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Botanical Painting and Illustration onGreece’s Pelion PeninsulaTendrils, Berries & Pods – examples from Greek FloraNaturetrek Tour ItineraryOutline itineraryDay 1Fly Thessaloniki and transfer Lagou Raxi, South PelionDay 2/7Natural history excursions around Pelion from LagouDay 8Transfer to Thessaloniki and fly London/ManchesterRaxiDepartsSeptember / OctoberGradingGrade A – easy walks, see grading section for further information.Dates and PricesVisit www.naturetrek.co.uk (tour code GRC18)All botanical paintings Maggie NiagassasNaturetrekMingledown BarnT: 44 (0)1962 733051Wolf’s 34 3HJW:www.naturetrek.co.ukUK
Botanical Painting and Illustration on Greece’s Pelion PeninsulaTour ItineraryIntroductionAccording to Greek legend, Mount Pelion was the summer residence of the Gods of Olympus, andthe homeland of the magical Centaurs. Situated mid-way between Athens and Thessaloniki, thePelion Peninsula extends south from this mountain, surrounded by stunning beaches and beautifulturquoise waters, and is covered in beech and oak forests and shady olive groves. As the heat ofhigh summer slowly morphs into pleasant, sunny autumn days, the peninsula becomes alive withcolour, offering unlimited interest and opportunity for beginner or budding botanical artists topractice their technique.Our guide and tutor for the week will be Volos-based botanical artist Maggie Niagassas:“The plant world with all its splendid diversity hasalways been an inspiration for me. Having beenbrought up in Africa, I was exposed to the many vividcolours and forms which would have a lastingimpression and influence on my artistic career. Mydiploma in Art and Design - General illustration was anatural consequence of these experiences which Icompleted in the UK. This encounter withMediterranean nature motivated me to study botanicalillustration, and in 2007 I acquired my diploma fromthe Society of Botanical Illustration. Since then, I have exhibited several times with the SBA at theirannual exhibition which is held in Westminster, London. I have taught watercolour painting lessonsin Athens and in Limassol, Cyprus. In July 2018, I was awarded the Silver-Gilt Medal at the LondonRHS Plant and Art Fair, for a series of watercolour studies of Mediterranean plants. The paintingswere of plants found along the cobbled paths (kalderimia) in Pelion, Greece.”\ NaturetrekMarch 202
Botanical Painting and Illustration on Greece’s Pelion PeninsulaTour ItineraryWe will be based for the week at the small and comfortable Lagou Raxi Country Hotel. Situated onthe edge of the unspoiled village of Lafkos, where white-washed houses surround village squaresshaded by plane trees, our hotel featuresLagou Raxibeautiful gardens and stunning views over theislands of the Pagasetic Gulf. Each morning wewill enjoy gentle walks and short visits fromour hotel, occasionally travelling a little furtherafield by minibus, before spending ourafternoons learning about botanical paintingand practising our techniques. All materialsrequired for the course will be provided onarrival at our hotel, though you are alsowelcome to bring any of your own if you wish.ItineraryPlease note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverseweather & other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme duringthe course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weatherconditions available.Day 1Fly Thessaloniki, transfer Lagou RaxiWe begin our holiday with a flight to Thessaloniki, using the early morning EasyJet flights fromLondon Gatwick and Manchester which arrive into Thessaloniki around 20 minutes apart in the latemorning. From here, we will drive south to Lagou Raxi Country Hotel on the edge of the village ofLafkos in South Pelion, our base for the week. The drive takes around 3.5 hours, but we will stop forlunch and perhaps a further leg stretch along the way. We will arrive at Lagou Raxi in the afternoon,giving us time to enjoy the views and settle into our rooms before dinner.Lagou Raxi is a small, contemporary hotel built in a traditional style. Rooms are split across three‘houses’ which are set amongst beautifully maintained gardens. There is a swimming pool and therestaurant’s terrace has stunning views across the islands of the Pagasetic Gulf. We will eat at LagouThe kalderimi from Lafkos to Milina NaturetrekMarch 203
Botanical Painting and Illustration on Greece’s Pelion PeninsulaTour ItineraryRaxi each morning and evening, before retiring to perhaps read a book or enjoy a drink at the bar.As well as the large sitting room and bar (with fireplace for cooler evenings), there is a well-stockedlibrary for reading, painting and other quiet activities and a purpose built workroom for our paintingactivities.Days 2 – 7Morning excursions & afternoon botanical paintingWe will keep our plan for the week flexible, but most days will consist of a leisurely morning walkthrough the beautiful olive groves or along paths to the coast, making use of the many ‘kalderimia’,or cobbled mule paths, to aid our exploration of thepeninsula. Maggie will accompany the group, helping us tocollect suitable specimens in preparation for our class back atthe hotel each afternoon. We will return to our hotel in timefor lunch, then spend the afternoon (approximately 2.30pmto 6.30pm) practising our drawing and watercolour paintingtechniques under the expert guidance of Maggie. Maggieoffers guidance and tutoring on both watercolour paintingand illustration with coloured pencils, and you are welcometo try both during the week. Our subjects during the week arelikely to be taken from olive groves, wild beaches, villagecourtyards and the vegetable garden, kalderimi walksthrough Mediterranean forest, and dry and stony landscapesand grasses.Our afternoons in particular will be very flexible, so if youprefer to finish a little early and spend time pottering in Lafkos, or walking down to the beach inMilina (approximately 2 miles, gently downhill the whole way), you are most welcome to do so. Onone day, we’ll take a day off from our painting classes, and, in the company of a guide from thelocal area, take an excursion a little further afield, to Tsagarada – locally famed for its idyllic villagesquare and 1000 year old plane tree – and the Aegean coast.Day 8Transfer Thessaloniki, Fly Gatwick / ManchesterThis morning we must make an early start in order to reach Thessaloniki in time for our late morningdepartures back to London Gatwick and Manchester. We will ensure that we leave time for a legstretch and comfort break along the way.Tour gradingGrade A – we enjoy short walks of up to around 2 miles, all taken at a leisurely pace. NaturetrekMarch 204
Botanical Painting and Illustration on Greece’s Pelion PeninsulaTour ItineraryFocusBotanical painting and the natural history of the Pelion.Food & accommodationWe will be staying in the comfortable Lagou Raxi Country Hotel,close to the village of Lafkos. All rooms have private facilitiesand balconies or terraces. All materials are provided for thebotanical painting course.Accommodation plus breakfast and dinner each day areincluded in the cost of this holiday. Lunches are excluded. Somedays we may choose to eat out at a local taverna, other days wewill return to our hotel for lunch ahead of our afternoonpainting session. We suggest budgeting around 10 per day forlunch.WeatherThe weather at this time of year can be changeable, and whilstwe hope for warm, sunny conditions, it can be cold, wet and overcast at times. You should comeprepared for all possibilities!FlightsOur tour has been arranged to coordinate with the current EasyJet flight schedule from the UK toThessaloniki (although Volos airport is closer, flights from the UK only operate during the summermonths). Flights usually depart the UK early in the morning (around 6am) and arrive back in themid-afternoon (around 2pm). Flights from both London Gatwick and Manchester are available,arriving and departing just a few minutes apart.Your Safety & SecurityYou have chosen to travel to Greece. Risks to your safety and security are an unavoidable aspect ofall travel and the best current advice on such risks is provided for you by the Foreign andCommonwealth Office. In order to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination,it is essential that you refer to the Foreign Office website – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-traveladvice regularly prior to travel.How to book your placeIn order to book your place on this holiday, please give us a call on 01962 733051 with a credit ordebit card, book online at www.naturetrek.co.uk, or alternatively complete and post the bookingform at the back of our main Naturetrek brochure, together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday NaturetrekMarch 205
Botanical Painting and Illustration on Greece’s Pelion PeninsulaTour Itinerarycost plus any room supplements if required. If you do not have a copy of the brochure, please callus on 01962 733051 or request one via our website. Please stipulate any special requirements, forexample extension requests or connecting/regional flights, at the time of booking.Receive our e-newsletterJoin the Naturetrek e-mailing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departuresand new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk to sign up.Views across Pelion NaturetrekMarch 206
Botanical Painting and Illustration on Greece’s Pelion Peninsula Tendrils, Berries & Pods – examples from Greek Flora Naturetrek Tour Itinerary Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf’s Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: 44 (0)1962 733051 E:info@
