EAT. CLAY. FEEL.

SICILY

23-28 APRIL 2027, SICILY

Five days in Sicily with Planeta, where wine, clay, and the table have been shared for generations.

OUR HOSTS: THE PLANETA FAMILY

Poolside view with lounge chairs, umbrellas, a swimming pool, surrounded by buildings and greenery under a clear blue sky.

This experience exists because of Planeta - a Sicilian family who have farmed this land and made wine here for generations, across some of the island's most beautiful estates. They are one of the names that helped bring Sicilian wine to the world, and they've never stopped being rooted in the place it comes from.

Being hosted by Planeta means we're not tourists passing through. We're welcomed into their homes, their vineyards, and their table - from the Ulmo winery in Sambuca di Sicilia, to the kitchens of Casa Planeta, to the Country House in Menfi where we stay. Their hospitality is the backbone of these five days, and the reason the experience feels less like a booking and more like being someone's guest in Sicily.

Vineyard with rows of grapevines on rolling hills under a blue sky

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🌀

JOIN THE WAITLIST 🌀

A table set outdoors with a loaf of bread, wine, and a salad, against a background of blooming pink flowers.

SICILIAN FOOD & WINE

This is a trip that lives at the table. We're hosted by Planeta — one of Sicily's oldest winemaking families — across five days in Menfi, on the island's western edge, where the vineyards run down toward the sea.

Meals are long and unhurried: a gourmet dinner by Chef Angelo Pumilia, a hands-on cooking class in the kitchen of Casa Planeta, a country dinner of small shared plates passed around the table. There's wine from the land around us, poured slowly, and a morning at the winery learning how it comes to be. Food here isn't a break between activities. It's the thread the whole trip is strung on.

People gathered around a table engaging in a creative activity, with hands covered in clay or dough. The table has multiple glasses of wine or similar drinks, a bowl, and small flags with the slogan 'Let's Talk Safe'.

CLAY EXPERIENCE

Clay is where Gigi Room begins, and it runs quietly through the week. In Burgio — a Sicilian town that has shaped terracotta for five hundred years — we spend a morning in the workshop, making with our hands in a place where the craft has never stopped.

Alongside it, Gizem holds space for clay through the trip: slow, tactile, no experience needed. This isn't about perfection. It's about the particular quiet of shaping something yourself, in a landscape that has been making beautiful things for centuries. Your pieces are fired in Sicilian clay and sent home to you.

A bright bedroom with a bed covered in a blue bedspread, two pillows, and a wooden headboard. The room opens to a balcony with outdoor seating and an ocean view. There are two small bedside tables with flowers, a desk with a lamp and decorative items, and a chair with a towel or blanket draped over it.

STAY

We stay all five nights at Planeta Country House in Menfi - a relaxed estate house surrounded by vineyards, with a pool, wide views, and rooms that open to the Sicilian light.

Mornings are slow over breakfast. Afternoons leave room to rest, swim, or simply be somewhere beautiful without rushing through it. A small group, an intimate house, and the ease of being looked after by a family who has made this land home for generations.

MEET THE HOST

Gizem Sirmali - Gigi Room Ceramics

A woman smiling, holding place cards at a table set for a dinner or event, with a shelf of wine bottles in the background.

Gizem is a ceramic artist, storyteller, and the creative behind Gigi Room Ceramics. She blends slow craft, soulful gatherings, and creative expression into experiences that nourish both hands and hearts. Between shaping clay and hosting her clay-and-everything pop-ups, the vision for this retreat was born. Her work is about more than ceramics, it’s about connection, gentle rituals, and spaces where people can come back to themselves.

Outdoor patio area with wooden furniture, cushioned chairs, a long dining table, and a covered shaded section. Surrounded by green trees and plants, with sunlight casting shadows.

Days move between the vineyard, and the workshops - a winery lunch, a cooking class, a morning of clay, an island reached by boat.

Evenings are held by long dinners: wine and Sicilian cooking, plates passed from the center, and meaningful conversations.

Between it all, there's rest - the pool, the light, and the unhurried rhythm of a place that has never been in a hurry.

    • 5 nights at Planeta Country House in Menfi, breakfast each morning

    • Welcome aperitif with Planeta wine, olives, and almonds

    • Arrival dinner at the Country House

    • A morning at Planeta Ulmo winery: visit, tasting & lunch — The History of Planeta Chardonnay (wines included)

    • A gourmet dinner at La Foresteria Planeta by Chef Angelo Pumilia

    • A hands-on cooking class in the kitchen of Casa Planeta, followed by lunch (wines included)

    • A country dinner of I Chiama Vinu — traditional Sicilian shared plates

    • Farewell dinner at the Country House

    • A morning ceramic workshop in Burgio, plus clay sessions guided by Gizem

    • Guided experiences and hosting throughout the week

    Your ceramic pieces will be fired in Sicily and shipped to you after the trip — please allow a few weeks for delivery.

    Flights, transfers, city tax, and some meals and entries during our day trips are not included — full details in your Welcome Packet.

  • Day 1 — Arrival
    Arrival into Palermo and transfer to Menfi. Time to settle by the pool. Welcome aperitif at sunset, followed by dinner at the Country House.

    Day 2 — Winery & Gourmet Table
    Morning at Planeta Ulmo winery: the story of the Chardonnay, tasting, and lunch among the vines. A free afternoon back at the house. In the evening, a special dinner by Chef Angelo Pumilia at La Foresteria.

    Day 3 — Hands in the Kitchen
    A visit to a nearby farm for ricotta-making, then a hands-on cooking class in the kitchen of Casa Planeta and lunch with what we've made. Optional afternoon at the temples of Selinunte, or free time. A country dinner of shared Sicilian plates.

    Day 4 — Sea & Salt
    West to the Stagnone lagoon near Marsala — windmills, salt flats, and a small boat to the island of Mothia. Lunch by the water, an afternoon at your own pace, and dinner out on the coast.

    Day 5 — Clay & Sciacca
    A morning of clay in Burgio, the old ceramic town. Lunch and time in Sciacca. Back to the house for a farewell dinner together.

    Day 6 — Departure
    A slow breakfast and goodbyes.

    This is a sample rhythm — some days hold options, and the final flow is shared in your Welcome Packet.

  • Choose a Retreat
    Browse our upcoming events to find the one that feels right for you. We host events year-round in all different locations and climates.

    Book Your Spot
    Sign up and pay all required fees to reserve your spot.

    Review the Welcome Packet
    After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know: detailed schedules, packing list recommendations, add-ons to consider, and more.

    Book Your Travel
    We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from the event as soon as possible, to ensure you can arrive without any complications or delays.

    Get Packed & Join Us
    Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for your new adventure.

  • Do I need experience in ceramics or cooking?

    Not at all! The retreat is open to all levels. Whether you're new to clay or cooking, or returning with experience, you'll be gently guided through each session in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere.

    Will I take my ceramic pieces home?

    Yes! Your pieces will be bisque fired after the retreat and shipped to you. This process takes time, so please allow 4–6 weeks for delivery. Shipping is included.

    What language is the retreat in?

    The retreat is hosted in English, with German support available if needed.

    The retreat is hosted at Planeta Country House in Menfi, Sicily, surrounded by vineyards and the beautiful Sicilian countryside.

    By car:
    The easiest way to reach the Country House is by car. We recommend renting a car at Palermo Airport, which is approximately 1.5 hours away. The drive takes you through the Sicilian countryside and gives you the freedom to explore the area at your own pace.

    By taxi/private transfer:
    If you prefer not to drive, we can also help arrange a private transfer from Palermo Airport to the retreat venue.

    By plane:
    The closest major airport is Palermo Airport (PMO). There are also flights to Trapani Airport (TPS), depending on your route.

    Once you arrive, everything for the retreat is taken care of, so you can simply settle in and enjoy the experience.

    Car: On-site parking available

    Plane: Nearby airport is Palermo

    Need help planning your journey? Just ask.

    Is this retreat only for women?

    Nope! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join!

    This retreat is open to all genders. If you feel drawn to creativity, movement, nature, and slow, meaningful connection: you belong here.

    What’s the cancellation policy?

    If you are unable to attend the retreat, please inform us as early as possible. The €500 deposit is non-refundable unless you (or we) find a replacement participant.
    The remaining hotel payment can be canceled free of charge up to 60 days before the start of the retreat. If cancellation occurs within four weeks of arrival, we will try to rebook the room. If this is not possible, 80% of the room price will be charged.

    Please make sure you have travel insurance in case any unforeseen circumstances occur that might affect your travel plans.

A variety of fresh fruits on a wooden table, including watermelon slices on a white plate, a bowl of green olives, sliced tomatoes, and bowls of sliced melon, peaches, and other mixed fruits with a large basket of fruits in the background.
Two jars of orange marmalade on a wooden table, with a silver citrus juicer and a knife on a white plate nearby.

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🌀

JOIN THE WAITLIST 🌀

This retreat is about what you taste, touch, and make while you're there.

For five days in Menfi in Sicily, we hand ourselves over to the people who know this island best. We cook alongside a Planeta chef, learning the dishes that have fed this family for generations. We taste wines poured by the people who make them, walking the cellars where they're born. We shape clay with local artisans in Burgio, a town that has worked terracotta for five hundred years, guided by hands that have done this their whole lives. We watch ricotta made the morning it's made, still warm.

This is a week of curated, hands-on experiences, the kind you can't book alone, the kind that only open up when someone opens their door for you. Every day holds something to make, something to taste, something to feel: a cooking class, a wine tasting, a morning of clay, a farm, a long lunch that turns into an afternoon.

An intimate house together beautiful people among the vineyards. And Sicily, meeting us at the table with everything it has.

GET TO KNOW PLANETA
Wooden shelves with bottles of wine, olive oil, and packaged food items, with handwritten price and product labels in Italian.
A dinner table with a glass of white wine, a bottle of Planeta Terrebinto wine, and a bottle of olive oil. There are plates with bread and other food items. People are sitting around the table, reaching for food.