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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.