Special interest guide
Why abandon your hobbies on vacation? We've got rewarding trips for dancers, singers, painters, linguists and more.
WHERE TO GO ON A PAINTING HOLIDAY
Imagine painting to a chorus of cicadas or crashing waves; when it comes to painting al fresco, atmosphere is everything, so you might want to pick carefully when deciding where you want to go. Europe holds an incredible variety of land and seascapes; visit Spain, France or Greece for Mediterranean subject matter, or Scotland for Hebridean highlights. Further south, Morocco’s windswept dunes and whitewashed alleyways have long inspired artists, whilst Montenegro makes a fantastic poster child for the Balkans, combining seaside and mountain-scapes to great effect. The world’s a blank canvas when choosing a painting vacation.
France
1. France
Cezanne, Monet, Manet… follow in the footsteps of France’s internationally beloved painting traditions on a relaxed painting vacation. Find inspiration in beautiful local villages, and paint ‘en plein air’ in the local landscape. As for enjoying other French culture (hint, hint, the food) well, wine-tasting in chateaux, farmers' markets and locally-prepared French cuisine banish any ideas of artists starving in garrets.
Greece
2. Greece
Picture the scene: you’re sitting overlooking the beach with pencil in hand, the breeze tickling the page, wild goats behind you passing judgement on your sketchpad. If you’re seeking inspiration and failing, inspiration will probably find you in Greece. Spend a vacation doing a little gentle sightseeing and walking, and then stop and have an afternoon doing art – try Crete, an island big enough that it’s easy to find peace on the hillside, and stunning views, too.
Montenegro
3. Montenegro
Only the hardest of hearts could fail to find beauty in Montenegro, a place where placid lakes and rugged mountains combine in a way that would make Bob Ross speechless. Experiment with the dappled light of waterlilies on Lake Skadar, or sketch the historic streets of Budva, and the tourists exploring them. There’s plenty of opportunities to swim and hike, too.
Morocco
4. Morocco
The folds of the desert under the setting sun; mint tea, tagines and open fires; camel rides to nomadic Bedouin encampments; painting vacations in Morocco summon up no end of subject matter for aspiring artists. Make your way through the medina maze of Fez before entering the foothills of the High Atlas and embarking on an adventure amongst the Islamic architecture and oases of Erg Chebbi.
Scotland
5. Scotland
Ah, can there be an ambience quite as magical as the Isle of Mull or the Morvern Peninsula? A small ship cruise of the Outer and Inner Hebrides is what awaits escaping artists with mist shrouded lochs, castle ramparts and a couple of wee drams in Tobermory, adding to an often ethereal atmosphere. With more colourful contrasts than a clansman's kilt, Scotland never fails to evoke an artist's most courageous strokes.
Spain
6. Spain
Welcome to the land of light. All year round, Spain gives artists well-lit landscapes in abundance. Add a flash of colour from wildflowers, brilliant, whitewashed villages, the texture of cobbled streets and you have your image – you just need to commit it to canvas. Andalucia unveils Moorish influence, seascapes and mountains: an abundance of inspiration.
Watercolour painting vacation in France
Watercolour / Pastel with expert tutors
From
£1595 to £1895
7 days
ex flights
Cyprus painting vacation
Full board art vacation based in Cyprus mountain village
From
€950 to €1000
7 days
ex flights
Painting vacation in France
Painting in the studio and en plein air (all mediums)
From
£1595 to £1895
7 days
ex flights
Painting vacation in Montenegro
Montenegro painting vacation with an experienced art teacher
From
£950 to £1295
7 days
ex flights
Walking and painting vacation in Crete
Walking and Painting in unspoilt picturesque areas of Crete
From
€1180 to €1200
8 days
ex flights
Painting vacation in Scottish Highlands
Explore the wild, rugged Highlands on foot and with a brush
From
£750
6 days
ex flights
Contact Us
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PAINTING HOLIDAYS ADVICE
Anthea Gage is vice-president of West Scotland for the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour. She is also a tutor for St Hilda Sea Adventure, our Scottish painting vacation experts. She shared with us her tips for painting in Scotland.
Scottish strokes for artistic folks
“Scotland is still in many places wild and untamed. The scenery is hugely varied and the weather ever changing. This means that the quality of the light, a primary issue for artists, is also ever changing. The quality of light affects how an artist or anyone actually sees the colours around them. To this day, artists gravitate to the coasts and hills to study the changing effect of light on the landscape.”
Artistic differences
“Every artist is different; every situation teaches a new lesson in how to interpret the landscape. People paint by photograph or outdoors and sometimes back up sketching or painting outdoors with photographs when back in the studio. Some artists travel for inspiration and many come to Scotland for that, while others like to settle in a place to absorb its subtle changes and details.”
Mary King is guide, tutor and founder of our Moroccan painting vacation specialists, Vistas Sketching Vacations:
Making the most of Morocco
“Artists love the dramatic scenery and the historical culture in equal measure. They love the ‘authenticity’ of Morocco, the friendly welcome and the sense that it’s different from anywhere else. Also, most visitors fall in love with the desert. I find that my painters are not typical tourists who swoon over sites such as Ait Benhaddou; mine tend to prefer the lesser visited, quieter and more remote spots not usually seen on a regular tour. Sunsets and stars are a big desert feature, though for painting, one kind of needs daylight.”
Painting time
“Tuition and painting go hand in hand. Visiting artists sketch or paint, and I’m on hand to offer advice and guidance. Apart from a couple of longer driving days, we spend the majority of each day sketching. If I do a demonstration it takes only minutes. The vacations are about their painting.”
Art equipment
“I provide all the art materials you’ll need during the vacation and send a list of general things to bring, although rarely will you need to purchase anything extra special.”
PAINTING HOLIDAY TIPS
FROM OUR TRAVELLERS
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful painting vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your paintbox.
We have selected some of the most useful painting vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your paintbox.
The weather made the vacation as we were able to paint in early November in warm sunshine, but otherwise the mix of people on the course contributed to an interesting week as there were some serious painters and others who just wanted to dabble.![]()
– Patricia Diango in Spain
“Don't overload yourself with canvases as they are too heavy – take good acrylic paper, paints as recommended (plenty of paint as you will use a lot - I took 75ml tubes which was fine) and a retarder as the paint dries quickly in the sun.” – Lorraine Rutter in Spain
“If you are an artist or just want to learn to sketch, the scenery is so inspiring! If you are worried about traveling alone, no need to be. The trip is very well organized and Mary is great! As soon as you meet your group you will be totally comfortable!” – Kathleen Bignell in Morocco
“I really had a marvellous experience of the desert life, very spontaneous, often stopping to paint buildings, doors, etc. as we passed by. Hamid was a fantastic driver and went out of his way to show us his country. I adored Hassen's Guest House in the desert – very rustic – and it even has a swimming pool! Mary was a wonderful teacher and very patient and she tried to get the best out all of us. She had given us tasks to do, so it was very helpful as we sketched.” – Pauline Lawton in Morocco
“If you are an artist or just want to learn to sketch, the scenery is so inspiring! If you are worried about traveling alone, no need to be. The trip is very well organized and Mary is great! As soon as you meet your group you will be totally comfortable!” – Kathleen Bignell in Morocco
“I really had a marvellous experience of the desert life, very spontaneous, often stopping to paint buildings, doors, etc. as we passed by. Hamid was a fantastic driver and went out of his way to show us his country. I adored Hassen's Guest House in the desert – very rustic – and it even has a swimming pool! Mary was a wonderful teacher and very patient and she tried to get the best out all of us. She had given us tasks to do, so it was very helpful as we sketched.” – Pauline Lawton in Morocco
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