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Advice to share if you’ve taken an Art Workshop trip

Hi fellow forum participants,

Those who know me on this forum won’t be surprised that I’ve chosen Italy as the location to take a 1-week art workshop! (Sadly, 2024 was supposed to be the year, but that one had to be cancelled…). This will be a new experience - the longest travel art classes I’ve done previously were two private half-day classes in Bergamo for sketching & watercolor which I enjoyed so much!

I recently had a nice Zoom meeting with my instructor for this workshop, and she is very personable & wow, her pastel art is absolutely stunning! I know I am going to love this chance to spend a week with her. I’ve wanted to see some of the Le Marche region in Italy, so this feels like a very special win-win!

Now for my questions: if you have taken a 1-2 week art workshop in Italy or Europe in general, what advice would you give me? Also, this will be the first time in 20 years I’ll probably want to check a piece of luggage (Art supplies in carry on) so I won’t be as nimble as my normal Cotopaxi 35L backpack while riding the trains.

The art workshop is this one: https://hotelleonemarche.com/en/retreats/art-retreat-italy/timeless-beauty-and-magical-light-with-susan-kuzinsky/

The workshop is in tiny Montelparo, Italy. We meet at either the Ancona airport or Pedaso train station & are returned to Ancona afterwards. I want to include a few days in Ascoli Piceno & would appreciate your other recommendations. Excited to start the research & planning process for this one! Thanks so much!

Posted by
2595 posts

This sounds great, Jean. If it's at all possible, try to include Urbino in your plans. It was the first place we went in Europe when we started traveling in 1999 and hooked us on Italy immediately! I'm sure Ascoli Piceno will be wonderful also, but there's only one Urbino!

Posted by
9497 posts

Janet, Urbino is very appealing! Thank you for mentioning it!

I just checked the transportation options to go there, and it’s not looking promising. : (. There’s the Trenitalia train route along the coast, and then a bus is needed to go inland to Urbino. There is a bus that is run by Adriabus which has a rating of 1.5 from the locals for all of the reasons you can well imagine. I’ll keep it on the list in case something practical comes through later.

Janet, did you also stay in Jesi (Lesi)? That is in Le Marche on the train route toward Foligno, and it could be a great option if initial pictures are accurate. Fortress walls, etc. Palazzo Pianetti has gorgeous frescoes & walls with some unusual hues.