Plein Air Painting in the Heart of Tuscany

July 2026 | Stone country villa in the hills surrounding the Saturnia Thermal Baths

Join us for an inspiring one week or two week painting workshop for all levels, hosted in a charming stone Tuscan house nestled near the renowned Saturnia Thermal Baths. The beautiful property is surrounded by ancient olive groves and rolling hills that stretch endlessly across the horizon. This retreat offers the perfect balance of artistic focus and Italian summer leisure.

Dates:

One week:

July 5-July 12, 2026

July 19-July 26, 2026

Two weeks:

July 5-July 19, 2026

July 12-July 26, 2026

The Experience

Each morning features guided painting sessions with personalized instruction and demonstrations in plein air painting either in oils or watercolor, focusing on capturing the light, color, and atmosphere of the Tuscan landscape. Five hours a day of painting instruction is devoted to technique, observation, and creative development.

Afternoons and evenings are intentionally left open to enjoy the region at your own pace. Weekends are a good time to spend in a slightly further town like Florence (2-3 train hours), Orvieto (1.5 hours by car) or Perugia/Assisi (2 hours by car), or even Rome. Not to mention the beautiful Pitigliano, Viterbo, Spello, Spoleto, and Foligno, etc. The Umbria – Tuscany border offers countless gorgeous towns and villages to spend an afternoon or a weekend. Local wineries dot the surrounding countryside, and these charming villages remain authentic Italian gems, untouched by mass tourism.

Together we will explore nearby medieval towns such as Montemerano, Sorano, and Pitigliano. And soak in the warm, mineral-rich thermal springs of Saturnia 25 minutes away by foot or a short drive by car. Wander quiet country paths through olive groves and find your inspiration for painting. Relax and watch the golden Tuscan light spill across the hills.

After painting, we eat as a group at the villa and then gather together for dinner once more, unless you are choosing to have your dinner downhill or at a nearby town.

You would arrive on a Sunday afternoon (possibly giving yourselves some time to explore Rome before heading up to the villa which is 2 hour drive north.) Your choice is to rent a car in Rome and drive up or take the train from the airport to Grosseto, a 1.5-2 hour train ride and I would pick you up. The check out of the villa is also on Sunday morning by noon.

Another option is to only pay for lessons and meals and to stay in a nearby town. At that moment renting a car is favorable. I can help advise with accommodation. Most towns will be 10-30 min away from us. But this also gives you some independence. Driving in that region is not complicated and you can even rent an automatic and not bother with a stick shift.

Who It’s For

All painting levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced artists. This workshop is designed to encourage exploration, growth, and inspiration in the quiet beauty of the ancient Tuscan landscape.

How to Reserve Your Place

To reserve your spot in the Painting Workshop in Italy, please complete the online booking registration by filling out the Google Form linked below.

https://forms.gle/pt8hErjUknnDS8q69

The Setting for painting

We paint in the countryside which is far from bustling tourism. The villa is situated in the authentic rural region. Olive groves and famous rolling hills surround the house. This are was an Etruscan settlement dating back to 8th century BC and famous for the healing powers of the hot springs just 10 minutes drive from the house. The Romans prospered there in the 3rd century BC and after the fall of Rome, Saturnia passed under Lombard and Frankish control and became a fortified medieval village. Eventually during the Renaissance Saturnia became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. This marvelous place was inhabited for over 2500 years making it a famous local attraction for the healing sulfur waters bursting from the ground and running at 99.5 F all year round, a natural free spa.

 What’s Included in the Art Workshop

Daily guided painting instruction (5 hours each morning)

Oil Paint and Solvents

Accommodation at the villa / or you can rent nearby and just pay for lessons and meals

Bedding and towels provided, though I would bring a beach towel for Saturnia Baths, 25 min by foot that you won’t want to miss! Also the sea is an hour away!

Meals and wine at the villa

Inspiring painting locations

Occasional afternoon trips to nearby gem towns such as Pitigliano, Sorano, Montemerano,

What’s Not Included in the Workshop

Other painting supplies (brushes, easels (I can suggest a small folding travel easel that fits in your suitcase), palettes and canvasses (I can also suggest convenient travel solutions for small artwork). Watercolor paint, paper and brushes, pencils and paper (these are not a requirement, but a wonderful addition to your painting experience!) All your art supplies could fit into a carry-on or a suitcase. Heavy oil paint and solvents will be provided in Italy. Just don’t forget your favorite small brushes!

Your transportation (flights, car rental or train tickets) (which I suggest to book as soon as you decide on this adventure!). Flights booked in the winter for July have usually better prices.

Transportation and accommodation to towns nearby where we don’t go as a group together in my car are on your own. All expenses if you go to explore are not included. Lunch or dinner on your own if you decide not to eat with us in the villa are also not included. You are welcome to stay for the meals provided in the villa. I will try to take you to beautiful nearby towns but you are welcome to enjoy your freedom after our painting sessions. There are also beautiful places like Orvieto, Montepulciano (wine!), Perugia or Siena that are worth the visit especially if you stay for two weeks. I can guide and help you plan wherever you would like to visit and even give you a lift to a train station if you wish to go to Florence for the weekend!

A rented car is not required but suggested upon your arrival in Rome. It is not a necessity if you want to stay at the villa and travel with me to the Baths of Saturnia, and a few small jewel towns like Pitigliano, Sorano, or Montemerano, where I plan to take you, but if you are a free soul, many enchanting towns are within an hour’s drive. (It is possible to rent an automatic and it is not as hard to drive in that part of Italy as you may think! It isn’t Naples after all!) I can help you plan your destinations in advance and you can enjoy your daily trips after your painting sessions in the mornings.

Anything else you plan to purchase, such as souvenirs, wine, etc. are not included.

Payment

To book a spot, you should first start by choosing the weeks you prefer (see above) and send an email to evelina@brozgul.com to check availability. In case all spots in the villa are taken you can opt for another solution: Rent a room in a small B&B or an Aibnb nearby. There are plenty of wonderful accommodations in the Tuscan hills. I can also help you choose something you may enjoy. Then you would just choose the option of lessons and meals. You may also think about bringing a companion who is possibly not participating in the painting. Or come with an artist friend and share the experience!

Then send a deposit with your google registration (click the link https://forms.gle/pt8hErjUknnDS8q69 ). The full balance of the art workshop is paid by April 30th, 2026 and you have the opportunity to get the full refund before that date. If the balance of the payment is not received by April 30th, Evelina Brozgul reserves the right to give notice in writing that the reservation is cancelled and half the deposit ($400) will be refunded after April 30th, 2026.

There is limited space so it is on a first come basis to stay at the villa. You may also prefer your freedom of staying a few minutes away in town (Saturnia (6 min) , Manciano (10 min) or other surrounding villages). They are all under a mile or two from the house.

If you are bringing a companion and the companion is staying at the villa, the fees for the companion follow the same rules of deposit and deadline. If you are staying at a different location, the companion does not need to pay a deposit, but only the meals fee by April 30th. Only in case of availability is the companion allowed to be added to lodge at the villa.

– A deposit of $800 per companion staying at the villa is due upon registration to reserve the spot.
– Meals-only companions who are NOT staying at the villa are not required to pay a deposit and must pay the $500 fee in full by April 30th, 2026.

Payment Instructions:
Payment instructions will be sent by email after you submit this form.
Your spot is reserved once the deposit is received.​

If for any reason the workshop or retreat is cancelled by Evelina Brozgul, the full payment, including deposit, will be 100% reimbursed to you.  You will not be refunded for the cost of travel (plane, train or car rental) or other third party costs. 
 

Insurance

The participants and companions are required to arrange comprehensive travel insurance, including trip cancellation and liability cover, full cover for their (or their party’s) personal belongings, accident and emergency cover, etc., since these are not covered by Evelina Brozgul.

Participants and companions shall take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, and outdoor spaces on the property, and leave them in the same state as they were found at the start of the holiday period. Any damage to the property resulting from the participant’s or companion’s negligence will be billed directly to them.

The use of amenities and equipment, where offered, such as barbecues, etc. is entirely at the user’s risk and no responsibility can be accepted for injury, loss or damage to persons or their own property.
No responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage to any motor vehicle belonging to or rented by the participator or companion, or for loss of or damage to its contents. Also no responsibility can be accepted for the loss or damage to the participant’s belongings. The villa will be locked when nobody is there but as a rule of thumb, try to refrain from bringing very valuable and expensive items on your trip.

The last-minute cancellation of a scheduled week on Evelina Brozgul’s end will be extremely rare. In such rare instances for whatever reason, you will be provided full credit towards a future event with comparable setting and art instruction. This measure is only taken in exceptional, last-minute circumstances to maintain the quality and continuity of these workshops. Participants will be notified promptly of any such changes. Unfortunately travel reimbursement is not guaranteed so please always have travel insurance. I use Allianz Insurance which usually gives good travel security and is inexpensive to get.

Complimentary transfers are offered by Evelina Brozgul on the first and last day of the workshop to Grosseto train station that will take you straight to Rome. We may need to work out our drive so as to drop you off and pick up a new student so we will have to keep our schedules synced so that everyone benefits from a smooth transfer. Grosseto is an hour away from the villa.  If the participant and companion need to arrive or depart outside of the designated pick-up times, or if a transfer from a different location is required, private transfers can be arranged at extra cost.

​For the comfort of all guests, smoking is not permitted inside the accommodation.

So to begin, send an email to evelina@brozgul.com to find out if accommodation is still available and then fill out the form below and then make your deposit.

https://forms.gle/pt8hErjUknnDS8q69

We hope to see you in Saturnia, Italy and spend a week or two painting together!