Hello traveller, let’s pack for Sicily, shall we? 

A stunning house to stay in set in 70, 000 square feet of gardens.  A swimming pool to cool down in.  Green and lush surroundings.  Warm, heady evenings.  Slow walks through beautiful towns.  The smell of Summer,  heavy in the air.  Wine, Italian food. Music. 

This is living at its very best. 

We have packed the workshops in on this one:  there’s a boat load of room for jamming and an opportunity to play live every evening at Star Light Live. 

Ever played guitar while your feet dangle in a swimming pool? 

Now’s your chance… 

What you get

• Course materials and song sheets all bundled together in a special book made just for this retreat

• Off the beaten track: A Guitar Social guide to places of interest that aren’t on our group itinerary, but might be of interest to you in PDF form with a printed version on site

• A concierge service from The Guitar Social as well as a daily itinerary

• Fourteen workshops plus facilitated evening performance events

• A space in a beautiful high-end villa, the kind of place Duran Duran might have hired for a weekend get away

• All meals enjoyed in the house

• Cable car to Erice 

• Entrance to Castle Venus 

How many people will be there?

We limit attendance to about 15. This is a far cry from a guitar retreat in a conference room in a hotel on the motorway. This is small scale, boutique, bespoke.

What we’ll do

This can change based on the local knowledge we pick up on the ground and your suggestions. Sometimes, the day takes on its own mood, and we follow the breeze wherever it blows us. However, the initial outlined, is listed below

 Accommodation

We’ll be staying in a charming and stunning historic villa located in Alcamo, Sicily, offering a unique blend of traditional architecture and modern comforts. Set within 70,000 square meters of lush grounds, the villa features a central courtyard surrounded by Mediterranean gardens, vineyards, and a refreshing pool. Imagine you're Bono and you want to buy a Villa, this is it.

Itinerary and workshops

Day 1:  24th of August 

Arrivals

9:00 - 12:00 Arrival at the Villa

12:00 - 12:30 Lunch served on the terrace

12:30 - 1:30 Workshop #1 Song-book workshop no1 of 4 - Gorgeous songs from the TGS Sicily songbook featuring a mix of local music and contemporary, jam-friendly classics with songs added by attendees.

2:30 - 3:30  Workshop #2 Fretboard studies no1 of 3 -How knowing every note name on the fretboard makes you a better player

3:30 - 5:30  Workshop #3 Dorian Mode -keys songs, riffs and improvisation in this mysterious and beautiful tonal playground

5:30 - 9:00  A walk through the grounds and out into the nearest village for dinner and drinks

9:00   til late  Star Light Live - Our London based event, Candle Light Live, in Scilly, This is an opportunity for everyone to share a song in a private, non judgemental setting. Performances are optional, but encouraged. As the week develops, collaborations will form through daily practice meaning that we can look forward to duos and trios forming. You will see this event listed every night. 

Day 2: 25th of August 

Trapani and Erice 

9:00 Breakfast -Granita with brioche, fresh fruit, coffees, teas, juices

9:30  Workshop #4  Song-book workshop no2 of 4 - Gorgeous songs from the TGS Sicily songbook.

10:30 - 1    Visit Trapani. Walk through its historic centre, explore local markets, and visit the  San Lorenzo Cathedral. Lunch somewhere nice  for the arancini or the seafood that hold legendary status in this area.

3:00 - 5 Ride the cable car to Erice. Visit the Castle of Venus and enjoy local almond pastries

6:30 - 7:30 Guitar Workshop #5 Sicilian folk music 

7:30 - 8:00   Workshop #6 Pentatonic scales 1-2

8:00  Dinner at the Villa

9:00  Star Light Live 

Day 3: 26th of August 

Marsala and Salt Pans

08:00 - 08:30  Breakfast at the villa, local pastries, Sicilian cheeses, and fresh juices

8:40 - 9:10  HIIT with Thomas (high intensity interval training-as in health and fitness, not musical intervals)

9:30 - 10  Workshop #7 E and A type Barre Chords-initiating the practice.

10:00 - 10:30   Workshop #8 How to practice effectively-keeping a journal, organising your time, getting better at what you love.

 1:30 - 2:30 Visit Marsala  Lunch in Marsala. Sample traditional Sicilian dishes like pane cunzato. 

4:00 - 5:00  Workshop #9 CAGED-everything you need to know to set up a few months of at home practice.

5:00 - 6:00  Workshop #10 Travis and Carter picking.

6:00 - 6:30  Workshop #10 Fretboard workshop number no2.

6:30 - 7:00  Workshop #11 Songbook workshop no3 of 4.

20:00  Dinner at the Villa.

 21:00   Starlight Live.

Day 4: 27th of August 

Selinunte and Agrigento

08:00 - 08:30 Breakfast at the villa.

8:30 - 9:00 Yoga with Thomas.

9:15 - 10:00 Workshop #12 Arpeggios and their use.

10:30 - 13:00 Visit Selinunte Archaeological Park. Walk through the ancient Greek ruins with breath-taking views.

1:10 - 2:30 Lunch near Selinunte. We will be able to try pasta alla Norma or other Sicilian delicacies.

3:00 - 4:00- Continue to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Explore the iconic ancient Greek temples..

8:00 Dinner at the villa or a local restaurant.

9:00 Start light live.

Day 5: 28th of August 

Relaxation and Local Flavours.

08:00 - 08:30 Breakfast at the villa.

08:45 - 10:00 Workshop #13 Fretboard workshop no 3 of 3 Stitching it all together  for complete fretboard mastery.

1:30 - 2:30  Lunch at the Villa.

6:00 - 8:00  Workshop #14 The ultimate jam! A two hour nonstop power jam to celebrate an incredible week. 

8:00  Farewell dinner at the villa with local wines and Sicilian desserts.

9:00  Starlight Live.

Day 6: 29th of August 

Reflection

8:00 - 8:30 am Breakfast at the villa.

9:00 - 10:00 am Final guitar session to review key lessons or play as a group.

10:30 am Check out and prepare for your departure. Look back on the most incredible week ever. Swap phone numbers, make plans to meet again

Pick up your suitcase, heavy but happy sigh, roll on to the airport.

Until next time… 

How the accommodation works

We only ever take the finest accommodation we can find. This involves big spaces in high end houses and apartments. Rooms are shared and room shares are allocated empathetically based on age, interests and gender. It is worth mentioning, the time spent in your room is likely to be very little. 

Room Prices

• Double bed £1300

• Single bed £1100

• Your own room £2000

Confirming the trip, refunds and flights

Our retreats always sell out, however, we don’t confirm the trip until we have reached 70% of the bookings. At this stage we provide a suggested flight. We aim to do this 3 months before departure. It is often before 3 months that we hit this mark.  

Trends in flight prices are showing that flights booked 3 or so months before departure can be cheaper than 12 months ahead. 

If the trip hasn’t reached 70% at the 3 month mark, we will be in touch to have a conversation. 

It is worth noting that in our ten year history 100% of our retreats have gone ahead. 

In the highly unlikely event that a trip doesn’t go ahead, you will be issued a refund. 

You can cancel your trip and receive a refund at any point up until the 3 month period before departure date arrives.  After that, refunds are not offered, but, credit with The Guitar Social Retreats on an alternative trip can be explored. 

We kindly ask that you do not make any efforts to sell your ticket within The Guitar Social community and instead, talk with us directly. 

Getting to the accommodation

When the trip is confirmed, you’ll be provided with an address. Your job is to get to that address, once there, your trip with The Guitar Social begins. 

You may also join a whatsapp group where you can organise to share an airport transfer. 

Booking today

You can book in full up to six months before departure for a 5% discount on the price. 

Otherwise, we require 20% with the remaining balance paid 6 months before departure. 

To book, email thomas@theguitarsocial.com