Collage Sketchbook, Art Workshop in Spain
Join artist Karen Stamper for a weeklong vacation visiting lively Barcelona and Costa Brava's coastlines and backroads
Dates: September 5-11, 2027
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Start: Barcelona, Spain
End: Barcelona Airport
Visit: Barcelona, Palamós, Pals, Peratallada, Calella de Palafrugell
Cost: from $3,695 based on double occupancy
All prices in US dollars, land only.
Collage Sketchbook Art Workshop in Spain
Discover the perfect blend of small‑group travel and inspired art classes on Karen Stamper’s Collage Sketchbook Art Workshop in Spain. This special, women‑only program is designed for fun, laughter, creativity, and the joy of exploring together. If you’re looking for a creativity-filled vacation that feels both unique and deeply authentic, join us for Karen’s sketchbook‑based journey through Spain’s vibrant culture and coastal beauty.
This leisurely paced, small‑group adventure is filled with shared moments and easy companionship, whether you’re reconnecting with old friends or meeting new ones. We’ll begin in bustling Barcelona before settling in for five relaxing nights along the enchanting Costa Brava. Each day, our gentle walks and Karen’s inspiring art sessions will help you take it all in—the light, the colors, the sounds, and the atmosphere that make this region so unforgettable.
We never missed an opportunity to create – whether it was sitting on a doorstep painting the view or sitting in a cafe, pasting in the paper placemats from our latest meal and drawing over the top. Karen was there to offer individual advice and suggestions. She allowed us to work with our strengths to create a unique record of our travels – and my goodness, did we have fun doing it.
Karen Stamper Collage Sketchbook Gallery
What to Expect
Collage Sketchbook Workshop in Spain
Art Program
During our first days together, we’ll visit a fabulous Barcelona flea market to hunt for vintage papers, patterns, textures, and other irresistible bits and bobs. On our daily walks, you’ll keep an eye out for anything that sparks your imagination. Each day, Karen will guide you in transforming these found treasures into your own mixed‑media, collaged art journal.
Students will work in an A5 concertina sketchbook, gradually filling 10-15 pages over the week. Daily on-site classes of about 1 hour will be complemented by “studio” sessions of one hour or more on our hotel’s seaview terrace. Karen will introduce a playful mix of techniques—paper collage, inks, watercolours, gesso, and a variety of drawing tools. Additionally, short materials list of what to bring will be provided to students prior to departure.
Touring
Barcelona
First, you’ll arrive in beautiful Barcelona, Spain. Karen’s art workshop begins with one night exploring the food, culture, and historic center of Barcelona. Our urban strolls will introduce you to lesser known destinations off the usual tourist map.
Together, we will travel by metro to the district of El Poblenou. Caught in the flux between aging workmens’ housing and grandiose re-gentrification projects, El Poblenou is Barcelona epitomized. There you can treasure hunt at the Mercat dels Encants – one of the oldest flea markets in Europe. Then we will tour the impressive Sant Pau. A former hospital, it has been beautifully restored and is now a spectacular Art Nouveau site.
Costa Brava
Next, it’s off to the coast. The Costa Brava extends northeast from Barcelona to the French border. It is known for its charming fishing villages and dramatic coastlines with stunning beaches, bays, and inlets. Here we spend five nights at Calella de Palafrugell. Still a small fishing village, it hosts an array of family run restaurants, cafes, and interesting galleries. Each day, private transfers to our half-day walks will explore pristine coastlines and nearby towns. Our program will end the morning of the last day with a transfer to Barcelona airport.
What You’ll Love
Sketchbook Workshop in Spain
1. Small group classes
With no more than 14 guests, expect a friendly intimate feel and quality time during art classes
2. Movable Studio
Develop skills and techniques to use whenever you travel. Specifically, learn to pack light and create as you go.
3. Capture Your Experience
Your sketchbook will evolve into a personal travel journal filled with memories to last a lifetime.
4. Planning with Care
We take care of the details. You enjoy your vacation!
What’s Included
Collage Sketchbook Art Workshop in Spain
- Daily sketchbook journal art classes with Karen Stamper
- The assistance of your Art Walk tour directors throughout the week
- All transfers per the itinerary
- Full buffet breakfast daily
- All hotel taxes and service fees
Barcelona:
- One night at our select, centrally located, 4-star hotel
- Orientation meeting and walk
- Welcome dinner
- Admission to the Art Nouveau site Hospital de Sant Pau
- Visit the Encants Vells Flea Market
Costa Brava:
- Private group transfer from Barcelona hotel to Calella de Palafrugell
- Five nights at our waterfront, family-owned hotel
- Orientation walk
- Guided daily walking itineraries unique to The Blue Walk. (Walks are optional)
- Easy coastal walk Calella de Palafrugell to Llafranc
- Through pine forests and along dramatic coastlines, Cap Roig to Palamos
- Pals to Peretallada, through the rolling Spanish countryside between beautiful medieval villages
- Farewell dinner
- Private group transfer from Calella de Palafrugell to Barcelona Airport arriving by 10:00am.
- All hotel taxes and service fees
Example Itinerary…
Collage Sketchbook Workshop in Spain
Actual daily schedules may differ.
Day 1
Start our art workshop at our centrally located hotel in historic Barcelona, Spain. It’s in a quiet area yet within easy walking distance to many of the main sites. After a program overview and warm up art class, we will set out for an orientation walk to get to know the neighborhood. Then finish the evening with an abundant welcome dinner at our favorite tapas restaurant. Mixed media art workshop in Spain
Day 2
Begin the day in a sketchbook class with a brief metro ride to a stunning Art Nouveau site, Recinte Modernista Sant Pau. Afterwards, our art workshop in Spain will visit the Encants Flea Market. In the afternoon we will transfer to the Costa Brava. Then enjoy a relaxed art class on the seaview terrace. In the evening an orientation walk will introduce you to our beachside village.
Day 3
In the morning, enjoy an art class with Karen capturing our charming seaside village. Later in the afternoon you will have time to relax, take a dip in the sea, and discover the local shops. That evening, we will gather for a gentle coastal walk to a nearby village. This also happens to be the location of one of our favorite gelato shops!
Day 4
Today your art workshop in Spain will be inspired by medieval towns and rolling countryside. Start in Pals, with its winding stone alleyways and many artisan shops. From there walk country lanes to the town of Peratallada. This is a beautiful walk through olive groves, oak forests, vineyards, and rolling fields. Along the way Karen will choose an inspiring location for class. art workshop in Spain
Day 5
Join us for a walk through fragrant pine forests and along wide, sandy beaches. From the botanic gardens at Cap Roig, we’ll follow a coastal path shaded by pines toward the golden sweep of Platja de Castell. Enjoy time to sketch from a shady lounge chair, then walk back with the group or linger for a few relaxing hours in the sun before returning by taxi to the hotel.
Day 6
Today is all about coastal views and trails. We will pass fishing villages and Roman ruins before reaching our destination of Palamós. Karen will lead fun, seaview sketch sessions along the way. In Palamós we will celebrate with a group lunch at a family-run, Catalonian restaurant. Afterwards, our transfer will return us to our hotel for a farewell happy hour and journal share.
Day 7
Finally it is time to say adiós to your art workshop friends. After breakfast a private transfer will deliver our group to the Barcelona International Airport by 10am. There we will bid farewell until the next time.
Leisurely Walks, Inspired Art Classes, and Copious Creativity
Where in the World?
Barcelona, known for its art, architecture, and cuisine, is located at the Mediterranean sea in the very north of the Spanish coast. It is certainly the most cosmopolitan and economically most active city in Spain. The Costa Brava is located to the north of Barcelona, and stretches for more than 200 km from Blanes to Portbou. It is renowned for the diverse landscape of its beaches and coves, the quality of its waters, its excellent cuisine and centuries-old cultural legacy. We are excited to introduce this region through our Spain walking vacation.
Airport
There is one international airport in Barcelona, El Prat (BCN), located about eight miles southwest of the city center. It has two terminals: Terminal 1 is the arrival point for international flights, as well as the Spanish carrier Vueling; Terminal 2 serves mainly low-cost European carriers, such as Ryanair and easyJet.
If you’re flying from the US, even if you’ve passed through customs in another European airport, you’ll likely be landing in Terminal 1.
There are a variety of transportation options from Barcelona’s airport to the city center including private driver, taxi, bus, train, and metro. No matter which you choose, you can get from the airport to the center in about a half hour.
Important Notes
Mixed Media Art Workshop in Spain
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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Walking Tours
Are you looking for a leisurely European walking vacation or a travel journal-based art vacation? To learn more, select your destination country or program type below. We will take you there!
To learn more about The Blue Walk difference please read our About The Blue Walk page.
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