San Miguel de Allende,
Mexico
I can barely contain my excitement that we’re adding San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, to the 2024 retreat line up.
I’ve been hearing how wonderful this charming town is and I figured now is the time to go and experience it with you.
Steeped in history and charm, San Miguel de Allende is a 500-year-old jewel where cobblestone streets and colorful buildings transport visitors to a bygone era.
This haven of culture boasts a thriving arts scene and a delightfully temperate climate. Despite its rich history, San Miguel de Allende offers a welcoming atmosphere and a relaxed, luxurious vibe. It's no surprise Travel+Leisure readers crowned it the best city in Central and South America, and third best in the world.
September 15-21, 2024 for 7 days, 6 nights • Rates starting at $3,750
We have spots for 14 lucky artists and they’re bound to fill up quickly. If you’ve thought about going on a retreat and haven’t, this is the one to attend!
Check your calendars and get your passports ready - this is going to be extraordinary! Not only will we spend our days painting and making fantastic art, but we’ll meet local artisans, explore all that this city has to offer and eat our way through town.
If you’ve never been and have wanted to go, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!
Read through the below and if you have any questions, email Jen sooner rather than later.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
PLAY • EXPLORE • EXPERIMENT
Unravel tips and tricks during this intensive five day workshop. Hone your critical eye, unlock hidden potential, and watch your art burst with captivating harmony. We’ll study composition, color, value and most importantly, letting go of shoulds.
Say goodbye to "rules" and hello to "wow"! Discover the beauty of letting go in this exploration of creative flow.
Not only will we have 5 full days of hands instruction but we will explore art galleries, visit other artisans and eat our way through the charming town of San Miguel.
I will be available to you throughout the whole workshop to provide insight, feedback and support you during our time together. There will also be plenty of time to explore this charming town to shop and poke around.
THE MAGICAL CASA LENNO
- At one of the largest private compounds in the historic center of San Miguel de Allende with space to be inspired, relax, and to celebrate your own creativity.
- A private contemporary painting studio on the property all to ourselves.
- We’ll have fabulous breakfasts and lunches served daily.
- A private swimming pool and jacuzzi.
- Spacious terraces and fountains.
- Complimentary WiFi.
- Water purification system throughout.
- The property is in the center of town so you can easily walk to the galleries, shops and fabulous restaurants.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
YOU SHOULD JOIN ME
All experience levels are welcome, and you don’t need to be in the Art with Adele Academy.
If you’re open-minded and want an escape where you can spend some time being creative in a magical place, then this is for you.
We all know it's important to take time for ourselves and a workshop like this is a great place to do that. Give yourself the gift of time and creativity, because no one else will.
Some participants attend by themselves (however, it’d be fun to bring a friend) but rest assured you will leave with a new community of friends from all over.
Accommodations & Rates
Select from which type of room you’d like below. Images shown are for reference only (each room is different) and may not be the exact room you reserve.
- Round-trip transportation to / from the airport (either BJX and QRO).**
- Lodging for 7 days/6 nights at Casa Lenno.
- Shared rooms vary with queen or XL twin beds. Image above is a loft with 3 beds.
- Hands on instruction while receiving feedback on your art.
- A welcome dinner, breakfasts and lunches.
- All art supplies - be sure to leave space in your bag to bring your work home.
- Special morning workshop with a local artisan learning to naturally dye fabric.
- Town and mural tour, VIP tour with gallery owner, visiting studios at La Fabrica Aurora and so much more!
- A festive evening to see a traditional Flamenco show.
- Roundtrip transportation to / from the airport (either BJX and QRO).**
- Lodging for 7 days/6 nights at Casa Lenno.
- Includes one king bed.
- Hands on instruction while receiving feedback on your art.
- A welcome dinner, breakfasts and lunches.
- All art supplies - be sure to leave space in your bag to bring your work home.
- Special morning workshop with a local artisan learning to naturally dye fabric.
- Town and mural tour, VIP tour with gallery owner, visiting studios at La Fabrica Aurora and so much more!
- A festive evening to see a traditional Flamenco show.
- Roundtrip transportation to / from the airport (either BJX and QRO).**
- Lodging for 7 days/6 nights across the street from Casa Lenno at Casa Goyri.
- Includes a queen bed and room is not shared.
- Hands on instruction while receiving feedback on your art.
- A welcome dinner, breakfasts and lunches.
- All art supplies - be sure to leave space in your bag to bring your work home.
- Special morning workshop with a local artisan learning to naturally dye fabric.
- Town and mural tour, VIP tour with gallery owner, visiting studios at La Fabrica Aurora and so much more!
- A festive evening to see a traditional Flamenco show.
Option 1 - Premium Shared Room
Option 2 - Premium Single Room
Option 3 - Standard Single Room
Premium shared room
$3,950
sold out
standard single room
$3,750
Note: Room rate is per person, not per room.
**For those wanting to arrive prior to the retreat or stay longer, transportation to the airport is not provided. Jen is also a wealth of information so be sure to email her if you have questions.
Cancellation Policy
Here’s a snapshot of how we’ll be spending our days together.
Proposed Schedule
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
- Arrive and check into hotel, anytime after 3 p.m.
- Get settled and meet others. Relax and hang out on property.
- Breakfast
- Introductions: Art with Adele
- Lunch
- Art with Adele
- Group Dinner in town (included)
- Breakfast
- Art with Adele
- Lunch
- Tour of town, visit La Fabrica Aurora Tour and Artisan Market
- Dinner and evening on your own.
- Breakfast
- Art with Adele
- Lunch
- Gallery tour and visit Intituto with Adele
- Dinner and evening on your own.
- Breakfast
- Visit local artisan and fabric dying with Adele
- Lunch
- Art with Adele back on property
- Dinner and evening on your own
- Breakfast
- Art with Adele
- Lunch
- Continue painting, rest, relax, etc - on your own
- Dinner on your own
- Flamenco Show for group (optional)
- Breakfast
- Check out and say our goodbyes
*The painting studio will be available to us at all hours, early in the morning or well into each evening.
Hear what others are saying
Have questions? We have answers.
There are a few options depending on where you are flying in from:
QRO (an hour and a half away). Roundtrip transportation is provided to and from Casa Lenno
BJX (1 hour and 45 minutes away). Roundtrip transportation is provided to and from Casa Lenno
CDMX (Mexico City is a 3-1/2 hour ride away) . If you fly into Mexico City, transportation is not provided however, Jen can recommend ways to get from there to San Miguel (SMA)
Note: Getting to San Miguel de Allende takes patience but we will take care of all the transportation logistics so don’t let that deter you from coming.
Oh, and Volaris Airlines is a common, more affordable airline that flies into the above airports.
Once you make your flight details and share that with us, we will have a shuttle to pick you up. There will be a driver - holding a sign with your name - picking you up at the airport once you clear customs and retrieve your luggage.
Be sure to leave extra space in your suitcase because you will leave the retreat with many finished projects.
Breakfast, lunches, snacks, and drinks are included.
What is not included?
- Airfare, taxis or local transportation.
- Most dinners are on your own and a fabulous list of restaurants will be provided upon arrival.
Painting clothes, of course.
Your passport.
Comfortable clothes and shoes. Although we will spend the majority of our time on the property, the streets of San Miguel are narrow, uneven and hilly. Leave any heels at home (if you still have them).
You might want to bring a change of clothes for dinner but it's completely optional - and casual. Some will return after dinner to continue painting!
You may want your bathing suit and flip flops (to walk around the property). Taking a dip in our private pool at the end of the day sounds fabulous!
A wide-brimmed hat - the weather is warm this time of year.
Sunscreen.
Ear plugs.
Note: San Miguel is a festive town and they are known for letting off fireworks at all times of the day and night
The first day we arrive is also Mexican National Day (similar to 4th of July in the United States) which means there will be a lot of fireworks making the rooftop shows spectacular.
Medications - bring the usual Tylenol, Advil, Pepto or Imodium. The drinking water at Casa Lenno and at most restaurants is filtered but everyone’s stomach is different. Best to be prepared for the unknown.
Ziplock bags. (Some people have found having a few extra on hand to pack things up at the end are helpful.)
We hope you won’t need to cancel but if something does come up, please read through our Cancellation Policy.
No. There are plenty of ATMs and banks in town for you to withdraw cash (pesos). The majority of stores and restaurants take Mastercard and Visa (American Express is less widely used).
No. Anything you use in the United States (hairdryer, phone chargers, etc) will work in Mexico without an adapter.
Yes, San Miguel de Allende is a safe travel destination! In fact, it’s one of the safest cities in all of Mexico, and is widely regarded as safer than some U.S. cities.
Many Mexicans jokingly refer to San Miguel de Allende as Disneyland because it’s the sort of place that makes for a gentle introduction to Mexico, especially for first-time visitors.
You may find this article useful.
A few things that may be obvious to remember: Do not flash large amounts of cash, do not wear expensive jewelry, trust your instincts and be kind to those who live there.
Casa Lenno and most higher-end restaurants have a water filtration system so the tap water and ice are fine to ingest.
Brushing your teeth with tap water is also fine.
However, if you have a sensitive stomach, it may be best to drink bottled water.
Days will be warm and evenings tend to be cool. Wide-brimmed hats are encouraged during the day.
We suggest checking your weather app prior to the trip.
Travel insurance is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Please do your research to determine if you should purchase standard travel insurance or if CFAR travel insurance (cancel for any reason) is better for you.
If you have to cancel, we cannot guarantee a refund. See our cancellation policy.
San Miguel has narrow cobblestone streets and sidewalks so be sure you bring comfortable walking shoes.
If you have trouble walking hills, certified green taxi’s are readily available and affordable all around town. They do not have meters so you will need to agree on a price before getting in. The going rate for a taxi around one area during the day is about $60MXN [$4-5 USD], and this can go up at night.
It’ a good idea to download a currency converter to your cell phone making the conversion from USD to pesos easy
We will provide optional add-on’s (at an additional charge) for en suite 60-minute massages.
San Miguel is dry and in the mountains, at 6,234′. Being hydrated is important.
If you have questions or need help with your plans, reach out to Jen.
