Gastronomic Yoga Retreat

Our journey opens with a private transfer from Florence into the rolling Chianti hills, where the Frescobaldi estate uncorks its finest labels for an in-depth cellar tour and tasting. A brief stop at a panoramic viewpoint sets the sunset mood before we settle in at a farmer-winemaker’s rustic homestead for a generous dinner built around the legendary bistecca alla fiorentina and time-honoured family recipes. Afterward we check into our historic villa and, if energy allows, wander the lamp-lit lanes of the nearby hill-town.

After breakfast—and a peek at the lively town market for those who wish—we drive into oak woods to join a professional hunter and his eager dog in the search for fragrant truffles. The foraged treasure is shaved fresh over a multi-course farmhouse lunch at an artisanal natural-wine estate where the winemaker himself presides over the stove. An optional sip at Sting’s winery enoteca adds sparkle to the afternoon before sunset yoga on the villa terrace and a relaxed wine-and-tapas supper.

We bid our first villa farewell and travel toward Val d’Orcia, pausing at a national-heritage estate made famous by a Bertolucci film. The resident count guides us through frescoed halls and vineyards, then hosts a refined lunch paired with the family’s vintages. Scenic backroads lead us to our second countryside residence, where leisure by the pool melts into sunset yoga and a casual al-fresco dinner overlooking endless cypress lines.

A sunrise flow and hearty breakfast set the tone for a deep dive into pecorino: on a hill-side dairy the exuberant cheesemaker ushers us through tastings and a farm lunch rich with local flavours. We stroll the Renaissance jewel of Pienza, savoring its flower-framed lanes and valley vistas, then cruise Crete Senesi’s “lunar” landscapes of silvery clay ridges and iconic cypress avenues. The day concludes with an elegant dinner in a castle’s panoramic restaurant before we return beneath starlit skies.

Following yoga and breakfast, we venture to Siena for a guided walk through the Duomo, Piazza del Campo and hidden contrade alleys, with free time for espresso or gelato in medieval courtyards. En route back we pause in a small village studio to toast an Italian artist, then step into a stately family home where a young chef leads a hands-on workshop; as golden light sweeps the vineyards, we feast together on our own creations.

A final gentle practice and leisurely breakfast give us one last taste of villa life before check-out and a comfortable drive back to Florence, leaving hearts and palates full until our next Tuscan encounter.