• wineartetour

Wine & Art – The Magic World of Oil Painting

  • Destination:
  • Duration: 9 days
  • Price: €2,300

Oil painting in Tuscany with Melissa Morris
Have you always wanted to learn to paint but also wanted to visit Tuscany? Now you can do both on this tour, which teaches the basics of oil painting in a lovely Tuscan setting.

The techniques of oil painting are many, and we will study and develop them through observation of the qualities of light, color, texture and atmosphere that we find in the natural world around us. We will also look at the history of oil painting and learn about the development of its language and techniques. In particular, we will look at chiaroscuro, the use of light and shadow to create form and space; we will study color theory and practice the mixing of colors as we look at color relationships in nature and the development of color in art history. We will also concentrate on the use of brushes, and how brushstroke creates form, space, texture, and mood. The lessons will be held in a beautiful natural setting, just outside of Montalcino. The calm and beauty of the place will help us to focus on our studies, and immerse ourselves in the marvelous world of painting.
The tour takes you through Tuscany to experience the local traditions, cuisine, people, art, and painting.

1 DAY – Montalcino Short walk around Montalcino followed by a glass of world-famous Brunello di Montalcino. Read more
2 DAY – Pienza Today we travel to the famous “ideal” Renaissance town of Pienza. It was totally rebuilt in the 15th century to make it adhere to Renaissance ideals, and make it a harmonious place to live. Afternoon painting lesson with Melissa Morris. Read more
3 DAY – Brunello Winery Visit & the Abbey of Sant’Antimo You can’t visit Montalcino without learning a little something about how Brunello di Montalcino is made. You will learn why this wine can be aged for so long, and other interesting facts. After the wine tasting we will stop to see the beautiful Sant’Antimo abbey. Read more
4 DAY – Siena Amazing Siena. Artists have made it their muse, celebrities admire its beauty, and philosophers contemplate the nature of life of history. You will too as you gaze out onto the striking Piazza del Campo and enjoy a taste of their local cuisine. Read more
5 DAY – Cortona Today we will drive to the charming hilltop town of Cortona, a former Etruscan settlement and another pearl of art and architecture. This small town was once a center of Renaissance art. Read more
6 DAY – Florence Today we visit glorious, magnificent Florence (drive time about 2 hours). Read more
7 DAY – RELAX & Painting  After our culturally rich day in Florence, we spend today relaxing and painting back in Montalcino. Lessons 4 & 5 with Melissa. Read more
 
8 DAY – San Quirico, Bagno Vignoni and the Secrets of Olive Oil  Just after breakfast we will drive to see two small medieval towns, stopping along the way to visit and olive oil factory so we can learn about its production and do a tasting. Read more
9 DAY – RELAX For the last day of our tour, I”ll let you decide. Read more
 
PRIVATE TOUR PRICES: (price is per person for complete 10-night tour) Type No. of people in group:
1-3 4-5 6 7- 8
Lovely B&B rooms in the historical center of Montalcino Double  4.350€  3.250€ 2.600€  2.300€
Single  4.750€  3.650€ 2.990€ 2.650€ 
Agriturismo/villa with swimming pool Double  5.120€ 4.000€  3.350€ 3.000€ 
Single  6.220€ 5.130€  4.460€ 4.120€ 
 
THE PRICE INCLUDES: Accommodation for 10 nights, depending on your choice; all breakfasts (if you have special requests please let us know, since Italian breakfast is basically bread and/or pastries with coffee or tea and yogurt); all lunches, including a glass of wine in typical restaurants. We like to choose places that don’t cater to tourists and that have excellent food.; private winery visit with tasting (you will taste 3-5 different wines at each winery) and other tastings as indicated in the program; guided walking tour of Siena (1.5 - 2 hours); guided walking tour of Florence (2 hours);  6 painting lessons (2.5 - 3 hours each) with Melissa Morris; airport transfer from either Rome or Florence to Montalcino and back; all transfers with accompanying English-speaker living in Tuscany
 
ADDITIONAL INFO If you have already done a wine tasting in the region, please let us know with whom so we can avoid repetition. We prefer small, non-commercial wineries to make sure you have a special experience. The itinerary is flexible and can be tailored to suit your particular interests or the time of year. Just let us know what you would like and we will do our best to accommodate you. P.S. Should your trip coincide with any special local festivities, like a jazz or wine fest, or an opera or concert, I will let you know in advance in case you would like to include that in your tour.
   
OPTIONS:  (not included in trip price)
  • Go-Kart riding, for group of 8 people only (price per person is €60)
  • Any spa treatments you may get on day 10 of the tour