This is not a tourist workshop. It is a 4-day immersion into the soul of Portugal, told in the language of ceramic tiles. Discover the history, create your own masterpiece, and take home something far more meaningful than a souvenir. They are Portugal’s DNA, its visual code, its chronicle written in ceramics.
We invite you to a 4-day immersion journey – “Azulejo Chronicles”. This is not a short workshop in a tourist center. It is an in-depth exploration of the art of azulejo together with an outstanding master, Anna, in her real studio located in the heart of non-touristic Lisbon – the Benfica district.
At the center of this journey is Anna Dominges, the founder of the ceramic & azulejo studio on Benfica district. But Anna is not just a ceramist. She is an educator with 20 years of teaching experience who once decided that the best way to tell stories is through clay and color. Anna will open the doors of her studio in Benfica for you – a place where tourists rarely come, but where the real creative life of Lisbon thrives.
• Authentic location
You will be creating in a real studio in the residential neighborhood of Benfica, not in a tourist workshop. It’s a chance to see a different Lisbon.
• Deep immersion
The program combines studio practice with two themed excursions, giving you a full understanding of the context – from history to the present day.
• Master educator
Anna’s 20 years of experience in education ensure that you will not just “follow instructions”, but truly understand the process and learn the techniques.
• History and practice together
You will not only paint, but also learn why azulejos are so important for Portugal, how styles have changed, and what the patterns you see on the streets actually mean.
• Exclusivity
Small groups ensure a personal approach and plenty of time for questions and individual guidance.
4 days / 3 nights (+1 optional day/night)
Exclusive, under 5-6 participants
1690 EUR per person
This is preliminary program draft. All points could be adopted according clients requests, wishes and our possibilities.
Arrival and meeting in Lisbon. First themed walk: “Azulejos: Lisbon’s Hidden Treasures”. We will set off on a walking tour through non-touristic corners of the city to see unique historical panels on building façades, in churches and even in old markets. In the evening – welcome dinner.
Morning: visit to the National Azulejo Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo), located in a 16th-century monastery. After lunch: first meeting with Anna in her studio in Benfica. Introduction, a short lecture and the beginning of practice: mastering the Maiolica technique, creating monochrome and polychrome tiles.
Full day in the studio. Under Anna’s guidance you will work on your main project – creating a panel of 4 tiles with your own design. You will go through all the stages: from preparing a sketch to applying glaze.
Morning: final touches and finishing work in the studio. Farewell brunch with Anna, discussion and viewing of the works. Your tiles will remain in the studio for firing and will be sent to you by post a few weeks later — a real artifact created by your own hands. Departure.
For those who want to dive even deeper into the world of craft, we offer an additional day in the picturesque region of Azeitão, south of Lisbon. Visit to the family manufactory Azulejos de Azeitão, where traditional 16th-century methods are still used. Lunch in a traditional restaurant. Tour and tasting at one of the oldest wineries in Portugal. The cost of the optional day is calculated separately.
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