Our HEARTCome back to wonder, come back to hope.
Wonder is an invitation to slow down long enough to discover what the moment is asking of you. To notice what moves your heart. To begin hoping again, even in places where disappointment has made that difficult.
Upcoming Retreat10 Spots
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Set in the rolling hills of Italy’s beautiful Le Marche region, this five-day gathering is an invitation to slow down, awaken your creativity, and rediscover wonder through the senses God has given us.
We will taste and savor. Look closely and linger. Listen with room to hear. Breathe in the fragrance of our surroundings and discover what it means to reach out and connect. Each experience offers an opportunity to be present, to respond, and to recognize God in a moment we might otherwise have hurried past.
Our home for the week is a family estate with two villas, cared for across generations. Through shared meals, creative experiences, visits to nearby historic towns, and unhurried moments together, we'll explore how the simple gifts of taste, sight, hearing, smell, and touch can draw us back into friendship with God.
Come sit at the table. Let yourself receive. Begin the journey back to wonder — and to the God who meets you there.
a taste of wonderMorning Worship. Cooking Classes. Floral Arranging. Pottery Classes. Wine & Honey Tasting. Painting Outdoors. Endless Espresso. 3-4 Course Dinners. Unhurried Meals. Intentional Conversation.
Our days are guided by Rita alongside the Fratelli family, whose warmth and hospitality welcome us into the culture and ease of Italian life. Shared meals, creative experiences, and purposeful journeys through the surrounding region invite us to slow down, engage our senses, and become attentive to God’s presence.
Each day holds an intention—a gentle invitation to explore, reflect, and respond. Through floral arranging, perhaps pottery, time by the sea, or wandering through historic towns, we discover how working with our hands and noticing our surroundings can awaken creativity and make room for hope again.
The table brings us together throughout the week. Over meals prepared with care, conversation deepens and stories unfold. We begin to experience the Italian way of life through the family who welcomes us into it, learning to linger and receive the beauty of the moment.
SAMPLE DAY
MORNING
Coffee and breakfast on the veranda offer a gentle beginning. Rita gathers us worship and devotional and introduces the day’s intention, inviting us to consider how God might meet us through our senses. A creative experience follows—perhaps arranging flowers and noticing how fragrance, color, and the work of our hands stir memories and open conversation.
AFTERNOON
An unhurried lunch gives us time to share what we are discovering. Later, a purposeful journey might take us toward the Adriatic or into a nearby historic town. We carry the morning’s invitation with us, allowing what we see, hear, and experience to draw us into reflection and connection.
EVENING
We return to the table for dinner, laughter, and stories from the day. There is room to speak about what moved us, what surprised us, and where we sensed God drawing near. As evening settles over the villa, we have time to rest and let those moments take root.
Details
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Fano, Italy , a secluded hilltop estate framed by vineyards and ancient olive groves, where peace and pastoral beauty unfold at every turn.
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September 15–21, 2026
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• Single Occupancy €5,000
• Double Occupancy €4,500
• Private Cottage €9,500 -
Arrive, exhale, and be fully present.
All accommodations, meals, excursions, and regional transportation are included.
Guests arrange their own travel to and from Italy, and any personal purchases.
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Our next gathering is scheduled for April 2027. Additional dates are released thoughtfully throughout the year .
Join the interest list to receive early notice as new dates become available.
The Hosts
Fraticelli Family
Villa Tombolina is cared for by the same family who has lived on and tended this land for generations. They open their home with a natural ease, sharing daily life as it is—meals prepared in their kitchen, stories passed across the table, and a way of living shaped by familiarity and care. Time here feels personal, guided by people who know the land because it has held them.
Rita Springer
Rita Springer is present throughout the week not as a performer, but as a steady companion. Her way of leading is relational and unhurried, creating space for honest conversation, rest, and reflection. She sets a tone of attentiveness that gently invites others to slow down and listen.
Teressa Johnson
An interior stylist and creative director, Teressa’s work is known for spaces that feel lived-in, restrained, and deeply intentional. Years of hands-on styling for editorial shoots, private homes, and immersive gatherings have shaped an approach where atmosphere matters as much as aesthetics, and where beauty is rooted in attention rather than excess.
One afternoon is spent working alongside her in a floral workshop guided by curiosity and intuition. Using seasonal materials, guests are invited to notice texture, balance, and what feels right rather than what’s expected. The time unfolds collaboratively—more shared table than classroom—mirroring the spirit of the retreat itself.
