Think an Italian art retreat is only for “real artists”? Think again.

In this episode of Bucket List Retreats: The Podcast, Kelly Morgan Merly travels—at least conversationally—to the heart of Umbria, Italy, with Cynthia Morgan of Umbrian Art Retreats for Italy Lovers.

Cynthia shares how a love of travel, an Italian villa, a printing press, and creative synergy grew into immersive art retreats where guests don’t simply visit Italy—they leave feeling like they have friends there.

We go behind the villa doors to talk about:

• What makes an Italian art retreat so special
• Why you don’t need to consider yourself an artist to attend
• Creating alongside artists from around the world
• The magic of experiencing authentic everyday life in Umbria
• Traveling solo and finding the courage to try something new
• Turning retreat guests into future retreat teachers
• The reality of profitable, break-even, canceled, and money-losing retreats
• Why a large following doesn’t guarantee a sold-out experience
• What Cynthia has learned about collaboration, marketing, and trusting her instincts

Cynthia is refreshingly honest about both sides of the retreat dream: the creativity, community, food, wine, and beautiful Italian setting—and the business behind making it happen.

Her message is simple: stop waiting until everything is perfect. Buy the ticket, make room for the experiences that feed your soul, and don’t let “I’m not an artist” keep you from exploring your creativity.

Cynthia from Umbrian Art Retreats for Italy Lovers

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/spritzandsatire

Facebook Group:
https://facebook.com/groups/umbrianartretreatsforitalylovers

EXPLORE CYNTHIA’S 2027 & 2028 RETREATS AT THE VILLA

Medieval Illumination Retreat:
https://tinyurl.com/BookIlluminationRetreat

Gelliprint & Collage Retreat:
https://tinyurl.com/GelliprintandCollageRetreat

Lino Print Retreat:
https://tinyurl.com/LinoPrintRetreat

Printmaking Retreat:
https://tinyurl.com/PrintmakingRetreat

FOLLOW BUCKET LIST RETREATS The Podcast on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Visit https://bucketlistretreats.com

COME WITH US THIS WINTER TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
BucketListRetreats.com/Dominican-Republic

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the show, subscribe on YouTube, and share this episode with someone dreaming of Italy.

Carla Beisinger IG Coach

Instagram Secrets To Success:
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#ItalianArtRetreat #ItalyRetreat #UmbriaItaly

Have you ever found a retreat that looked beautiful—then wondered, “Is this actually worth the money?”

Choosing a retreat involves more than finding a gorgeous destination or exciting itinerary. You’re investing your money, energy, time off, and a meaningful piece of your life. How can you tell which retreat is right for you?

In Episode 1043 of Bucket List Retreats: The Podcast, Kelly Morgan Merly introduces The 5 B’s™ of Choosing a Retreat—a practical framework for comparing retreat experiences and booking with confidence.

THE 5 B’S™ OF CHOOSING A RETREAT

Basics — Are the who, what, where, when, why, and how clearly explained?

Beauty — Does the invitation reflect the care behind the retreat?

Benefits — Is the value clear, and what’s included?

Believability — Do you trust the retreat leaders and their promises?

Belonging — Can you picture yourself there, especially if attending alone?

Kelly puts the framework into action by reviewing Into Stillness: A Yin & Restorative Retreat from SUP YO Adventures. Discover how its sales page scores and what to consider before booking a wellness retreat, women’s retreat, yoga retreat, or transformational travel experience.

PLUS IN RETREAT NEWS:

OpenAI invited approximately 30 creators to a luxury “summer camp” in New York’s Hudson Valley. The influencer retreat included educational sessions, dining, gifts, and beekeeping—but quickly drew criticism. Kelly explores what the backlash teaches retreat leaders and brands about trust, transparency, and alignment.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How to choose a retreat you won’t regret
• What to look for on a retreat sales page
• How to compare prices, inclusions, and value
• Why retreat-leader credibility matters
• What helps solo guests feel welcome
• Questions to ask before booking

Which of The 5 B’s™ matters most to you? Leave a comment and tell us!

EPISODE LINKS

Find Your Happy Again Women’s Retreat:
https://bucketlistretreats.com/dominican-republic

Into Stillness Retreat:
https://www.supyoadventures.com/tour-item/into-stillness-a-yin-and-restorative-retreat-bartlett-nh/

Business Insider article:
https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-creators-retreat-upstate-new-york-backlash-2026-8

CONNECT WITH BUCKET LIST RETREATS

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https://bucketlistretreats.com

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Subscribe on YouTube, follow the podcast, and share this episode with someone dreaming of creating—or attending—a retreat.

A bucket list isn’t just about places you go. It’s about experiences that make you feel fully alive.

#BucketListRetreats #RetreatPodcast #WellnessRetreat #WomensRetreat

What if your bucket list has almost nothing to do with travel?

Somewhere along the way, we turned bucket lists into lists of destinations—Paris, Machu Picchu, an African safari, the Northern Lights. Those are incredible dreams, but what if the place isn’t actually what we’re searching for?

In this episode of Bucket List Retreats: The Podcast, Kelly explores why a meaningful bucket list is less about passport stamps and more about the experiences that make you feel fully alive.

It might be learning to paint, writing a book, sleeping beneath the stars, reconnecting with someone you love—or finally saying yes to something you’ve been afraid to do.

Because years later, we rarely remember every detail of the destination. We remember how we felt, who we became, and the moments that changed us.

This episode also includes:

• Stories from Kelly’s return home to Alaska
• Retreat News: Sheri Rosenthal passes the Wanderlust Entrepreneur torch to Jake Sasseville of Imiloa Institute
• Retreat Review: A luxury women’s horseback riding and wellness retreat in Barbados
• Why a beautiful retreat deserves a beautiful invitation
• The difference between a travel bucket list and a meaningful life list
• How retreats reconnect us with versions of ourselves we may have forgotten

What is one thing on your bucket list that has absolutely nothing to do with travel?

Tell us in the YouTube comments or send Kelly a message. Your answer might inspire someone else to finally say yes to theirs.

LINKS & RESOURCES

🌴 Find Your Happy Again Women’s Retreat:
https://bucketlistretreats.com/dominican-republic

🌎 Retreats, planning services, blog and retreat wear:
https://bucketlistretreats.com

🎙️ Bucket List Retreats: The Podcast:
https://bucketlistretreats.com/podcast

📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bucketlistretreatstm/

🧳 Retreat Blueprint Program:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__gs227.isrefer.com_go_rbpkm_KellyM_&d=DwIDaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=ri0U8ylMTveoT9Fw9X8Jy75mKBDQ4winOjglANmthOs&m=NO3Z5uuIuEUUG9F87FvkUaUa4lwXePpgUQyY07nOEqIGGCKFwvRbjkrNfnYVvbL_&s=QoZtrYFHKas2oMnI9GrYWmiPQRIqyCgFGALJzmY_aTs&e=

RETREAT NEWS & REVIEW

Wanderlust Entrepreneur:
https://www.wanderlustentrepreneur.com

Imiloa Institute:
https://imiloainstitute.com

Ladies’ Luxury Wellness Escape:
https://www.barbadosequestrianexperience.com/signature-stays/ladies-luxury-wellness-escape
Kerianne Cartmer-Edwards - Designer https://unforgettableimpact.com/

Have you ever come home from a vacation feeling like you needed another vacation?

This isn't that.

✨ Learn more or schedule a conversation about the Find Your Happy Again ~ Women's Retreat in Samaná, Dominican Republic.

In this special episode, I'm joined by retreat co-hosts Frances Graham and Adriani Lobo as we take you behind the scenes of our Find Your Happy Again Women's Retreat, happening January 17–24, 2027, at the breathtaking Zâria Eco Retreat Center on the lush Samaná Peninsula in the Dominican Republic.

Together, we share why this beautiful jungle sanctuary captured our hearts, what makes this retreat so different from a typical vacation, and how eight days away from everyday responsibilities can help you reconnect with the version of yourself that's been waiting to come out and play.

During this retreat you'll experience:
🌿 A stunning eco-retreat surrounded by nature
🌊 Beautiful beaches and waterfalls
✨ Optional wellness experiences and daily QiGong
🍽️ Delicious chef-prepared meals
🤍 Time to rest, connect, laugh, and simply be
🌴 Excursions, adventure, and plenty of free time to enjoy it your way

One of the things we love most about this retreat is that everything is optional. Whether you're craving adventure, relaxation, meaningful conversations, or quiet moments to yourself, this week is designed to meet you exactly where you are.

If you've been taking care of everyone else for far too long, maybe it's finally time to do something just for you.

We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Find Your Happy Again Women's Retreat
🗓️ January 17–24, 2027
📍 Samaná, Dominican Republic

You've built a beautiful life... but have you been putting yourself last?

You don't have to be burned out, overwhelmed, or at a breaking point to benefit from a retreat. In this episode of Bucket List Retreats – The Podcast, Kelly explores five subtle signs that it may be time to step away—not to escape your life, but to reconnect with it.

If you've been saying, "After this project..." or "After life slows down..." this conversation is for you.

You'll discover:
• Why you don't have to wait for burnout
• The hidden cost of living in "after"
• How retreats create space for clarity, joy, and purpose
• Why taking care of yourself isn't something you should postpone

Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself isn't more time—it's the space to truly be present.

🌎 Learn more about Bucket List Retreats
BucketListRetreats.com

📱 Follow us for travel inspiration, retreat ideas, and behind-the-scenes adventures
Instagram: @bucketlistretreatstm
Facebook: Bucket List Retreats

✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need this reminder today.

🇺🇸 Happy Birthday, USA! 🇺🇸

This Fourth of July, we're asking a different kind of question...

What does freedom really mean to you?

Is it a passport full of stamps? A career you love? Time with family? The courage to start over? Or maybe it's finally giving yourself permission to slow down.

In this special Independence Day episode of Bucket List Retreats – The Podcast, Kelly shares personal stories, reflections, and one simple question that might change the way you think about freedom—not only as a nation, but in your own life.

Because sometimes the greatest adventure isn't the next destination... it's creating a life that feels free.

✨ We'd love to hear your answer! Connect with us on social media or leave a review and let us know...

What does freedom mean to YOU?

🌍 Bucket List Retreats
https://bucketlistretreats.com

📸 Instagram
https://instagram.com/bucket_list_retreats

📘 Facebook
https://facebook.com/bucketlistretreats

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Until next time...
Keep exploring, keep retreating, and keep checking those adventures off your bucket list.

Have you ever returned from a retreat and thought, "Why did that feel so different from a vacation?"

In this episode of Bucket List Retreats, we're exploring one of the most overlooked reasons retreats can feel so powerful: the opportunity to stop making decisions.

Many of us spend our days managing careers, families, finances, relationships, schedules, and endless responsibilities. The mental load can be exhausting, even when we're good at carrying it.

What happens when someone else handles the logistics and all you have to do is show up?

We'll talk about decision fatigue, the power of creating space, and why retreats often help us reconnect with the dreams, ideas, and possibilities that get buried beneath everyday life.

If you've been craving a chance to breathe, this episode is for you.

Bucket List Retreats®
Helping women reconnect with themselves through travel, adventure, and transformational retreats.

#BucketListRetreats #WomensRetreats #TravelPodcast #RetreatLife #PersonalGrowth #TravelMore

What happens when you realize you don't need a vacation—you need space?

In this episode of Bucket List Retreats, Karen Talavera shares her experience taking a solo retreat to Cancun and the surprising lessons she learned about solitude, self-discovery, and the blissful retreat experience many people are searching for.

We explore the difference between a vacation and a retreat, why intentional time alone can be transformational, and what happens when you step away from the noise of everyday life and reconnect with yourself.

✈️ Why Karen chose a solo retreat in Cancun
🌴 Vacation vs. retreat: What's the difference?
💭 The surprising challenges and rewards of spending time alone
✨ Why a blissful retreat experience may not look the way you expect
🧭 How to create more space for reflection and personal growth

• The Accidental Seeker
• Accidental Seeker Facebook page link: https://www.facebook.com/AccidentalSeeker
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/accidentalseeker
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/karentalavera

🌍 Retreats: BucketListRetreats.com
🎙️ Podcast: Bucket List Retreats - The Podcast
📸 Instagram: @BucketListRetreats™
📘 Facebook: Dream, Travel, Retreat

She packed her bag, booked her flight, and went — alone. No agenda. No itinerary. No one to answer to. And what happened next? She came back more herself than she'd been in years.

Welcome back to Bucket List Retreats: The Podcast! I'm your host Kelly Morgan Merly, and today I am SO excited to welcome back the one and only Karen Talavera — The Accidental Seeker — for a conversation that honestly had me leaning into my mic the whole time.

We kick things off with a quick but juicy update on the world of sacred medicines and psychedelics — including a major executive order that has the entire plant medicine community buzzing. Then we dive deep into solo retreating: what it is, why women are craving it, how Karen planned hers, and the completely unexpected breakthrough she had in Mexico that had nothing to do with what she thought she was going there for.

In this episode:

• The latest on psychedelic legislation and what it means for retreat seekers
• Why psilocybin, MDMA, and ibogaine are finally getting their moment
• How to vet a retreat center or practitioner (and the red flags to watch for)
• What finally pushed Karen to book a solo retreat — and how she chose where to go
• The difference between a solo vacation and a solo retreat (it matters!)
• How to create space for reflection without building a rigid agenda
• The surprising cultural reclamation Karen didn't see coming

This one is Part 1 — trust us, you won't want to miss Part 2!

🌿 Ready to go alone? Our women's retreat in Samaná, Dominican Republic is coming January 2027. Details below!

🎙️ Karen Talavera — The Accidental Seeker [Karen's website/contact —theaccidentalseeker.com

🍄 Psychedelic Science Conference (Denver, 2027 — registration open) https://psychedelicscience.org/

🌊 The Third Wave — psychedelic education, coaching & vetted retreat directory https://thethirdwave.co

🌴 Bucket List Retreats — Women's Retreat, Samaná Dominican Republic, January 2027 [Add your retreat link]

🎧 Missed Karen's first episode? Listen here: [Add Episode link]

CONNECT WITH US: 📸 Instagram: @BucketListRetreatsTM ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@bucketlistretreats 👥 Facebook Page: facebook.com/bucketlistretreats 💬 Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/482660177960836

Unlocking the Muse: The Rise of the Creative Intensive

Published May 29•S1 E1035

Are you ready to stop dreaming and start doing? This is the bucket list podcast and travel podcast hosted by Kelly Morgan Merly — your go-to retreat podcast for women who travel with purpose.

Exploring it all in Retreat News & Reviews!

This is not just a retreat podcast. This is your permission slip.

Join Kelly in the Dominican Republic Experience  -  ⁠Find Your Happy Again Womens Retreat ⁠

Retreat News - “Why grandma guides could be an antidote to modern loneliness”

Laura Millar May 16, 2026 at Get Your Guide .com

Retreat Reviews - Oh So Pretty and
Clever 

Youtube Cassie Aranhttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/lZ-pl35FdK8

Tiktok @hisydgraham https://www.tiktok.com/@hisydgraham/video/7483250678358494507

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Join us for all the fun over on IG with Carla Beisinger