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Writing holidays – where you stay and what it costs

The Watermill is a complex of elegant and historic Tuscan buildings, surrounding a sunny courtyard with an adjoining vine verandah, rose pergola and sun-filled walled garden. More gardens lead to walks along the river and the sun-dappled millstream. We are surrounded by two environmentally protected areas: the National Park of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Regional Park of the Apuan Alps. The air and the water are pure and unpolluted, and the area abounds in wildlife. It is all yours to explore.

We are increasingly environmentally aware and we have now incorporated an array of photovoltaic panels in our south-facing roof structures, to generate ‘green’ electricity. We have already produced some 45,000 kWh of electricity and saved more than 32 tonnes of CO2 emissions. We have installed air-conditioning units to cool/heat all our bedrooms and public rooms including the communal dining room, communal sitting-room and the studio, using the ‘green’ electricity generated by our photovoltaic panels.

As part of our war on plastic, we loan our guests individual stainless-steel vacuum flasks for the week, instead of using individual plastic water bottles. The vacuum flasks (which are sterilised at the end of each course) can be filled with filtered water from our new water-dispensing machine in the Communal Kitchen. You can have water at ambient temperature, chilled still water or chilled fizzy water! There is an ice-making machine too, if you like your water even colder (and for your evening cocktails and gins and tonics!)

We have tried to be environmentally conscious in our restoration building projects, too, seeking where possible to incorporate modern energy-saving details, from insulated roofs to double-glazed windows.

We have created fresh, bright and airy bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, comfy beds and original artwork on the walls. Our apartment suites, with their own sitting rooms and bathrooms, are ideal for couples or friends sharing.

Our graceful communal Sitting Room, with its gallery of paintings by our inspiring tutors, is ideal for post-prandial conversation and digestivi. Our courtyard Dining Room is the unique setting for leisurely breakfasts and mouth-watering evening meals. There is also a Communal Kitchen, with facilities for personal tea-/coffee-making, as well as the water-dispensing machine and an ice maker.

Most of our bedrooms now have a good wi-fi signal, but if you have any problems, you will find the best signal in the communal sitting room.

EVERYTHING is included in the cost of your holiday:

  • all tuition fees and accommodation
  • local transportation (including transfers to and from Pisa airport; including our mid- week excursion by train to a Tuscan beauty spot or historic town).
  • all meals including breakfast, gourmet picnics on location, pre-dinner aperitifs, dinner at the mill or at small and friendly local restaurants with regional Italian dishes and wines.

All you have to do is to get to Pisa and we do the rest!

What it costs

We offer nine beautiful bedrooms with their own en suite bathrooms, plus two self-contained apartment suites, ideal for couples.

Our policy is not to discriminate against people coming on their own by charging a vast supplement for single rooms. So, if you are coming by yourself, you will always have your own individual bedroom.

We would, however, like friends to share if it is at all possible and there will be a saving if you do so. And if you share with a non-participating partner, he or she will enjoy a generous discount of £GBP 250 for the knitting and embroidery holiday week.

The following are the bedrooms and suites on offer, and their all-inclusive price (in £GBP, English pounds) for the week-long writing courses:

BOTTICELLI

Superior double; en suite shower room:
Large, dual-aspect bedroom, with balcony, on the first floor of the Tuscan house. En suite shower room. Views over the courtyard and gardens to the mountains beyond. The 'Super Kingsize' bed can be divided into large singles if required.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2185 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1980 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
BRONZINO

Superior double; en suite bathroom:
Large, dual-aspect bedroom on the second floor of the Tuscan house. En suite bathroom, with bath and shower. Views over the courtyard and gardens to mountains beyond. The 'Super Kingsize' bed can be divided into large singles if required.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2185 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1980 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
BRUNELLESCHI

Superior double; en suite shower room:
De luxe double bedroom with en suite shower room, on the first floor. Large roof terrace overlooking the courtyard and gardens. Amazing views of the mountains. Double bed.

All-inclusive Price (including writingcourse):

  • Single: £2185 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1980 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
FRA ANGELICO

Classic double; en suite shower room:
Double bedroom with en suite shower room, on the first floor of the Tuscan house. Views over the courtyard and gardens. The 'Super Kingsize' bed can be divided into large singles if required..

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2135 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1940 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
GHIBERTI

Classic double; en suite shower room:
Double bedroom with en suite shower room, on the second floor of the Tuscan house. Views over the courtyard and gardens. The 'Kingsize' bed can be divided into singles if required.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2135 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1940 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
GENTILESCHI

Classic double; en suite shower room:
Double bedroom with en suite shower room, on the first floor of the Tuscan house. Views over the riverside courtyard and the river. The 'Super Kingsize' bed can be divided into singles if required.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2135 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1940 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
GHIRLANDAIO

Classic double; en suite shower room:
Double bedroom with en suite shower room, on the ground floor of the 17th Century watermill, with views over the millstream cascades and the river. The 'Super Kingsize' bed can be divided into singles if required.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2135 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1940 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
UCCELLO

Classic double; en suite shower room:
Double bedroom with en suite shower room, on the ground floor of the 17th Century watermill, with views over the millstream cascades and the river. The 'Super Kingsize' bed can be divided into singles if required.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2135 single occupancy
  • Sharing: £1940 per person sharing (there is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
DONATELLO

Superior single; en suite shower room:

Superior single bedroom with en suite shower room, on the first floor. Large roof terrace overlooking the courtyard and gardens. Amazing views of the mountains. Queen-size bed.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • Single: £2100 single occupancy
THE VASARI SUITE

Self-contained apartment suite:
Exclusive use of a self-contained apartment in the newly restored 17th Century watermill, with views over the millstream cascades and the river. Double bedroom with 'Super Kingsize' bed*, en suite shower room, large living room: all on the ground floor.

*If you prefer to have separate beds, the sitting room can be made up into another bedroom.

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • For two people sharing double bed: £3,960 (i.e. £1,980 per person) (There is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
  • Bedroom 1 single (with another person in Bedroom 2) - £1,980
  • Bedroom 2 single (with another person in Bedroom 1) - £1,980
THE LIPPI SUITE

Self-contained apartment suite:
Exclusive use of a self-contained apartment overlooking the riverside gardens and the river. Double bedroom with King-size bed*, dressing room and en suite shower room all on the first floor; large living room on the ground floor.

*If you prefer to have separate beds, the dressing room can be made up into another bedroom (with either single or twin beds).

All-inclusive Price (including writing course):

  • For two people sharing double bed: £3,960 (i.e. £1,980 per person) (There is a £GBP 250 discount for a non-participating partner)
  • Bedroom 1 single (with another person in Bedroom 2) - £1,980
  • Bedroom 2 single (with another person in Bedroom 1) - £1,980

Deposit and balance

A deposit of £250 per person is required to confirm your booking.

The balance for your holiday is due eight weeks before arrival.

Please note our cancellation conditions set out below. (We recommend that you take out normal holiday insurance, including cancellation insurance.)

How to make your payment

We ask you to make your payment by direct bank transfer and we will give you our bank details for you to make this transaction.

If you are paying from outside the UK you might like to use Transferwise. In our regular transactions within Europe, to the USA and Australia, this company has transferred our money efficiently and speedily, and we have enjoyed excellent exchange rates and paid very low fees. Our guests say: ““Wow! What a great way to send money inexpensively.” “I'm amazed and impressed with how speedy it all happened.” “Totally impressed!” Just ask us for the link.

If you prefer to pay by credit card via PayPal, we can send you an invoice, with a link for you to make a secure payment. You will find, however, that your exchange rate is less favourable (you will spend more in your own currency for the same amount in GBP) and, in addition, we charge an extra 3.5% on your payment as a contribution to the card transaction fees incurred at our end.

Cancellations

The deposit is non-returnable, unless you cancel within 14 days of the booking.

If the course has to be postponed because of official restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the deposit may be transferred to a course with the same tutor at a later date, or to another tutor of your choice.

If you have to cancel four to eight weeks before departure, a charge of 40% of the total price is payable; at two to four weeks, 60%; at one to two weeks, 80%; at less than one week, 90%. Once the course has started, 100% is payable.

We reserve the right to cancel any course at two months' notice and, where possible, provide you with an alternative.

Getting there

The best airport to arrive at is Pisa, which has many daily flights to and from international destinations. You might also care to fly into Florence and spend a few days there. There is a regular train service from Florence Santa Maria Novella station to Pisa Centrale, where there is a shuttle train which takes only a few minutes to arrive at Pisa Aeroporto, where we pick our guests up on the morning of the first Saturday of their holiday week.

We recommend that you do not book your flights until we have told you that sufficient numbers have enrolled on a course to make it viable, and that it will definitely run. We will let you know this at the earliest opportunity, (many months before the start of the course) to help you get the best deals on flights online or through your local travel agent. When booking your flights, please note our complimentary pick-up and drop-off times below. And don't forget to take out travel insurance.

We pick you up at Pisa airport on the first day between 10 am and 1 pm. Our departure times from Posara on the last Saturday are after breakfast, usually between 8.30 am and 9.30 am. (It takes between an hour-and-a-quarter and an hour-and-a-half to get to Pisa airport.) If you arrive or leave outside these times we can arrange transportation for you but you will have to pay for it.

You may decide to come by car. You can park at the mill and we'll give you full instructions on how to get here.