It was such a great and exciting time! Thank you so much for the peace and quiet and all the things you learned! I love wearing the pieces of jewelry I made and remember the wonderful days in Italy!
Angelika Haas
—Verified review
3.5-day intensive course in gold and silver smithing in Tuscany; on-site lodging available
5.0 (1 Review) · Aulla, Italy
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Summary
Surrounded by beautiful countryside in the hills of Lunigiana, find your muse, spend each day forging gold and silver on the covered outdoor terrace, immerse yourself in the creative process, and learn about ancient traditional craft techniques.
Whether you have prior experience or not: with a small class size of no more than 3 people, I can tailor the course to your project and guide you through a wide variety of techniques—which we can best discuss in advance by phone, email, or WhatsApp.
In my courses, we recycle and alloy silver and gold ourselves to create the raw material for the jewelry pieces; in the process, you’ll naturally learn fundamental crafting techniques such as casting, forging, rolling, and drawing… So feel free to bring your own materials, if you have any!
The courses take place every year in May, September, and October and, with only 3 spots available, often fill up quickly. Especially if you’d like to come as a pair, you should try to sign up by January—spots for September are often reserved as early as January! If your desired date is fully booked, you can be added to the waiting list; outside of the peak season, last-minute bookings are often still possible…
Simple accommodations are available in the family’s home (single room without a private bathroom). Hotels and guest rooms are available in the neighborhood, and I’m happy to help with bookings.
For lunch, I’ll cook local, mostly vegetarian specialties for you. You’ll prepare your own breakfast in the “shared kitchen.” And in the evenings, we’ll help ourselves to the well-stocked refrigerators to put together a merenda together. Please let me know your dietary preferences and any food intolerances in advance so I can plan the shopping accordingly.
We’d be happy to visit a typical local restaurant together on the last evening. (The value for money is unbeatable!)
The retreat at a glance
The most important facts in a nutshell:
- Categories
- Goldsmithing, Creative Retreats, Silversmith Workshops, Jewelry Making, Resilience training, Detox Retreats
- Date
- Sep
- Language(s)
- Italian, English, German
- Level
- Expert, Advanced, Beginner
- Group Size
- 3
- Place
- Aulla, Italy
- Accommodation
- not included
- Catering
- No meals
- Services
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Pickup + Trip to the Aulla Train Station
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Shared meal on the observation deck in exchange for an expense allowance
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Presentation of the results at a festive event
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Private lodging available on-site at the family's home
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Accommodation
The studio is located in the cantina and terrace of a rustic house dating back to Dante’s time, with a view over the green hills and foothills of the Lunigiana. The nearest town is down in the valley (about a 30-minute walk), so we’ll be able to focus on our creative work here without distractions...
Simple rooms and beds are available in my family’s home for a flat fee of €230, including full board. For those with higher standards or arriving by car, I recommend renting a hotel room, B&B, or vacation home in the area. I’d be happy to help arrange accommodations.
The house is surrounded by nature with many animals (porcupines, wild boars, deer, and, unfortunately, also spiders and insects such as mosquitoes and wasps, etc.). My two cats live with me in the house but spend a lot of time outdoors; so far, there haven’t been any issues for people with allergies, since we spend a great deal of time working outside. To be on the safe side, however, people with allergies should please bring their own small “first-aid kit.” You’re welcome to bring your own pets; so far, my cats have gotten along well with all the dogs, and there’s plenty of space for the four-legged friends to give each other some room...
Catering
During the workshop, we’re like a family. Meals are provided for a flat-rate contribution toward expenses: workshop participants prepare their own breakfast in the communal kitchen, I cook lunch, and in the evening we have a merenda with salad and Italian treats.... Please let us know in advance about any special dietary needs or sensitivities, if possible.
sequence
Arrive the evening before starting at 6:00 p.m., enjoy dinner together, get to know each other, and discuss your ideas (you’re also welcome to discuss these in advance over the phone)
3 workshop days: 10:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and 3:30–7:00 p.m., meaning 7 hours of creative work each day, from preparing the materials to completing the piece of jewelry
On the day of departure, the workshop will remain available from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. For some projects, this extra time is absolutely necessary to ensure a successful outcome; otherwise, it provides time for a leisurely wrap-up during a small, festive final presentation: In any case, the pieces will be examined and photographed again in daylight.
Starting at 1:00 p.m., I’ll be happy to drive you to the Aulla train station.
It’s worth planning a few days by the sea (e.g., Lerici, Tellaro, Cinque Terre, Portovenere, Levanto) or in beautiful cities like Parma, Lucca, Pisa, Florence, Genoa, etc.) before or after the course...
Arrival
Since the house is also used for personal purposes, you’ll receive the exact address only after you’ve made your reservation. There’s a direct train connection from Pisa Airport to Aulla, where I’ll pick you up at the train station. For those arriving by car:
I’ll provide you with directions from the Aulla highway exit before your trip, as the postal address is incorrectly located on the GPS. A narrow, winding road leads to our house. Parking is really only available on the side of the road in the woods; please assess the risk of potential storm damage yourself and take precautions if necessary—a brand-new company car might not be the best choice...
5.0
1 Review
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Cancellation policy
If you cancel up to 90 days before arrival, you will receive a 80% refund of the booking price.If you cancel up to 30 days before arrival, you will receive a 50% refund of the booking price.
After this, the booking is non-refundable.
The current cancellation policy can be found on my website and is listed on the invoice.
Cancellation fee: €100. The cancellation fee will be credited toward a booking made next year. A refund of the 50% deposit for last-minute cancellations made less than 30 days in advance is only possible if the reserved spot can still be filled.
Dates
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$538 / 4 Days
5.0 (1 Review)