There’s something special about Tuscan sunsets. The rolling hills beyond the shadows of the cypress trees. The seemingly endless rows of vineyards and the charming farmhouses scattered throughout the countryside. Tuscany is more than a place. It’s a feeling. A way of life.
You’ll sleep in a century old farmhouse with views of the enchanting countryside and local villages. Spend your free time lounging by the pool or on a walk in the hills.
Travel by train to the charming Medieval village of Lucca. Walk around the ancient walls and through the narrow streets. Enjoy homemade pizza and an aperitivo in the picturesque plaza.
Indulge yourself in a day at a castle on the hilltops of Tuscany. Tour the castle grounds, learn about traditional Tuscan fare during a private cooking class, followed by lunch and wine pairings from some of the local favorites.
A morning vinyasa yoga session by the pool or in the hills… a restful, yin yoga and meditation practice at night… care for your self, your mind, and your body throughout your yoga holiday.
Retreat Yourself.
Location
Il Grande Prato, Tuscany, Italy
Il Grande Prato is a charming farm complex, more than a century old. This agriturismo is conveniently located near enchanting towns such as Siena, Florence, and San Gimignano. Tucked away in the beauty of the Tuscan countryside, you are bound to find yourself relaxed and in love with your holiday. Enjoy a quiet morning walk in the hills, relax in the pool during the day and watch unbelievable sunsets at night. Indulge in local wines and homemade local Tuscan meals. Enjoy a game of tennis or a massage on site. This place has it all!
About the yoga
Jennison has planned each aspect of your holiday with thoughtfulness, love, intention and passion. With over 20 years of yoga experience and more than 8 years sharing yoga with others, Jennison has a passion for connecting others more closely with themselves and building community through unique yoga experiences.
Her passion for yoga, paired with her enthusiasm for travel, make Jennison’s “Retreat Yourself Mediterranean Yoga Retreats” unforgettable and truly special experiences. The yoga itself is a combination of energizing vinyasa and restorative yin practices designed for all levels of practitioners. Jennison loves to add in some fun with partner yoga sessions and adds depth through intention-setting and mindfulness workshops as well as daily meditation.
These yoga holidays are all about balance. We love to have fun, share a bottle (or two) of wine at dinner and dive deep into our connections with one another. Bring a friend and enjoy a holiday together or come alone and prepare to make some lifelong, meaningful friendships. Warning: these retreats are truly addicting!
See you on the mat. Cheers and namaste, friends!
What will you learn? Serenity in the midst of Turbulence
The Art of Self-Care in the Modern Day World
Your yoga holiday is more than traveling to gorgeous locations with likeminded people from around the world. You will enjoy sunset yoga sessions with dreamy views and taste local cuisines and delicious wines, but you will also experience moments of personal transformation as you learn, grow and evolve during your retreat.
The experiences and practices of Retreat Yourself Tuscany have been designed with a focus on exploring self-care techniques that align with your core values and demanding schedules. You will be taken on a journey of exploration of your personal core values and goals. You will reflect on your time commitments and the ways in which you prioritize yourself and your self-care throughout your day. This personal journey will include the following components:
- Understanding the science behind using the breath as a self-care technique.
- Using meditation to quiet the mind and promote healing by turning off the autopilot function of irrelevant survival mechanisms.
- Identifying your core values and dissecting how you spend your time and spend your choices that you are given every day.
- Rediscovering and outlining your top priorities and setting intentions to maintain self-care routines and rituals throughout your day.
- Learning practices such as daily rituals, intentional living, and gratitude, as a way of integrating self-care into your thoughts, words and actions.
- Using the movement rituals of yoga to create ease and presence in the moment by cultivating space for compassion, gratitude and overall health.
- Owning your greatness, your worth, and your deservedness for goodness and blessings.
Dates
July 29 – August 2, 2020
Itinerary
Take a look at our sample itinerary* complete with daily yoga, day trips, wine tasting and more!
Day 1 Arrival Day (Wednesday)
- Please arrive by 18:00
Arrival and check-in at Il Grande Prato
If you arrive early, enjoy a walk to Chiosco ai Renai, a local restaurant, for lunch and incredible views
Spend the afternoon relaxing at the farmhouse
Energizing Yin Yang yoga session 18:00
Welcome dinner at Il Grande Prato
Day 2 (Thursday)
Morning vinyasa in the Tuscan Hills
Breakfast in the garden
Tour of Castello di Oliveto
Private cooking class at Castello di Oliveto
Traditional lunch at the castle, with local wine pairings
Free time
Yin Yoga in the Attic
Sunset aperitivo and dinner at Chiosco ai Renai
Day 3 (Friday)
Morning vinyasa yoga in the hills
Breakfast
Enjoy a free morning at Il Grande Prato or schedule a therapeutic massage
Optional yoga workshop
Lunch at Il Grande Prato
Free time
Yin Yoga in the Attic
Dinner at Chiosco ai Renai
Day 4 (Saturday)
Morning Vinyasa yoga by the pool
Breakfast
Travel to Lucca by train
Free time and pizza lunch in Lucca
Post-travel yin yoga
Final Dinner at Il Grande Prato
Day 4 (Sunday)
Sunrise yoga and closing meditation
Breakfast
Departures (Please check out of your room by 10:00 am. You are welcome to enjoy the morning and early afternoon at Il Grande Prato)
*Retreat itinerary subject to change
Organized activities
Retreat Highlights
One of the most special things about Italy are the meals. We have created special moments for you to enjoy authentic meals in beautiful locations. Outdoor, al fresco dining to enjoy the summer evenings, unforgettable sunsets and late night conversations with new friends.
On Thursday you will visit the hilltop Castello di Oliveto. Enjoy a guided tour of the grounds and underground wine cellar before you head to the kitchen for a private cooking class. Learn about and create some of Tuscany’s typical dishes. After your cooking lesson, enjoy lunch with the group, paired with various wines from the region.
On Saturday you will enjoy a relaxing train ride through Tuscany as you head to Lucca. We will enjoy a self-guided visit of the walled, medieval town. Stroll the streets and enjoy a pizza lunch together in this charming village, before heading back to Il Grande Prato for relaxing, yin yoga.
Price
Early Bird Pricing for bookings before January 1st! Only 795€!
General Pricing: 850€
- Shared accommodation in Il Grande Prato Farmhouse
- As this is a converted farmhouse, rooms vary in size, from 2-4 beds in each room. The double rooms will be reserved first.
- Every room is equipped with a private bathroom
- FOR PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION, PRICE IS AN ADDITIONAL 100€ (limited availability)
What’s included
4 nights accommodation at the beautiful farmhouse, Il Grande Prato
Daily yoga, meditation and journaling sessions
Yoga mats and props are provided
All meals are provided from Wednesday night through Sunday morning
- Daily breakfast Thursday-Sunday
- Lunch Thursday-Saturday
- Dinner Wednesday-Saturday
All transportation is provided while on retreat (airport transfers are not included on arrival and departure days)
Transportation, visit and lunch in the Tuscan village of Lucca
Guided tour of the majestic Castello di Oliveto
Private Tuscan cooking lesson at Castello di Oliveto
Lunch and wine pairing experience at Castello di Oliveto
Special gifts for retreat participants
A Tuscan souvenir from Il Grande Prato
What’s not included
Flights
Transportation to/from the airport (we can help you to arrange transport by mini bus or taxi)
- Prices differ depending on airport
Selected meals
Additional activities or tours
Travel Tips
We can help you to arrange private transport by taxi, minibus or van for your airport transports. Prices range depending on distance and number of passengers.
Il Grande Prato is located in Castelfiorentino. Its location in the middle of the Tuscan countryside makes it accessible from many cities.
The closest airports are:
- Florence (1 hour drive)
- Pisa (1 hour drive)
- Bologna (1.5-2 hour drive)
The retreat location is also well connected by train. Il Grande Prato is a short, 15 minute taxi ride from the Castelfiorentino train station. It can be reached from many cities such as:
- Florence (45 min.)
- Pisa (1 hour)
- Bologna (1.5 hours with one transfer in Florence)
- Rome (2.5 hours)
If you are connecting between the Bologna airport and train station, you can purchase a ticket for 6 euors for the Aerobus. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the departure point in Bologna.
https://aerobus.bo.it/en
Flying to and from Valencia? Check the following airlines: RyanAir, Alitalia and Vueling. Best direct flights are to/from Pisa, Bologna and Rome. Information below subject to change:
RyanAir VLC-Pisa on Tuesday, July 28th (arrive a day early)
RyanAir VLC- Bologna on Tuesday, July 28th (arrive a day early)
Alitalia and RyanAirVLC-Rome on Tuesday, July 28th (arrive a day early)
………
RyanAir VLC- Bologna on Wednesday, July 29th: 13:25 – 15:20
………
RyanAir Bologna – VLC on Sunday, July 2nd: 10:50 -12:55 and 13:20 – 15:25
RyanAir Rome – VLC on Sunday, July 2nd: 15:00 – 17:05
RyanAir Pisa – VLC on Sunday, July 2nd: 15:35 – 17:40
As this retreat has limited spaces, we ask for a non-refundable deposit of 200€ to secure your spot.
Total retreat price to be paid by April 1st.
Any cancelations made before April 1st will receive a full refund of the amount paid by participant, less the 200€ deposit.
Any cancelations made between April 2nd and May 31st will receive a 50% refund of the total price paid by participant.
Any cancelations made between June 1st and July 1st will receive a 25% refund of the total price paid by participant.
No refund for cancelations made after July 1st.***