Retreat #1 – JUNE 18 – 25, 2022
Retreat #2 – JUNE 25 – JULY 2, 2022
LA DOLCE VITA: YOGA RETREAT IN TUSCANY – with SAVONN WYLAND + KARI KEMPER
“Keep walking, though there is no place to get to, don‘t try to see through the distances, that’s not for human beings. Move within, but don’t move the way fear makes you move.” – Rumi
Enjoy 7 nights – 8 Days of La Dolce Vita (“The Sweet Life”) in Tuscany, Italy- a destination that speaks for itself with its rich history, art + culture, idyllic villages, iconic landscapes, fabulous food so delicious in its simplicity, world class wines, friendly locals, and more.
Location
We will be staying at Il Borghino, a Tuscan Estate and villa complex retreat center, consisting of 3 completely restored houses nestled in the hills of Tuscany, cradled between olive groves and vineyards with exquisite gardens and panoramic views over the historic town of Lucca looking towards Pisa and the sea. The accommodations include simple yet stylish rooms, a large salt-water swimming pool and Jacuzzi, an onsite yoga studio, wood burning pizza oven and Turkish Sauna.
The vibe of Il Borghino is relaxed, informal, and friendly and the goal of the place “is to provide everyone on the retreat an experience that blends healthy living with a perfect dose of Italian sweet life ~ La Dolce Vita~”
Daily yoga classes
Taught by Savonn and/or Kari. No need to bring your own mat or props. The yoga studio has blocks, blankets, straps, mats and bolsters. We will have opportunities to practice both inside the yoga studio and outside on the terrace.
Delicious vegetarian meals
Lots of farm to table produce, estate produced wine, olive oil, and herbs. Most meals will be served al fresco (outside) on the terrace. Meals will be prepared by a local chef who makes deliciously fresh dishes based on what is in season and the region’s specialities. Food is sourced from local producers and wherever possible, that includes organic grains, fruit and vegetables. Also available will be homemade fresh fruit and vegetable juices and cleansing herbal teas using fresh herbs from the garden.
Friday night is Pizza + Prosecco Night, with pizza coming out fresh from the wood burning oven. If needed, gluten free and other special dietary requirements options can be arranged.
Stylish yet simple lodging.
Options include both shared and single rooms with private baths, as well as private rooms with shared baths. The rooms are large, simple and furnished tastefully in local Tuscan style, each with fabulous views from every window. Each house also has a washer and dryer that you can use during our sta
Included Activities
We will spend a day in breath-taking Cinque Terre exploring the five coastal villages embedded in rocky cliffs along one of Italy’s most scenic stretches of Liguria. For those who are hikers, it is possible to spend a day walking and climbing between these beautiful villages and enjoy some spectacular scenery along the way. For others, you can still enjoy walking the more gentle trails, spend time swimming, exploring the villages or sampling some of the local delights.
Italian cooking class – Learn to make Italian classics like make homemade gnocchi, pesto and tiramisu.
Other Optional Excursions + Add Ons:
There are also other choices of optional activities and excursions, designed to give you a taste of Tuscany and the local culture, without it feeling like a organized tour, including:.
- Local Tuscan wine tasting trip – Scenic 3km walk along the “Strada del Vino” (the wine road) to a local winery for a tour and tasting. The estate makes award winning wines, olive oil, honey and pasta.
- Bike and Walking Tour of nearby Lucca – Take part in an informal guided tour of Lucca for 3-4 hrs. Includes transportation into Lucca, a bike tour around the ancient walls, a walking tour to explore the main attractions and a cappuccino break or apertivo break.
- Puccini Opera in Lucca – For the opera lovers, you can catch a Puccini Opera every night in Lucca. The concert starts at 7:15pm and lasts up to 1 hr.
- Pietrasanta Artist village – If you fancy a night out in a nearby artist’s village, you can head to Pietrasanta, a thriving art centre full of galleries, shops and restaurants spilling onto the pavements. Best known for its marble and bronze artistic works, Pietrasanta often hosts international art exhibitions in the local piazza’s where you can sit over aperitivo and watch the buzz unfold.
- Massages and Holistic Treatments – There are wonderful local therapists who will be available throughout the retreat for various massages and other treatments.
About Savonn Wyland
Savonn’s approach to teaching is to provide skillful and detailed instruction, non-dogmatic and grounded inspiration, along with mindful intention and awareness. She weaves in many different styles and approaches to her creative sequencing and theme based classes.
Savonn recognizes the importance of an integrated approach to health and well being. She believes that yoga and other meditative and expressive arts are a great complement to athletic, professional and creative pursuits.
Her classes, workshops and retreats offer an opportunity to tap into the transformational energy present when a group comes together to practice without losing the power of personal inquiry and expression. Her one-on-one sessions help to better tailor a personal practice, to address individual concerns, modifications and questions, and to make sure the practice stays safe, nurturing and fun.
Teaching Experience
Savonn has been teaching yoga and other healing arts for over 17 years and has owned and run yoga studios for the past 14 years. Savonn is the founder and co-director of Bernal Yoga in San Francisco, CA and Sellwood Yoga in Portland, OR. Together with Bill, her brother, she oversees the growth, development and vision of the studios through their company Align Integrative Wellness, LLC. Savonn and Bill also created and lead the Sellwood Yoga Align Teacher Training Program.
Savonn holds Yoga Teaching Certificates in “Flow/Vinyasa” from the White Lotus Foundation, “Pre and Post Natal Yoga” from the Seattle Holistic Center, “Yin/Yang” yoga from Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley and completed an in depth training in “Therapeutic Yoga” from the Yoga Garden of San Anselmo.
She is a certified MELT Method “Hand and Foot Instructor” as well as a MELT Method “Level One Instructor”.
More details about Savonn on www.sellwoodyoga.com
About Kari Kemper
Kari discovered yoga during her university days, sampling the various styles, but never landing on one to develop a deep practice. Formerly an avid runner, Kari found vinyasa flow via Sellwood Yoga in 2009, which allowed her to work with the structural challenges that occur as the result of longer distances and an aging body. Initially working with yoga to heal many a running injury, break a sweat, and build strength, Kari found a deeper meaning within yoga that allows her to move her body, connect her breath, and settle her mind. This awareness and the supportive Sellwood Yoga community led her to complete her 200-Hour RYT Teacher Training, taught by Savonn Wyland and Bill Wyland.
In addition to teaching at the studio, Kari—along with fellow Sellwood Yoga Teacher Training graduates India Downes-Le Guin, Carrie Booth, and Delainey Knewtson—created a Teens and Anxiety Yoga Program sponsored by a local family mental health agency that is offered at an area high school.
Kari brings an openness and sense of humor to her classes and is excited to share the gifts of yoga, however they appear in each student.
More details about Kari on www.sellwoodyoga.com
What’s Included?
- 7 nights’ accommodation + all linen + towels + laundry facilities;
- Daily yoga classes (1-2/day); 3 delicious meals per day (except for the excursion day to Cinque Terre and one dinner out);
- Unlimited fruit, water, and herbal tea throughout the day;
- Local wine at dinner (1/2 bottle per person, per night max);
- Use of the salt water swimming pool;
- Cinque Terre excursion;
- Italian cooking class;
- WiFi;
- Transfers to and from Lucca train or bus station to Il Borghino at the start and finish of the retreat (there will be one scheduled pick up and drop off only-any transfers outside of this are not included).
What’s Not Included?
- Airfare
- Optional excursions/activities
- Any meals outside of Il Bhorgino
- Travel insurance
- Massages and holistic treatments
- Other travel expenses
- Transfers from airport to Lucca.
Retreat Prices, per person
Accommodation Options:
- Shared Room + Private Bathroom (2 twin beds that can also be combined to make a bigger shared bed, 2 people per room, each room has a private bathroom) $2300 USD per person for 2 twin beds or $4400/couple for a shared bed.
- Shared Room For a Couple + Private Bathroom (1 double bed, 2 people per room, has private bathroom) $4400 USD per couple
- Private Room + Private Bathroom (1 single bed, 1 person per room, has private bathroom) $2630 USD per person
- Deluxe Private Room + Shared Bathroom (1 double bed, 1 person per room with shared hallway bathroom) $2690 USD per person
Terms and Conditions
For more information, click on the button “Reserve Your Place” or contact kari@sellwoodyoga.com for pricing and other details.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Please note that the $500 USD deposit is non-refundable and secures your spot for the retreat. For the June 13 – 20, 2020 retreat, full payment is due by April 1, 2020. If you have paid in full by January 15th, 2020 and need to cancel, we will offer you a full refund (not including the deposit). If you need to cancel between 1/15/20 and 4/1/20 we will issue a refund (not including the deposit) and you will be charged a 10% cancel fee. As we need to pay the retreat center in advance, no refunds will be given for cancellations later than April 1, 2020.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: We recommend that you get travel insurance in case of any life situation that may alter your plans. Check out travelinsure.com, insuremytrip.com, or any other option provided by your credit card, airline or travel company.
Transport Options – Getting to and From Il Borghino
- The nearest airport to Lucca is Pisa international Airport “Galileo Galileo” – 18 Miles from Lucca
- Florence International Airport “Amerigo Vespucci” is 50 Miles from Lucca
- If you are flying into Rome, Fiumicino Airport is 162 miles from Lucca.
- Regular trains and buses run from both Pisa and Florence airports to Lucca and are very reasonably priced. Trains also run regularly from Rome airport but the trip is much longer and takes around 4.5 hours.
Check-in and Check-out
- Check-in at Il Borghino is strictly 4pm on the day of arrival.
- When booking your flights, we recommend you plan your arrival time in Lucca for around 15:30pm, to coincide with the group transfer to Il Borghino at 3:45pm. There will be one scheduled pick-up only. Please email your arrival details to info@yogainitaly.com as soon as they are available. If you are unable to make the pick-up, we can arrange for a taxi to bring you to Il Borghino.
- Check-out at Il Borghino is strictly 09:30am on the last day. Please plan your departure flights accordingly.
