Budapest and Slovakia Quilting Retreat
Budapest and Slovakia Quilting Retreat This tour combines textile related visits in Budapest, Hungary and Szentendre, Slovakia with four days of workshops with Karin Hellaby, using Bernina sewing machines. We’ll also have a full day of sightseeing in Budapest, exploring both sides of the river Danube, Buda and Pest. Our accommodation in Slovakia, and location for our workshops, is the historic 5-star Chateau Bela. Set within its own grounds and boasting its own wine cellar, Finnish sauna and steam room this really is a sumptuous location to work on your sewing projects. ### With Karin Hellaby: >  > *Slovakia is a new country for me to visit and I am very much looking forward to spending a few days in the peaceful surroundings of the Chateau Bela.* > > *I have designed three quilt projects which can be made in various sizes from table runner to a large bed quilt. These use my pineapple, Hexagon, delectable mountains and migrating geese techniques, the latter two as row designs. Inspiration has been drawn from the beautiful Slovakian mountains, the migrating autumnal birds as well as the gorgeous blue dyed Hungarian Kékfestö fabrics which can be purchased en route.* > > *A requirements list will be sent to you beforehand and I am happy to discuss this with you should you have your own ideas on using my designs. You may also wish to bring your own projects to work on.* > > *This will be an exciting holiday as we journey through Hungary, exploring Budapest and Szentendre, before crossing the border into Slovakia. I hope you will join me for this new quilting retreat. **- Karin Hellaby***
Your Tour Includes
- Return international flights from London Heathrow to Budapest with 1 piece of hold luggage
- Airport transfers
- 6 nights half board and 1 night bed & breakfast accommodation
- Mineral water and tea/coffee during workshops
- Wine tasting at Chateau Bela
- Coach travel as described in the itinerary including driver tips
- Full day city tour of Budapest including a visit to the Goldberger Textile Museum
- Visit to the arts town of Szentendre and shopping at Kekfesto Kovacs fabric store
- 4 full day workshops with Karin Hellaby with kit and use of Bernina sewing machines
- The services of our experienced Tour Manager throughout
- Enjoy inspirational machine-quilting workshops with Karin Hellaby
- Stitch in our lovely workshop room, using Bernina sewing machines
- Spend a full day in Budapest, discovering the highlights with a local guide
- Discover the story of Hungary's textile industry at the Goldberger Textile Museum
- Visit the arts town of Szentendre and discover traditional Kékfestö fabrics
- Enjoy a wine tasting with Chateau Bela**’**s sommelier
Itinerary
Meet Karin and your Arena Travel Tour Manager at London Heathrow airport for our flight to Budapest. On arrival, transfer by coach to our hotel.
Today we’ll enjoy a full day tour of Budapest with our English-speaking local guide. Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with an extensive area recognised as a World Heritage Site. We'll explore both sides of Hungary’s capital, divided by the Danube, traditional Buda and the more cosmopolitan Pest and also visit the Golderberger Textile Museum. This museum tells the story of Hungary's textile industry and of the textile factory founded by Jewish entrepreneur Ferenc Goldberger in 1784, which dominated Hungary's clothing industry until the late 20th century.
We leave Budapest today and make our way to the Chateau Bela in Slovakia. On route we will visit Szentendre, known for its museums, galleries and artists. The calm, provincial life of the town has attracted artists since the beginning of the 20th Century and today is home to over 200 fine and applied artists, authors, poets, musicians and actors. One of the things we’ll see here are the traditional Kékfestö (blue-dyed) fabrics. The fabric is created using a wax-resist process similar to batik; white cotton or linen fabric is block-printed with molten wax to form the pattern. The fabric is then dyed blue. When the wax is removed, the areas protected by wax reveal the pattern in white on a blue background. This endangered art is still practiced today using centuries old equipment and techniques.
Four days of workshops with Karin, using Bernina sewing machines. During our stay at the chateau we will enjoy a tasting of some of the wines in the chateau cellar.
Return to Budapest airport for our return flight to London Heathrow.
Included in our package:
- Return international flights from London Heathrow to Budapest with 1 piece of hold luggage
- Airport transfers
- 6 nights half board and 1 night bed & breakfast accommodation
- Mineral water and tea/coffee during workshops
- Wine tasting at Chateau Bela
- Coach travel as described in the itinerary including driver tips
- Full day city tour of Budapest including a visit to the Goldberger Textile Museum
- Visit to the arts town of Szentendre and shopping at Kekfesto Kovacs fabric store
- 4 full day workshops with Karin Hellaby with kit and use of Bernina sewing machines
- The services of our experienced Tour Manager throughout
