Join us for a fabulous artist's holiday and learn the visual language of Portugal's Algarve! Enrich your painting experience with the charms of Alvor, a seaside village; the hilltop vista of Monchique; lands end of Cape St. Vincent and the architecture of old Faro, capital of the Algarve. Painting in Portugal Days filled with picturesque painting workshops, extraordinary sketch and photo opportunities, professional instruction, one-on-one tutoring, field-trips and free time to explore, paint, wine and dine, and shop. Instruction is geared to the advanced beginner to intermediate watercolour painter with advanced painters welcome to participate and share in the camaraderie and friendly group critique sessions. Itinerary: Day 1 Toronto to Faro Portugal           Meet your escort at Toronto Pearson Airport for your non-stop flight to Portugal. Overnight: inflight Day 2 Faro to Alvor      On arrival you will be met and transferred to Alvor, your home away from home. Overnight: Alvormar Efficiency Apartment Hotel (13 nights) Day 3 - 4 Alvor Watercolour Workshop 1        Join your watercolour instructor, Victoria Shannon, for the first of many amazing days of colourful plein air painting. You begin each workshop with instruction from Victoria then you paint!   Painting continues on Day 4. Never hesitate to ask for help. Victoria is available for one on one instruction as you capture the colours of Alvor. Join your painting group daily for a friendly critique and sundowners. Day 5 Luz / Cape St. Vincent / Fortalez de Sagres Heading west your first stop is in Luz. A beautiful fishing village Luz offers new vistas for your paints and brushes. Take time to wander the village, visit the roman ruins or enjoy a Galao (Portuguese coffee) in one of the seaside cafes. You will have the morning to fill your sketchbooks and add to your collection of photos.  After lunch you will continue your journey to Cape St. Vincent, the most westerly point in Portugal. A short stop here for some photo ops. Your next stop is at the Fortalez de Sagres. You will have time here to paint, sketch, photograph or dream. The fortress was originally built in the 16th century and rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries. The 'Wind Rose' (Rosa dos Ventos) is a large circle (140 feet in diameter - 40 metres) marked out with 48 radiating points in stone. Its purpose is still unclear. The old cannons on the site were used to protect the beaches of Tonel and Mareta. The 'Church of Our Lady of Favour' is perhaps the only remaining original building. The cliffs are high and sheer and the wind can really gust so be careful if you decide to wander around the edge of the promontary. Mind you, the danger doesn't seem to phase the local fishermen who perch at strategic locations on the rocky ledges with long, long lines down to the crashing Atlantic waves below. On your return trip to Alvor you will have an opportunity to do some shopping. Several Portuguese pottery shops are waiting for your visit. Day 6 - 7  Portimao Watercolour workshop 2    On day 6 you join your group and board the local bus to Alvor's sister city, Portimao. Your instruction will take place in Portimao near the Old Cannery District. You will then continue your watercolour workshop as layed out in workshop one. On day 7 you return to Portimao as you did in day 6 to continue your workshop. This change of village to city will give you a well rounded visual experience of the Algarve. Sundowners and gentle critique will take place back in Alvor at the Alvormar as in workshop one.  Day 8 Day of leisure     What a day off, you say? Yes a chance to walk the beach, relax with a book or join Victoria on a bus trip to Lagos. Everyone needs a change of pace. Enjoy but be back in time to join the group for critique and sundowners. Day 9/10 Alvor Watercolour Workshop 3   Alvor has so much to see, so much to experience and so much to paint you may wonder why we have included day trips. Viewing other venues gives you an opportunity to understand the people the places and the history of Portugal. This workshop will follow the agenda of workshop one. Day 11 Monchique / Monchique du Caldes   Your day trip today is to Monchique a unique village in the Monchique hills that is considered one of the few places that tourism has not yet changed. You will travel by bus to the village and have the morning to paint, sketch, hike enjoy the view down the valley or climb to the monastery through the cork forest. Lunch will be further down the valley at the spa of Monchique du Caldes. This beautiful ancient Roman spa offers two restaurants or the opportunity to picnic. After lunch enjoy a restful afternoon of painting. The waterfall, gardens, trees, walkways and village buildings are all inspiration for watercolour artists. Day 12 - 13 Alvor Watercolour Workshop 4      Once again you will join Victoria and explore the portential of painting in Alvor! The sea/beach, the harbour, the cliffs, the village...have you done it all? Day 14 Silves Today is a day trip day. You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Portimao where you board your boat for a ride up river to Silves.  Silves was once the capital of Algarve and an important trade centre. The river Arade began to silt up and the merchant craft could no longer negotiate the passage.  Even small craft like the boat you are travelling in are subject to tidal timings that dictate when a trip to Silves can depart and must return. On arrival in Silves you will be given time to visit the village, climb to the castle or just enjoy a glass of galao. Silves has a bridge across the river built by the Romans and still is used to this day. This is an interesting journey that will give you a different perspective of the countryside and the life of rural Algarve. Don't forget to bring your camera and sketchbook along. Day 15 Loule / Faro Today you will leave Alvor making your first step toward your return home. Shopping has always been a big part of any holiday and since we consider this workshop a holiday we must shop! With your bags packed and loaded into the bus you head to Faro. On the way you will have a chance to visit the market in Loule.  Loule is well-known for its’ weekly Saturday market, and traders from all over the area come to set up stalls and sell all manner of goods. A hive of bustling activity, Loule market sells anything from locally made crafts, including pottery, leather and silver, to foodstuff such as delicious olives, cheeses and fresh produce, even live chickens. After a couple of hours of shopping in Loule you will continue to Faro. On arrival you will check into your hotel.  The old part of the city is surrounded still by 9th century Roman walls.  Inside a spacious open square that was once the site of the Roman Forum is a 13th Century Cathedral that faces the 18th Century Episcopal palace. An interesting building is the neighbouring 16th Century Convent that is now turned into the home of the city’s archaeological museum. Within it is a section devoted to the Arab occupation. The "golden" church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo is claimed to be the best example of gold-leaf woodwork in southern Portugal. It also contains the macabre spectacle of a chapel lined with the bones from over 1.200 monks! Next to the small boat basin bordering the Praça de Dom Francisco Gomes is a small Naval Museum composed of scale model boats and galleons showing the maritime history of the coast. Much of the city is now composed of apartments and there are attractive shops and a particularly artistic theatre. Faro is also the home of the Ria Formosa lagoon, a nature reserve of over 17.000 hectares and a stopping place for hundreds of different birds during the spring and autumn migratory periods. Join your Going Places Together escort and Victoria for a half day tour of Faro. After the tour you are at leisure. Day 16 Home to Canada This morning you will be picked up and transferred to the airport for your return flight to Canada. This is the end of our services until we are once again Going Places Together!

Join us for a fabulous artist's holiday and learn the visual language of Portugal's Algarve! Enrich your painting experience with the charms of Alvor, a seaside village; the hilltop vista of Monchique; lands end of Cape St. Vincent and the architecture of old Faro, capital of the Algarve. Painting in Portugal Days filled with picturesque painting workshops, extraordinary sketch and photo opportunities, professional instruction, one-on-one tutoring, field-trips and free time to explore, paint, wine and dine, and shop. Instruction is geared to the advanced beginner to intermediate watercolour painter with advanced painters welcome to participate and share in the camaraderie and friendly group critique sessions. Itinerary: Day 1 Toronto to Faro Portugal           Meet your escort at Toronto Pearson Airport for your non-stop flight to Portugal. Overnight: inflight Day 2 Faro to Alvor      On arrival you will be met and transferred to Alvor, your home away from home. Overnight: Alvormar Efficiency Apartment Hotel (13 nights) Day 3 - 4 Alvor Watercolour Workshop 1        Join your watercolour instructor, Victoria Shannon, for the first of many amazing days of colourful plein air painting. You begin each workshop with instruction from Victoria then you paint!   Painting continues on Day 4. Never hesitate to ask for help. Victoria is available for one on one instruction as you capture the colours of Alvor. Join your painting group daily for a friendly critique and sundowners. Day 5 Luz / Cape St. Vincent / Fortalez de Sagres Heading west your first stop is in Luz. A beautiful fishing village Luz offers new vistas for your paints and brushes. Take time to wander the village, visit the roman ruins or enjoy a Galao (Portuguese coffee) in one of the seaside cafes. You will have the morning to fill your sketchbooks and add to your collection of photos.  After lunch you will continue your journey to Cape St. Vincent, the most westerly point in Portugal. A short stop here for some photo ops. Your next stop is at the Fortalez de Sagres. You will have time here to paint, sketch, photograph or dream. The fortress was originally built in the 16th century and rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries. The 'Wind Rose' (Rosa dos Ventos) is a large circle (140 feet in diameter - 40 metres) marked out with 48 radiating points in stone. Its purpose is still unclear. The old cannons on the site were used to protect the beaches of Tonel and Mareta. The 'Church of Our Lady of Favour' is perhaps the only remaining original building. The cliffs are high and sheer and the wind can really gust so be careful if you decide to wander around the edge of the promontary. Mind you, the danger doesn't seem to phase the local fishermen who perch at strategic locations on the rocky ledges with long, long lines down to the crashing Atlantic waves below. On your return trip to Alvor you will have an opportunity to do some shopping. Several Portuguese pottery shops are waiting for your visit. Day 6 - 7  Portimao Watercolour workshop 2    On day 6 you join your group and board the local bus to Alvor's sister city, Portimao. Your instruction will take place in Portimao near the Old Cannery District. You will then continue your watercolour workshop as layed out in workshop one. On day 7 you return to Portimao as you did in day 6 to continue your workshop. This change of village to city will give you a well rounded visual experience of the Algarve. Sundowners and gentle critique will take place back in Alvor at the Alvormar as in workshop one.  Day 8 Day of leisure     What a day off, you say? Yes a chance to walk the beach, relax with a book or join Victoria on a bus trip to Lagos. Everyone needs a change of pace. Enjoy but be back in time to join the group for critique and sundowners. Day 9/10 Alvor Watercolour Workshop 3   Alvor has so much to see, so much to experience and so much to paint you may wonder why we have included day trips. Viewing other venues gives you an opportunity to understand the people the places and the history of Portugal. This workshop will follow the agenda of workshop one. Day 11 Monchique / Monchique du Caldes   Your day trip today is to Monchique a unique village in the Monchique hills that is considered one of the few places that tourism has not yet changed. You will travel by bus to the village and have the morning to paint, sketch, hike enjoy the view down the valley or climb to the monastery through the cork forest. Lunch will be further down the valley at the spa of Monchique du Caldes. This beautiful ancient Roman spa offers two restaurants or the opportunity to picnic. After lunch enjoy a restful afternoon of painting. The waterfall, gardens, trees, walkways and village buildings are all inspiration for watercolour artists. Day 12 - 13 Alvor Watercolour Workshop 4      Once again you will join Victoria and explore the portential of painting in Alvor! The sea/beach, the harbour, the cliffs, the village...have you done it all? Day 14 Silves Today is a day trip day. You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Portimao where you board your boat for a ride up river to Silves.  Silves was once the capital of Algarve and an important trade centre. The river Arade began to silt up and the merchant craft could no longer negotiate the passage.  Even small craft like the boat you are travelling in are subject to tidal timings that dictate when a trip to Silves can depart and must return. On arrival in Silves you will be given time to visit the village, climb to the castle or just enjoy a glass of galao. Silves has a bridge across the river built by the Romans and still is used to this day. This is an interesting journey that will give you a different perspective of the countryside and the life of rural Algarve. Don't forget to bring your camera and sketchbook along. Day 15 Loule / Faro Today you will leave Alvor making your first step toward your return home. Shopping has always been a big part of any holiday and since we consider this workshop a holiday we must shop! With your bags packed and loaded into the bus you head to Faro. On the way you will have a chance to visit the market in Loule.  Loule is well-known for its’ weekly Saturday market, and traders from all over the area come to set up stalls and sell all manner of goods. A hive of bustling activity, Loule market sells anything from locally made crafts, including pottery, leather and silver, to foodstuff such as delicious olives, cheeses and fresh produce, even live chickens. After a couple of hours of shopping in Loule you will continue to Faro. On arrival you will check into your hotel.  The old part of the city is surrounded still by 9th century Roman walls.  Inside a spacious open square that was once the site of the Roman Forum is a 13th Century Cathedral that faces the 18th Century Episcopal palace. An interesting building is the neighbouring 16th Century Convent that is now turned into the home of the city’s archaeological museum. Within it is a section devoted to the Arab occupation. The "golden" church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo is claimed to be the best example of gold-leaf woodwork in southern Portugal. It also contains the macabre spectacle of a chapel lined with the bones from over 1.200 monks! Next to the small boat basin bordering the Praça de Dom Francisco Gomes is a small Naval Museum composed of scale model boats and galleons showing the maritime history of the coast. Much of the city is now composed of apartments and there are attractive shops and a particularly artistic theatre. Faro is also the home of the Ria Formosa lagoon, a nature reserve of over 17.000 hectares and a stopping place for hundreds of different birds during the spring and autumn migratory periods. Join your Going Places Together escort and Victoria for a half day tour of Faro. After the tour you are at leisure. Day 16 Home to Canada This morning you will be picked up and transferred to the airport for your return flight to Canada. This is the end of our services until we are once again Going Places Together!