Spanish Drawing and Painting Break with Tuition

Included in your trip is a continental breakfast, light lunches (available if we are at the property or a picnic lunch if on a a walk or cycle ride) and evening meal everyday. Also, there will be complimentary tea/coffee available for you to help yourself to.

Locally sourced spring water will be available in the house so you won’t need to worry about getting bottled water unless you really want to. Finally local wine, beer and spirits will be available between 6-12pm every day (if you have a favourite tipple let us know before you travel to make sure we are well stocked!); these drinks will also be available at other times for a small charge and premium brands will also be available at any time for a charge.

Sample Menu (based on a 7 night stay - shorter trips will feature part of the menu)

Breakfast

Alternates between boiled eggs one day and fried eggs and bacon the next supported by yoghurt, muesli, cornflakes, toast, marmalade/marmite/peanut butter, fresh orange juice and endless tea and coffee.

Dinner

Day 1 – tapas and Cava/Prosecco round the fire followed by roasted salmon with buttery new potatoes.

Day 2 – Homemade courgette soup spiced with Ethiopian Berbere followed by Duck confit with duck fat roasted potatoes and wilted greens.

Day 3 – Fresh asparagus followed by curry choices. Chicken masala, curried chestnuts and spinach curry. All with rice and homemade lime pickle, mango chutney, green tomato chutney and yoghurt accompaniment.

Day 4 – Tomato and mozzarella salad followed by seared tuna and new potatoes with a choice of salads.

Day 5 – Avocado and smoked salmon followed by Cantabrian Mountain stew (Pork and butter beans in a rich gravy)

Day 6 – Melon and Serrano ham followed by Tudanca beef joint (Tudanca being a local breed of cow).

Day 7 – Grilled Sardines followed by slow cooked Pork belly with roasted potatoes and baby leaf spinach.

We work hard to cater for all types of allergies and preferences. Oat milk is always available and gluten free is also possible if we know in advance. If most of the group prefer less fish then we will adjust the menu (and we can do the reverse too!). Roast Salmon or Tuna might be substituted for slow roasted leg of mutton with herbs and garlic, as an example. We also work hard to cater for vegetarians and vegans and to date all the guests have offered really positive feedback on the food we provide. Its hearty and nutritious with an informal presentation – that’s Agara!

NB - If you flights are evening arrivals the meal on arrival will be a light snack.

I am just back from the Spice painting break in Santander.

I have to say, the pre trip itinerary did not do justice to the whole experience!

The house was stunning, traditional, homely, but with modern facilities and incredibly comfortable accommodation.

Rob, our host, was unsurpassed. He welcomed us into his home, he cooked the most amazing meals, all home made, he took us out every day all day, and we benefitted from his local knowledge and our instructor Dale's advice so that a wide range of different locations could be enjoyed.

We painted in town squares, lush peaceful valleys, traditional villages, harbours, and at the top of a mountain, where Rob uncorked Prosecco and we dived into a picnic hamper full of traditional Spanish fare. And lunch at local restaurants, where not a word of English was spoken, left us in no doubt that this was authentic northern Spain.

Oh, yes, I have to say a favourite time was after dinner each evening we sat in front of a log fire each evening with cheese and chocolate, helping ourself to wine, beer or spirits.

But it wasn't all about the food!

Dale, our instructor/now ally and painting confidante, helped us all perfect our work, so that we grew in confidence each day.

By late afternoon we would return to the house and build on our daytime pieces, with the benefit of his advice and extensive experience as a celebrated artist in his own right. Its fair to say he nurtured and encouraged all of us, and our different styles and preferences were accommodated so that we grew in confidence.

The whole trip was a pleasure, and a it was a joy to meet like minded people in such a glorious setting. I shall certainly take my new found skills, (and pre ordered painting kit), on more trips.

Please bang the drum for this holiday ...I feel the itinerary did not even come close to describing the experience!

Thanks to Rob, Dale, you guys for organising flights and admin, and to everyone in the group ...I think we can agree we had the very best time.

FCO travel guidance for Spain