Salento Retreat

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The Nature Fix – Southern Italy

Awakening the Senses in Puglia

  • May 16, 2027
  • to
  • May 21, 2027
  • Southern Puglia, Italy

"“It is only after you have come to know the surface of things … that you can venture to seek what is underneath. But the surface of things is inexhaustible.” –Italo Calvino"

Dates and Location

  • May 16, 2027
  • to
  • May 21, 2027
  • Southern Puglia, Italy

"“It is only after you have come to know the surface of things … that you can venture to seek what is underneath. But the surface of things is inexhaustible.” –Italo Calvino"

Retreat Program

“It is only after you have come to know the surface of things … that you can venture to seek what is underneath. But the surface of things is inexhaustible.” –Italo Calvino

The Italian writer Italo Calvino saw beauty in the infinite variations of nature and language, exploring the relationship between living things around us and perception, memory, and imagination.

We can’t think of a better place to follow Calvino’s inspiration than the Salento region of Southern Italy for our Nature Fix retreat, May 16 to May 21, 2027.

Led by award-winning memoirist and science writer Florence Williams and European nature therapy guide Manuela Siegfried, the Nature Fix Retreat will explore nature and culture through the senses as a pathway to creativity and restoration.

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Day by Day

Day 1

ARRIVAL + WELCOME

Pick up at the small Brindisi airport. 1 hour drive to an ancient Masseria from the 16th century. This is going to be our venue for the next few days. Set in a large estate with century-old olive trees and orchards, you will stay in one of the only 20 cozy rooms.

Dinner at the Masseria. Welcome Circle and end the day with a relaxing Sound Healing session.

Day 2

GROUNDING + LECCE BY NIGHT

Begin your day with gentle movement and a nourishing breakfast before immersing yourself in the surrounding forests through a grounding biophilic connection practice. After a leisurely lunch, we will be guided by Florence into some journaling. Leisure time before heading out to discover the baroque splendor of Lecce—the “Florence of the South”—on a guided evening stroll through its 2,000-year-old streets, followed by an authentic Italian dinner and gelato.

Day 3

SALENTO HISTORY AND TURQUOISE BLUE WATERS

Awaken your spirit with a vibrant Pizzica dance class led by a local teacher, then embark on a full-day coastal adventure to Otranto. Marvel at the 11th-century Cathedral’s stunning floor mosaic and explore the majestic Aragonese Castle before savoring authentic paninis at the legendary Bar di Carlo in Porto Badisco. Journey along the dramatic coastal road, stopping for breathtaking photos and a refreshing plunge into the crystal-clear Adriatic waters, where the warm Mediterranean sun kisses your skin before you return home.

Day 4

SALENTO NATURE AND GASTRONOMY

Today, we will be guided by a local expert in wild edible and medicinal plants. We will learn how to forage some of the wild-growing herbs of this region. Wild foraging is deeply embedded in the Salento culture. After lunch, step into an ancient frantoio to uncover the secrets of world-class olive oil production, followed by a tasting of liquid gold. Return to the masseria for a hands-on Italian cooking class, learning to craft traditional orecchiette pasta, incorporating the plants we foraged in the morning. Together with a local wine, we will savor a traditional Salento dinner—the perfect culmination of a day immersed in Puglia’s natural and culinary treasures.

Day 5

ANCIENT ART, MUSIC AND DANCE

Begin with an invigorating breathwork session before exploring historic Galatina, and step inside the Basilica di Santa Caterina, the “Sistine Chapel of Salento,” adorned with breathtaking medieval frescoes. Afterwards, we will head to Torre dell’Orso, a stunning crescent-shaped bay, featuring nearly one kilometer of fine silver-white sand, clear turquoise water, a pine forest backdrop, and the famous “Due Sorelle” (Two Sisters) sea stacks. As twilight falls, celebrate your final evening immersed in an authentic pizzica gathering, dancing barefoot to the primal pulse of tambourines under the Puglian stars—a powerful communion with rhythm, tradition, and your own wild spirit before your journey home. 

Day 6

RETURN HOME

Say your heartfelt goodbyes, return to Brindisi, and begin your journey home feeling inspired and empowered

Venue Info

An ancient Masseria from the 16th Century.
Welcome to Salento, where ancient olive groves and fragrant citrus trees stretch toward the horizon and stone-walled farms whisper stories from centuries past. Tucked at the foot of a gentle hill, Masseria Pizzofalcone rises from the rock, embraced by woods and opening onto sweeping views of olives and citrus.

Here, you’ll find deep quiet, Mediterranean flavors, herbs on the breeze, and long walks in the open air—a soul-soothing countryside sanctuary.

Each guest will enjoy a private room with an ensuite bathroom, complete with a shower, mini-bar, direct-dial phone, high-speed internet, TV, air conditioning, and independent heating—a cozy, comfortable space to rest, restore, and integrate daily.

 

Masseria Pizzofalcone

What You Will Take Away From This Course

  • A rested, recalibrated nervous system — five days of nature immersion, movement, and stillness designed to genuinely dissolve stress at the root, not just mask it
  • A renewed sense of wonder and creativity — guided by award-winning science writer Florence Williams, you’ll rediscover how awe, beauty, and the natural world can unlock fresh perspectives and new ways of seeing your life
  • A deeper connection to your senses — through forest bathing, breathwork, sound healing, and the extraordinary landscapes of Salento, you’ll remember what it feels like to be fully present in your own body
  • Practical tools you can take home — journaling practices, nature connection techniques, and breathwork you can weave into your everyday life long after the retreat ends
  • Meaningful memories and connections — shared meals, twilight walks through baroque Lecce, a barefoot dance under the Puglian stars, and the kind of conversations that only happen when people slow down together
  • A story worth telling — and perhaps the beginning of one worth writing

Facilitators

FLORENCE WILLIAMS

Florence Williams is the author of the best-selling book The Nature Fix: Why Being in Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, and the 2023 PEN Award winning memoir, Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. A contributing editor at Outside Magazine, she has written extensively on finding healing in nature and on the power of Awe to awaken purpose and well-being. She has lectured at Yale, Google, the Smithsonian and many other indoor and outdoor spaces.

MANUELA SIEGFRIED

I’m Manuela and I am passionate about creating deeply connecting, heart-opening spaces between people and the land. I’m particularly interested in our innate love for nature, our biophilia. At Nature as Muse, I will guide you through forest bathing, breathwork, and sound healing that help you slow down, listen deeply, and awaken the creativity that lies within us, while sharing the beauty and wonders of this land that I now call home with you.

Program Questions Contact

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Investment

All prices in USD.

Private Room with Ensuite Bathroom

$3990 per person

Shared Double Room with EnSuite Bathroom

$3690 per person

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Early Bird Deal - Register Before

  • February 1, 2027
  • and receive an early-bird discount of:
  • USD 300
  • What is included:
  • 6-day, 5-night stay at Masseria Pizzofalcone; May 16 – May 21, 2027
  • Private or Shared (Double) room with an ensuite bathroom
  • All meals
  • Group airport transfers to and from BDS. We’ll share exact pickup times once flights are confirmed.
  • Transportation during retreat for all day trips and excursions
  • Full access to Masseria Pizzofalcone property and swimming pool
  • All movement and morning sessions
  • All day trips, excursions, and retreat activities
  • Spring water, local coffee and local herbal teas available all day
  • Yoga mats & blocks provided
  • What is not included:
  • Domestic/ International Airfare to Brindisi Airport (BDS)
  • Any accommodations and transportation outside of retreat dates (May 16 – May 21, 2027)
  • Alcohol: The retreat center has alcohol for purchase – local wine, beer, and cocktails
  • Add-ons: massages, facials, and other spa services
  • Souvenirs, gifts, and food purchased on day trips, excursions, or during free time
  • Traveler’s insurance (not required, but recommended)

Cancellation Policy

Deposit Policy – $500
•The $500 deposit reserves your spot.
•Cancel on or before January 15th, 2027 → Deposit is refundable (or can be used as credit for a future retreat).
•Cancel between January 15th and February 15th, 2027 → Deposit is non-refundable, but can be transferred to another guest or used as credit for a future retreat.
•Cancel on or after February 16th, 2027 → Deposit is forfeited.
Cancellation & Refund Policy – All Payments
•Final payment due: February 16th, 2027.
•Cancel on or before January 15th, 2027 → Full refund of all payments made (including deposit).
•Cancel between January 15th and February 15th, 2027 → 50% refund of payments made, not including the $5o0 deposit (see deposit policy above).
•Cancel on or after February 16th, 2027 → No refunds; all payments are forfeited.

Program Deposit

  • Deposit Amount:
  • $500

Deposits signify your commitment to the program and is deducted from the total balance. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Investment Balance: The balance of investment can be paid in full or in installments. Please contact us for more information on installments.

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