If you ask people what they do to relax and unwind, they may say that they garden, read, go for a walk, cycle, paint; others will say that they need to get away from it all, and travel.
Of course, there’s no reason why you should have to choose between your hobby and your holiday. There are several agencies that offer craft and hobby holidays which allow you to hone your craft while still being away from your daily routine.
If you’ve been bitten by the artistic bug and a paintbrush is an extension of your hand then a painting holiday might be right up your alley.
Most painting holidays are held from May through to September to make the most of the good weather and summer sun as classes are typically held outdoors, although arrangements are usually made in the eventuality that it should happen to rain during your painting week.
Most painting holiday packages are all-inclusive (except for the flights) and the price will typically include art supplies and tuition fees.
This is a very condensed list of places that not only have the scenery for painting, but that also have the ready set-up ventures for painting holidays.
Inspiring Italy
The beauty of sun-baked Tuscany with its picture-postcard hilltop medieval villages cannot be ignored by anyone with an artist’s eye and there are a few family-run guesthouses or hotels that cater for painting holidays.
You can also choose to go high in the Apennine Mountains to nature-filled Abruzzo with its rivers and stunning scenery.
The Unesco World Heritage Site of Cinque Terre has inspired artists and poets for centuries with its fishing villages and winding roads while Sardinia presents you all the beauty of the Mediterranean landscape from a different viewpoint to the one that we’re used to seeing in Malta.
Gorgeous Greece
Santorini, with its white buildings and blue doors, is a perfect destination if you want to paint beneath a clear sky with the warmth of the sun on your skin. A typical week here includes a day at the pretty village of Megalochori, a trip to the lighthouse with a stop on the cliffs to enjoy a spectacular view and a visit to Pyrgos and Ammoudi Bay.
Secrets of the UK
The Cotswolds are a very public secret of the UK. If you look around you with an open eye there are some spectacular scenes that would make for beautiful art. Rolling hills, plunging valleys and smooth canals with barges – it really is picture perfect.
Vibrant Spain
The diversity of Spain’s landscape, history, culture, architecture and flora means you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to subject matter. Even within the same region, there can be rich contrasts.
You can opt for the mainland regions of Andalusía with its hills and little villages, Catalonia with its imposing cliffs and historic architecture, or the volcanic Canary Island of Lanzarote, where you can experience the lunar landscape of the Fire Mountains.
Across the Pond
Ten days of painting and adventure in New York City is sure to get your creative juices flowing. Absorb the liveliness of Times Square and Broadway with its theatre lights and spectacle; plant your easel somewhere along the 843 acres of land that is Central Park; admire the Brooklyn Bridge that spans the East River connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn; marvel at the spectacular skyline with its impressive skyscrapers – the Big Apple offers all these opportunities and more.
If you’re just itching for such a holiday but can’t go abroad, you’ll be very happy to know that painting holidays are also offered in Malta and Gozo. Both islands offer some spectacular scenery to whet your artistic appetite.