Wanderful Retreats
  • About
  • upcoming
  • Join US
  • FAQ
    • Amici
    • Testimonials
    • Photos
  • Contact
  • Wanderful Journal
Picture

2022...the unforgettable Italian Summer

9/13/2022

0 Comments

 
PicturePhoto by Alice Tanganelli in Castiglion Fiorentino
Ciao amici! Long time no blog post ;) 

2022 was certainly an unforgettable summer. In addition to having two WONDERFUL group retreats in both Castiglion Fiorentino and Lucca, my now husband and I got married in Castiglion Fiorentino two days after I wrapped up the Lucca Retreat! It was a whirlwind but an absolutely magical whirlwind. 

I'll be writing more in-depth journal posts about each individual retreat but I just wanted to put together a little highlight post of some of my favorite moments from possibly my favorite summer in Italy since the very first one in 2009. 

Read on for more! 


Read More
0 Comments

10 Things To Do in Lucca

5/2/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Oh Lucca...how I love thee so.

I first found myself in Lucca for a quick overnight visit in 2011 to visit my friend Vanessa. It only took one bike round around the wall to have me hooked. The next fall, I spent 3 months making Lucca my homebase for sketching and exploring. 

Over 10 years later and I still can't get enough of this city. There's so much to explore here while still not feeling like you're in a giant overwhelming city like Florence. I adore this town and look forward to bring people back to it every year.

Even if you can't join us on a retreat in Lucca, here's my list of 10 things to get you started when you make your way to the Hidden Gem of Tuscany!

Read More
0 Comments

My favorite sketching spots in Italy

6/7/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Sketching in Spello, from Sesto the Traveling Sketchbook
With over 10 years of traveling through Italy, I've collected quite a number of sketches and watercolors. To date, I have 8 filled sketchbooks, most of which I bound by hand with mixed paper inside so I can paint, journal, collage and draw all in one place (Psst! Each Wanderful Retreat guest gets their own blank sketchbook to document their adventures!). 

These sketchbooks are some of my most treasured souvenirs and possessions. Totally on the list of things I'd grab if there was ever a fire. Within the sketchbooks though, I definitely have some favorite sketches. Moments that were too good not to document. Sketches that captured amazing places, meals or memories. And some spots that I just can't resist sketching again, again and again, even a decade later.

Read More
0 Comments

Which Week Will You Choose?

9/26/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Strawberry or chocolate gelato? Red or white wine? Pizza Margarita or Pasta Carbonara? While there's no wrong answer (because, YUM!), it can be tricky choosing between two great options! 

We have a similar conundrum when it comes to our Wanderful Retreats. How do you choose between an amazing week in a villa tucked in the hills of Southern Tuscany, or an equally amazing week in the historic center of bustling Lucca?! 

While we can't pick for you (or why pick between the two, you could do both weeks ;)), we can help guide you in selecting the Wanderful Retreat week that fits you best! 

Read More
0 Comments

2019 Summer Recap

7/28/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
The afternoon light in Cortona is hard to resist!
Ciao dear friends, it's been too long...

​This summer was an absolutely wanderful whirlwind of exploring new cities, eating delicious food, making new friends and creating amazing memories. I first traveled through Berlin, Amsterdam and London with my boyfriend and his family, before we headed to Tuscany to prep and host the retreats! After the retreats wrapped up, I flew south (waaay south) to Africa to join my boyfriend on a safari in Kenya and a canoe trip in Zambia. It was quite an adventure!

​There are SO many photos on Instagram across all my social media accounts...Sketchy Notions for peeks inside my 8th sketchbook, my own personal account for little memories, and, of course, the Wanderful Retreats Instagram for all things retreat related! But I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos and memories from the 2019 Wanderful Retreats in Castiglion Fiorentino and Lucca! 

Read More
0 Comments

Getting lost in Lucca...and loving every minute...

1/28/2019

0 Comments

 
The first time I ever visited Lucca was the fall of 2011. I had been fulfilling my internship at the study abroad center in Castiglion Fiorentino for most of the year when my good friend Vanessa sent me a message. She and her boyfriend at the time were staying in Lucca and were shopping for apartments. I had a day or two free from work so I hopped on a train for this small town west of Florence. It was a quick train ride through Western Tuscany, an area I had only passed through as a student on our to the Cinque Terre. As the train rolled into the train station at Lucca, I spied a tower with trees growing on the top of it and wondered how in the hell had I never heard of this place before. 
Picture
From the top of the Guinigi Tower, aka the tree tower!

Read More
0 Comments

    Read About...

    All
    10 Things To Do In...
    A Day In...
    Art Making While Traveling
    Bologna
    Castiglion Fiorentino
    Cinque Terre
    Florence
    Italy
    Lucca
    Orvietto
    Pisa
    Recipes
    Rome
    Spello
    Travel
    Travel Tips
    Tuscany
    Umbria
    Wanderful News
    Wanderful Tales

    RSS Feed

Picture

Email

wanderfulretreats@gmail.com

Snail Mail

PO Box 853, Los Olivos, CA 93441
  • About
  • upcoming
  • Join US
  • FAQ
    • Amici
    • Testimonials
    • Photos
  • Contact
  • Wanderful Journal