Vistas Sketching Holidays

While you’ll come home from this Morocco painting holiday with a brimming sketchbook full of work to be proud of, you’ll also have enjoyed a pleasant introduction to Berber culture. You’ll join a small group (maximum eight participants) led by an expert tutor-guide, and stay in several different areas to give you a fantastic breadth of inspirational landscapes. Beginning with a drive up into the stunning High Atlas Mountains, you’ll enjoy settings that range from plunging gorges to rocky desert, and ancient kasbahs that are full of character. Whether you’re a complete novice with a brush, or a veteran of painting holidays, or you prefer to work with a camera, you’ll be equally welcome on a ...Read more >

Travelling light, preferably with a backpack, we'll skip between the sun-soaked islands of the Dodecanese on small ferries, visiting iconic, unmissable sites as well as some hidden corners, capturing it all in our sketchbooks. Without rushing, we'll visit six islands in two weeks, each with its own distinctive character, from the glorious sandy beaches of Kos to the historic Old Town of Rhodes. Along the way we'll paint the pastel-coloured sponge merchants' mansions in Symi, whitewashed chapels with their distinctive blue domes and colourful fishing boats on tiny Telendos. Creating a unique travel journal in watercolour, we'll capture crystal clear waters on an island cruise whilst ...Read more >

Scotland's far northwest is a land few visit but none forget. Prehistoric, weathered peaks jut into the clouds above pristine beaches and rocky shorelines where gulls wheel, seals laze and otters gambol. Home to small communities of hardy crofters and fishermen, the landscape is vast and sparsely inhabited; one can be in the hills all day without meeting a single soul although if you are lucky you'll sea red deer and perhaps an eagle. For painters the area is heavenly and it's a real challenge to do it justice in a short stay. In this itinerary I have tried to cover the most iconic places around the area of Assynt. To reach the most fabulous, hidden corners a little walking is ...Read more >

Travel from steamy, historic Verona and journey by train to Bolzano (home of the 'ice man') at the edge of the South Tyrol region in northern Italy. Continue through increasingly rugged, sparcely populated scenery to Alta Badia, a valley of Alpine villages with three spoken languages. Bordering Austria, the Italian Dolomites form the southern reaches of the Alps, but are distinctively different in character. The culture here is also unique with a blend of Italian, Germanic and the native Ladin, their language known only in this region, but kept very much alive. A popular ski resort during the winter months, the area is a paradise for walkers in the short, warm summer, and making use of ...Read more >

Basing ourselves in the Highland capital of Inverness, with its wealth culture and history and easily accessible by public transport, we will venture out in all directions to some of the most stunning parts of Scotland, all within an hour's drive of the city. Our aim is to savour the beauty of this diverse region, to seek out the quiet corners and immerse ourselves in the landscape through sketching and painting. There are almost limitless picture-perfect views to paint on this itinerary and my aim is to show you everything that is unmissable, whilst staying away from the crowds. Recording your experience in your sketchbook, we will spend time in at least two different painting locations ...Read more >

Focusing on some of the country's most beautiful sights around the south west coast, and the wonderfully atmospheric hill country inland, this painting and sketching holiday in Sri Lanka offers a delightful introduction to its landscapes, culture and history. With a welcoming and accomplished landscape artist acting as your guide and tutor, explore this beautiful region with paints and paper to hand. Small group trips operate between November and February, avoiding Sri Lanka’s monsoons, catching gloriously sunny weather with less humidity. With this itinerary you can expect a wealth of imagery to inspire you every day, so that you return home with a bulging pad evoking this most ...Read more >

Otherworldly and fascinating, Morocco’s desert landscapes offer unending inspiration for artists and painters of all abilities. This eight-day small group painting holiday, starting and finishing in Fez, will take you into the heart of the Moroccan desert, with memorable stays in traditional desert auberges. Accompanied by an expert tutor, you’ll have the chance to develop your artistic skills whether you are a complete beginner, or simply new to painting and sketching this type of landscape. This is an excellent trip if you want to maximise the time you spend painting and drawing; once you reach the sands near Erg Chebbi driving times are short each day. Sometimes the best painting spots ...Read more >

From cool, misty forests, twisty mountain roads and weird volcanic plugs to sparkling black beaches, the tiny Atlantic speck of La Gomera offers a unique sketching holiday experience. A world biosphere reserve, this peaceful and mostly rural island differs from its Canary neighbours in many ways yet it shares warm winter sunshine, good food and wine, a warm welcome for visitors and truly jaw-dropping scenery. Small and compact yet with a great deal of variety and a well-kept network of trails, we'll manage to cover - and paint - a good deal of the island's highlights along with some lesser-known spots, with relaxation time built into the itinerary. We'll stay in fabulously comfortable ...Read more >

Inspiration will come free and easy with this magical sketching and painting holiday in Sri Lanka. Led by an accomplished watercolour painter, you’ll stay in a lovely little hotel just outside Bentota on the teardrop-shaped island’s idyllic southwest coast, in an atmosphere of rural calm. Every day will bring fresh imagery to interest and challenge you – from temple lakes full of floating waterlillies, to a train ride over to the charming, historic streets of Galle. There may be boat trips with local fishermen, putting a little extra money into this welcoming community at the same time as providing you with superb views. There may be lazy lunches beneath the palms on white-sand beaches. ...Read more >

In the sun-drenched south of Morocco, nestled among the stunning rocky landscapes, gorges and oases of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, lies the small town of Tafraoute with its traditional Berber culture and hospitality. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and attracting hikers with its equitable climate and rugged beauty, the area is also renowned for its handicrafts and almond blossom festival. Just a few hours from the vibrant beach scene in Agadir, the region shares the same warm autumn weather, yet feels a world away. The pace is unhurried, the vibe is rural, the days tranquil and relaxed. This is an ideal place for artists of all abilities (or indeed writers, readers or photographers) to ...Read more >