Sacred Spaces Art Retreat with Jessica Swift

Sacred Spaces
Art Retreat

with Jessica Swift

Sacred Spaces Art Retreat is an invitation to step out of the noise of everyday life and into the quiet, steady beauty of Florence, a city where art, devotion, and daily living have been intertwined for centuries, and into yourself. This retreat is about slowing down, paying attention, and making space for creativity to surface in a way that feels natural, nourishing, and deeply personal.

Sacred Spaces is for artists at any stage who are longing for depth, presence, and a renewed sense of trust in their creative voice. You’ll return home with artwork, fresh perspective, and a feeling of having been gently held by beauty, reminded that creativity doesn’t need to be forced, only invited and danced with.

November 29-December 4, 2026 | Florence, Italy

SECURE YOUR SPOT

Jessica Swift

As a child, Jessica Swift sported a nearly-permanent Crayola marker stain on her left arm, from pinky to elbow. She grew up and, naturally, became an artist. Jessica creates colorful, uplifting artwork and manufactures her own products in her studio in Portland, Oregon. She also collaborates with inspiring companies and publishers to create branded products such as fabric, stationery, puzzles, books, and more. She's the author of 3 books and teaches online classes and creative workshops on topics including intuitive art-making and pattern design. Two rambunctious, creative young children call her mama.

ABOUT JESSICA

Florence In December

Winter Light, Lingering Stillness

In December, Florence takes on a quieter kind of magic. The streets glow with soft holiday lights, shop windows are dressed with care, and the air carries that crisp winter clarity that makes the city feel both intimate and luminous. Cafés feel especially welcoming, churches are hushed and radiant, and the rhythm of the city slows just enough to make wandering feel like a ritual.

Throughout the city, Christmas markets add a gentle layer of festivity to this quieter season. In Piazza Santa Croce, wooden stalls glow beneath winter skies, offering handcrafted gifts, ornaments, and seasonal treats, with the scent of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts drifting through the air. Set against illuminated stone and centuries-old architecture, the markets feel less bustling than celebratory, another invitation to linger, wander, and savor Florence at its most tender and atmospheric.

The Rhythm of Our Days in Florence

Let Florence Guide Your Creative Spirit

Our days unfold slowly and with intention. Mornings begin quietly as Florence wakes around you: breakfast at your hotel or a nearby café, a cappuccino in a sunlit piazza, a wander through the Oltrarno’s artisan streets, or time to journal or sketch before we gather.

Mid-morning we meet in our art space for unhurried hours of teaching and creating. Sessions are guided yet spacious, with thoughtful prompts, gentle support, and plenty of room to follow your own curiosity. The focus is on process, play, and reconnecting with your creative voice in a way that feels nourishing and easeful.

Lunch is a natural pause; perhaps a simple trattoria meal with others or a quiet solo wander as the morning’s work continues to settle.

Afternoons invite exploration and rest. Some days we walk together through Florence’s sacred spaces, soaking in art, architecture, and beauty. Other days are open for wandering, sketching along the Arno, browsing artisan shops and the Christmas Markets, sitting with gelato in Santo Spirito, or returning to your room to recharge. There’s no rush, just a gentle rhythm of creativity, self-care, and connection.

Evenings are relaxed and mostly open. Some nights we’ll share dinner together; others are yours to explore the neighborhood, take a sunset walk, or turn in early. By day’s end, you’ll feel grounded, inspired, and quietly restored.

"Jessica's gentle, playful demeanor and how encouraging and positive she is made the week fun and relaxing." – Nancy L.

The Setting

Traveling to Florence feels like stepping into a living work of art, a place where beauty is woven into daily life. Light moves across stone walls that have stood for centuries. Church bells mark the hours. The scent of espresso drifts from open café doors in the morning, and in the evening the city softens into gold.

The Arno River runs quietly through the heart of the city, reflecting bridges, sky, and history. On one side stand the grand architecture and museums of the historic center. On the other are the more intimate streets of the Oltrarno, where artisan workshops, small studios, and neighborhood piazzas create a feeling of everyday life unfolding at a human pace.

Florence invites you to slow down. To walk instead of rush. To look up at frescoed ceilings, to pause in a small church, to notice the curve of a doorway or the color of laundry strung between buildings. Inspiration is not something you have to chase here. It meets you in the street, in the light, in the quiet moments between one place and the next.

This is a city that has held artists and makers for generations. During our week together, Florence becomes more than a backdrop. It becomes a companion in your creative process, offering beauty, texture, and a sense of timelessness that gently draws you back to your own inner sacred spaces.

DETAILS

Golden Tower Hotel & Spa

Golden Tower Hotel and Spa, our anchor hotel, is tucked into the historic heart of Florence, just steps from the city’s most beloved streets, offering a rare blend of old-world architecture and quiet, modern comfort. A stay here feels less like a hotel visit and more like settling into a beautifully restored Florentine refuge.

Think warm stone walls, historic structure, and cocoon-like rooms to return to after full creative days with calm, comfortable spaces that invite rest and restoration. Downstairs, the serene wellness center offers an added layer of ease and care.

Golden Spa is a small haven designed to rejuvenate both body and mind, with a mini pool featuring hydromassage, a sauna, a Turkish bath, sensory showers, and a neck-soothing waterfall. Guests are welcome to linger, soak, and warm up. Massages or personalized treatments can be booked for those who want to fully reset and be tended to.

Beyond the spa, the hotel offers thoughtful comforts that make retreat life feel simple and supported: a welcoming team, and a quiet library for reading or journaling between sessions.

Our group naturally gathers here over breakfast in the mornings, during evening chats, or for spontaneous meet-ups after a day in the city which creates a gentle sense of connection without pressure. There is absolutely no requirement to stay at this hotel; it’s simply an ideal and easeful choice if you’d like to be close to other participants while enjoying a setting that feels intimate, restorative, and deeply Florentine.

A stay at Golden Tower Hotel & Spa is more than a place to sleep it’s an immersion in Florence’s history, beauty, and rhythm, with just enough modern luxury to help you feel held while you create, explore, and unwind.

BOOK A ROOM

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Tuition & Lodging*

Retreat Tuition: $3,800

*Lodging booked separately

Your tuition covers the creative heart of the retreat and the shared experiences that shape our week together.

Included in retreat tuition are:

Daily art workshops with Jessica Swift
A walking tour of Florence with a top local guide
A museum visit for artistic inspiration
Specialized wine tasting
Creative prompts drawn from sacred spaces and quiet corners of the city
Curated group lunches and special dinners
Hosted support and thoughtful daily structure
A warm, creative community in one of the most inspiring cities on earth!

Why is lodging booked separately?

Booking your own lodging gives you flexibility and choice. You can select a room style and price point that feels right for you, use travel points if you wish, share accommodations with a friend, or extend your stay before or after the retreat with ease.

Our anchor hotel, Golden Tower Hotel and Spa, is a wonderful place to stay close to the group, but you are free to stay anywhere in Florence that suits you.

MAKE A DEPOSIT