting at the masseria (or perhaps a stroll, swim or a nap . . . ?). Dinner tonight is in Ostuni, also called "the white city" for its medieval white-walled architecture. After a guided tour through the town's historic center, we'll enjoy bona fide, wood-burning oven Italian pizza as it's meant to be.
Friday
We’ve saved the most spectacular sight for last: Polignano a Mare. Built along the craggy, limestone cliffs that face the Adriatic Sea, Polignano is often called the most beautiful town in Puglia. We’ll take a walking tour of its historic center, with plenty of time for wandering (and shopping?) on your own. Then we return to our masseria for one last opportunity to paint with Debby before our final celebratory meal together.
Monday
We’ll start our first morning together with a visit to a centuries-old fortified farmhouse with an olive oil mill that predates Roman times. We'll learn all about olive trees and olive oil while touring this estate, including a structured tasting of the organic olive oil made here.
Next, it's out to the olive groves for a picnic lunch and your first painting session. And did we mention wine? You'll have a chance to taste the region's best as you paint. Then we return to our home base at the masseria for a little relaxation by the pool or in the gardens. Before dinner, we’ll learn about the breadth and depth of Pugliese wine, with a special focus on local varietals and traditional as well as modern local winemaking. Dinner tonight is at a nearby trattoria.
Tuesday
Today we visit Puglia's stunning Adriatic coastline, with a sea so impossibly blue it doesn't seem real. From brightly painted fishing boats to craggy limestone caverns, there is no shortage of beauty here. Before lunch, you'll have a chance to learn the fundamentals of sketching scenes like these with Debby. Just a few feet from the water's edge, you'll dine on hyper-local shellfish, mollusks and fish pulled out of the sea only hours before by the fishing family that runs the restaurant. From stuffed mussels to spaghetti alle vongole and grilled sea bream, this seaside experience captures the essence of Puglia's bella vita. Then we head back to the masseria for more painting, this time in the estate's own olive grove or vineyard. Dinner tonight is on your own in nearby Cisternino, called one of the most beautiful small villages in Italy.
Saturday
After breakfast at your masseria and perhaps a final stroll around the grounds, it will be time to say goodbye. We’ll send you home our sincere thanks and well wishes along with the work you have created while in Puglia.
With prior notice, we will be happy to make transportation arrangements to nearby airports (Bari or Brindisi) or train stations (Martina Franca or Bari). We’ll also help you ship your artwork and any purchases, too.
Painting Puglia
September 29 to October 5, 2019
What's included:
• five sketching and painting workshops with painter and instructor Debby Bloom
• all supplies needed for sketching and painting workshops (you're also welcome to bring your own)
• all lodging (six nights)
• six breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners, all beverages (and wine!) included
• guided walking tours
• cooking class
• wine tasting
• visits to food artisans and local food tasting
• all transportation
What's not included:
• transportation to and from Italy and the start of the tour and workshop (on request, we'll make airport transfer arrangements for you and advise you on air transportation)
• incidentals
• tips for drivers, tour guides, etc. (meal tips are included)
Cost:
Double Room: $3,400 per person
Single Supplement: $500
Reserve your place by making your deposit.
We'll get back to you immediately with more information, payment schedule and travel details.
If you'd like to get in touch to learn more before reserving, send us a quick note.
We'd love to hear from you!