5-Day Luxury Yoga & Wellness Escape in Italy's Wine Country

Lakshmi Rising's retreats are built around a simple idea: everything is optional, so you take what you need each day. The structure comes from the yoga teacher training running alongside you. Mornings start with a silent sunrise meditation and chanting session, followed by a 90-minute vinyasa flow. After that, the day opens up. You can join a posture workshop, an Ayurveda lecture, or a philosophy discussion — or you could be in Verona by lunch, seeing Juliet's balcony and eating gelato.

The teaching is led by Dr. Elizabeth Lindh, who founded Lakshmi Rising after decades running The Sanctuary at Two Rivers in Costa Rica. She's trained in the vinyasa lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya through T.K.V. Desikachar and Shiva Rea, holds a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and has trained over 1,200 yoga teachers from nearly 50 countries. Her style weaves classical philosophy with modern anatomy and integrative medicine, and she's written a 580-page textbook that anchors the program.

While the retreat is separate from the teacher training, you're welcome to sit in on any training session. The result is a genuinely rich week: you might spend one morning learning how to sequence a class, another afternoon dissecting yoga philosophy, and the next day not doing any yoga at all and instead cycling through the countryside. Saturdays are dedicated to excursions — wine tasting on the estate, a beach day on Lake Garda, or an opera at Verona's ancient amphitheater.

The location is hard to beat. Villa dei Cipressi sits on the highest hilltop in Sona, a grand estate with antique furniture, original artwork, and sweeping views over working vineyards. It's recognized as a Heritage site, but it's only 20 minutes from Verona's city center and close to Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake. There's a pool, a small library, and acres of gardens to wander.

What's included

- 4 nights accommodation in the historic Villa dei Cipressi or Vineyard Manor - 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals (vegan and vegetarian) - Fruit and snacks available all day - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Welcome drink - Daily yoga classes - Daily meditation classes - Daily pranayama classes - Specialized workshops - Group excursions/activities - Pre and post retreat support from our team - Air-conditioning available in select rooms - Wi-Fi connection in designated areas

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Flights cost - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Additional activities not included in the itinerary - Personal expenses - Additional treatments