Master the travel journal in:
Tunisia.
October 2 - 12, 2025
Travel journaling stretches back centuries, as a way for explorers to chronicle their journeys. Today, it’s also a way to deepen our personal insights, connect with a place, and document some of our most transformative moments. It can also become the foundation for a future book, a work of art, or envisioning new life chapter.
And the art of preserving personal stories is still alive in the city of Tunis, where storykeepers, historians, artists, and alchemists are stewards of generations of tales. Whether you’re new to journaling or looking to elevate your practice, this workshop will empower you to tell richer, more meaningful stories of your journeys in both written and visual forms, one day—and page—at a time.
Discover a new way to tell your stories.
The Story
How lucky are we to have two beautiful historic houses to call our studio, our sanctuary, and our home for the duration of this journey? Very!
When I first stayed here in 2023, I was awestruck at the care, the love, and above all the sense of duty that went into preserving these buildings and honoring their 500 years of history.
I needed to know what person was behind such an inspiring and special effort, and that’s how I met Leila Ben Gacem. She had bought the two old houses and with the vision of a historian and artist, curated them into a museum-level space where the local community and visitors from afar come together.
That’s the same spirit we’ll bring to our own work as storytellers at this workshop.
With on-site support from the wonderful Dar Ben Gacem team and our additional local collaborators, artist Gabrielle Reeves and I have designed an immersive creative journey for you.
We’ll use everything we encounter—from profound inspiration, moments of reflection, unexpected challenges and connections, dizzying epiphanies, to the textured walls of the Medina, the light cast on an ancient olive tree, the flavors of a time-honored recipe—as our materials for crafting a travel journal that captures the true essence of a place and your experience in within it.
Everything you learn here are skills you can take with you and apply on your future adventures.
Dar Ben Gacem consists of two artfully restored buildings in the Medina of Tunis. This boutique heritage hotel has a total of 15 rooms, which we will have exclusively for our ourselves. As a social enterprise, all Dar Ben Gacem’s profits are reinvested into supporting the local heritage and community.
Each guestroom is decorated with local artwork, a comfortable bed, writing desk, and bathroom. Each building has a large rooftop terrace, mezzanine, and central tiled courtyard. Throughout the buildings there are ample private nooks for quiet contemplation, communal tables and alcoves for collaborating, a designated workshop space, and a pavillion for yoga, panels, exhibits, and readings. And right around the corner from us is a world-class spa and access to everything in the Medina.
Accommodations
Travel journaling is more than putting pen to paper, it’s a tool for traveling creatively, and an invitation to fully immerse in a place and a moment.
Every component of the trip—from the programming to the workshops, the special guests to the places we’ll visit—is designed to support our growth from traveling as “tourists” to traveling as storytellers.
Together, we’ll observe our surroundings closely, listen to ourselves deeply, connect with each other wholeheartedly, and fill our pages with creations that document and reflect our unique experiences and perspectives. We’ll leave Tunis with a completed travel journal, new friends, and the skills to travel anywhere as a storyteller.
Highlights
Travel creatively
Learn techniques for transforming your travels into creative works, through travel writing, sketching, and painting workshops.
See the world differently
Ditch the guidebook and bucket list and try a new, more authentic way to travel.
Capture your experiences
Journey beyond the ordinary task of snapping and uploading trip photos, and discover a more memorable way to memorialize your travels.
Connect through stories
See how sharing stories builds better connections.
Our Itinerary
Each morning begins with rising for a rooftop yoga session, followed by a nourishing breakfast of local fruits, shakshuka, yogurt, and other specialties. Once you’re grounded, Gabrielle and Jenna will host a workshop connected with the day’s theme. After lunch, we’ll transition into an immersive activity with our local collaborators that brings the day’s workshop into practice. Afternoons offer flexible time to follow your creative pursuits, work in breakout groups, get inspired, or just unwind. In the evening, we’ll reconvene for programming like panels, talks, and exhibits and then head to a shared dinner with special guests each night. There’s always room for serendipity and spontaneity along the way, like telling tales under the stars on the rooftop terrace!
Our adventure begins with an introduction to the art of travel journaling. We’ll align on how different mediums—from sketching to writing to multimedia journaling—can help document and express our inner and outer journeys.
Next, we’ll construct our very own custom travel journals with the help of one of Tunis’s legendary bookbinders, using local materials like dyed goatskin and handmade marbled paper. The day wraps up with an intimate rooftop dinner party, where you'll connect with fellow travelers and members of the local artist community under the stars.
Day 1
This morning we’ll head straight to the source of what nourishes Tunis, with a guided chef’s market tour. We’ll explore how to capture this multi-sensory experience on the page by learning how artists work use their sense as a creative tool.
In the afternoon we’ll learn about the roots of Tunis’s medina in a fascinating “Mapping the Medina” panel, before embarking on a journal-focused exploratory walk to capture the medina’s energy in our journals. In the evening, we’ll enjoy the food we bought at the market at a delicious group dinner with special guests, prepared for us by one of the medina’s best chefs.
Day 2
Today, we head deep into Tunisia’s rural landscapes for a day of sharing and creating out in the field. Tunisia produces some of the world’s best olive oil, as well as harissa and wine, and we'll taste all that and more while learning about Tunisia’s rich culinary heritage from a local author. Using a local olive grove as our workshop, we’ll learn how to get the beauty of the countryside onto our pages.
Day 3
This is one of two flexible creative days that’s yours to explore, create, relax, or revisit favorite spots. Use the time to absorb the culture, add reflections to your travel journal, finish a sketch, or simply unwind and recharge.
Head to some of the recommendations on our own curated map, burrow into one of the many creative nooks at our hotel, or opt for a refreshing spa treatment. Private consultations with Gabrielle and Jenna are also available on our free days.
Day
4
Today we’ll participate in a memorable calligraphy lesson to add an artistic flourish to our pages. With the guidance of Tunis’s best calligraphers, we’ll see how the blending of words and visuals can elevate our journal pages, and our storytelling. In the evening, participants are invited to share and discuss their work and creative journeys in a special story ceremony.
Day 5
Meet the talented artisans who breathe life into the medina with their craft. We’ll visit the workshops of some of the top heritage artisans, who have been honing their skills for generations—from shoemakers to perfumers, copper crafters to woodworkers. (And yes, you can buy directly from them, too–we encourage supporting local artists!) Then, we’ll meet with those who are forging a new era of contemporary arts in Tunis, including illustrators, gallerists, and photographers.
In the evening, you’ll gain unique insight into the creative evolution of Tunisia during a special, intimate panel with our partner and host Leila, a renowned social entrepreneur and cultural expert who will help to illuminate the soul of this special place.
Day 6
Step back in time as we take a day trip to the ancient city of Carthage. This site was once a vibrant and affluent city in antiquity, and now it holds layers of history and myth in its stones. Here, we’ll explore the long stretch of Tunisian history through a hands-on, outdoor learning experience and field workshops.
To end this unforgettable day, we’ll enjoy dinner in the charming seaside village of Sidi Bou Said, filled with whitewashed buildings and bougainvillea and overlooking the Mediterranean.
Day 7
Enjoy another flexible creative day to take a deeper dive into Tunis or your creative process. Whether you’re exploring more of the city, adding final touches to your journal, hitting the spa, or honing your skills with a private session with Gabby or Jenna, the time is yours to savor.
Day 8
Day 9
Our last day comes full circle with a special workshop hosted by Gabby and Jenna, focused on how to take all the skills you’ve learned and apply them to future trips. We’ll take a guided walk through the medina one last time before wrapping up our journals and gathering for a special concluding ceremony.
The festivities finish with a farewell group dinner and party at the main house, where we’ll celebrate all the wonderful connections we’ve made and the stories we’ve lived together.
FAQs
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The regular price for a spacious, single room all to yourself is $5,775—but you can pay just $5,500 with the early bird discount if you register and pay the deposit before March 21.
A shared room is $5,275 per person—and with the early bird discount it’s just $5,000, valid until March 21. (There are limited rooms with two single beds, so we recommend sharing a room/bed with someone you know.)
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Accommodations
All meals listed in the itinerary (3 meals per day)
Airport transfers
All workshops and activities included in the itinerary
All organized local transportation as it relates to the itinerary
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Flights/transport to/from Tunis
International medical or travel insurance (required)
Additional gratuities
Alcohol
Any activities and transportation not included in the itinerary
Private consultations (can be added)
Spa treatments (can be added)
Any meals on your own
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This journey is open to storytellers, writers, and artists of all levels! However, if you’re new to writing or sketching, we encourage you to take an introductory online course with Gabrielle or Jenna prior to the trip.
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It’s easy! Just apply here and we’ll get back to you within a few business days.
Gabrielle Reeves
Co-host / Artist
Who You’ll Meet
Jenna Scatena
Host / Founder / Writer
Leila Ben-Gacem
Partner / Dar Ben Gacem
In partnership with:
Dar Ben Gacem & Bluefish
Supporting Tunisian heritage, cultural preservation, civic engagement, and bringing socio-economic development to the Medina of Tunis.
