SOUTH AFRICAN ART RETREAT
4-11 May 2027, South Africa
explore, unwind, create
what’s included
🇿🇦 7 nights in an exclusive, luxurious safari lodge in South Africa, located inside an off-the-beaten-track private game reserve.
🐘 Morning and evening safari game drives every day with experienced rangers.
🎨 Relaxing daily paintings sessions in the studio alongside Sophie - any artistic abilities are welcome!
🖌️ Professional-grade art materials (unless you would prefer to use your own).
🍔 All meals, drinks, and snacks throughout your stay.
✈️ Return airport transfers from King Shaka International Airport.
💃🏻 All activities and excursions (unless stated as optional extras).
Non-participating friends/partners are welcome to join and enjoy the daily game drives, without participating in the daily art sessions.
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what to expect
the setting
Zebra Hills Safari Lodge
Manyoni Private Game Reserve spans 23,000 hectares of KwaZulu-Natal wilderness and is home to the Big Five, over 400 species of bird, and some of the most paintable landscapes in South Africa.
You will spend the week at a luxurious safari lodge inside the Manyoni Reserve, surrounded by wildlife and friendly nyalas.
accommodation
The lodge boasts luxurious and spacious shared bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Rooms have a private outdoor deck with sun beds and a private outdoor shower. Hostesses are available 24/7 to ensure your stay is comfortable.
The lodge has a cosy shared living space, games room, swimming pool and an evening fire at the boma.
food & drink
Enjoy authentic South African cuisine, wine and as many snacks as you need from our ‘snack bar’ throughout the day. You will be treated to a three course meal every evening and breakfasts at the Half Lodge in the middle of the game reserve, surrounded by South African wildlife.
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Welcome to Italy!
Transport from either Brindisi airport (50 min) or Bari airport (2 hrs) to the venue will be arranged. You may wish to arrive in Italy a day before the retreat starts to account for any delays, adapt to the time zone and explore the local area.
On arrival, you will be shown to your room and given some time to settle in. There will be welcome drinks and a tour of the venue, with an optional early evening stroll to the beach for the beautiful Italian golden hour.
A delicious welcome dinner will give you the opportunity to get to know the group, whilst enjoying some local wine.
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After breakfast, you will join Sophie in the studio for an introductory art session. This will give Sophie the opportunity to get to know everybody’s artist backgrounds, ambitions and interests. We will then get the paints out and start painting together!
After lunch, we will continue our paintings in the studio, before attending a group pasta-making class, where we will learn to make traditional orecchiette pasta with the nonnas.
Over dinner, we will enjoy the fruits of our labour and gather around the fire pit to unwind.
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After breakfast, we will head back into the studio for another relaxing art session.
This afternoon, we will take a coastal hike from Masseria Specula to a natural salt lake, home to wild flamingos! You may wish to bring your camera and capture some reference photos for your paintings. The salt lake is a 60 minutes walk each way and we will take it at a leisurely stroll.
We will be back at the masseria in time for some relaxation or an evening stroll to the beach, before another delicious, home-cooked dinner.
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This morning, we return to the studio to work on our paintings.
After lunch, we will visit Lecce. Known as the ‘Florence of the south’, Lecce is a stunning Baroque city in Puglia famed for its ornate architecture, vibrant culture, and rich history.
We will enjoy wandering the historic streets of Lecce, visit the Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the Basilica di Santa Croce and finish the afternoon with a girl’s dinner at a local restaurant.
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After breakfast, we will meet back in the studio to continue our art sessions.
Following lunch, we will have a group pottery-making class, where we will get the opportunity to create a unique ceramic piece using the ‘pinch pot’ technique and decorate it with ceramic colours. You can take your creation home with you as a momento.
Dinner will be served with local wine and we will relax by the fire pit to close off the day.
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After breakfast, we will gather in the studio to discuss the week’s progress and reflect on the sessions.
We will then have our ‘group exhibition’, where we will enjoy and critique each other’s work.
Our last afternoon will be a time for relaxation and slowness. You may want to enjoy some alone time, stroll to the beach, or take part in a group yoga session.
We will come together for our farewell dinner, share stories and reflect on the week.
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After breakfast, it will be time to say our goodbyes.
We will gather for a group photo, before transfers to Brindisi or Bari Airports. Check-out is at 10:00AM.
itinerary
studio sessions
During your stay at Masseria Specula, you will join Sophie in the studio for daily art sessions. These will be laid back, fun and (hopefully) relaxing.
The aim of these sessions is to build confidence and skill, as well as inspiring anybody who wants to be more creative. These will not be intensive lessons and any artistic ability is welcome.
During these sessions, you will get the opportunity to watch Sophie work, ask questions about her technique, inspirations and career, as well as practise your own small-scale paintings on canvas using acrylic paint.
Sophie will give everybody regular individual feedback and will model common methods such as the grid method, colour-mixing, sketching and using reference photos.
You can expect these art sessions to be laid back and supportive, with the feel of a ‘shared art studio’, rather than a classroom. Sophie enjoys chatting or listening to music whilst painting, or perhaps a podcast!
pricing
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Large twin room with a shared bathroom and either a semi-private garden or a roof terrace. Shared with a friend (old or new).
€2950 per person
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Single occupancy airy double room with private en-suite.
€3650
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Twin or double room with en-suite (shared with participating friend).
Female friends or partners who do not wish to participate in art sessions are welcome to join.
Food/drink/accommodation and activities are included.
€2000