ARTZ Philadelphia
Lisbon : Where Art Meets the Mind
“Art is the greatest asset to mental health I have; it has this amazing ability to go under the radar and it goes down little pathways which are un-trodden and yet it’s still a very legitimate way of thinking and feeling and getting on with your life.”
ARTZ Philadelphia is pleased to introduce its donors trip to Lisbon
Lisbon has long inspired artists with its golden light and tiled façades, and its remarkable wealth of museums, from world-class collections to hidden gems, makes it a true capital of art. Now imagine experiencing it alongside the combined expertise of ARTZ Philadelphia’s founder Susan and Bliss Travels logistics. Embark for an extraordinary journey combining exclusive museum visits, meaningful conversations on how art transforms the lives of people living with dementia, curated local discoveries and unforgettable culinary moments.
About ARTZ Philadelphia
ARTZ Philadelphia is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and well-being of people living with dementia and their care partners through joyful interactions around arts and culture. Our evidence-based programs connect people with dementia and those they love with artists, cultural organizations, and each other. We help to build caring, supportive communities that restore and preserve the self-esteem and dignity of our constituents, regardless of their color, culture, where they live, or their economic resources.
About the Philadelphia Film Society
About Bliss Travels
Founded on the idea of providing special, hard-to-find experiences for people traveling in France, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Croatia, Portugal and Switzerland, Bliss Travels’ trips deliver just that...unique and immersive, custom vacations and events that cannot be replicated without the special, in depth knowledge of cultural insiders and local residents. Its association with Artz Philadelphia strives for excellence and promises a one-of-a-kind, memory-making experience in Lisbon.
Inclusions of the trip (April 6th - 11th, 2027)
This trip offers two length options: 4 nights or 7 nights. Both offer full-access passes secured by PFS at an additional cost. All guests will begin their journey on August 9th, with the trip concluding on either August 13th or August 16th, depending on the option you choose.
Private transfer from Lisbon airport on arrival
5 nights at luxury boutique 5 star hotel with its own museum
Gourmet breakfast daily
Welcome walking tour of the Museum quarter or the hotel museum
Welcome dinner
One daily custom excursion with transfers in and out. Privately guided visit to museum or historical tour or wine focused activity.
Specially chosen speakers on the topic of art and mental health
One custom meal per day in addition of breakfast (can be 3 course meal, cocktail, or extensive tasting).
Private transfer back to Lisbon airport on departure day (other destinations can be accommodated upon request and at extra cost)
All trips include our custom planning, booking and payment for all included items. We also provide an on site event planner for all included events. Any additional items travelers book with Bliss Travels will be managed by Bliss Travels.
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Susan Shifrin is the founder and director of ARTZ Philadelphia. She founded ARTZ Philadelphia in 2013.
She is an art historian, curator, educator and arts accessibility advocate. She received her PhD from Bryn Mawr College and has worked on the staffs of a number of large and small museums up and down the East coast. Susan says: “I was inspired to start ARTZ Philadelphia after having hosted a series of workshops and programs for visitors with dementia at the Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, where I was the Museum’s educator for a number of years. I was profoundly affected as I watched visitors, many in the later stages of dementia, come to life in the Museum as they looked at and talked about art with each other, with me, their caregivers, and the college students who worked at the Museum. It was so moving to watch this transformation in people who, in some cases, had rarely spoken about or shared their lives with others. Art was their vehicle for expression, interaction, creativity, and mutual respect. And for laughter – plenty of laughter.”
ARTZ representative
Susan SHIFRIN
Outline of the trip
Friday April 9th
Gourmet breakfast at your hotel
Wine focused activity with transfer in and out included.
Custom lunch or dinner TBD included that day
Saturday, April 10th
Gourmet breakfast at your hotel
Day on your own in Lisbon with recommendations. You can be accompanied by a Bliss Travels management if you wish.
Farewell apero at a top place in Lisbon.
Sunday, April 11th
Gourmet breakfast at your hotel
Private transfer back to Lisbon airport
PRICES
This trip is proposed to donors by ARTZ Philadelphia through Bliss Travels. There are 3 tiers of packages, each coming with a donation to ARTZ and each including all the above. Higher tiers would include upgraded rooms and custom designed private experiences.
Muse: $5,250 per person + credit card fees for the 5 night trip, plus $2,200 per person donation to ARTZ.
Curator: $5,625 per person + credit card fees for the 5 night trip, plus $2,800 per person donation to ARTZ. 2 available
Patron: $5,900 per person + credit card fees for the 5 night trip, plus $4,600 per person donation to ARTZ. 1 available
The outline below is a preliminary overview and is not final. Inclusions and the placement of each activity within the itinerary may still change. Its purpose is simply to give you a general sense of the trip.
Tuesday, April 6th
Private transfer (one per 2 people) from Lisbon airport to hotel
Arrival privately guided walking tour of Lisbon Museum quarter or hotel museum.
Checkin, time off to relax
Welcome talk with special speaker
Welcome dinner or apero TBD
Wednesday April 7th
Gourmet breakfast at your hotel
Private transfer to Lisbon center
Privately guided tour of one of Lisbon historical neighborhood
Time off in the city
Private transfer to a local museum
Privately guided visit at the museum
Custom dinner in Lisbon, possible private room.
Private transfer back to your hotel
Thursday April 8th
Gourmet breakfast at your hotel.
Private transfer to a local museum
Privately guided tour of the museum with special focus on art as a vector for people with dementia and their caregivers
Time off for lunch and afternoon on your own
Custom dinner TBD, possible private room
Private transfer back to your hotel
Should the trip reach 10 guests or more, pricing will be revised downward, ranging from $4,800 per person for the Muse package to $5,400 per person for the Patron package, plus credit card fees. The donation to ARTZ will remain the same.
IF you wish to donate to ARTZ Philadelphia Click here
Interested in extending your adventure? Whether it’s a pre- or post-trip to Porto or other iconic destinations across Europe, just let us know — we’re always happy to help you plan the perfect addition to your journey.
