OVERVIEW

YOGA + CREATIVITY + CUISINE

Join us for a restorative and creative retreat in the Italian countryside. In our private boutique villa you will be surrounded with breathtaking views, mesmerizing sunsets, and a wonderful sense of peace - the perfect setting to nurture yourself and your creative spirit. Set your body at ease to let your mind flow with ideas - as we enjoy la dolce vita together, with just the right dose of local cuisine, culture, creativity and wellness.

There is no better way to capture Italy than to immerse in its rich history. This retreat is designed for those who have a love of the arts and mindful movement. Practicing yoga in this incredible landscape gives guests the peace of mind of the countryside and the energy to explore and create from it. We'll be exploring different forms of art through watercolours, acrylic paints and collage. Find inspiration during day trips and render your experience on canvas or in personal travel journals. Creative workshops are open to all levels from beginner to the seasoned artist focusing on simple and approachable exercises to ignite your inner artist. Your finished piece makes for a memorable souvenir for your Italy Retreat!

ACCOMMODATIONS

Located on the border of the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Porsenna Hotel & Spa is a grand country house resort hotel amid the fields and rolling hills of the countryside and a short distance from Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimeno. Our group will enjoy an exclusive stay and private book-out of the hotel during our week together. The hotel boasts spacious guest rooms, the on-site restaurant and an outdoor pool as well as massage rooms. Beautiful gardens surround the buildings with various areas for us to meet, conduct our creative workshops, as well as stretch out in our daily yoga classes which will be offered to guests. Here, we are surrounded by historic and ancient Etruscan towns, hilltop villages, and storybook scenery. It gives us a perfect home base to explore the area on our day trips and see what this green heart of Italy has to offer.

CUISINE

Healthful food is part of the retreat, drawing on the in-season harvests from the local area. Daily breakfast is prepared on-site, and the itinerary includes most dinner and lunches as well, many incorporating a visit or experience in the nearby area. We've carefully chosen delicious and fresh meals from renowned restaurants and chefs that will give guests an expansive experience of the cuisine. Throughout the week, we will get to sample several of the regional specialties like olive oil, coffee, wine, pecorino cheese, maybe some truffle or porcini if we are lucky!  We'll relish in a range of local eateries, like cantinas, family osterias, and award-winning chefs, and we’ll have hands-on experiences with an Italian cooking class.

ACTIVITIES

Our day trips will allow us to experience the many unique landscapes and activities that this area has to offer. We will begin our week with a visit to the nearby Etruscan hilltop town of Chiusi, where we’ll enjoy a walking tour and a stop for lunch. Later that day, we’ll head to another beautiful village and an award-winning design hotel for an olive oil tasting, learning from an olive oil sommelier about the nuances and profiles of this elixir. And we will perhaps (as this will fall near harvest season) get to taste some of the brand new oil for the year.

The next day, we’ll venture a little further afield towards the Val d’Orcia and its iconic rolling Sienese hills to a cheese farm in the area of Pienza where the famed pecorino cheese is made. We’ll explore by the hill town of Montepulciano and enjoy an Italian coffee tasting in one of the historic cafes. By the middle of the week, we will recharge with spa treatments on site and down time before heading out that evening to explore a beautiful Umbrian town and have a cozy dinner out.

We will also fit in a visit to the town of Cortona, famed from Under the Tuscan Sun, and find an artisan workshop in the area to learn from and see how some of the quality products and crafts in this area are produced. We’ll also have time to enjoy some time in the town for shopping and lunch. We’ll round out the week with a wine tasting visit and lunch - how can we be in this part of Italy without partaking in its sacred potion? Finally, we’ll partake in a cooking class to prepare our final dinner together.

WELLNESS + CREATIVITY

Daily meditation and yoga classes will be offered in a way to relax, stimulate, and help guests grow in their own personal practice. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced, and can range from gentle, restorative, and more vigorous vinyasa flow and ashtanga styles.* Style and class levels will be determined and moulded to fit participating students' needs, and with a small intimate retreat class size, students will be able to get personalized attention and comfortability to deeply explore their practice. Depending on each retreat location, classes will be held in a dedicated indoor yoga space and some also offer outdoor options as well for us to use if the weather is agreeable.

MINDY JOHNSTONE

This retreat will be led by EPM collaborator, MINDY JOHNSTONE. Living in the awe inspiring Canadian Rockies, Mindy has a love of the outdoors, all things artistic and wellness related. Her hometown in Banff is her foundation for teaching art and yoga for the past 20 years. No travel experience is complete without a journal to record the finer details of her surroundings through sketches combined with watercolours, acrylic pens and ink. On retreat, prepare to be inspired and nurtured as her strength lies in the ability to cater to groups and individuals needs. Mindy loves to inspire guests to see the delight in their surroundings through art and how we can feel at ‘OM in the world.’
* Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!

WHAT PAST GUESTS ARE SAYING

DETAILS / PRICING

• 6 days / 5 nights (Sep 29 - Oct 4, 2024)

• Inclusive Retreat Price = $3,295 Single Room, ($150 discount per guest for sharing room. 3 shared rooms available)

• Deposit to hold space = $950

• Max # Guests = 14
  ** Final balance due 60 days before retreat start date.
  Read full cancellation policy in our Terms & Conditions.

INCLUDED*:

• Private villa accommodation (spacious bedrooms each with private bathrooms, linens)

• Daily Breakfast

• Selected Lunches & Dinners

• Welcome Aperitivo & Orientation Reception

• Transportation to/from day trips

• Daily yoga/meditation class

• Daily travel journal creativity art class

• Use of yoga mats

• Use of hotel amenities (pool, gardens, etc.)

• Regional Tastings -  winery, olive oil, coffee, etc

• Olive Oil Tasting / Aperitivo

• Wine Tasting Lunch

• Italian Coffee demo at historic cafe

• Walking tour of Etruscan hilltop town, Chiusi

• Afternoon in Montepulciano

• Visit and dinner to Umbrian town

• Visit to Cortona

• Italian cooking class

• Spa Treatment

• Taxes

  * airfare not included
  **activities may change based on weather or unforeseen circumstances such as weather, etc

LOCATION / TRAVEL:

• Located just outside of Chiusi, Tuscany, Italy

• AIRPORTS: Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Florence Peretola Airport (FLR). From both airports there are easy train connections to the station nearest the hotel. Full details on how to best arrive will be given to guests.

• TRAIN STATION: Chiusi/Chianciano Terme

• We can provide recommendations for a private driver or public transportation. Taxis are available at any time from Chiusi Station, and private cars are available for door-to-door service from airports.

SUGGESTED PACKING:

Besides the basic packing and travel needs, here are a few things to think about bringing with you.

• YOGA MATS & STRAPS ARE PROVIDED

• ART JOURNALS & SUPPLIES ARE PROVIDED

• Bathing suit (on-site pool)

• Yoga clothes

• Plug adaptors / converters

• Comfortable walking shoes