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Painting in Italy started as a small art school at our classic Italian farmhouse, The Retreat, in the heart of Italy’s beautiful Le Marche Region. We run a variety of painting holidays and retreats around Italy each year, with a focus on offering exclusive and personal creative retreats with a truly personal touch. Small groups and a ‘home-from-home’ atmosphere let any aspiring and experienced artist relax, indulge and create to their heart’s content.

Painting Holiday Italy runs painting experiences and retreats around Italy, including Florence, Venice and Cinque Terre as well as in the heart of the Italian countryside, at our own guesthouse The Retreat. We explore new locations for each season, our new and returning guests can experience the best locations through the eye of an artist and discover something new each time you come back to paint with us.

The Retreat is the ideal location for writing retreats, photography workshops and many more. Contact us, if you are looking to host a retreat.

The location for the The Retreat was inspired by an Italian artist friend’s recommendation to visit „Italy’s best kept secret – Le Marche“. It was love at first sight. Here, you find all regions of Italy combined into one – the rolling hill-sides of Tuscany, the mountains of the north and coastal scenes and beaches of the south all in one panoramic view. It truly is ‘tutto Italia in una regione – all of Italy in one region’ as the Italian’s call it. What better place to pitch your easel.

It was clear that there where going to be a few years of hard work ahead, restoring old farmhouse and turning it into a charming art retreat. Waking up to stunning views every day though made this a labour of love.

When first moving here, it was clear we’d have to invest a lot of hard work to achieve our dream of running an art retreat. The Retreat, then a complete ruin, was restored as a typical marchesian farmhouse with a soul and character, having taken care to retain its charm. There are 2 charming self- contained apartments, as well as an art studio and a cooking studio. Around the house, there is plenty of outdoor space with pergolas and gazebos where to sit and paint, or simply relax and enjoy al fresco meals on warm summer evenings.

Set in beautiful surroundings 700 meters above the sea you will be able to enjoy wide open panoramic views across the region. With ancient hill-top towns dotted across the landscape, fields, olive groves and vine-yards changing colours throughout the seasons, there is endless inspiration for any painter right at your fingertips.

Painting Holiday Italy

Where it all started....The Retreat

At our countryside location,The Retreat' a classic Italian farmhouse turned guest house, we offer self-catering stays in our guest apartments with studio use. Seasonal half-day and day-long personalised painting classes are available with your expert tutor John by prior arrangement.

The Retreat is also home to a Cooking School. Jana, who has been taking care of our many guests' culinary needs for over a decade, offers classes not only in Italian & Mediterranean Cooking, but she is also a keen truffle hunter. She will take you on a truffle hunt with her team of Lagotto Romagnolo (traditional Italian truffle dogs), before teaching you how to cook with the precious tuber. Jana also teaches classes with a nutritional focus on healthy ageing. Find more information about her classes here TrufflesinItaly. Other experiences on offer include Yoga classes, reflexology and Italian lessons.

REVIEWS FROM YOU

Testimonials

Thank you for your stories, art history, talent, expertise and fun. We truly enjoyed ourselves can’t thank you enough for your support and kindness with my son Derrick.

 F. Lawn

Venice Course

I loved my week of study with John. It was an amazing experience. I enjoyed the stay at the Convent and the restaurant where we had our meals. He added in a Evening walking tour and a visit to the Uffizi Museum. He is a greyat teacher and a very nice person who worked very hard to help me improve my skills. I look forward to studying with him again.

M. Yarney

Watercolour Florence

I came on Easter week. I had the best time! The Oblate convent was a great, simple central location. The watercolour course was inspiring. I had painted before, but John Skelcher was an excellent teacher of perspective and colour theory. He was also a great guide to Florence – showing where the best Gelateria is! He also knew that there was a special Easter ceremony at the cathedral, and made sure we didn’t miss it. I would love to come next year to one of his oil painting courses.

D. Oliver

Florence Watercolour course