The Authentic Tuscany Experience!

Discover Tuscany beyond the guidebooks.  Dive into authentic Italian culture, relax, and escape the usual tourist crowds.

Your Hosts:

Maria Alfaro is a native italian and a California resident since 1997. Her eclectic background includes massage, dance, Chinese martial arts,  and decades of teaching different styles of yoga. She is also a senior TRE® Certification Trainer and the co-creator of Neurogenic Yoga™, a sister method of TRE®.

Since 2004, Maria has facilitated Yoga and TRE® for thousands of people in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East by leading hundreds of public workshops and over 130 certification trainings worldwide.

During this weeklong retreat Maria will teach an energizing yoga class in the morning, which will be geared towards the participants’ needs and abilities and a restorative class or a TRE® session in the afternoon, depending on the participants’ preference.

Maria is known for creating a supportive, compassionate, and entertaining learning environment that is fun and feels safe.

Marco Chelo, is an Italian musician and travel agent who divides his time between New York and Italy.
With an in-depth knowledge of the region, Marco promises to unveil Tuscany’s secrets, taking you to spots usually reserved for the locals. Marco has been organizing trips to Tuscany for his music school for many years.

Check the about section for more information about your hosts

Stay: Our retreat is the charming “Agriturismo La Pineta“, a working farm and vineyard nestled in Tuscany’s heart. Its central location offers convenient access to renowned cities like Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Montecatini, and Vinci. La Pineta features 5 elegant rooms in the main house and 5 exquisite apartments on the estate. Guests can also enjoy a pristine swimming pool and expansive terraces ideal for outdoor yoga. Sheltered spots ensure uninterrupted sessions even in unpredictable weather.

Activities:

• • Invigorating morning yoga sessions and soothing evening restorative yoga.
  • Tranquil hikes along age-old trails.
  • Tours of medieval towns steeped in history.
  • Organic wine tastings and authentic pasta-making lessons.
  • Relaxing visits to thermal baths.
  • Explorations of Florence, Lucca, Pisa, and other cities.

All these activities are part of your package, ensuring a worry-free experience! 

Day 1 – May 26- Arrival

• Upon Arrival: Transfer from San Miniato-Fucecchio Train Station to “Agriturismo La Pineta”. Free time to unpack and relax by the pool (depending on the month).
• 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Optional restorative yoga session for jet lag recovery.
• 7:00pm: Dinner in the garden featuring local specialties.

Day 2 – May 27 – Lucca

• 8:00am – 9:15am: Morning yoga session.
• 9:15am – 10:00am: Breakfast.
• 10:30am: Depart for Lucca. Enjoy scenic views, visit the ancient town, lunch in a local restaurant, and return to the farm in the afternoon.
• 5:00pm – 5:30pm: Tour of the garden and vineyard, wine tasting, and pasta-making lesson.
• 7:30pm: Dinner featuring our self-made pasta.
• 9:30pm: Optional evening outing to Fucecchio or San Miniato for ice cream.

Day 3 – May 28 – Pinocchio & Thermal Baths

• 8:00am – 9:15am: Morning yoga session.
• 9:15am – 10:00am: Breakfast.
• 10:30am: Drive to Collodi and visit the birthplace of Pinocchio’s author and the Garzoni Park. Lunch in a local restaurant.
• 2:00pm: Drive to Grotta Giusti for thermal baths. Optional massage and beauty treatments available.
• 6:00pm: Return to La Pineta for restorative yoga, TRE® session, and dinner.

Day 4 – May 29 – Florence

• 8:00am – 9:15am: Morning yoga session.
• 9:00am – 10:00am: Breakfast.
• 10:00am: Train ride to Florence. Explore historical sites, which may include Santa Maria Novella, Piazza del Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza Del Carmine, Mercato di Sant Ambrogio, Oltrarno, Boboli gardens, and Piazza Santo Spirito. Dinner in Borgo San Frediano.
• Evening: Return to La Pineta.

Day 5 – May 30 –  Beach Day & Pisa

• 8:00am – 9:15am: Morning yoga session.
• 9:15am – 10:00am: Breakfast.
• 10:30am: Depart for the Tuscan coast. Visit a beach or coastal town, lunch, and then explore Pisa.
• 6:00pm: Return to La Pineta for restorative yoga, TRE® session, and dinner.

Day 6 – May 31 – Via Francigena

• 8:00am – 9:15am: Morning yoga session
• 9:15am – 10:00am: Breakfast.
• 10:30am: Walk a section of Via Francigena. Begin in Fucecchio, move to Ponte a Cappiano, and then explore Ponte a Cappiano. Walk back to Cerbaie in the afternoon.
• 6:00pm:  restorative yoga session & dinner.

Day 7 – June 1st 

• 8:00am – 9:15am: Morning yoga session.
• 9:15am – 10:00am: Breakfast.
• free day to relax and enjoy nature, we can organize a spontaneous activity as a group, visit a village for last minute shopping or sit by the pool.
• 6:00pm:  Restorative yoga session & dinner

Day 8 – June 2nd 

• Morning: Breakfast.
• Departure: Transfer to the train station for onward journey.

• Driver/Coordinator services
• Vineyard tour with wine tasting and pasta-making class
• Daily breakfast at La Pineta
• Six delightful dinners at La Pineta
• Excursions to Lucca, Florence, Thermal Baths, Collodi, and more
• Transportation in a 9-seater minivan, inclusive of highway tolls and gas
• Seven nights’ stay at La Pineta
• Round-trip train tickets to Florence
• Entry fees for Collodi Park and Grotta Giusti Thermal Baths
• Transfers from San Miniato-Fucecchio train station to La Pineta

• Lunch expenses
• Dinner during the Florence visit
• Museum entrance fees
• Airport transfers ( airport transfers from Pisa or Florence available at an extra charge of approx 120 euro each way)