MORE Information on Sketching Sicily – Drawing Our Way thru an Ancient Island with Christina and Lisa 

May 14-24, 2027

I am sure the previous page about Christina’s upcoming workshop in Sicily caught your eye and you want to know more so…to continue…

This is a 10-day/10-night travel adventure that will start out in Catania and allow us to visit some unique cities and cultural treasures. We chose Catania for our transportation hub because it has a convenient (and easy to navigate) international airport, which now receives direct flights from New York City JFK airport. Delta has just begun in 2025 to offer a great round trip fare (at last check it was about $850USD) from JFK to Catania (CTA), however there are many other carriers offering flights as well, one being ITA Airways and the prices seem very similar.

(Photo courtesy of Christina Wald)

You will need to depart the USA on the 13th May, 2027 and plan your flight to arrive close to the noon hour on the 14th (you lose a day coming over, but no worries, you recoup that day when you return stateside). We will meet up as a group at the Catania Airport midday on the 14th of May. For some of the carriers (ITA is one), the flight will not be direct but will make a quick plane change in Rome Fiumicino and then continue to Catania. Again, you want to select a flight that gets you into Catania around noon. If you are considering flights arriving several hours later, please DO NOT select those, as we travel as a group to our accommodations, about an hour away. You do not want to miss the transport!

Christina and I have designed a great itinerary which keeps people active but also allows for some down time midway through the 10 days. We want you to see as much as possible while giving you time to work with Christina on modules and exercises she creates specifically for this group. In that way, you’ll be adding to your skillset and likely learning new techniques which you can then take on the road as we spend time at the various cities and sites.

While in Sicily we will be staying in hotel-type accommodations which will provide breakfasts. There are double occupancy rooms as well as a limited number (usually) of singles.  These workshops are priced Per Person, and include not only the accommodations with breakfast, all our ground transportation, Christina’s fees, and most of the activities and entrance fees. In addition, there will be an included welcome dinner for all on the 14th, a vineyard tour and wine tasting (and hopefully lunch) and a last night’s dinner before we depart back to the airport on the 24th. This tour will not include all your lunches nor your other dinners, other than the ones described above. The reason for this is that the Sicilian gastronomical offerings are widely varied and extremely reasonably priced and our guests will have their own ideas about which dishes to try and when. We may also have accommodations (TBD) that offer an onsite dinner restaurant, however that is not guaranteed. Trust me, if you are a foodie, you are definitely going to want to experience the Sicilian cuisine. And if you are someone who would prefer to sketch rather than eat, there are many options for small plates while we are out. Additionally, Sicily is very accommodating should you have dietary concerns.

Regarding luggage – pack judiciously. The weather in May is very comfortable, usually mid 60s to mid 70s during the day. Evenings are a bit lower in temperature but still mild. Flowers will be blooming and the sun will be shining normally. This is the Mediterranean…likely you will want to bring your swimsuit, as we hope to have some time on one of the beaches. Comfortable shoes are a must, and my personal tip is to have TWO different pairs that you can switch out to give your tootsies a break. For tromping around on the volcano, a sturdier pair of walking boots might be a consideration. In general, we are a relaxed and casual group, but you may decide to bring something like a sundress that you can dress up or down, depending on your mood. But know this: if you forget something, there are lots of opportunities to find what you may be needing.

Another few pages of info and a couple of required forms will be sent via email, once you have registered, but there WILL be a new item of import: ETIAS  (European  Travel Information and Authorization System) will finally and officially be implemented this year, which affects all travelers to the EU from the Schengen countries (in this case, USA). You will need to have that handled and I would recommend you not wait until the last minute to do so. The cost is minimal.  Here is a link: ETIAS ｜Apply Here For the Official ETIAS Application

Click here to register or reserve your spot. Click here to return to the previous page. Click here to go to Christina’s website.

Sketchbook Photos courtesy of Chistina Wald