Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Tuscany: A Week of Practice, Culture, and Italian Summer

The villa sits in the Tuscan countryside and is reserved entirely for this group for the week. It's a working retreat venue, meaning the yoga studio is purpose-built — mats, blocks, straps, bolsters and a rope wall if you want to use it — rather than a cleared-out lounge. Practice happens there, with the studio set up for both vinyasa-style flow and slower yin work. April teaches vinyasa, yin and prenatal yoga and is an E-RYT 200 and RYT 500 through Yoga Alliance; Bridget is also E-RYT 200 and RYT 500, plus Yoga Kurunta ropes wall certified, and holds both Yoga for Healthy Aging and Accessible Yoga certifications. Between them they cover a lot of ground: strong flow, slower held postures, accessible options, and the anatomy behind it all.

A typical day starts with meditation and a yoga class before breakfast, then a longer free block until lunch. Afternoons are yours — swim, sleep, walk, read, or head into a nearby town. There's a second class in the late afternoon or early evening, then dinner. On the days the group goes out — Lucca and Pietrasanta are both mentioned — dinner is in town instead, and those meals aren't included in the price.

The location is what makes this different from a generic yoga week. You're in Tuscany in late June, which means warm days, long light, and easy access to Lucca's walls and Pietrasanta's sculpture studios. The villa grounds are big enough that the group can spread out, so it doesn't feel like you're on top of each other for seven days. Other excursions beyond Lucca and Pietrasanta can be arranged for an extra cost if you want to do more.

April has dual Italian citizenship and has lived part-time in Italy for the last two years, and she's led retreats in Italy before — so the restaurant recommendations, the timing of the trips and the general logistics come from someone who actually knows the area rather than a tour operator. She also holds a PhD in English and weaves poetry and yogic philosophy into some classes, which gives the teaching a bit more texture than a standard drop-in class.

Bridget's side of it is alignment and accessibility. She teaches the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics portions of the Advanced Studies Program at PRANA Yoga + Wellbeing, and her certifications in Yoga for Healthy Aging and Accessible Yoga mean the classes work for people with stiffer joints, old injuries or less experience. She's also Yoga Kurunta ropes wall certified, so if you've ever wanted to try wall ropes for supported backbends or inversions, this is a chance to do it properly.

Accommodation is in two-person rooms at the villa, with either a private or shared bathroom depending on which you book. All meals are included except dinners on excursion days. The food is vegetarian-forward with vegan and gluten-free options, cooked at the villa. Payment plans are available if you'd rather spread the cost.

What's included

- 7 nights of lodging at the Tuscan villa - Three meals per day at the villa - Daily yoga classes - Daily meditation classes - Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meal options - Use of the dedicated yoga studio and props - Excursion to Lucca - Excursion to Pietrasanta

What's not included

- Flights to and from Italy - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Dinners on excursion days (when the group eats in Lucca and Pietrasanta) - Optional excursions beyond Lucca and Pietrasanta - Personal expenses