We will take pleasure in a relaxed daily schedule that flows from one activity to the next and will vary during the course of the week. All activities are optional.

A typical morning will include a meditation session on the loggia, followed by breakfast in the dining room. Lisa will teach a morning color work session and, after a short break, Suzanne will lead a late morning yoga session. This will be followed by a long lunch at the castle with open time in the afternoons, leaving participants free to relax by the pool, go for a walk, or take a drive to explore nearby Tuscan hill towns.

On Tuesday, after a short morning yoga session, we will spend the day in Florence with an afternoon tour of the Uffizi Gallery, returning for dinner at the castle with time to share the experiences of the day. Thursday lunch is planned at Chianti Cashmere, a nearby farm that produces wonderful cashmere yarn and hand woven shawls. Pisa, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, and Arreza are medieval towns within driving distance, and can be visited afternoons. For those interested in high fashion shopping, both the Prada and Gucci outlets are located in Tuscany.

Evenings will be spent in relaxed open knitting sessions, enjoying the terrace, followed by dinner at 7:30 or 8:00.

Castello di Pergolato was built in the 10^th Century over the foundations of a Roman settlement. The feudal castle was transformed internally in 1450 and in 1500 when it was turned into a villa. Now over 1000 years old, the castle has been lovingly restored by the present owners and is furnished with simple but elegant antiques. There are modern conveniences including an elevator and a swimming pool, and most bedrooms have their own bath. There are several living rooms, a formal dining room, and a huge central hall. Our rates are based upon double occupancy, but a few single rooms will be available on a first come first serve basis. The warm and accommodating staff ensures a most pleasant stay for all visitors.

Our retreat begins with dinner on Saturday June 14 and ends on Saturday June 21 after breakfast. Check out time is 10 am. Traveling from the United States we recommend that you purchase flight tickets to Pisa, Florence, or Rome. Use websites such as Kayak or Expedia to search for the best deals on flights and car rentals. Because of the time difference it is necessary to fly one day before the date you wish to arrive. For instance, if you wanted to arrive in Florence on June 12, and spend 2 days there before Trip 1 begins, it would be necessary to leave the states on June 11. Nearest airports are in Pisa and Florence, but it is usually easier to get a direct flight to Rome. If possible, it is advisable to arrive a day or two early and adjust to your new surroundings with some sightseeing in Florence or Rome.

Once you have arrived in Italy, we recommend that groups of participants join together and rent a car for the week. It is a tremendous advantage to have a car in Tuscany; driving is the only way to get to many of the small towns and vineyards. Most roads are winding 2 lane highways with beautiful views, usually well maintained. Castello di Pergolato is located 12 miles south of Florence and 30 miles from Siena; the closet village is Bargino, about one and a quarter miles away.

By taxi: From Florence, the nearest city, the cost is between 50-70 Euro.
By bus: Take the bus from the Florence bus station (near the train station, Stazione Santa Maria Novella) to Bargino for less than 4 Euros. The last bus leaves around 8 pm. We will pick you up in the village of Bargino. (Castle number: 39 055 8249017)

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