Tuscany Italy Vino & Vinyasa Yoga Retreat

Tuscany, Italy

SM
Silvia Mordini ~ Alchemy of Yoga
  • Email address verified
Jun 19 - 25, 2016
Group size: 1 - 10
Tuscany Italy Vino & Vinyasa Yoga Retreat
Tuscany, Italy

Silvia Mordini ~ Alchemy of Yoga
  • Email address verified

Jun 19 - 25, 2016
Group size: 1 - 10

About this trip

Ciao Amici,

Are you ready to be blossom open? Some say you can fall in love with a place just as you can with a person. This is certainly true of Toscana! The tastes, sights and people of Tuscany will nourish your spirit and renew your sense of joy. Experiencing life under the Tuscan sun is something that stays with you forever. In Italy, you slow down to enjoy each breath, each sip of chianti, each taste of antipasto. You may in fact realize that you are actually home: the home of your heart. And life will never be the same after that. Tuscany teaches us to savor each moment and live inspired by the details that might have otherwise passed us by. My years of guiding in Italy ensures that you will experience the joy of La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) with us. Plan now to be delighted!

Join our 7 Day Italian Adventure to Tuscany, in the Heart of Renaissance Italy, June 19-25, 2016 guided by Yoga Teacher, Healer, Author and International Guide Silvia Mordini who is passionate about Tuscany, has lived in Italy on and off her entire life, and is experienced in the culture! We will be guests at Antico Borgo di Tignano recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site focusing on Tuscan traditions. Stay in your own 10th century restored villa all with private baths. Peacefully nestled into the hills with epic views of Casole d’Elsa and Volterra in the distance, this is the perfect entryway into the Tuscan countryside.

We will travel to many famous Art Cities, including: Florence, Monteriggioni, Siena, Radda in Chianti, San Gimignano, Castellina in Chianti, Tignano, Volterra, Petriolo Natural Hot Springs & Spa, The Mediterranean, Casole d’Elsa, and Colle Val d’Elsa. Lingering with iconic art, architecture, and design punctuated with wine, food, fashion, and fun, you will experience the real sensuousness of Tuscany and understand why it is on everyone’s bucket list! Many people decide to spend some time after our trip, to build on the foundation, and we highly recommend it!

This week is all about recharging. We will move at a relaxed pace; participation in any event is not mandatory and there will be plenty of time offered to explore on your own. You will certainly have time to re-learn the art of relaxation or as the Italians say “Il Bel Fai Niente,” set mindful goals, and renew your entire sense of well-being.

ACCOMMODATIONS

ANTICO BORGO TIGNANO We will be guests at a classic Tuscan farmhouse converted into a stylish yoga retreat, Gabriella’s Borgo whichis located in Tignano, a recently renovated medieval village, close to Casole d’Elsa and Volterra, in the Tuscan countryside. The wonderful host, Gabriella, will charm and welcome you at arrival as if seeing an old friend again.

The actual Borgo used to be a rural residence dating back to the 16th century. Its original name, Borgo di Tignano, has Roman origins. It is the probable birth-place, in the 4th century, of Saint Attinia, a venerated saint from the Volterra area. Amongst its illustrious guests in the 1800’s, during the time the Borgo was a summer retreat from the ‘Scolopi‘ fathers, was Pope Pius the ninth. This Borgo is overall a place to enjoy with your heart, surrounded by a soft landscape and a peculiar light which brings back forgotten emotions of interior freedom. It’s also a place, where one can experience a genuine Tuscany, with its tradition and land culture.

In the local tradition, one says that the Berignone Forest, facing the Borgo, is the one that inspired Dante Alighieri to write about the “Selva Oscura” where his Divine Comedy story starts. The gardens of the Borgo, with paths lined with aromatic herbs, juniper hedges, myrtle and evergreens, reproduce a Mediterranean environment. The characteristic ‘Osteria’, which used to be the old olive press, is the ideal place for a romantic candlelight dinner overlooking the amazing countryside, or a light lunch on the panoramic terrace.

The swimming pool is available during the warm months (May through September) and it is 16 x 8 meters large. There is a reading room that also has a wireless internet point. There is a golf course within 30 minutes drive from the Borgo.

ADDRESS Antico Borgo di Tignano Loc. Tignano Strada Provinciale, 52 di Casole d’Elsa (Siena) – 56048 Volterra (Pisa) Tel. +39 0588-35116 – Cell. +39 338-3193635 – E-mail: info@anticoborgotignano.com

Ethnic furniture is combined with traditional furnishings, creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. This historic and prized volticciole ceiling dates back to the early 1800’s. The bar in the restaurant offers the opportunity to sample local wines, cocktails and of course our beloved cappuccino.

The restaurant looks onto a large terrace where you can have breakfast or dine by candlelight. “While we feed your body, the beautiful countryside and distant village, nourishes your spirit!” Lose yourself in natural beauty, brilliant sunsets usher in a night skies full of stars.

We have a holistic view of hospitality, and especially food. That is why, our cuisine is closely linked to the local territory and its products. Good health, comes from using the fresh natural resources that surround us and using them with intelligence and love. We offer authentic local Mediterranean dishes: ancient delicacies bursting with flavors, from the simplest to the more elaborate Tuscan recipes.

We would like you to experience the magic that made the famous 17th century politician Bettino Ricasoli say, “… a cuisine created by the poor that delights kings.” Walk with us through the paths of tradition, the seasonal variations, creating dishes with wild herbs and spices, rosemary, sage, basil, “catmint” … the so-called erbucce. You will also smell and taste local flowers in various dishes such as petals of acacia, rose petal tart, risotto with zucchini flowers. For cheese lovers, you will be spoiled at the vast selection, from the nearby dairy artisan, who supply our restaurant with their best local products: fresh pecorino cheese made with raw milk and vegetable rennet, fresh ricotta, raveggiolo…and more!

Even the traditional meats of the land, we offer many tasty varieties from Chianina, the Cinta Senese (an ancient breed of pig), a species of boar that inhabit the surrounding woods. All dressed with the best regional olive oil and accompanied by carefully chosen local and regional wines.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodation is in one bedroom apartments with private baths. All the apartments are independent, personalized and fully furnished, with ample garden and terrace areas for leisure. The perfume of flowers and plants permeate your villa. A spacious swimming pool and welcoming patio with sun deck and lounge chairs.

WHAT ARE MEALS LIKE? Gabriella is not only a great architect, but also an amazing chef and she will delight you with typical vegetarian dishes and you will have a chance to discover the authentic Tuscan cuisine.

The restaurant looks onto a large terrace where you can have breakfast or dine by candlelight. “While we feed your body, the beautiful countryside and distant village, nourishes your spirit!” Lose yourself in natural beauty, brilliant sunsets usher in a night skies full of stars.

We have a holistic view of hospitality, and especially food. That is why, our cuisine is closely linked to the local territory and its products. Good health, comes from using the fresh natural resources that surround us and using them with intelligence and love. We offer authentic local Mediterranean dishes: ancient delicacies bursting with flavors, from the simplest to the more elaborate Tuscan recipes.

We would like you to experience the magic that made the famous 17th century politician Bettino Ricasoli say, “… a cuisine created by the poor that delights kings.” Walk with us through the paths of tradition, the seasonal variations, creating dishes with wild herbs and spices, rosemary, sage, basil, “catmint” … the so-called erbucce. You will also smell and taste local flowers in various dishes such as petals of acacia, rose petal tart, risotto with zucchini flowers. For cheese lovers, you will be spoiled at the vast selection, from the nearby dairy artisan, who supply our restaurant with their best local products: fresh pecorino cheese made with raw milk and vegetable rennet, fresh ricotta, raveggiolo…and more!

Even the traditional meats of the land, we offer many tasty varieties from Chianina, the Cinta Senese (an ancient breed of pig), a species of boar that inhabit the surrounding woods. All dressed with the best regional olive oil and accompanied by carefully chosen local and regional wines.

Day 1 Afternoon: 10:30am Meet in the lobby of the Hotel Palazzo Vecchio (via Cennini 4, 50123, Florence, Italy), Visit Piazzale Michelangelo and Giardino delle Rose, Tour Florence 1:00pm Arrive for Lunch at Antico Borgo di Tignano & Brief Logistics Talk 1:30pm Pool time, R&R, Naps Evening: 5:30pm Welcome Yoga Practice 7:30pm Sunset Aperitivo 8:00pm Welcome Dinner Post Dinner Solstice Celebration

Giardino delle Rose (Rose Garden) houses a collection of roses, lemons, and other plants, as well as a Japanese garden. It contains about 400 varieties of roses for a total of about 1,200 plants.The garden was created in 1865 by Giuseppe Poggi, who also designed the piazzale, on behalf of the City of Florence in anticipation of moving the capital of Italy from Turin. It covers about one hectare of land which offers a panoramic view of the city, sandwiched between viale Poggi, via di San Salvatore and via dei Bastioni.

Piazzale Michelangelo offers panoramic views of Florence and the Arno valley.The Piazzale Michelangelo is dedicated to the city’s most famous Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti. At the center of the square stands a replica of his most famous statue, the David. The bronze statue is set on a large pedestal, decorated with replicas of allegorical statues depicting day, night, dusk and dawn.

San Miniato standing atop one of the highest points in the city of Florence is one of the finest Romanesque structures in Tuscany and one of the most scenic churches in Italy. There is an adjoining Olivetti monastery to the basilica where the monks sell herbal teas and special honey elixirs. The mosaics and frescoes inside the church are incredible.

Church complex The Cemetery from the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte by Hans von Bartels. Adjacent to the church is the cloister, planned as early as 1426 and built from 1443 to mid-1450s. It was designed by Bernardo and Antonio Rosselino. The whole complex is surrounded by defensive walls, originally built hastily by Michelangelo during the siege and in 1553 expanded into a true fortress (fortezza) by Cosimo I de’ Medici. The walls now enclose a beautiful large cemetery, the Porte Sante, laid out in 1854.

Day 2 Morning: 8:00am Yoga Practice 9:30am Breakfast 10:30am Depart for Monteriggioni 11:30am Castle Tour & Shopping 1:00pm Picnic Lunch in Monteriggioni

Monteriggioni is, without doubt, one of the most classical and best known Italian walled town. Since the Middle Age its fame was so big that also the great poet Dante Alighieri makes sign to his ’round enclosure’ in the Divine Comedy (Hell, chant XXXI vv. 40-41). Recently a part of the wall walk of the town walls has been restored and made accessible. From the top of the walled circuit, it is possible to admire the surrounding countryside towards Chianti and the Valdelsa and to enjoy a unique view of the town and its fortifications.

Afternoon: 2:30pm Siena 6:00pm Aperitivo on Il Campo (At Bar Il Palio), Siena

Siena preserves its medieval character to a remarkable degree, and has been largely unspoilt by new buildings. In fact Siena retains a ward-centric culture from medieval times. Each ward (contrada) is represented by an animal or mascot, and has its own boundary and distinct identity. Ward rivalries are most rampant during the annual horse race (Palio) in the Piazza del Campo.

Evening: 8:00pm Dinner 9:00pm Restorative Yoga Practice

Day 3 Morning: 8:00am Yoga Practice 9:00am Breakfast

Afternoon: 12:30pm Lunch at the Borgo 1:30pm Depart for Radda in Chianti 2:30pm Radda in Chianti walking tour and wine tasting

Radda in Chianti is situated on a hill covered with woods and extensive vineyards forming the watershed between the Pesa and Arbia valleys. The structure of the medieval village is still intact; it grew up elliptically around the church of San Nicolò, of 14th century origin and the Palazzo Pretorio. Built about 1415, its facade is adorned with the coats of arms of the podestà (chief magistrates), the latter is now the seat of the municipality.

Just outside the village, in the Vignale farm, are the headquarters of the Chianti Classico consortium (its symbol is the black-cockerel, the former emblem of the League of Chianti), and the Centro di Studi Chiantigiani (Centre for Chianti Studies), founded in 1984, with a small library and an archive devoted to the history of Chianti and its agriculture. The Montevertine farm, near the village, houses the small Museo del Chianti, with displays relating to the farming community.

Evening: 6:30pm Yoga Practice 8:00pm Dinner at the Borgo

Day 4 Morning: 8:00am Breakfast 9:30am Yoga Practice

Afternoon: 12pm Lunch at the Borgo 1:00pm Depart for Voltaire 1:30pm Walking Tour of Volterra 2:30pm Free Time & Shopping in Volterra

Evening 4:30pm Depart for the Borgo 5:30pm Yoga Practice 6:30pm Dinner at Borgo 7:30pm Explore Casole D’Elsa after dinner

Casole d’Elsa is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 50 km southwest of Florence and about 25 km west of Siena. It is a charming medieval hilltop town situated in wonderful countryside around Siena. It is situated 70km from Florence and 35km from the town of Siena.

Originally it was a domain of the Bishop of Volterra but in the middle of the 13th century it passed under the control of Siena. The Sienese strengthened the fortifications because of its strategical position. In 1554 Casole surrended, after strenuous resistance, to the imperial and Florentine armies during the war against Siena. The dualism between Siena and Volterra still survives in the daily life of Casole for political purposes it is in the Province of Siena, whereas it falls under the Diocese of Volterra for religious matters. Verrocchio Art School Tuscany Italy.

Day 5 Morning: 7:00am Breakfast 7:30am Depart for Beach Day on the Mediterranean!

Afternoon: 11:00am Arrive Fonteblanda 12:00pm Catered lunch at Beach Club 1:30pm Depart for Petriolo Natural Hot Springs & Spa

At the Petriolo, you can indulge at the brand new spa center by the natural hot pools, which offers massage, beauty and health treatments, or you can enjoy the hot springs (43°C), open to the public free of charge, where you can relax in the pools along the banks of the river Farma.

The spas at the Petriolo are open from May to October. The Petriolo’s thermal baths are very ancient. The Romans knew and appreciated them. It is very likely that these are the baths mentioned by the orator Marco Tullio Cicero in his pro Marco Caelio.

Of the original baths, composed by four groined vaulted rooms, only one room still exists. It opens onto the river Farma with arches built on octagonal pillars.

Evening: 7:00pm Restorative Yoga Practice 8:30pm Dinner

Day 6 Morning: 8:00am Yoga Practice 9:30am Breakfast 10:30am Depart for Wine Tasting Tour and Explore San Gimignano

‘San Gimignano delle belle Torri’ served as an important relay point for pilgrims travelling to or from Rome on the Via Francigena. The patrician families who controlled the town built around 72 tower-houses (some as high as 50 m) as symbols of their wealth and power. Although only 14 have survived, San Gimignano has retained its feudal atmosphere and appearance. The town also has several masterpieces of 14th- and 15th-century Italian art.

The People’s Palace is one of the most important monuments of San Gimignano, being both the home of the Civic Museum and rich in paintings by the Florentine and Sienese schools (dating from the 13th century) such as the “Crucifix”, painted by Coppo di Marcovaldo, the triptyches by Niccolò Tegliacci and Taddeo di Bartolo dating from the 14th century, and other important works of art dating from the 15th century painted by Domenico Michelino, Pinturicchio and Filippino Lippi.

Afternoon: 2:00pm Lunch at Borgo (Post lunch: Optional Massages) 2:30pm Pool time, R&R, Nap

Evening: 6:30pm Yoga Practice 8:00pm Bruschetta making class & Closing Dinner at Borgo

Day 7 Morning: 8:00am Closing Yoga Practice 10:00am Brunch 12:00am Departures – Ciao for now! 1:00pm Arrive Florence


What’s included

7 days of loving accommodation ALL private bathrooms
Delicious Tuscan daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and all snacks and drinks for each day’s activities
Pickup and Return Shuttle from Florence (value $150 per person)
All private transportation during the trip to art cities
Visits included to: Florence, Monteriggioni, Siena, Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Volterra, Tignano, Volterra, Petriolo Natural Hot Springs & Spa, The Mediterranean, Casole d’Elsa, Colle Val d’Elsa
Mini-Italian language & culture class
12 Yoga classes: Vinyasa Yoga AM, Restorative/Yin Yoga PM
Guided Meditation & Pranayama
Writing and wellness coaching with Silvia Mordini
Social hours on select evenings: Including Aperitivo in Siena
Entrance fees to all group events
A special goodie bag
Comprehensive trip literature about Tuscany, culture, art, food, history & more!

Not included

Airfare to and from the trip, lodging before and/or after the trip if you are coming early or staying later, gratuities for your guides.

Available Packages

Trip Price
$1,999
Deposit: $500

Available options

Your Organizer


SM
Silvia Mordini ~ Alchemy of Yoga
Alchemy Tours: www.alchemytours.com
 Alchemy of Yoga: www.alchemyofyoga.com