A field of wildflowers in the mountains above our little village
Slow art Switzerland!
June 15-20 from $4100 // Add-on June 21-22 at $500
Get ready to be inspired by stunning nature, the most charming accommodations, farm to table meals, and INCREDIBLE views! I have never in my life seen so many wildflowers, it is really something special— you will want to sing out ‘The hilllllls are alive…!”, and we’ll slow down to capture it all in our sketchbooks (no skills needed!). As always, this is a retreat with beauty as it’s central theme. We’ll explore a gorgeous part of the world with like-minded new friends, soaking it all in with the help of morning meditations, daily workshops on sketchbooking with watercolors, local cuisine and village life, hikes in the Alps, and soaks at a nearby famous thermal springs spa. ALL levels welcome, let’s rest, reset and refresh ! :)
SLOW ART RETREAT / June 15-20, 2025
Slow Art Retreat in Vals, Switzerland. Accommodations, workshops, hikes, most meals, and transportation from/to Zurich included. Prospective Itinerary below. 8 rooms total, companion rates (to share a bed) available. Scroll down for itinerary, rooms, & pricing.
CITY ADD-ON / June 21 & 22 / $500
Add-on from Zurich together with our local host (and 5-time Slow Artist) Alicia Etienne! This weekend’s transportation, accommodations, & meals are not included in price, we’ll share recommendations to plan your stay. We have a wonderful two-day itinerary planned to round out your Swiss Alps Wildflower experience, guided by Diva and Alicia. Our group plans include travel sketchbook at sights like the Fraumünster Church with stained glass windows by Marc Chagall, a walking tour through the Old Town with city views, the awesome Sunday Antique Market, a ferry ride along the lake, and a picnic and lake swim from Alicia’s secret spot— it is lovely!! Dinner reservations our first night are at an amazing garden restaurant, the second at a hip and fun (Michelin Starred!) restaurant & bar to celebrate our trip. All with my sketchbooking tips & prompts along the way :)
Slow Art Prospective Itinerary
Day 1
2:00pm Meet for train ride from Zurich Airport or Train Station depending on your travel plans
4:30pm Check-in, time to unpack and relax
6:00pm Welcome Ceremony Soirée
7:00pm Delightful dinner at the Pension, seasonal & local
Day 2
8-10:00 Breakfast at the Pension (homemade breads, seed crackers, local cheeses & jams, eggs, muesli or porridge, coffees, teas, fresh squeezed juices and ginger tonics, almond cookies, berries..)
10:00am Sketching & Watercolor Workshop! Still Life, Fundamentals & Flora
12:30pm Wildflower Hike: We’ll take the gondola up up up the mountain and meander on our first route of the week with sketchbooks at the ready, stopping for a picnic lunch along the way.
4:30pm Free time to relax at the Pension, continue your sketchbooking, explore the village..
7:00pm Dinner at the Pension, seasonal & local
Day 3
8-10:00 Breakfast at the Pension
10:00am Gondola and hike, with our Sketchbooking Workshop as we go, stopping at inspiration !
1:00pm Lunch at the Tavern with alpine views (at end of hike), bus back to the village
3:00pm Free time (continue sketching at the Pension, shop around town, take a nap..)
6:00pm Meet to shop for dinner and fondue night!
7:00pm Traditional Fondue Cooking & Dinner with Alicia
DAY 4
8-10am Breakfast at the Pension
10:00am Sketching & Watercolor Workshop starting in the garden terrace, then around town.
12:00pm Free Time & lunch - At the pension or on the square
2:30pm SPA DAY (Optional, $50 entrance fee) - Enjoy the famously designed nearby thermal spa (includes several pools and sound/water/tactile experiences to awaken your senses). OR free time to go back up the mountain, into the village, a cold water river plunge, a nap..
7:00pm Meet for dinner out, a beautiful meal on the town square.
DAY 5
8-10:00 Breakfast at the Pension
10-12:00 Slow Art Workshop - Landscapes !
12:00pm Gondola up the mountain and another beautiful hike, with Sketchbooking Workshop as we go to capture the new wildflowers around each bend. Stopping for a picnic lunch (with stunning views of course!)
4:00pm Free Time for last-minute shopping, packing, relaxing, filling up your sketchbook.. :)
7:00pm A very special farewell candlelit dinner at the Pension followed by our DANCE PARTY !
DAY 6
8-10:00 Breakfast at the Pension
11:00 Check-out, Group travel to Zurich (bus and train)
WHAT’S INCLUDED
All group transportation during our retreat, including a beautiful train ride from Zurich, gondolas, etc.
Accommodations, 5 nights & 6 days
10-12 meals, seasonal & local cuisine
Guided Meditations & Journal Prompts Daily
Daily Workshops (Sketchbooking & Watercolor): Still life to color stories, landscapes and abstract.
Prospective Adventures: 3 Hikes (easy pace & well kept trails), Spa Day, Fondue Cooking Class
A very special farewell dinner & retreat souvenir!
NOT INCLUDED
Airfare
A couple meals during free time TBD
Spa Fees & Treatments (will provide reservations & accompany you there) from $50
Art supplies (I’ll give you a list of my favorites & top suggestions)
Additional drinks (wine, cocktails, etc.)
Transportation costs if traveling separately from the group
Please submit your requests below, I will consider each according the the order they are received. If you are new to Slow Art Retreats I will request a 10-15 minute call/Zoom interview.
Our rooms at Brücke 49* are divided over 2 structures next door to each other. The Pension is a 4 story boutique hotel where we’ll meet for workshops and have our meals together. The Herberge consists of 3 private apartments with kitchen/washer-dryer/livingroom.
Room options, priced per person: $4100 Zervreila Room at the Pension, $4500 Tomul Room at the Pension, $4600 Private Room at the the Stuba (shared apartment at the Herberge), $4600 Private Room at the Chammera (2 bedroom apartment at the Herberge), $5100 Valser Room at the Pension, $5100 The Suite at the Pension, $5500 Private Studio at the Herberge. Companion Rate $3500 (for the second person if sharing a bed).