Spanish Drawing and Painting Break with Tuition
Perfect for beginners, improvers or talented artists, everyone can learn something new on this Escape.
We head to Northern Spain and your chance 'brush' up on your art skills. this break is perfect whether you are already on your artistic journey or just starting out as our teacher is very experienced at helping all levels of budding artist and most all artistic methods . Bring your our gear or we can order a beginners set for your to collect when you arrive and bring back with you to continue your development. This trip includes tuition as well as the wonderful Agara hospitality.
Your holiday includes
- Flights including 20kg hold luggage (if selected)
- Transfers
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 continental breakfasts, 7 light lunches*, 7 evening meals
- Local wine, beer and spirits in the hotel just help yourself
- Tea/coffee available in the house throughout the day
- Transport by minibus
- Tuition with Dale Scott
- Sketch Pads and a canvas
*Note-Lunch provided if at the property or a picnic lunch if walking or cycling, unless the group wish to try local cuisine which will be at their own cost. If you flights are evening arrivals the meal on arrival will be a light snack.
Your holiday extras
- Personal Travel Insurance
- Room supplement
- Optional excursions
- Lunches if you wish to sample the local restaurants
- Personal extras
- Art Equipment
- Extra Canvas Boards
Location & Itinerary
This is a guide and subject to change depending on flight arrivals, departures and weather. Dale will adapt the break to suit as required.
All mediums can be used but Dale will be teaching different techniques featuring various compositions.
- Comillas and San Vicente de la Barquera – Today the focus will be on sea scape as we head to the coast.
- La Colsa – this beautiful village offers us the opportunity to feature structure (church etc)
- Barcena Mayor - home to the most wonderful bridge for our lesson today (and excellent bars)
- The mountain pass to Carmona - enjoy a picnic as you focus on the wonderful landscape.
- Agara - we stay local and explore still life
There will be other options that can be discussed on the holiday.
Travel & Stay
‘Agara’ translated as Home in Sanskrit – your accommodation is a large house that was formerly used as a restaurant but has recently been renovated. It has completely new electrical and bathroom installations and a new kitchen. Despite the physical improvements to bring the house up to modern standards the owners have tried to retain the character of the house. This is a chance for a relaxing break in a home away from home where you can immerse yourself in the local area and culture – you won’t find a choice of bars and nightclubs on your doorstep so if you want a party you’ll have to do it in the house!
There are twelve bedrooms and eight bathrooms; four rooms have bathrooms en-suite and the rest share the remaining four. There is a supplement for an en suite room.
Provisional Flight Information
25/04/26 Edinburgh to Santander Dep: 1410 Arr: 1735
02/05/26 Santander to Edinburgh Dep: 1810 Arr:1925
26/04/26 Stansted to Santander Dep: 1140 Arr: 1440
03/05/26 Santander to Stansted Dep: 1505 Arr:1555
26/04/26 Manchester to Santander Dep: 1615 Arr: 1920
03/05/26 Santander to Manchester Dep: 1945 Arr:2045
NB - Manchester & Stansted flights depart and return Sundays. Edinburgh flight departs and returns Saturday.
Checked in luggage - 20kg all flights
Availability & Pricing
Build Your Quote| Accommodation | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Twin Room Share Ensuite Facilities (female only) | £0.00 | Available |
| Twin Room Share with Shared Facilities | £0.00 | Available |
| Twin Room Share Ensuite Facilities | £89.00 | Sold Out |
| Single Room Shared Facilities | £99.00 | Available |
| Single Room En-Suite | £189.00 | Sold Out |
| Flights | Price | |
| Own flight without transfers | £965.00 | Available |
| London Stansted (Sun-Sun) | £1125.00 | Available |
| Manchester (Sun-Sun) | £1125.00 | Available |
| Edinburgh (Sat-Sat) | £1145.00 | Available |
| Option | Price | |
| Add additional cabin bag | £35.00 | Sold Out |
| Beginners Artist Set | £42.00 | Available |
Not enough spaces left for you? Click here to join the waitlist
Passport validity
For UK passport holders your passport must be:
- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
EU Entry/Exit System (EES)
The new Entry/Exit System (EES) will start operations on 12 October 2025. The Entry/Exit System (EES) will be deployed gradually across the external borders of the 29 European countries over a period of 6 months. These European countries will introduce the different elements of the EES in phases, including the collection of biometric data, such as facial image and fingerprints. This means that travellers’ biometric data (facial image and fingerprints) might not be collected at every border crossing point right away, and their personal information may not be registered in the system. Passports will continue to be stamped as usual.
This progressive implementation will last until 9 April 2026. From 10 April 2026, the EES will be fully operational at all external border crossing points of the European countries using the system.
Further information on the EES can be found on the following link - https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/ltr
ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)
Starting in end 2026 UK citizens are required to have a travel authorisation to enter 30 European countries for a short stay. ETIAS travel authorisation is linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
NB - There is no official date for the ETIAS currently confirmed but when it is introduced it will be your responsibility to ensure that you have arranged this. We will update everyone when the ETIAS is required with information on how to apply for this online.
Travel Insurance
Please ensure that you have adequate personal travel insurance to suit your requirements in place before you travel.
A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the European Union (EU).
UK-issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) are still valid and offer the same cover as GHICs in the EU.
Once your EHIC has expired, you’ll be able to replace it with a GHIC.
NB – A GHIC/EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance!
FCO travel guidance for Spain
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain
Host & Everything Else
Dale Scott - On site 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 (we will ask your favourite tipple 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.
Dale Scott will be your tutor for the break.
Dale will teach with almost any medium including oils, water colours, pastels and sketch.
Dales work is exhibited and sold under his pen name Drysdale Scott
Drysdale A H Scott is a figurative artist who lives and works in Bearsden, in the north of Glasgow.
Scott is a painter who specialises in figure compositions portraits and still life. He creates narrative images that are based on modern day themes and events. Like many of the artists who have had an influence on his work, he has a great interest in “capturing a moment in time”. Composition, realism and strong draughtsmanship are of equal importance to him as is the narrative involved in creating his work. His main influences are – Velazquez, Titian, La Tour, Caravaggio, Hopper, Bacon and Freud.
Since graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 1987, Scott has taught Art and Design in several secondary schools in the Glasgow and North Lanarkshire areas. He has also lectured in continuing education programmes at Clydebank College, Ayr College and at Glasgow School of Art.
Visit https://drysdalescott.com/ for information
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.
Gallery
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