Artful Travel

 Ever felt like travel should be more than sightseeing?  That it should transform you — spark creation, deepen connection, and leave you with more than photos?

“Bonnie, your trips seem to curate the best of humans to participate. It’s a joy. Thank you for creating these gems”. Lee-Ann

Our next international adventure will be a return to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for a smalti intensive workshop in January. In June, we will be hosting our first domestic trip to Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This trip will include an optional mosaic workshop and a touring-only option for companions. Tentative dates: June 5 – June 12, 2026. Details very soon!

Just so you know, all trips (and workshops) have limited enrollment, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates. In October 2026, Bonnie accepted an invitation to serve as a keynote speaker at the MAANZ Symposium (Mosaic Association of Australia and New Zealand). We are unsure about another autumn trip in 2026. The Australia trip will occupy about three weeks.

Bonnie recently accepted an offer to teach at a villa in Greece. That workshop and trip will be late September-early October 2027.

Reasons to Travel with Maverick Mosaics and the Fitzgeralds. I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over.

1. The Maverick Difference
   Each itinerary is thoughtfully crafted to offer in-depth, authentic experiences. Many daily adventures are one-of-a-kind and not available to the general public. As one traveler shared, “We better understood the countries we were privileged to visit because of the balance between classic sights and truly unique hidden gems.”
2. Small Groups, Big Experiences
   Trips are limited to 20 travelers, allowing for meaningful access to iconic sites, deeper local connections, and genuine camaraderie. One guest summed it up best: “Thank you for the superior sensory, intellectual, and emotional experience.”
3. The Perfect Balance
   Maverick itineraries blend structured, educational experiences with ample free time to explore on your own.
4. Travel with Experts
   In addition to your hosts, Bonnie and Ken Fitzgerald, trips receive support from university-educated guides and knowledgeable local escorts who bring culture, history, and place to life.
5. A Trusted Travel Partner
   For more than 25 years, Maverick Mosaics has partnered with René Piard and Dream Travel to manage travel logistics. Together, they have successfully organized multiple European journeys focused on meaningful, accessible learning abroad.
6. Hassle-Free Travel
   We handle the details so you can relax. Ground transportation, transfers, and scheduled tours are included—no long lines, no guesswork. Guest well-being is always our top priority.
7. Exceptional Value
   When you consider what’s included—expert guides, enrichment experiences, special meals and tastings, accommodations, transfers, and gratuities—Maverick trips deliver outstanding value.
8. The Maverick Community
   Our travelers are curious, adventurous, lifelong learners. Trips are for adults only and include singles, couples, friends, and family members. The friendships formed along the way are often one of the most meaningful takeaways.

On our of our trips, many daily adventures on Maverick Travel trips are UNIQUE, one-of-a-kind opportunities. We offer personal, hassle-free travel, professional escorts, and university-educated guides, beautiful accommodations, and street-level cultural engagement based on the world of art, architecture, and archaeology. On many trips, we visit artist studios, enjoy fine food sampling and wine tastings, and of course, see lots of art! Our trips are designed to inspire, educate and entertain.

Some of our trips include optional art workshops or add-on master classes. We like to incorporate a creative activity, be it a cooking class, a mosaic workshop, exclusive and private museum archive visits, or music and dancing together.

Maverick Mosaics has led travel adventures to Portugal and Scotland (2024), Paris & Provence (2023) Normandy (2019), the Lorie Valley, and the Périgord region in France (2013, 2016 & 2019), Madrid and Barcelona, Spain (2014, 2022 & 2023), Italy (2015 & 2018), Ireland (2025 & 2017) and Scotland (2024). All were amazing trips, largely thanks to the expertise and planning of our travel and logistics partner, Mr. Rene Piard.  Rene exclusively provides educational institutions with affordable access to learning opportunities abroad; Maverick Mosaics qualifies as an academic institution. Along with Dream Travel, we promote the values of understanding the world we live in through experiencing and learning about different cultures. With 25+ years of experience organizing tours for educational institutions, Rene Piard is the perfect partner with Maverick Mosaics for our unique travel and learning experience.

WHAT OUR TRAVELERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR TRIPS:

Every time I try to decide which MM trip I enjoyed the most: SW France, Ireland, Italy/Slovenia, or NW France…there’s no doubt! They were all FAVORITES!  Thank you again for putting together these fully amazing trips! And tour guides of the caliber of Bruno were appreciated too! 

Having been on 4 of Maverick’s trips, we have always experienced a perfect balance between structured, educational travel and free time to explore independently. We also feel we better understand the countries we are privileged enough to visit due to your plans to balance ‘tourist’ spots with truly unique ‘hidden gems of the area, which is sincerely appreciated. – Don & Susan

With Bonnie and Ken, we all were taken care of and enjoyed a superior sensory, intellectual, and emotional experience.  My feet are still floating above the ground. Thank you Bonnie and Ken for another life treat. — Camy