Retreat Highlights

• Daily yoga classes taught by Savonn.  No need to bring your own mat or props.  The yoga studio has blocks, blankets, straps, mats and bolsters.  We will have opportunities to practice both inside the yoga studio and outside on the terrace.
• Delicious meals including lots of farm to table produce, estate produced wine, olive oil, and herbs.  Most meals will be served al fresco (outside) on the terrace. Meals will be prepared by a local chef who makes deliciously fresh dishes based on what is in season and the region’s specialities. Food is sourced from local producers and wherever possible, that includes organic grains, fruit and vegetables. Also available will be homemade fresh fruit and vegetable juices and cleansing herbal teas using fresh herbs from the garden. You can indulge in local cheeses, pasta, breads, wines and other delights, along with plenty of dishes mades from nuts, seeds, legumes, and vegetables/salads, rice, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, fresh fruit and yogurt. Organic wine, olive oil and honey is produced in the surrounding agricultural area near Il Borghino and is served during the retreats. Friday night is Pizza + Prosecco Night, with pizza coming out fresh from the wood burning oven. If needed, gluten free and other special dietary requirements options can be arranged.
• Stylish yet simple lodging.  Options include both shared and single rooms with private baths, as well as private rooms with shared baths.  See pricing below for room availability and prices. The rooms are large, simple and furnished tastefully in local Tuscan style, each with fabulous views from every window.  Tea and coffee are available in each house  outside meal times. Each house also has a washer and dryer that you can use during our stay.
• A large communal area, “L’Olivo“, is the hub of the retreat centre – a place where we will to gather, enjoy meals together and share experiences. There is also a wood-fried pizza oven which we will make use of during the retreat, and a gorgeous outdoor terrace with panoramic views for al fresco dining and outdoor yoga classes. Wi-fi access is available in the communal areas.  
• Day long trip to Cinque Terre.  We will spend a day in breath-taking Cinque Terre exploring the five coastal villages embedded in rocky cliffs along one of Italy’s most scenic stretches of Liguria. For those who are hikers, it is possible to spend a day walking and climbing between these beautiful villages and enjoy some spectacular scenery along the way. For others, you can still enjoy walking the more gentle trails, spend time swimming, exploring the villages or sampling some of the local delights.
• Italian cooking class at Il Borghino with their local chef, Maria-Angela. In 2016, we learned how to make homemade gnocci, pesto and tiramisu.

Location

We will be staying at Il Borghino, a Tuscan Estate and villa complex retreat center, consisting of 3 completely restored houses nestled in the  hills of Tuscany, cradled between olive groves and vineyards with exquisite gardens and panoramic views over the historic town of Lucca looking towards Pisa and the sea. The accommodations include simple yet stylish rooms, a large salt-water swimming pool and Jacuzzi, an onsite yoga studio, wood burning pizza oven and Turkish Sauna.

The retreat is open to students of all levels.  Since there are so many things to do on this retreat, it is a great opportunity to bring along friends or family who may not be interested in the daily yoga practices but who would be inspired by the culture of Italy and the chance to unwind, explore, meet new people and join in the excursions and optional activities.

The vibe of Il Borghino is relaxed, informal, and friendly and the goal of the place “is to provide everyone of the retreat an experience that blends healthy living with a perfect dose of Italian sweet life ~ La Dolce Vita~”

Optional Excursions and/or Add Ons:

• Local Tuscan wine tasting trip.  Scenic 3km walk along the “Strada del Vino” (the wine road) to a local winery for a tour and tasting.
• Bike and Walking Tour of nearby Lucca.  Includes a bike tour around the ancient walls, a walking tour to explore the main attractions and a cafe break.
• Puccini Opera in Lucca – For the opera lovers, you can catch a Puccini Opera every night in Lucca. The concert starts at 7:15pm and lasts up to 1 hr.
• Pietrasanta Artist village – If you fancy a night out in a nearby artist’s village, you can head to Pietrasanta, a thriving art centre full of galleries, shops and restaurants spilling onto the pavements. Best known for its marble and bronze artistic works. Pietrasanta often hosts international art exhibitions in the local piazza’s where you can sit over aperitivo and watch the buzz unfold. The town comes alive around 10pm so the best time to visit is in the early evening and staying until late so you can be part of the action.
• Barga and the Garfagnana day trip - If you prefer mountains and hilltop villages instead of the sea, travel to the heart of the mountainous Garfagnana region and the medieval town of Barga, stopping at the famous “Devil’s Bridge”, a masterpiece of medieval construction spanning the meandering river Serchio. Spend a few hours with your private guide exploring the charming hilltop village of Barga with its medieval fortress before stopping for a delicious gourmet lunch
• Italian Language Lessons - These will be conducted at the villa with an experienced Italian teacher.
• Visit to a Thermal Spa – This is a 3 – 4 hour excursion and includes entry in to the thermal pools (indoors and outdoors), Turkish steam room, and sauna. Well known to the ancient Etruscans and the Romans, the thermal waters are rich in sulphate-calcium-magnesium which aids relaxation and the digestive system.
• Massages and Holistic Treatments –there are wonderful local therapists who will be available throughout the retreat for various massages and other treatments.

What's Included

• Shared Room + Private Bathroom (2 twin beds that can also be combined to make a bigger shared bed, 2 people per room, each room has a private bathroom.): $1990 (USD) per person (5 rooms, 10 spaces) 

• Shared Room For a Couple + Private Bathroom (1 double bed, 2 people per room, has private bathroom):  $1990 (USD) per person (2 rooms, 4 spaces)

• Private Room + Private Bathroom (1 single bed, 1 person per room, has private bathroom): $2290 (USD) per person (2 rooms, 2 spaces)

• Deluxe Private Room  + Shared Bathroom (1 double bed, 1 person per room with shared hallway bathroom): $2290 (USD) per person (2 rooms, 2 spaces)

Retreat Price Includes:  7 nights’ accommodation + all linen + towels + laundry facilities; daily yoga classes; 3 delicious meals per day (except for the excursion day to Cinque Terre); unlimited fruit, water, and herbal tea throughout the day; local wine at dinner (1/2 bottle per person, per night max); use of the salt water swimming pool, Jacuzzi and Turkish Sauna; Cinque Terre excursion; Italian cooking class; WiFi (available in the common room only); transfers to and from Lucca train or bus station to Il Borghino at the start and finish of the retreat (there will be one scheduled pick up and drop off only-any transfers outside of this are not included).

Retreat Price does NOT include: airfare, optional excursions/activities, any meals outside of Il Bhorgino, travel insurance, massages and holistic treatments, other travel expenses, transfers from airport to Lucca.