Private Writers Residency | Sicily, Italy

Writing Residency

Now open for applications!

A private writing residency in Ortigia, the historic center of Syracuse, Sicily, and one of the Mediterranean’s most storied places. Created for serious writers seeking dedicated time, an inspiring setting, and the freedom to become fully absorbed in a project.

This residency is designed for writers ready to give their full attention to meaningful work. It is especially suited for:

Writers completing book-length manuscripts
Writers working on personal essays, literary nonfiction, or other shorter-form projects
Doctoral candidates working on dissertations
Academics preparing articles for publication
Scholars developing book chapters or monographs
Creatives working through a significant block or transition in their work
Anyone seeking extended, protected time to bring a substantial project into form

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Private one-bedroom apartment in Ortigia, the historic center of Syracuse, Sicily.

Choose your ideal dates with flexible 7-28 day stays. Rolling applications.

High-speed internet included.

Fully equipped kitchen with a grocery store next door for easy meals at home.

Step outside into Ortigia’s winding streets, bustling markets, sunlit piazzas, waterfront cafés, and the Mediterranean just steps away.

From €1200

Euro per 7-day stay. Maximum stay 28 days.

RESIDENCY AT A GLANCE

A Different Kind of Writing Retreat

Ortigia is the ancient heart of Syracuse, a place where writing is not separate from history but surrounded by it. A crossroads of Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, and Baroque civilizations, the island carries centuries of cultural exchange in its architecture, narrow streets, limestone walls, markets, and relationship to the sea. It has long been a place of storytelling, philosophy, trade, art, and exchange between cultures.

To write in Ortigia is to work in a place where the past remains visibly present. The sea, shifting light, ancient stone, church bells, market voices, and rhythms of daily life create a setting that invites attention while offering distance from ordinary routines.

This is not a group retreat or a general vacation. It is a private, self-directed residency for serious creative and scholarly projects, offering something increasingly difficult to find: enough space and time to stay with an idea long enough to see where it can go.

THE SPACE

A writing retreat designed for your needs.

Make a private one-bedroom apartment in the historic heart of Ortigia your writing home, with a dedicated workspace, your own kitchen for coffee and meals between pages, and the freedom to step outside for a walk or swim in the sea whenever you need a break.

Set your own pace and let the days unfold around your project. Write when the words are coming, pause when they aren’t, spend an afternoon following an idea, or leave the desk behind and wander the island. Shape your days without interruption or obligation.

A space with character, made for spending time in. Art and collected objects give the apartment a sense of personality and place, while its calm, uncluttered atmosphere creates room to think, imagine, and create.

Imagine:

Begin with a quiet morning and a few hours at your desk. At midday, wander streets layered with history and myth, browse the market and artists’ studios, linger over Sicilian food, or swim in the sea. Return for an afternoon of new pages, revision, or research. By evening, Ortigia comes alive—piazzas fill, tables spill into the streets, and the island hums with conversation, music, and Mediterranean light.

THE DETAILS

Design your Dream Writing Residency

Residencies are offered in flexible blocks to accommodate your project and schedule. Start dates are arranged individually, with applications considered on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Investment: EUR 1,200 per week.

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7 DAYS

Minimum Stay

A focused week to break through a block, build momentum, or concentrate on a defined stage of a project.

14 DAYS

Preferred for Dissertation or Manuscript Work

Two weeks give you room to move beyond the initial push and make substantial progress on a dissertation, manuscript, or other significant project.

21 DAYS

Extended Stay

Three weeks allow for deeper immersion, including sustained drafting, substantial revision, or moving through multiple stages of a longer project.

28 DAYS

Maximum Stay

A full month offers the greatest continuity for completing or significantly advancing a major body of work. Subject to availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a group retreat?

No. This is a private, self-directed residency with no group sessions, required activities, or structured programming. Your time is entirely your own.

Is it suitable for creative blocks?

Yes. Sometimes a project needs a change of surroundings as much as it needs more effort. Being away from everyday demands can create room for new associations, unexpected directions, and renewed momentum.

Do I need to be an academic?

No. The residency welcomes serious writers working across forms, including books, dissertations, academic articles, essays, literary nonfiction, long-form journalism, and other substantial projects.

Is there support during the stay?

The residency is self-directed. There is no formal facilitation or programming; the structure comes from having dedicated time, private space, and an environment centered around your work.

Can I extend my stay?

Yes, when availability allows. Extensions can be requested when you apply or during your stay.

NOTE: This residency is rooted in the idea that writing is shaped not only by thought, but by imagination, place, and what surrounds us. In Ortigia, centuries of history remain woven into everyday life—through its streets, architecture, myths, markets, and sea. For a writer, being immersed in a place with so many layers can open unexpected directions and create the conditions for something new to take form.