Creative reconnection journey in Morocco through art, culture, reflection, colour and slow living.
Creative reconnection journey in Morocco through art, culture, reflection, colour and slow living.
Riad Deluxe, Marrakesh, Derb Dabachi, Marrakesh, Morocco
Up to 15 in group
Oct 11 - 17, 2026
Retreat Highlights
- Boutique Riad : 6 nights in Marrakech.
- PAINTING LESSONS : 4 days of tuition.
- Hammam Experience : Traditional wellbeing ritual.
- Excursion Day : Culture, colour & discovery.
- Meals Included : Breakfasts and lunches or dinners in the Riad.
About this Retreat
Your Guides
Jurga is an internationally recognized watercolour artist and tutor whose work captures the delicate interplay of light, emotion, and landscape. With years of experience guiding students across the globe, she has developed a unique teaching philosophy that transcends traditional art instruction.
In our fast-paced world, Jurga believes in the profound power of slowing down. Her retreats are carefully designed sanctuaries where you can disconnect from daily noise and reconnect with your inner self, nature, and your innate creativity. Through the gentle, flowing medium of watercolour, she guides participants to observe the world more closely, finding beauty in the subtle details of a Moroccan medina or a Spanish coastal village.
Whether you are a seasoned painter seeking fresh inspiration or picking up a brush for the very first time, Jurga's warm, inviting approach fosters a safe space for artistic expression and personal growth. Her sessions are as much about the mindful process of creating as they are about the final masterpiece.
Details of this retreat
Creative reconnection journey in Morocco through art, culture, reflection, colour and slow living.
Jurga's Watercolour Painting Retreat
in the heart of Marrakech, Morocco
Atmospheric Watercolour Style
11–17 October 2026 From £1600pp
An Invitation to Slow Down
Step into the vibrant heart of Morocco, where ancient medinas and sun-drenched courtyards become your living studio. This seven-day watercolour retreat offers a beautifully curated sanctuary to awaken your senses, guided by the intricate textures, warm light, and quiet rhythms of Marrakech.
AND 6 days of atmospheric watercolor painting lessons in the comfort of your own private Riad.
A riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace characterized by an inward-facing design with a central, open-air garden courtyard, often featuring a fountain.
What's Included
TRANSFER FROM AND TO AIRPORT IN MARRAKECH
6 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN RYAD DELUXE
4 DAYS OF PAINTING TUITION, 6HRS EACH
ALL PAINTING MATERIALS, PROFESSIONAL GRADE
ALL BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES OR DINNERS IN THE RYAD
MARRAKECH TOUR (TOURGUIDE, YSL MUSEUM & MADRASSA IBN YOUSSEF TICKETS INCLUDED)
1 HAMMAM SESSION
Not Included
Flights
Insurance
Personal
Jurga's Watercolour Painting Retreat
in the heart of Marrakech, Morocco
Atmospheric Watercolour Style
11–17 October 2026 From £1600pp
An Invitation to Slow Down
Step into the vibrant heart of Morocco, where ancient medinas and sun-drenched courtyards become your living studio. This seven-day watercolour retreat offers a beautifully curated sanctuary to awaken your senses, guided by the intricate textures, warm light, and quiet rhythms of Marrakech.
AND 6 days of atmospheric watercolor painting lessons in the comfort of your own private Riad.
A riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace characterized by an inward-facing design with a central, open-air garden courtyard, often featuring a fountain.
What's Included
TRANSFER FROM AND TO AIRPORT IN MARRAKECH
6 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN RYAD DELUXE
4 DAYS OF PAINTING TUITION, 6HRS EACH
ALL PAINTING MATERIALS, PROFESSIONAL GRADE
ALL BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES OR DINNERS IN THE RYAD
MARRAKECH TOUR (TOURGUIDE, YSL MUSEUM & MADRASSA IBN YOUSSEF TICKETS INCLUDED)
1 HAMMAM SESSION
Not Included
Flights
Insurance
Personal
Schedule
Your Creative Journey - Retreat Experience
Day 1 — Arrival
Arrival at Marrakech Airport.
Transfer to the riad.
Welcome dinner at the riad.
Day 2 — Flowers
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Introduction to watercolour and painting techniques
• Understanding colour theory
• Making watercolour from pigment and Arabic gum
• Mixing colours and creating your own personalised colour palette
Practical exercises
• Texture creation (film, salt, sponge)
• Soft vs sharp edges
• Colour intensity (saturation)
• Values / tones
• Negative painting technique
Painting focus
Painting a floral subject using the techniques learned.
Free time
Hammam session
Day 3 — Exploration Day
Breakfast
Marrakech tour with a local guide
A gentle introduction to the atmosphere, history, and visual richness of Marrakech.
During the guided walk, you will explore the medina’s narrow streets, hidden courtyards, architectural details, colours, textures, and decorative patterns that can later inspire your painting practice.
Included visits
• YSL Museum — discovering the relationship between colour, design, form, and Moroccan visual culture
• Ben Youssef Madrasa — observing traditional Moroccan craftsmanship, geometric ornamentation, carved plaster, cedar woodwork, arches, and tile patterns
(tickets included in the package)
Free time
Time to rest, sketch, take photographs, or continue exploring Marrakech at your own pace.
Dinner at the riad.
Day 4 — Fruit
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Rules of composition — understanding balance, focal point, negative space, rhythm, and how to place objects naturally on the page
• Techniques for painting three-dimensional objects
• Learning how light, shadow, reflected light, and cast shadow create volume and form
• Introduction to atmospheric perspective — using softer edges, lighter values, and subtle colour transitions to create depth and space
• Observing the relationship between foreground, middle ground, and surrounding space to create a more atmospheric composition
Painting focus
Painting local fruit using the techniques learned, while exploring how to create volume, harmony, and an atmospheric watercolour mood.
Day 5 — Ornaments
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Exploring Moroccan ornamentation and sculptural forms
• Understanding traditional Moroccan decorative rhythms, repeated patterns, and geometric balance
• Working with local colour palettes inspired by Marrakech — terracotta, saffron, indigo, deep green, sand, and cobalt blue
• Learning how to express carved plaster, ceramic tile, and architectural surface textures without copying every intricate detail
Painting focus
Painting ornaments of local Moroccan ceramic plates, in an atmospheric style using the techniques learned.
Free time
Day 6 — Architecture
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Linear perspective
• Atmospheric perspective
• Understanding how traditional Marrakech architecture uses proportion, rhythm, arches, doorways, and layered spatial depth
• Learning how light and shadow shape architectural forms throughout the day
• Identifying foreground, middle ground, and background to create depth and atmosphere
• Using perspective guide points to simplify architectural structures and place forms accurately on the page
Painting focus
Painting an architectural fragment inspired by local Moroccan architecture, while learning how to paint in an atmospheric watercolour style.
Day 7 — Departure
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport.
Day 1 — Arrival
Arrival at Marrakech Airport.
Transfer to the riad.
Welcome dinner at the riad.
Day 2 — Flowers
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Introduction to watercolour and painting techniques
• Understanding colour theory
• Making watercolour from pigment and Arabic gum
• Mixing colours and creating your own personalised colour palette
Practical exercises
• Texture creation (film, salt, sponge)
• Soft vs sharp edges
• Colour intensity (saturation)
• Values / tones
• Negative painting technique
Painting focus
Painting a floral subject using the techniques learned.
Free time
Hammam session
Day 3 — Exploration Day
Breakfast
Marrakech tour with a local guide
A gentle introduction to the atmosphere, history, and visual richness of Marrakech.
During the guided walk, you will explore the medina’s narrow streets, hidden courtyards, architectural details, colours, textures, and decorative patterns that can later inspire your painting practice.
Included visits
• YSL Museum — discovering the relationship between colour, design, form, and Moroccan visual culture
• Ben Youssef Madrasa — observing traditional Moroccan craftsmanship, geometric ornamentation, carved plaster, cedar woodwork, arches, and tile patterns
(tickets included in the package)
Free time
Time to rest, sketch, take photographs, or continue exploring Marrakech at your own pace.
Dinner at the riad.
Day 4 — Fruit
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Rules of composition — understanding balance, focal point, negative space, rhythm, and how to place objects naturally on the page
• Techniques for painting three-dimensional objects
• Learning how light, shadow, reflected light, and cast shadow create volume and form
• Introduction to atmospheric perspective — using softer edges, lighter values, and subtle colour transitions to create depth and space
• Observing the relationship between foreground, middle ground, and surrounding space to create a more atmospheric composition
Painting focus
Painting local fruit using the techniques learned, while exploring how to create volume, harmony, and an atmospheric watercolour mood.
Day 5 — Ornaments
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Exploring Moroccan ornamentation and sculptural forms
• Understanding traditional Moroccan decorative rhythms, repeated patterns, and geometric balance
• Working with local colour palettes inspired by Marrakech — terracotta, saffron, indigo, deep green, sand, and cobalt blue
• Learning how to express carved plaster, ceramic tile, and architectural surface textures without copying every intricate detail
Painting focus
Painting ornaments of local Moroccan ceramic plates, in an atmospheric style using the techniques learned.
Free time
Day 6 — Architecture
Breakfast
Painting session: 11:00 – 17:00
(45-minute lunch break)
What you will learn
• Linear perspective
• Atmospheric perspective
• Understanding how traditional Marrakech architecture uses proportion, rhythm, arches, doorways, and layered spatial depth
• Learning how light and shadow shape architectural forms throughout the day
• Identifying foreground, middle ground, and background to create depth and atmosphere
• Using perspective guide points to simplify architectural structures and place forms accurately on the page
Painting focus
Painting an architectural fragment inspired by local Moroccan architecture, while learning how to paint in an atmospheric watercolour style.
Day 7 — Departure
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport.
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Reconnect Journeys, Riad Deluxe, Marrakesh, Derb Dabachi, Marrakesh, Morocco
Directions
To get to Riad Deluxe, located at N7 Toualat Dabachi, Rahba Jamaa Lafna in the heart of the Marrakesh Medina, follow these directions depending on how you arrive. Because the Medina consists of a labyrinth of narrow, car-free alleys, you will ultimately need to finish your journey on foot
Accommodation
SOLO Single Occupancy Privacy, solitude, and maximum personal space Private en-suite room in an exclusively reserved villa for the RJ group. DUO Double Occupancy Shared comfort for two guests, ideal for friends, couples, or participants who enjoy connection with personal space Shared room for two guests. TRIO Triple Occupancy A balanced shared-room experience with creative energy, affordability, and group inspiration Shared room for three guests QUATRO Quadruple Occupancy The most social and accessible option, designed for community, shared inspiration, and connection Shared dormitory-style accommodation
QUATRO
TRIO
DUO
SOLO
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Escape the everyday and immerse yourself in a transformative watercolour painting retreat in Marrakech, Morocco. This luxury art retreat is designed to nurture your creativity, offering a sanctuary for reconnection and artistic discovery. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, our painting holiday in Morocco provides the perfect balance of structured watercolor lessons and inspiring cultural exploration.
Surrounded by the breathtaking architecture and vibrant energy of the city, y
Surrounded by the breathtaking architecture and vibrant energy of the city, y
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Traditional Moroccan hospitality.
Vegeratian meals on request.
What's Included
- Luxury Riad Accommodation
- Spend 6 nights in a stunning, secure boutique riad that provides an inspiring and restful sanctuary after a day of creativity.
- Daily Watercolour Tuition
- Benefit from 4 dedicated days of structured painting sessions tailored to elevate your techniques and personal style.
- Painting Materials
- All professional-grade paints, high-quality paper, and brushes are provided so you can travel light.
- Breakfasts and Dinners
- Savor authentic Moroccan cuisine with daily breakfasts and either lunches or dinners served in the tranquil riad.
- Cultural Inspiration
- Enjoy guided excursions including tickets to the vibrant YSL Museum and the historic Madrasa Ibn Youssef.
- Small Group Mentoring
- Experience intimate, personalized guidance from Jurga to ensure meaningful artistic growth and creative confidence.
- Creative Reconnection
- Find balance with a traditional Moroccan Hammam session and ample free time for reflection and unhurried sketching.
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Insurance
- Personal
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