Join us under the Tuscan sun in this week-long art & yoga immersion.

2024 Italy Retreat - Eat Paint Love

Explore the Art of Living ‘La Dolce Vita’ at this very special Art & Yoga Retreat inTuscany, held over 6 nights / 7 days from June 8th - 14th, 2024.

Hosted by Yoga & Meditation teacher & Circle facilitator Sonja Mapleston, and Cork & Chroma founder & art therapist Hillary Wall.

Ignite your senses and love for life as we spend a week immersed in the stunning Tuscan countryside. We'll be staying at Antico Borgo di Tignano - the ancient hamlet of Tignano, in a colourfully restored, family-run agriturismo (or farm stay), located between Siena and Florence and close to the medieval hilltop town of Volterra.

This retreat is mindfully designed to awaken your appetite, inner artist and sense of aliveness, as you will be surrounded by picturesque views, farm-to-table produce, and our own studio (think: yoga in the mornings, creative workshops in the afternoons). The accommodation is perfectly situated for art-making with views of the surrounding vineyards, farms, and hilltop towns, castles and villas. You'll find camaraderie, connections, and above all, inspiration by experiencing the art of living, Italian-style.

Enjoy everything the heart of Tuscany has to offer: painting lessons, cooking class, bike rides through Medieval villages, a wine tasting evening, and ample hiking. Wander to the nearest village, the charming hilltop town of Casole D'elsa to shop, curl up under an oak tree and read, or hike throughout the surrounding land. Be free to opt in and out of as much as you please.

We'll be practicing yoga daily in the gorgeous ‘peace hall’ practice space, outfitted with all the props and mats and centred amongst the flowering gardens. Our retreat will be intimate and capped at 20 students.

Suitable for yogis and artists of all levels and all media. Non-retreat partners are welcome too. All food, breakfast, lunches and dinners, yoga and art materials, activities and accommodations are included.

We absolutely cannot wait to host you!

Your investment - starting from $3,965 per person (double room, in a 2-bedroom apartment). Single apartments available on request. Partners and families welcome.

Engage and awaken your senses in the heart of Tuscany!

Retreat Information

  • This ‘creative wellbeing’ retreat includes:

    • 6 nights / 7 days of accommodation (double - featuring double bedroom, private bathroom) in a beautiful, well appointed two-bedroom apartment at Antico Borgo di Tignano. Single apartment available upon request.

    • All meals (3 x daily) - locally sourced, seasonal Mediterranean cuisine prepared lovingly in-house.

    • Daily yoga (hatha, yin, restorative) & meditation

    • Daily arts workshop, featuring painting, making, crafting - all custom designed by Cork and Chroma

    • Authentic Italian cooking class focused on Tuscan traditions

    • Free time to relax and explore the gorgeous surrounds and villages

    • Swag bag on arrival filled with artisanal goodies.

    Optional add-ons include: wine tour and tasting, massages, bike hire, etc.

  • Accommodation

    A well appointed, self-contained, colourfully restored apartment, with gorgeous views of the surrounding gardens and countryside.

    Accommodation is normally a double room that sleeps up to two people with private bathroom in a charming, two bedroom apartment. Private room occupancy available upon request and availability.

    About Antico Borgo di Tignano

    Antico Borgo di Tignano is a family-run rural complex that features 13 apartments.

    All apartments are simply decorated in a typical, rustic Tuscan style that will make you feel at home.

    Each apartment comes with its own kitchen and contains two double rooms.

    Most apartments have a terrace, balcony or outdoor space to enjoy the views of the Tuscan hills.

    Bring a friend or family and enjoy a relaxing week enjoying all Tuscany has to offer!

    Please get in touch to customise your registration.

  • About Sonja

    Sonja Mapleston is a creative industries educator, writer and senior Yoga and Meditation teacher (500+ hours with Yoga Australia). Sonja runs yoga classes and group mindfulness experiences to inspire and empower individuals and strengthen community well-being.

    She weaves together ancient knowledge and rituals with modern science, utilising a range of proven techniques (art, circling, ceremony, yoga, meditation) to create unique workshops, programs and retreats that help us to unplug and foster authentic connection – to ourselves, to the Earth and to each other.

    About Hillary

    Hillary Stein Wall is a self-taught artist, art therapy practitioner and the founder and Creative Director of Cork & Chroma - paint and sip studios in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. She mostly paints digitally and in acrylic on canvas. Recently taking to mixed media, Hillary combines her own photography with digital paint to make mood-altering imagery rich in imagination and colour.

  • $3,965 AUD per person for a double room shared with one other person, or $4,565 AUD (single, subject to availability) for your very own private double room in a two-bedroom apartment.

    A non-refundable deposit of $975 AUD is required to hold your space. Full payment required by 1 March 2024.

    Prices are all inclusive and per person - covering all meals, refreshments, accommodation and yoga, arts workshops and additional activities (cooking class).

    Prices do not include flights or transport to and from the accommodation.

    Cancellation policy is reasonable and fair.

    Please get in touch for further information.

  • The Retreat runs for 6 nights days and 7 days, from 3pm Saturday afternoon on June 8th to Friday lunch June 14th.

    If you wish to extend your stay to explore the area, we recommend contacting Paolo at Antico Borgo di Tignano - info@tignano.com

  • The closest airports from the retreat centre are Sienna (40 km) and Florence (71 km).

    For detail driving instructions and sat nav coordinates, please see the accommodation website here.

    The retreat will begin at 3pm with check-in, a travel day, first yoga class and our first dinner together.

    On the 14th, we'll have coffee, do a morning practice, hold a closing circle followed by brunch and checkout.

  • Sonja’s authentic, warm, and generous spirit created a retreat space that was safe, welcoming, inclusive and supportive. I left the retreat feeling nurtured, rested, open hearted, connected and with renewed enthusiasm for the year to come. I'm looking forward to more of Sonja’s offerings." - Michelle Choma

    Sonja’s retreat is the perfect ‘pause’ button: a moment where you allow yourself to sit in stillness, breathe and to be present. The retreat allowed me to focus on me, to tap into my creativity and to be surrounded by like-minded women in a safe and inclusive environment. This is a must for every woman. Give yourself permission to take care of YOU.” - Ilvana Damjanovic

    A physically relaxing and mentally rewarding experience – I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the retreat and will definitely be attending the next one.” - Miriam Tane

  • Deposits secure your spot on the trip and are not refundable. Refunds for the balance payments vary depending on timing.

    For cancellation requests submitted with more than 90 days of retreat date: 100% of total amount (less deposit) will be refunded.

    For cancellation requests submitted within 61-90 days of retreat date, 50% of total amount (less deposit) will be refunded if replacement participant is found.

    Cancellation requests within 60 days of the retreat: sorry but no refunds given, no exceptions. Nobody books a retreat with the intention of canceling it, but unexpected events do occur, so please consider purchasing travel insurance. Exceptions cannot be made for any reason, including weather, injury/illness, or personal emergencies.

    No refunds or credits will be granted for failure to attend, complete or for arriving late or leaving early.

    We settle our bills with retreat venues 2-3 months in advance. Given the international nature of the retreat and unlikelihood of filling spot at last minute, payments are non-refundable after this time. Thank you for your understanding.

  • SATURDAY

    check-in / get refreshed (time TBC)

    opening circle restorative yoga

    free time / rest / swim / hike / explore

    welcome dinner

    SUNDAY

    meditation and hatha yoga

    breakfast

    art walk and visual journaling - to gather ideas and capture the beauty all around us

    pasta making class - unleash your inner nonna and learn with the locals with a hands-on cooking class, followed by a family-style lunch

    free time / rest / swim / hike / explore

    dinner

    MONDAY

    meditation and hatha yoga

    breakfast

    hands-on arts workshop (TBC) - everyone will leave with their own handcrafted piece to take home

    lunch on the terrace

    free time / rest / swim / hike / explore

    dinner

    TUESDAY

    meditation and hatha yoga

    breakfast

    whimsical print workshop - create your own travel keepsake with Hillary Wall

    free time / rest / swim / hike / explore

    winery tour and tasting techniques (optional)

    dinner

    WEDNESDAY

    meditation and hatha yoga

    art workshop & group art project

    lunch on the terrace

    free time / rest / swim / hike / explore

    dinner

    THURSDAY

    meditation and restorative yoga

    art journalling workshop

    lunch on the terrace

    free time / rest / swim / hike / explore

    artsy celebration dinner

    FRIDAY

    meditation and hatha yoga

    breakfast

    check out (time TBC)

    closing circle & sharing of our art journals

    lunch on the terrace

    departure

    *retreat schedule subject to change

  • Booked your retreat? Register your details and preferences here to help personalise your experience.