Create. Explore. Connect.
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📍 Location:
Navacerrada, Madrid
Join us for a creative weekend in the mountains of Navacerrada, just an hour from Madrid. This relaxed retreat is your chance to escape the city, breathe fresh air, and reconnect with your creativity.
✨ Book your place and treat yourself to a creative escape!
📅 Upcoming Retreats:
After the success of our previous retreat near Madrid, we are running new retreats in 2026!
March 6 – 8, 2026:
🍄 Tiny Worlds & Painted Treasures
April 10-12, 2026:
🌸 Colorful Curiosities & Mixed Media
Limited spots available!
✨Easy, beginner-friendly drawing sessions. No experience required.
✨ Time to relax, connect, and recharge away from screens.
✨ Accommodation, meals and materials included.
Shared room: 12 spots remaining €350
Private room: 7 spot remaining €440
‘Fantastic. Not just for feeling comfortable drawing and experimenting, but also for all kinds of interesting conversations, I felt completely included from the very first moment!’❤️
‘The highlight for me was the social side; enjoying breakfast together and having deep discussions. Sketching together and learning different styles and techniques!‘ ✨
✨ Bring a Friend Special
Book a shared room together and enjoy a special duo price: €590 (You save €110).
📍 Sketch Retreat Location: Charming Navacerrada
Nestled in the serene Sierra de Guadarrama, just about an hour from central Madrid, our retreat takes place in a charming, spacious chalet in Navacerrada. Here’s why it’s perfect:
🏡A beautiful 2-floor chalet, with ample space inside and outside for quiet sketching sessions or gathering around a big table for creative prompts.
🌳 Set against breathtaking mountain views, with sweeping vistas that invite you to draw, relax, and feel inspired by nature.
☕The idyllic village has a relaxed, artsy vibe with local cafés, forest walks, crisp air, and friendly locals.
🚌 It’s just one hour from Madrid by public transport, making it an easy and refreshing escape without the hassle of long transport.
🍄 March Retreat: Tiny Worlds & Painted Treasures
A weekend focused on observing the little things—textures, objects, and hidden details—through sketch walks and guided studio sessions. You’ll turn these tiny discoveries into expressive still life artworks & postcards using acrylic paint, paint markers and watercolor pencils.
✨ Friday, 8th – Arrival & Welcome
🥂 4:00 PM – Check-in & Settle In: Arrive at the retreat and settle into your room. Meet your hosts and fellow artists over a welcome drink.
🎨 6:00 PM – Introduction: Kick off the retreat with creative icebreaker activities and receive your welcome kit.
🍕 8:00 PM – Dinner at the house
🎲 10:00 PM – Creative Activity: End the day with creative games to spark inspiration.
✨ Saturday 9th – Tiny Worlds & Painted Treasures
☕ 9:00 AM – Breakfast
🎨 11:00 AM – Still Life with Acrylics with Katie: A Playful still-life acrylic workshop on small canvases where you’ll paint tiny objects and collected treasures with bold, simple shapes and expressive color.
🍝 2:00 PM – Lunch in Town
🍄 3:00 PM – Sketch Walk: Hunting for Tiny Treasures: Explore the village while sketching small objects, corners, details, textures, and curiosities.
🎨 5:00 PM – Draw Tiny Treasures in Watercolor & Pencil: Create in the studio with guidance, experimenting with vibrant gouache and soft pencil details.
🍕8:00 PM – Dinner at the house
🎲 10:00 PM – Creative Games
A playful way to end the evening and spark fresh ideas.
✨ Sunday 10th – Wrap-Up & Departure
☕🥐 10:00 AM – Brunch & Sketch session: Spend the morning sketching, putting your retreat inspiration onto paper.
💚1:00 PM – Finish Up & Share: Wrap up your final pieces, share your work with the group, and reflect on the weekend. Pack up, say goodbye, and leave with new skills, memories, and creative energy to carry home.
🌸 April Retreat: Colorful Curiosities & Mixed Media
A vibrant, exploratory weekend dedicated to discovering the colors, shapes, and textures around us. Through ink botanicals, collage, color sampling, and playful sketch walks, you’ll gather inspiration from the world outside and transform it into expressive artwork.
✨ Friday, 10th – Arrival & Welcome
🥂 4:00 PM – Check-in & Settle In: Arrive at the retreat and settle into your room. Meet your hosts and fellow artists over a welcome drink.
🎨 6:00 PM – Introduction: Kick off the retreat with creative icebreaker activities and receive your welcome kit.
🍕 8:00 PM – Dinner at the house
🎲 10:00 PM – Creative Activity: End the day with creative games to spark inspiration.
✨ Saturday 11th – Creativity & Exploration
☕ 9:00 AM – Breakfast
11:00 AM — Botanicals in Colored Ink with Claire:
Start the day with expressive botanical studies using colored inks, learning how to layer shapes, lines, and textures to create fresh, lively plant-inspired illustrations.
🍝 2:00 PM – Lunch in Town
🌸 3:00 PM — Sketch Walk: Botanical Hunt & Color Sampling: Wander through town collecting color references, interesting leaves, textures, and shadows, building a palette and observational sketches inspired by the surroundings.
🎨 5:00 PM — Collage & Mixed Media Session with Katie: Use your collected shapes, colors, and drawings to create playful mixed-media compositions—combining ink, paper scraps, watercolor pencils, and acrylic accents to build layered, expressive artwork.
🍕 8:00 PM – Dinner at the house
🎲 10:00 PM – Creative Games
A playful way to end the evening and spark fresh ideas.
✨ Sunday 12th – Wrap-Up & Departure
☕🥐 10:00 AM – Brunch & Sketch session: Spend the morning sketching, putting your retreat inspiration onto paper.
💚1:00 PM – Finish Up & Share: Wrap up your final pieces, share your work with the group, and reflect on the weekend. Pack up, say goodbye, and leave with new skills, memories, and creative energy to carry home.
What’s included
–Accommodation for 2 nights. Shared room and private room options available (with shared bathrooms).
-A variety of beginner-friendly drawing & creative workshops with two professional artists.
–Exclusive use of the entire property with living quarters, common areas, an indoor art studio and a private garden.
–A welcome bag with materials including sketchbooks, basic tools and snacks.
–Dinner on Friday and Saturday at the accommodation, lunch in town on Saturday (traditional Spanish cuisine and international dishes).
-Breakfast Saturday and Sunday.
-Tea, coffee, and afternoon snacks are available at the venue.
What’s not included
-Transport to and from accommodation
-Additional materials
-Other expenses guests might incur on their own
-Travel insurance
Your Hosts
@_katiebray__
Katie Bray is an artist, illustrator, and workshop host based in Madrid, with over 10 years’ professional experience in illustration and art education and has taught more than 500 students in her creative workshops. Katie has hosted inspiring sessions via Airbnb Experiences and collaborated on engaging art events with teams at Amazon.
@claire.makesthings
Claire is a professional illustrator and lettering artist from the Netherlands, based in Madrid. She teaches her craft as a Top Teacher on Skillshare, where she helps 5000+ students with their creative practice through digital illustration & creative exercises. Claire has worked with brands like Vinted, Skillshare, Ministry of Equality in Spain, Pinta Malasaña and more.
Answering Your Questions
✨ Do I need any drawing experience?
Not at all! This retreat is designed for beginners and hobbyists. Our sessions are easy, fun, and focused on enjoying creativity without pressure.
✨ What should I bring?
We’ll provide basic art materials, but you’re welcome to bring your own sketchbook or favorite pens/pencils. A small bag for outdoor sketch walks is useful. Comfortable shoes and some warm clothes for the outdoors. We’ll send you a reminder before the retreat!
✨ How do I get there?
Navacerrada is just about 1 hour from Madrid. You can reach it by bus from Moncloa station, and then a 15 minute walk from the bus stop in Navacerrada. If you arrive by car, there is parking space right outside the accommodation. We’ll send detailed travel instructions and help you coordinate transport if needed.
✨ Can I come alone?
Absolutely! Many people join solo. Rooms are shared in twin setup, and the group is small and welcoming, so you’ll feel at home quickly.
✨ Can I bring my children or teens to the retreat?
This retreat is designed specifically for adults. To ensure a focused and relaxing experience for all participants, we are not able to accommodate children.
✨ What if I’m shy or not very “artistic”?
That’s completely okay. This retreat is about having fun, trying something new, and enjoying the company of other creative people; no pressure, no judgment.
✨ What’s the cancellation policy?
€150 deposit is non-refundable, but transferable to a future retreat if cancelled 30+ days before the event.
Remaining balance is due 2 weeks before the retreat.
Cancellations less than 14 days before are non-refundable.
If we cancel, you’ll receive a full refund including deposit.
✨ What language is the retreat in?
Workshops are led in English, but we also speak Spanish. Everyone is welcome!
✨ Is there Wi-Fi?
Yes, but we encourage a little digital detox — think of it as a chance to unplug and recharge creatively.
Have another question about the retreat? Chat with us at thesketchretreat@gmail.com
The Sketch Retreat a beginner-friendly drawing retreat near Madrid is perfect for anyone looking for a creative weekend getaway. Whether you’re searching for an art holiday in Spain, a sketching retreat, or a chance to unplug and join a community of hobby artists, our creative retreat in the Madrid countryside offers the perfect balance of learning, relaxation, and fun!
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