Sketchbook Adventures in Italy
with Nicole Troup
10th September - 17th September 2027
In this delightful art retreat, you will capture the beautiful scenery and unforgettable memories in Italy by sketching and journaling them in your very own travel sketchbook journal.
Capture the beauty of Italy one page at a time through daily sketchbook adventures.
You’ll explore charming medieval hilltop villages, cobblestone streets, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable moments while learning to record your travels with mixed media techniques such as watercolor and ink, gouache and graphite.
Along the way, you’ll build confidence in sketching on location quickly and efficiently, develop creative storytelling skills, and fill your sketchbook with meaningful memories and beautiful works of art to treasure long after the journey ends.
The Art retreat is located at Hotel Leone in Montelparo, a picturesque hilltop medieval village in Italy’s beautiful Marche region. Surrounded by rolling countryside, historic architecture, and authentic Italian culture, you’ll enjoy immersive art sessions, scenic excursions, delicious Italian cuisine and wine, and the opportunity to slow down, connect, and create in one of Italy’s hidden gems.
Participants will learn:
- Sketchbook journaling techniques for travel and everyday adventures
- Quick observational drawing skills
- Compelling composition and design layouts for each page
- Combining writing and sketching techniques in watercolor and pen & ink, gouache and graphite that create quick sketching
- Portable painting and sketching methods and improving ergonomics for artists while painting on location
- Tips for packing and organizing art supplies for travel that include packing light and efficiently (a list will be given that include the best products to buy that are portable and compact, making it easy for travel)
- Best practices for working outdoors and on location
About Nicole
Nicole is an American artist who blends a passion for art and travel, capturing the beauty, culture, and stories of places that she’s been from around the world, including Africa, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, Hawaii and National Parks through out the United States, among other places. Through sketchbooks, paintings, and travel journals, she transforms journeys into lasting works of art, inspiring others to see the world with curiosity, creativity, and a sense of adventure.
Troup’s work is in private collections across the United States, Canada, and Great Britain and has instructed workshops and classes for eighteen years after receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a course of study in Illustration.
Her work has also been featured in National and International magazines and journals, including the American Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur, The Guide Artists Magazine, the Journal of the Portrait Society of America and the Hagerstown Magazine.
Troup’s work has won numerous awards and has been showcased nationally earning a finalist status in the Portrait Society of America’s National competition and a semi-finalist in the Art Renewal Center International competition, and Peoples’ choice award in the 2026 Group Exhibitions for the Portrait Society of Atlanta Spring Exhibition. She is a state Ambassador for the Portrait Society of America, a board member at large for the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, a member of the Oil Painters of America, and an out-of-state member of the Portrait Society of Atlanta.
Your Stay and Retreat Experience
Tuition & Creative Space
• Five days of painting tuition, including demonstrations and one-to-one advice and guidance
• Three days of painting at specially selected, stunning locations
• Unlimited use of the air-conditioned studio
• Portable easels, boards and stools and chairs are provided for use during your stay
Your Accommodation
• Seven nights accommodation in luxury, air-conditioned, en-suite rooms
• Luxury bedding
• 100% cotton waffle robes and slippers
• High-quality, 100% natural Italian toiletries (shampoo, shower gel, body lotion and hand gel)
• Daily room servicing
• Mid-week linen and towel change
Food & Wine
• All meals are provided throughout your stay
• Daily breakfast
• Buffet lunch at the hotel or lunch in local eatery
• A choice of up to four courses from our daily changing gourmet evening menu
• Local wines served with lunch and dinner
• A relaxed “pizza-giro” evening at a local trattoria, just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel
Experiences During Your Stay
During your stay, we arrange a selection of small-group experiences designed to connect you with the landscape, culture and traditions of Le Marche:
• A hands-on pasta-making masterclass with a local family, learning to make traditional tagliatelle and ravioli
• A full-day “Taste of Le Marche” experience, visiting three local, family-run artisanal food and wine producers
Transfers & Getting Here
For your convenience, we offer one scheduled group transfer on arrival and departure day from either:
• Ancona Airport
• Pedaso (station or bus stop)
This is provided as a complimentary service for guests arriving at similar times.
We also arrange transport for group activities during the week, allowing you to relax and enjoy each experience without logistical concerns.
Guests travelling outside of the scheduled transfer times are welcome to make their own arrangements, and we are always happy to assist with advice.
Room Type
Shared Classic Ensuite Room
Private Classic Ensuite Room
Private Superior Ensuite Room
Private Deluxe Ensuite Room
Private Junior Suite Ensuite
2 Bedroom Suite - private room, shared en-suite bathroom
Price Per Person
€3399
€4099
€4249
€4399
€4599
€3949
For more information, including pricing per room type, please fill in your details below
Deposit
To secure you spot on the retreat please click on the Retreat Booking button above, complete the form, select your preferred room type and pay a non-refundable deposit of €350.
Travel / Transfers
The group pick up is at 2:30pm from Ancona airport and 3:30pm at Pedaso train station or bus stop.
On the day of departure we will leave for Ancona airport after breakfast at 9.30am. Hotel Leone is about one hour and a quarter from the airport so you should arrive just before / around 11.00am your ideal return flight should be later than 12 noon.
If you’d like to arrive a day or two early and stay in Ancona or Pedaso, below are the hotels we normally recommend:
ℹ️
The hotel will be booked exclusively for you and your art group. Please note that the hotel is situated in a medieval hill-top town and that from the main building to the studio building there is a very brief walk on a slightly sloping but smooth cobbled street. All rooms have stairs-only access and if you choose a room the upper floor in the main building this will entail two sets of stairs. Therefore, this venue may not be suited for participants with limited mobility. Please also be mindful that the days on location may involve walking on uneven, cobbled streets. The exact locations will vary based on instructor planning, group dynamics and/or weather conditions.
