Most days start the same way: 7am vinyasa with Patty. Her classes focus on precise alignment and creative sequencing, and she finishes with meditation based on techniques backed by research. Breakfast follows at 8am. The late morning is when the workshops happen, including a yoga workshop on day two, soap making on day three, forest bathing on day five, and another workshop on day seven. Lunch is at noon. Late afternoon brings the second class of the day, which is gentler: yin, guided Yoga Nidra or slow flow. Dinner is at 6pm, which leaves the evenings free for sitting outside with a glass of the estate's wine.

The outings are a real step up from what a lot of yoga weeks offer. Day four is a full day out. You leave at 9am for Montepulciano, a medieval hill town known for its red wine, with a shopping stop in Pienza or Montepulciano. Then you head to Bagno Vignoni, where the hot springs have been used since Roman times, and you're back at the villa by 4pm for yoga. On day six you drive up Monte Labbro after lunch to visit Merigar, one of the main Dzogchen Buddhist centres in Europe, and you're back in time for the 5pm class.

The creative side sets this week apart from a straight yoga intensive. You get a watercolour class with a travel kit to take home, a soap-making workshop, an Italian cooking class on day five, and a regional wine tasting on day two. The schedule is full but not punishing. There are usually a few free hours after lunch for the pool, a nap, or a walk through the vineyards.

The estate is a working organic wine farm with four stone villas set among forest, vineyards, olive groves and mountain streams. It has a dedicated yoga studio and an outdoor yoga deck. There are two places to swim: a regular pool and a natural swimming pool. The creeks and streams on the property are also there to explore. Much of what you eat comes straight from the farm.

Patty Perlman is the lead teacher and the face of Mana Yoga, the Australian studio and retreat company running the trip. She's hands-on before you arrive as well, with a group Zoom call and one-on-one calls to help you plan your travel. Yoga teachers who come along can earn Yoga Alliance continuing education credits.

The Maremma itself is quieter and more rural than the Chianti and Florence circuit. It has rolling hills, small villages with piazzas, thermal springs, and long views over the countryside. You get the Tuscan food and scenery without the tour buses.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation on a private 50-hectare organic wine estate - Welcome lunch in Florence - Transfer option to and from Florence - All meals at the retreat - In-house chef and villa staff - Yoga and meditation twice daily - Yoga philosophy workshops - Watercolour art class and travel watercolour kit - Italian cooking class - Tuscan region wine tasting - Forest bathing experience - Soap making workshop - Shopping day trip to Pienza / Montepulciano - Bagno Vignoni hot springs visit - Trip to Monte Labbro and Merigar Buddhist community - Use of two swimming pools - Professional photos of the retreat - Yoga Alliance credits for yoga teachers - Pre-retreat Zoom call and personal planning calls with Patty

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance (mandatory) - Massages (€70, paid on arrival) - Personal expenses and shopping - Meals in Florence outside the welcome lunch

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