Spark your imagination and feed your soul! Da Vinci Capers invites you to join us for a magical, carefree week in the spirited and passionate land of Italy.

Da Vinci Capers immerses you in the authentic Italy. It is a world of senses – the sounds of clanking cups and the whish of espresso, the sips of Chianti and whiffs of fresh basil . . . It is the whirl of organized confusion, or as Beppe Severgnini says, "It's the kind of place that can have you fuming and then purring in the space of a hundred meters . . ."

Each day we have un gusto, a taste, of the creative, culinary, of language arts through the lessons of Leonardo da Vinci.

Da Vinci Capers is an experience, not a tour!

Some of our teachers are world-renowned experts. But most importantly, they inspire us – whether we are a novice or very accomplished. When we are not doing art, we are invited for exclusive demonstrations or tours to complement our adventures. And we leave time to take a stroll, mingle with the locals or just people-watch. An open morning is built into the itinerary for activities such as golf, horseback riding, spa, hiking, biking – or just lounging by the pool!

What better place to begin your own personal Renaissance Journey? Arrive home with a new appreciation of the arts and added zest in your life!

Escape your routine and spread your wings
– live a more creative life! 

For a more in-depth experience, see our Da Vinci Capers Studio. Steep yourself in your area of interest – fine arts, photography or creative writing – for one or two weeks. It is the best value of all!

See Da Vinci Capers recommended in Elite Traveler

See our mention in Newsweek

Everything in this cultural immersion experience is inspiring and fun. The people, experts, and location make for an unforgettable experience. Bellissimo!

L. Fisher, Longmont, CO

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The Lessons of Leonardo da Vinci

Sfumato – an open mind and playfulness allows for creative expression

Leonardo is famous for sfumato, an art technique creating a hazy quality (root word fumare, means to "go up in smoke, evaporate"). It also refers to his principle of embracing the unknown – an underlying theme of all of the Da Vinci Capers' experiences.

Sensazione – Leonardo felt that the average person looks without seeing, listens without hearing, touches without feeling and eats without tasting…

• Hands-on, nose-alert cooking lesson – through taste and smell we learn to cook!
• Wine tasting and learning about olive oils
• Exquisite dining with award-winning wines
• Learn to draw and paint – to see objects by shapes, shadow and perspective
• Sculpting – in a famous artist studio
• An exclusive tour of a marble studio in Pietrasanta
• Creative Seeing photography workshop
• A private tour of the ancient city of Pompeii

Dimostrazione – learning through experience, and a willingness to make mistakes

• We have fun learning basic Italian expressions in an ancient palazzo in Lucca.
• We practice “quanto costa” in the market as we purchase gifts for family and friends.

Curiosità – An insatiable curiosity and quest for continuous learning

Leonardo's quest for understanding his world was revealed in the thousands of pages of his journals – his observations, illustrations, inventions — even jokes!

• A Necessity to Narrate – Julio demonstrates how writing not only illuminates our personal history, but also opens the valve to our imagination and creativity. We will have a creative writing experience in "how to build a character."
• A cultural "Cafè Moment" – an intimate and philosophical discussion of how we "fit" in the grand puzzle of the world.
• Understanding great music by learning how to listen: trusting our instincts, imagination of social, cultural and historical eras, and learning composer's "tricks" of expressive and technical objectives.

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Grazie mille to Michael J. Gelb! His international best-selling book, How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, provides the springboard for Da Vinci Capers.

See our mention in the March 2005 issue of Bon Appetit!

Download our current brochure in PDF format.

For me, the most special part of Da Vinci Capers was the luxury of returning to a youthful state of mind, free to experiment without fear of failure. I mean, a 40-something lawyer doing charcoal sketches of olive trees, ordering fresh produce in Italian, and chiseling away at a slab of marble?! It was a week when anything was possible!

J. Raskin, Miami, FL

Da Vinci Capers is owned and operated by La Bella Vita, LLC.

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