Eat, Paint, Love Italy- the Amalfi Coast & Capri

Let’s slow down and savor life in the beautiful Amalfi Coast…

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This will be a 10-day program to explore this amazing strip of coast in southern Italy.  Andy we’ll do that through touring, painting, and eating our way around this gorgeous part of Italy. Extra opportunities to enrich your experience will be available through optional cooking classes and painting classes. Painting opportunities will abound whether you prefer plein air or painting in the comfort of our villa and gardens.  Il Chiostro always attracts interesting people, and together we take day trips to visit beautifully authentic and wonderfully scenic towns along the Amalfi Coast and the mythic isle of Capri.

We will revel in what the Amalfi Coast has to offer: delicious cuisine, exquisite panoramic sea-side views, boutique shopping, visits to picturesque towns, all having something unique to share with us.

Painting is optional, not required. I would describe this week as- “Experience Intense and Art Light” 

In many of our stops, I will paint/photograph, or draw on site. I will give art lessons and regularly have studio time, making every effort to be available to help those who choose to paint or draw during the trip. I would encourage planning to paint in a sketchbook to minimize equipment requirements. Our priority will be to see our destinations and enjoy them, enhancing the experience through art if desired.  For those of you who would simply like to visit the Amalfi Coast, and shop or photograph your way through this beautiful part of the world, I can assure you that the sites we visit will be like a visual candy store!

A Note from Rebecca:

After my trips to this region, I know that the Amalfi Coast continues to charm and reveal itself to me again and again in ever surprising ways. It’s just that special! Having our own villa, out of the fray of the coastal towns, will insure that we can experience this area in comfort and peace.  I love being able to tour and paint the days away without having to answer the question: “what will we do for dinner?”. Our program managers will take care of all of that, and we can bond as a group over our nightly dinners with delicious local wines. We also can get space from one another and freedom to wander as we please on our excursions. We have drivers to all our destinations, and that means we can enjoy a little wine with our lunch! It’s really the ideal format for a tour.

Here is a typical Itinerary: (with local dinners and breakfast at the villa each day)

• Monday: Meet in Naples, take private vans to our Villa in Conca dei Marini, enjoy a relaxing orientation in the garden followed by dinner at a nearby trattoria.
• Tuesday: a day exploring the immediate area and painting / sunset cocktail at the 5 star hotel there, dinner at Bonta with a possible lesson in making Limoncello
• Wednesday: explore the actual town of Amalfi to paint, dinner in Atrani
• Thursday: take the ferry to the isle of Capri, spend the day exploring this home of the Roman Emperor Tiberius with an option of a boat trip to the famous Blue Grotto
• Friday: a day of rest, painting and lounging by the pool at our villa
• Saturday: local ferry to the town of Sorrento on the opposite coast for a day to shop/paint
• Sunday: Ravello, perched atop the coastal area, with lesson painting in the square
• Monday: day of rest and painting at the villa with cooking lesson at nearby restaurant
• Tuesday:  visit the luxury resort town of Positano
• Wednesday: day of rest at the villa with the option to independently revisit something as desired
• Thursday: transfer back to Naples after breakfast

Who should consider spending this time with us in Amalfi/Capri?

• Come if you like food and eating authentic coastal fare. (Seafood, lemons, local wines nurtured by the volcanic soil of Mt. Vesuvius.). Dinners will always be eaten as a group and lunch will give you the opportunity to seek out local favorites wherever we are. Lunch is always a priority, and since we have drivers, we can safely enjoy sampling different local wines. Our daily breakfast is prepared by our program managers and available on our terrace of in the garden of the villa.
• Come with us if you have an interest in painting or drawing or photographing beautiful sites while you travel. Plein air painting opportunities will be available for those who choose to take advantage. As your instructor on this trip, I’ll give lessons and offer tips on how you can approach making art while we travel. I have lessons planned, and even have some preprinted drawings which you can simply paint if you wish. I will have some ideas of good locations for painting or drawing.
• Come with us if you enjoy wine! This region of Italy is famous for their wines (think Aglianico or Mediterranean whites). Our wine is included with our meals every evening.
• Come with us if you’d like to tour other parts of Europe or Italy, before or after our week together. Feel free to add on to your travels at both ends of the trip. So long as we all meet at the appointed time in Naples, your itinerary and travel plans are your own.

Come with us if you want to slow down and savor life as though you are living in your Italian villa overlooking the Mediterranean! Every moment will not be scheduled. When we get to our destinations, I will let you explore things in your own way and let you know when to return for your ride back to home base.  I want more of this kind of living in my life and bringing a group of like-minded people along with me will make it an even more ideal experience. If that sounds attractive to you, I can assure you that my students tend to be positive, bright, adventurous, artistic, kind, and fun. If that sounds like a group you’d enjoy, then come along!

Dear Rebecca…
Thank you for providing such an exceptional trip…my dream come true! Your preplanning was so evident and made for a smooth exciting week. It was enriching to have you as our guide, teacher, host and traveling companions. You are examples of life “well lived” and sharing it with others… I wish you all the best, and will continue to savor these precious memories…     2014 Participant

Andiamo! (let’s go!) – join me for an Eat, Paint, Cook Tour of Tuscany… painting, drawing, photographing, touring, cooking, sipping, eating and savoring all that this lovely region has to offer!

Program Highlights:

• time to relax and slow down at our elegant villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
• 2 Italian hosts will guide the group throughout the week
• breakfast provided daily at the villa
• 9 dinners together (with one evening for you to explore the local restaurants on your own):
  • 4 dinners together at local trattorie
  • 4 dinners prepared by our private chef at the villa
  • Cooking class to prepare dinner featuring the cuisine of the Amalfi Coast
• Excursion to the exquisite hilltop town of Ravello
• Ferry to spend a day on the magical Isle of Capri
• Wine tasting presentation with our own sommelier
• Plenty of time to explore on your own

Accommodations and Meals:

Villa Elena, in the small town of Conca dei Marini, will be our exclusive home for the week.  Click the Accommodations tab above for more details.

NOTE:  the Villa can only be reached via a set of 65 steps!  The Amalfi Coast is built entirely on hillsides, so there is no avoiding steps in each town.  We recommend this program only for participants who can climb up and down a couple of times per day. (We guarantee you’ll be stronger by the end of the program!)  There will be assistance to take your large bags up to the villa on arrival and departure.

A leisurely breakfast will be prepared at the villa each day for us by our program managers.  Dinners will be a mix of eating in local restaurants and at home, always with the emphasis on exploring and appreciating the food of the area.  Local wine will be served with each dinner.

Most lunches are independent, with plenty of options either on excursions or near the villa.

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Price:

• $4,695 p/p for 10 nights
• Single Room Supplement: $695 – none available

Includes:

• Shared double room with modern, ensuite bathroom
• Daily traditional breakfast
• 9 dinners, including wine
• Daily guided activities with Rebecca
• Excursions to nearby towns like Ravello, Amalfi, Sorrento and Positano
• All local transportation provided by taxis or chauffeured vans
• Guides/escorts included throughout the program and for every excursion
• Transfer from/to Naples on the first and last days

Does Not Include:

• Airfare
• Lunch
• Gratuities (we recommend 10-20 euros per guest per day)
• Independent meals and sight-seeing

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 on line 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 August 1st.  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 prior to 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.