Marblehead Arts Association .....Painting Workshop in Umbria.....

June 8 - 17, 2008

ITINERARY

Day 1
We arrive at the Rome International Airport. From Rome we will travel through the Italian countryside to the Village of Panicale. We will be staying at an historic Villa which was originally the summer residence of the noble Perugian Donnini Mancini family. This seventeenth century farm was converted in the 1800's to the beautiful frescoed villa that stands today. We will arrive in time to enjoy a home cooked dinner and a relaxing evening exploring the Villa.

Day 2
After breakfast our day will begin with a painting demonstration led by Bill Cloutman, our tour leader, at the Villa. We will then travel to the nearby village of Panicale where we will enjoy lunch before setting up our supplies and painting the vistas the village has to offer. We will return to the Villa after dinner in town.

Day 3
Today we will visit the charming village of Paciano where we will paint in the morning and explore the walled village on foot after lunch. We will then return to the Villa where we can critique our work over a glass of wine. Tonight we will dine in at Villa.

Day 4
Today we will explore Florence. There is no city on earth like Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance! We will be joined by a local guide with expertise on the artistic heritage of this historic city. The afternoon has been left open for exploration. Visit the Ponte Vecchio or relax with a cappuccino at a trattoria and watch the world go by. Set up your paints and recreate the scenes that generations of artists have pondered. We will regroup and enjoy dinner in Florence before returning to our Villa.

Day 5
Today we will visit beautiful Lake Trasimeno. We will spend the morning painting the lake and the surrounding landscape it reflects. It is flanked by mountains to the north and east that give way to rolling hills on the west and south. We will take a boat ride to one of the three islands in the lake for lunch and an afternoon of painting from a different view.

Day 6
Today we will be joined by our local guide Marco, who will take us on a tour of Umbria's ancient capital Perugia. This is a lively city full of university students, trattorias, shops, and beautiful historic buildings. We will also visit the charming town of Assisi where we will take a workshop with a local fresco artist named Roberto. He will teach us the traditional fresco painting methods used in the 1300s-1500s.

Day 7
Today we will visit the ancient town of Orvieto where we will set up our easels on hill overlooking the town. In the afternoon we will meet our guide Marco, who will show us the famous Duomo (cathedral) with its unusual green and white marble stripes. Next we explore the medieval quarter, its picturesque narrow streets filled with enticing restaurants and boutiques selling the famed Orvieto ceramics. We will also enjoy a tour of a local winery before enjoying dinner and returning to the Villa.

Day 8
This morning we will tour the town of Cortona, celebrated in Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun. Our journey to Cortona brings us up a road winding through terraces of vines and olives to this lovely hill town. In the afternoon we will return to our Villa where we can critique our work before a cooking class and a farewell dinner.

Day 9
Today we drive to Rome for our return flight.