Mixed Media Art Workshop in Italy with Tiffany Goff-Smith
Join Tiffany for a week of collecting and creating on the Italian Riviera and Lake Como WAITING LIST
Treasure hunting fun. Caffeine-fueled creativity!
Dates: May 11-18, 2025 SOLD OUT (waiting list available)
Duration: 7 nights
Start: Milan, Italy
End: Lake Como, Italy
Sites: Milan, Rapallo, Portofino, Cinque Terre, Bellagio, Varenna, and Lenno
Cost: from $3795 USD based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $745
Max Group Size: 14
All prices are in US dollars. Land only. Program subject to change.
Mixed Media Workshop in Italy
Discover a perfect blend of small group travel and inspired art classes on Tiffany Goff-Smith’s mixed media workshop in Italy. For those who want to experience a unique and authentic side of Italy, join us for Tiffany’s art journal-based vacation workshop in coastal Liguria and Lombardy’s Lake Como. Walk, collect, and collage your way through Milan, Cinque Terre, and Lake Como. Capture it all in your very own mixed media travel journal.
I have taken both live and online classes from Tiffany. Her creativity knows no limits. She is an organized teacher with much to offer! As a student, I have enjoyed her unique approach, and her instruction helped me to grow as an artist.
What to Expect
Mixed Media Workshop in Italy
Art Program
Using the experience of travel, you’ll create a journal capturing your time in Italy. Each day an art class with Tiffany will introduce techniques to transform your journey into creative expression.
Tiffany will guide you through using found treasures and local discoveries to create a layered mixed media journal. You will work with a limited color palette and supplies to create your very own artist book. It will include textiles, stitches and other mixed media techniques. Get inspired and renewed with our friendly group of like-minded artists. Come soak in the beauty of the Italy.
Travel
The program begins with an arrival night in Milan. The next morning we will transfer by train to the harbor town of Rapallo on the coast of Liguria. First we visit pastel villages nestled into the coastline of Cinque Terre by foot and rail. Next we stroll the coastal path between Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino. Then it is time to transfer to the region of Lombardy at the base of the Italian Alps. There, we will tour and walk the shores of beautiful Lake Como. Throughout, you will savor traditional Italian cooking with the finest regional ingredients. Experience an authentic Italy. Meet new friends. Capture it all in your very own travel sketchbook. This truly will be an art-filled travel adventure.
I took Tiffany’s kitchen sink class and it did not disappoint. She is a fabulous instructor, upbeat and energetic. She kept the class on task without taking away any of the comradery from the students. It was absolutely the most fun class I’ve ever taken and I will absolutely take more classes from Tiffany. Life altering fun!
What You’ll Love
Mixed Media Workshop in Italy
1. Planning with Care
We take care of the details. You enjoy your vacation.
2. Small group classes
With a maximum class size of 14, expect quality time during art classes. Additionally, we travel places large tour groups can’t.
3. Movable studio
Develop skills and techniques to use whenever you travel. Specifically, learn to pack light and create as you go.
4. Capture Your Experience
Your sketchbook will evolve into a personal travel journal filled with memories to last a lifetime.
Itinerary
Mixed Media Workshop in Italy
Program subject to change
Day 1
Arrive at our hotel in Milan near Centrale Station. Prior to setting out, a welcome meeting gives an overview of the week. Then, we take the metro to visit the famous Piazza Duomo.
Day 2
To begin with we travel to Rapallo by train. Then, an orientation walk ends with a panoramic funivia ride. Later, enjoy an art class and our welcome meal looking over Portofino.
Day 3
Start the day strolling the colorful farmer’s market in Rapallo. Then Tiffany will teach a class filled with the treasures you find. In the afternoon and into the evening we will explore the ancient fishing villages of the Cinque Terre.
Day 4
Walk the spectacular coastline between colorful Santa Margherita Ligure and famous Portofino. Then return to Rapallo for art class by a scenic ferry ride. Later, we’ll gather for a food and wine tasting of local specialties.
Day 5
After breakfast a private transfer brings us to Lake Como at the base of the Italian Alps. First, an orientation walk will help you get your bearings. Afterwards enjoy an art class while sitting beside the pristine lakeshore.
Day 6
Some may start the day early with a cooking class. Others will enjoy a short ferry ride to Bellagio and exploring other nearby villages. In the afternoon reconvene for an art class inspired by the day’s adventures.
Day 7
Start the day with a view of the lake in your final art class. Then, a beautiful walk along Lake Como’s ancient Roman road will bring us to a small village harbor for our farewell meal at an intimate lakeside trattoria.
Day 8
Finally it is time to say goodbye. There are no group activities planned on this day. You may depart at any time. The hotel will hold your bags if your departure is after checkout. (An optional private transfer will deliver participants to Malpensa airport by 9:30am.)
Mixed Media Workshop in Italy
Create memories that last a lifetime.
Inclusions
Mixed Media Workshop in Italy
- Assistance of your host / guide throughout the program
- Tiffany Goff-Smith’s Daily Art Program
- 1 night at 4-star hotel near Milano Centrale
- 3 nights at our 4-star hotel on Rapallo’s waterfront
- 3 nights at select boutique hotel on Lake Como
- All hotel taxes and service fees
- Daily full buffet breakfast
- All transport per the itinerary (start Milan Hotel and end at Lake Como Hotel)
- Cable car trip to Piazza Duomo and gelato
- Transfer from Milan to Rapallo
- Rapallo orientation walk
- Round trip funivia to the hills above Rapallo
- Welcome lunch or dinner (depending upon arrival time to Rapallo)
- Guided walk along coast to Portofino
- Ferry return to Rapallo from Portofino
- Cinque Terre train and park admission to visit the villages
- Optional self-guided hikes between Cinque Terre’s famous seaside towns
- Transfer from Rapallo to Lake Como
- Orientation walk to get to know your neighborhood
- Informal wine and cheese tasting
- Mid-lake ferry passes on Lake Como to visit neighboring villages per itinerary
- Guided walk along the Lake Como Greenway
- Optional cooking class
- Programs are subject to change.
Where in the World?
Italy has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine while remaining utterly true to its traditions. Our walking or art workshop vacation will tour Italy's northern regions. First, our small group meets in Milan, the center of global fashion and design. Next, we explore the sunny Italian Riviera in Liguria. Finally, our vacation ends in the serene foothills of the Alps and stunning Lake Como.
Airport Information
Three international airports serve Milan: Malpensa, Linate, and Bergamo. Malpensa Airport (MXP) is the largest. It usually has the best connections for North American cities. Also, MXP is well connected to Milano Centrale Station by both train and airport busses. You may find information on how to get to Milan from the airport on our blog.
Linate Airport (LIN) is the closest airport to the city. It is located just 7km away from Milano Centrale. From LIN an airport bus can bring you directly to the station.
Bergamo Airport (BGY) is a great choice for anyone traveling on low cost, regional airlines. Specifically, Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air offer regular flights to and from Bergamo. Bergamo is also served by shuttles and public transport to Milan’s center.
For departures, we advise arriving to the airport at least 3 hours early for non-european final destinations and at least 2 hours prior for flights within Europe.
Malpensa is located closer to Lake Como than Linate. From Como, Malpensa also enjoys more frequent and better train connections than Bergamo. Generally speaking, you will find it most convenient and cost effective to fly in and out of Malpensa Airport.
Important Notes
Travel Sketchbook Workshop in Italy
Deposits
Your place on a tour is secured once we have received and confirmed your deposit payment. Before the final payment date, a non-refundable deposit of $500 for walking vacations and $750 for art vacation workshops is required. After the final payment date, the entire tour amount must be received to hold a space on a program.
You may cancel for any reason up to 90 days prior to departure and your non-refundable deposit may be forwarded to a future tour. Any balance on your account will be returned. For complete details please see our Terms and Conditions.
Solo travelers and single supplements
For our guests who are traveling solo... for your comfort we offer private rooms. Whenever possible singles will be placed in the same room category as our double or twin rooms.
Twin / Double Rooms
Please be aware twin beds in Europe may have very little or no space between beds. Also, for double beds, instead of a king or queen mattress, double beds are often two adjoining twin mattresses secured together and made with double bedding.
Fitness
Walking is a part of this program. It is both a means of visiting locations and a way to immerse yourself in a place. Our scheduled walks are usually 1-2 hours long at a casual pace. Participants should be able to comfortably walk 2 miles in an hour. We provide a general description of our walks here. It is your responsibility to know your own physical and medical condition with respect to the advisability of participating in a chosen trip. Please be realistic about your physical abilities when booking an active walking vacation. We suggest you prepare by doing at least 1 hour of walking several times per week, and a longer walk at least once per week. Ideally, include walks with elevation change and stairs. (There are always stairs.) If you have compromised knees, hips, back this tour will be challenging and perhaps not appropriate.
As with any exercise program, we recommend you consult with your physician prior to your arrival regarding the suitability of a walking tour.
Some of our guests find trekking poles helpful on steep or uneven terrain. In Europe they are quite common. Before using them on a vacation, please practice at home. We strongly advise you get comfortable using trekking poles on familiar paths first.
For additional information on these topics and more, please see our FAQ page.
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