SEPT 15 – 22, 2018 | MOMENTS IN TUSCANY :: A YOGA + MINDFULNESS RETREAT with LISA HAMPTON
Drink in the details and savor the journey – Tuscany offers an abundance of sensory delights and is the perfect setting for a delicious week of yoga + mindful practices at the magnicifent Il Borghino villa
Being present or ‘in the moment’ enriches our experiences allowing life to be lived more fully. Whether practicing yoga overlooking the Tuscan landscape, walking or bicycling a scenic path, exploring the Medieval city of Lucca, or enjoying the local cuisine, each moment will be truly memorable. Mindful energy blended with joy and gratitude is transformative and practiced in Michelangelo’s backyard is simply divine!
Move mindfully at your own pace and enjoy a relaxed and heart-centered week that’s loosely structured so you can do as little or as much as you’d like. Yoga classes, meals and included activities are planned but always optional. The rest of the time is yours to rest at the villa, go on excursions or enjoy the in-house spa treatments.
Location
Our retreat home for the week will be Il Borghino – which boasts comfortable lodging in four beautifully-renovated buildings, an outdoor salt-water pool, and delicious meals of farm-to-table vegetarian Tuscan cuisine — complete with local olive oil and wine. We have access to a fully-equipped yoga studio, as well as an outdoor yoga shala set among vineyards and olive groves with magnificent views overlooking the valley below.
Yoga
Practice will be offered each morning before breakfast. In the evening, a restorative yoga class will help you relax and sleep more deeply. Appropriate for beginning and intermediate level students, classes emphasize the wisdom in honoring your strengths and limitations and to be grateful for all that your body can do.
Cuisine
Delicious vegetarian meals prepared by a wonderful local cook using what’s in season and the region’s specialties (organic whenever possible) are provided with plenty of healthy choices. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are made in house and herbal teas made using fresh herbs from the garden are included. Organic wine, olive oil and honey is produced in the surrounding areas and is served throughout the week.
Guided Bike and Walking tour of Lucca
The endearing Medieval city of Lucca hidden behind dramatic Renaissance walls invites exploration. We will take a fun guided tour to this historic city for a scenic bicycle ride around its ancient walls and a mindful walk inside to discover its charming attractions. This tour also includes a cappucino break – but of course! Lucca is just 10 km from our villa.
Nature Hike
Get grounded. The healing power of nature is undeniable and on this scenic nature hike, we will connect physically with the earth and natural world to energize the body. This rejuvenating experience is combined with our wine tasting tour and includes a scrumptious picnic lunch back at the villa!
Wine Tasting
Surrounded by olive groves and vineyards at our Tuscan villa, we’ll walk along the 3 km scenic ‘Strada del Vino’ (the wine road) to a local bio-dynamic winery where we’ll enjoy a tour of the beautiful grounds and tasting. A perfect opportunity to savor the journey and drink in the details!
Optional Activities
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. For example, enjoy a walking/biking tour of the enchanting village of Lucca, an afternoon soaking up the healing waters in a thermal spa, an evening in the thriving artist village of Pietrasanta, a relaxing massage or spa treatment or a cooking class with our very own cook!
Is This Retreat For You?
If you are attracted to the idyllic region of Tuscany with its iconic landscapes, delectable cuisine and rich history, and enjoy taking time to slow down and savor life, this retreat may be for you! Whether or not you practice yoga, the retreat is perfect for girlfriends, couples, mothers and daughters or solo travelers seeking to enjoy life, moment by delicious moment!
About Lisa Hampton
Lisa Hampton is a fitness pacesetter. In 1994, she was an insightful forerunner in her industry, incorporating the mindful concepts of yoga into traditional fitness programs. Since then, mind-body fitness popularity has grown only stronger and healthier. And Lisa now excels in her field as an ACE (American Council on Exercise ) certified personal trainer, yoga instructor and consultant of mind-body health and fitness, exercise physiology and strength training.
Background
With over two decades as the entrepreneurial owner of Mindful Fitness, Lisa has cultivated a loyal following of mind-body believers. Through the years, her clients have practiced Mindful Fitness principles and benefited from safer, more effective and more enriching fitness experiences. Clients frequently enter Mindful Fitness programs as an escape from the discouragement, stress and exhaustion that follow unsuccessful attempts to achieve solely external fitness goals.
Lisa developed Mindful Fitness to be an enjoyable and energizing alternative to traditional fitness methods. Clients practicing mindful techniques describe their experiences as a liberating and uplifting journey toward feeling connected and whole on multiple levels—emotional, mental, physical and spiritual.
Retreats and Inspired Tours
Lisa’s love of nature and finding joy in movement inspired her to begin offering mindful retreats at a local organic lavender farm where participants can practice mindful walking, yoga and meditation while reconnecting with our natural world. “We need the tonic of wilderness” wrote Thoreau.
The essence behind Lisa’s inspiration is held in awe-filled moments where all of the senses are engaged and we are present. A walk at sunset, nourishing oneself with delicious food, or discovering places of sublime beauty are ways to live in the moment.
You can find more information about Lisa on her website www.mindfulfitness.com
What’s Included?
- 10 yoga and meditation classes (indoor & outdoor) including use of yoga mats, blocks, blankets, belts, and bolsters, plus additional yoga mats for use outdoors
- Fun guided bike and walking tour of Lucca
- Scenic walk to a beautiful local winery for a tour and wine tasting
- 7 nights’ accommodation at villa, linens and towels
- 3 delicious vegetarian meals daily, except for one lunch out on Wednesday and one dinner out on a day to be decided. On these days, guests are free to explore on their own, choosing optional excursions or a night out in Lucca
- Al fresco dining on gorgeous outdoor terrace
- 1 Free day for an all day excursion or relaxing at the villa
- Fresh detox fruit / vegetable juice at breakfast
- Local wine at dinner (1/2 bottle per person, per night)
- Unlimited fruit, water, and herbal tea throughout the day.
- Transfer from/to Lucca to/from the retreat centre on the day of arrival and departure (one scheduled pick-up and drop-off only).
- Outdoor salt-water pool and large communal areas
- Steam room / sauna (first session free, thereafter €70 per session)
- Pool Towels, Hair dryers and use of laundry facilities
- Free Wi-fi
- Tourist tax
What’s Not Included?
- Airfare from/to your home city
- Travel insurance
- Ground transportation outside the scheduled pick-up on arrival day and drop-off on departure day *
- Lunch on free day (Wednesday)
- Dinner on one evening
- Optional activities other than those specified as included in the retreat price
- Other travel-related expenses
* Transfers outside the scheduled pick-up or drop-off can be arranged for an additional fee
Retreat Prices, per person
$1,950 twin shared room / shared hallway bathroom
$2,100 twin shared room / private bathroom (sold out)
$2,300 single room / private bathroom (sold out)
Room Type 1 – Twin shared room + shared hallway bathroom. (twin beds / 2 people per room) $1950 (USD) per person
Room Type 2 –Twin shared room + Private bathroom. (twin beds / 2 people per room) $2100 (USD) per person SOLD OUT
Room Type 3 – Twin shared room + Private Bathroom. (double bed / 2 people per room). $2100 (USD) per person SOLD OUT
Room Type 4 – Single Room + Private Bathroom. 2 rooms / 1 person per room. $2,300 (USD) per person SOLD OUT
Terms and Conditions
A $500 (USD) non-refundable deposit secures your spot, please indicate what type of room you would like. Once we receive your reservation, we will email you a confirmation along with more trip details. Your remaining balance is due by May 1, 2018. If registering after June, full payment is due at that time.
Registrants will receive more detailed information including itinerary, travel tips, recommendations on hotels in the area for extended trips, and much more.
Cancellation Policy
No refunds will be issued for the deposit. No refunds for the balance will be issued after June 15, 2018 unless your spot can be filled with someone from the waiting list. If Mindful Fitness cancels the retreat for any reason, you will be refunded in full, including your deposit.
For more information, click on the button “Reserve Your Place” or contact Lisa at lisa@mindfulfitness.com
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 hello@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.
