2025 Painting Retreat

Welcome to the 2025 Painting Retreat! Join me in my next retreat in the beautiful city of San Sebastian for an unforgettable experience. 

After having my very first retreat in 2024 I have decided to embark in this new adventure of making my own event. I have collected your feedback and needs and I have shaped the experience into a unique and improved adventure.

⬇️ Scroll scroll to read the Frequent Asked Questions ⬇️

  • Painting classes

    Learn from me directly and improve your painting skills in a supportive, creative environment. 1 on 1 teaching: collective classes with individual tutelage. All levels welcome!

  • Luxurius accommodations

    Stay in a top-rated 4 star luxury hotel ensuring comfort and relaxation. Superior individual bedrooms with private kitchen, private bathroom, and pool, gym, spa included access.

  • Explore the Basque Country

    Discover the charm and beauty of the Basque Country, the beach and landmarks, with scheduled activities and free time to explore the city of San Sebastian, Bilbao and more!

  • Cultural experiences

    Enjoy local cuisine, visit landmarks, and immerse yourself in the rich culture of the Basque region and Spanish traditions among fellow painters :)

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Schedule: 14-21 Jun

  • Day 1: Arrival and welcome cocktail, free time to explore the hotel and rooms.
  • Day 2: Painting classes and relaxation time in the hotel or evening city walk, optional to choose!
  • Day 3: Painting classes and relaxation time in the hotel.
  • Day 4: Bilbao trip: explore the city, museums and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe (where GoT was filmed!)
  • Day 5: Painting classes and relaxation time in the hotel.
  • Day 6: Painting classes and relaxation time in the hotel or Pintxo-pote night in the City, optional!
  • Day 7: Beach day/free time and gallery show/what’s next with champagne and farewell cocktail.
  • Day 8: Farewell breakfast and departure.

How to Join

If you have any questions before joining me for this incredible week or what to see the complete schedule🗓️, please reach out via email to hello@alaiganuza.com.

Spaces are limited, so be sure to reserve your spot early! Just clicking the button below ⬇️

*Saving your spot has a 100€ fee (check below in your currency). This fee is non refundable but will be discounted from the total payment. Once your spot is safe, we can plan your payment in 1 or 2 instalments.

✨I look forward to creating beautiful art and unforgettable memories with you in San Sebastián!✨

2025 Painting retreat

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Frequent asked questions: Painting retreat 2025

LOCATION

Why San Sebastian?

— Since this is my first retreat entirely organised by myself, I want to show you the places I know and love and I know you'll love too :) I am from the Basque Country, and I want you to get inspired by the beauty of my homeland :)

Why a hotel?

— Even though we will share most of the day, in a hotel you can also have your privacy with your own room while being supported 24/7 by experts. A hotel is awake day and night and will help you with anything you need.

— Also, you will have room cleaning services, laundry services, included organic amenities... This will remove pressure from you to focus on the classes and the free time will be just to relax!

Why Arima Hotel and Spa?

— LOCATION: I fell in love with this hotel from the moment I visited it for the first time. It’s located in the entry of the Miramon forest, with amazing views to the forest and river where you can walk and be in contact with nature. However, the hotel is also close to the city and beach!

— PASSIVHAUS: Arima Hotel and Spa is the biggest European Hotel certified as Passiv haus. This means it consumes 300% less energy than usual hotels, as they use clean energies such as geothermal and aerothermal energy.

— RELAX & LUXURY: On top of that, they are part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) since 2019.

Foresta Wellness is a gym & spa centre with facilities, equipment and instructors to help you. Water circuits, massages, infrared sauna... all to ensure relax outside the classes.

Arima & Numad Studios

— We will be staying in the Numad Studios located in the Arima hotel. They're superior rooms with queen size bed, equipped with private kitchen, bathroom and with an amazing forest view.

— In each room:

  • Water boiler (and coffee/tea all the time!)
  • Free wifi
  • 41” smart TV
  • Safe box
  • Lingerie, quilt bio and 100% cotton towels
  • A mini kitchen equiped with a fridge, micro wave, induction plaque, cleaning kits, recycling bins...
  • Hair dryer
  • Organic amenities (in case you don’t want to bring even a shampoo bottle!)
  • Laundry/ironing service

Everything included in the retreat price :)

All the info: Arimahotel.com and rooms: Numadstudios.com

How can I get to the retreat?

— Check the "Payments/Other" section below for all the information about logistics.

Frequent asked questions: Painting retreat 2025

CLASSES

Where and how will we paint?

— We will have a dedicated private studio for us with a big outdoors terrace to paint surrounded by a beautiful forest, dedicated bathroom/cleaning area and snack/coffee corner. This room will be for us during the entire retreat and we can paint and access even outside the schedule (in case you want more!).

— We will combine lessons on my easel/table and painting time with rounds of me going to your easel/table and answer your individual questions.

— We will also have a projector system to ensure you also see some zooms in a big screen. And a professional filmmaker to record my lessons and send them to you in video format after the retreat!

Can we paint also in our free time?

— Yes! The room is available for us during the whole retreat. We can leave there the materials for easy access, paintings drying or we can keep painting in our free time.

Will we paint indoors or outdoors?

— The main lessons will be in the studio since I will be connected to a screen to also record my lessons (to have them forever!) :)

— But the studio room has a big terrace surrounded by the forest, and we can choose to paint indoors and outdoors in every session. Depending on the weather, your mood… You can paint wherever you want, and I will just go to your easel every time:)

Materials: which materials should we bring for the classes?

EVERYTHING will be provided by me :) But if you have paint and brushes, I encourage you to bring them too: the goal is to learn to paint with what you have. While I will give you paints to explore and use, it’s nice if you also learn to paint with the materials you already own. If you don’t have any or you really don’t want to bring a thing, I gotcha :)

— Materials provided:

  • Painting Pochade Box
  • Tripod and accessories
  • Oil paints by Gamblin Colors
  • Brushes by Trekell
  • Painting paper and panels
  • Palette knives
  • Solvent free mediums and thinners (to avoid fumes)
  • Sketchbook and markers
  • Painting jars, rags, wet wipes, towels, cleaning supplies...
  • Packing supplies
  • Awesome gifts (that are kinda materials, but secret!)

— Pre and post retreat I will advise you where to buy materials if you need, with some discounts I can offer :)

How are we going to pack the paintings?

— We will paint with mediums and paint that are fast drying. Most of the things will be dry in 24/48h, even faster in hot days. But still, the schedule is adapted so the paintings have the last day for extra dry time.

— During the last day I will mount a packing station with glassine paper and some materials. This paper will act as barrier and protect any wet part so the painting doesn’t get ruined during the flight back home.

— Still, if anything is super wet, because you used a lot of paint and almost no fast drying medium for example, I also offer the option to ship them myself to your home during next weeks :)

Is there anything pre retreat or post retreat? 

— Some weeks before the retreat, I will create a WhatsApp group and Google Drive folder with all the participants. In the folder we can add materials, photos during and post the retreat, all the video lessons recorded too.

— In the WhatsApp group we can answer all the questions prior to the retreat, send reminders and materials during the retreat, and keep in touch post retreat :,)

Will be the classes projected or recorded?

— Yes. We will have a professional filmmaker to help with that.

— I will have a camera pointing at me connected to a bigger screen to project what I paint all the time. This is helpful in case you don't want to come to my easel all the time.

— Plus, we can have some ever lasting memories :,)

*We value your privacy and will respect if you don't want to be even near a camera.

What's the required painting level?

— All levels welcome. In my classes I teach a different way of painting and understanding colors. Since it's a different process than the usual taught traditionally, I start from the beginning.

— This way, beginners can catch up from the basics and enjoy a progressive learning curve, while experimented painters can also enjoy un-learning some myths that are usually taught and learning different and fresh perspectives.

— Some weeks before the retreat, we will meet via WhatsApp and you can tell me what's your level and goals. This way I will focus on that during our week together.

Frequent asked questions: Painting retreat 2025

MEALS

What’s the meal plan?

Tilia Deli & Café is the restaurant that will provide all the meals for us.

See their official website.

“A commitment to healthy and quality cuisine, based on seasonal and local products.”

  • In the mornings, we have a buffet breakfast with more options than you can taste. Also gluten free and vegan options!
  • During morning classes we will have a coffee break with sweet and savoury options.
  • In Day 1 and 6 we will have a welcome/farewell cocktail service with some drinks and wine with snacks.
  • Lunch and dinner meals can be discussed prior to the retreat, with some options to choose from depending on your individual taste.
  • In Day 4 (during the trip) we will have an Hamaiketako” typical basque snack in noon:bocadillo de tortilla, fruit and some snakcs.

What meals are included?

All meals are included except:

  • Lunch in Day 4: we will have free time for lunch in the old town of Bilbao in small groups or individually, so each one can choose where they want to eat!
  • Dinner in Day 6 if in the city: we will pay for our own pintxos and drinks during the city night. If you stay in the hotel, dinner is included :)
  • Lunch in Day 7 is during free time and not included.

What drinks are included?

  • In the rooms there’s coffee and tea free and available.
  • During breakfast there’s free coffee, tea and juices served in the buffet breakfast.
  • During lunch and dinner wine, beer, sodas and water will be served.
  • During classes we have coffee, tea and water available all the time.
  • During morning classes we will have a coffee break with sweet and savoury options.
  • In Day 1 and 6 we will have a welcome/farewell cocktail service with some drinks and wine with snacks.
  • Additionally, each participant will have a 4€(∼5$) ticket per day to spend at the bar with the option to pay for more if wanted.

— All the extra drinks are not included in the retreat price.

Frequent asked questions: Painting retreat 2025

RELAXING TIME / TRIPS

Is the spa/gym/pool/sauna included?

— In the hotel you can access to Foresta Wellness: Gym & Spa centre with facilities, equipment and instructors to help you.

— In the spa, you will have free access to the indoor warm pools and water circuits as well as the infrared sauna. You can also book extra massages, facials or even buy some skincare products in their shop. Everything is included in the retreat price except individual massages and products from the shop.

Can we visit the city and beach during the free time?

— Yes! Both are super close to the hotel, and you can take a 10’ bus to get there (bus stop at 1 minute from the hotel door).

— During Day 2, I will go with you so you can see how easy it is to visit the city in your free time, in case you want to go more during the week.

— I will provide you a custom map (made myself!) with landmarks and recommendations.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe/Bilbao and Guggenheim museum

— In Day 4 we're traveling to Biscay. First stop in San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a small islet connected to the mainland by a human-made bridge, with a small hermitage from the 10th century on top. A magical place where HBO filmed Dragonstone from Game of Thrones :,)

— After that we will visit Bilbao. There we will have lunch and some free time in the Old Town and from there we will go to the centre by tram and visit the Guggenheim Museum.

Beach Day (optional)

— In the Day 7 we will organise a group trip during the morning and have lunch in the city (or a picnic in the beach!). This is entirely optional and you can stay in the hotel/pool/spa otherwise. We will organise it during the retreat week.

*Lunch during this day is not included in the retreat price.

Pintxo-pote city night (optional)

— The Day 6 I want you to experiment the basque night in the city, taking pintxo-pote and visiting the bar and pub areas. Dinner will be substituted by the pintxos/tapas and some drinks if wanted. But if you are not a night owl, and prefer staying at the hotel, you can do that and have the regular dinner at the hotel restaurant with the rest of early birds :)

*Pintxos in the city are not included in the retreat price, but dinner at the hotel is included.

Optional events: what does that mean?

— Everything is optional really. If you don’t feel like attending to a class or event, you’re free to decide. However, I have tagged as “optional” a couple of events in the city of San Sebastian.

— The Day 2, we will visit the beach side of San Sebastian, el Peine de los Vientos by Chillida and Palacio Miramar with its view. I will give you a custom map (made by me :P) with some landmark recommendations to visit during your free time. If you prefer to stay in the hotel, you can get the map and enjoy the city other time :)

— The Day 6 I want you to experiment the basque night in the city, taking pintxo-pote and visiting the bar and pub areas. Dinner will be substituted by the pintxos/tapas and some drinks if wanted. But if you are not a night owl, and prefer staying at the hotel, you can do that and have the regular dinner (included of course) at the hotel restaurant with the rest of early birds :)

— The Day 7 if you want to go to the beach we can organise a group trip during the morning and have lunch in the city (or a picnic in the beach!). This is also entirely optional and you can stay in the hotel/pool/spa otherwise. We will organise this the week before the retreat :)

Frequent asked questions: Painting retreat 2025

PAYMENT / OTHER

WHAT is and isn't included in the price?

✅ INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

  • Classes with Alai Ganuza during the whole week: +30h classes and individual tutelage
  • Recorded classes to rewatch (for you for always)
  • Videos and photos recorded and edited professionally to remember the experience
  • All the painting materials including a pochade box with accessories for each participant
  • Private room with private bathroom and mini kitchen with forest view (check room details above)
  • Laundry services and amenities
  • Spa with water circuits, warm pool, infrared sauna...
  • Roof pool access
  • Gym access
  • All meals except 2*
  • All drinks and extra free drink per day ticket*
  • Airport Shuttle
  • All the transport during the week (including extra visits to the city in your free time).
  • Packing materials
  • Shipping back wet paintings
  • Awesome gifts :)

❌ NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

  • Flight to Bilbao Airport (BIO)
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunch during trip day or extra meals/drinks in your free time*
  • Individual massages and spa products
  • Additional expenses guests could incur individually

*For specific meals and drinks check meal section above.

HOW MUCH?

— The retreat price is the same for everyone, since the accommodations are all the same (amazingly the same!).

3970€ (use xe.com to check your currency).

— Repeating attendees have a 5% off their price.

WHEN is the payment made? PAYMENT PHASES

— PHASE 1. To save your spot there’s a 100€ (108~USD) non refundable fee. This will be discounted from the total payment.

— PHASE 2. When we reach a minimum amount of participants, I will reach you out one by one to proceed with the first payment. First one will be 50% of the total cost (1985€). You can pay with credit or debit card through my website AlaiGanuza.com (I will send you an invoice).

— PHASE 3. Around February 2025, I will reach you out again one by one to proceed with the second payment. It will be also 50% minus the “save” fee initially paid (1885€).

You can also make one single payment.

We can schedule the payments personally to fit your needs. Once you save your spot, let's talk and plan the best for you!

HOW do I pay?

  1. The "save" fee can be purchased directly from this website. Scroll up or down and add to cart the Saving Spot Ticket. You can use any payment method you prefer such as credit or debit card, PayPal Shop pay, Apple Pay Google Pay, Amazon Pay, Union Pay...
  2. Once you save your spot, I will reach out and make a plan with you.
  3. For the rest of the payment, we will make one or two instalments. I will invoice you to your email when we planned and you can pay with credit or debit card.

No surprise payments.

Payments are not automatic. Nothing will be charged from your bank without your action.

What if I change my mind or can’t go?

— Before making any payment, I will talk personally to you. The invoices will be sent to your email and you're the one making the payment on my website (same as when you buy a commission from me). So you can opt out if you changed your mind before making any payment.

— Payments are not refundable. But they're not automatic either. This means no surprise payments. Nothing will be charged in your bank without your action.

What should I pack?

— Consider this a vacation week. Pack all you'd pack for a week in a sunny country. We will have around 20-25ºC (68-77ºF). Pack some sunscreen but also something for the rain.

— Material-wise, pack what you have: some paints or brushes. That's it. But leave some room in the suitcase for returning materials and paintings!

*We will talk about this in the WhatsApp group.

Is it adapted for limited mobility?

— The transports, hotel and classes are. Contact me for more detailed information.

How can I get there?

— The shuttle from the airport will pick you up at an arranged time in June 14. However, you should fly to the Bilbao Airport on your own.

— It is a well communicated airport in the north of Spain. Contact me if you want further help with flights.

❗️I recommend you wait to get the flight until we announce that the minimum attendee number is reached. I will be personally in touch with you during all phases of the retreat :)

How many people?

The goal number of participants if 15. But under certain circumstances we can accept up to 18. And the minimum number of participants to make this retreat possible is 10.

— I will be your teacher, of course, and I will have the help of a professional filmmaker to record the classes and my SO and business partner assisting with everything (he's my second brain!). They 2 will be in the background making everything possible :)

Some highlights from my previous retreat :,)