Top Italy Art & Culture Classes

Many tours visit the ancient ruins of Pompeii but only a few include the first-hand expertise of an archaeologist guide. Explore the ancient Roman city and discover what life was like before the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the company of a guide who brings history to life while leading you to important buildings and structures such as the Basilica, the Forum, and the thermal baths.

Find your inner Renaissance artist in the historic heart of Florence. This outdoor class takes inspiration from the sights and sounds of the city, and offers seasoned pros and beginners alike the chance to put paintbrush to paper. Perch amongst the buildings and get a helping hand from your instructor on composition, perspective, and color, and walk away with a pencil drawing and watercolor painting to remember the trip.

Take a break from the usual sightseeing and snapping photos in Venice with this special experience that allows you to be an artist for the day. Learn how to capture the sky, lagoon, and historic palaces through the time-honored medium of watercolor. A local Venetian artist takes you to find the ideal corner of the city to paint, where you can create your own artwork.

Head to one of the few remaining artisan mask studios still active in Venice for this mask-making workshop, a wonderful way to unleash your creativity—and craft a unique and expressive souvenir. Learn the history of Venetian masks and the artisans who make them, then paint and decorate your own mask using traditional techniques such as painting and gilding. Your tutor is on hand throughout to help realize your vision.

Take a course on mask-making from a local instructor in Venice, and learn about the history of this ancient tradition. See the traditional art of decorating a mask and see what goes into the preparation for the Venetian Carnival. Then create your own masterpiece to create a special memory from your time in Venice.

The contact with clay: transforming the material with your own hands and creating a shape is fun and exciting. To experience one of the most ancient techniques is to immerse yourself in the very history of our town, a town with an ancient ceramic tradition.

Bring home the ultimate souvenir of your Venetian sojourn—your own papier-mâché carnival mask, handmade to your own design. A local master artisan works with you and your small group to unleash your creativity, as well as sharing stories of craftsmanship and carnival. Work with a whirlwind of materials—not just paint, but feathers, glitter, and trimmings—to create something that’s truly and uniquely yours.

Venetian masks have a long and storied history: during the republic’s heyday, they were used to conceal the identities of residents who engaged in decadent activities. In their masks, peasants and noblemen were equal. Make your own Venetian mask (yours to keep), adorned with sequins, ribbons, and other fineries, under the tutelage of a local artist. All materials are provided.

Immerse yourself in the ancient art of Roman mosaics in a hands-on workshop. Learn traditional techniques, use natural marble, and create your own mosaic masterpiece to take home from an authentic mosaic studio.

Take your crafting skills to the next level and have a special souvenir to remember your trip with this pottery-making class in Ragusa. As it’s a small-group experience, you can guarantee great access to your instructor for questions and demonstrations along the way. As well as learning how to shape the clay, the experience also allows you to get creative and try out painting too.

Let out your inner artist in Lecce, and book a paper-mache class in the city. This private craft workshop offers a way to get creative and bring home a self-made souvenir using an ancient art form. You’ll hear the history behind paper-mache, learn some different techniques, and enjoy a sociable setting with your own personal group.

Partake in one of Italy’s most time-honored art forms during this two-and-a-half-hour small-group glass-blowing workshop on the island of Murano. Suitable for beginners, workshops include a live demonstration and hands-on instruction in shaping molten glass. Make an original art object to take back home as a souvenir, ready for pickup the next day. Your glass piece can also be shipped worldwide at an additional cost.

Get hands-on experience with one-to-one guidance during a private glassmaking lesson. Discover the secrets of Murano glassmaking techniques from one of the most renowned craftsmen of Venice. The 90-minute workshop includes all materials—including your own marvelous glass artwork to take home—plus a 10 percent discount on glassworks from the artist.

Murano glass is one of Venice's most famous crafts, but most tourists never go beyond a glassblowing demonstration. With this hands-on class, take a deeper dive into the city's glass-making traditions by creating colorful beads under the guidance of a seasoned artisan. Discover the historic Venetian art of lampworking using techniques passed down through the centuries, and take away your handcrafted beads as a unique souvenir of your time in the Floating City.

Create your own signature scent in the heart of Florence during a perfume masterclass with a master perfumer at the historic Antica Erboristeria San Simone. Step into a centuries-old apothecary and discover the art of fragrance-making, inspired by the Renaissance alchemists. Craft your personalized 30ml perfume using rare essences, and take home both your custom blend and a certificate to commemorate the experience. A unique and sensory journey awaits.

Explore the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel without spending hours in line on this comprehensive tour, which includes skip-the-line entry and visits to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. Navigate the vast halls, artwork, and history with a guide who offers special insights into collections you would likely miss on your own.

Get an inside peek into the world-famous glassblowing factories of Murano with this small-group tour. From central Venice, ride a water taxi across the Venetian Lagoon to the colorful island of Murano. Watch a glassmaking demonstration by a master craftsman, and enjoy time to browse the factory showroom featuring finished works of art. Finally, attend your choice of hands-on workshop to create a take-home piece of jewelry or mosaic using authentic Murano glass.

You will learn the steps and the history of the dances of Naples, Campania and Southern Italy: tammurriata, tarantella, pizzica. Connoisseurs and experts in the sector will guide you on this unique journey, which will make you discover the cultural fabric of the south from an unusual perspective.

The Doge's Palace prison near St. Mark's Square is where Casanova was held before his famous escape—a specific and unusual piece of Venetian history that standard walking tours rarely cover. This experience combines a guided visit to the historic prison with a hands-on Carnival mask-making workshop led by a local artisan, with a completed mask to take home at the end.

Arts and crafts lovers can join this mosaic-making workshop in Trastevere. Enter a mosaic laboratory near the Botanical Garden and meet the talented artist who will lead you through creating your very own mosaic masterpiece to treasure. Select your design, grab the tools, and let your creativity flow under Nadia's expert guidance. Your finished mosaic will be carefully set in a box for you to take home after curing.

Tuscany has been known for its pottery since ancient times, and with this hands-on class you’ll enjoy an introduction to traditional Tuscan “majolica” in just a few hours. Head to a family-run workshop in Montelupo, a village known for its pottery production since the Renaissance. Visit a real pottery factory and learn about Italian techniques then create your own masterpiece that you can take home alongside a master potter.

Zip around Rome in a classic Fiat Cinquecento with a private local guide and photographer. Cruise through the charming neighborhood of Trastevere, stop at landmarks from the Colosseum to the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola and strike a pose at each stop. Along the way, hear stories about the city’s rich history, enjoy coffee or tea, and leave with photos worthy of a postcard.

Experience a side of Rome rare to visitors with a mosaic-making workshop in the heart of the city—all materials and a silver frame included. Get hands-on instruction in techniques used by 19th-century artisans. Workshops are limited to only seven participants, ensuring each jewelry-maker will get personalized attention. Bottled water is provided, plus a complimentary tea or coffee.

We paint a glimpse of the city under the guidance and with useful advice of the instructor. We work in a small group of up to 6 people, we share pleasant moments of plein air painting. As a result, each participant will take home a watercolor painted with their own hands which will be a souvenir of the beautiful holiday in Verona.