Step inside a traditional Ajrakh printing workshop to learn about an ancient indigenous art form that the Khatri community has been producing for centuries. Using hand-carved wooden blocks and natural dyes requires significant skill. It’s hard to apply the right amount of pressure and correct placement onto a piece of fabric.The Khatri community originally migrated from what is now Sindh in Pakistan, and this traditional textile art is being kept alive by families passing it down through generations. Each piece is handcrafted, and the perfectly curated designs and colours are incredible to feast your eyes upon.

Touch the smooth, white stone. Watch consummate masters of sculpture work on the alabaster with traditional tools, and marvel at the pieces they create from it.Ask them about their restoration work, for instance on the 17th-century alabaster ciborium in Potenza. You will see their eyes shine with the passion that is the mark of the true artist.

Join a local craftsman in his home, for a light-hearted lesson on the art of Batik. Discover an ancient process that transfers pattern to cloth, through special wax-resist techniques revered highly among the Balinese.Test new skills and practise precision, as you create your own decorative designs. The process can be repeated numerous times. Play around with the dyes and mix classic and contemporary style, producing complex motifs in a variety of colours.Boil the cloth to remove the wax, and then give it one final wash. Revel in the beauty and originality of your new handmade souvenir, in an authentic class that only uses organic supplies.

Jaipur’s blue pottery is one of the finest crafts in Jaipur. The craft came from Central Asia through Kashmir to Rajasthan in the 19th century. Jaipur has become specifically well known as having the best pottery workshops in the country.

Guatemala in general, and San Antonio Aguas Calientes in particular, are known for producing fine textiles. In this region, Maya women craft vibrant weavings depicting geometric patterns, animals, plants, and more in bold blue, green, red, and orange. Learn the art from these expert craftswomen. Discover how thread is produced from natural cotton, how to derive dyes from nature, how to create textiles, and how to use the region’s backstrap loom.Connect with local women who exercise this ancient tradition and try it yourself.

Travel back in time as you visit period rooms in the Museum of Decorative Arts. From the 15th through to the 19th century, you will see furniture, household objects, ceramic tiles, painted ceilings, and even weapons.Next, your guide will take you to a leather workshop. Here an accomplished artisan will show you techniques of his centuries-old art. While you produce your own engraved piece, you will feel the passion and care this artisan has for his trade. And you will hear stories about its origin, and about his practice.

Run your hand over the soft, smooth fabric of a saree and imagine the work that goes into each and every thread. The splendour of pure Mysuru silk sarees is unmatched in all of India, and to understand the impressive craftsmanship is to recognise its supreme value. You’ll be shown how silk threads are made, how they are dyed and how they are magically spun into fine fabric on a traditional weaving loom. Golden threads are weaved into the borders, a recognisable characteristic of Mysore sarees.Be mesmerised by the elaborate process that goes into making these incredibly vibrant works of art, on a private tour to India’s finest silk workshops.

Heading south of the whitewashed colonial buildings of Villa de Leyva, you’ll soon enter into an explosion of colour. The small town of Raquira is the pottery capital of Colombia. Colourful handicrafts spill out from the small shops into the streets.You’ll find everything here from ceramic bowls to Christmas decorations, all carefully crafted by traditional artisans in their workshops. You’ll be able to do more than just souvenir shopping on your visit, as you visit a pottery workshop. You will learn from a local artisan how they produce such incredible work and the intensive labour that goes into making ceramics.

Discover the art of silver jewellery-making from a Balinese master, on this half-day class inspiring creativity and expression. An intricate ring or simple pendant, detailed necklace or modest bracelet, the silversmith will instruct you in how it’s made. Try your hand at traditional techniques and hone new skills, as you enjoy intimate exchanges with your local instructor. As an expert silver craftsman, he revels in conversations about his trade.Ten grams of silver will get you started, but extra material can be provided should you wish for an additional item or bigger design. You will have full control over the style, producing a unique souvenir that is personal, hand-made and practical.

Painted tiles are truly emblematic of Portugal. In this workshop you will discover this craft’s centuries-old history. You will learn about its origins, influences, uses, and the development of different techniques. The artisans create the tiles in an entirely traditional way, handcrafting them from raw clay to the final brush stroke. They tell you it’s a slow process, a labour of love. And you really see that. In this workshop you will not only paint your own tile, but enjoy the company of expert, passionate craftsmen.

You can hear the clapping sound of the weaving contraptions from outside the workshop. At first, you just stand to observe the women who demonstrate the different stages that go into creating incredibly high value and exquisite fabrics.From block printing to screen printing, hand painting to steaming, you can learn the different techniques used in textiles from traditional to more modern processes.You then head towards the weaving, where you can watch the women dye, weave and soften the fabrics as the final stage in the process. Watching the threads coming together, you’ll appreciate the true work of art that is textile production.

Spend the day with a local family in Mas, one of Bali’s most famous mask carving villages. Meet the legendary mask maker Ida Bagus Anom, and witness his renowned wood-carving firsthand.This is an ancient trade and subtle art, passed down from one generation to the next. Anom’s masks are used by dancers and pantomimes all over Bali. Try your hand at carving and sculpting, and make your own creation beside this master. Produce intricate designs straight out of wood, becoming part of this old tradition.Begin the painting process next, as you listen to ancestral stories of magic behind the masks. Delight in these intimate exchanges and take your creation home, a cherished souvenir of the day’s experience.