Creative Retreats In Rural Italy, by Bland Badger
I have been following the Bland Badger instagram for quite some time. A collaboration between photographer Charlotte Bland and artist and maker Ros Badger, Bland Badger has been offering house party-style creative retreats in this stunning 15th-Century, 17-bedroom rural Umbrian villa since 2019.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
The Instagram feed depicts the kind of villas seen in Tea With Mussolini (1999), My House In Umbria (2003), and snapshots of the house from Call Me By Your Name (2017). Set in a beautiful part of the world - the images say it all.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
This is essentially the ideal Italian getaway for people who appreciate an authentic slice of rural la dolce vita life, and who also quite fancy learning some new creative skills at their own leisure along the way.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
The week-long retreat (spring dates are the 26th April to the 3rd of May and you can book here) is an opportunity for people to step away from their busy day-to-day lives and take part in a relaxed programme of creative morning workshops.
Guests are invited to opt in and out as they please and are encouraged to go with the relaxed and informal flow. If you would rather just explore Villa Pia’s 5 acres of gardens and soak up the villas charm and the surrounding landscape, then you can.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
This rather lovely laid back vibe also extends to a ‘help yourself’ approach to aperitivos, cocktails, and snacks, 24 hours a day. Lunches and dinners are made daily using fresh local produce and by local cooks. Each retreat week promises a mix of guests; artists and makers, doctors and lawyers, fashion world folk, film makers, journalists, and so on. It’s rich pickings and a fascinating melting pot at the dining table.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
The upcoming spring retreat includes an opportunity to learn the art of flower pressing with Amy Fielding, director of renowned floral design studio JamJar Flowers, and co-founder of sister studio JamJar Edit.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
You can paint the beautiful local landscape en plein air with celebrated artist Lucy Kent, and Christobel Kent, the author of many books set in Florence, is visiting Villa Pia to share her bespoke Bland Badger Florence itinerary ahead of the group excursion day to ‘the cradle of the Renaissance’.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
Also in the mix, there is an opportunity to forage and make a headdress with Nadine Gibbon from Spinney Cottage Flowers. You can dip into making silver clay jewellery with Ros in her workshop, and Charlotte has a photography walk planned - a must for those keen to develop not just their photography skill but also their own style. What better location to play with light through the lens than in the rural Italian landscape?
Image: Charlotte Bland.
An inspired touch, the duo organise an afternoon for local makers and sellers to pitch up stalls selling ceramics, linens and vintage clothing.
Image: Charlotte Bland.
Individually each of the elements that characterises the Bland Badger retreats is enough to draw me in. But to mix all of the elements together… well, let’s just say this has the promise of being a very nice retreat indeed.
Dying to book? here’s the link…
Discover more by visiting @blandbadger
Feature: Rory Robertson.
Images: Copyright Charlotte Bland.