Frui is excited to announce the latest of our new destinations for the summer! The perfect location for a Frui photography and painting holiday, Portugal is packed with picturesque locations as well as a delicious local cuisine and of course, plenty of wine.

Frui’s expert yet down-to-earth painting and photography tutors will be there to guide you as you get to know the location through creativity. Portugal certainly isn’t short of subject matter. From ancient and colourful streets of Lisbon to fairytale castles hidden amongst the forest on Europe’s westernmost point, you’re sure to find inspiration for for some stunning imagery. And when the sun sets we’ll down paintbrushes and explore the nightlife of the city. After all, there’s a rich and hearty local cuisine to sample and bars that come alive with the sound of traditional Fado music.

Here’s a taste of what we’ll get up to on this seven day trip:

We’ll start in the winding and narrow streets of Lisbon. Rua da Galé, in the city’s oldest district, boasts buildings with perfect pops of colour. It’s a wonderful area to get lost and explore a typical Portuguese neighbourhood- with camera or paintbrush in hand of course!

Then there’s the amazing 19th Century Funicular railway of Elevador da Bica- we’ll paint and shoot this iconic scene by day, and come back for the area’s renowned nightlife; this is a Frui trip after all!

From the tops of the city’s hills we’ll take in stunning views over the rooftops, rivers and the rugged Atlantic coastline.

We’ll also visit Europe’s most westerley point; Sintra. The pastel-hued palaces here are a hodgepodge of architectural styles that look like they’re straight from a fairytale. It’s an inspiring place that your tutors will help you to capture in your artwork.

But it’s not just about photography and painting – let’s talk food, another favourite Frui activity! With smart new restaurants offering new-wave Portuguese dishes, old-style establishments serving classics and plenty of bars and food markets, it’s the perfect foodie destination.

As well as unforgettable sights and mouthwatering flavours, Lisbon also has a unique sound: Fado – life, struggle and passion in song! We will seek out the best bars in which to experience this wonderful Portuguese art.

Come along, it’s going to be a great trip!

21st- 27th July 2018
£2050 per person
There is already lots of interest in this holiday, so we are giving our regular Fruisters a chance to hold their place in advance and receive a £100 earlybird discount before it goes on live on our website. You can do this through the link below for a deposit of £100. If you have any other questions please email hello@frui.co.uk, we’d love to hear from you!

Jerusalem; the sacred hub of the Abrahamic religions and one of the oldest cities in the world. A living mosaic of Babylonian, medieval and Ottoman architecture and the best opportunity you will have to see 360 degrees of the living historical panorama.
Make your photographic pilgrimage here with Frui to discover the narrow passages of the old city where these cultures meet and see how such a deeply woven history can make for unique and fascinating images.

Director James has personal contacts that live in this great city,  giving us unfettered access and unique queue jumping abilities. We are also planning to have a talk with Skynews camera-man and war zone correspondent Jake Britton on how to take meaningful images in challenging situations.

On this five day trip, we ‘ll start at the coastal town of Jaffa, explore the world-famous and the less well known among Jerusalem’s sights, and journey into the desert to see the Mar Saba monastery. There’s Mahane Yehuda and Etz Chayim street markets, Temple Mount, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall. The images you bring home will ring with church bells, the refrain of the call to prayer and the strain of the shofar.

The itinaray will be:

Day – 1
Arrive Ben Gurion
over night in costal town of Jaffa
Check into hotel
walk around the town explore the beautiful old town
Dinner at Manta ray

Day – 2
Drive to Jerusalem
Check into hotel
Lunch in the old city
Export the labyrinth of the old city
guided tour of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Western Wall
Drive to mount of olives for evening light
Drinks Hotel Notre Dame over looking the old city

Day – 3
Morning head to Bethlehem
Tour of the wall
exclusive tour of bethlehem church nativity
Lunch traditional Palestinian falafel
Visit to Mar Saba monastery in the desert
Back to Jerusalem for tutorials
Dinner in the old town

Day – 4
Morning got to the famous historical market in the old town
Lunch the market
Explore the Hezekiah’s Tunnel
Garden of Gethsemane
Temple Mount
Review of images and final dinner

Day – 5
Relaxing morning transfer to airport.
visit The Garden Tomb
Few time for shopping
Late lunch
Transfer to airport for 8pm flight

Dates: 22 – 26 February

Price: £1899

Because we have limited spots on this trip …and it’s so close, we are giving the chance to our regular customers to hold their place in advance before it goes on live on our site. You can do this through the link below for a deposit of £150. If you have any other questions please email hello@frui.co.uk

Art Camp in Spain, 5 – 12 August 2017

£1799 per person.

Introduction.

Join Frui on the Art Camp in Spain where you can have a go at painting, drawing, photography and even try your hand at a bit of traditional Spanish cooking, all in one week. There will also be lots of opportunities to relax in the summer sunshine.

Based in an ‘eco-chic’ hideaway surrounded by spectacular 360 degree views of the Alto Planos, one thousand meters above sea level, Cortijada Los Gázquez is an ‘off-grid’ destination for creatively minded travellers high in the mountains of Andalucia.

In the heart of the Parque Natural Sierra Maria-Los Velez, Europe’s most dramatic alpine desert, this guesthouse is surrounded by areas of extreme natural beauty, profound peace and tranquillity and awe inspiring wilderness. But ‘remote’ and ‘eco’ doesn’t mean basic. Quite the opposite, in fact. Here every en-suite bedroom has been exquisitely designed and furnished, blending the traditional and modern.

Here is an outline of the itinerary:

Day 1 Sat 5th August

Arrive at Alicante airport etc. Easyjet do Granada these days. arrive at Los Gázquez. Home made traditional paella.

Day 2 Sun 6th August

AM. Tapas workshop and simultaneous food photography workshop.
PM. Photography assessment from the morning workshop and recipe giving.

Day 3 Mon 7th August

AM. Photography field trip to El Altiplano, Spain’s high altitude desert landscape. Asador lunch in local restaurant, local provenance food.(€15 per head).
PM. Photography criticism from the mornings field trip before supper.

Day 4 Tue 8th August

AM. Studio workshop, ‘Confidence in Drawing’ overcoming the main obstacle in art making, confidence. Lunch.
PM. Tagine workshop, ‘cooking with wood fire’ and simultaneous photography workshop. (learning exposures using the fire!?!?!).

Day 5 Wed 9th August

AM. Photography field trip to the historic town of Vélez Blanco. Visit Spain’s first Renaissance castle and the ‘pueblo blanco’ of Vélez Blanco and it’s market day. Lunch at a local restaurant (€15 per head).
PM. Studio workshop. ‘Fundamentals of colour’ how to paint using subtle and beautiful colour. Criticism of the mornings photography field trip. Supper.

Day 6 Thurs 10th August

AM. Traditional food of Almería workshop. Cheese making. Lunch.
PM. Studio workshop. Composition, how to grab attention with strong principles of composition. Photography and painting/drawing. Supper.
NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY. In southern Spain at this period we have the ‘Lagrimas de San Lorezo’, a spectacular meteor shower…

Day 7 Friday 11th August

AM. Studio Painting still life/portraiture or landscape or photo excursion on foot with your host Simon back through sedimentary time in the cool recesses of local canyons.
PM. Assessment of the mornings photography / painting Spectacular final supper.
NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY.

Day 8 Saturday 12th August

Leave for Alicante.

As it’s hot this is based on a 9am breakfast, 10.00 start til lunch at 14.00 siestas then start again around 14.30 until drinks at the spectacular sunset followed by supper around 21.30 under the stars.

Barcelona trip, 17 – 20 August 2017

£650 per person.

Introduction

Join Frui lead photography tutor Simon and his partner, Barcelona native Alba, on this summer escape to one of Europe’s best loved cities. On this four day tour we’ll take in some of the Catalan capital’s most iconic architecture, it’s vibrant backstreets and even it’s best and most colourful street festival. Along the way, Simon will be on hand to teach and inspire you to capture all of this with your camera, while Alba’s local knowledge will take us away from the tourist traps and into the backstreets, cafés and restaurants that serve the best of the region’s delicious food and drink.

Day 1 Thursday 17th

Arriving around lunchtime, we transfer to our hotel in the city centre to check in and freshen up, before heading to El Born in Barcelona’s old town.

We’ll take a seat on a terrace for a cold glass of locally produced vermut, an introduction to the holiday and a brief photography lesson. Then it’s off to wander the beautiful alleyways of El Born and the Gothic Quarter, finishing with a pre- dinner drink in Els Quatre Gats tavern, a bohemian hangout frequented by artists such as Picasso at the end of the nineteenth century.

Day 2 Friday 18th

After breakfast and a quick photography lesson, we head to Park Guell to practice our photography skills amongst of the crazy creations of Barcelona’s most famous architect, Antoni Gaudi.

Lunch of tasty local tapas and back to the hotel for a rest.

After a lesson on how to photograph in changing light, we head to the Gracia neighbourhood to take in the festival by day. Festa de Gracia is considered to be Barcelona’s best and most welcoming festival. The streets and plazas of the neighbourhood are a riot of colour as the residents of each street try to outdo each other with handmade decorations.

We’ll head for an early dinner nearby before walking back to the festival for dusk. This is when the streets really come alive as the decorations are lit up and visitors flock from all over the city to soak up the atmosphere. It’s also when we’ll get the best photos!

Day 3 Saturday 19th

This morning is all about street photography, and our inspiration will be the eclectic neighbourhood of Raval. This vibrant district is known for its street art and multiculturalism which, together with its enormous indoor market La Boqueria, will provide plenty of characterful subject matter.
After a delicious local lunch in another of Alba’s favourite café’s, we’ll take taxis to Montjuic Cemetery. Occupying a hillside overlooking the city, this atmospheric area consists of alleyways of tombs built into the walls.

Back in the city we’ll sit down for a look at the day’s images and another mouthwatering Spanish meal.

Depending on availability, there may be an opportunity to watch a rooftop concert.

Day 4 Sunday 20th

Saving Barcelona’s most iconic and spectacular sight for last, this morning we visit Guadi’s masterpiece, the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. This towering, psychedelic cathedral is mind- blowing to look at and the multi-coloured light and twisting shapes of the interior make great subjects for photography.

We’ll have plenty of time for a final leisurely lunch and some shopping or more street photography, before transferring back to the airport for the flight home.

Hotel: Hotel Praktik Bakery.
This boutique hotel, situated above a bakery, makes a perfect base for our activities in the city. Rooms are comfortable and airy with air conditioning and windows looking over the city.

Recommended flights:
Vueling

17th August
LGW 09:45- 12:55 BCN

20th August
BCN 18:55- 20:15 LGW

Frui Director James is heading down to sunny Cabris again this June, a place very close to his heart and where some of his family live.

We invite all Frusters, new and old, to join James on his Summer jolly!

Here are the details…

22-26 June 2017, Cabris, France.
Total price: £950.

Day 1 – Thursday

Arrive from London to Nice airport

AM
 Lunch and a walk around the Artist town of Mougins

Check into hotel or private villa

Walk around our Picturesque town of Cabirs (amazing views over the Mediterranean!)

Dinner at the L’atelier

Day 2 – Friday

A walk about the old port of Antibes

Lunch on the beach

A walk around the historic perfume making town of Grasse

Back to Cabirs for a relax, swim and tutorials

Dinner in the de la Chevre d’Or

Day 3 – Saturday

Morning walk around the food market in Saint Vallier

A dive down the most picturesque town of Gordon

Photographing the Gorges Du Loop, a river canyon that is often considered to be one of Europe’s most beautiful!

A look around the beautiful medieval hill-top town of Torretts

Dinner in the L’Auberge du Vieux Chateau

Day 4 – Sunday

Relaxing morning swim

Explore old town Cannes

Lunch in the market

Drawing lesson on the beach, underwater photography lesson?

Dinner in the hotel.

Day 5 – Monday

Relaxing morning breakfast

Drive down to the lakes

Lunch somewhere nice, Iʼve not work it out yet!

Transfer to airport

What’s included

4 nights en suite accommodation in your own room

Expert tutors for the duration of the trip (kind of…)

The amazing company of James

All transfers in planned itinerary (excluding flights)

What’s not included

Flights

Meals and Alcohol

Personal travel insurance

Tips (Optional)

To book, please contact us at Frui HQ on 0208 1234 559, or at hello@frui.co.uk.

14 destinations, over 100 holidays, almost 1000 guests and we’ve lost count of the number of bottles of wine!

Over the past three years we’ve seen you guys take some cracking shots on our holidays, so we’re hosting an awards evening to honour your talents and say thank you for your loyal custom. On the night you’ll have the chance to reunite with Frui faces from your holidays while enjoying a few glasses of vino and, who knows, perhaps even a boogie!

So, if you’ve joined us on holiday since 2012 then it’s time to pick your best photos and email them to us for a chance to win! We’ll be showing off your photographs throughout the evening and announcing the winners on the night!

Where and when

Jewel Bar, Covent Garden, 23rd January 2015 from 7pm (winners announced at 8pm)

Categories

People in their environment

Details that tell a story

Bags of personality

Country in a nutshell

Mega landscapes

Prizes (Yay!)

The winner of each category will win a print of their photograph, a £100 Frui holiday voucher and a steamy smooch from James. One of the lucky category winners will also win a £400 Frui Holiday voucher!

The rules (Boo!)

You can enter JUST ONE image per category by emailing hello@frui.co.uk. Images must be emailed one at a time with the category in the subject line. Images must be no larger than 5MGB and no smaller than 2MGB. Any images smaller or larger will be discounted. All photos must have been taken on a 2012, 2013 or 2014 Frui holiday. Deadline for entries is 15th January 2015.

Judges

All entries will be judged by Frui co-founder and best-selling author of Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs, Henry Carroll. Frui’s head of photography and travel photographer, Filip Gierlinski. Frui tutor and travel photographer, Simon Tupper.

RSVP essential

Even if you haven’t been away with us over the past three years we’d love you to join us on the night! Please reserve your spot by emailing hello@frui.co.uk. Good luck everyone and we look forward to seeing you and your pics on the night!