Tuscan Retreat
I just spent 10 days last month hosting Tuscan Retreat. I’ll be honest, when people travel to Europe for a wellness retreat, they are mostly looking to travel and see new sights, eat great food and drink great wine! Which we did plenty of! However, we can do all those things and have a consistent practice that prepares us for all of these fun things!
Under the Tuscan Sun
Our tour began in Rome, with a stay at the Inn at the Spanish Steps followed by a trip down to Tuscany for a week long stay at Monastero San Silvestro outside of Cortona. The beautiful village on a Tuscan hill where Diane Lane filmed, Under the Tuscan Sun. Here’s what I learned on my Tuscan Retreat.
The Food
The food is superb. We ate our way through Rome and every village we visited on our day trips. Assisi, Perugia, Cortona, Sienna, and Montepulciano. The bread, pasta, meats and cheeses, olive oil, and wines are all a delight to the tongue and the tummy! The meal is a time for slowing down and savoring in Italy. If you want a quick meal, you came to the wrong place! My biggest problem with meals in Italy is that they begin at 8pm, much later than I’m accustomed. In my world, I’m done eating by 6pm so sleep didn’t come as easily as I would have liked!
Walking
Be prepared to walk. In Italy you will find yourself carrying your luggage up and down stairs from the airplane to your village or even in your hotel, or in our case, 14th Century monastery renovated into an organic farm. You will also find yourself walking on uneven cobblestone, on narrow streets that pedestrians walk along with the vehicles passing through the same narrow passage. Many places are certainly not ADA accessible and require good health and ideal walking shoes!
Some days we walked 30,000 steps! Needless to say, many in our retreat complained about needing to focus on low back in our yoga sessions that were offered at least once a day for the duration of the retreat. The best part was that all the individuals said yoga made them feel better and have less pain for the next day of travel and touring a new village!
The Weather
The heat! It was unusually warm in Italy this year. Many in our group carried portable fans and water, but it was still hard to stay cool. Large amounts of stores and tourist sights do not have air conditioning. Luckily the places we chose to stay on our tour had air conditioning. The monastery in Tuscany had a pool, which we delighted in each evening for a cool down. I enjoyed teaching a few afternoon pool yoga classes which people loved.
The Yoga
This retreat included a variety of ages and abilities. I had several clients who had recently had surgery and some who had never done yoga. One woman in her 70’s was certain she couldn’t do yoga, but we started with a chair and she enjoyed that. On day two she joined the group, choosing to modify in the chair. By day three, she only partially used the chair. Day four through the rest of the trip she got up and down practicing yoga without the chair. She did wonderfully. Not only was she proud of herself for her accomplishment but she and her friend were the only ones who didn’t miss a single yoga class during the retreat!
Choosing Your Retreat
With the right instructor, anyone and everyone should feel comfortable participating in the classes presented. Be sure to have a consultation with the instructor on your retreat if you have any concerns. Ask them for their credentials and experience. A good instructor will give examples, modifications, and teach to who shows up at the retreat so everyone can have a profound and welcome experience.
Experience a Retreat
If you have never taken a retreat or have attended many, I recommend taking at least one per year. They are a great reset to your nervous system and a heartfelt way to give yourself space and time to grow and challenge yourself. My next retreat is an affordable visit to Northeast Alabama outside of Huntsville in the Tennessee Valley. This retreat is an intimate one in my home on our 20 acres. With daily somatic yoga classes and meals prepared by a chef. There is additional time for relaxing, hiking, visiting the natural waterfall, get a massage, or enjoy an essential oil European steam treatment. The Empowered Women retreat is Nov 7-9, 2025. Learn more or register here. Space is limited to 6 so register soon!
If you would first like to check out what my style of teaching is like, enjoy a Mindful Monday class every Monday at 6pm CST via zoom. Register here. Enjoy a free meditation on Insight Timer or visit my Youtube channel and subscribe for free content.
