Olive Harvest

RETREAT

Tuscany, Italy

farmed & foraged cooking, yoga, olive oil making, and conscious living at Maraviglia, Tuscany

THE

LOCATION

Maraviglia conscious living center is located in the small town of Monte San Savino set in the beautiful Tuscan Italian countryside.  Enjoy your stay in an old Italian villa surrounded by olive groves and the rolling hills of the area.  The various nooks & spaces in and around the villa allow for you to connect with others or escape for some well-deserved alone time. Our family-style meals will be vegetable-forward and will highlight the seasonal local produce harvested from Gianlucas' farm next door and the surrounding orchards. The villa is located just a fifteen minute walk from the old town, so feel free to take a stroll and explore the local streets & markets in your free time.

YOUR LEADERS

Kim LaVere is a former corporate retail director turned wellness coach, Ayurveda lifestyle consultant, natural foods chef, & world traveler. She is passionate about creating local & authentic experiences around true food, local culture, and authentic connection with like-minded others. Kim also loves foraging for wild plants and incorporating them into her cooking. It's not uncommon for kim to hand you a random plant on a hike and say, "here, eat this." You have officially been warned!

Francesco Piattelli is the owner of Maraviglia conscious community villa in Tuscany, Italy. He is a native of the town of Maraviglia where the retreat center is located and knows practically everyone in town!

KIM 

LAVERE

FRANCESCO

PIATTELLI

THE

FOOD

All meals eaten at Maraviglia will be centered around the amazing seasonal & organic produce available at the farm next door, the surrounding fruit orchards, and the local markets. Most meals will be vegetable-forward with local protein, served family style around our large communal wooden dining table. You will also have the chance to harvest your own produce from the farm next door and assist Kim in the kitchen - this is a great opportunity for those of you interested in learning more about basic cooking techniques, Ayurvedic cooking principles, and how to eat more in harmony with the seasons!

OLIVE HARVEST

Olive Harvest in Tuscany lasts only for two weeks out of the year, so it is such a treat that we will be able to experience this ancient tradition right in our backyard in the olive groves of Maraviglia! Not only will we be able to assist in the olive harvesting, but we will also be taking the olives next door to the press to make olive oil straight away! This is a rare opportunity because most olive harvesters need to outsource their pressing to another shared facility- thanks to Francesco's connections in the town, we are able to see the olive oil making process from start to finish, with the opportunity to purchase & take home your own 1/2 liter of freshly pressed olive oil! 

That being said, please be aware that the timing of the retreat is situated right at the beginning of harvest, as estimated by the experienced farmers in the area. These farmers have been working the olive groves for years and know the weather patterns like the back of their hands; however, we are still subject to the twist and turns of mother nature - if the conditions are not suitable for harvest, we will have to avoid picking, as these farmers want to honor harvesting at the best time to allow for the best quality product.

PACKAGE

DETAILS

This experience includes:

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7-nights accommodation at Maraviglia conscious living villa

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All meals, coffee, & tea prepared at the villa

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Nature walk & tour of the area by Francesco

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Cooking lessons & Ayurvedic teachings from Kim around seasonal, local, organic eating

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Optional morning yoga & jogs in the countryside

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Olive harvesting & pressing, with the option to purchase your own olive oil to take home!

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Day-trip to the thermal baths

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Natural wine tasting

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Free pick-up from Monte San Savino train station (please inquire about pick-up from Florence airport or Arezzo train station for a small fee).

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SAMPLE

SCHEDULE

Each morning we will start with optional morning yoga or a light jog in the countryside, followed by light breakfast and coffee around the communal table. Afternoons will be spent either doing day trips to the town, the natural thermal baths, wine tasting, wandering the olive groves, assisting in olive harvesting, cooking, or free time. Evenings will wind down with a family dinner. There will also be plenty of space left open so you can create the experience you want and need to feel rested and rejuvenated during your stay with us!

GETTING HERE

Maraviglia is located in the town of Monte San Savino in the Tuscan countryside.  The closest international airport to fly into is Florence, but for cheaper options, fly into Rome and take a quick 2-hour train from Rome to Arezzo. Transfer in Arezzo to the local train to Monte San Savino and we will gather you from there, free of charge.  For a small fee, we can arrange pick you up either from the Florence airport or Arezzo train station. Contact us here for any questions!

ROOMS & RATES

Price:

$2095 per person*

*Includes 7-nights accommodation, morning coffee & tea, all meals cooked at Maraviglia, wine tasting, Italian cooking class, olive harvest experience, & thermal bath trip

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*Excludes airfare

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Most rooms in Maraviglia are equipped with twin beds and are designed to be shared with other guests. If you are traveling solo (which many of you will be), we will be happy to pair you up with someone based on your preferences! And if you are looking for a little more privacy, please contact us and we can figure something out for you for an additional small fee.

For any questions or inquiries, please contact me HERE

Cristina, costume designer | rosé connoisseur 

There aren't enough words for me to describe the experience I had with Kim in Bordeaux. In a time where we are chained to our phones and our computers and our work, the opportunities to unplug feel few and far between. The time I spent in Bordeaux feels like a dream that I cannot wait to relive.  My experience was exactly as she described it, but so so much more. 'Live like a local' is an understatement. For me, it was the trip of a lifetime. We harvested our own grapes, made our own wine, ate Kim's amazing food, met incredible people and friends. Like Kim herself, the trip was genuine and special. Most importantly it helped me remember to live my life, not just record it

Emily, graphic designer | entrepreneur | world traveler

This experience was amazing. Kim was very kind, caring and attentive and made the experience very authentic and unique, from the moment we got picked up at the train station to our send-off. We got a lot of hands-on experience learning how the wine was made, food customs and traditions unique to the local culture. Everyday was different and we got to sample Bordeaux's varying facets--the wine regions, the sea and the city. Kim also brought us food and cooked for us each night and was flexible with requests -- everything was so delicious. Kim clearly creates a trip filled with meals, activities made with a lot of thought, heart and soul and allowing you to be part of the local community

Jill, Massage Therapist | Spa Owner | Reiki healer

The experience you provided at your retreat has continued to manifest daily in my own life’s journey.  Doors that I never new existed have been opening and drawing me in.  A deep eagerness to share, live, and learn has taken me to new heights that words cannot express.  The passion I have to just allow myself to find peace, freedom, joy, and love took on such an intense quality through the light and love you ... shared with us