WORKSHOPS

Join one of our many workshops on offer, from cooking to clay, and learn a new skill or uncover your inner artist.

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CREATIVE WORKSHOPS

Some of the core values at Villa Lena include creativity, collaboration, community and connection. Our exciting programme of creative workshops addresses all of these principles, bringing unique experiences to our guests, led by our artists-in-residence. The workshops – which have ranged from flower arranging to pottery, creative writing to art therapy – will vary depending on the time of year and artists we have on the residency programme.

Villa Lena’s 2023 creative workshops are led by a group of talented resident artists. These artists include Hafsa Riaz, Weronika Marianna, Jess Nicholas, Mauro Farinas, Paula Junchem, Myielle Karmi, Erin Tyler, Gala Bell, Mimi Joung, Sebastian Conrad, and Flora Deborah. Each artist brings their unique skills and expertise to their respective workshops, providing participants with an opportunity to learn and explore various techniques and mediums in a supportive and creative environment. Villa Lena is hosting various creative workshops in 2023 that cater to different interests and techniques. These workshops include monotype and linocut printing, emotional drawing, floral design, hand-building with clay, decal collage illustration, generating new ideas, baking and painting, exploring memories of the environment, floral sculptures, and intuitive drawing from nature. Each workshop is led by a resident artist and encourages participants to explore their creativity and produce unique and personal pieces. The workshops provide a relaxing and mindful environment for participants to learn new skills and techniques while being inspired by the breathtaking landscapes of Villa Lena.

"The place has its own rhythm and every day there is something different to try"

— The Guardian, 2019

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CULINARY WORKSHOPS

For information on prices and bookings please write to host@villa-lena.it

PASTA WORKSHOP & OLIVE OIL TASTING

Get creative in our kitchen! Delicious, fresh and totally-your homemade pasta from scratch, cooked to perfection by our chef. Before sharing your creations together over a communal lunch, learn about the traditional and organic techniques used to harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the 2,000 olive trees on the Villa Lena estate and sample the distinctive product we create here.

FARM TO TABLE EXPERIENCE | WHAT’S IN THE GARDEN

Pick what’s best in season in our vegetable orto and get to know about produce and what each season delivers to our table. Select vegetables and aromatics with our Chef, crunch on some fresh greens and prepare delicious farm to table dishes. Share your preparations over an easy lunch together.

WINE TASTING

At Villa Lena we produce our own wine on site. Start your experience off with a tour of our vineyard and then sample both our own products, plus some from the local region, and delve into the world of organic, biodynamic and natural wines.

Wine will be served with fresh focaccia and local cold cuts.

TRUFFLE HUNT, PASTA WORKSHOP AND LUNCH – Only Available from October

Truffle hunting at Villa Lena is the most anticipated Autumn activity. Much of Villa Lena’s 500 hectares estate is sunlit dappled woodland teeming with life, including wild boars and of course the forest’s diamonds- tartufi bianchi.

These ancient woodlands of Palaia, that surround the hilltop Villa is the setting for the Truffle hunt. An experience that is not only beautiful, but takes you to the heart of an important autumnal tradition in Tuscany, and joining the ‘silent hunt’ means that you are not only searching for some of the best white truffles in Tuscany, but doing so with the most sincere respect for nature.

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CULINARY KIDS WORKSHOP

ICE CREAM WORKSHOP – Kids Workshop!

Expect a lot of interactive fun with your children while learning about Italian gelato. You will create your own ice cream selecting two flavors you enjoy the most or inventing a new one!
Choose within our delicious ingredients and learn all the secrets for the perfect gelato.

COOKIE WORKSHOP – Kids Workshop!

Unleash your creativity on cookies! In this hands-on class, our Pastry Chef will teach how to prepare delicious cookies and to decorate them with colorful icing, chocolate fondant and more. Get ready to roll out fresh dough, bake your cookies and be creative with artsy decoration.

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VILLA LENA FOUNDATION EVENTS

OPEN STUDIOS AND ARTISTS APERITIVO

Pop down to the artists’ studios for an aperitivo and to see what our current group of residents have been thinking about and creating. Free for guests

INTRODUCTION TO THE VILLA LENA ART FOUNDATION

Find out more about the Villa Lena Art Foundation with an introduction to the residency programme and explore the onsite collection through three artworks currently on display. Free for guests

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YOGA AND MORE

Located in the wild Tuscan hills, Villa Lena prides itself on its nurturing interdisciplinary environment. We host yogis who teach all types of yoga and wellness disciplines, whether it’s hatha, vinyasa, mediation or pilates, to more alternative practices such as cacao ceremonies, gong baths or intuitive dancing.

Villa Lena’s 2023 yoga classes offer a diverse range of experiences to suit every level and mood. The morning yoga class starts with meditation and a grounding hatha flow to connect to presence and set a foundation for the day ahead. Participants will move through a variation of postures linking breath with movement and finish with a soothing shavasana. The Gentle Flow class with Melissa Koh is perfect for those seeking a peaceful evening, with a focus on restorative stretches and meditation to filter out any unwanted energies and maintain spiritual balance. Balancing the Heart’s Fire with Sunnah Khan combines playful yoga and qi gong postures with sound, movement, and visualization to awaken the spirit and ground the body. Finally, Morning Yoga with Catherine Lucky incorporates strength, mobility, and balance in fun sequences to unify mind and body, leaving participants feeling alive, aware, and joyful.

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KIDS ALWAYS WELCOME

Throughout the year we make sure there is always something for kids at Villa Lena. Workshops and events are led by artists-in-residence, collaborators and partners, this ever evolving cycle of experiences means there is always something new for kids to learn and each stay at Villa Lena is totally unique. There is always a focus on sustainability, we use natural materials where possible and create little to no waste, and connection to our surrounding nature. Our partner Oppidan runs a Kids club in April and October that includes activities for the children that make learning a creative and fulfilling experience. In the afternoons, parents have the chance to book private 1:1 academic sessions with Oppidan mentors. Creative workshops run by artists-in-residences are often kid friendly and range from exploring clay to foraging collage workshops. Take a look at our What’s On page to find out more.

What's On?

Find out more about what workshops and experiences will be on offer during your stay.

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A MAGICAL VILLA
IN THE WILD WOODS
OF TUSCANY