Traditionally we are taught the way to creating the life we want is through discipline, hard work, emotional/physical/spiritual sacrifice , living at a fast pace, and living without.

But what if there was another way…a path that could compliment or even replace the traditional path?

What if the key to wellness, abundance, and creating a life you love on your own terms was allowing more pleasure into your life?

Ever wonder what would open up to you if you said “yes” to life in a big way, stop putting off travel and adventure, and slowed down enough to listen to the call of your soul?

Tired of reading about La Dolce Vita and ready to start LIVING it?

Come away with me this September and do just that…

Get ready to take the Pleasure Path…

Explore the life-altering power of pleasure.

Through movement, writing, workshops, and daily ADVENTURES, you will get in touch with your soul’s deepest desires, heal your relationship with your body and food, reconnect with and envision the life you REALLY want to create, and use pleasure as the gateway to get there.

Some of the areas we will cover include:

-The Art of Authentic Sensuality
– The Healing Power of Slow
– Embodiment and Body-Food Freedom
-Igniting Your Radiance
– Why “Unstructuring” Your Life is Key
-Balancing the “Doing” and the “Feeling” In Your Life
-Creating Authentic Confidence
-How to Cultivate Trust Within Yourself, With Others, and With Life
-How to Live an Intuitively Guided Life
– Feminity as a Gift
-Dance, Dance, and some Yoga/Hikes.

When and Where?

This week-long retreat will take place from September 23-30, 2017.

Villa Buonvisi is a boutique retreat center in Tuscany. A fully restored 15th century villa on a private estate, its luxurious setting is surrounded by forests, natural woodlands, and sits high on a hillside overlooking olive groves, fruit trees, and vineyards. The natural surroundings and secluded setting create the perfect balance for stillness, adventure, and inviting in the pleasure of slow.

Just 7 miles from the historic center of Lucca, an enchanting walled city, you’ll quickly fall in love with this jewel of a city and all that Tuscany has to offer.

Come experience the magic that La Dolce Vita has in store for you!

Why Italy?

For years, Italy (and especially Tuscany) was on my list of place I had to go to…

It was a desire so deep, I couldn’t even name or understand why the drive was so strong.
Finally, in 2016, I listened.

I fell so deeply in love with the culture, the people, the language, the food, the beauty (everything!), that I made my way back 6 weeks after my return.

To me, Italy, the Italian way of living, and beautiful Lucca, create the perfect place for you to:
1) take a leap and travel…travel has a way to open you up to the new and what seemingly impossible…when you are out of your comfort zone and in a new environment, magic can happen.

2) to learn by experiencing a culture that truly embraces pleasure to their core

3) be in a beautiful environment that will allow you to relax and slow down enough to listen to your soul in a deep, profound way

4) create an entirely new way of relating to your body and food and

5)HAVE THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME!!! YOU DESERVE THIS!

What’s Included in The Pleasure Path Retreat™?

Your Pleasure Path Retreat Includes:
– 7 nights accommodation
– Daily movement classes and workshops with Anita
– 3 locally sourced authentic Tuscan meals per day and wine at dinner (except for one lunch on Wednesday, one lunch in Lucca, and one dinner out on our Lucca exploration)
– Last night celebratory dinner, complete with apertivo and prosecco!!
– Group excursion to the breathtaking Cinque Terre, a must see!
– Wine tasting, complete with an incredible spread of local cheeses and meats.
– A cooking class at the villa by an incredible local cook
– Bike and walking tour of the walled city of Lucca
– Wifi
– Use of laundry facilities
– Use of swimming pool and facilities within the villa grounds, perfect for cooling down after a hike or simply to relax.
– Group transfer to and from Lucca’s train station at the beginning and end of the trip (one scheduled time only)
– Tourist tax

What’s not included?

-Airfare
-Travel insurance (which is mandatory)
– Passport fees
– Airport transfers or transfers outside of the scheduled pick-up and drop-off
-Massages and holistic treatments
-Any excursions beyond what is included in the package
-One lunch in the Cinque Terre, one lunch out in Lucca, and one dinner out in Lucca

Choice of Accommodations:

The 17th century villa has the following options:

Shared Room with Private Bathroom (twin bed)
$2,875

Private Room with Private Bathroom (queen bed)
$3,175

Prices increase by $300 if booked after July 30, 2017.
Special “Bring a Friend” discount of $100 for you and a friend if you sign up together.

How to register, deposits, and payment policies:

– Please email Anita at Anita@anitaavalos.com to hold your space. Upon receiving your email, Anita will email you instructions on where to mail your deposit.

-A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due no later than July 1st, to hold your spot.
The balance is due no later than July 23rd, 2017. Address to mail the deposit will be given.

-Payment by check or money order is preferred. Payment by credit/debit card can be made via Paypal (a $100 convenience fee will be added to cover Paypal fees).

-If the balance is not received by 7/23/17, we will consider your deposit as forfeit.

Want to know what to expect on your Italian Holiday aka The Pleasure Path Retreat? Here’s our itinerary:

Day 1:

Our driver will pick you and your fellow traveling companions up at Lucca’s train station and whisk you away into the Tuscan hillside and to our beautiful villa. You’ll drop your bags and instantly relax into the breathtaking views from our villa. Dinner will follow (with wine) as well as an opportunity to connect with your group and settle into your new digs.
Wake up the next day and pinch yourself….you really are in Tuscany!

Day 2:

This will be a day to take it slow. After a relaxing breakfast, you’ll join Anita and your group for a mini-workshop and some movement. There will be plenty of time for a leisurely lunch, time by the pool, and even a hike around the grounds (think olive trees, birds, rolling hills, and picturesque views…literally a postcard worthy shot at every turn). Then, you’ll go for a wine tasting at a nearby winery….sip on local wines, eat local cheeses and meats, go to bed happy and satisfied.

Day 3:

After breakfast and a mini-workshop, you’ll gear up for a day in the historical center of Lucca, also known as going “inside the wall”. With Anita as your guide, you’ll bike around the enchanting walled city, have the best panino of your life, do a little shopping along the famous Via Fulingo, stop for a glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz, and perhaps end your day with a scoop (or two) of gelato. Our driver will take you back to the Villa for some down time and then a delicious dinner outside.

Day 4:

Nourish yourself the Italian way. You’ll enjoy your breakfast outside, meet for a midday workshop and movement session, chill by the pool or nap (ideally, both!) and then get ready for a dinner like no other! Guided by a local Italian chef, you’ll prepare a 3-course, authentic Tuscan meal from scratch. Once you’re done, enjoy the fruits of your labor, raise a glass of wine, and “mangiare”!

Day 5:

It’s going to be a big day!! After breakfast, you’ll head with your crew to the famous area of the Italian Rivera known as the Cinque Terre. Your driver will take you to La Spezia, where you’ll bounce from one small town to the next, spending most of the day in Vernazza for lunch, gelato, and sight-seeing and Monterosso’s umbrella-lined beaches for some time in the sun with a Spritz in hand. Once back in the villa, you’ll enjoy the Italian staple and favorite time of the day, Apertivo, followed by a light-dinner by the pool. Laugh and talk about your favorite moments of the day with your travel crew and maybe take one last dip in the pool before you head to sleep.

Day 6:

Today you will split your time at the villa and then back into the walled city of Lucca.

After breakfast, you’ll have your daily mini-workshop and movement session. You’ll then have time to yourself to relax amongst the villa’s grounds, followed by lunch and perhaps some time by the pool with your favorite book. You might want to take a nap too, because it’s going to be a fun-filled evening in the heart of Lucca. Our driver will take you into the historical center where you’ll enjoy the best apertivo in town followed by dinner at Lucca’s finest restaurant. Trust us…it will be a memorable dining experience in the best city in Tuscany…maybe even the best meal of your life.

Day 7:

It’s your last full day of the retreat…you’ll want to enjoy the beauty of the villa, take final pictures, bring it all full circle.
Today, you’ll have a day to relax, nap, hang by the pool, take a hike, or wonder the grounds.
It will also be your biggest dive into the heart of using pleasure to shift your life. This day will have one final workshop, followed by a movement session. You’ll spend time integrating all you’ve learned, tasted, experienced, and felt during your week retreat and how you’ll bring it back into your everyday life. All three meals will be at the villa and we will make your final dinner extra special for you and your crew, who will feel like family.

Day 8:

Sadly, it’s time to go. Have one last breakfast and then our driver will take you and the crew to the Lucca train station. You can opt to spend the night in Lucca, travel to another beautiful city in Italy, go somewhere else fabulous in Europe, or possibly travel home (depending on flights available…we’d recommend you wait until the following day to head back home but it’s up to you.) Whatever you do, you’ll be glowing and grinning from ear to ear, knowing you made a decision that forever shifted the way you relate to your body, to food, and your life….and most likely, you’ll already be planning to come back next year.