Dates: Sept 14-19 & 21-26 (Monday-Saturday)
Recommended Arrival/Departure: Sunday
Main Demo: Monday, 1:30-4:30pm (welcome reception to follow)
Instruction: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30-12:00/1:30-4:30
Group Dinner: 7:00pm Wednesday
Farewell Get-Together: 7:00pm Saturday

Each 6-day painting workshop in Bellagio costs €1450 per person. Non-painters are welcome to attend the demo and join any of the social functions for €100/week.

The workshop fee covers tuition with 30 hours of instruction, a welcome reception, 1 dinner at a first-rate restaurant, and a farewell get-together. It does not include airfare, lodging or ground transportation. Art supplies are no longer provided except safe paint thinner. 

The painting classes are held in the artist’s home and studio in Bellagio, a few minutes walk from the center of town.  Away from the tourist crowds, it is situated in a quiet neighborhood, on top of a hill, overlooking the harbor of Pescallo. Bellagio, known as the “Pearl of the Lake”, is the most visited town on Lake Como.

Below is a map of Bellagio (click to enlarge) that shows where the 3 recommended hotels are, the artist’s studio and our gallery. If you haven’t been to Bellagio, know that it is a hilly town. The town center has a lower and upper level with about 100 steps in between. The steps are called “salita” as shown in the photo below. To get to the artist’s studio from the center of town, the shortest way is to walk up one of these salita’s. There are no taxis.

We recommend four places to stay in Bellagio, which we have personally inspected for cleanliness and tastefulness.  The first two listed below are located in the center of town, close to restaurants, shops and the ferry dock. The other two are closer to the artist’s studio where the painting workshops are held. Please contact the hotel directly to make a reservation and, to get a discount, tell them you’re taking a FRESIA workshop. 

There are many hotels and rental apartments in the area at different price range, but it’s best to book at least 9 months ahead to have many choices.

RESIDENCE LA LIMONERA
Via Bellosio, 2 – 22021 Bellagio (CO) – Italy
Daniela at info@residencelalimonera.com

Residence La Limonera consists of 11 impeccably clean holiday apartments. A 10% discount on the published rates (ranges from €115-180 per night) has been extended to workshop participants.

A deposit equivalent to 1 night stay is required to get a confirmed booking. The discount will be applied when you pay the balance, which is due upon arrival. If reservation is canceled or modified more than 15 days before arrival date, no penalty will be charged.

This boutique hotel has 29 double rooms with and without lakeviews. A €10 discount on the published rates (ranges from €130-200 per night including breakfast) has been offered to workshop participants.

No deposit is required at time of booking, but credit card info is needed to hold the room. Full payment is due at departure. There is no penalty if cancelled more than 31 days or if modified more than 15 days from date of arrival.

ZINNIA LAKEVIEW APARTMENT
Aureggio – 22021 Bellagio (CO) – Italy
patrizia.pappalardo@gmail.com

If you wish for a more private, quiet place to stay with lakeviews to die for, where you can enjoy lunch or dinner al fresco, this 1-bedroom apartment fits the bill.  It is located in the same property as Fresia’s studio.  It has its own separate entrance/gate for complete privacy. It also has access to a plunge pool and a large terrace. Only a 10-minute walk from the center of town, it affords travelers a feeling of being close to nature. Delight in the sound of birds and crickets; the scent of fresh flowers and herbs; and much more. Book directly at the link provided above or email Patrizia to get a lower rate (versus booking thru Airbnb or other online sites).

PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER

A private transfer from the airport is highly recommended especially if you’re taking a long-haul flight. You can book it by sending an email to Bianca (my contact) at  info@elevenstars.it.  They charge €170 each way from/to Milan Malpensa, €180 from/to Linate and €160 from/to Bergamo.  Let her know you’re our client; otherwise she might quote you a corporate rate. You can pay cash or by credit card at destination.

You can also book a private transfer at http://milan.airports-shuttle.com/. They charge €178 from/to Milan Malpensa, which is the cheapest I found. If you wish to pay by credit card, say so on the booking form.  Entering your credit card info does not automatically give you that option; it simply holds your reservation.  Otherwise, you will have to pay cash at destination.

The nearest airport to Bellagio is Milan Malpensa and it takes about 1 1/2 hours by car. Other nearby airports are Milan Linate and Bergamo Orio Al Serio.

RENTAL CAR

A rental car is not needed once you arrive in Bellagio as you can visit other towns by ferry/bus. However, if you wish to explore a little farther, you can contact these agencies:

AutoEurope – provides car rental service in Milan and Como
Rent A Car F.lli Sala – located in Varenna

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Getting here by public transportation is not only cheap but also easy. From Malpensa airport or Milan city center, for example, you can take a train all the way to Varenna and then a 10-minute ferry ride to Bellagio.  Another option is a train to Como and a ferry/bus to Bellagio. Send us your flight arrival info and we’ll provide you with the best way to get here.

TAXI CABS

Taxi cabs are almost non-existent in Bellagio during the day, so if you need to walk up the steps to get to your hotel/apartment, it’s best to bring luggage that you can carry.

Before you leave home, please check the location of your hotel/apartment, and if you think you will need assistance at arrival, please arrange it directly with the hotel concierge/apartment manager.

In the off chance that you need a cab, you can contact these numbers:

+39 347-484-5905 / lampo412@hotmail.com (Marco*)
+39 329-7032-702 / info@bellagiotaxi.it (Nik)
+39 339 83 26 447 / info@taxiservicebellagio.com

*We know Marco personally so you can mention my name or Jerry’s; he also provides airport transfer.

You will need the following for the painting workshop:

• French easel & palette
• Oil paints (at least 11 colors)
• Filbert brushes (3 sizes)
• Canvas boards/stretched canvas (12×16 in)
• Palette knife
• Vine charcoal 
• Rags or paper towels
• Paint thinner (will be provided)

Download the ART MATERIALS LIST (PDF); it has detailed description of each of the items listed above.

Our intended students are amateur and professional painters who are looking to learn the Impressionist method of painting. We no longer accept raw beginners.  The reason is this: Fresia teaches a structured method that was handed down from teacher to student beginning in Paris around the turn of the last century. If you have been painting for awhile and wish to learn this process to enhance your work, you’ve come to the right place. But if you see the class as a holiday to try out a fun adventure in painting – a perfectly fine desire – this class is not for you.

If you are a raw beginner, however, you can join our online course, which you can access for free for 30 days and, thereafter, for 395 euros for an entire year. If you can study the material online and submit photos of your work, then you may be ready for the live workshop. 

In other words, prospective students are expected to be sufficiently experienced with easels, palettes, and paints so that they do not need help in setting up their equipment, and they arrive with the proper brushes and supplies ready to go. 

This painting workshop is designed for those who are looking to immerse themselves in the five stages of Impressionist painting, and hope to study painting at a deeper level.

To sign up for the class, a non-refundable deposit of €250/week is required.

Please send an email to Conchitina at painting-at-fresia.com and let her know which week(s) you wish to attend. She will then send you a NEXI Money Request and then, after she receives your deposit, an invoice with the workshop confirmation

Class size is limited to 6 students per week and so we advice you to book early.

PAYMENT OF BALANCE

The balance is due on June 15. You will receive a NEXI Money Request a week before the due date. If you fail to pay the balance by the due date, your space will no longer be guaranteed.

AFTER JUNE 15

Full payment is due if you are registering after June 15.  Please contact Conchitina to check if there is any space available and, if there is, she will send you a NEXI Money Request for the full amount.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Refunds on balance paid are given only if we’re able to resell your space to our waitlist.

Travel insurance is highly recommended. You may compare travel insurance thru an online broker such as insuremytrip.com or squaremouth.com, and best to go with a well-known provider such as MH Ross, Travelex, Travel Guard, or Travel Insured Intl.

We reserve the right to cancel a workshop for emergency reasons, in which case you will receive a full refund (€1450/€2900)