Welcome to our 1st Newsletter of the 2025 Season – well, actually our very first Newsletter – sent as we reopen for the new season. We have lots of news to share, including photos of our new en-suite facilities for guest rooms and of the main bathroom makeover; there’s also information about the launch of Courses at Casale di Clio, as well as other developments here – and we’ll present some special offers for previous guests and for the next few bookings. If you would like to receive future Casale di Clio Newsletters don’t forget to sign up (at the bottom of this Newsletter)!
Wishing you a creative, productive and inspiring 2025!
Adrian & Tiziana
Please share this newsletter with anyone who might be interested in what we are doing (sharing buttons at the bottom of this page) – especially those who might want to come and stay!
Contents (click link to go there!):
- New en-suites – and a bathroom makeover
- Other renovation works
- Internet upgrade
- Ergonomic desk chairs
- Courses
- Course Leader Offer
- Local Events in 2025
- Permaculture Magazine article
- Big Bagni di Lucca News!
- 2025 season dates
- ‘Slow Christmas/New Year’ 2025-26
- Offers for previous guests
- Group Bookings Offer
- Limited Special Offer for next 3 bookings!
- Newsletter sign-up
New en-suites – and a bathroom makeover
Over our Winter 2024-25 closure period we installed en-suite facilities into 3 of our guest bathrooms. These are ‘mini wet-rooms’ that include WC, shower and sink, with a shower curtain to keep water spray from the WC area while showering. Exterior curtains allow the en-suite area to be hidden from the rest of the study-bedroom if desired. We are very happy with the new facilities – but see what you think below:
In addition to the en-suite facilities we gave the main bathroom a spruce up, fitting a new suite of ‘bathroom-ware’ that includes a larger bath (the Bagno di Vetteglia!). Guests in our en-suite rooms are also permitted to use the main bathroom:
Other renovation works
At the same time we have continued working on the Art Barn, as we prepare it as a multi-use space. The newly-laid and reinforced concrete floor has now been painted a lovely shade of ‘Casale di Clio lilac/mauve’ – photographs to follow as the project advances. We have also installed a WC in the old Metato in the courtyard – providing another option for guests when outside the main house – there is just a little more work decorative required to complete this facility. Both of these additional projects have rather taken the back seat as we have worked on the en-suites/bathroom, but we hope to have them finished this year – then we can look at the next items on the wish-list: a cocktail-bar with mini-dancefloor (provisionally nick-named ‘The Last Days of Disco‘ – likely to ring a bell for film buffs).
Internet upgrade
Given our idea for – and promotion of – ‘Hybrid Retreats‘ (enjoying online creative courses, some live, while resident at Casale di Clio) we thought it sensible to upgrade our internet service, which now registers download connection speeds of up to 400Mbps! (though a little slower via wifi). We are now confident that guests will be able to enjoy online meetings, courses etc. without fear of being impacted by the lower speeds and unpredictable service of local 4G internet.
Ergonomic desk chairs
Following the suggestion of two of our lovely guests of 2024 (thank you Victoria and Lou!) we have purchased a couple of ergonomic/good-posture chairs for guests to use when they fancy a break from the more traditional desk chairs in the study-bedrooms.
Courses
Pen & Ink Drawing – with Colour
This year we will be trialing a Course Week or two. Pen and Ink Drawing – with Colour, taught by Deenagh Miller, a British artist resident in Bagni di Lucca, is now scheduled for 30th August – 6th September 2025. Some of last year’s guests attended Deenagh’s free taster classes in Bagni di Lucca – she will be running these sessions again this year, one hour, one evening a week throughout Summer 2025; the Course Weeks taught here will be an opportunity to spend more time with in-depth tutoring during the mornings, and perhaps exercising those new skills in the afternoon – this course will also include adding colour to the drawings. We (Adrian and Tizi) were lucky to have some of our beginners’ drawings from Deenagh’s 2024 sessions included in a small exhibition in Bagni di Lucca:
Future Possibilities: Permaculture, Ecology and Drawing
We are hoping that a top permaculture teacher whom we know – who also happens to be an artist and published writer – will be putting together a course or two for us for Summer 2026; she has expressed an interest in teaching an Immersive/Relaxed Introduction to Permaculture and Ecology & Art/Writing. We have penciled in a visit to us in Autumn 2025 to explore Casale di Clio and grounds and to discuss possibilities. More updates in later Newsletters.
‘Hybrid‘ (residential-online) Retreats
You may be aware of the various online learning opportunities that are available these days – including ‘delivery-on-demand’ offerings such as Masterclasses and BBC Maestro, as well as ‘live-delivery’ courses such as the internationally-known Arvon online writing courses. These are usually experienced at home by learners/participants, but we have hit upon the idea of ‘Hybrid Residential-Online Retreats‘. Why not come to Tuscany and enjoy your online learning here – enjoying all of the facilities of Casale di Clio – and everything that rural Italy offers, from traditional rustic trattoria, local festivals, and great hiking and views. We have put together a website page that provides more detail and sets out how such ‘hybrid retreats’ might work.
We currently have an offer to gain a free 2-week Guest Access Pass to BBC Maestro Courses for three lucky people who book to stay at Casale di Clio this year – see below …
Course Leader Offer
Similar to our Group Bookings Offer (see below), we are pleased to announce our Course Leader Offer: book all four of our guest rooms, or ensure that they are all booked (for a minimum of five nights) and we offer a discounted total price. This means that you, as Course Leader, will receive free accommodation here for the duration of the course – you then charge attendees in the other guest rooms for your course teaching/input so as to recoup your desired level of teaching fee. As Course Leader, you will administer the course; setting the schedule and pricing, recruiting attendees, and coordinating travel arrangements for them (we can assist with advertising/marketing and with travel arrangements – see our Getting Here page for how straightforward this can be).
There may be the opportunity to book additional nearby tourist accommodation so that you could have more attendees and hence receive more income – though you would be responsible for coordinating these bookings (we can advise and liaise to some extent). If you are a teacher/tutor/course coordinator/etc. and would like to discuss the possibility of holding a course at Casale di Clio then please get in touch in the first instance using the form on our contact page.
Local Events in 2025
There are a range of local events (some more local than others!) that might be enjoyed before, during or after a stay here at Casale di Clio. Here are just a selection (we really should put together a comprehensive list on the website! – something for the wishlist when we have some spare time – in the meantime you’ll probably find a whole lot more if you google “what’s on Bagni di Lucca” or “what’s on Lucca”):
- Lucca Summer Festival (music): the 2025 offering includes the likes of Santana, Robert Plant, Petshop Boys, Morrissey, Bryan Adams, Simple Minds – and the recently announced Jennifer Lopez;
- San Cassiano di Controne Summer Festa: usually a 3-day weekend event at the end of July/start of August (2025 dates to be confirmed), comprising surprisingly inexpensive food and drink consumed at long trestle tables under canvas up at the playing fields – a very sociable event, with traditional music and dancing. It’s in walkable distance from Casale di Clio too! (4o minutes walk each way);
- Bagni di Lucca Soul Weekender – yes really! We are excited at the upcoming opportunity to bop away to some top tunes in the wonderfully atmospheric Casino of Bagni di Lucca (Europe’s first public casino – now a cultural events venue):
Permaculture Magazine article
The foremost permaculture magazine in the world – the aptly-named Permaculture Magazine – carried an article about Casale di Clio back in the Winter 2024 issue.
We are not sure if it is available online without a subscription – but why not book a stay here and read it in our copy of the magazine!
Big Bagni di Lucca News!
In January plans were revealed for a major redevelopment of Villa Fiori in Bagni di Lucca. The rather sad-looking but once-splendid building opposite the Casino (on the other bank of the river Lima) is to be renovated as a hotel – but the most exciting aspect of plans is the intention to also build a modern spa complex in the grounds of the villa – utilising natural thermal spa waters from the hill opposite. More details are provided by a local blogger on the Bella Bagni di Lucca website, including the initial concept drawing, shown above. The planning and project development phases will take a few years (and it is likely that the project is contingent on one or two matters), but if this comes to fruition it will be a real boon for the town and the broader area (and it is unlikely that there will be many more 18k Euro ‘doer-upper’ apartments in Bagni di Lucca once the project get properly moving!).
In the meantime, the Bernabo Spa in Bagni di Lucca remains open (with rumours of one of the other of the town’s spas being on verge of reopening). We, and several of our guests, have attended the Bernabo spa – and can highly recommend it!
2025 season dates
We opened for the 2025 season in the first week of April, and will remain open until early November (with a closure scheduled from Friday 27th June to Sunday 6th July 2025) – we will then re-open for ‘Slow Christmas & New Year‘ (see below) – we have already received one booking for this!
‘Slow Christmas/New Year‘ 2025-26
Would you like to look forward to something other than the usual over-commercialised Festive period? Do you think that Christmas has too much rushing around, too many onerous social commitments, and that dreadful FOMO (Fear of Missing Out – whether on parties or presents – or just the ‘good time’ that family and friends pressure us to have!)?! Then consider a relaxing Slow Christmas and/or New Year Getaway – where the mantra is ‘no pressure-no stress’.
Space is limited, and we already have one booking at the time of this newsletter!
For details, see our Slow Christmas & New Year page.
Offers for previous guests
- We offer returning guests a 15% discount when they book directly with us for a repeat stay.
2. We are also trialing a ‘guest referral offer‘: you will earn a free stay at Casale di Clio (paying only the 5 Euro Local Tourist Tax) if you promote us appropriately through your networks and we receive two direct bookings to stay as a result of these referrals (come at the same time as them if you like, or at any time after they have both paid the balance of the payment for their stay – just ensure that they mention that they heard about us from you when they book. If your efforts lead to just one fully-paid booking for us then you will be eligible for a 50% discount on your repeat stay here (not to be combined with the usual 15% discount for a repeat stay!). Your free stay duration will be the average length of your referral bookings (from 5 days upwards).
By ‘appropriate promotion’ we mean promotion to your friendship groups, to work colleagues, to fellow members of writing/art groups, on your Instagram, Facebook Page or website, etc. – we do not mean leaflet drops, ‘cold-calling’, posters on lamp-posts etc.! If in doubt about an initiative, please check with us! This referral offer is only for previous guests (though see the ‘3 for 2’ Group Room Bookings Offer, below) and there is no cash alternative – free/50% discount stays cannot be used in Course Weeks.
Group Bookings Offer
We currently have a special Group Bookings offer: book and pay for 2 rooms and get a 3rd free – or book and pay for 3 rooms and get a 4th free. See our Group Booking page for more details.
Limited Special Offer for next three bookings!
The next three people to book directly with us and reference the offer ‘Free Maestro Classes‘ will get a free 2-week Guest Access Pass to BBC Maestro online classes of their choice – to be activated when they arrive at Casale di Clio, so as to enjoy a ‘hybrid retreat‘! (it can be activated earlier, upon payment of the balance of the payment for the stay).
Ken Follett could be teaching you how to write bestsellers, Jonathan Yeo could be teaching you portrait painting, and Agatha Christie could be teaching you how to write crime fiction! Many other courses available …
Newsletter sign-up
If you would like to receive future newsletters from Casale di Clio by email then please sign up below; we promise we won’t overload you with emails – we expect to send 3 or 4 seasonal Newsletters each year, with the occasional other announcement (e.g., of a new course being scheduled or a new special offer). You will have to check your email account and confirm that you have signed up before receiving any future Newsletter/Offer emails from us.
