La Romita: A 10-Day Italian Retreat in a 16th-Century Monastery ($3,200, Everything Included)

La Romita is not a residency in the traditional sense. It is a full-service creative retreat where you show up, get picked up at the airport, sleep in a 16th-century Franciscan monastery nestled among olive groves in Umbria, eat three meals a day, go on seven organized excursions, and get 24/7 access to a studio. The cost is $3,200 for 10 days, and that covers basically everything except your flight and personal expenses. No application process. No portfolio review. No jury. You register, pay a $500 deposit, and go.

For over 60 years, La Romita School has been hosting workshops and retreats from its home in Terni, Italy. The Open Group Residency format is specifically for artists who want dedicated time to focus on their work without the structure of an instructor-led workshop. The next available session is August 17 to 27, 2026.

What $3,200 Gets You

The price is all-inclusive once you land in Italy:

• Airport pickup and drop-off at Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci (FCO) airport. You book a flight arriving before 10:30 AM on the first day and departing after 10:30 AM on the last day. La Romita handles the rest.
• All ground transportation on their private bus, including excursions
• Accommodations in the monastery (single-occupancy pricing as of 2024; double-occupancy discount available)
• Most meals: continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You may buy your own lunch on full-day trip days.
• 24/7 studio access for the duration of your stay
• Full run of the grounds, including the garden and olive orchards
• 7 organized trips: 4 half-day and 3 full-day excursions (see their 10-Day Sample Itinerary)
• Entrance fees for whole-group itinerary items like Marmore Falls

What is not included: airfare to Italy, personal laundry, lunch on full-day trip days (you can buy from a cafe or trattoria), and any personal expenses when you break off from the group.

The Open Group Residency Format

Ordinarily, La Romita workshops are led by instructors in a particular medium (watercolor, oil painting, photography, etc.). The Open Group Residency is different. It is uninstructed. There is no teacher. You bring your own supplies and your own project, and you work at your own pace. The residency is designed for artists who require dedicated time to commit to their artistic growth and project development without the structure of a class.

The August 2026 Open Group Residency lists these workshop categories: Acrylic, Calligraphy, Collage, Fiber, Figure, Ink, Journaling, Oil, Painting, Pastel, Photography, Plein Air, Poetry, Printmaking, Sketchbook, Watercolor. You do not have to work in any of these specifically. They indicate the range of practices the studio can accommodate.

Group Discounts and Returnee Benefits

La Romita offers two discounts:

• 25% off when registering as a group of 4. The discount is applied to invoices after registration. If you can get three other artists to join you, all four of you save $800 each, bringing the cost to $2,400 per person.
• 7% off for returnees or for bringing a spouse or friend ("Plus-One"). These discounts apply only to workshops run directly by La Romita.

These discounts can make a real difference. A group of four returnees would pay $2,232 per person ($3,200 minus 25% minus 7%), which is a significant reduction from the standard rate.

The Registration Process

There is no application. You register online:

1. Use the "Register Online" button on the workshop page on the La Romita website
2. Pay a $500 deposit (non-refundable)
3. Pay the balance 90 days before the workshop start date (note: some pages say 45 days; confirm with La Romita directly)
4. Balance payments via check are free. Credit card payments add a 3% service charge ($96 on a $3,200 balance).

La Romita accepts checks (made out to La Romita School, sent to PO Box 58219, Washington DC 20037) or Visa/Mastercard. Wire transfer information is available on your invoice.

Cancellation Policy

The cancellation policy is strict. Read it before you register:

• $500 deposit is non-refundable in all cases
• Cancellation 45 to 90 days before the start date: 75% of the workshop price is refunded
• Less than 45 days notice: La Romita reserves the right to retain the full cost of the workshop as a cancellation fee
• If room is available, you can apply the balance toward a different workshop (even in a different season) for a $50 administrative fee

La Romita strongly advises purchasing fully refundable airline tickets and travel insurance through third-party providers like SquareMouth.

The Setting: Umbria

Umbria is the only Italian region that borders neither the sea nor another country. It is landlocked, green, and less touristy than Tuscany. The region is known for its hill towns (Orvieto, Assisi, Spoleto), its olive oil, and its artistic heritage (it is the birthplace of Perugino and Raphael).

La Romita is based in Terni, in southern Umbria. The monastery sits among olive groves, and the surrounding landscape includes rolling hills, medieval villages, and the Marmore Falls (a man-made waterfall created by the ancient Romans). The seven organized excursions take you to local towns and cultural sites, giving you a structured way to experience the region without having to plan logistics yourself.

For artists, the Umbrian landscape is the point. The light, the colors, the architecture, and the textures of the Italian countryside have been inspiring painters since the Renaissance. If your work responds to place, La Romita puts you in a place worth responding to.

How La Romita Compares to Other Retreats

The Hambidge Center in Georgia charges $300/week and offers 600 acres of Appalachian forest. La Romita charges $3,200 for 10 days (about $2,240 per week) and includes meals, excursions, and airport pickup. Hambidge is cheaper and more self-directed. La Romita is more expensive but more full-service. If you want to be left alone in nature, go to Hambidge. If you want Italy without logistics, go to La Romita.

The Pedvale residency in Latvia charges EUR 480/month and gives you a 100-hectare art park. Pedvale is the budget option for international residency. La Romita is the premium option. Pedvale gives you space and nothing else. La Romita gives you space plus food, transportation, excursions, and a historic monastery.

Yaddo and MacDowell are free and prestigious but require competitive applications. La Romita has no application barrier. If you have $3,200 and a passport, you can go. This accessibility is both its strength (anyone can attend) and its limitation (there is no prestige attached to being selected, because there is no selection process).

Insider Tips

• Book your flight carefully. You must arrive at FCO before 10:30 AM on the first day and depart after 10:30 AM on the last day. La Romita picks you up and drops off at those times only. If your flight arrives late, you will need to get yourself to Terni independently.
• Buy refundable airline tickets. La Romita's cancellation policy means you could lose the full $3,200 if you cancel within 45 days of the start date. Refundable tickets cost more but protect you from emergencies.
• Bring your own art supplies. La Romita does not provide materials. Whatever medium you work in, bring what you need or plan to buy it in Italy (which can be an adventure itself, but also expensive and time-consuming).
• The studio is open 24/7. You can paint at 3 AM if you want. Take advantage of the quiet hours.
• Consider the group discount. If you have three artist friends who want to go, the 25% discount makes La Romita significantly more affordable. Organize a group.
• Balance payment by check saves you $96. The 3% credit card fee on $3,200 is $96. If you can send a check, do it.
• La Romita also hosts instructor-led workshops. If you want instruction in a specific medium rather than an open residency, check their full workshop schedule. They host watercolor, oil painting, photography, and other medium-specific workshops throughout the year.

Who Should Go

Artists who want a full-service Italian retreat without logistics. If you want to show up, be fed, be transported, and be left alone to work, La Romita is designed for you. The all-inclusive structure removes every barrier except the cost.

Artists who respond to place. The Umbrian landscape, the monastery, the excursions, and the Italian atmosphere are the core of the experience. If your work is inspired by environment and history, this is a rich setting.

Groups of artists. The 25% group discount for four people makes La Romita much more affordable. If you have a creative community that wants to travel together, this is one of the best group retreat options available.

Artists at any experience level. There is no application, no portfolio review, no jury. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, you are welcome. The open residency format means you work at your own level without comparison or judgment.

Final Verdict: Who Is This Actually For?

La Romita is for artists who want 10 days in Italy with zero logistics and are willing to pay $3,200 for it. It is not a residency in the competitive, prestigious sense. It is a paid retreat in a beautiful, historic place where everything is taken care of except your flight and your art supplies. If you have the money and want to focus on your work in Umbria without planning a single meal or excursion, La Romita is the most straightforward way to do it. Visit the La Romita website to check available sessions and register.