Award-winning watercolor artist and gallery owner Nancy Smith Couick will assist you in creating delightful plein air watercolor images of the seaside town of Portofino and the villages of the Cinque Terre in the first half of this tour, before leading you to the Piedmont region, which will provide delightful opportunities for painting the wine country and the Alps in the distance! For more on Nancy Smith Couick, please see: www.nancycouick.com.

About the location: Start your trip in Chiavari, one of the charming seaside towns of the Italian Riviera, in a prime location to reach the elegant towns of the Riviera as well as the extraordinary five linked towns known as the Cinque Terre. Chiavari boasts a range of things to see, from beautiful cathedrals to local antique shops. Enjoy time sitting at a little cafe sketching a sea-side village, or paint on a promontory in the Cinque Terre overlooking the sea. Your accommodation, the Hotel Monte Rosa, is in the heart of the arcaded medieval center of Chiavari and just a few yards from the sea.

The Bacigalupo family has renovated the Monte Rosa to provide all modern comforts and has been providing outstanding Italian hospitality since the beginning of the twentieth century. Rooms include amenities such as satellite TV and air conditioning.

After five glorious nights on the Italian Riviera, travel to the nearby region of Piedmont, home to the famous Barbaresco, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and (most famous of all) Barolo wines. The Langhe area of southern Piedmont is a well-known destination for wine connoisseurs and travelers interested in a superior culinary experience. In addition to the amazing food and wine you can enjoy sketching and painting some of the most stunning views in all of Italy: medieval castles and towns standing majestically on the Langhe’s tall hills; the snow-covered Alps encircling the entire region; steep hills and valleys blanketed with vineyards. The cuisine of Piedmont tkaes the best of Italian cooking and embraces the region’s proximity to France, featuring dishes such as as home-made pasta al ragù (meat sauce), melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi in a creamy sauce flavored with the region’s famous cheeses, the traditional “Brasato al Barolo,” or veal marinated and cooked in Barolo wine, and the delicious torta di nocciola (hazelnut cake) in chocolate sauce. Topping it all off is the genteel hospitality of the residents, who will impart their pride of place to you.

Your accommodations will be at the exquisite 4-star Relais Villa d'Amelia. Perched on a country hillside and surrounded by the Langhe's famous rolling vineyards, the recently renovated hotel offers all the modern comforts with a warm and inviting atmosphere. Its location in the heart of the Langhe and just 10 minutes from the charming town of Alba makes it an ideal place to eat, paint and relax!

About the cooking lessons: Your cooking lessons will take place in Chiavari at the Ristorante Monte Rosa, which for almost a hundred years has been one of the most well-known restaurants in the area. You will have the opportunity to learn Ligurian cuisine from either Chef Roberto del Seno, with twenty years experience in Italy and abroad, or Chef Ave, the Bacigalupo matriarch, who will share with you her forty years of experience in regional recipes.
 

• One group transfer from Milan Malpensa airport
• Five nights accommodation
• Daily breakfast
• Two hands-on cooking classes
• Five dinners, local wine included
• Excursions as per itinerary
• English-speaking guide as per itinerary
• Wine shop visit with tasting

Included in the program: Piedmont

• Five nights accommodation
• Daily breakfast
• Four dinners and Three lunches, drinks NOT included
• Excursions as per itinerary
• English-speaking guide as per itinerary
• Transportation for all excursions
• One group departure transfer to Milan Malpensa airport