Cinque Terre Painting Holiday with Carol Gruppé
Carol Gruppé
October 3 - October 10
$3395A 7-Day Adventure for all the Senses
This seven-day adventure invites participants to immerse themselves in the breathtaking scenery of the northern Italian coastline, specifically the renowned Cinque Terre. Throughout the program, guests will enjoy a blend of sightseeing, painting, and savoring local cuisine, ensuring a multi-sensory experience. Optional painting sessions are available for those seeking a deeper artistic engagement.
Participants can choose to paint outdoors, surrounded by stunning landscapes, or in a peaceful setting at the hotel. The program emphasizes observational skills and techniques for painting natural scenes in real time, using portable materials. Key topics will include composition, color, value, and light. Demonstrations will be provided using acrylic paints, but all mediums are welcome. A suggested supply list will be shared upon registration. While the holiday is open to all skill levels, a basic knowledge of drawing is recommended. Carol will also provide studio sessions on the terrace, offering further opportunities for painting and drawing.
It is important to note that while the Cinque Terre is famous for its trails that connect the towns along the mountains, and many visitors equipped with hiking gear can be seen, hiking is not a must to fully appreciate everything this region has to offer!
Whether you prefer to paint outdoors or in the serene environment of the hotel and gardens, there will be plenty of painting opportunities. We will embark on excursions to explore the picturesque towns along the coast. Transportation will be via train, boat, or, for the adventurous, hiking! Participation in painting is completely optional. This holiday will emphasize the complete experience just as much as the creation of art and memories!
Where we’ll stay: Our home away from home for the week, La Cabana, is a typical Ligurian farmhouse that has belonged to one family for generations. The vines and the olive trees form the backdrop to the rooms that have been recently refurbished with the utmost respect for the environment and the traditions of the Cinque Terre, but without forgetting modern comforts. The 9 rooms are furnished with antiques and finishes intended to frame the unparalleled panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea. It is an oasis of relaxation surrounded by greenery and silence, with wonderful vistas and gardens to paint. Our group will take over the entire hotel for the week.
Additional Activities: Our daily painting will be combined with other adventures, such as:
- A train pass to visit other towns
- Market day in Vernazza
- Boat trip to Porto Venere to sketch, shop, have lunch, or a cappuccino in the cafes
- Free shuttle service from the hotel to the main town
- Pick up in Florence on the first day; optional return to Florence on the final day
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of the coast on the Italian Riviera. “The Five Lands” comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Paths, trains, and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. For more about the Cinque Terre, the Lonely Planet gives a nice description with photos: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/cinque-terre
The Food – We will have 5 dinners organized together at local restaurants and trattorie. We’ll sample the pastas, seafood, and specialties of the area. Wine is included in all meals. Lunches and 2 dinners will be independent for you to explore the local cuisine on your own.
Given its location on the Mediterranean, seafood is plentiful in the local cuisine. Anchovies of Monterosso are a local specialty designated with a Protected Designation of Origin status from the European Union. The mountainsides of the Cinque Terre are heavily terraced and are used to cultivate grapes and olives. This area, and the region of Liguria, as a whole, is known for pesto — a sauce made from basil leaves, garlic, salt, olive oil, pine nuts, and pecorino cheese. Focaccia is a particularly common locally baked bread product. Farinata is also a typical snack found in bakeries and pizzerias — essentially it is a savoury and crunchy pancake made from a base of chickpea flour.
Price: $3,395 p/p based on double occupancy; non-painting partners $3,095
Optional Supplements:
- $485 for single room – limited availability
- $300 p/p for a suite with a terrace and a jacuzzi, minimum 2 persons
Includes:
- Shared double room in Hotel La Cabana in Monterosso (singles available for a supplement)
- Daily traditional breakfast
- 5 dinners with wine
- Daily painting classes and critiques with Carol
- Train passes for exploring other towns
- Boat trip to Porto Venere
- Pick up from Florence train station on arrival day (on the departure day, you can either go back to Florence with the group, or board a train from the local station to reach your next destination).
Does Not Include:
- Airfare
- Lunch
- Art supplies
- Independent meals and sightseeing
- Gratuities for staff, which are always appreciated
To Register: just click on the Sign Up Now button. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to secure your spot in the workshop. Payment can be made online with a credit card, or you can follow the instructions to send in your registration and payment by mail. Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a formal Registration Confirmation with further information about the program. You will receive 2-3 other correspondences by email prior to the workshop with information about Italy, a supplies list, and an electronic invoice for the balance. Final Balance is due by July 30th, 2026. Any time prior to your arrival, if you have questions about anything regarding the trip or the program, you can contact us by email or phone, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
Cancellation policy:
$500 deposit is non-refundable. For cancellation:
- 60 days prior to workshop, full refund due less non-refundable deposit.
- 30-60 days prior to workshop, 50% refund of balance paid allowed, less non-refundable deposit.
Less than 30 days before the workshop, no refund due.
Il Chiostro recommends personal travel insurance to cover the possibility of unexpected or last-minute cancellation.
Contact us for more information: info@ilchiostro.com or speak to us live at 800-990-3506.
Our small hotel, La Cabana, sits on a small hill that divides the historic center of Monterosso from the new part, Fegina. It is a typical Ligurian farmhouse that has belonged to one family for generations. The vines and the olive trees that they have cultivated form the backdrop to the rooms that have been recently refurbished with the utmost respect for the environment and the traditions of the Cinque Terre, but without forgetting modern comforts.
The 9 rooms are furnished with antiques, parquet floors, curtains, and finishes intended to frame the unparalleled panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea. It is an oasis of relaxation completely surrounded by greenery and silence, with wonderful vistas and gardens to paint. Our group will take over the entire hotel for the week.
To get down to Monterosso you can take advantage of their free shuttle service or, if you are up for it, walking down is not difficult and takes less than ten minutes. It's a nice walk down that offers beautiful panoramic views. On the descent, you will pass the ancient 11th-century castle (today houses the cemetery of the village) and wind through olive trees until you reach the historical center of town. Coming back up, the shuttle might be a good idea!
For more information, visit their web site: lacabanacinqueterre.com/en
The Cinque Terre are in the section of Italy known as Liguria on the western coast. The main city of Liguria is Genova. These 5 towns were traditional fishing villages, cut off from the mainland by a steep range of mountains. For centuries, they were only accessible by sea.
For our program, we will meet the group in Florence on the first day. From there, a private bus will take the group to our hotel in Monterosso-al-Mare.
To visit the town from our hotel, there is a regular shuttle bus. The towns are small with narrow roads, so the shuttle will leave us off in the newer section, then we will walk through a short tunnel to the historic center of town, where most of the shops and restaurants are located.
To go between towns (Vernazza, Manarola, Corniglia, or Rio Maggiore), there are local trains connecting all of them.
Travel Agents & Insurance: Over the last few years, the way we travel has undergone significant changes. For that reason, we now encourage everyone to use a professional travel agent when arranging their trips. Travel agents save you time and stress by handling all the details and tailoring your itinerary to your needs. One of the most important services they offer today is helping you choose and enroll in the right travel insurance program. With COVID and the continued possibility of schedule changes or postponements, travel insurance has become essential, and selecting the right plan on your own can be overwhelming.
If you encounter any issues during your travels, your agent can provide quick support and solutions, taking the pressure off your shoulders. While booking through online sites like Expedia or Hotels.com may seem more convenient or less expensive, they offer little help if you need to modify your plans. A travel professional, on the other hand, is there to assist you every step of the way, ensuring a smooth and worry-free travel experience.
If you choose to Go It Alone, we highly recommend taking out travel insurance for the trip in the event of any unforeseen obstacles to your travel. We recommend Travelex (800) 504-7883 or Travel Guard International (877) 901-7599.
The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. "The Five Lands" comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Paths, trains, and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside.
For more about the Cinque Terre, the Lonely Planet gives a nice description with photos: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/cinque-terre
The Food: Given its location on the Mediterranean, seafood is plentiful in the local cuisine. Anchovies of Monterosso are a local specialty designated with a Protected Designation of Origin status from the European Union. The mountainsides of the Cinque Terre are heavily terraced and are used to cultivate grapes and olives. This area, and the region of Liguria as a whole, is known for pesto, a sauce made from basil leaves, garlic, salt, olive oil, pine nuts, and pecorino cheese. Focaccia is a particularly common locally baked bread product. Farinata is also a typical snack found in bakeries and pizzerias, essentially it is a savoury and crunchy pancake made from a base of chickpea flour. Epic porcini mushrooms are presented in a wooden box for you to choose for grilling with olive oil and garlic.
Weather: Fall is a lovely time to visit the Cinque Terre, especially in September and October. September can still feel like summer, with warm, sunny days, pleasant sea temperatures, and fewer crowds around the villages. As October approaches, the days are often bright and clear, while nights cool down and feel noticeably crisper. As we know, however, the weather is always unpredictable, with the occasional sudden shower. As much as we can predict the weather, it’s always best to be prepared: bring layers for the cooler evenings, and maybe keep an umbrella handy, just in case.
Carol Gruppe was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and spent most of her childhood in Chevy Chase and Bethesda, Maryland. She grew up surrounded by the arts as two of her great-grandfathers, Henri Plasschaert, a sculptor from Ghent, Belgium, and Charles P. Gruppe, who painted in Holland, and the following generations became painters, sculptors, musicians, and writers.
She received a degree in fine arts from Mary Washington University in Virginia and subsequently studied extensively with her uncle, Charles C. Gruppe. He provided private lessons, mentoring, and many plein air workshops in Europe. He is the single most artistic influence in her work. Since 2019, she has completed numerous online studies with Malcolm Dewey, Nicholas Wilton, and Louise Fletcher.
She began working as an artist and teacher in New Haven, CT, but for over 25 years, she worked as a graphic artist. She spent 13 of those years working for NATO in Brussels, Belgium, where she revived her painting career before returning to Virginia. Carol is an avid sailor and has spent many years sailing on the Chesapeake Bay as well as on the North Sea along the French, Belgian, and Dutch coasts. Her works reflect her experiences on and around those waters. Her recent use of bold color distinctly reflects her current life near the warmer waters of the Chesapeake.
She works in acrylics, oils, and mixed media.
Website: https://carol-gruppe.pixels.com/
