Farm Life and Yoga Escape in the Italian Hills

The retreat base is an organic farm at the foot of the Abruzzi National Park, in a valley that's genuinely beautiful and still off the main tourist trail. The farm grows its own Mediterranean fruit, vegetables, and olives, keeps animals, and produces its own wine. Guests can wander the property, pick fruit from the trees, or follow the hiking trails that start right from the land. What makes this place different from a standard hotel-based yoga holiday is the working farm element—you're staying on a property where food is grown and animals are kept, with a steady stream of volunteers, other guests, and the host family all sharing the same space. The atmosphere is more like an extended house party than a retreat centre. Mornings start with yoga. Ana leads hatha classes, often outdoors near a creek in the woods, and she teaches in a way that suits beginners as well as people with a lot of practice. The rest of the day is open. You can join a guided hike, book a Reiki session with Ana, do an Italian cooking class, visit the local cheese-making shepherd, or just take a bus into Sora—a proper Italian town of about 35,000 people with cafés, shops, and a Thursday-morning market. The included horseback ride takes you along a river to a 13th-century church ruin, with views of an old castle. Antonello, the host, is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher who grew up on this farm and has spent years studying and teaching yoga in India and Thailand. He's got a lot of stories, and he's the kind of host who'll climb a ladder to pick you grapes the moment you arrive. The group of teachers varies depending on the week—Ana is usually there, and others join for specific retreats. Meals are a highlight. Dinners bring everyone to the table for pasta made by hand that day, vegetables from the garden, local cheese, and eggs from the farm's chickens. The food is simple, seasonal, and genuinely homemade. This isn't a flashy retreat with spa treatments and infinity pools—it's a farm at the edge of a national park, with the realities (and the charm) that come with that. If that sounds appealing, you'll probably have a wonderful time.

What's included

- 3 nights accommodation in a shared dorm or private room - 3 breakfasts (vegetarian Italian) - 3 dinners (traditional Italian vegetarian buffet) - 3 hatha yoga classes - 1 horseback riding tour - Access to local hiking trails - Free fruit from the farm (in season)

What's not included

- Flights - Airport transfers - Lunch (available for an extra cost) - Wine and additional drinks - Additional activities (Reiki, cooking classes, etc.) - Travel insurance