The Way of Da Vinci: A Creative Retreat in Florence
A 7-day immersion in Florence and the Tuscan countryside dedicated to restoring creativity through attention, presence, and relationship with the living world.
7 Days/6 Nights
Florence, Italy and Tuscan Countryside
8-12 Participants
The Art of Seeing
Creativity is a memory, not a task.
Creativity isn’t a goal to achieve or a task to check off. It’s a living capacity that returns when we remember how to be present, curious, and attentive. This retreat is about slowing down enough to notice what is already here: the play of light and shadow, the curve of a leaf, the rhythm of the city, the subtle textures of the landscape.
Throughout the week, you practice observing with intention and openness. The exercises, walks, and reflections invite you to approach the world as Leonardo did: with fascination, generosity, and appreciation for the extraordinary in the ordinary. What emerges is less about results and more about attunement, receptivity, and the art of noticing.
A Living Laboratory of Presence
Florence and the surrounding Tuscan hills serve as both studio and teacher. The week is designed to support discovery through observation, reflection, and gentle practice.
We begin outdoors. Walks in gardens, countryside, and the hidden corners of Florence provide unstructured time to attend to your surroundings without pressure. Studio sessions offer a container for curiosity and experimentation: writing, photography, sketching, or simply observing quietly. Reflection circles invite conversation, but sharing is always optional. Presence comes first.
Visits to Leonardo’s birthplace, museums, and lesser-known locations are approached not as a tourist but as a student of his methodology. Observation, patience, and curiosity guide the experience, offering insight into how he integrated art, science, and life into a seamless practice of noticing. Florence becomes the foundation for reconnecting with your own way of seeing.
This Retreat May Resonate With You Deeply If…
You feel creatively exhausted despite external success. You’ve lost connection with curiosity or wonder. Your work has become overly functional or performative. You’re navigating transition or reinvention. You long for slowness, beauty, and meaningful attention. You want space to think, perceive, and create differently.
Meet Your Guide
I’m Heather. I’ve been facilitating leadership and creative work across Europe and North America for twenty years. My background is in strategic communication and my work has long been shaped by the Renaissance understanding that art, science, and spirit were never separate.
In this retreat, I hold the space so that your own attention and perception become the guide. My approach is rooted in presence, observation, and appreciation. The real teacher, though, is the environment itself: Florence, the Tuscan landscape, Leonardo’s works, and the attention you bring to all of it.
My role is to help you slow down, notice deeply, and find your own rhythm of engagement with both the extraordinary and the everyday.
The Logistics
What’s included: 7 days and 6 nights in a curated villa, all meals, site visits to Vinci and Florence, studio materials, and guidance throughout the week. Flights, personal expenses, and travel insurance are not included.
This is a premium, intimate retreat experience designed for depth rather than volume. Because of the high-proximity nature of the week, participants complete a brief introductory conversation to ensure the group’s chemistry supports the experience. Investment details are shared in the retreat prospectus.