A wonderful painter's holiday to Europe's picturesque Portugal!

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Join award-winning artist and instructor Nancy Tankersley for a creative and inspiring week of en plein air painting... capturing the magnificent and diverse beauty of Portugal. We'll visit and paint in both of Portugal's two beautiful & historic cities, Lisbon and Porto... combined with having painting sessions in Portugal's majestic Douro River Valley countryside and along Portugal's striking Atlantic Coast. It's a painting workshop tour not to miss!

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Each day we'll feed our creative souls. Nancy will provide demonstrations and offer individual personal instruction designed to improve your painting skills and expand your art experience. Along with your paintings, you'll take home many treasured memories of an inspirational & fun-filled Portugal painting holiday and creative adventure.

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We'll start our journey in Lisbon, Portugal's capital city located along the Atlantic Ocean. We'll stay our first two nights in a charming boutique hotel located in the heart of Lisbon's historical district.

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We'll spend a day painting in Lisbon's "old town" with its narrow cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, city squares, ornate fountains, outdoor cafes, yellow trams and distinctive neighborhoods. 

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We'll take a day trip from Lisbon to paint in nearby Cascais, a charming coastal resort town located just west of Lisbon. Cascais provides a scenic coastal painting site with its rugged coastline and the Boca do Inferno sea-arch and cliff formation, golden sandy beaches, a towering lighthouse and 19th century seaside mansions.

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In addition to the painting sessions, there will be free time in Lisbon and Cascais for... additional personal painting... going to Belém to see the Tower of Belém, the sail-shaped Discoveries Monument, and Jerónimos Monastery... traveling to Sintra to visit Pena Palace, one of Europe's finest palaces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site... taking rides on Lisbon's quaint yellow trams... stopping for nata pastries & coffee... enjoying delicious Portuguese cuisine & wine... visiting the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, with one of the world's largest private art collections that was the private collection of Portuguese oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian... shopping Lisbon boutiques for Portuguese ceramics & decorative tile or leather & linen goods... or just relaxing.

 

Mid-week we'll travel north via high-speed train, traveling 1st-class to Porto, Portugal's 2nd largest city located on the coast and along the Douro River. We'll be based in Porto for the next four nights staying at a charming luxury boutique hotel in the city's historic old section near the river.

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In Porto we'll spend two wonderous days painting in picturesque locations... painting in Porto's old town with its  magnificent and colorful architecture... painting along the Douro River in the bustling Ribeira district with its market stalls and the city's iconic double-deck metal arch Dom Luis Bridge... and painting in Vila Nova de Gaia with traditional Portuguese wooden rabelo cargo boats docked along the river.

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We'll take a day trip from Porto, leaving from São Bento Railway Station with its 1800's elaborate azulejo tile work, to spend a day of plein air landscape painting in the spectacular Douro River Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, draped with towering vineyards that line the river.

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In addition to the painting sessions, there will be free time in Porto for... additional personal painting... visiting Lello Bookstore, Porto's ornate bookstore considered to be the most beautiful bookstore in the world that inspired the Harry Potter books... visiting the palatial 19th-century Palácio de Bolsa that was formerly the city's stock market... visiting Aliados Avenue, Porto's central promenade, to view the city's architectural heritage... or relaxing at sidewalk cafes. 

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The painting trip includes many extras, including... a welcome reception with Portuguese hors d'oeuvres and wines... attending an evening Fado performance... touring a world-famous port wine warehouse to learn about port wine and having a private tasting session... Douro River boat ride onboard a traditional Rabelo boat... celebrating on our final evening with a traditional Portuguese cuisine gala farewell dinner hosted by Paint Europe.

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Optional before breakfast group pleasure walks are organized for travelers who want some morning exercise before starting their vacation day.