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Ciao everyone! Wanted to share the magical moments from our 2013 Tuscany Rejuvenation Retreat where each day we experienced the true meaning of la dolce vita. After leading two retreats in Morocco in 2011 and 2012, my husband and I were thrilled to welcome our guests to Tuscany!

Fourteen people joined us from the the United States, Canada and the UK. Our group was very special and bonded immediately…

Our Tuscan Estate – For eight days, we lived under the Tuscan sun in beautifully restored ancient stone farmhouses, originally a monastery dating back to the Middle Ages. Located in the Chianti region of Tuscany with a magnificent view of the famous hill town San Gimignano, the estate sits on 60 acres of land, including vineyards and olive trees.

The beauty of the landscape, villa, pool, vineyards and bedrooms literally took our breath away. One guest said “If you ever dreamed of living in a villa in Tuscany, this stunning estate exceeds all expectations!”

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again—to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.”  Pico Iyer

Each morning we enjoyed breakfast in the cobblestone courtyard after a wonderful yoga class from Beth Graham (in red sweater) from Simply MD Yoga in Baltimore. She taught classes that worked wonderfully for beginner and intermediate yogis.

The feng shui and life enhancement classes were held outdoors by the pool with a gorgeous view of the countryside. Jayme Barrett taught classes on clearing clutter, romance in the bedroom, manifestation techniques, mental feng shui, sacred space for meditation, living authentically, feng shui for the body, prosperity and more! Jayme’s book “Feng Shui Your Life” is the inspiration for many of the classes.

Meals: Our meals were so delicious! Every day we enjoyed something new… pasta with pesto, ravioli with sage and butter, grilled fish, roasted chicken and potatoes, pizza, vegetable pies, Italian soups, arugula salads, caprese, cheese and honey, tiramisu and more! Our hosts served their own wine and olive oil for each of our meals. We ate by candlelight under the stars on the warm evenings looking out at the beautiful views.

San Gimignano – On our first day, we visited the beautiful hill town of San Gimignano with its famous Medieval towers and cobblestone streets. We ate loads of gelato, sipped coffees and hot chocolate at outdoor cafes, listened to Italian street music, visited churches in quaint piazzas and climbed a tower to see the magnificent views of the surrounding region.

 

This day was the beginning of many shopping sprees that continued in each city we visited. Our guests bought loads of Italian goodies including scarves, handbags, wallets, shoes, clothes, soaps, wine, paintings, ceramics, jewelry and more.

Tuscan Cooking Class – Our cooking class was an absolute highlight of the retreat and immediately bonded our group as they worked together to make delicious bruschetta, homemade pasta, Italian vegetables, sauces, and tiramisu. Our host, Valeria and her sweet mom, taught us the secrets to home-style Tuscan cooking.

 

Siena – We arrived by private transport (as we did for each outing) to Siena, one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. What a delight! We visited the famous Duomo and its museum, El Campo square, lunched at Italian cafes, ate more gelato and shopped to our hearts content. We spent time together and also had time to wander off in small groups… meeting up at the end of the day to share our stories and finds.

 

Montereggioni – On the way home from Siena, we stopped at a perfectly preserved hill town called Montereggioni. What a sweet square and during a bit of rain, we stepped into the beautiful church to connect inwardly.

 

Free Day – During the week, we had a free day to do whatever our hearts wished. Many of our guests decided to go to Florence, only one hour from our estate and had an amazing time! Others decided to stay at the estate, taking walks in the countryside, photographing the vineyards and olive trees… doing what the Italians know how to do so well… “dolce far niente” (the joy of doing nothing). We met up for dinner at the estate, which we so loved… sharing our experiences of the day.

Cinque Terre – The beauty of the northern Italian Coast is so spectacular! Cinque Terre means “five lands” and these small seaside villages are perched atop mountains overlooking the sea. First, we walked, took photos and lunched in one of the towns in Cinque Terre called Riomaggiore. Walking up and down through the village was so lovely as we breathed in the ocean air.

The view from our café was exceptional. We enjoyed salads, cheese plates, brushetta, paninis and more… the lemon soda in Italy was delicious!

 

Then we all took a 10 minute train ride to Monterosso al Mare, another seaside town in Cinque Terre where we strolled the boardwalk, ate gelato, shopped and took in all the beauty.

Hot Springs Spa – On our last full day, we journeyed to a natural thermal spa overlooking the hills of Tuscany. We all received relaxing massages and soaked in the warm healing mineral water. It was so perfect to spend the last day relaxing and contemplating all the incredible experiences we had.

Last Class – Our last class was spent discussing meditation, prosperity and envisioning what we wanted to manifest in the coming year. We all closed our eyes and blew our intentions into Pink Wish balloons and sent them up into the Tuscan sky. Many of us expressed our wish was to come back again to Tuscany for another amazing retreat! Our guests had the most wonderful time and didn’t want to leave.

I love leading these retreats! Our plan for September 2014 is to lead another one in Tuscany and one in Marrakech, Morocco too! Our 2011 and 2012 Magical Marrakech Retreats were one-of-a-kind, exotic vacations where our guests lived in the old city among the Moroccan people for eight days. We offer our guests a true cultural experience in each country.

If you are interested in joining us on a retreat in the future, feel free to email here.

Sending positive energy your way!

Jayme Barrett