Art Holidays In Italy

I immediately warmed to the venue situated high on the hill that this old picturesque town is built on and to the warm hospitality offered to me and my partner Paul, during our short break fact finding mission, by the owners Jane and Michael. The location is truly stunning with accommodation that is traditional Tuscan with a creative vibe across a conglomerate of interconnected buildings. The venue has a large well equipped workshop / studio space inside and a covered external area all of which we will use during our work.

It wasn’t a difficult decision to make to host art holidays in Italy to practice printmaking for 8 people here at this new venue in September 2024 and then again in September 2025!

Quattro Archi is in the old town part of Barga in northern Tuscany, Italy. This northern area of Tuscany is more mountainous than the south and the position of Barga on the side of the valley provides a spectacular setting with some wonderful views and memorable sunsets.

There is a large private terrace which is the centre of attention for most people because of it’s wonderful views over the town and surrounding countryside.

Barga is a traditional hilltop town of about 10,000 inhabitants. It is featured in various guides as one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. It provides lots of inspiration for art holidays in Italy. The town offers a number of restaurants, independent shops, supermarket, post office, cafes and bars. There are good day trip opportunities to Florence, Lucca and Pietrasanta (a special destination for those interested in sculpture). The railway station is ten minutes drive away down the hill. While the top of the hill is occupied by a spectacular cathedral which is thought to have had its origins in Etruscan times.

Most of all, Barga is a pretty town with medieval narrow streets and fantastic mountain scenery. The streets are pedestrian friendly because there are very few cars, but in places the hills are steep so please ensure that you are happy with a few hills before joining us!

Quattro Archi is a conglomeration of interconnected buildings. It consists of a former police chief’s office, monastery building, cantina and adjoining apartments all joined up to make a mini art complex. Our accommodation consists of three bedrooms in the house (2 double rooms and one small twin all of which share 2 bathrooms), plus 3 ensuite twin rooms and 2 ensuite double rooms in the connected apartments. All rooms are comfortable and traditional with a creative vibe.

The space is small enough to provide an intimate holiday retreat where we can work, relax and socialise in a peaceful setting but big enough so that there are plenty of spaces to relax quietly on your own perhaps taking in some of the amazing views and finding inspiration for your creativity.

Inspiration for art holidays in Italy surrounds Quattro Archi – the building is purposely designed to inspire creativity in a truely relaxating and stunning location. The week will include 5 sessions of printmaking and an opportunity to exhibit your work in an intimate professional gallery environment at the end of the week if you choose.

During the printmaking I will be covering techniques including drypoint etching, monoprint printmaking, cyanotype printing and lino printing giving you the opportunity to produce a large number of prints as you learn to improve your knowledge and confidence in these exciting mediums. All creative abilities are welcome and I am there to give you a relaxed and gentle, yet productive week of printmaking.

On our final evening together we will host a mini exhibition with drinks to celebrate our achievements during the week. Previous students have commented what a lovely touch this is to our art holidays in Italy.

A buffet style continental breakfast is provided including fresh pastries, cereals, yogurt, fresh bread, cold meats and cheeses from the local area. There are two fully equipped kitchens if you wish to self cater for lunch and evening meal.

In addition to providing a stunning backdrop for art holidays in Italy, Barga hosts a good selection of charming restaurants and cafes within the old town area all within walking distance. A number of these provide both indoor and outdoor seating areas. A meal will be provided as part of your holiday on the first evening whilst you are still orienting yourself and we will also eat together at a local restaurant on our last evening together. One evening a pizza night can be arranged and we can gather together for this meal on the beautiful terrace. There will be an extra charge to cover this on the holiday.

I have secured great prices for this holiday with Jane and Michael so places are sure to sell quickly. I have 3 price groups – one based on sole occupancy of a room and the second based on a couple or friends sharing with either one or both printmaking. My early bird price is available for a limited period. Early booking is also recommended to ensure an ensuite room.

The following items are all included in the cost of the holiday

• 6 nights accommodation & full continental breakfast
• wine on the terrace on evening of arrival
• 1 x evening meal (first evening at our accommodation)
• 5 days – 5hrs per day. Printmaking tuition including drypoint etching, linocut, mono printing and cyanotype
• all printmaking materials
• tea and coffee throughout each day
• Wifi access

* Please note this holiday runs from a Wednesday to the following Tuesday. Arrival time is from 5pm. Ensure you provide sufficient notice of arrival. We are a short 10 minute taxi ride from the railway station, walkable from the bus terminus

The following items are not included in the cost of the holiday

• flights and transfers to Barga
• lunches
• you will need to purchase your own lunches and evening meals except for the first evening. I will arrange an optional take in pizza evening mid way through the holiday at the accommodation where we will split the costs

Please contact me to book this holiday and to obtain a booking form, deposit and balance payment details. 

If you are interested in my art holidays in Italy or elsewhere but cannot make advertised dates, do not have the money to commit right now, might like to see how things go, might consider next year etc then why not sign up to my mailing list and select the option ‘printmaking holiday’. You will then receive regular updates on this holiday and anything similar that I do in the future.

If you are already on my mailing list just select the ‘update preferences’ option at the bottom of one of my mailings then tick that preference.

Quattro Archi is located in the town of Barga in Northern Tuscany. Please read my getting there notes for further details of how to get there.

Tuscany makes a perfect base for art holidays in Italy. Our printmaking will keep us busy for most of the week but why not extend your holiday to explore some other lovely areas of Tuscany too?

If you fly into Pisa you might want to spend a half or full day here first, maybe visit the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa which was started building in 1173 and took 200 years to build. There are some great art collections, a lively historical centre and some quirky churches. Pisa is also only an hour train journey from Florence and about 90 minutes from Barga making an easy day trip from either.

Florence is the largest city in Tuscany and is well worth a visit whether you fly into it or not. It is only slightly further from Barga than Pisa travelling directly but is also only an hour by train from Pisa or Lucca so easy to tag a few days onto your holiday there. It is worth visiting for the art and culture experience alone. The city is an art lover’s paradise. It is home to some of the world’s most famous art galleries and masterpieces. It is known as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

Lucca is one of the most stunning and artistic cities in Tuscany, if not all of Italy. The circular old part of the city is surrounded by thick medieval walls that have kept it well protected over the years. It has been nicknamed the town of a hundred churches on account of its incredible number of places of worship. It has easy rail and bus connections to Pisa, Florence and Barga and you are likely to pass through or change here during your transfer to the airport. We stopped off for a couple of hours each way on our trip to and from Barga but could easily have spent a few days here too.

You can read more about Quattro Archi at https://www.quattroarchibarga.com. You might also find the YouTube videos below useful to see a little more of the beautiful town of Barga where we are staying. Further information can also be found in my list of frequently asked questions.

You might also be interested in my other printmaking art retreats in the UK and Europe.