Incredible Italy Writing Retreat
Relax, Write & Transform
How magical would a writing holiday in Tuscany be?
Isn’t it time you treated yourself to the dream vacation of a lifetime?
7x nights – 1 – 8 October, 2027
Always dreamed of your own escape under the Tuscan sun?
Imagine waking up in an historic 16th century villa with hand-painted frescoes and sprawling panoramic views over forests and rolling farmlands. Take a deep breath. It’s real. You are here.
Imagine scrumptious European-style buffet breakfasts with real Italian coffee served by our handsome host Luca.
Imagine sitting in the beautiful gardens or by the pool with expansive views. Or maybe you find your own secret place hidden in the forest– just you, pen and notebook in hand.
You lose track of time, lost in your writing and the gentle embrace of nature. Your senses are alive, the stress and busyness of life has dropped away and your pen glides effortlessly over the page.
Imagine feasting alfresco on delicious chef-prepared meals, chatting with new friends over a glass of local wine, or two.
You can’t stop smiling as you rediscover the joy of creative connection and the bliss of living your dream.
Imagine writing and breathing the magic that is Italy.
Terzo Di Danciano is a small medieval hamlet in a stunning, panoramic rural setting overlooking the border between Umbria and Tuscany near the beautiful city of Cortona.
Renowned for its Etruscan origins, and traditionally known as the ‘mother of Troy and grandmother of Rome’, more recently Cortona and its surrounds have made history as the setting of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.
During our complimentary half-day excursion to Cortona, a local guide will show us the main sights and lead us on a short walk in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi to the monastery of Le Celle.
Situated in the sparsely populated Pierle Valley, with its endless vistas across rolling hills, cultivated fields, olive groves and forests, Terzo di Danciano offers a natural sanctuary.
Carefully renovated, the historic buildings of Terzo preserve their authentic historic charm, while also providing a thoroughly contemporary experience of comfort and sustainability.
Ancient mulberry and olive trees provide shade in the extensive garden which has a beautiful swimming pool at its heart.
We have exclusive use of Terzo Di Danciano during our stay and are free to roam every corner of this enchanting property and the surrounding forests.
Italy Writing Retreat
What you’ll learn
Benefit from the guidance of TWO experienced writing coaches and published authors.
Writing Workshops
Daily writing workshops will help you write a page turner, whether you are writing fiction or creative non-fiction.
Learn how to:
- unleash your creativity
- develop a unique writing voice
- create a compelling premise to hook your reader from the first page
- write in scenes and create narrative drive
- craft engaging characters & believable dialogue
- understand structure and write gripping character-driven plots
- delve more deeply into the heart of your stories
- find the right market for your work (ie. traditional versus self-publishing)
- write a pitch, synopsis and author bio
- incorporate creativity and writing into your daily life
- confidently share your work with others in a supportive environment
- improve your work with constructive and gentle 1:1 feedback with experienced coaches
“Edwina and Kerstin create a warm, compassionate and authentic environment for people to learn and grow. The workshops provide a wide range of writing tools that enable writers to leave with everything they need to achieve their goals.”
– Vicki Bennett
Your Retreat Day in Tuscany…
Every day begins with gentle yoga, followed by breakfast and an inspiring writing workshop.
The afternoons are free for your own adventures, naps, solo writing (or join others to write in company), 1:1 sessions, your complimentary tarot reading, a trip to the spa, an excursion into town, or learn a few Italian phrases under the guidance of Kerstin, our resident Italian language expert.
At the end of each day we come together in the beautiful yoga shala for gentle breathing techniques to clear and calm your mind, deeply relax and revitalise.
Every evening we share incredible Italian feasts made with fresh, local produce prepared by Sergio, the celebrated, entertaining in-house chef.
After dinner we relax with conversation and readings around the large open fireplace in the beautiful lounge room.
All retreat activities are optional and there will be no judgement if you prefer not to join the yoga sessions, meditations or skip a workshop.
This is your creative holiday. Our aim is to nurture your wellbeing and inspire your writing. Enjoy having someone look after you for a change!
“The workshops were interactive and the materials were very well explained using examples for clarification. I loved the balance between workshops, yoga, breathing, tarot, massages and free time.”
– Carol
Your home away from home…
Terzo Di Danciano is a carefully renovated historic property. The spacious bedrooms and light-filled living areas radiate connection with the past and most rooms have stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
Each bedroom is uniquely decorated with original historic details, including frescoes in some rooms. Double rooms have plenty of space to stretch out and find privacy, some are large enough to be suitable for three.
Our hosts Kriszti and Luca are experienced English speakers. You can relax, knowing your every need has been thought of.
The Bachificio where our yoga sessions and our writing workshops are held was once an ancient silkworm nursery that has been transformed into palatial indoor spaces, flooded with soft natural light from sunrise to sunset.
The upstairs yoga studio is every practitioner’s dream with a hardwood floor, high ceilings, large French doors on all sides letting in the breezes and the stunning view.
Downstairs, the spacious historic dining room has stone floors, a vaulted ceiling and a magnificent fireplace where we can gather in the evenings to share our stories.
The icing on the cake is a private spa facility which is ours to use every afternoon. Enjoy exclusive use of the infrared sauna, whirlpool, and Turkish bath and relax completely.
Massages and other treatments are available at extra cost.
This is a historic property and there is no lift. The yoga studio is upstairs, the spa downstairs in the converted cellar and most rooms are on the first and second floor.
If stairs are difficult for you, please let us know in advance.
Food, glorious food
All meals are included. Ingredients are sourced locally and prepared by Sergio, the famous in-house chef (he’s written his own cookbook!). Ditch the diet for a week and indulge in delicious continental breakfasts, buffet lunches and perfect seated dinners. Italian food never tasted so good!
Continental Breakfasts include fresh cold-pressed fruit juice, eggs, cheese, prosciutto, salmon, a variety of fresh fruit, organic sourdough bread, home-made marmalade, organic cow milk, and a wide selection of milk alternatives, organic herbal
tea, coffee, organic honey, yogurt and much more.
Buffet Lunches & Seated Dinners vary with the seasons and offer a rich variety of delectable Italian cuisine. Salads using fresh local vegetables, grains and seeds, sprouts and proteins, glow with magnificent colours and life.
Reservations & Rooms
All prices in Australian dollars
A non-refundable deposit of $650 will reserve your spot!
Shared room
with either en-suite or shared bathroom
Sold Out
Single room
with shared bathroom
Sold Out
Large deluxe single room
with en-suite
$7200 pp
Single room
with en-suite
Sold Out
What’s included
- 7x nights accommodation in stunning medieval villa with all the mod cons
- All meals – prepared by celebrated private chef Sergio
- Guided excursion to Cortona and La Celle monastery
- In-house Italian cooking class with Sergio
- Welcome prosecco and antipasto
- Daily gentle morning yoga
- Daily writing workshops
- Optional 1:1 feedback session with Kerstin or Edwina
- Guided evening yoga breathing (pranayama)
- 1x basic Italian class with Kerstin to help you get the hang of the local lingo
- Welcome gift bags
- Open mic night
- Final alfresco dinner with music
- 1x spa or sauna
Not included
International airfares & travel to Cortona,
travel insurance, alcohol, personal items
Massages and facials at in-house spa can be organised at own cost
Your Retreat Leaders
Kerstin Pilz
Kerstin Pilz
Edwina Shaw
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to the retreat location?
Fly to Rome or Florence then you can either take a train, or, if you feel confident to take on Italian traffic, rent a car and self-drive.
By car: Find the location details HERE
By train from Rome or Florence the closest train station is TERONTOLA-CORTONA
We will collect all guests on the first day of the retreat from Terontola-Cortona train station in time to settle in (around 2pm) before our welcome drinks and first session (around 4pm).
For more info on the retreat location, visit their website.
What if I don't write in English?
You are encouraged to write in your native language as this will allow you to connect more deeply with your inner voice.
The writing you will be doing in this retreat is for your eyes only. Sharing is optional but encouraged. Some of our foreign language writers in the past have opted to summarise their words in English.
What kind of yoga will we do?
Our days begin with a gentle flowing yoga practice to wake the body, incorporating restorative and gentle yin-style poses to connect you deeply to your body and breath.
Each movement is linked to breath making these practices a form of moving meditation. Edwina’s sessions also incorporate other gentle energy-based practices such as Tai Chi and Chi Gong.
The classes are designed for people who have some experience with yoga, but you don’t have to be an experienced yogi to participate. Your highly experienced teachers will tailor each pose to suit individual needs.
In the early evenings Edwina’s breathwork sessions will help you clear your mind, calm your body and connect with your higher self through guided relaxation and simple breathing techniques anyone can do.
Think you can’t meditate? Think again. These breathing exercises are designed to help slow your thoughts, calm your mind, leading to a blissful meditative state.
What kind of writing will we do?
The daily writing workshops are designed to help you unleash your creativity, connect with your voice and lead you towards the stories you need to write. Writing sessions are aimed at any level of writer, whether you are working on a project, or simply writing for yourself as a way to make sense of life.
Our writing workshops are interactive, fun and informative and run for two and a half hours in the mornings. Workshops early in the retreat focus on unblocking your creative voice with guided meditations followed by free-writing to carefully selected writing prompts. Timed freewriting allows you to bypass your inner critic so that you can write straight from your core, without stopping to think or edit or worrying about grammar and spelling.
As the retreat progresses the workshops become more focused on elements of the craft of writing, from setting and character, to dialogue and writing in scenes, to structuring your plot to create a compelling narrative and then learning about a variety of publishing avenues.
Not everyone who comes to our retreats wants to write (and/or publish) a book for a wide audience, but these workshops will also help you develop a regular writing practice, find your unique voice and deepen your understanding of the craft of writing, regardless of the kind of writing you do.
Sharing your writing is totally optional, but we find that reading your writing aloud helps build confidence, momentum and creative synergy!
All workshops are optional and there is no judgement if you skip a workshop. Just let us know beforehand, so that we don’t wait for you. But we do encourage you to attend ALL writing workshops because you will always learn something new!
Sample schedule
7:30 Morning yoga
8:30 Breakfast
10:00 Writing workshop
12:30 Lunch
Free time
15:00 one-on-one mentoring sessions/tarot card readings/massages/solo writing or writing with a group
17:30-18:00 Yoga breathing, meditation and deep relaxation
18:30 Dinner
Terms & Conditions
Terms & Conditions
• A non-refundable deposit of $650 is required to book your spot.
• Full payment for all bookings is required 5 months prior to retreat start. Any bookings made thereafter, must be paid in full upon booking.
• To participate in our international retreats, you will need to provide evidence of international travel insurance. This will also protect you in case of flight cancellations or any unforeseen events.
*feel free to ask us about staggered payment plans
Refund Policy
We understand that circumstances can change. In the unlikely event of another Covid related lockdown, any monies paid will be transferred to a future date.
If you cancel 5 months or more prior to the retreat start, we will refund your fee minus the $650 deposit. However, if YOU can find a replacement to fill your spot, we are happy to refund all fees paid minus a $250 administrative fee.
Cancellations up to four months prior to retreat start will receive a 50% refund of the total paid, less the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel twelve weeks or less from the retreat, we are unable to provide any refunds.
Please note that it is a condition of our retreats that you take out international travel insurance at the time of booking so that you may appeal to your insurance in the event that you have to cancel. .
Have more questions?
What our guests say about our retreats