Croatia & Slovenia 2018

Croatia & Slovenia

May  9 – 17 or with extended 4 days May 9 – 21 /2018    
Sold Out!

Photography / Plein-Air Painting Workshop
Taught by Scott Williams & Niki Gulley

Lake Bled

It’s time to venture into a new part of the world with our Art Treks destinations, Slovenia & Croatia. We will commence our adventure in the old world section of Ljubljana, move to an exploration of the waterfalls at Plitvices Lakes National Park and culminate in the storybook setting of Lake Bled. You will also have the option of extending the adventure for 4 additional days in Croatia, so read all way to the end!

Dragon Bridge

Come with us as we take in the sights on the first leg of our journey in Ljubljana. Enjoy the scenery as we glide by on a cruise through the heart of the city, before heading into the old square. Marvel at the view from the funicular as you climb towards the imposing castle situated on top of the hill overlooking the city. Add to this the cathedrals, old world architecture and dragon bridges, and it makes for one great start to an amazing adventure!

“Falling Water”

Not to be outdone by any stretch of the imagination, is the next stop on our trek, the simply stunning waterfall filled wonderland of Plitvices Lakes National Park. This natural wonder is comprised of 16 cascading lakes of one flowing into another, thereby creating hundreds of waterfalls. This awe inspiring Park just keeps getting better at every turn and is one of those places that will remain with you long after you depart.

Lastly is one of the most picturesque spots that I have ever run across in my travels, Lake Bled. This storybook location is something out of a fairytale, set along an Alpine lake with an iconic church nestled upon a tiny island in the middle of the lake and a spectacular medieval castle cliff side. This idyllic location is purely breathtaking! While there we will also traverse the wooden walkways suspended above the rushing water that carved its way through the rocks as it created Vintgar gorge. Finally, what better way to end your visit than by having an amazing dinner at Bled castle looking out over the lake while enjoying sunset.

Ljubljana

Niki will conduct the Plein-Air Painting Workshop from different picturesque locations daily, teaching through a combination of demos, discussions, assistance and critiques. Sessions will be broken into one half day outings of either morning or afternoon locations, with the other half day set asid
e for exploring the cultural side of the area. There will also be plenty of time in between for shopping, sightseeing or to dine al fresco for a leisurely lunch.

Scott will take the photographers on a daily walking tour, giving you the opportunity to experience the trip through your lens as he guides you to use your camera to define what you see while achieving your own artistic vision. As with the painters, there will be half day destinations, with time allowances for exploring on your own.

This unique Workshop affords you the option to choose which aspect interests you, whether it is painting, photography or both. Thereby giving you an opportunity to make the most of your Art Treks experience.

There will also be valuable critique sessions throughout the workshop. This will give everyone an opportunity to discuss the day’s events, compare notes, ask questions and get a chance to know each other. It also presents a unique option to get views and perspectives from both painters and photographers.

Dubrovnik Sunset

So come join us as we take you on an inspirational exploration of Croatia & Slovenia with an emphasis on observation and perception as we help you develop your own style – or just ride along to enjoy the countryside, as artists and non-artists alike are welcome.

Space is limited to 12 participants on a first-come basis, so we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible. There will also be space open for non-participating partners at reduced rates on a limited basis.

Work Shop includes:

  •  Private van transportation to Ljubljana, Plitvices Lake National Park and Lake Bled.
  •  Lodging for 2 nights near the old town in Llubljana, 2 nights at Plitvices and 3 nights in Lake Bled.(Accommodations are in shared rooms, although a few single rooms may be available at an extra fee)
  •  Boat trip & funicular with entrance into the castle in Ljubljana
  •  2 day pass to Plitvices Lake National Park
  •  Breakfast every day 
  •  Entrance to Vintgar gorge and Lake Bled Castle
  •  Wine tasting in Lake Bled
  •  Emergency Medical insurance
  •  Instruction, guidance, experience and fun

Your cost for all of this is $4,795 and to reserve a spot, simply send a completed application form along with your deposit of $1,500 per person by 5/6/17. There also is a final application cut off date of 10/7/17. Prices after the cut off date are based on current airfare.

A second payment of one half of the remainder after deposit is due by 8/12/17, with a final payment due by 10/28/17. For those wanting a single occupancy room, there will be an additional cost of $750 or $1,000 for the extension. We can take credit card payments, however it will incur a 3.5% fee.

There has to be a minimum of 6 people for the workshop to make. If the 6 person minimum is not met by the deadline, deposit will be refunded.

There is a discount of $350 for partners wanting to accompany participants on the trip, but not take the workshop. We will also setup optional spa tours and food, wine or cooking classes where  available at an additional cost for participants not interested in the painting/photography sessions.

Dubrovnik

But wait there’s more!

For those people interested in extending the Croatia part of their adventure, we will be continuing on for another 4 days of cultural experiences. This part of the journey is geared more towards the epicurean side of travel. Which will include sampling some of the best food and wine that Croatia has to offer.

We will continue our trek by flying to Dubrovnik, where our 4 night stay will be in 4 star accommodations with views of the harbor and will serve as our base of operations.

Winery Tour

Admire this pearl of the Adriatic as you stroll atop the ancient city walls gazing out across the shimmering azure sea or just wander the marble paved streets marveling at the baroque buildings. No trip here would be complete without a boat excursion around the harbor or a cable car ride to the top of the mountain for views of the city.

Last but by no means least, is the main reason for this extension, food and wine! This section of coastline produces some of the best seafood in Croatia, as well as
some simply extraordinary wines. So we will venture forth to the Peljesac peninsula to stop in and sample various wines from a selection of the best wineries in the area. If you are going to be there, you have to go to Mali Ston bay for an assortment of seafood.

Work Shop includes:

  •  Hotel for 4 nights in 4 star accommodations, private van transportation. (Accommodations are in shared rooms, although a few single rooms may be available at an extra fee)
  •  Boat excursion in Dubrovnik 
  •  Wine tasting
  •  Breakfast

Your cost for the extra 4 days of taste bud pleasing adventure is $1,500, for a total of $6,550 for the entire 12 day extravaganza. To reserve a spot, simply send a completed application form along with your deposit of $2,000 for the entire trip per person by 5/6/17. There also is a final application cut off date of 10/28/17. Prices after the cut off date are based on current airfare. 

Our trips, while not overly strenuous do require a reasonable amount of physical fitness. In order to derive the greatest experience from our destinations, we spend a fair amount of time walking within each location. Our goal being that each person should see and experience as much of the scenery and culture as possible during our excursions.

In the event of inclement weather, arrangements will be made for museum visits etc. Once deposits are received, there will be no refunds for cancelations as trip arrangements will have been made. We suggest trip insurance for travel difficulties or unforeseen illness.

Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help you in any way and we hope that you will be able to join us!

Scott Williams       214-289-8512      /       Niki Gulley     214-803-5812

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Email Scott, photoguy@blind-squirrel.org  if you are interested in joining us.