Book a 10 day luxury Art Retreat
in Bodrum Turkey
Secure your place on this once in a lifetime retreat
Indulge and escape to the Bodrum Peninsula with Art Escapades and Australian artist Hilary Herrmann. An exclusive experience where you can immerse yourself in art, culture and cuisine.
Join your host, Belinda Berkya, and Australian Artist Hilary Herrmann for a life-affirming escape. Alongside a small group of like-minded women (maximum 8 per retreat), you'll have the opportunity to relax and unwind for 10 days in a luxury appointed villa on the breathtaking Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey.
- 10 NIGHTS IN A LUXURY VILLA - all rooms private
- INDIVIDUALISED ART TUITION - all levels welcome
- ALL MEALS AND WINE - as per itinerary
- YOU TIME - soak up your surrounds
This luxury retreat has been designed for women who would like to explore the inner artist in all of us and take a well-deserved break from the norm. Whether you are a complete novice or you have an established art practice the small group allows your needs to be met. Even if you don't wish to make any art but simply soak up the creative atmosphere and culture of turkey as a local. Your hosts will ensure you get everything you want from your time away in Turkey.
Secure your place on this once in a lifetime retreat
Photos from the Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey
See what’s in the package...
Join your host Belinda in Turkey!
10 days in a luxuriously appointed villa on the Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey.
3000 euro per person in your own double room with ensuite. With sumptuous breakfasts, lunches and dinners with accompanying wines and champagnes as well as pre-dinner drinks as set out in the detailed itinerary.
Because we are such a small group you are able to have individualised art tuition however of course if you don't wish to participate in the art programme you are can join Belinda on a daily adventure or simply do your own thing.
Remember we aim to ensure you do what you want to do not what you feel you have to do!
You will be free to participate in as much or as little as you wish while dining on fine foods in a culturally rich and fascinating part of Turkey.
Resident artist: Hilary Herrmann
This art programme is suitable for women of all levels of experience. It is designed to accommodate beginners to advanced artists. Our aim is to work together but also cater for individual needs and/or experience.
The well known Hilary Herrmann from Bangalow in Northern NSW will be the art facilitator and artistic guide, sharing her many years of experience not only as a professional artist but also as a teacher.
As your Artist for this escapade Hilary will:
- Nurture your talents and provide an opportunity to expose you to the landscape, local culture and history of Bodrum, to become engaged in the uniqueness of Turkey in general, such an intriguing and rich culture which is a bridge between East and West.
- Allow you an opportunity to pursue personal interests and to learn and work together with like-minded people.
- Ensure you feel comfortable and enthused in order to explore your talent, thereby allowing natural curiosity to blossom.
Programme of Activities
You will create a visual and text-based journal, your own memories of what will be an unforgettable time. This will be done through any medium that is of interest to you and after discussing various options with Hilary on arrival.
You will find inspiration for the natural and man-made beauty that surrounds you and be creating with a combination of materials. Depending upon what is discussed with Hilary initially, you may use pencil, acrylic paint, charcoal, pastel, shellac on paper and canvas.
The itinerary may as always change slightly as special events such as recitals or exhibitions, for instance, are publicised only after we are on the ground. We discuss such with you on the first night and give you further options.
And remember you can participate in as little or as much as you wish.
Breakfast is provided each day while lunch and dinner are provided as set out in the itinerary. It is nice for you to make some decisions about where to eat from time to time however, of course, Belinda is always ready with a word of advice on where to eat.
Day 1
Arrival will take place over the course of the day so check in any time after 10 am to settle into your luxurious double room with ensuite, unpack (the only time) and relax. A day of introductions and an outline of the programme for the rest of the retreat programme by Belinda and Hilary.
In the evening you will enjoy a cocktail by the pool overlooking the Aegean followed by a typical Turkish dinner together in the Villa.
Lunch will be available for those who arrive by 1pm so please let us know your arrival times. We, of course, will not let you starve regardless of your arrival time!
Day 2
At the Villa in the morning a quick introduction to materials and questions of mediums for you by Hilary before donning sturdy walking shoes to trek to the deserted village down the hill. For those who don’t’ fancy the walk we can also drive and enter from the bottom of the village. You will be able to spend the later part of the morning in the modern village exploring before being driven back to the Villa or walking if you prefer.
Luncheon at the Villa. For the artists amongst us, there will be an afternoon session sketching, taking photographs and reviewing those taken earlier so that you can make a start on the visual diary in the comfort of the Villa.
ALTERNATIVE AFTERNOON OPTION participation in preparation and cooking of some Turkish dishes for dinner or simply relaxing in one of the many nooks inside or outside the villa.
Dinner together with pre-dinner drinks (of course!).
Day 3
We will make an expedition to Bodrum Harbour today and explore museums and galleries. You will be free to take in the passing parade, photographing the unique gulets and whitewashed architecture of Bodrum which is divided traditionally into the Greek side and the Turkish side.
We will lunch together at a Lokanta in Bodrum.
After lunch, artwork for a few hours will continue finishing with an early evening bath in the local Hammam. This is a “Women’s Only” place and we can munch on fruits and nuts while sipping cool drinks before returning to the Villa thoroughly scrubbed and massaged!
ALTERNATIVE AFTERNOON OPTION those not wanting to pursue the art programme will be able to further explore, shop in the myriad of boutiques and galleries of Bodrum or simply sit and take in the ambience over a Turkish coffee or Turkish tea in the gardens of the crusader castle or in the seaman’s café. You may find yourself beguiled by a carpet seller in Bodrum who will explain and recount the stories of the carpets like the storytellers of old. I fell in love with the Turkish carpets over 30 years ago and love to read the carpets. It is also valuable to learn how to tell a good one from a not so good one as well as to be able to tell an old carpet from one “prematurely” aged!
A light meal will be served in the Villa before retiring
Day 4
Early morning trip to a fresh produce market with the plan to purchase at least one item for setting up a still life in the afternoon. This will be part of the visual journal of course. You are free to wander and take in the atmosphere of the food market filled with the good-humoured farmers from surrounding villages, dressed in typical colourful clothing and hawking their wares.
At the conclusion, Hilary will decide whether to set up the still life while out and about in some quiet corner of a tea garden or head home to the villa. If the former then we will all have a Turkish picnic out otherwise we will dine at the Villa for lunch.
ALTERNATIVE AFTERNOON OPTION those not wanting to pursue the art programme we will take a drive to one of the myriads of villages on the peninsula and take tea.
We will all meet up again in the early evening at Dibeklihan Kültür ve Sanat which is an arts and culture village The beautiful stone houses of Dibeklihan are filled with beautiful art exhibitions, arts and crafts shops, design ateliers and jewellery workshops. We will dine tonight in this vibrant village.
Day 5
Free Day.
Some suggestions:
Work on your art at your own pace. Read. talk and relax around the villa, explore the peninsula or a nearby village. Belinda can arrange a driver and car for the day for those who wish to venture further afield.
If you wish Belinda will organise a boat trip for the whole day. This really is a great day out with swimming in turquoise waters, watching the light change throughout the day, venturing from one beautiful cove to another and eating a wholesome lunch washed down with a Raki or two!
If you decide upon a boat trip lunch is provided.
Dinner of your own choosing tonight in Bodrum.
Day 6
Full day at the Villa today spent working on still life setups and interiors.
ALTERNATIVE AFTERNOON OPTION those not wanting to pursue the art programme we will take a drive and walk through some Roman ruins and dine by the sea at lunchtime.
In the late afternoon/early evening we travel to the pretty village of Gumusluk to dine on local seafood and other Turkish specialties while the sun sets over the sea which seems to lap at your feet.
Day 7
All day trip to Ephesus and the Selcuk museum. There will be our own English speaking archaeologist as a guide. This day we will breakfast en route in a quaint village. Dinner will be in Selcuk.
You will participate in life model drawings amongst the amazingly restored ruins. Just think! You will be walking the roads travelled by Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Ephesus is truly amazing and the level of restoration is such that it takes only a little imagination to be transported back centuries.
Those who do not wish to participate in the art programme will travel out of Ephesus to the house of the Virgin Mary.
Picnic lunch will be provided this day as well.
Dinner is up to you in Selcuk.
Day 8
A slow start today after the Big Day Out. Individual assistance with your art from Hilary if you wish or working alone.
Late morning to Milas where you can explore the museum, the narrow winding streets where entire shops are dedicated to selling Halva and of course the famous Milas carpets. Then on to the Roman ruins as Iassos for a seafront lunch of whatever the owner wishes to feed us!
(I must say the best olive oil I have ever had comes from here and the village press).
A light dinner at the Villa.
Day 9
At the Villa completing artworks and enjoying lunch together - possibly a picnic in the countryside or a walled mandarin garden.
Dinner will be of your own choosing tonight in the village and we will make recommendations.
Day 10
Final full Day. Closing session with Hilary and finishing touches as well as ideas on how to develop and build upon your art once you return home.
Your day to do as you choose. We will have discussed over the course of the retreat various options on this day and you will have professed a desire to do or see something in particular. Today we endeavour to make this happen for you.
Departure Day 11
After a long breakfast, you will have the morning to do as you wish until noon including finalising your departure and exchanging contact details and hopefully making arrangements for your next Art Escapade.
You will be staying in an architecturally designed Villa in Göltürkbükü on the Bodrum Peninsular. It is very quiet in this part of the peninsula however being in the village there is sufficient to do if you feel like wandering off your own.
Each bedroom is a double with ensuite. Nearly all the bedrooms have direct access to either the pool area or one of the balconies.
Quality linen and toiletries are provided for your comfort. We try to source locally and organically as we are keen to reduce our carbon footprint.
There are several areas for dining and also for sitting quietly or if you prefer for conversing.
Your room is stocked with fresh still and sparkling water and chocolates, Turkish delight or halva and refreshed daily.
Tea and coffee are available throughout the day.
The Villa is decorated in part by one of Bodrum's leading designers and long term resident Canadian Anne Cumming.
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Art Retreat today or send us an enquiry