Join us in Tuscany, Italy, in 2022
Join Weeping Willow Books Publisher Marcia Meier and watercolorist Helena Hill when they return to Tuscany in spring 2022.
We took eleven women to Casa Fiori, a 400-year-old villa outside the charming town of Lucca in Tuscany in April 2019. In spring 2022, we'll return to Lucca, to the scrumptious La Selva retreat center run by our lovely hosts, chef Karolina Lenart and her husband, Dawid. The dates are April 7-17, 2022.
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Some of the highlights of our time together will include a visit to the town of Lucca for the best cappuccino in Italy, cultural tour, and a Puccini concert in a Romanesque church built over Roman ruins; a day trip to Viareggio and Pietrasanta; a day in Cortona where Frances Mayes wrote Under the Tuscan Sun; making homemade limoncello; a cooking class with the estate’s chef; a visit to a biological farm with wine tasting; and plenty of time for painting, writing, hiking or strolling around the gardens, olive groves, and vineyards, lounging in hammocks, and absorbing the quiet and spectacular views.
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We’ll have six days of writing in the mornings and painting in the afternoons. Marcia’s writing classes will include generative prompts and sharing of work. Marcia will also critique up to 20 pages of memoir or other writing submitted before the retreat and meet for individual consultations in Italy. And of course, Helena will offer us her wonderful painting classes in the afternoons.
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We have room for up to 10 people. Cost is $3,900 per person double occupancy (we are really good at pairing our single guests). Price is all-inclusive other than two lunches on tour days and your travel to and from Italy. The villa will provide transport from and to the airport in nearby Pisa or the train station in Lucca. A deposit of $500 is required by Nov. 1 to hold your spot.
Want to go with us? Send us an email!
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Our bios:
Marcia Meier, MFA, is an award-winning journalist, publisher, and author of five books, including, most recently, Face, A Memoir. (See her bio here.) Marcia is also an editor and writing coach who has taught writing for more than twenty years. She also has a publishing company, Weeping Willow Books. She is an adventurous spirit who loves to travel and inspire and encourage other writers.
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Helena Hill is a writer, watercolorist, and world traveler who lived with her family in Peru during her childhood. (See her bio here.) She has returned to Peru four times to rediscover her childhood home while writing her memoir. As a Spanish teacher, she led groups of students to Mexico, and most recently has led groups to Peru and Italy for watercolor and writing retreats. She has traveled extensively in Italy, and has studied and painted the landscapes of Tuscany and Umbria. Helena's passion is teaching and inspiring beginning watercolorists. She speaks fluent Spanish, is a student of Italian, and is an exceptional guide and teacher.