FIVE DREAMY DAYS IN ITALY
The Colour Retreat
6–10 May 2026, Liguria
Hosted and taught by Fiona de Lys
Event
The Colour Retreat, Liguria 2026
Duration
Five days (four nights)
Dates
6–10 May 2026
Location
Santa Margherita, San Fruttuoso, Portofino, Chiavari; Rapallo (add-on extra)
Price
Full price: £3450.00*
20% deposit: £690.00
*Excludes: flights, €4 daily city tax, discretionary transport. See full terms & conditions for more details.
Join me for a five-day retreat for the colour-conscious, in the beautiful surroundings of Liguria, in the pearl of the Tigullio Gulf
It’s finally here.
The colour experience that I have been curating and keen to share with you: an immersive and inspiring five days in Liguria that goes beyond the picture postcards and will open your eyes to a world of colour, creativity, and quite literally feed your soul.
If you’ve watched my Nostalgia video and wished you could join me in Italy, now’s your chance. Join me as a member of a small group, through the most enchanting parts of Liguria, where we filmed the inspiration for the styling of my Georgian cottage, and the origins of the Delysian Colour System.
From painted frescoes to original trompe l’œil, modernariato to antiques, thrifty finds to one-off treats, and local culinary specialities to regional wines, I’ll get you up close to the colours, sights, sounds, tastes, and fragrances, that will make this an unforgettable trip.
Meet local artisans, and lose yourself in my workshops and guided excursions specially designed to enhance your skills, cultivate new friends, and leave you with a fresh perspective on colour for interior design.
Places are limited, so be quick to pay a deposit to reserve your place.
Your itinerary for The Colour Retreat
DAY 1
Benvenuti!
Arrive at Santa Margherita and get to know your hotel and fellow guests at a welcome reception.
DAY 2
Colour perspectives
Your hands-on colour workshop in a historic villa, the trompe l’oeil tour, expert design talk, private viewing, shopping, and local cuisine.
DAY 3
Narrative and aesthetics
Your workshop in Abizzo di San Fruttuoso (reached by boat), rustico lunch, Portofino visit, and colour for story and style focus.
DAY 4
Design focus
Visit Chiavari’s large vintage market and the famous Chiavari chair artisan factory, dinner at an exclusive marina restaurant.
DAY 5
Departure
Time to return home refreshed, with new skills, new friends, colour confident, and inspired to begin designing..
DAY 6 (OPTIONAL)
Rapallo with Fiona
In this optional extra day, hang out with me in my hometown, historic Rapallo, and we’ll visit all my favourite places.
Relax while you stay in your small, design-concept hotel in the heart of Santa Margherita
Only minutes by foot from the amenities and beach, your hotel is a former grand house, beautifully restored with terazzo flooring, and Ligurian wood and marble. Furnished throughout with European, mid-century design from the 1930s–1950s, including Ettore Sottass, Arne Jacobsen, De Sede, Braakman and Robin Day, many items are for sale as part of an evolving range where ‘every object tells a story’.
I know you’ll love my Colour Retreat!
The Colour Retreat in Liguria is intended to be about so much more than colour: it’s an opportunity for you to unwind and soak up day-to-day Ligurian life and culture.
Across five days, you’ll see magnificent architecture, inspired design, and some truly sublime landscapes, and you’ll make new friends, with similar interests. In my Delysian Colour System workshop, hosted in our historic villa, you’ll develop new confidence planning and using interior colour, and come home buzzing with creative ideas for interior design projects..
Go on, (re)treat yourself! Ci vediamo lì!
“I loved my inspiring experience of visiting Liguria with Fiona. The light, the colours, the stunning scenery — turning every corner was a photograph, and a memorable moment.”
Rachael Smith, interior photographer
Booking & deposit payment
Booking and deposit payment happens in two parts: first, you must fill in and submit the booking form; then you pay your 20% deposit using the ‘Deposit payment’ form below. You can email me or call me on +44 (0)7443 429 614 if you have any questions about the retreat.
Please read the full terms and conditions for tours.
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