Highlights of Tuscany Rejuvenation Retreat!

Ciao everyone! Wanted to share the magical moments from our Tuscany Rejuvenation Retreat where each day we experienced the true meaning of la dolce vita. After leading retreats in Morocco and Italy since 2011, my husband and I were thrilled to welcome our guests to Tuscany again!! It is one of my favorite places on earth! Here was our view each day as we dined at our villa in Casole D’Elsa in the hills of Toscana.

Twelve women joined us from the the United States and Canada!  Our group was very special and bonded immediately… I’ve interspersed some of their comments below in red.

Our Tuscan Estate – For eight days, we lived under the Tuscan sun in beautifully restored ancient stone farmhouses in the stunning Antico Borgo di Tignano recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Each house in the village has been completely renovated with loving care. The gracious owner, Gabriella made us feel right at home and her chefs Ezia and Maria made the most delicious, gourmet 4 course meals!

Check out some video reviews from our retreat participants!

The beauty of the landscape, villa, pool and apartments literally took our breath away.  Every guest was in pure bliss and couldn’t believe they were seeing such beauty in every moment. There was even an ancient chapel as well as a beautiful yoga studio on the property.

“My expectations were blown away! Our estate was so beautiful and warm. I felt like I was living here… not visiting here.” 

“It was peaceful and moving with lots of laughter. I enjoyed crazy good food with new like-minded friends.”

“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

 

Our fabulous yoga teacher, Karen D’Abrosa from Rhode Island, set up the yoga room so the Eastern sun steamed inside during our morning yoga classes. All the ladies loved Karen’s classes and looked forward to their morning wake-up stretch. She taught classes that worked wonderfully for beginner and intermediate yogis. After yoga, we enjoyed breakfast on the dining deck overlooking the stunning view of the Tuscan mountains.

“The yoga classes were absolutely perfect for me. It had all the elements…relaxing, educational, calming, flowing and inspiring.”

 

The feng shui and life enhancement classes were held outdoors 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.

“This retreat has helped me get clear on my life plan. It has helped me to prioritize what is important in my life.”

Meals: Our meals were so delicious! Every day we enjoyed something new… incredible pasta with every kind of sauce, grilled fish, roasted chicken and potatoes, gourmet appetizers, Italian soups, salads, caprese, cheese and honey, tiramisu and more! We had an incredible wine tasting on our first night as well!

“I learned a ton in a setting I have always dreamed about. I slept, relaxed and fed my body and soul.”

“It was as if Jayme went into my mind and extracted what I would want for a retreat! I would not change a thing!!

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 appetizers, homemade pasta, eggplant and tuna, fennel salad, sauces, and tiramisu. Our chefs, Ezia and Maria taught us the secrets to home-style and gourmet Tuscan cooking. I can’t even explain how mouth-watering the food was EVERY SINGLE DAY! 

“One of the highlights was the incredibly delicious food shared with great new friends!”

“I had such an amazing time! The food was excellent. The grounds on the estate were so beautiful and peaceful. The classes were so much fun and there was great camaraderie between the participants. The trip was exciting and memorable!

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.

 

“This trip, every single bit of it, was life-altering for me. I’ve never felt this happy.”

 

Montereggioni – On the way home from Siena, we stopped at a perfectly preserved hill town called Montereggioni. It’s a beautiful square with loads of sweet shops and of course, we indulged in a gelato!

Free Day – During the week, we had a free day to do whatever our hearts wished. Many of our guests decided to stay on the property to relax, swim, take walks and others went into Volterra and other hilltowns close-by. Our yoga teacher Karen led us in some nature journaling at the estate. We enjoyed 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.

“This trip was exactly what I needed for this time in my life!”

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, travelled to Monterosso al Mare, the largest of the seaside towns in Cinque Terre where we strolled the boardwalk, ate lunch and gelato, shopped and took in all the beauty.

“Jayme couldn’t have been more of an organized and gracious leader. I truly marveled at the ease of her guidance and thorough handling of all our needs.”

“I feel rejuvenated and equipped with feng shui tips to bring love, joy, peace and happiness into my everyday life.”

After we finished lunching, we took a 5 minute train ride to one of the most beautiful of the five towns called Vernazza. It was so picturesque and a group of us hiked up to get a great view of the town below.

“I was pleasantly surprised at just how authentic and grounded Jayme is. She is so approachable and easygoing that you felt an instant connection with her.”

“My experience at this retreat is beyond words! It so far exceeded my expectations. The joy, laughter, prayers and pink light gave me a new inner vision to explore in earnest. I am deeply grateful for this gift!”

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.

“This trip truly inspired me to continue with the feng shui lessons I’ve learned. I learned to be much more in touch with my intuition, to let my energy flow and say YES! I came and got exactly what I needed!”

Last Class – Our last class was spent discussing meditation, prosperity and envisioning what we wanted to manifest in the coming year.  Many of us expressed our wish to come back again to Tuscany or Amalfi for another amazing retreat! Our guests had the most wonderful time and didn’t want to leave.

“Tuscany was a dream come true! Everything about this experience was wonderful. It was a memory I’ll cherish forever!”

 

“Jayme is an exceptional retreat leader. She made us feel special and tended to. Everything was so well organized and flowed.”

Finally, here are some video reviews from our retreat participants straight from our villa in Tuscany!

If you are interested in joining one of our current retreats, email us here.  Also, feel free to bookmark my retreats page and join me on Facebook for loads of daily inspiration and upcoming events.

Sending positive energy your way!

Jayme Barrett