The Venue
Our venue for The Retreat: Tuscany is a famous, timeless converted monastery, called The Certosa di Pontignano. It’s located just a few miles from Siena, set on a hill looking over the city.
The Retreat venue dates back to 1343 and is much the same as it was nearly seven hundred years ago, except now it’s tricked out with all the modern amenities: swimming pool, air conditioning, state-of-the-art amenities, and high-speed internet. We’ve found an idyllic location that offers a blend of the perfect performing spaces for our guest speakers, a charming and historic venue, and the perfect leisure spot to extend your stay before or after The Retreat.
In 1703, the Chapel of Saint Agnes, recognised the world over for its exquisite ceiling paintings in the style of the Sistine chapel, was built on the site of our venue, and is available for viewing only to guests of the hotel.
The Certosa di Pontignano offers breathtaking views over the Italian countryside and the city of Siena. The lush resort gardens include the Certosa’s lemon house, a magical location adorned with aromatic plants.
We’ll make use of several historic rooms throughout our agenda, so that each performer and lecture has its own perfect pairing with our one-of-a-kind venue.