June 28th - July 5th, 2010

Yoga Retreat in Tuscany, Italy

Join Angela Gavin for an exquisite week at a working organic farm and yoga retreat in the Tuscan Foothills of Italy. This yoga adventure is devoted to cultivating our ability to be present through immersing all of our senses in the smells, tastes, sights and sounds of a part of the world that is renowned for living well and enjoying life.

Ebbio is a rustic but refined 14th century Tuscan Farmhouse where the atmosphere of the villa is charming, warm and welcoming. Ebbio serves family style Italian food and much of it comes from their organic garden.

Our Yoga will be in a spacious converted barn with a domed brick ceiling and old wood floors bathed in light.  It is highly recommended that you have an established Vinyasa Flow practice and that you attend every Yoga class.  The morning Vinyasa class will be an uplifting and energizing intermediate to advanced flow and include mostly asana.  The evening class will be a slow Vinyasa and include asana, pranayama and meditation.

We will have four main excursions throughout our retreat in Tuscany together.

We will take a trip to San Gimignano, a walled medieval jewel perched on the crest of a hill.  Here you will have the opportunity of trying one of the best Gelateria's in Tuscany, tour the town and hike up one of the towers for a beautiful and breath-taking view of Tuscany.

Our excursion to the enchanting town of Siena is only a short distance away from Ebbio.  It will be an opportunity to tour Piazza del Campo, the town square famous for hosting the Palio horse race and see Siena's cathedral, the Duomo.  We'll walk through the narrow streets, dine with new friends and still have plenty of time to peruse the stores and shop!

We will spend one full day journeying South towards the beach to lay in the sun and swim in the ocean.  We come together for our organic, delicious vegetarian picnic lunch prepared for us on the picnic grounds at the beach!  Afterwards, we will drive to the Roman Hot Springs in Petriolo where we can bathe in warm water and munch on cool, fresh watermelon!

Our final excursion will be to a winery to taste a variety of wines, grappa and olive oil.  Afterwards, we visit Castellina in Chianti, a beautiful, quaint town with magnificent shops.  You will have plenty of time to walk the streets, have a Gelato and shop!

Throughout our excursions, we will enjoy spectacular scenery on each trip: undulating hills, terraces of olive trees, country villages and hilltop castles.  Across the main road from Ebbio and less than a mile by foot is the walled castle town of Monteriggioni.  It is a beautifully preserved medieval fortified village built on a hilltop.  We will have plenty of opportunities to walk to the town to tour the local shops, visit the small church, use the internet, sample Gelato, sit in the piazza and sip a glass of Chianti!

Accommodations
All accommodations are shared accommodations.

• Single Room with Shared Bath:  $2100
• Double Room or Triple Room with Shared Bath:  $1800
• 1 Double Room with Separate Entry & Private Bath:  $2200

Sample Daily Schedule

• 7:30am - 9:00am Vinyasa Yoga
• 9:00am - 10:00am Breakfast
• 10:00am - 1:30pm Half Day trip: San Gimignano etc
• 1:30pm - 2:30pm Lunch
• 2:00pm - 5:00pm Walk, Massage, Rest, Horseback riding...
• 5:00pm - 6:30pm Yoga
• 6:30pm - 7:30pm Dinner

Included in the Price of the Trip
Seven nights shared accomodations, three delicious, vegetarian meals daily (except for lunch on the full day trip to Sienna), transportations to and from excursions, two daily yoga classes, and transportation to and from our meeting point on the arrival and departure days.  Please note our meeting point will be confirmed closer to the date of the retreat. Please be sure you check the dates and times before purchasing your airline tickets. The retreat will start in the late afternoon on June 28th and end in the early afternoon on July 5th.

Additional Costs

The cost of your flight to and from Italy in not covered in the price of the trip.  The Florence airport is the closest airport.  You can fly into any airport in Italy and take the train to our pick-up/drop-off location, the Siena train station. I recommend looking at the website www.cheapoair.com to make your flight arrangements. You may choose to arrive to Italy early or stay after the retreat to explore fabulous Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance.  Another option might be to travel to Rome, known as the "eternal city" for it's great beauty, rich history, and many delights!

While at Ebbio you may wish to treat yourself to massage and individual yoga sessions. Appointments may be scheduled upon arrival.

Ebbio has a stable and our host, Franz, is an avid rider. The horses are available for guests' use to explore the surrounding countryside.

To Register for the Retreat
Please email Angela to confirm availability.
Please send a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit of $600 payable to Angela Gavin to the address provided. 
With your deposits please include the participants' full names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers.
Credit cards cannot be accepted at this time.  Payments may be made by check.

Final Payment:
The final payment and remainder of the cost of the retreat will be due on May 1st, 2010.

Contact Information:
Angela Gavin
Email: angela@bodymindbliss.com