Sketchbook Holiday in
Cádiz, Spain
April 16 - 23, 2025 Semana Santa
with Margaret Niven

Taught in English
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2025
Our one-week sketchbook holiday in Spain takes place in the historic Andalusian city of Cádiz. Cádiz exudes a certain mystic quality – attractive, fascinating and almost magical. This city is deemed the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. Established over 3,000 years ago, it stands on a peninsula that juts into the Atlantic Ocean, on the southwestern tip of Spain. This port city is almost entirely surrounded by water. Hence, the Phoenicians called it “Gadir”, meaning “enclosure”. The old town's picturesque skyline features 126 18th century watchtowers built to monitor the coming and going of ships trading with "The New World".
Join Margaret Niven in exploring the old town of Cádiz with your sketchbook in hand. Between the Moorish, Gothic, Renaissance and elegant Baroque architecture, the bustling fish market, the ancient living tradition of Semana Santa, and the colorful flamenco culture, the possibilities here are endless! Margaret will take you to a variety of great drawing spots each morning, and you have your afternoons to go exploring. We then will get together for a show-and-tell each evening at our hotel with our sketchbooks.
As Holy Week (Semana Santa) unfolds before our eyes, we’ll have the rare opportunity to sketch the passionate processions that have been a tradition since the 16th century. Watch in awe as intricate "pasos" (floats) depicting scenes of The Passion are carried through the streets on the backs of men, and sometimes women, flanked by droves of penitents wearing colored robes and tall, pointed hoods. The intoxicating scents of incense and orange blossoms, the soulful music of marching bands, and the glow of candlelight will fuel our creativity, inspiring sketches filled with history, emotion, and atmosphere. Click here for more information about Semana Santa.
We will be walking on old, cobbled streets, and at the beach, with your drawing supplies -- participants should be comfortable with carrying their gear on uneven surfaces and should be fit enough to walk unassisted for at least two hours and manage uneven stairs and occasionally steep footpaths, as we visit historic towns and villages. Not recommended for people with limited mobility.
Margaret is thrilled to be returning to Cádiz where she first travelled with Pleinair Holidays in 2023. She recently retired after decades of teaching community college drawing and sketch classes as well as courses in painting, watercolor and design and is excited to share her love of teaching with her love of travel. There is no better way to get a sense of place than to slow down and sketch it.
Our home will be a charming apartment-hotel in a noble 19th century building. It is typically Andalusian with its interior patio, fountain and vertical garden. It is situated in the heart of the historical quarter of the ancient walled city of Cadiz, on a wide pedestrian street. Two dinners (on arrival and departure nights) and all breakfasts at a cafe are included. For other meals you can enjoy the many tasty local restaurants and tapas bars, or prepare your own meal in your apartment.
Your trip will also include two Cadiz highlights: a quick sketch challenge aboard the Hop On Hop Off double-decker bus, which includes a walking tour, entrance to the Cathedral, and a sherry tasting, plus an evening out to a traditional taverna to see a flamenco performance and enjoy a drink. The rest of the time you'll have plenty of opportunity to explore and sketch down at the beach and throughout the maze of streets in the old town.
There is also the likelihood that we will be able to schedule a meetup with the very active Urban Sketchers of Cadiz group, allowing us to sketch at an iconic location with local artists, and share a beer together afterwards!




Typical Schedule
Subject to change depending on weather, desires of group, or other unforseen circumstances.
Day 1 Welcome Tapas Fiesta
-
Arrival in Cadiz after 2:00 pm, unpack, relax
-
Welcome Tapas Fiesta 8:00 pm
Day 2-7 Sketching
-
Breakfast 9:00-9:50 am
-
Drawing together 10:00 am - 1:00 pm with afternoon free, OR
-
Drawing together 3:00 - 6:00 pm with morning free
-
Get together to review our work 6:00-7:00pm
-
Day 4: Hop On Hop Off bus sketching challenge & tour
-
Day 6: Flamenco show on Thursday night!
Day 7 Farewell Dinner
-
Farewell gourmet dinner, 8:00pm
Day 8 Check Out
-
Breakfast 9:00-9:50 AM
-
Check out by noon

Historic renovated elegance in Cádiz at
El Armador Casa Palacio
Welcome to El Armador Casa Palacio, one of Cadiz's architectural gems, transformed from a noble 19th century palace into luxurious apartment suites. Typically Andalusian with its interior patio, fountain and vertical garden, the building is located in the city's historic center on Calle Ancha, a pedestrian street lined with cafes and boutiques.
We have reserved five spacious and elegant apartment suites, each with efficiency kitchens. Three are studios for 1-2 people, and 2 are 2 bedroom apartments with one room featuring a double bed, and another with two single beds which can be made up as two twins, or a double. Each apartment has a living area, kitchen and bathroom.

Drawing Instructor Margaret Niven
Margaret’s work has been included in exhibitions at Madrone Gallery, Pescadero, Ca; The Monterey Museum of Art; The Radius Gallery in Santa Cruz; The Pacific Grove Art Center; the Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica, Ca and the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts in Los Angeles. She has been nominated for a Rydell Fellowship and is a member of The California Society of Printmakers, The Monterey Peninsula College Printmakers and The Printmakers at the Tannery. She serves on the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission currently as chair and the Friends of the Santa Cruz County Public Libraries as the director of Art in the Scotts Valley Library, hanging four shows a year.

Holiday Director Kate Kilbourne
Since 2000, Kate Kilbourne lived part of the year in San Francisco, California, and part of the year in her house in Trôo, France... until 2017 when her partner Robert bought a flat in Cádiz, Spain. Now Kate and Robert spend the spring and fall all over Europe, running Plein Air Holidays in France, Spain, Italy and in Croatia where they lived for nine months during the Covid pandemic. Kate is fluent in French and is learning Spanish as fast as she can!

Drawings by Margaret Niven
Included in Holiday
-
6 days of instruction
-
7 nights lodging at El Armador Casa Palacio
-
Daily breakfast at cafe
-
Welcome tapas and wine fiesta Saturday
-
Farewell multi course gourmet dinner
-
Hop on Hop off Bus tour
-
Flamenco show, including one drink
Not Included
-
Air fare
-
Travel insurance
-
Medical insurance
-
Train fare
-
Drawing Materials
-
Lunches and dinners are at your own expense, other than the Saturday Welcome tapas and the Friday Farewell dinner. There are plenty of tapas bars and restaurants within walking distance to try -- or you can shop at the farmers & fish market to prepare meals in your apartment
Cost
The cost for the 7 night holiday, inclusive of everything listed under "Included in Holiday", varies according to whether you prefer a single room or are planning to share a double. Accommodation is in the Plaza de Mina Suites.
Shared Room: 2000 euros
Per person
Single Room: 2350 euros
Per person
20% Discount
for non-painting participants
(When booking use discount code: PARTNER)