A week in Tuscany Italy ! Wednesday 18th to 25th September 2024
Art Holiday with Trudi Doyle
I'm happy to once again offer this holiday in the heart of Tuscany and share my enthusiasm -besides Florence and its artistic wealth and excellence I offer you ancient architecture , azure skies, terracotta roof tiles, historic villages, gnarled grapevines, ancient olive groves, fig trees and pomegranites, the scent of flowers , the taste of delicious food and wine and days out in the sun !Deposit of €500 or full payment will secure your place before Wednesday 5th June 2024.
Full Balance must be paid by Wednesday August 7th 2024.
. FLY TO PISA - I have organised the rest - airport transfers, -4 star Hotel, half board , guided tours and day excursions to quiet medieval villages to experience the mystique of rural Tuscany at a leisurely pace, train tickets to Florence and tour of the Pitti Palace galleries and the famous Boboli gardens. Non painters welcome ; come along and enjoy the company or join in the optional painting sessions with expert tuition and helpful advice in a friendly non competitive atmosphere.
What is included
with half board - 7 breakfasts & 6 dinners with drinks and wine included. Single en suite room . Twin room or double room for sharing if required.
2. Transfers to and from Pisa airport arranged for Dublin to Pisa return flights only -( flights are not included)
3. Half day guided tour of Montecatini Tettuccio historical Spa with complimentary welcome drinks and snack.
4. Two full day excursions by mini bus taxi to paint/explore in medieval villages of Buggiani and Massa including a day in the charming and historic fortress town of Montecarlo.
5. Entrance ticket to Montecarlo fortress
6. Return train trip tickets to Florence.
7. Pre-booked guided tour and entrance ticket for all Palazzo Pitti collections in Florence ; Gallery of Modern Art, Palatine Gallery (artists from the
Renaissance and the Baroque) Your ticket will give you the option to choose to further explore all of the Galleries without the guide, plus the Boboli Gardens.
8. Professional guidance and tuition sessions in watercolour to suit your requirements from artist Trudi Doyle with demonstrations.
What it costs ( flights not included )
Deposit€500 or Full payment to secure your place is required before Friday 5th June 2024 please.
€1,165.00 per person in a single ensuite room BOOKED OUT
(Cost per Non painting person €40 reduction €1,125,00 -)
€1, 220 per single person in a double ensuite room ( no sharing )- 1 room still available (Cost per Non painting person €40 reduction - €1,180 )
€1,025.00 per person sharing twin/double ensuite room-1 room still available for 2 people sharing ( cost per Non painting person -€40 reduction -€985 )
You don't need to be a painter to enjoy this relaxing holiday -allTuscany lovers are welcome- join us on the trips and events or do your own thing which is why I offer €40 reduction for non-painting people /partners /friends or artists not requiring tuition..
To check availability and secure a place Contact trudidoyleart@gmail.com or to make inquiries. Or text 087 6658500
To Book your place -Contact trudi at trudidoyleart@gmail.com and make your payment by direct bank transfer. I will send you my bank details to make the transaction. Contact trudidoyleart@gmail.com .
Alternatively pay by credit card via PayPal. If you decide on this method I will email an invoice you with a link to make a secure payment ( you don’t need a pay pal account- just a credit card ) However there is an extra 3.5% charge incurred on PayPal card transactions but it is a very safe method of payment.
Deposit of €500 or full payment will secure your place before Wednesday 5th June 2024. Full Balance must be paid by Wednesday August 7th 2024.
Hotel cancellation policy
Penality of 50% for cancellation 30 to 15 days before the arrival
Penality of 100% for cancellation from 14 days before the arrival
Please take out your personal travel insurance .
A full daily itinerary for the holiday week FOLLOWS BELOW
For painting participants I will email a brief list of art materials needed for painting sessions .
TUITION Over the week I will provide basic lessons in painting outdoors using watercolour - the principles also apply to other mediums .eg.Pastels or Acrylics. I will demonstrate techniques. The amount of time you spend painting is largely up to you as there are many trips and excursions.
Sketching on the go using pencils / pen and ink / water soluble crayons or pencils is advised- Pieces can be competed back at the hotel or later at your leisure.
N.B.Oil Paints are NOT allowed on flights. even in checked luggage,-They are considered as flammable liquid in the dangerous goods regulations.Breaching the regulation carries serious penalties!
Suggested return flights from Ireland- ( transfers will be provided for these flights )
Dublin to Pisa 18th September Ryanair flights departing at 20.05 arr. Pisa at 23.45 FR5308
Pisa to Dublin on 25th September Ryanair flight departing 17.05 arr Dublin 19.40 FR5309
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Full Holiday Itinerary - 2024
Wednesday 18th
September Arrival on the flight from Dublin to Pisa
airport at 23.45.Transfer to Hotel Torretta https://www.hoteltorretta.it/ in Montecatini Terme in the center of Tuscany. ( If travelling from other destinations please inform Trudi so that the Hotel will expect you ) Hotel Torretta
is a 4 star hotel known for its family hospitality, located a few steps from Terme
Tettuccio, the green setting of the magnificent thermal park, an ideal location to
relax with private swimming pool and hydro massage tub.Thurday. 19th September. Morning -A guided tour of Montecatini
with visit of Tettuccio spa building ( a world heritage site ) and a welcome
drink inside the historical Café of the spa.
Afternoon free to settle in and explore Montecatini. A short
watercolour lesson before dinner with
Trudi at the Hotel for those who wish to avail of it.
Friday 20th September - A glorious day out and the perfect
way to experience rural and medieval Tuscany
! We will travel by taxi through Olive groves and vineyards to visit two
beautiful villages Buggiano and Medieval
Massa. Spend
the morning in Buggiana, wander undisturbed
through the unique cobbled
narrow streets and lanes, view private gardens with flowers and pots of aromatic
citrus fruits. At the highest point
of the village see the Palazzo Pretorio which was once a seat of power and still bears the
crests of past rulers on its exterior walls and the Madonna
Della Salute
Church..
There in the quiet ancient
square and by the church, wonderful paintable landscape views spread across the
valleys and hillsides of Tuscany
with convenient places to sit and place your painting gear. Advice and tuition for painting outdoors will be available whenever required.
Then on by taxi to Medieval
Massa ,one of the oldest villages in Tuscany
for a lunch time snack at the only local café, spend the afternoon as you like, watch the world go by or wander the
charming lanes or up to a viewing point to paint.
Massa
e Cozzile has a population of about 300 people. It is a stone stronghold
that dates back to the third century, is surrounded by chestnut groves, olive
trees, vineyards, and fields of grain. This
medieval village retains the charm and mystery of the old world in its narrow
lanes and stone buildings. The old city gates which once
were closed at night and in times of peril for protection, are still intact -
Porta ai Campi and Porta Fontanta were once the only routes in and out the town
The
taxi will pick us up in the afternoon and take us back to Hotel Torretta. Dinner at the hotel.
Saturday 21st
September. Florence
Departure by train from Montecatini for Florence. A guide will meet us at the train
station in Florence
and walk us through Florence to the Palazzo Pitti; https://www.florence-museum.com/pitti-palace.php
to view the chosen collections. The Pitti
Palace houses collections
of sculptures, paintings, art objects, costumes and porcelain, in a monumental
complex that includes several museums:
I have chosen the Modern Art Gallery: and
the Palatine Gallery for a guided tour .
Modern
Art Gallery: is
a magnificent collection of paintings and
sculptures from the 18th century until the World War I, also Italian artists of
the 19th and the 20th century. Palatine Gallery: is a
spectacular gallery that exhibits works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Correggio
and other artists from the Renaissance and the Baroque.
Afternoon will be guide free to spend however you choose; explore Florence
or remain in the Pitti for lunch and perhaps view more collections or the
famous Boboli Gardens.Your ticket will include all Galleries in the Pitti Palace
***
Return to Montecatini by train. Dinner at Hotel Torretta
Sunday. 22nd
September Free day . A basic lesson in painting outdoors using watercolour will be arranged to suit . Dinner at Hotel Torretta.
Monday 23rd September.
Montecarlo
fortress and town.
Departure by taxi in
the morning. Montecarlo is about 15 km from Montecatini.
Entrance to the fortress at 10:30 am. We may remain inside until 13:00 – There are plenty of visual treats
for the discerning eye !
Tuscany is a treasure trove of perfectly preserved villages, and
Montecarlo is one of these, not
known to many and delightful to visit. The fortress Rocca del Cerruglio belongs to a
private family who open to the public between May and October. Tickets are
included ( We may meet the owner as we gain access –a very affable gentleman )
It takes it’s name from the
hill on which it is located, and which was once the site of much older fortifications.
This castle fortress represented an important strategic garrison between two
valleys both visible from the fortress; The
Plain of Lucca and the poetically named Valley of the Clouds ( Valdinievole) - very beautiful !
Then enjoy lunch in one of the many excellent cafes in the
village.
Free time to explore,
sketch or paint in the afternoon. The taxi will pick us up and
take us back to Hotel Torretta. Dinner at the
hotel
Tuesday. 24th
September Free day. Morning painting session, optional.
Perhaps may I suggest this is the day for an excursion via cable car to Montecatini Alto hill town. for lunch -the old town is a few minutes from the hotel -take the red cable car up the hill - an experience not to be missed. ! Dinner at Hotel Torretta.
Wednesday. 25th
September Departure for Pisa
airport in the afternoon at 3 p.m.
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REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK
Comment from a happy painter 2019 "I am looking forward to joining Trudi Doyle on her Art Holiday to Tuscany - my fourth time in 7 years. It's a wonderful experience each time. I find inspiration in watching Trudi produce exquisite paintings "en plein air" and in the variety of the Tuscan scenery, mountains and villages with their timeless charm. Trudi adapts her tuition and coaching to meet the needs of each student. The pace is relaxed and outings are well organised. The locals are friendly and welcoming. A nice camaraderie develops in the group, enhanced by sharing the gorgeous food ." Pauline Jones,Dublin, Ireland
"I had a wonderful art holiday in Tuscany with Trudi -it was fab -- well recommend to anybody interested in going". Susan M. Ireland "I have been with Trudi at La Pia Hotel Tuscany on four trips so far and have enjoyed every minute - would return in a heartbeat - Fabulous food - - great company - a relaxed and efficient holiday . J.B.D. Ireland
"Don't hesitate to book - I had a stimulating and fun week in Tuscany with Trudi - food, trips, Hotel la Pia, company and wine -all superb.." J,E California .USA
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