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. Designed for serious writers who need dedicated time, an inspiring environment, and the quiet conditions in which sustained work can take shape.

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
Doctoral candidates working on dissertations
Academics preparing articles for publication
Scholars developing book chapters or monographs
Writers working on personal essays, literary nonfiction, or other shorter-form projects
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.

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 into Ortigia’s winding streets, lively markets, waterfront cafés, historic piazzas, and the sea 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 work—a place to step away from distraction, establish a writing rhythm, and give sustained attention to a manuscript, dissertation, essay, or project that needs time.

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THE SPACE

A writing retreat designed for your needs.

Designed for clarity and focus, the apartment is thoughtfully composed, with art and distinctive objects throughout while maintaining a calm, uncluttered atmosphere.

Make a private one-bedroom apartment in the historic heart of Ortigia your writing home, with a dedicated workspace for long stretches at the desk, a kitchen for coffee and meals between pages, and the freedom to step out for a walk or swim in the sea before returning to your desk.

Created for independent living so you can maintain your focus and set your own rhythm. Write when the work is flowing, pause when it isn’t, and shape your days without interruption or obligation.

Imagine:

Your morning is quiet and unhurried, with uninterrupted hours for writing. At midday, wander streets layered with centuries of history and myth, browse the market and artists’ studios, linger over Sicilian food, or swim in the sea. Return refreshed for an afternoon of new pages, revision, or research. As evening arrives, Ortigia comes alive: piazzas fill, tables spill into the streets, and the island hums with conversation, music, food, 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 for writers seeking immersive time to break through a block or concentrate on a defined phase of a project.

14 DAYS

Preferred for Dissertation or Manuscript Work

Two weeks allow time to settle into a rhythm, deepen concentration, and move substantially forward on a dissertation, manuscript, or other significant project.

21 DAYS

Extended Stay

Three weeks create space for more ambitious work—restructuring, sustained drafting, or developing a longer project across multiple stages.

28 DAYS

Maximum Stay

A full month offers the greatest continuity for writers ready to immerse themselves in completing or substantially 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. A change of environment, protected time, and distance from everyday demands can help writers move through a creative block, transition, or loss of momentum.

Do I need to be an academic?

No. The residency welcomes serious writers working on books, dissertations, academic articles, personal essays, 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 grounded in the idea that writing is more than intellectual work. It is also imaginative work, shaped by where we are and how we spend our time. In Ortigia, centuries of history remain part of everyday life—in the streets, architecture, myths, markets, and sea. For a writer, that sense of being surrounded by what came before can create an unusual setting for bringing something new into the world.