Watercolour Art Retreat at Burlamacchi Villas, Tuscany, Italy

My Rignana Estate retreat is full. But good news! The family asked me if I'd like to bring a second group to their other beautiful home in Tuscany.

Same hosts (Alessandra & Martino Burlamacchi), same warmth, same authentic Italian food and wine, same feeling of being a guest in a home rather than a booking in a hotel. A different landscape entirely — a river valley, a historic spa town, chestnut forests turning gold in October — and with the quiet luxury and unhurried pace that makes Rignana Estate so special.

If you tried to book Rignana and missed out, this is your retreat.

Renee is a phenomenal teacher and artist! She explains techniques and fundamentals for sketching and painting in such an understandable and applicable way. When painting, she also gives wonderful encouragement and tips to help you not only feel confident in your work, but also push you to be brave.… Read more… Working with her is absolutely the best. Renee is friendly, knowledgeable, kind, and so incredibly talented.

Our home for the week is Burlamacchi Villas — two historic villas in the centre of Bagni di Lucca, run by Alessandra & Martino, whose family has been part of this landscape since 1220. These are not hotel rooms. They are the rooms of a family home eight centuries in the making, filled with stories, portraits, beautiful objects, and the heart that comes from a place that has always been cared for. Private gardens, a pool, a studio space for demos, and meals and wine that belong to this part of Italy.

And yet, the moment you step out of the gate, you are in the town. Bagni di Lucca was once a fashionable spa resort for European nobility — Byron came here, so did Shelley, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Heine — and the traces of that gilded past are still visible in the architecture, the bridges, the old casino, and the lanes that wind up into the hills. The subjects are right outside the door — obvious ones and unexpected ones — and there is no need for a car to find them.

This is a place to slow down, look closely, and paint.

What we'll sketch : it's all on our doorstep

The beauty of this setting is that we can pack our sketchbooks and take them on short walks out the door...

• Bagni di Lucca is a town with centuries of beautiful architecture — grand 19th-century villas built for European nobility, a Gothic Revival Anglican church, the elegant Casino Municipale, and ancient stone streets that seem designed to be drawn.
• The Lima river runs through the heart of the valley, and we're a short walk from two of its most beautiful bridges — the iron Ponte delle Catene, one of the oldest suspension bridges in Italy, and the old stone bridge at Ponte a Serraglio. We'll paint along the river path, with the town reflected in the water and the wooded hills behind.
• In autumn, the chestnut forests above the town will be full of colour. We'll head out on ambles through the forest — fallen leaves, wild mushrooms, shafts of light through the canopy. Nature sketching at the best time of year.
• The views from the villas are a subject in themselves — the Lima valley dropping away below, the forested ridgelines, the rooftops of the town. On slower mornings, we'll set up right here, coffee in hand, and paint what's in front of us.
• The gardens of Burlamacchi Villas are such a pleasure to sketch — flowers, stone walls, the pool, the old villa facades — there's a small world right here.
• And for those who'd like a day in Florence — we'll make a trip into one of the world's great art cities to sketch in its piazzas, markets, and hidden corners.
• The Florence day is optional. You're welcome to stay at home, slow down, work on a project you've been developing, or simply find a corner of the estate with good light and spend the day lost in it.

We paint OUTSIDE – that's where the magic happens

This is about capturing life as it unfolds in real time. Our focus is plein air sketching in pen and watercolour — setting up in the garden as the morning light hits the stone, finding a spot among the olive trees, or simply stopping wherever something catches your eye and putting it down in your sketchbook before the moment passes.

In an encouraging atmosphere, with plenty of laughter, perhaps a glass of local wine in hand, and all the practical details taken care of, I promise you'll leave Tuscany with a sketchbook bursting with memories and the confidence to paint anywhere, anytime.

Our studio space is perfect for demonstrations, skills practice, and one-on-one guidance on your individual work. Between outdoor sessions, we gather here and it's a place that makes you want to linger.

And the villas themselves never stop offering. A new angle of light, a different corner of the garden — there's always something worth sketching.

Small group sizes (10–14 students) mean I have ample time to help each person every day. You'll receive:

• Daily one-on-one feedback tailored to your level and goals
• Step-by-step demonstrations showing my process and decisions
• Personal guidance on color, composition, and perspective
• Encouragement to be brave and try things outside your comfort zone

By the end of our time together, you'll be the artist who never travels without a sketchbook.

I really appreciated your calm, enthusiastic and patient demeanor in your teaching. You nurtured this group from day one on the FB group and upon arrival so that we all already felt like friends. I can't talk you up enough to friends and family. I could not have imagined a more perfect trip other than in my dreams.

Everything taken care of

Alessandra and Martino welcome you to Burlamacchi Villas, their family home — a place whose roots in this landscape go back to 1220, and which they open to a small circle of guests to share their enduring love of art, cuisine, history, nature and Italy.

Cost includes — pretty much everything!

What's included…

• Teaching instruction every day: group and one-to-one tuition outside or in the studio in the form of demonstrations and individual feedback
• 7 nights' luxury accommodation
• All meals organised on-site
• Pizza making experience
• Daily Aperitivo
• Arrival & departure transfers to Lucca train station
• Infinity pool, WiFi, and laundry facilities
• VAT tax

What is not included…

• Airfare and travel insurance
• Art materials. You won't need much and a materials list will be sent out a few months before the retreat.
• Any food, drinks or meals taken off-site (e.g. during excursions to Florence and elsewhere)
• City tax (€2.50 per person per day, paid in cash on arrival)
• Tours and other sightseeing activities

What you'll learn: watercolour skills that travel with you

This retreat welcomes watercolour enthusiasts of all levels – whether you're a complete beginner or have experience but want to grow your confidence painting on location.

Core skills you'll develop:

• How to become confident painting en plein air with minimal materials
• How to choose what scene to paint (when everything is so beautiful!)
• Working with a limited watercolour palette for harmony and cohesiveness
• Understanding perspective in the context of Italian architecture
• Capturing the warm Italian light, shadow, and atmosphere quickly
• Creating loose, expressive sketches that capture the feeling of a place
• How to develop your sketches into full studio paintings
• Building a visual travel journal that reflects your personality and that you'll treasure forever

Beyond technique:

Art retreats are about more than improving your painting skills. There's a magic that happens – a combination of shared meals, laughter, painting excursions with like-minded people, and unforgettable moments both in your sketchbook and around the table. The supportive creative community, and the beauty surrounding you create a sense of connection that makes friendships feel like they'll last a lifetime.

Want to see my teaching style in action? Here's a full painting demo from a previous art retreat...

I'm passionate about travel sketching

For 18 years, I've never traveled anywhere without a sketchbook. What started as a side hobby on a climbing trip to Spain and France completely transformed how I experience the world. Now I have a massive stack of sketchbooks filled with priceless memories – villages, landscapes, flowers, food, people, and little notes that transport me straight back to those moments.

Since 2007, I've spent about 6 months a year in Europe and now I live in Spain, and sketching outside has immersed me in places in ways I never could have imagined. It's created vivid memories and allowed me to meet so many locals I wouldn't have encountered otherwise.

I've been teaching watercolour since 2017. My approach is simple: I want to make you braver. Whether you're nervous about painting in public, unsure about color mixing, or intimidated by perspective, I'll guide you through it with patience, encouragement, and practical demonstrations. By the end of our time together, you'll be the artist who never travels without a sketchbook.

Frequently asked questions

What level of experience do I need?
All levels welcome! Whether you're a complete beginner or experienced painter, you'll receive personalized guidance suited to your skill level.

What's the weather like in Tuscany mid October?
Temperatures typically range from 12-20°C (54–68°F). The combination of pleasant temperatures, beautiful autumn light, and the golden harvest season landscape makes mid October a lovely time for plein air painting in Tuscany. We'll have our beautiful studio to paint in if we have any showery days.

Where is Burlamacchi Villas & how do I get there?
Burlamacchi Villas is in Bagni di Lucca, a historic spa town in the hills north of Lucca. Arrival and departure transfers to Lucca train station are included in the retreat price. The nearest international airports are Pisa and Florence, about 1hr drive.

Can I bring a partner?
Yes, partners and family members are welcome. During painting sessions they can relax by the infinity pool and thermal spa, explore the town, or venture into the surrounding hills and villages.

What watercolour supplies do I need to bring?
A detailed supply list will be provided upon booking. We focus on painting with minimal, portable materials – perfect for travel sketching.

What if I've never painted en plein air before?
Great! This is the perfect place to start :-) I'll teach you everything you need to know to feel confident painting on location.