What's Included
- Four-nights accommodations at the centrally located and charming Don Orione Artigianelli Cultural Center
- An intimate group of 8-16 women from all over the world
- Breakfast each day
- Daily writing workshops
- Tours throughout Venice, including: Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Doge Palace, and the Rialto Market
In Venice, we’ll take vaporetto boat trips along the Grand Canal where we will be able to see the front doors of palaces built when Venice was the world’s richest city. One trip will end at Piazza San Marco where we will visit Doge’s Palace and the Basilica San Marco. We’ll also spend one afternoon at the Rialto Market feasting our eyes on the abundance of vegetables, fruits, and other market specialties.
What's Not Included
- Airfare to Italy
- Lunches and dinners
Itinerary
Day 1
We’ll get together at our charming hotel at 5pm for a welcome and orientation writing session. We’ll go over the schedule in detail, meet our fellow participants, and get our creative juices flowing. After, we’ll head to a nearby plaza for dinner and eat our first of many delectable Italian dishes. Some of us will be jet lagged and others will be raring to go. For the latter, we recommend exploring Venice’s romantic alleyways and snapping photos of the canals, sparkling in the moonlight.
Day 2
We’ll wake up to a beautiful morning in Venice and enjoy a breakfast of croissants, coffee, and juices. Then, we’ll head to the stone courtyard, ready to begin our first writing workshop in the warm Venetian breeze. Our daily writing workshops are made up of traditional writing activities, as well as innovative exercises designed to open up our imaginations.
We’ll break for lunch, indulging in mouthwatering Italian delicacies once again. Then, we’ll enjoy a visit to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, which houses some of the best modern art from Picasso to Dali to Pollock. We’ll linger in the gorgeous sculpture garden. After, we have a break for dinner.
Day 3
Once again we’ll begin our morning with breakfast followed by an experiential writing workshop. In the afternoon, we’ll make our way to Saint Mark’s Square, a bustling area filled with top-notch restaurants and exquisite Gothic architecture. We’ll head to Doge Palace, the impressive headquarters of the Venetian Republic, which existed for more than 1,000 years. We’ll tour the frightening prison located inside, and then decompress by taking in the gorgeous art. For dinner, we’ll find street side cafes, watching the gondolas pass—or fulfilling our dreams of taking a ride in one ourselves.
Day 4
Following another writing workshop, we’ll ride a vaporetto, admiring the water glistening and snapping photos of the extraordinary views. We’ll land at the Rialto Market, taking in the mountains of seafood and fruit, stopping for a frothy cappuccino, and stepping in and out of glass and leather shops. We’ll end the day with a celebratory dinner of red wine, caprese salads, pasta, and tiramisu.
Day 5
We’ll savor our last breakfast and conclude our retreat with a final workshop. Get ready for laughter, tears, hugs, and promises that you make and keep to reconvene in new exotic locations.
Itinerary specifics subject to change.
Reviews
Under Jaclyn’s guidance, I found new direction for my writing and tackled topics that I haven’t been able to put down on paper until now. I shared my work and became part of a community of writers, whose feedback was invaluable to me. I dove into my fears and created new dreams for what I might do with my writing in the future and I cannot recommend this course highly enough. I’m already sad that it’s over.
– Katie Kindle
I now have the motivation and confidence to write and publish, which previously seemed more like a faraway fantasy. I learned that reality is what you create and build for yourself, not something you should wait for or leave for chance to decide.
– Nechama Winston
I appreciated meeting every woman in my group. We were all so different, coming from very different backgrounds and places, but we all shared our love of writing and traveling in common.
– Elayne Sanchez
I came out of it a different person than I went in…[Jaclyn] made us linger in our discomfort long enough to compel us to make a change. In fact, she had to relinquish control in order for it to be a catalyst. That’s a mark of a great teacher.
– Stephen Elliot
I finally remembered what I really need, and who I really am.
— Alex Pendleton
The trip did everything for me. Planned by the amazing team behind Pink Pangea, I can officially say the trip changed my life for the better. I not only practiced my writing in ways that expanded my passion and skill, but I also made friends of all different ages from all over the world that I now consider some of the greatest people I’ve ever met.
– Kathryn Cardin
I stumbled upon Pink Pangea’s writing retreat and I only had to read through the page once to know that this was the right time and the right opportunity to finally take that risk. I signed up in a heartbeat, and I am so glad that I did.
– Julianne Kanter
The only reason I submitted an article and was accepted was because I went to the writing retreat and gained the confidence needed as a writer to think my writing was even good enough to submit to a major online publication.
— Shannon Whaley
Who Participates
Pink Pangea retreats bring together women of all ages who:
- Want to gain new skills and tools that will improve their writing and publishing potential
- Have an itch to write
- Are ready to sharpen their unique voice
- Want to receive feedback and gain confidence in their writing
- Love to explore new places
- Enjoy sharing their stories with other travelers
- First timers to Venice, as well as frequent travelers
Facilitators
Jaclyn Mishal
Jaclyn Mishal is a co-founder of Pink Pangea. Since 2006, Jaclyn has worked in the travel industry, connecting thousands of individuals with international academic, volunteer, and internship opportunities. In addition to her work devoted to making the “gap year” mainstream, Jaclyn played an integral role in developing international service learning programs.
An entrepreneur, writing teacher and an inspirational public speaker, Jaclyn’s speciality is guiding people to express themselves fully. Her creative guided writing activities help even the most seasoned writers break out of their habits and expand their abilities.
Jaclyn has led writing and Fearless Living workshops internationally in partnership with colleges and companies, including Google, Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Wellesley College, Wagner College, REI, Global Yoga Journeys and Hostelling International. Each year, Jaclyn leads writing retreats in Costa Rica, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Greece and Israel. According to Jaclyn, writing enables us to access parts of ourselves that we may have trouble expressing otherwise.
Jaclyn holds a B.S. from Binghamton University. She is a certified yoga instructor, whose travels have taken her through the Middle East, Europe, North America Central America and Southeast Asia.
Jaclyn’s maternal grandmother survived the Holocaust and her paternal grandmother fled Baghdad, Iraq. To them, Jaclyn dedicates her work to providing a space for women to share their stories.
Weather in June
Venice’s weather is delightful in June. The days are mostly sunny and rain–when it comes–doesn’t last for long. Days will be in the mid 70s F (24 C). The nights are breezy and in the low 60s (about 16 C). We recommend packing layers, as well as an umbrella or rain jacket.
FAQ
I’m new to writing workshops. Will I fit in?
Absolutely! Jaclyn’s unique writing prompts and exercises benefit both new and experienced writers. The Pink Pangea community is encouraging, and all writers are welcome.
I’m a seasoned writer who has been published in a various media outlets. What will I get out of this retreat?
Jaclyn’s speciality is guiding people to express themselves fully. Her creative guided writing activities help even the most seasoned writers break out of their habits and expand their abilities.
How old are the women who attend the retreat?
Women of all ages attend Pink Pangea retreats.
How will I get to the hotel?
From Marco Polo Airport in Venice, take the water bus Alilaguna and get off at the stop Zattere. Walk along the wide street in front of you for about 150 meters. You will find the entrance in front of the S. Agnese church.
9 thoughts on “Writing & Touring Retreat in Venice, Italy”
Comments are closed.