About The Retreat
Join us in the spectacular Dolomite region of Italy for a week of luxurious self-care, daily yoga, forest bathing meditation, spa time, and learning how to find ease and flow in our lives.
Your Retreat Host & Guide
Amy Commander
Amy found yoga in 2003 after a knee injury from long distance running. Following the advice of a friend, she started taking classes in an effort to help get her knee healthy enough to continue running in marathons and racing.
It did not take long for her to realise that yoga was a much healthier and more sustainable form of mental and spiritual exercise, eventually leaving running behind in favour of yoga. In 2008, Amy opened her first yoga studio that she successfully ran for over twelve years.
In addition to being a studio owner and having over 14 years experience actively teaching, Amy is an accomplished intuitive. Having completed her advanced training with Astrologer Debra Silverman, Amy enjoys providing in-depth astrology readings to support members in their healing journey.
She is also a certified master Reiki healer, an oracle/tarot reader, and certified holistic nutrition counsellor. After losing one of her closest friends to cancer in 2020, Amy went back to school for nutrition, successfully graduating from IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition). Amy has since started a new business, Yogi Bites, offering nutrition services of all kinds, including home baked goods. She is the owner of “The Studio”, in St Augustine Florida.
Retreat Venue
Our retreat home for the 5 nights is Castel Fragsburg Relais & Chateau in South Tyrol, located on a mountain ledge high above Merano with views of the Adige valley. It offers peace and quiet, paired with fresh, clear mountain air and wonderful views. Distinguished not only by its style, but also by its unique philosophy and art de vivre, it is a true refuge surrounded by glorious, unspoiled nature.
Inside its twenty suites, discover elegant interiors that combine alpine comfort and Mediterranean sensuality for optimal relaxation. This spirit is echoed in the Alchemistic Healing Spa, the first of its kind, which offers marvellous beauty treatments, as well as in the jacuzzi and the heated outdoor pool, where unforgettable moments under the sun are sure to be had. In the gourmet restaurant, the South Tyrolean chef highlights healthy regional products and invites you to savour exquisite aromas that also serve as wonderful elixirs of life.
Day Trips
Our day trips will allow us to experience the many unique landscapes and activities that this area has to offer. We will not only enjoy the expansive grounds of the hotel, castle and gardens, but also will venture to a nearby winery for a tour and tasting one day before visiting the famous Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, a botanical garden nestled into a twelve-hectare amphitheatre at an altitude differential of 100 meters. Trauttmansdorff offers spectacular views of exotic gardens and breathtaking vistas of the surrounding mountains and the spa resort town of Merano.
We also will take a day for some time in the town of Merano “where the Mediterranean meets the Alps”. A modern mix of culture, history, Mediterranean flair and Alpine charm gives the city in the heart of South Tyrol a levity typical within that region.
Guests and locals alike can sense the joie de vivre that’s all part of the flair. Exclusive boutiques and bars have become an integral part of the picturesque alleyways, which are also lined with magnificent historical buildings.
Go for a stroll along the promenades and alleyways that carve their way through this gem of a city or walk along the Tappeiner Promenade, past the Powder Tower, taking in the enticing aromas of the public herb garden and end up at the Mediterranean terraces. After some time to explore we’ll enjoy a gourmet meal in town.
Another day will be spent further in the mountains at a local farm to see how some of the food, plants, and products are produced – of course we’ll enjoy a lunch as well. Then we will round out the week with spa treatments at the on-site Healing Spa where the resident Alchemistic Spa uses the power and energies of nature to pamper and have an effect on the body, mind and soul in equal measure.
We’ll also get to have a private lesson from this modern alchemist, an expert in natural healing, incense and holistic nutrition who combines the healing knowledge of her ancestors in a ‘biophilia expedition’ where we’ll learn about and use the plant-based concoctions.
One morning will be spent on a guided meditation walk of “Forest Bathing” (shinrin-yoku in Japanese) where we will full immerse ourselves in the healing nature of the forests surrounding the castle.
Cuisine
Healthful, vegetarian food is part of the retreat experience, including breakfast and dinner daily, as well as selected lunches. We’ve carefully chosen delicious and fresh meals from renowned restaurants and chefs which will give guests an expansive experience of the cuisine.
Our dinners will include a few multi-course tasting menus at the hotel’s restaurant, emphasizing honest, healthy, and delicious Italian food, as well as various meals out in town and on our day trips.
We’ll experience a visit to a winery for a tasting, a farm tour with samples of the local specialties, and learn about the nourishment that is foraged from the forests. We’ll end the week with a farewell dinner at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant with a tasting menu and wine pairing.
Retreat price
6 days / 5 nights
Inclusive Retreat Price = $4,695 (shared room*), + various options for upgraded room or single supplement.
Deposit to hold space = $1500
Max # Guests = 14
Includes
- Hotel Accommodation (spacious bedrooms each with private bathrooms, linens)
- Daily Breakfast and Dinner
- Transportation to/from day trips
- Daily yoga classes
- Use of hotel amenities (spa, pool, gardens, trails)
- Welcome Reception
- Winery Visit, Tour & Tasting
- Visit to the famous Trauttmansdorff Gardens & Castle
- Time in the historic town of Merano
- Gourmet Dinner in Merano
- Visit to mountain farm for tasting (cheese, fermentation class, etc)
- Spa Treatment
- Guided Forest Bathing Meditation Walk
- Biophilia Experience with Modern Alchemist
- Michelin starred Dinner & Wine Pairing
- Taxesi
Does not include
- Airfare
- Insurance
What past guests have said
“It’s hard to know where to begin. The week was, in a word, magical, and even my most sincere thanks aren’t enough. After following these retreats for a year, I can hardly believe I was able to experience it myself. You are an inspiration. Your thoughtful planning and extensive research comes through with every detail – the pre-retreat emails, the welcome bag and note, the extraordinary meals and excursions, the yoga classes which always seemed to be just what we needed. It was a privilege to meet you and to be in your positive energy and glow for a week. I take none of it for granted.” Paige
“I am so grateful that I got to join this beautiful retreat week. I felt so happy the whole week. The yoga classes gave me an inner peace and well-being and I can’t wait to experience it again. Everyday was filled with what felt like the exact thing I wanted to do, the people in the group were fabulous, every one of them, lots of laughs and happy moments together. The experience still sits in my system and I know it gave me the final kick to change my life, I am in process, for me it was an important moment. I can’t wait for the next one, and as I am an returning guest – I know I’ve become addicted! Thank you for everything!”. Ane – Oslo, Norway
How to get here
Located in Ravello, just above the town of Amalfi, a convenient drive from the Naples train station.
AIRPORTS: Naples International Airport (NAP), Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
What to pack
Besides the basic packing and travel needs, here are a few things to think about bringing with you.
– Bathing suit (on-site pool, spa day)
– Yoga clothes
– Personal yoga props (blocks, straps, etc.)
– Plug adaptors / converters
– Comfortable walking shoes
– Journal
Booking
To book or enquire about this Self Care, Flow and Forest Bathing Dolomites Retreat, please fill in the form below. We will get back to you shortly!
