Sketching Spain

A small-group art journaling adventure through some of Spain's most visually rich landscapes with urban sketcher, Taria Dawson. Eight days of architecture, coastline, and guided exploration for anyone drawn to capturing the world in their own hand.

Spain

BARCELONA → TARRAGONA → MONTSERRAT → COSTA BRAVA

Host: taria Dawson

From €4,965

15 people

HOLD MY SPOT

Day 1

Mar 4, 2027

The Journey Begins

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Dinner (optional food & wine tour)

Sketching Workshop

No

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

An optional early arrival food and wine tour sets the tone for the week - decoding Barcelona through its bars, restaurants, and neighborhood stories. For those arriving later, the evening is yours to settle in and get a first feel for the city before the journey begins in earnest.

Day 1

Mar 4, 2027

The Journey Begins

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Dinner (optional food & wine tour)

Sketching Workshop

No

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

An optional early arrival food and wine tour sets the tone for the week - decoding Barcelona through its bars, restaurants, and neighborhood stories. For those arriving later, the evening is yours to settle in and get a first feel for the city before the journey begins in earnest.

Day 2

Mar 5, 2027

A Welcome in Gaudí's City

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Dinner

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

The first sketching session unfolds in the relaxed surroundings of the hotel - a gentle introduction to the creative rhythm of the week. As evening falls, the group steps into an exclusive after-hours tour of Casa Vicens, Gaudí's earliest major work, followed by dinner nearby.

Day 2

Mar 5, 2027

A Welcome in Gaudí's City

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Dinner

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

The first sketching session unfolds in the relaxed surroundings of the hotel - a gentle introduction to the creative rhythm of the week. As evening falls, the group steps into an exclusive after-hours tour of Casa Vicens, Gaudí's earliest major work, followed by dinner nearby.

Day 3

Mar 6, 2027

Discovering Catalan Modernisme through Sketch

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

A four-hour sketching journey through Barcelona's Modernist heart. The group explores the city's layered architectural story on foot, sketchbook in hand, with a guide and lunch included. The evening is free to explore independently.

Day 3

Mar 6, 2027

Discovering Catalan Modernisme through Sketch

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

A four-hour sketching journey through Barcelona's Modernist heart. The group explores the city's layered architectural story on foot, sketchbook in hand, with a guide and lunch included. The evening is free to explore independently.

Day 4

Mar 7, 2027

Tracing Roman Routes: Tarragona

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

A full day outside the city. Tarragona's Roman ruins and medieval old town offer a different visual vocabulary - stone amphitheaters, clifftop views over the Mediterranean, and streets shaped by two thousand years of history. A knowledgeable guide leads the group through it all, with time to sketch along the way. Evening at leisure.

Day 4

Mar 7, 2027

Tracing Roman Routes: Tarragona

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Catalonia Boulevard, Barcelona

Overview:

A full day outside the city. Tarragona's Roman ruins and medieval old town offer a different visual vocabulary - stone amphitheaters, clifftop views over the Mediterranean, and streets shaped by two thousand years of history. A knowledgeable guide leads the group through it all, with time to sketch along the way. Evening at leisure.

Day 5

Mar 8, 2027

Drawing the Land: Montserrat & the Penedès Vineyards

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Sant Roc Hotel, Calella de Palafrugell

Overview:

The day heads inland toward Montserrat, where dramatic rock formations rise sharply above the Penedès plains. After a morning of sketching against that remarkable backdrop, the group winds down through vineyard country for a wine tasting lunch before making its way to the Costa Brava.

Day 5

Mar 8, 2027

Drawing the Land: Montserrat & the Penedès Vineyards

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Sant Roc Hotel, Calella de Palafrugell

Overview:

The day heads inland toward Montserrat, where dramatic rock formations rise sharply above the Penedès plains. After a morning of sketching against that remarkable backdrop, the group winds down through vineyard country for a wine tasting lunch before making its way to the Costa Brava.

Day 6

Mar 9, 2027

An Artist's Dream: Dalí's House & Cadaqués

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Sant Roc Hotel, Calella de Palafrugell

Overview:

The day begins in Cadaqués, the whitewashed coastal village where Salvador Dalí spent much of his life. The group visits his house and studio at Portlligat before wandering the village's narrow lanes and harborfront with sketchbooks open. Evening at leisure.

Day 6

Mar 9, 2027

An Artist's Dream: Dalí's House & Cadaqués

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch

Sketching Workshop

Yes

Accommodation

Sant Roc Hotel, Calella de Palafrugell

Overview:

The day begins in Cadaqués, the whitewashed coastal village where Salvador Dalí spent much of his life. The group visits his house and studio at Portlligat before wandering the village's narrow lanes and harborfront with sketchbooks open. Evening at leisure.

Day 7

Mar 10, 2027

A Taste of the Costa Brava: A Culinary & Artistic Voyage by Boat

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch (on boat), Farewell Dinner

Sketching Workshop

Optional

Accommodation

Sant Roc Hotel, Calella de Palafrugell

Overview:

A 5-6 hour private boat trip along the Costa Brava coast, with a gourmet lunch on board and time to sketch the sea, the cliffs, and the fishing villages from the water. The evening closes with a farewell dinner - a chance to share sketchbooks and reflect on the week.

Day 7

Mar 10, 2027

A Taste of the Costa Brava: A Culinary & Artistic Voyage by Boat

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast, Lunch (on boat), Farewell Dinner

Sketching Workshop

Optional

Accommodation

Sant Roc Hotel, Calella de Palafrugell

Overview:

A 5-6 hour private boat trip along the Costa Brava coast, with a gourmet lunch on board and time to sketch the sea, the cliffs, and the fishing villages from the water. The evening closes with a farewell dinner - a chance to share sketchbooks and reflect on the week.

Day 8

Mar 11, 2027

Departure

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast

Sketching Workshop

No

Accomodation

No

Overview:

After breakfast at the hotel, a private transfer takes the group back to Barcelona. Leave with a sketchbook full of Catalunya - its stone façades, coastal light, and the particular quality of a March sky over the Mediterranean.

Day 8

Mar 11, 2027

Departure

Daily snapshot:

Meals included

Breakfast

Sketching Workshop

No

Accomodation

No

Overview:

After breakfast at the hotel, a private transfer takes the group back to Barcelona. Leave with a sketchbook full of Catalunya - its stone façades, coastal light, and the particular quality of a March sky over the Mediterranean.

Meet Taria Dawson

An artist who makes sketching feel joyful, personal, and alive.

British sketchbook artist and author Taria Dawson has spent years exploring the world through ink, watercolor, and handmade craft. Her warm teaching style makes sketching feel approachable for beginners and experienced artists alike. Her ebook Sketchy Adventures Around the World captures her belief that a sketchbook is more than a record - it's a way of noticing. On this journey, Taria leads the group through Catalunya's architecture, landscapes, and coastal light, sharing techniques and prompts that help each scene come alive on the page.

HOLD MY SPOT

Where you'll stay

Spaces chosen for comfort, atmosphere, and access to great sketching.

CATALONIA BOULEVARD, BARCELONA

3 nights • A well-located 4-star hotel in the heart of Barcelona's Eixample district, steps from Passeig de Gràcia and the great Modernist buildings that anchor the week's first days. On-site dining, comfortable rooms, and an easy base from which to explore the city.

SANT ROC HOTEL, CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL

3 nights • Set on a hill overlooking the bay at Calella de Palafrugell on the Costa Brava, Sant Roc has a terrace, garden, restaurant, and direct access to the Mediterranean. The village center is a short walk, and the hotel's position above the water makes it a natural place to sketch at any hour of the day.

Pricing

PRICE PER PERSON (based on double occupancy): €4,965
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: €645

This trip requires a minimum of 7 participants to run.

How booking works:

Hold My Spot - €100 (refundable within 30 days of payment)
Reserve your place while you confirm your plans.

Deposit - 50% of total trip cost
Due by 4 September 2026 (6 months prior to departure)

Balance - Remaining amount (total minus Hold My Spot fee and deposit)
Due by 4 January 2027 (2 months prior to departure)

HOLD MY SPOT

Practical questions, answered clearly.

What to expect

What makes Sketching Spain different from a typical group tour?

Do I need any artistic experience to join this small group trip?

What is the group dynamic like?

How physically demanding is the trip?

Can dietary restrictions or allergies be accommodated?

Are double rooms only for two travelers, or can solo guests share?

What makes Sketching Spain different from a typical group tour?

Do I need any artistic experience to join this small group trip?

What is the group dynamic like?

How physically demanding is the trip?

Can dietary restrictions or allergies be accommodated?

Are double rooms only for two travelers, or can solo guests share?

What’s included in the trip?

Will there be free time during the trip?

What should I pack for the sketching workshops?

Why is Adler Marlow well-suited to hosting small group trips in Spain?

How do we accommodate mobility, dietary, or health needs for multiple generations?

What is the weather like in Spain during March?

What’s included in the trip?

Will there be free time during the trip?

What should I pack for the sketching workshops?

Why is Adler Marlow well-suited to hosting small group trips in Spain?

How do we accommodate mobility, dietary, or health needs for multiple generations?

What is the weather like in Spain during March?

I’m ready to say yes.

Share a vision, a wish, or a feeling and we’ll help shape it into a journey.

Join the trip