Retreat with with Úrsula
PUGLIA, ITALY
24th February to 1st March 2028
This 5 day retreat is a rare opportunity to learn to paint fruits, flowers and leaves with Úrsula Romero in the beautiful, fully staffed estate of Masseria Specula in Italy. The retreat takes painters on a transformative journey into their creative expression within the field of flower painting and the botanical arts. Through live demonstrations and thoughtful guidance you will learn to create beautiful watercolour paintings of leaves, fruits and flowers. On this course you will start working on one or several detailed paintings and will gain the expertise and confidence to complete them at home. You will have the exciting opportunity to learn how to enlarge your paintings to a grand scale and how to build your compositions and light your specimens to create added drama. Úrsula is also available post retreat through whatsapp should you need any extra guidance.
At the Masseria Specula, you'll learn and relax in the idyllic 17th Century estate in Puglia, Italy - a sanctuary for painters and creative minds, where time slows and presence expands. All of the tutoring will take place inside their specially designed art studio. During the retreat, on the Tuesday, we all have a day off from painting to stretch our legs and to explore the surrounding area. There is a planned excursion available and the studio will be available for use, so you could pop in even on our day off if you prefer. You will be wined and dined in spectacular fashion. All the meals are locally sourced and there is a selection of their own delicious wines for tasting.
This course is suitable for all levels and includes Saunders Waterford paper. We advise you bring you own paints and brushes.
Non-painting guests: we are more than happy to welcome non-painting guests, accompanying partners, family or friends. They are not expected to pay the tuition fee. There are plenty of activities to experience in the area, that will make your holiday unforgettable.
ABOUT Úrsula
Úrsula Romero (formally known as Jessica Shepherd or Inky Leaves) is an internationally recognised master flower painter, artist and teacher. Úrsula trained in botanical taxonomy at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh before committing herself fully to painting so that she would understand the processes of plants more comprehensively. Equipped with this scientific knowledge, Úrsula is now testing new approaches to her artwork to push the capacity for botanical art to bring greater awareness of plants and our interaction with them. In 2014, she was featured on the BBC4 documentary “In Search of Rory McEwen” where she demonstrated how to paint on vellum. Last year her work toured the USA for the Rory McEwen retrospective and this year she has paintings on show at both Kew Gardens in London and the CDAN in Huesca, Spain.
In 2017, Úrsula held her first solo exhibition in London, published her first book titled ‘Leafscape’ and produced the Leafscape soundtrack. She started Inky Leaves Publishing in the same year. In 2018, Úrsula launched a cross-disciplinary botanical art publication called INK Quarterly which ran for three years, and embarked on her next project Blue Flower, the publication of which is due for release in 2026.
She has exhibited internationally and her works have been included in exhibitions at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, The National Botanic Garden, Dublin and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. She has 7 pieces in the Shirley Sherwood Collection.
Now, can be found quietly working on her latest flower painting project whilst restoring a historic property in Andalucía.
You can find her work on Instagram at www.instagram.com/ursula.romero.arte
PUGLIA, THE RETREAT LOCATION
Puglia is the southernmost eastern region of Italy. Its coastline, the Adriatic in the east, the Ionian south and west, is one of the most beautiful in all of Italy, with silvery olive orchards stretching all the way to the long sandy beaches touched by the one of the clearest and cleanest seas in the Mediterranean. It is an ancient land, and one which was invaded many times in its history. One can still see towers built to ward off invaders centuries ago.
MASSERIA SPECULA - THE VENUE
Masseria Specula was built in 1611 and was the powerhouse of the local town Specchiarica for more than four centuries. Originally a working dairy farm, its stables once housed goats and cows, whose milk and cheese was bought by the local community. Then, from the 1950s onwards, the Masseria fell into disuse and was abandoned for seven decades.
For Carlo, its current owner, the place has always held a special significance. He knew the Masseria from childhood, when he would play in the abandoned building with his friends. Years later, he bought it from from a childhood friend whose family had owned it for generations. In 2023, Carlo began an ambitious restoration project, transforming the once-loved farm into the retreat centre it is today. A year later, Masseria Specula opened its doors, welcoming its first guests in 2024.
THE ROOMS
Private bathrooms | Wi-Fi | AC & Heating | Double beds or single beds
THE FOOD
We have a kitchen team like no other, which is made of grandmas in their 60s. They have not gone to hotel school, nor had previous jobs, but they learned to cook over a lifetime of being in their home kitchens, from the recipes their mothers taught them. Their recipes bring the authentic flavours of Puglia to life. We are proud to share their stories and their meals, with every retreat group that joins us around the table.
THE PROGRAM
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![A white building with multiple stories and small windows, illuminated by sunlight, located near a stone wall and arched in the foreground, under a clear blue sky.]()
DAY 1
Arrivals
Welcome drink and introduction to the history of the venue
Dinner
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![A calm body of water with a few birds floating on it, bordered by green bushes and trees, with a distant hilly shoreline under a cloudy sky.]()
DAY 2
Breakfast
Workshop with Úrsula
Lunch
Workshop with Úrsula
Free time
Dinner
Bonfire
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![A corner of a room with a black wooden table, a small wooden chair, a basket, and a framed picture on the table. There's a bottled water and an upside-down glass on a tray on the table. The wall is white with textured stone details, and sunlight creates shadows on the floor and table.]()
DAY 3
Breakfast
Workshop with Úrsula
Lunch
Workshop with Úrsula
Pasta making workshop
Dinner
Bonfire
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![Historical stone church with round clock and dome, surrounded by colorful flowers and a courtyard.]()
DAY 4
Breakfast
Excursion to Lecce
Lunch out in Lecce
Free time
Dinner
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![Watercolor painting of a forest scene with trees, birds, a fox, and a sitting figure, created on a sketchbook page, surrounded by art supplies on a wooden table.]()
DAY 5
Breakfast
Workshop with Úrsula
Lunch
Hike to the beach and flamingo salt lake
Dinner
Bonfire
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![Scenic view of white cliffs with caves along a turquoise harbor, ocean with boats, and clear water revealing rocks beneath.]()
DAY 6
Breakfast
Workshop with Úrsula
Lunch
Workshop with Úrsula
Wine Tasting
Dinner
Bonfire
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DAY 7
Breakfast
Goodbyes and departures
BOOK YOUR SPOT
Single room:
€ 2740 per person paid to the venue and € 450 paid to Úrsula
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Shared room at the main venue (shared with 1 other person):
€ 1840 per person paid to the venue and € 450 paid to Úrsula
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Reserve your spot with a €1000 deposit.
The remaining balance is due by the 31st December 2027
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS UNTIL WE CONFIRM THAT THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF GUESTS FOR THIS RETREAT HAS BEEN REACHED, AND THEREFORE THE RETREAT IS CONFIRMED TO TAKE PLACE. IF THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IS NOT REACHED, A FULL REFUND WILL BE ISSUED.
What’s included:
Art classes.
Exclusive use of the entire property including all common areas, workshop spaces and exterior spaces.
Accommodation at Masseria Specula.
All meals at the venue.
Complimentary fruit, water, coffee, tea.
Self guided hikes to the beach or to a natural salt lake where flamingoes live.
Day trip to Lecce
Pasta making workshop at the venue.
Wine tasting at the venue.
Roundtrip airport transfer from/to Brindisi Airport (BDS).
All tourist taxes and fees.
What’s not included:
Airplane tickets.
Travel insurance.
Airport pick-up / drop-off from airports other than Brindisi Airport.
Meals outside of the venue.
Anything not listed in the “What’s Included“ section above.