Imagine immersing yourself in the powerful nature of Sicily, staying in the home of an artist surrounded by her rescue dogs, alongside volunteers and other like-minded guests. Whether you seek good company, inspiration, relaxation, or detoxification, Retreat-Yourself is the perfect sanctuary for you.
Relax and detox
Imagine immersing yourself in the powerful nature of Sicily and share the house of an artist and her rescue dogs with volunteers and maybe other guests seeking for good company and inspiration or just relaxing and detoxing.
At Retreat-yourself, I offer time and space to focus on creative projects such as writing or art. There is also the possibility to do a deep-dive coaching session with my horses or do guided mindfulness exercises to let go of stress and become totally present in the here and now.
These sessions are personalized to address any topics that arise such as work, health, intimacy, fears, finance, and self-esteem.
Artists may want to use my art studio in the garden that offers space and equipment on request. The Retreat will be a welcoming community for volunteers to contribute and clients to participate. Guests will immerse themselves in the natural beauty and rich culture of Sicily, enjoying various activities that are possible to book with your Retreat. The accommodation will offer comfort and serenity, complemented by the presence of horses and dogs.
I aim to create a safe harbour providing a sanctuary for personal growth and renewal. Through the power of nature and silence combined with a healthy lifestyle, sharing stories with other guests and volunteers or doing a rejuvenating activity like horse coaching or bathing in the hot springs, your retreat will foster healing and personal empowerment.
My name is Marina des Tombe. I love art and animals and have 30 years of experience in teaching artclasses. I am a lifecoach,specialised in horse assisted humanistic coaching.
More than a retreat, I aim to give a warm family feeling of being together in a beautiful healing environment, thanks in the first place to the powerful nature of Sicily with its colours, smells, beautiful sea, and mountains.
This is an unstructured retreat with guests free to organise their time as they please.
I think what's unique about my retreat is that you get to live the real experience of someone like me who moved to Italy 30 years ago and wants to share her house, animals, and life experience with you. My retreat is an unstructured retreat for people who share my values of loving animals and a healthy lifestyle. This is why I decided to make it an alcohol-free, vegetarian retreat. Silence and peace are the characteristics of my place, as well as a warm atmosphere of sharing with and inspiring each other.
As a mother who grew up her daughters alone, I also really want to be a welcoming and safe place for women who want to go on an adventure on their own but still have nice company when they need it.
As an artist who has spent the last 30 years teaching and creating in painting, sculpture, and recently jewellery making, I would love to share my art studio and workshops with you during your holiday.
As an Al-Anon, I would love to welcome people who have recovered from addiction problems in a safe space, thanks to an alcohol and substance-free environment surrounded by like-minded people and powerful nature.
Benefits
Experience a serene, alcohol-free retreat in Sicily, where art, nature, and personal growth harmonize in a peaceful, inspiring environment.
Unwind in the serene beauty of Sicily, where tranquility and nature provide the perfect backdrop for complete relaxation and rejuvenation.
Find inspiration in the art studio, surrounded by nature. Whether you're painting, writing, or crafting, let your creativity flow freely.
Spend time with rescue dogs, offering them love and care. Your companionship will create lasting bonds and enrich both their lives and yours.
Experience mindful connections with horses through guided sessions, enhancing self-awareness, emotional balance, and a deeper understanding of these gentle creatures.
Embrace a slower pace of life, allowing yourself to fully unwind, breathe deeply, and savor the peaceful moments that Sicily offers.
Join a community of like-minded individuals, sharing stories, experiences, and inspiration in a warm, welcoming environment that fosters genuine connections.
Surrounded by nature
This is an unstructured retreat with quests free to organise their time as they please.
Artists may want to use the artstudio that offers space and equipment.Horselovers might want to visit the horses and book a session of learning how to connect with them in a mindfull way or do a deep diving equinecoaching session.But also Retreat -yourself offers space and time to just relax or visit the many cultural sites nearby or take a swim in the pool or visit one of the nearbybeautifull beaches.Another ungorgettable experience is to immerse yourself in the natural sulfur baths.
I offer artclasses in sculpture,painting and jewellery making that you can book with me through email before coming to your retreat.
If you are an artist and don't want to travel with your art supplies you can order them before coming.
Other activities that you can book before coming to make sure that there is time and space are:
All these activities are not included in the package of your retreat but can be booked as an extra to your stay with additional costs.
We offer multiple rooms, here are the main options. If you have any further questions please let us know.
€120 per room
The double green room on the first floor has access to the bathroom with shower,toilet,bidet and sink.It has access to a panoramic terrass with a small table and two chairs.
€120 per room
The double bedroom has a huge marble bathtub in the room and a fireplace. It also has a sink and a toilet. The room has an open staircase that leads up to the triple room, but if you book the double room, the triple room will stay empty.
€270 per room
The family suite is a combination of the double bedroom and one triple room connected by an open staircase. The room downstairs has a beautiful large marble bathtub, a fireplace, a sink, and a toilet. The room upstairs has doors that open onto a private panoramic terrace.
€80 p.p.
This bedroom has 3 single beds and access to a bathroom with shower and toilet,sink and bidet the room is on the first floor
We organise multiple events every year. Here are the upcoming ones.
Here are some more photos to get a better idea of the house and surroundings.
We have had many happy guests
“This was a rich experience that brought out emotions in me that were previously locked inside. It helped me reflect on some important questions in my life and work through them with the help of Marina and her beautiful horse. I will definitely be exploring more methods like this in the future. Would definitely recommend!”
“I had a brief but powerful coaching session with Marina and her horses. Marina guided me with sensitivity, while the horses helped reveal deep truths about myself. I highly recommend these sessions and look forward to experiencing them again.”
“The horse coaching provided a new perspective on my trauma, complementing traditional therapy. The subtle behavior of the horse allowed a freer interpretation of my experiences. I felt safe, empowered, and gained a deeper understanding of myself. Highly recommended!”
“I have no words for my 2 weeks with Marina. It has been such a unique experience and such a pleasure. Marina took me to see the beautiful area, and we spend a lot of time together, which was very much appreciated. We went to the beautiful beaches, the hot springs and visited her beautiful horses. She showed me a lot of the local area, and I feel like I really saw the real Sicily, which was amazing. The house is absolutely amazing, and I really appreciated waking up every morning, and look over the beautiful valley.”
“Horse coaching session was a great way to start exploring some things that were on my mind. It was really helpful to open up and just get things out there to improve my confidences and self awareness. I realy enjoyed this experience with Marina and would like to do it again.”
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to book your stay.