il momento magico . . .

The magical moment.

It’s that moment you first arrive at Locanda Cugnanello and your heart stirs.
That moment sipping a superb cafe as the sun slowly warms la terra Toscana.
That moment sitting quietly in the tranquility of the ancient Tuscan earth.
That moment basking in the intoxicating Tuscan light—the light that inspired the artists of the Renaissance.
That moment enjoying a glass of vino as the sun sets over the hills.
That moment slowly savoring a taste of local formaggio and olio d’olivia.
That moment of spontaneous laughter shared with friends old and new.

Let yourself experience il momento magico. Countless magical moments await as you immerse yourself in the seductive beauty of le colline della Toscana for this weeklong wellness and cultural adventure.

THE TUSCANY RETREAT EXPERIENCE

Our home for the week is an 800-year-old villa – Locanda Cugnanello – that sits majestically on a hill in rural Tuscany, inviting us to retreat in its tranquil antiquity. Close by there is natural beauty to explore and country roads that lead to medieval towns like Radicondoli, San Gimignano, and Siena.

The senses are enlivened by the deep, golden light that has lured travelers for centuries; the captivating hills, with vineyards, cypress trees, and olive groves; and the rich culture and history of Tuscany. This place delivers picturesque images, dignified hilltop villages, exquisite cuisine, and the enchanting Tuscan people.

Daily mindfulness and movement practices complement our adventures, as we take time to soak in the Tuscan sun, breathe deep the fresh country air, and embark on excursions to explore the exquisite beauty of this rich land. Each day begins with a sunrise contemplation, and most days include one or two additional practices, depending on the other amazing adventures we have planned for the day.

• 7 nights lodging at Locanda Cugnanello, a beautifully restored 800-year-old villa in the Tuscan countryside.

• Sunrise reflection and daily movement practices.

• All meals (except for lunch on two day-trips)—fresh, delicious, locally sourced, and prepared with love.

• Complimentary house wine offered nightly with dinner.

• Day-trip to the San Gimignano countryside. We embark on a one-of-a-kind “Wandering Art” hiking tour with our fabulous local guide, Erica. We walk part of the Via Francigena ancient pilgrimage trail, catch incredible views of San Gimignano’s striking medieval towers, and visit a Romanesque church. We finish at Erica’s childhood home to see her father’s sculpture studio and enjoy her mother’s musical talent on the piano. This unique tour leaves us with sights and sounds to treasure forever.

• Day-trip to Siena, a thriving medieval town known for its pride and independent spirit that for centuries has enchanted visitors and locals alike. A guided tour gives us a taste of the many treasures of this beautiful walled city, including learning about the famed Palio di Siena, a centuries-old, highly spirited annual horse race that dominates Sienese civic culture. Lunch is on your own.

• Visit to a Tuscan winery for a tour and wine-tasting.

• Agriturismo outing to a local family-owned cheese farm for a tour and tasting. The tasting and entire experience is incredible–it’s Linda’s favorite!

• Wine tasting on site at Cugnanello: Pietro, the gregarious proprietor of the popular Enoteca Il Salotto in nearby Colle di Val d'Elsa, delivers an entertaining and informative tasting of wines, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in Cugnanello’s cozy wine cellar.

• Pizza night—build-your-own pizza, cooked in an outdoor, traditional Tuscan wood-fire brick oven.

• All-day beverage service at Locanda Cugnanello, including Italian coffee, hot chocolate and hot tea; sparkling water and juices; and filtered water (bring your own refillable bottle).

• Group transportation between Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN) Train Station and Locanda Cugnanello on the first and last days of the retreat.

• Hiking (includes transportation to trail heads, when needed).

• Van transportation for short trips near Cugnanello.

• Outdoor saltwater swimming pool (not heated).

• Boccia ball, sand volleyball, and fitness room.

What’s NOT Included:

• Airfare

• Cost of lunch on day-trips to Siena and San Gimignano.

• Cost of extra activities, such as cooking lesson, massage, and horseback riding

• Cost of travel insurance (highly recommended; see below)

• Gratuities (e.g., for tour guides and retreat venue staff)

LINDA’S VISION FOR THE RETREAT: My vision for this retreat is that each person tap into what she, he, or they might need or want to feel grounded in all bodies and for their heart to expand. I will offer a range of practices, and you are welcome to participate in as many or as few as you wish, depending on what calls you.

Movement offers benefits for brain health and an enhanced sense of well-being, including feelings of being grounded and relaxed. I love to move and to experience movement in new ways, learning about myself in the process. I bring this passion to how I teach, and my hope is that we each come away from this experience with tools to support us on our journey.

The following are my offerings for our week together. These will vary day to day to accommodate our cultural experiences and excursions.

Sunrise Reflection: Wake up early to catch a Tuscan Sunrise! And meet for an early morning contemplation that will set you up for many magical moments each day. Weather permitting, we will meet outside. Wear layered clothing to keep warm.

Wisdom Flow: A mindfully sequenced, alignment-based vinyasa flow practice that tunes into the wisdom of the body. This invigorating style of yoga awakens the connection between breath, mindfulness and movement, with balanced strength and stability, supported flexibility and mobility, and inspiring insights and poems. Options are always offered.

Whole Body Therapeutics: An exploration of therapeutics that awakens our interoceptive skills (i.e., how our body miraculously communicates with our brain). We delve into the nuances of intuitive and functional movement and expressive shapes through the lens of pranayam (breath); slow, fluid movement sequences (viniyoga); somatic themes; guided visualizations; and restoration. This practice beautifully regulates the nervous system and makes us feel like a million bucks! A great offering for everyone!

Restorative Practice: Certain days will include a late afternoon or early evening practice with elements of slow, fluid movement; yin yoga; restorative yoga; or yoga nidra.

Each day there are a number of scheduled activities. There is no pressure to do it all. Participate in as much or as little as you wish. This is your retreat, so create the experience you want and need. Give yourself time and space to relax and renew in body, mind and spirit. Go at your own pace. Honor your inner nudges and let them guide you to an appropriate level of engagement, striking a healthy balance between community time and time on your own.

Take time for yourself and take advantage of all this place has to offer — open spaces, breathtaking views, peaceful solitude, and nature's bounty all around. Let it refresh and nourish you!

NEAREST AIRPORTS:
You can fly directly to Florence from numerous U.K. and European cities, and directly to Rome from a number of U.S. cities (sometimes with cheaper fares than Florence). Train travel is fast and efficient in Italy, so don’t be afraid to fly into a different city and hop a train to Florence, where group transportation will be provided to and from Locanda Cugnanello (the retreat venue).

• Florence [FLR] (nearest): Transport options from the airport to the Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN) Train Station (where group transportation to Cugnanello will pick up) include:

  • Taxi: 10- to 15-minute trip; fare is about 25 euros

  • Tramway: The T2 Vespucci-Unita light rail line departs from the airport for the SMN train station every 5 or 6 minutes during peak hours; 11 stops, 20 minutes to SMN station; fare is 1.5 euros (buy ticket at kiosk before boarding)

  • Click here for additional information on travel to/from FLR.

• Pisa [PSA]: 60-90 min by train to Florence SMN station

• Bologna [BLQ]: 60-90 min by train to Florence SMN station

• Rome [FCO]: 2 hours by train to Florence SMN station (30-min train from FCO to Rome Termini Train Station, then transfer to a 90-min high-speed train from Rome Termini to Florence SMN)

• Milan [MXP]: 2 hrs 30 min by train to Florence SMN station

TRAVEL TIPS and SUGGESTIONS:

• TRAIN TRAVEL to Florence from other airports is easy — Train travel in Italy is convenient and efficient, and can be fun, too! If you find favorable flights into an alternate airport (see above), it’s easy enough to hop a train to Florence, where group transportation will be provided to and from the retreat venue. You can find train schedules at http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en.

• ARRIVAL timing: Consider arriving a day (or more) early to avoid travel delays and beat the jet lag — If your schedule allows, we highly recommend you arrive in Florence or elsewhere in Italy at least one day prior to the start of the retreat, to allow for unexpected travel delays and to shake off the jet lag—-at least a bit—-so you are better rested and refreshed for the start of the retreat.

• DEPARTURE timing: Consider staying an extra day (or more) after the retreat — We recommend that you stay over Saturday night in the city of your departure airport and fly out on Sunday, so as to not feel rushed, and to ease your transition from “retreat” mode back into daily life.

For detailed information and suggestions regarding travel insurance, visit our Retreat Travel Considerations page.

We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover the nonrefundable costs of your trip, including airfare, your nonrefundable deposit, and the full retreat fee, which is nonrefundable after the refund cutoff date.

PLEASE NOTE: As a small business with financial obligations to the retreat venue and other service providers, we are unable to issue refunds for cancellations after the refund cutoff date, regardless of the reason for the cancellation. Travel insurance is the best way to protect your financial interest in the event an unforeseen circumstance prevents you from participating in the retreat, in whole or in part.

Depending on the type of policy you purchase, travel insurance can protect you to varying degrees in the following situations: 

• You cancel your participation in the retreat.

• The retreat is cancelled due to weather, natural disaster, political upheaval or other unforeseen circumstance.

• Your luggage is lost.

• You become ill or injured and incur medical expenses and/or repatriation costs.

• You trip is interrupted, causing unexpected additional expenses.

For more information and suggestions regarding travel insurance, visit our Retreat Travel Considerations page.

ACCOMMODATIONS and PRICING

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: 

• If registering before July 12, 2024, a $500 Nonrefundable Deposit is due with your completed registration form, with the Balance Due July 12, 2024. 

• If registering on or after July 12, 2024, Full Payment must be submitted with your completed registration form.

FORMS of PAYMENT ACCEPTED:

• Zelle (direct bank-to-bank funds transfer)

• Check made payable to LINDA MEACCI YOGA

• Credit card (a 3% processing fee applies)

CANCELLATION and REFUND POLICY:

• A Cancellation Fee of $500 applies to all cancellations. The $500 Nonrefundable Deposit serves as the Cancellation Fee.

• Cancellation requests must be made via EMAIL to info@lindameacciyoga.com.

• If cancellation request is received on or before July 12, 2024: Your payment(s) will be refunded, except for the $500 Cancellation Fee.

• After July 12, 2024, no refunds will be given.

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

• We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover the nonrefundable costs of your trip, including your airfare, nonrefundable deposit, and full retreat fee, which is nonrefundable after the refund cutoff date.

• PLEASE NOTE: As a small business with financial commitments to the retreat venue and other service providers, we are unable to issue refunds for cancellations after the refund cutoff date, regardless of the reason for the cancellation.

• Travel insurance is the best way to protect your financial interests in the event an unforeseen circumstance prevents you from participating in the retreat, in whole or in part. See the TRAVEL INSURANCE section above for more information.