About Aditi Shah:
Aditi is a yoga teacher based in New York City who has been learning and practicing yoga from a young age. Her love of movement led her to deepen her connection to yoga while she spent 5 years abroad in India. Aditi has many hours of teacher training in both India & the US, and an understanding of yoga nurtured by her heritage. She is a mentor at Yoga Vida and a lead volunteer for the East Coast arm of the non-profit organization Yoga Gives Back.
About Joanna Ross-Tash:
Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Joanna is now based in New York City. As a freshman in college, she wandered into a hot yoga class having just scarfed down a panini. Despite being nauseous the whole time, she was immediately hooked! Her favorite yoga pose is Warrior 2 because it demands grounding, openness, strength, and focus; her favorite after-class snack is a banana (after the panini experience, she learned to keep it simple and light). Her practice has been shaped by BKS Iyengar's masterpiece, Light on Yoga - she recommends it to her students and all yogis, describing the introduction as "everything you need to know!"
About Villa Castellaro:
Villa Castellaro is an ancient property set high in the hills above the Niccone Valley on the Umbria-Tuscany border. The property is located on its own hilltop, on a country road far from the nearest neighbors. It is utterly tranquil – the only sounds one hears are the dawn chorus of birds and cow bells from the farm down below. The old farm, parts of which date to the 14th century, has been beautifully restored with understated stylishness and a close attention to detail.
A note on pricing:
Rooms start at $1650 per person. Many rooms are double beds, with the option of adding on a single for two roommates who don't want to share a bed. See the click-through menu below for a list of rooms & pricing options (subject to current availability).
Questions?
Email us at italy.yoga@gmail.com or visit www.aditishahyoga.com/italy-retreat.
-Once or twice daily asana, pranayama, and meditation practices (props are provided, but bring your own mat)
-Daily breakfast and lunch, plus three group dinners
-Available rolfing / massage on site
-Local activities (e.g. cooking classes, wine tastings etc.)
-Meals at local restaurants in nearby historic hill towns for those who wish to explore the area
-A yoga mat (not a travel mat) as we will be practicing on a hard floor
-A towel
-Sunscreen
-A bathing suit
-A sweater for the evenings
-A European plug adaptor
Weather:
The weather in July is generally sunny and hot, with temperatures in the high 80s during the day and dropping to the low 60s at night. Occasionally, there are summer thunderstorms.
Travel and transportation information:
Villa Castellaro is located in the Niccone Valley, in the north-west corner of Umbria, close to the Tuscan border. The nearest town is Umbertide, about 25 mins away, and the provincial capital is Perugia, about an hour away. Rome is about a 3.5 hour drive to the south, Florence a 1.5 hour drive to the north, and Pisa a 2.5 hour drive to the west. There are numerous ancient hill towns filled with art and sights within an hour’s drive including Cortona, Gubbio, Arezzo, Assisi, and Spoleto.