We are already planning and taking bookings for the 2025/26 Festive Period!
Christmas is just too Hectic – Slow Down Instead!
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’.
Come and stay at Casale di Clio Writers’ Artists’ & Study Retreat for a week or more and shift into ‘the slow lane’. Italy is the country that brought the world ‘Slow Food‘, and arguably a broader approach to ‘Slow-Everything’. In Vetteglia, we soon learnt that here things are done ‘piano, piano’: slowly, steadily, with no rush and an understanding that appointments are flexible and no-one is clock-watching!
The Festive Period in the Tuscan Apennines is Special!
Photo: Christmas Market event 2023 Bagni di Lucca
Our 2025-26 ‘Slow Christmas and New Year‘ opening period, beginning on Saturday 13th December 2025 and running through until Saturday 3rd January 2026, covers the ‘approach to Christmas‘, Christmas and New Year. As for the rest of our open season there is a minimum stay of 5 nights.
The usual Casale di Clio facilities will be available over the Christmas and New Year Period, and the usual house ‘rules’ apply – notably, quiet study/reflection hours weekday mornings and afternoons to accommodate those bringing projects to work on – and no room TV provided – but there will undoubtedly by a Festive Twist/Ambiance: the Casale will be decorated for Christmas, outside of ‘quiet hours’ you might hear seasonal music and Christmas Carols in the dining room – and there will even be a 1000-piece festive jigsaw puzzle to spend time with (other non-festive jigsaw puzzles are available!). If residents agree to watch some festive programming on the TV (broadcast or on DVD) – outside of ‘quiet hours’ – this can be arranged in the Library, Dining Room or Sitting Room, depending on the level of interest.
Socialise in the Slow Lane
No ‘Big Do’ parties are planned at Casale di Clio during this time, but, as usual, we (guests and hosts) might share some aperitivi and stuzzichini to encourage the ‘festive spirit’. If we host any small social events at the Casale during this period (outside of quiet hours of course) then as residents you will have an automatic invitation to join! The usual catering setup applies: we do not provide meals for residents as a service, and residents will cater for themselves, with the freedom to prepare and enjoy meals jointly with others (including your hosts). The constellation of residents staying at Casale di Clio (and their wishes/culinary preferences) will determine the nature of any collective traditional festive-period meals during this period (e.g., Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Years Day).
A Beautiful Area to Enjoy the Festive Period
Depending on your interests and gumption-level you might want to take time to visit local villages and/or our local town Bagni di Lucca to savour the festive atmosphere of small-scale traditional Italy (although we cannot guarantee snow at Christmas or New Year as in the photograph below!) – this can be done through a combination of walking and using the (limited) local bus service. You might want to venture to Lucca, our nearest (very beautiful) city to experience the wonderful ambiance there – you might even want to venture to Florence or Pisa for a larger-scale festive atmosphere and to see some of their big-hitting attractions – if you do wish to explore the area beyond Bagni di Lucca then we recommend arranging car-hire, since we do not provide a guest tour service (see our Getting Around information).
Of course, maybe you will just want to ‘hunker down’ here and relax – taking the occasional local walk/hike.
Fit in a Stay Here Before or After a Big City Culture or Skiing Trip!
If Florence, Pisa, or any other place in Italy – or the continent for that matter! – appeals as a place to enjoy a Big Culture City Christmas/New Year, then why not consider coming to stay here either for the ‘calm before the storm’ – or to recover and ease yourself into the New Year? Similarly, why not consider some skiing (downhill or cross-country) or snow-shoeing up at nearby Abetone before or after a residence here – we are not suitable as a base for a skiing holiday (Abetone is a 55 minute drive from Casale di Clio), but if you have your own transport you might want to take a trip up to Abetone for a break from your creative endeavours while staying here.
We cannot guarantee snow! – but if it comes … Photo: Villa Fiori at Bagni di Lucca in the snow (credit)
Are you interested? Then head to our Booking Enquiries page and get in touch!