A week's retreat in the beguiling 18th-Century fishing port of Essaouira, beautiful, mellow and full of antique charm: Morocco, land of oranges and roses. This is the original Magical Journeys retreat and feels like coming home to a place where creativity cradles the soul and trust flourishes, enabling us to be recklessly, truthfully ourselves. In March we stay in the beautiful space of the Villa Maroc. This is a place of immense grace and it truly fosters a sense of well-being and rejuvenation. We write in the salons of the Villa Maroc, on rooftop terraces and courtyard cafes. There is the opportunity to visit to a Berber market (quite different from the Essaouirian souks) and experience a local hammam - or for those who prefer something a little a more Westernised, there is a lovely spa in the Villa Maroc. We also have the opportunity to take a day out to relax and write in the sister villa, Les Jardins de Villa Maroc. Les Jardins, which has its own pool, is situated about 15 or 20 minutes drive from Essaouira in the olive groves, and provides us with an incredibly peaceful place in which to discover a very different way of writing together.
For the mountain retreat we stay in the incomparable La Touda, located at the top of the Ait Bougmez valley in the High Atlas mountains. La Touda ecolodge has been constructed out of faith and love to make a dream come true and is the product of a true visionary. Before returning to Marrakesh we spend time in the wholly restorative, soul balm cradle of Tizouit, with its superb views of the Bougmez valley where you can walk in the footprints of dinosaurs. This retreat has been uniquely tailored to offer space, inspiration, encouragement and enrichment in equal measure. Whether you have a project underway or one which you would like to bring into being, this retreat provides an unsurpassed environment for its flourishing.
Magical Journeys Morocco is designed to be both restorative and uplifting. If you seek peace, space and the inspiration to rekindle your writing practice then this retreat offers a revelatory time of creative pleasures. Complementing the writing workshops are lazy lunches in the open-air cafes and restaurants of Essaouira, convivial evening meals and visits to local attractions. Morning workshops are held in simple sunlit salons or on rooftop terraces. The rest of the day is free for you to write, soak up the sun, go treasure hunting in the souks or indulge in some pampering. One-to-one supervision is available. All sessions are optional so you are free to write as much or as little as you wish.
Turkey
A week's retreat in the magical city of Istanbul, a city which spans East and West, and is a thrilling, puzzling palimpsest of history, story, drama and mystery. In Istanbul we stay in the truly wonderful Hotel Kybele, a glittering, sensual, Aladdin's treasure trove of an hotel, bristling with antiques and lit with 5000 antique lights. Tucked into the historic heart of the city, a few minutes walk from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, this really is an amazing hotel providing us with some very special writing environments. Amongst the more spectacular writing locations in Magical Journeys Istanbul is the oldest carpet workshop in Istanbul. Here we write while sitting on 'magic' carpets in an astonishingly beautiful vaulted room decorated with frescoes, amongst an inestimable wealth of textures and textiles, to which gradually, over the years, we have responded with our own textual riches. A highlight of the retreat is the trip to the Cultural Centre to see the ancient Sufi art of the whirling dervishes. We write in the glorious golden heart of the Grand Bazaar, and in the secret little places of the city, just as magical and just as beautiful. Morning workshops stimulate the creative process and then you are free to write, dream or lose yourself in the glittering arcades of the Grand Bazaar, wherever your heart takes you. One-to-one supervision is available, and all the sessions are optional so you are free to write as much or as little as you wish
India
A two week retreat to the sensuous, laid-back state of Kerala in Southern India. We stay in Fort Cochin in the sanctuary of The Secret Garden Hotel, named for the Frances Hodgson Burnett children's novel, and because it has one. This is a retreat that renews and refreshes the spirit from the inside out: Aryuvedic massage, wonderful food, Kathkali dancing, beaches and backwater trips combine to make a complete sensual and spiritual experience. The spice warehouses on the waterfront and ancient libraries and modern art cafes all providing places in which to write together. We take a lazy backwater trip on a traditional Keralan houseboat and also a trip to the almost empty white beach, fringed with coconut trees along the coast from Fort Cochin. From the iconic Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront to the haven that is the Secret Garden, Magical Journeys Kerala envelops you in a wealth of sensation, colour and tradition. This is a hippy-luxe retreat designed to provide you with a sense that whatever you long for in your writing can be yours. Make it belong to you, because it can. Let it nurture you, because it will. As with the other retreats, one-to-one supervision is available and all sessions are optional so you are free to write as much or as little as you desire
Greece: Meraki Retreat
Meraki is a Greek word, meaning to work with soul, to do something with love. In collaboration with the fabulous mixed media artist Jack Ravi, this is a week's retreatin Greece, staying in the boho-chic boutique retreat centre, Pelion, taking its name from the mountain overlooking the Aegean Sea and named for the mythical king Pelios, father of Achilles. There is something undeniably special about Pelion that both fosters creativity and nurtures the soul. We will be staying in beautifully appointed villas, all individually designed to make each visitor feel absolutely cherished and restored. There are wonderful terraced spaces in which to write and create. As well as the workshops there will be ample opportunities for relaxing pleasures such as walking in the mountains, swimming, and exploring. As well as providing you with new skills, this will provide a different dimension to the range of creative stimulation offered by other Magical Journeys retreats. The workshops will be designed with the aim of enriching memory– learning to look in new ways - focusing on light, colour and atmosphere. This will be work that will support your writing both in terms of visual prompts and in drawing productive relationships between the natural world and the world of the imagination. You will be encouraged to create a personal book of drawings/collages/notes and photographs that will not only be a visual reminder of the retreat, but will also provide you with an inspirational backdrop to your writing, enabling you to explore new objects and ideas and to bring to your work a rich and diverse range of creative explorations. Writing and Mixed Media workshops will be held each day but there will also be free time for you to explore, have fun, relax, and work independently on your project. One-to-one sessions of in-depth textual analysis of your work can be available by appointment. For new and experienced writers and artists, this retreat is a creative flow retreat aimed at developing confidence and flair. The workshops are collaborative and conducted in ways that are mutually supportive.
Jack Ravi Jack Ravi is a collage and mixed media artist who creates with found objects. His work is rooted in curiosity and wonder, and he approaches it as a personal meditative journey. This is also reflected in the way he teaches, encouraging discovery and play while celebrating mistakes and insights. He offers pre-recorded classes, in-person workshops and live, online classes that are intentionally kept small. Offering these sacred and intimate circles where participants can feel safe to express themselves creatively and even begin to heal together is an act of joy and empowerment. With a deep reverence for forgotten papers, he celebrates their beauty and potential in his art. Jack is also the author of the book Artful Memories: How to Create Unique Art with Old Photographs. He lives and works in Scotland.