CIAO A TUTTI TUSCANY CREATIVITY RETREAT
with Weatherly Stroh and Lizzie Larock
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Join Us In Tuscany
to download that Italian language app, watchUnder the Tuscan Sunone more time and save your spot in the Art of Life Creativity Retreat with Weatherly Stroh and Lizzie Larock in Tuscany, Italy!
October 5th - October 12, 2024
Inspiring, Relaxing and Nourishing
This is your invitation to a 7-night creativity retreat at Villa Santa Gelsa, in Torrita di Siena, Italy, Oct 5-12, 2024.
We have an extraordinary week planned at this 300-year old Tuscan villa near Montepulciano and Siena that you do not want to miss.
Are you drooling, yet, just thinking about spending this kind of relaxing, inspiring, nourishing week in Tuscany with us?
If You’ve Been Craving a Getaway With Creative, Funny, Warm & Welcoming People
... in Italy, then put down that biscotto and save your spot before they all book up (because our retreats fill up faster than a Ferrari).
We are Weatherly & Lizzie, your Art of Life retreat hosts, and we can't wait to have you join us!
(photos: This is Weatherly & Lizzie by the sea in Cinque Terre)
a room with a view
Morning cappuccinos and evening aperitivo.
What could be better than a soul-nourishing week at our Art of Life Retreat in Tuscany?
This is our backdrop for a fulfilling week of art workshops, daily yoga, decadent meals from our private chef, a pasta-making class, a wine-tasting at a Tuscan vineyard, and adventures to lovely Tuscan towns (plus a few surprises) with a group of funny, warm and creative people.
If our last retreats are any indication, you'll never want to leave this dreamy setting or this wonderful group of people.
Painting & Sketching
Bring beautiful little moments to life in your travel sketchbook workshops with Weatherly. No experience needed!
If you've always wanted to play with paint or it's been a few decades since you've held a paintbrush, our Tuscan retreat is perfect for you. We even have hilariously funny (and easy) art activities for those who don't "think" they're an artist.
You truly do not need any experience to enjoy the creativity workshops at the retreat. Permission to let go of perfectionism and play with the forgiving and fun medium of travel painting and simple sketching.
If you're an advanced painter, you'll love letting your creative side run wild with Italian inspiration and Art of Life playfulness. Weatherly is there to teach you while the stunning scenery inspires you. Art is EVERYWHERE in Italy.
This retreat is for EVERYONE regardless of their artistic skill levels.
Photography & Writing
In Lizzie's workshops, you'll learn how to be more curious, present, joyful and in awe much more often through creative iPhone photography and easy writing exercises. You'll have plenty of positive psychology tools to take home with you, and who doesn't want to know how to take photos that you LOVE on your iPhone?
The writing workshops are loose and fun with just a little intentional time to reflect and see your everyday life through a new lens.
This is the art of capturing everyday moments in the most creative and accessible ways.
The Art of Slowing Down and Savoring
You'll be fluent in the art of slowing down and savoring by the end of this retreat with plenty of downtime for il dolce far niente (translation: the sweetness of doing absolutely nothing!). Because who wouldn't want to spend plenty of downtime in this setting?
While the relaxation of most vacations rubs off at the airport returning home, at this retreat, you'll learn the positive psychology and wellbeing tips to thrive long after you're back to the busyness of daily life.
Along with daily yoga, an Italian cooking class, wine tasting & more.
While it's tempting to never leave our gorgeous villa, we will have relaxing and adventurous ways to explore the neighboring centuries-old Tuscan towns.
Always wanted to ride a Vespa up winding Italian roads or bike amidst the rolling hills? Or maybe you've always wanted to photowalk and capture the textured walls, antique windows, carved doors, and bustling cafes in quaint Italian towns.
Or perhaps you'd love a luxuriously long picnic lunch in an olive grove?
You can do as much or as little as you like on this retreat. The only requirement is to enjoy yourself.
Beautiful experiences will also be brought right to our door with a flavorful cooking class at the villa, daily gentle yoga classes, an on-site massage therapist, and an Italian (swearing?) lesson just for fun.
Daily Gentle Yoga is Included
Everything is optional, the only requirement is to ENJOY YOURSELF!
Do a little or a lot, enjoy the workshops and activities, or let yourself get some rest and relaxation. You can master that art of doing nothing or make sure you don't miss out on a thing.
This retreat is your own masterpiece. This is the Art of Life.
Nothing is mandatory, everything is optional and the only requirement is that you nourish and enjoy yourself (which shouldn't be very difficult in this gorgeous setting).
The Retreat Itinerary
- Saturday: Arrival aperitivo & welcome dinner.
- Sunday:
8am: breakfast
9am: yoga
10am: creativity workshops (mix and match choices of watercolor or gouache painting, sketching, and mindful iPhone photography)
1pm: Italian al fresco lunch
3:30pm: afternoon free for plein-air painting, photowalks, journaling, panoramic hikes, reading poolside, optional excursions, *massages and il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing).
6pm aperitivo
7pm dinner - Monday:
8am: breakfast
9am: yoga
10am: creativity workshops
1pm: Italian al fresco lunch
afternoon free for plein-air painting, photowalks, journaling, panoramic hikes, reading poolside, and massages.
4pm pasta-making class with our private chef
6pm aperitivo
7pm dinner - Tuesday:
8am breakfast
9am yoga
10am creativity workshops
1pm Italian al fresco lunch
3pm excursion to Montepulciano
7pm: Dinner* out (join the group or dine out on your own) and enjoy the town. - Wednesday:
8am: breakfast
9am: yoga
10am: creativity workshops
13:00: picnic lunch at winery
2:00pm: wine tasting and vineyard tour
6:30pm: aperitivo
7:30pm dinner - Thursday:
8am: breakfast
9am: yoga
10am: creativity workshops
1pm: Italian al fresco lunch
2pm: Vespa tour of Tuscany (optional add-on)
6pm: aperitivo
7:00pm: dinner - Friday:
8am: breakfast
9am: yoga
10am: creativity workshops
1pm: Italian al fresco lunch.
Afternoon free.
7pm: Aperitivo and Art of Life last night Pizza Party. - Saturday:
8am: breakfast
Departure Day
*massages, e-bike rides, Vespa tours, vintage race car driving are all optional retreat add-ons.
Flexible, Nourishing, and Inspiring
This is meant to be a flexible, nourishing, inspiring and creative retreat, not a rigid schedule. You'll have plenty of ways to truly relax and enjoy the Tuscan culture, savor incredible cuisine, take walks, sip cappucinos in town, learn from Weatherly and Lizzie and sink into the creative camaraderie of our group.
"Wow. You two did an amazing job making a very creative and festive retreat. We all had a wonderful time! We ate, laughed, danced, sang, wrote, drew, painted, photographed, cooked, shared and just plain LIVED. Thank you for putting together this retreat. It was such a gift!" -Pam (Tuscany 2023)
bike photo by Hadley Moore, Art of Life, Tuscany, 2023
A Private Chef, A Pizza Party, and a Cooking Class
What would a week in Italy be without the most delicious local flavors? We have a private chef at our villa, delicious and decadent meals planned, plus plenty of free time to explore Tuscan cuisine on your own.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included in the retreat along with nightly wines and aperitivi.
About Tuscany
Dramatic landscapes, historic cities, towering Cypress trees, winding roads, verdant valleys all drenched in the best wine, food and art in the world. This is Tuscany.
October is an idyllic time to visit. The days still have a hint of warmth, the nights have the delicious crispness of fall. It's the perfect time to explore the countryside.
And the golden hues of the fall foliage begin to match the jewel-toned architecture throughout the historic villages.
Local life is in full swing as the crowds of summer have dwindled.
How to get there
Our villa is located in Torrita di Siena. It is about an hour and 20 minutes taxi or car ride from Florence.
You can rent your own car, grab a taxi at the airport or take the train from Florence.
About Weatherly Stroh
Weatherly has been a full-time artist for 12 years now, but has had a lifelong fascination with Italy.
Having spent two semesters of college in Florence and a semester of graduate school outside of Perugia, she makes a point of returning each year to paint en-plein-air.
Sadly her Italian is terrible, though she is fully adept at ordering her favorite gelato with lots of hand gestures and a smile.
Her favorite time of the day is the siesta, a practice she brought home with her from college and has perfected in her Florida art studio when time allows.
About Lizzie Larock
Lizzie is a writer, photographer and positive-psychology based coach.
She teaches creativity, writing and photography workshops through her signature Life Feast mashup of curiosity, awe, mindfulness, wonder & photography. She's taught everyone from 8 year olds to 78 year olds, CEOs, lawyers, accountants (and anyone else who doesn't think they are creative) how to find beauty in the tiniest details of everyday life.
Her creative retreats in Colorado have included everything from axe throwing to soundbath healing to making photo mantras out of alphabet soup.
Lizzie speaks French (not much help in Tuscany), but adores Italy, and considers herself a lifelong pizzatarian with an adoration of homemade pasta being a very close second in her well-fed heart!
Torrita di Siena
Torrita di Siena is known for being "a mini Siena" with the same stylish atmosphere and rich history as its big Tuscan sister, but on a much more petite scale.
The city walls that surround Torrita di Siena were built in the 1200s. The Porta Gavina offers gorgeous views across the Valdichiana, the tower is similar to the Torre del Mangia in Siena and the church even has a carved bas-relief lunette by Donatello.
Torrita's Old World charm is classic Tuscany. You'll love the postcard picture perfect landscapes of olive groves, grapevines, medieval towers and tall Cypress trees.
It's strategic location between Siena and Montepulciano meant that it was a highly valuable location as a castle hamlet. For us, it means that it's in the perfect location for the best food and wine tastings of Tuscany without the crowds of other regions.
Villa Santa Gelsa
Our retreat villa sits on a private estate and farm, owned and managed by the family. The farm produces Chianti, Merlot and Syrah wines, as well as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a variety of grains.
This sprawling grand estate with plenty of privacy and gorgeous views is also right next to the medieval village of Torrita di Siena with several cafes just a quick jaunt right outside our door.
You will live like a local, this week, either sipping your cappucino from our Italian villa hosts on the veranda by the pool or by sampling an espresso e cornetto made at the local caffe just down the street.
There is also a notable butcher, a delightful pizzeria and a weekly farmers market just outside of our villa’s 300-year old walls.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there's no forced family fun on this retreat. It's your masterpiece. Do as much or as little as you want. There are plenty of opportunities for both full participation and full relaxation. And all of the activities are for any level. You don't have to be a painter, a photographer, a writer or any kind of creative to enjoy this retreat. This retreat is designed to bring out the creative joy in EVERYONE! You just need curiosity and a craving to spend a week in Italy connecting to yourself and a group of wonderful people.
- Villa Santa Gelsa is located in Torrita di Siena which is about an hour and 20 minutes drive from the Florence airport.
- Plan on arriving before our welcome dinner and aperitivo on Saturday, Oct 5 and departing in the morning on Saturday, Oct 12.
We love solo travelers to our retreats! You will make wonderful friends and enjoy meeting the creative souls that we bring together.
You can either book a room with the single occupancy supplement additional fee or ask us to find you a roommate for the shared occupancy retreat price.
We can't guarantee that we will find you a roommate, but we've always been able to accommodate that request in the past. And we do our best to do so for every retreat.
Your non-refundable $1325.00 deposit for a double occupancy luxury room or $1695.00 for a single occupancy luxury room will save your spot at this retreat.
Your total retreat price is $5300.00/person for a shared luxury room with ensuite bathroom. There is a single occupancy additional supplement of $1480.00
We offer retreat guests a payment plan of four monthly payments of $1325.00 for a double occupancy luxury room and four monthly payments of $1695.00 for a single occupancy luxury room. All payments are non-refundable.
*We are offering a pay in full discount, as well.
For shared rooms:
If you are sharing a room, please let us know your roommate's name. If you would like us to pair you with another retreat participant, indicate that on your booking registration. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to find you a roommate, and you will be responsible for the single accommodations price if we cannot, but we do our absolute best to accommodate all requests and it's usually not a problem for us to find you a roommate.
The per person retreat price includes meals, excursions around Tuscany, transportation to our excursions, workshops, and, of course, a few surprises!
Availability is limited and our retreats have sold out very quickly in the past, so don't delay.
Reserve your spot, today.
**We recommend using trip insurance if you have concerns that you will need to cancel as the retreat payments are non-refundable.
- Airfare is not included
- Trip insurance is not included and is recommended. Here is a resource if you need one.
- Transportation to and from the airport is not included
- Massage treatments are not included, but will be arranged in advance and offered at the villa for your relaxation.
- Additional excursions such as Vespa tours are optional add-ons to the retreat.
- 7 nights in our luxury villa.
- Welcome cocktail reception & dinner.
- Daily yoga class including mats & props.
- Daily creativity workshops with Weatherly and Lizzie on painting, photography, writing and positive psychology. Travel sketch books, journals and painting supplies are also included. Please plan on using your smart phone for photography. You can bring your own DSLR, as well, though it is not necessary for our photography workshops.
- Afternoon fresh pasta cooking class with our private chef.
- Scenic walks, excursions to nearby Tuscan towns.
- All wine and soft drinks served at our villa.
- All meals at our villa prepared by our private chef.
- Inspiring excursions to beautiful locations including transfers.
- Wine tasting.
- Last night Art of Life celebratory Pizza Party.
- Fun, friendship, creativity, cuisine & camaraderie!
Meals:
All meals at the villa (including wine and soft drinks at dinner).
7-nights of Accommodations:
Our retreat participants will be staying in Villa Santa Gelsa which has 12 ensuite bedrooms.
Single rooms will have a supplemental fee. If you are traveling with a friend or partner with whom you are sharing a room, just let us know. And if you are traveling solo and you'd like to be paired up with someone to share a room, we can assist in finding you a roommate. We cannot guarantee this, but we will do our best to match you up.
There are doubles, kings and twin-bedded rooms available everything is reserved on a first reserved basis. So book early to have the most flexible bedding options!
Just send an email to: hello@artoflifecreativity.com and we are happy to answer your questions. If you'd like to be on our early notification list for future retreats, just send us an email and we will add you to our VIP list.
How Do I Sign Up?
Wonderful! We can't wait to be in Tuscany with you!
PRICE:
The all-inclusive retreat price is: $5300/person in a shared luxury room with ensuite bathroom. There is a single occupancy additional supplement of $1480.00
INCLUSIONS:
The retreat price includes 7-nights of luxury accommodations at our villa, all meals/wine/soft drinks at the villa, transportation to our group excursion to a beautiful Tuscan town, wine tasting, olive oil tasting, private group cooking class, daily yoga (all props also provided), all art supplies for the workshops, painting, photography, writing and positive psychology workshops. Plus a few surprises!
DEPOSIT:
Your non-refundable $1325.00 deposit for a double occupancy luxury room or $1695.00 for a single occupancy luxury room will save your spot at this retreat.
PAYMENT PLAN:
We offer a payment plan of four monthly payments of $1325.00 for a double occupancy luxury room and four monthly payments of $1695.00 for a single occupancy luxury room.
*We offer a pay in full $150 discount, as well.
Availability is limited and our retreats have sold out very quickly in the past, so don't delay.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY:
Our Art of Life retreats are an experience you do not want to miss out on.
We can't wait to have you join us for our 2024 Art of Life Creative Tuscany Torrita di Siena Retreat. Use the buttons below to join us on this extraordinary Art of Life Creativity Retreat!
Have questions? Email hello@artoflifecreativity.comand Lizzie or Weatherly will get right back to you.