Painting Holidays

I had a relaxing 7 days in Bergerac, particularly in Les Leves et Thoumeyragues, where I stayed with host Jo, and her partner Stan, beautiful scenery, fantastic food, gorgeous animals, and lots of art tuition. My favourite day was the day we went to Bergerac, Jo and myself sketched a typical Bergerac Street, whilst Stan played the guitar, bliss. I wish I could have stayed there longer.

Painting and wine tasting in south of France (Le Peyrail) July 3rd-6th. After a long journey to Bergerac airport, I was met by my host Jo and from that moment I felt at ease. The accommodation was rustic, eclectic and comfortable, first time sleeping on a waterbed - so relaxing. At the house there was a ‘collection’ of animals, dogs, cats, hens, doves, horse, donkey, pigs and a baby blackbird. It all added to the experience. I have ‘dabbled

A beautiful place to stay and Jo was a wonderful host and teacher. Delicious meals and great ambiance.

Jo is very generous and welcoming and I and my five children (aged 13 - 21) loved our time with her. Her house and studio are very relaxed and we were encouraged to treat them as our home. We produced some marvellous paintings and learnt some new skills. A perfect family holiday!

Had an amazing and memorable experience on this painting holiday last September. I'm from Canada and decided to do this solo trip, unsure of what to expect. Jo-Anne is a super-talented artist and great teacher who was very warm and welcoming. The property was gorgeous, and very serene. Great setting that was both very calming and inspiring for me as a beginner painter. Jo tailored her lessons and the overall experience to meet my learning needs a

Kate is fantastic. I went on her course a beginner, I had never painted with oils before and I have come away with a portrait I am very proud of. Kate is a warm, generous and patient teacher. You get thorough one to one tuition and laughs on this course - it is a perfect balance. In addition to painting Kate provides sight seeing, wild swimming, trips to neighbouring villages, cocktail bars and of course lots of cheese and wine. Accomodation is s

Kate is very organised and made the logistical aspect feel very smooth and efficient. I stayed in the little guest house and the accommodation was comfortable and clean. On the first day I learnt how to treat my canvas and map out the portrait that I chose to paint. It was really clearly explained. Lunch and dinner were always really big with so many delicious courses including delicious desserts.Kate is an excellent teacher and provided really

The hosts are lovely people, very welcoming but also allowing guests space and time to do their own thing. Food and wine were excellent too!

I really loved my painting holiday, and Jo was great and so passionate about what she does and a brilliant artist! I loved all of her animals too with beautiful doves giving an impressive fly by display. Visiting the Châteaux for the wine tasting and lunch was spectacular. I would definitely recommend!

Jo is a fantastic teacher. Lots of patience and expertise. The biggest lesson I learned was draw the light not the line, as I often do the opposite. My paintings will be better as a result. I also learned how best to set the composition so it attracts the eye into the painting. I had the best night’s sleep in ages! I loved the waterbed and the area is so peaceful and calming. I also thought the food was great and Jo was very accommodating with

Painting and wine tasting in south of France (Le Peyrail) July 3rd-6th. After a long journey to Bergerac airport, I was met by my host Jo and from that moment I felt at ease. The accommodation was rustic, eclectic and comfortable, first time sleeping on a waterbed - so relaxing. At the house there was a ‘collection’ of animals, dogs, cats, hens, doves, horse, donkey, pigs and a baby blackbird. It all added to the experience. I have ‘dabbled

I had the best time learning new skills in watercolour in a fabulous location along with excellent service and teaching from Jo. I highly recommend this if you enjoy art, peace and quiet surrounded by nature (and animals) and enjoy wine on the side! The perfect combination for a relaxing time away.

Set in a peaceful and inspiring location in a charming house. Jo and her partner are wonderful, generous hosts welcoming us wholeheartedly into their home. They kindly invited us to join them to meet their friends, giving us a special pan-European, cultural experience. Jo is an encouraging teacher.

The whole experience was wonderful from start to finish and exactly what I needed. Lee at GoLearnTo was very helpful and managed to meet my booking requirements and locate this trip for me at very short notice. My host Jo is a generous, talented and creative lady who has a breathtakingly beautifully home.

Claire and Martin were wonderful hosts throughout the trip - it was such a lovely break to just focus on art for the week and be looked after! The food was amazing - I was excited for every meal and for the care and attention that went into every course. The accomodation was comfy and spotless too. Caroline and Anthony were incredible tutors and lovely people to be around and learn from - whether that be techniques or their extensive knowledge of

Claire and Martin are lovely hosts who are warm and welcoming to everyone. They instill a very relaxed atmosphere to the guests in their home. Claire is a gourmet cook who “wowed” us with fabulous cuisine everyday for lunch and dinner! I enjoyed the comeraderie with the fellow artists!

Wonderful holiday in beautiful surroundings and delicious food :)

I had a fascinating and very engaging short painting holiday in Florence. I learned a lot, stayed in a monastery, which is a very interesting experience, and had a wonderful time.

Just returned from a wonderful week in the mountains of Villa Minozzo, Italy. A great location for a painting holiday. We were a party of three. We had daily tuition on any art skill we wanted to learn about. In our case it was watercolour. Also we had really interesting visits to the local regional Parmesan and balsamic vinegar makers. We enjoyed leisurely lunches and dinners made by our host with local produce and wine. We had our own rooms in

All as described in the information supplied. The group worked hard throughout the week. Pheona provided tutoring 6 hours each day, responding to individual needs, conducting structured classes with handouts for beginners and improvers and supporting those who preferred to work independently. Recommended.

Just spent a wonderful week on this art retreat. A truly remarkable venue with great food and top hosts. Rooms were beautiful as was the setting, and the art workshops were a great way to spend the day. Thoroughly recommend and look forward to my next stay!

Just spent an amazing week at the River House on their residential course. Very well organised and run with a great art teacher who was patient and encouraging. Excellent accommodation and wonderful food provided by Cheryl and her husband Graham. Great company and beautiful location. Can’t praise the week highly enough and hope to return again next year.

River views, fresh meals, local culture, and art lessons from a friendly skilled professional made for the perfect holiday retreat. The River House is a gem in the Algarve countryside. I spent a week relaxing to the peaceful sound of birds and goat bells, enjoying walks through the surrounding landscape, and lounging poolside after lively morning art sessions. Our host, Cheryl, and teacher, Tracy, were very knowledgeable and lovely to work with.

It was a lovely 5 days of painting and drawing with a fantastic teacher and a beautiful environment. The River House is a special hidden place in the Algarve! I was glad I was able to join the retreat as an Alagarve resident. I definitely recommend it!

This was an amazing holiday! The tuition was excellent - I learnt so much from Tracy and my confidence has increased. I am inspired to try painting more. The riverside house is a lovely villa set in beautiful surroundings. The owner Cheryl was very welcoming and an amazing cook! Perfect week.

This was a very different holiday for me and I loved it. A great relaxing location with fantastic views. Cheryl made us welcome and cooked some amazing vegetarian food from local fresh produce. Tracy our art teacher was extremely knowledgeable in a variety of techniques, gave you confidence and always made you feel at ease. A lovely break from normal life.

"Absolutely beautiful place. The hosts were so lovely, really accommodating and nothing was too much trouble. The scenery is stunning, very quiet and peaceful. The food was out of this world, so tasty and imaginative. There was also plenty of choice and I loved that we had little treats like Cheryl's cakes and cheese boards. Our rooms were beautiful, everything we needed and very clean. I would love to stay here again and would really recommend i

"I had an amazing painting holiday with great hosts. Graham and Cheryl were welcoming and provided a perfect environment in which to nurture the soul. It is a beautiful location, the rooms were spotless and the whole vibe was so relaxing. Graham worked so hard providing a wide range of delicious dishes. Cheryl provided refreshment throughout the day whilst I learned new painting skills and produced work I am proud to show-off courtesy of the amaz

"Just spent another fabulous week with the lovely hosts Cheryl and Graham. A week of art with our delightful teacher who was so thorough, helpful and an absolute joy. Learnt lots of techniques and enjoyed a great day out at the beach with super meal in beach cafe/restaurant. Super location, wonderful meals and presentation to die for, every dish a work of art. Thoroughly recommend and so lucky to have great company too!"

"I attended an art workshop here with my mom. It was amazing! The hosts, Cheryl and Graham, were so generous and kind. The lunches they prepared were delicious. The art teacher, Tracey, made us feel like any skill level was welcome, and encouraged us to play with the art materials. We got to try many different mediums and techniques. Our group was fun and the size was nice and intimate."

"Another wonderful Art Course in the Algarve. I have attended several courses at this very special venue and each time it’s simply perfect; the owners are very warm & cook the most delicious food, they welcome you in & warm your heart with kindness & care. The venue is very beautiful & whilst I attend on a day basis the rooms are all lovely especially the new Safari Tents. I 100% recommend"