Florence

Florence, the world renowned city of art and culture, is the venue for our April Renaissance Painting & Drawing holiday. Steeped in the works of Giotto, Masaccio, Leonardo and Michelangelo, Florence is a painter’s dream come true.

In the quiet free-spirited artisan area of San Frediano, situated on the south bank of the River Arno, our guests will stay at Casa Santo Nome di Gesu, a 15th century Palace and once home of Franciscan missionaries. This tranquil and elegant venue is perfectly placed in the quieter quarters of the city, 10 minutes walk from the Piazza del Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens.

The course will start with a sketching tour of Florence through the streets of Altrarno, across the Ponte Santa Trinita, passing Palazzo Stronzi, to the church of Santa Maria Novella.

You will paint at:

• The Duomo, Baptistry and Campanile in Piazza del Duomo; Florence’s most famous square.

• Piazza Michelangelo on the east side of the Arno overlooking the spire of Palazzo Vecchio, the dome of the Duomo, and Fiesole nestling in the hills behind the city.

• The Boboli gardens adjacent to the Pitti Palace, created for the Medici in the sixteenth century. Overlooking the elegant Florentine villas, set among the cypress trees in the hills around the city, the garden is one of Italy’s largest and most elegant with countless statues, fountains, cypress trees and topiaries. Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square), a famous square with magnificent panoramic views across Florence.

• The Gothic church of Santa Croce containing tombs and monuments of illustrious Florentines such as Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli.

For non-painters we are able to offer excellent sight seeing tours with an experienced Florentine guide.

Chris Bell & Tony Phillips will be tutoring this course. Click here for the link to the tutors.