I had finally arrived. What should have been a six-hour travel day had somehow turned into twelve, but I had made it. The stars had long since found their place in the sky and were shining brightly now that I was in Certaldo, a small Tuscan village and home to La Meridiana, a world-renowned ceramics school. I was there for a four-day intensive pottery retreat, learning specific techniques for throwing large vessels on the wheel.
It was an amazing four days. The October mornings were cool, with a slight fog and dew on the ground, but as the afternoon came it warmed to 21°C under clear skies. I ate well. I worked with clay. I recharged.
What surprised me wasn't that I came home rested. It was how rested. I'd spent four days doing something genuinely difficult, difficult enough that my arms shook while centering 4 kilos of clay, and my body ached when each day was done. And still, somehow, I was rested. And something I'd recommend anyone try at least once.
There's a word for this little vacation I took for myself: a skillcation.
What is a skillcation – and why now?
A skillcation is a vacation built around learning something new. Unlike a traditional holiday, where you might spend the majority of your time lounging around the pool or beach, the skill is the itinerary. Your souvenir is the knowledge you have gained.
It's also known as a creative holiday: traveling meaningfully and coming home with something that stays with you.
How is a skillcation different from a wellness retreat?
A wellness retreat is mostly something done to you. Massage, sauna, silence, a schedule built around your resting. Enjoyable, but it typically comes to an end at checkout.
A skillcation is something you do. You're a participant, not a recipient. You might be clumsy and unsure on day one, and then noticeably better by the end of your trip. And what you take home isn't just a rested feeling. It's your newfound skill.
Why a pottery retreat, specifically? Your brain on clay
Clay is honest. It responds to exactly what you do, with immediate feedback. Push too hard and the wall goes thin. Hesitate, and it wobbles. Let your hands stay slick and steady and the form rises under your palms like you had planned. Clay demands that you remain present and focus.
Presence and concentration might sound like soft benefits. They aren't. Learning a new skill is measurably good for us—mentally, physically, and emotionally. In the Synapse Project at the University of Texas at Dallas, adults spent three months learning either something challenging and unfamiliar or something pleasant but simple. Memory improved only in the more challenging groups. (Park et al., 2014, Psychological ScienceThe effort was the price, the improved memory the reward. Moods react even faster: In a 13-day diary study with 658 people... After the creative days, the participants reported increased enthusiasm and a sense of flourishing. (Conner et al., 2016, The Journal of Positive Psychology).
Working with clay has its own unique effect: Researchers at the University of Oxford describe it as mindful, relaxing and wellness-promoting experience (Malafouris & O'Brien, 2025, TopoiPottery, stress reduction, and mindfulness are therefore more closely linked than it sounds. At Drexel University 45 minutes of artistic work lowered cortisol levels in 75 participants (%)., regardless of any prior experience (Kaimal et al., 2016, Art TherapyBeginners benefited just as much as experienced participants.
These are associations, not cures, and clay is no substitute for professional care. But together they point somewhere useful: a hands-on hobby isn't a frivolous way to spend a week off. It may be one of the more sensible things you can gift yourself.
The wonderful question remains: Which retreat is right for you?
Three pottery retreats, three ways to recharge
You don't have to look far. We offer three pottery retreats throughout the year. All three are led by db pottery founder Denise Kratzer, an experienced ceramicist who has been sharing her passion for working with clay for years, often inspiring others to do the same. Most participants have never centered a lump of clay before, but they are curious.
Morocco – Pottery and Surf Retreat on the Atlantic coast
We stay at Tayourt, one of the oldest fishermen's houses in Imsouane, located above a bay that holds the longest waves in Morocco.
The mornings belong to the sea, with two hours of surf lessons. The afternoons belong to the clay, with three hours of hand-building each day. Building, pinching, shaping, outside in the shade.
Never surfed? No problem! You're taught on the sand and then move to the water. It's a bonus rather than a requirement. You can always skip a session and stay with the clay if you'd rather.
- Skills: Hand-building pottery and daily surfing
- Dates: Saturday 12 – Saturday 19 September 2026
- Ideal for: all those who love the sea and want to be grounded and active
South Tyrol – Pottery retreat amidst mountains, spa and slow down
I've noticed the Dolomites are having their moment on social media, and it's well deserved. At 1,550 m on the Regglberg plateau sits Radein, and in it the Zirmerhof: a 12th-century farmstead that has taken in guests for over a hundred years. Larch woods, highland cattle, a vineyard down the hill. Participants will enjoy a four-night stay with five-course dinners each evening and a breakfast buffet.
Twelve hours of clay work, spread over Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, alternating between pottery on the turntable and hand-building. Between sessions, the spa and pool await, as well as an optional guided hike through the Bletterbach Gorge.
If you're looking for a cozy autumn getaway, close to nature but with a pampering factor, this is the place for you!
- Skills: Hand-builting + pottery wheel, hiking, and spa
- Dates: Wednesday 21 – Sunday 25 October 2026
- Ideal for: Peace and quiet, fresh mountain air, slowing down
Andalusia – Pottery and Yoga Retreat by the Sea
El Palmar is located on the Costa de la Luz in the province of Cádiz: long sandy beaches, dunes, and pine forests. We stay at the A-Frame Surfcamp every year. Start your day with a yoga session and then discover your creative side with clay.
Throughout the week, there are six guided pottery sessions, sometimes on the wheel, sometimes hand-building, plus an open studio for further practice after class. One afternoon, a surf coach from A-Frame will take you out on the water for a taster session.
This retreat is ideal if you want to soak up some sun and warmth during the winter months.
- Skills: Handbuilding + pottery wheel, yoga, and Surf taster course
- Dates: Still open, see retreat page
- Ideal for: Warmth, movement, gentle introduction
No time to travel? Your Skillcation in Zurich
Not everyone has the time or energy to travel.
Our intensive week-long course takes place right here at Schiffbaustrasse 9a: four days, with dates in September and October 2026, and we are continuously adding new dates. The intensive pottery course in Zurich is structured similarly to a pottery retreat: many hours at a time, real progress, and a teacher by your side. Only without the airport and without sleeping in a stranger's bed.
Come and get your hands dirty
I came back from my skillcation with a few large vessels, a clear head, and a calmed nervous system. Not because I had completely disconnected from my life, but because I had switched to something slow, physical, and entirely my own.
Whether you prefer a morning on the Atlantic coast in Imsouane, a week in South Tyrol in October, an escape from winter in El Palmar, or four days at db pottery studio with the hum of the pottery wheels in the background: the invitation is the same. Come and learn something with your hands!
We look forward to seeing you in the studio… or at a retreat. 🧡
db pottery retreats and intensive courses are led by founder Denise Kratzer, an experienced ceramicist who has been teaching wheel throwing and hand-building in Zurich for years. Clear your mind with dirty hands – subscribe to the newsletter!
