How To Choose The Right Retreat For You
Before you rush off to a yurt in Umbria or a writing desk by a Cornish sea view, ask yourself what kind of ‘pause’ you actually need. Are you craving solitude and silence, or community and conversation? Do you want structured workshops, or unhurried time to potter and think? The best retreat is the one that fills the particular yearning you’re feeling.
The Offline Club
First things first. Sometimes before you can really get creative, you need to switch off the distractions. And that’s where The Offline Club comes in with its two-day digital detox retreats in the Netherlands and five-day options in France. If you have seen its viral video of 250 people sketching and talking in a 400-year-old Amsterdam church, all of them without the tyrannical distraction of a phone, you, like us, will want in. As they say, there are no rules at their retreats. Simply ‘do whatever, whenever: wake up with a fresh croissant, read a book by the pool, journal in the hammock, or explore the local food market.’ Dreamy. Explore the courses on offer here.
Reading Retreats With Aweventurer
For those whose souls are fed by stories, Aweventurer’s Reading Retreats are part literary salon, part mindful escape. Imagine a weekend in a beautiful countryside house with a small group of fellow booklovers, guided by gentle prompts to think, share, and reflect – but, crucially in our book, with zero pressure to perform. We are living in a time when fewer than 40 per cent of children read for pleasure – consider that and suddenly these retreats feel vital, since they are all about reconnecting with the pure joy of what is in danger of becoming a lost pleasure; a pleasure that has the power to move, to teach and to inspire, often across continents and centuries. Plus, there’ll be slow meals, long walks between chapters and, often, yoga thrown in to deeply unwind too. We have eyes on the Tuscan retreat next May. Sigh. Explore the courses on offer here.
Curious House
Few could fail to find inspiration amid the Ravilious-made-flesh backdrop of the rolling Sussex countryside – and Curious House knows exactly how to make the most of its natural advantages. Hosting creative workshops at the glorious Bell in Ticehurst, its brilliant tutors instruct in a myriad of art forms, from basket weaving to textiles to lampshade painting – all with seriously good food and company to sweeten the deal yet more. It’s the perfect choice if you want to learn something tangible yet leave feeling lighter, more inspired, and creatively restored. Plus, these are one-day courses, so a chance to get the creative juices flowing while not having to take a full week’s holiday. Explore the courses on offer here.
Silk Road Slippers Masterclasses
Want to polish your writing skills under the tutelage of serious literary heavyweights while also being seduced by the glory of Marrakech? This one’s for you. Set in the idyllic Jnane Tamsna, budding (or indeed seasoned) writers are taught by Alexandra Pringle, publisher, editor, literary agent and writer, former editor-in-chief of Bloomsbury Publishing; Alex von Tunzelmann, internationally bestselling historian, broadcaster and screenwriter; and Faiza Khan, editor, mentor and literary consultant, while guest authors have included Booker, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winners. Not, then, your average writing retreat. Explore the courses on offer here.
Olive & Plum Retreats
Olive & Plum’s retreats – set everywhere from the Puglian countryside to South Africa to the Devon coast – are led by practising artists and steeped in slow beauty. Days are spent in painting or sketching workshops while moments of creative pause are filled with fresh local food and convivial long lunches. Perfect for anyone yearning to reconnect with creativity through landscape, colour, and company – whether you’re a total beginner or someone who just hasn’t picked up a brush in years. Explore the courses on offer here.
Creative Experiences
Sometimes the most deepest creative itch can be scratched by the act of making. Creative Experiences arranges intimate craft holidays across Europe – from embroidery in Venice to textiles in Provence or lace-making in rural Spain. There’s something deeply grounding about spending your days surrounded by fabric, pattern, and patient teachers. And for anyone yearning to use their hands to get creative, these courses are hard to beat. Explore the courses on offer here.
