March 2027 · Southern Spain

Painting retreat in southern Spain

Four nights to paint, unwind and find inspiration with Sue. Beginners and improvers welcome.

Ask Sue about the retreat

Five days to paint, relax and enjoy southern Spain with Sue O’Mara. Join a small, welcoming retreat in March 2027, with gentle guidance, inspiring surroundings and time to enjoy making art. Beginners and improvers are warmly welcome, and non-painting partners or friends can join you too.

£990 per painter · £550 per non-painting guest
Four nights’ accommodation, painting tuition and materials, meals, drinks and Spanish airport transfers are included. Return flights to Málaga and travel insurance are arranged separately.

Choose your March 2027 week

• Week 1: 1–5 March 2027 • two rooms available, for up to four guests.
• Week 2: 8–12 March 2027 • fully booked.
• Week 3: 15–19 March 2027 • fully booked.
• Week 4: 22–26 March 2027 • fully booked.

Availability was confirmed by Sue on 15 October 2026 and may change. Send an enquiry and Sue will confirm which rooms are still available before you book.

A small group, with a room of your own

There are four guest rooms each week, with space for up to two people per room: a maximum of four room bookings and eight guests. Each booking reserves one room for you or your own party. You will never be asked to share a bedroom with someone you do not know.

Travelling on your own? You are welcome. Coming with a partner or friend? Choose to share a room, whether you both paint or one of you would simply like to enjoy the setting. If your party needs more than one room, please mention this in your enquiry.

Time to enjoy painting, whatever your experience

You do not need to arrive feeling confident with a brush. Sue will help you find your feet, develop your skills and enjoy the process, whether you are brand new to drawing and painting or looking to build on your experience.

Work with watercolours, acrylics or graphite, with tuition each day and plenty of inspiration around you. Paint in the villa’s grounds and spend a day in the village courtyard, with time to relax, share good food and get to know the group.

Your stay in southern Spain

The villa has light, airy bedrooms with an ensuite or private bathroom, welcoming communal spaces, a pool and upper and lower terraces. Olive, lemon and orange groves surround the grounds, with views towards the mountains and Mediterranean.

Non-painting guests can enjoy the villa and its grounds or explore the local area while the painters work. The village has shops, cafés and walks; please be aware that the walk to the village is steep in places.

What is included

• Four nights’ accommodation in a room reserved for your booking party.
• Transfers to and from Málaga airport in Spain.
• All food and drink, including wine and spirits.
• Daily painting tuition and materials for painters; you are welcome to bring your own materials too.
• Transport to and from the village for the courtyard painting day.
• Use of the villa’s pool, terraces and grounds.

The £550 non-painting guest price includes the accommodation, meals, drinks and other retreat inclusions, without painting tuition. Flights and travel insurance are not included.

Booking and payment

The retreat is £990 per painter and £550 per non-painting guest. For bookings made before 1 January 2027, a 25% deposit is payable: £247.50 per painter or £137.50 per non-painting guest. The remaining balance is due eight weeks before arrival: 4 January 2027 for week 1, 11 January for week 2, 18 January for week 3, or 25 January for week 4 (already fully booked). New bookings made on or after 1 January 2027 require full payment upfront. Sue will confirm your booking arrangements directly before you pay.

Sending an enquiry does not reserve a room or take a payment. Sue will reply by email to answer your questions and explain the next steps.

A few useful things to know

Can I come on my own, and is there a single supplement?

Yes, solo guests are welcome. The £990 painter price includes your own room, with no single supplement. Your bedroom is reserved for you or your own booking party, so you will not be asked to share with someone you do not know. Sue will confirm your room arrangements before you book.

Where is the retreat?

The retreat takes place at La Noria, a villa near Comares in southern Spain. Flights are to Málaga airport, with Spanish airport transfers included.

What will we paint with, and do I need experience?

You can work with watercolours, acrylics or graphite, with daily tuition and materials included for painters. Beginners and improvers are welcome, and you can bring your own materials if you prefer.

Are the bathrooms private?

All bedrooms have an ensuite or private bathroom. If you specifically need an ensuite, mention this in your enquiry so Sue can confirm which room is available for your preferred week.

Are flights and airport transfers included?

Transfers to and from Málaga airport in Spain are included. You arrange and pay for your own return flights and travel insurance. If you would like to arrive earlier or stay longer, discuss your plans and transfer arrangements with Sue before booking travel.

Can I bring someone who does not paint?

Yes. Non-painting partners or friends are welcome at £550 per person, including four nights’ accommodation, meals, drinks and Spanish airport transfers, without painting tuition. The painter price is £990 per person. Flights and travel insurance are separate.

What if I have access requirements?

The walk to the village is steep in places. Please discuss any access requirements with Sue before booking, so she can explain the room layout, steps, transport and painting locations and help you decide whether the retreat will suit you.

Ask Sue about your preferred week or room. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a room or take a payment.

Ask Sue about availability

Tell Sue which week you are interested in and how many people would like to come. If you are unsure, choose the flexible option. You can also ask about painting experience, room arrangements or bringing a non-painting guest. Read our Privacy Policy to see how your enquiry is handled.

If the form does not appear, open the enquiry form in a new tab. Your details are used to respond to your retreat enquiry, which is handled through Sue’s enquiry form provided by Connect2Build.

A glimpse of the retreat

What previous guests have said

“Anne – Spain was wonderful, I loved it and would love to come next year. Great food, excellent painting days. The courtyard day in the village was brilliant.”

“Rosie – Thank you Sue for a lovely Spain painting holiday. You took all the stress of going away on my own away. Really nice to meet new people and have paint in such a lovely setting. The orange grove was so pretty.”

“Lesley and Sarah – Thank you Sue, we both had a blast, so interesting to see all the different art works over the week.”

“Kim – Really happy with my painting of the tub of ivy and flowers from the courtyard, I will finish it when I get home. Let me know when you do another trip, I would like to go again.”

“Liz and Mark – we stayed in Malaga after your painting trip and talked about how wonderful the week with you had been.  Mark is so competitive he wanted his to be better than mine and your comment that everyone’s was outstanding made me laugh. Thanks.”

Cancellation information

Refunds will be given in the event that I have to cancel the trip for any unforeseen reason. As spaces are limited on these trips the deposit is non refundable. If you would like come but want to make stage payments please contact Sue to discuss the options.