Brienz in Switzerland is the center of Oberland woodcarving. Huggler's woodcarving factory is open to visitors, and workshops take place at the Woodcarving School and Museum at the Kantonale Schnitzerschule Brienz. This is open 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. There are also several woodcarving shops and studios in the town which you can visit. A violin-making school is also open to visitors. Other attractions in Brienz incude the lake Brienzersee, and forested mountains, hiking and boating are popular tourist pastimes. Brienz sits between Lucerne and Interlaken and can be accessed by car, train or, in the summer months, by a steamer boat on the lake. To arrange visits and tours, contact the Brienz tourist office, whose staff should be able to assist you.
Brienz Tourismus
Hauptstrasse 148
3855 Brienz, Switzerland
011-41-033-952-80-80
brienz-tourismus.ch
Transylvania Live offers a wood-carving tour of the Maramures region, which is famous for its wooden architecture and wood carving. Woodcraftsmen still work in traditional workshops, and the region boasts wood churches and the Maramuresean gates, which are entirely carved in wood. During the tour, woodcraftsman Grigore Tulean teaches about woodcarving, the history of wood, what type of wood to use and wood-carving instruments. The courses are for beginners and intermediate students. Courses are held in Sacel village, with accommodation and breakfast in a 2-star pension. The Romanian hosts of this accommodation integrate guests into the rural way of life and serve traditional home-cooked meals. An English-speaking guide is available for tours in the area and acts as an interpreter during the woodcarving course. The four-day, three-night course and accommodations cost $690, as of September 2010.
Transylvania Live
718 B Madison Ave.
Cape May, NJ 08204
866-376-6183
visit-transylvania.us
Simon Clements and Stephen Scott teach wood carving in Vassiliki on the Grecian island of Lefkas. Courses are held for beginning, intermediate and advanced wood carvers; the course is flexible, so even if you are not sure of your level, you will be able to find a fit for yourself. The course also lets students work on their personal projects.
This open-air workshop is five minutes walk inland from the beach, which sits among the vineyards and olive groves. All tools and materials, including olive wood - the natural choice for carving in Greece - are provided. Prices start from around $1,325, which includes a flight from the United Kingdom, transfers from the airport in Greece, self-catering accommodation, tuition, equipment and materials, and a buffet lunch for five days.
Woodcarvers Greece
26 Abbeville Road
London, SW4 9NQ
United Kingdom
011-44-20-8673-1555
woodcarversgreece.com
