The best learning holidays to pick up a new skill
We're always thinking about new skills we'd like to pick up and old passions we could revisit, such as drawing, cooking and painting. If learning something new or sharpening your skills is something you're looking to do, learning holidays can be a great motivation.
Learning holidays allow us to both relax and pick up new knowledge and skills, meaning you'll come back feeling refreshed and raring to go. Learning holidays come in all shapes and sizes, too. Perhaps you're a budding botanist looking for inspiration for your own garden, or an aspiring cook looking for new foodie experiences to influence you in the kitchen. Or maybe you're itching to unleash your artistic side on a creative drawing or painting holiday?
Not only will learning holidays have you feeling motivated and refreshed, but they can also take you to beautiful corners of the world like the waterways of the Netherlands to learn about the incredible seven million flowers that bloom in Keukenhof Gardens each spring.
We've rounded up some of the best learning holidays available, so you can find the ideal fulfilling and motivational getaway for you. And don't forget to check out our favourite craft and hobby escapes if you're looking to get really creative this year.
Watercolour painting in The Cotswolds
For budding artists, a trip to the idyllic Cotswolds can be the inspirational kickstart you need to pick up a brush and capture beautiful landscapes on canvas. This heavenly region, with its enchanting honey-pot villages, trickling streams and lush pastures, is the perfect spot for brushing up your painting abilities and spending a few days disconnecting from daily stress in the peaceful English countryside.
Join Prima in the postcard-perfect town of Bourton-on-the-Water for three days of watercolour workshops led by skilled art instructor Alison Carr. The town's charming chocolate-box cottages, traditional tearooms, and stone bridges crossing the River Windrush offer the perfect motivation to put brush to canvas and learn new painting techniques.
Cooking in Bologna and Modena
Is one of your New Year's resolutions to improve your skills in the kitchen? A learning holiday with a food focus can help you with this mission. Italy is a classic choice for a gourmet break, with its famously delicious dishes and passionate local chefs ready to help you learn to recreate them.
Take our six-day foodie tour of Bologna and Modena for example. Both of these cities stand out even in Italy for the quality of their produce, including hearty pastas, meaty ragù, myrtle-spiced mortadella sausage, parmesan, and balsamic vinegar. On our trip, you'll enjoy a special cooking lesson with a local host, who'll show you how to make the most of the flavoursome local produce to create Italian dishes at home.
Pasta making in Puglia
If you're a lover of Italian cuisine looking to up your game in the kitchen, a trip to Puglia with cooking classes should be high on your bucket list. Like most Italian regions, Puglia has its own specific delicacies, one of the most famous being its distinctive orecchiette pasta. Orecchiette means 'little ear,' a name reflecting its delicate, tiny shape.
On Prima's gourmet tour of Puglia, you'll stop by at the home of a local signora in Bari to learn how to make this unique pasta by hand. You'll also enjoy a cookery masterclass at a Masseria - a traditional stone farmhouse. Learn how to prepare rustic Italian dishes before feasting on your culinary creations in the cosy atmosphere of the farmhouse.
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Drawing in the Peak District
The wild and wonderful Peak District is another haven for aspiring artists, who want to learn their craft while surrounded by landscapes of heather-covered moors, sweeping valleys, and intriguing limestone formations. It's hardly surprising that this region has inspired artists for centuries.
Prima has a marvellous learning holiday focusing on drawing, led by the brilliant art tutor Alison Carr. Immerse yourself in drawing with three full days of enriching workshops and unwind amidst the heavenly landscapes of the National Park and the pretty gardens of Peveril of the Peak, a charming country house hotel where you'll be based throughout.
Gardening in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium
When it comes to learning about gardening and flowers, there's hardly a more perfect location than the Netherlands. The country is known for its colourful, manicured gardens, like the acclaimed Keukenhof, where an astonishing seven million flowers bloom each spring.
On Prima's cruise along in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, you'll visit incredible Keukenhof. You'll have the chance to learn more about gardening from a true expert, TV's Charlie Dimmock, who will host an exclusive talk and a Q&A to answer your horticultural questions.
Stargazing in Northumberland
For those who are fascinated by the stars and constellations, a learning holiday with a top astronomer can be an eye-opening experience. And there's no better place in England to go for some stargazing than Northumberland. With minimal light pollution and its pristine dark skies, you'll be able to see dazzling constellations in all their glory on a trip to the Northumberland Dark Sky Park.
Join Prima for an educational three-day getaway with acclaimed astronomer Richard Darn to learn more about the sparkling skies above England. You'll get a chance to up your stargazing skills with exclusive visits to two observatories, with a special schedule of engaging talks, workshops, and captivating demonstrations awaiting you.
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