Art Safari’s creative adventures in Africa to Morocco Blue boats beneath golden ramparts 12 – 19 November 2016 with Karen Pearson Escape for a week of painting in colourful Morocco.  This is a residential holiday in the brightly coloured fishing town of Essaouira on the rugged Atlantic coast.

 

Essaouira is a perfect example of a late 18th century fortified town.  We will savour the Moroccan autumn, spending time in the medina soaking in the atmosphere, sketching and painting from some of the town’s most enchanting viewpoints. 

Our Riad is an ancient Souiri house with a central courtyard, fountains full of rose petals and a large sunny roof terrace, it is in an ideal location for exploring.

Essaouira’s medina is a miniature labyrinth of craft-laden streets, colourful carpets and famous blue woodwork on doors in the stone arabesque arches, windows, boats, wheelbarrows; in short, anything that can be decorated blue, is blue – making for contrasting and exciting street paintings. 

There are no cars in the medina and painters are warmly welcomed into the heart of this artistic culture.  Each day we are accompanied by our local guide, who will help us to understand Moroccan customs and uncover some of the fascinating history of this region, you will be encouraged to ask many, many questions.  We will discover Portuguese, French and Berber architecture here and sketch at the bustling port as fishermen bring in their catches, manhandling great barrows of shiny wet fish, and repairing their nets. 

We explore the countryside, driving through plantations of argan trees, we sketch a bustling Berber market with colourful vegetables spread over sacking on the ground, surrounded by friendly weatherworn smiles and braying donkeys.  We enjoy lunch at a fromagerie and spend a day painting, wine tasting, swimming (and snoozing!) at an organic vineyard, where the vines are tended using camel power.

After days filled with art and inspiration you may like to reenergise the oriental way with a Hammam, purifying and detoxifying the skin, indulge in local argan oil treatments, scrubs and massages, recommended for rejuvenation and a heightened sense of well-being.

Before supper take a stroll around the ramparts as the sun is setting to work up an appetite for a delicious tagine. 

Join tutor Karen this November and discover why Essaouira has enchanted so many artists, musicians and film directors.  It feels like little has changed since Orson Welles filmed many scenes for his classical version of Othello here in the early 1950’s.  This is a golden winter-shortening tour, we love it!

If you are joining us from the USA we find that London or Madrid and Marrakech work very well as tour extensions.

 

Tour cost from :  £1450 per person sharing. 

Single supplement available

Our prices include: – All accommodation, meals as stated on itinerary, safari guide and art safari tutor, all group transport Essaouira Airport return, day excursions to local village and vineyard.

Our prices exclude: – Airfares from your home country, departure taxes & visas if required, optional activities, art materials, personal expenses.

Ask for details of our tour extension and spend some extra time painting in Marrakech!

Easyjet now flies from London Luton to Essaouira direct.  We can book your flights for you if you prefer.

	Contact us NOW!
	Make your booking now on +44 (0)1394 382235
	Email: – info@artsafari.co.uk

Please feel free to discuss your own private tour with dates and an itinerary to suit you.