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 Villa Palagione.
Shared Room: 3100 euros
Per person
Single Room supplement: 450 euros
Per person
10% Discount for Early Bird
registration by Dec. 31, 2026
(When booking use discount code: EARLYBIRD)
Extra 10% Discount for
Non-Painting Participants
(When booking use discount code: PARTNER)*
* Only one discount can be applied per booking
The Villa Palagione Cookbook
June 12 - 19, 2027
Sketching & Cooking
with Diane Olivier, Artist
& Paola Poli, Chef
Taught in English
Click below for recent reviews:
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MARCH 8, 2027
Nestled among the Tuscan hills just outside Volterra, Villa Palagione is an elegant estate over 400 years old, lovingly restored by an Italian-German team of artists into an international center for culture and study. Here you'll spend a week sketching and cooking alongside artist Diane Olivier and Chef Paola Poli — a true Volterra native whose recipes carry three generations of Tuscan tradition.
Paola grew up in the historic heart of Volterra and has been part of the Villa Palagione family for over 25 years. What began as an Italian language teacher inviting her students into the kitchen has grown into a full culinary practice rooted in dishes passed down by her grandmother and mother. Under her guidance, you'll learn to roll Pici — the thick, hand-rolled pasta Tuscany is known for — and bake a batch of crunchy Cantuccini, working always with the simplest, most seasonal ingredients the region offers.
Each day pairs offsite visits to local food producers and group cooking classes in the kitchen with time at your sketchbook, illustrating Tuscan ingredients and dishes as you go. By week's end, your drawings and recipes come together into a cookbook that we will produce with your illustrations and Paola's recipes, and which will be shipped home to you after the trip.
Groups are limited to 12, so the week can be shaped around your own interests and pace — whether you're new to sketching, new to the kitchen, or well practiced at both.
This workshop is designed for all levels, from pure beginners to the most experienced artists. Instructor Diane Olivier's sessions include demonstrations en plein air, individual instruction, and critiques. Drawing takes place each morning, with a review of the day's work to close things out.
We will be walking on old, cobbled streets, and through Tuscan hills, with your drawing supplies -- participants should be comfortable with carrying their gear on uneven surfaces and should be fit enough to walk unassisted. You should be able to manage going up and down steep, uneven stairs with their gear. Not recommended for people with limited mobility.
"The best part about the trip was... every part. When we weren't painting the gorgeous landscapes and/or beautiful architecture, we were either exploring the grounds of the chateau, eating delicious food or relaxing and chatting with the other participants and support staff. Definitely the most enjoyable solo-vacation I've ever taken. I look forward to participating in another trip with Plein Air Holidays, hopefully in a new country altogether!"
Karl K.
San Francisco
California
At A Glance
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Small group (min 6 participants/max 10) allowing for personalized instruction at all levels
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7 nights
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Accommodation with ensuite bathrooms in Villa Palagione
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All breakfasts
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4 course dinners every night at Villa
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3 cooking demos followed by lunch
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Visits to local food and wine producers
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10% discount for Early Bird registration by Dec. 31, 2026
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10% discount for non-participants (When booking use discount code: PARTNER)
Included in Holiday
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6 days of instruction
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7 nights lodging at the Villa Palagione
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Van pick up at Pisa airport
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Welcome Aperativo
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Daily breakfast at villa
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3 cooking demo lunches
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Nightly 5-course home-cooked dinners at villa
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Excursions to Volterra & local food producers
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Group vernissage, farewell aperativo
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Color cookbook with recipes and illustrations by you, sent to your home after the trip!
Not Included
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Air fare
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Travel insurance
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Medical insurance
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Train fare
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Drawing Materials
"This week was well organised with extremely friendly support staff around all the time.
We spent time in the most beautiful settings in France.
Since we booked we experienced good communication and it is a very well priced experience.
Thank you very much."
Linza & Jan B.
Johannesburg
South Africa
Villa Palagione
Historic renovated lodging at
The recorded history of Villa Palagione starts 400 years ago, in 1598, at the height of the Florentine dynasty of the Medici family. A plaque names the original owner as Girolamo Minucci. He was a knight and cupbearer of various Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Over the centuries the Minucci family represented the interests of the Medici in this region. The area's vast mineral resources were the source of great wealth and power, but also the cause of numerous power struggles. Since the times of Girolamo the appearance of the estate has changed several times over the centuries, bowing to the tastes of past generations and the dictates of fashion trends. The villa has numerous large rooms and halls. The "Lords and Ladies" lived on the central floor, or "Bel-Etage", where today you can still find the most beautiful murals and frescoes.
Today Villa Palagione has evolved into an internationally renowned centre of culture and study, a place of encounters, learning, enjoyment and creativity. We offer accommodation for up to 65 guests, seminar and conference rooms, as well as beautiful gardens and a pool for recreation and relaxation. Our in-house Tuscan cuisine varies according to the seasons. Included in your holiday rate is a daily breakfast buffet, midday light lunch including choice of one salad or pasta plate with house wine or mineral water, and a delicious 5 course evening meal featuring regional specialties and house wine. Espresso drinks, mixed drinks, wine, soft drinks and mineral water can be purchased whenever desired at the lobby bar (not included in holiday rate, to be paid to the villa at the end of the week.)
Paola Poli
A True Volterra Native with a Passion for Language and Food
Born and raised in the historic heart of Volterra, Paola has been a member of the Villa Palagione family for over 25 years, where she works as an Italian language instructor for international students.
From Family Traditions to the Kitchen
A passionate home cook, Paola possesses a deep, generational knowledge of traditional Tuscan home cooking – a culinary heritage lovingly passed down to her by her grandmother and mother. Her journey into culinary teaching began naturally: she started combining her Italian language courses with hands-on cooking sessions, inviting her students to step into the kitchen and prepare traditional dishes together.
The Birth of the Tuscan Cooking Weeks
Driven by the enthusiastic response of her guests, Paola expanded her offerings and has spent the last several years leading dedicated Tuscan cooking courses.
What You Will Create Together
Paola’s approach to food is centered on simplicity, authenticity, and seasonal ingredients. Under her warm guidance, you will learn to prepare effortless yet spectacular traditional dishes. From mastering the art of rolling "Pici" (the iconic, thick Tuscan handmade pasta) to baking the perfect batch of crunchy "Cantuccini" (the famous local almond biscotti), every recipe is crafted with care, tradition, and the freshest seasonal produce.
Drawings by Diane Olivier
Click to enlarge
"I really don't see how it could be better! You and Tom helped me so much that I was surprised to be able to participate in most everything, except for a couple of naps. The very personal visits to your friends were extra special.
I will definitely recommend this workshop to anyone I see. I have already told my friends that it was so much more than just a fine workshop. In addition, it was a cultural and warm social experience, with gourmet dining, wine and cheese tasting, fitness training, and a final exposition!"
Louise D.
San Luis Obispo
California
Drawing Instructor Diane Olivier
Drawing has always been my primary media, working with both traditional and nontraditional materials on scales ranging from small book size to mural size. My subject matter ranges from figurative, landscape and cityscapes to non-representational. The media ranges from charcoal to graphite, to full color pastels to non-traditional mixed media. The sense of touch between the tools and the paper and the immediacy of the mark are important element in my process. It is a dance between the eyes, the hand and the soul.
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, Portugal, 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!