Province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy 5 – 9 October 2021
Locanda Cugnanello Villa is located in the stunning natural beauty of Tuscany in the unspoilt province of Siena. The area is surrounded by rolling green hills, forested valleys, olive groves, lavender and lemon trees. The folds of the Tuscan hills hold historic hamlets, churches and medieval castles.
This country villa has been beautifully renovated, retaining its original authenticity and rustic charm. The architecture is emphatically built in harmony with nature, radiating the golden light of Tuscany. The beautiful bedrooms have been uniquely designed to reflect the colours of the Tuscan landscape.
There is a beautiful pool that overlooks the Tuscan hills and gardens. This Tuscan villa created an idyllic setting for our Italian retreat experience.
We shared a blissful sunrise and sunset sadhana in the classical yoga shala. Moving through beautiful sequencing and creative namaskars, we explored Mythic Vinyasa Flow Yoga inspired by the Indian mythology of Shiva and Shakti. We explored the graceful, soulful sadhana of Dharma Yoga inspired by the Vedantic tradition. In the afternoons, we surrendered to a restorative Yin Yoga practice to rest, renew and rejuvenate.
The Cugnanello chefs created authentic, wholesome Italian cuisine, freshly prepared using the best of local produce. We indulged in melazanne alla parmigiana, colourful salads, salmon, sea bass, home made pasta, tiramisu and Italian wine – this is why we love Italy! On some evenings, we shared a fire circle under the stars.
In the afternoons, yogis walked in the beautiful countryside and Tuscan hills or relaxed by the garden pool surrounded by nature. Our guests indulged in massage and treatments. Some explored the local area on horseback and experienced the culinary culture of Italy in a cookery and wine tasting class. There was the opportunity to explore the Tuscan villages and castles or visit the world famous town of Siena. There are many places and spaces to relax and surrender in the beauty of Tuscany.
We were blessed to retreat together in the beauty of nature, yoga and friendship under the Tuscan sun!
Satisfied Yogis
Thank you, Heidi, for your faultless preparation for this retreat. You took my yoga practice to another level with new poses and sequences. The venue was superb – spacious and comfortable with modern facilities . The food was scrumptious and plentiful. The retreat staff were friendly and helpful. There was so much else to enjoy beyond a full yoga schedule. The memories will be eternal. Marcus Harrington
Our retreat to Tuscany, Italy was amazing! The care, generosity and passion of the hosts at Locanda Cugnanello were second to none and they took such good care of us everyday. The location is peaceful and everything is so gorgeous you instantly feel relaxed on arrival! The yoga was fabulous and the blend of Dharma, Vinyasa and Yin left us feeling challenged but rejuvenated. It was also a lot of fun! Heidi creates such a warm and loving atmosphere that it is always a great bunch of people on her retreats… we come as strangers but always leave as friends! I can’t wait for the next one! Abby Reilly
Thank you for a mega retreat Heidi – it was amazing! Andy Reilly
Thank you for a gorgeous week! Amelia Skyes
The Tuscan Sun Yoga Retreat with Lotus Love Yoga was utterly fantastic! The 800-year-old villa we stayed at for four wonderful nights was beautifully furnished; landscaped grounds wrapped around the impeccable accommodation looking out to stunning views – truly ‘bella vista!’
Every one of Heidi’s yoga classes, both vinyasa and yin yoga sessions were carefully crafted and delivered with passion and positivity! It was wonderful to be abroad again practising with such lovely international company.
Aside from the daily yoga, we were able to explore the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside on horseback during one of a choice of activities. Day 3 offered an Italian cooking course and day 4 wine tasting with Chianti of course! I opted in for all and didn’t regret one moment.
In between activities there was plenty of time to rest and recuperate with the added bonus of having a brilliant masseuse, Yasmin on site. I booked a full body massage on day 2 and a head massage on day 3 as I really couldn’t resist going back for more wellbeing time. I genuinely floated out of these treatments feeling lighter and brighter.
I can recommend booking a hire car to get you from Pisa airport to the villa and so you have the freedom to explore this romantic land some more. We adventured into nearby Sienna on day 4 for some culture, coffee and gelato! All lived up to expectations.
Last but by no means least, we feasted every day on freshly prepared, hearty Italian meals. It was simply divine. Having spent time with Marco (the chef) in the kitchen during the cooking course, learning how to cook ravioli the Italian way, I fell deeper in love with this country and its food.
With fab yoga, fab food and fab people, I couldn’t have asked for a better retreat, lovingly organised and delivered by Heidi and the villa team for a very reasonable price. Thank you so much – missing it already! Hannah Smithson
This was a wonderful retreat! The location was gorgeous, an old beautifully renovated villa. We had it all to ourselves which made us feel at home. The Cugnanello staff are great and the food was delicious! Yoga with Heidi was inspiring and challenging, especially the Vinyasa Flow in the mornings, loved it! Hannah Richter
The sisters loved this yoga retreat with Heidi! Heidi has wonderful enthusiasm, passion and she teaches from her heart. The whole Cugnanello team are fantastic! The villa, surroundings and food are just perfect. Carole and Nathalie
Thank you, Heidi, for your faultless preparation for this retreat. You took my yoga practice to another level with new poses and sequences. The venue was superb – spacious and comfortable with modern facilities . The food was scrumptious and plentiful. The retreat staff were friendly and helpful. There was so much else to enjoy beyond a full yoga schedule. The memories will be eternal. 
