A women-only ‘week away’ in Puglia designed to nourish and rejuvenate through the practice of Pilates and learning the Italian art of being present.
Like stepping back in time, the landscape of southern Italy is an invitation to observe a more connected world, where homemade pasta is a daily ritual, health is cultivated through traditional practices, and wealth is measured by the hours spent with friends around the table or the stern of a sailboat.
Join Leslie Orndoff for this flagship wellness retreat based in a quiet masseria, a southern Italian villa, surrounded by natural abundance and nestled between the olive groves. Here you'll connect to the rhythms of Puglia, relax with friends, stroll through the citrus fields, and embrace a lifestyle where the heart of Italy still thrives, largely undiscovered by travelers outside of Europe.
Each day will begin with Pilates led by Leslie, followed by activities that embrace a Pugliese approach to nourishing and strengthening the body and mind. Throughout the week you'll take time to give back to yourself, enjoy Puglian delicacies, connect with local artisans, swim in turquoise waters, and learn traditional recipes paired with rustic wines. You'll find time to unwind and reflect, and gain perspectives that not only teach you to slow down, but to appreciate each moment as the Italians do. With Leslie and your local guides by your side, this week offers a true reset in a world of quick-fixes and trends. Here in Puglia, return to first principles and build habits that stand the test of time.
After arriving at your Pugliese masseria, operating as a farm from the 1700s, you'll check into your room and be free to relax by the pool with a glass of wine or visit the spa.
Around 5:00 pm we will gather for an aperitivo and an introduction to Alithea's style of slow travel, and the Pugliese approach to living well. This evening, our first shared dinner unfolds here at the masseria, all’italiana: a generous, multi-course meal prepared with the freshest ingredients of the region. Enjoy your first taste of Puglia’s cuisine with candlelit conversation and good company, as the women you’ll be moving, meditating, and sharing the week with come into gentle focus.
•Dinner together.
Begin the day with mindful movement adapted just for you, and after breakfast we will set out by bicycle into the landscapes of Salento.
Mid-morning, you'll set out for a day of cycling as you cover the territory that reveals the DNA of Puglia through traces of Roman history, olive groves, medieval fortifications, and beautiful seaside towns. While moving at the speed of a bicycle you’ll have more time for conversation, observation, and the feeling that slowing everything down means seeing more of the world around you, not less.
In the afternoon, we will make our way back to the masseria, where we'll gather again for dinner, sharing memories of the day and looking ahead to all that is still to come.
•Biking: ~ 4 hours
•Lunch at leisure.
•Dinner together.
After an energizing Pilates class and a nourishing breakfast, our morning will be devoted to the traditions and flavors of Puglia. We will make our way to Cutrofiano, a town whose history and identity are deeply rooted in the ancient practice of ceramics. Here, we will be welcomed by the Donatis family, heirs to a lineage of sculptors that stretches back to the 1650s. We will spend the morning in their boutique family workshop, where you will have the opportunity to try your hand at throwing pottery on the wheel, and to experience a craft that has been passed down through generations.
Following the workshop, we will walk to a nearby vineyard for a shared lunch. Here you will be welcomed into a beautiful family-owned estate, and you'll have the option to try some of Puglia’s signature wines such as Negroamaro and Primitivo, paired with fresh seasonal dishes. After taking our time to enjoy lunch and explore the property’s underground olive press and wine cathedral, we will head back together to our masseria. The evening remains open, an invitation to choose between the familiar comfort of the villa for dinner, or to venture to the unknown tables of a nearby town.
•Lunch together.
•Dinner at leisure.
After a morning of Pilates dedicated to body-awareness and the practice of intelligent movements, you’ll set out for a day of hiking and swimming along the Adriatic coast.
Passing through limestone cliffs and serene viewpoints overlooking the sea, we will see where the ancient pajare still stand — traditional dry-stone structures unique to Salento, testaments to the region's rich relationship to the land and harvest. We will finish our hike at a striking coastal canyon, where you will have time for lunch, a refreshing swim, or to continue exploring the surrounding area on foot. In the late afternoon, we return to the masseria for a private cooking class with our chef. Here, the shaping of orecchiette and maccheroncini pasta, local staples in Puglia, become tactile reminders that real nourishment is an act of participation in cultural traditions. Our day closes with shared dinner and music, enriched by the knowledge that we created our meal together by hand.
•Hiking: ~ 2 hours
•Lunch at leisure.
•Dinner together.
After breakfast and a slow flow Pilates session, you’ll be free to enjoy a leisurely morning by the pool or in the spa. You’ll depart after lunch for nearby Lecce, the jewel of Puglia, as rich in baroque architecture as in its thousands of years of history dating back to the Trojan War.
This afternoon you’ll walk through the civilizations from the Greeks, Romans, Normans, to the Holy Roman Empire and modern Italian state with a guided walking tour through the city.
In the evening you’ll be free to explore the winding streets, shops, and restaurants before returning to the Masseria.
Today after Pilates and breakfast together, we embark by sailboat upon the Ionian Sea, where the wind becomes both guide and teacher. Gliding past the coastline, lighthouse, and the historic city of Gallipoli, the sails reveal the landscape from a perspective of surrender and flow. Swimming in clear waters and savoring Pugliese snacks aboard will reinforce this underlying lesson: joy often arises when we allow ourselves to be carried. We will return to the port around lunchtime, when there will be time for independent lunch in Gallipoli and the chance to explore at leisure. From the Greek Kale Polis, meaning “beautiful city,” this seaside fortress town is best discovered slowly, walking through its narrow streets and along the old walls overlooking the water. Later in the day, we will return to the masseria, where the evening remains open—whether for a quiet night of rest or the chance to discover another nearby town.
•Sailing: ~ 3 hours
•Lunch at leisure.
•Dinner at leisure.
After rejuvenating Pilates and we breakfast together, we’ll hop back on the bicycles and head to a nearby farm, where you will learn to make mozzarella and other traditional cheeses by hand. We’ll enjoy lunch here together, surrounded by nature and the animals whose milk gave form to these fresh cheeses. Today’s journey also includes a visit to a historic frantoio, where olive oil was pressed to give light to entire cities, and a local farmer, Gaetano, will share the UNESCO endangered language of Griko, which acts as a fragile bridge to the region’s ancient Greek roots.
In the afternoon we return to the masseria for a celebratory four-course dinner. Beneath the Pugliese sky and the arches of the villa, our final meal together becomes a closing reflection: on the week’s discoveries, the bonds formed, and the subtle shifts in perception that occur when we travel with intention and purpose.
•Biking: ~ 3.5 hours
•Lunch together.
•Dinner together.
Our retreat draws to its gentle close with a final Pilates session. As you depart, your instructor and guides will be there to ease the transition and help you on your next leg of the journey. The memories and friendships you’ve cultivated throughout this week will not be left behind in Italy, but will be woven into your daily life, encouraging a disposition of openness, relationality, abundance, and appreciation for life’s simple joys.
What has been awakened within you, always travels with you.
I loved how it was just women on this trip. Great bonding trip for all of us and I will treasure the time we had together
This trip was a once in a lifetime experience. Puglia was one of the most beautiful areas to visit, and all of the women supported each other throughout the journey. From yoga and pasta making to hiking, sailing, and art classes, each day was filled with experiences that shaped the trip and left me feeling grateful and thankful, guided every moment by an amazing team.
I would highly recommend Alithea travel; in fact I already have since arriving home. All the arrangements were handled expertly by very pleasant and knowledgeable staff, including any deviations. My experience was excellent and I would use them again.
Alithea, that was an absolutely unforgettable trip. I'll always treasure the memories we made, especially the boat trip on the Adriatic Sea! Thank you for making it so special!
The travel adventure to Puglia was everything we dreamed of and more. The tour guide team were so knowledgeable and efficient at every moving part. They feel like family to us now. My group of ladies are so excited to travel with Alithea next Sept to Greece. ❤️
For those seeking to disconnect from work, technology, or the constant noise of modern life, this week in Italy will provide an opportunity to embrace the daily rhythms of Puglia. Grounded in the practice of Pilates and the dolce vita, the goal of this retreat is not just to get away, but to strengthen both body and soul, to let exterior voices grow quiet, and to return home stronger and more present to yourself and to those you love.
Inspired by Joseph Pilates' vision that 'everyone is the architect of their own happiness', daily matwork with Leslie will introduce mind-body connection while daily activities will encourage the Italian art of living in the moment.
Just as Pilates trains your body to make intelligent movements that support your body all day, every day, travel encourages a perspective of awareness, of stepping into the new and beautiful in order to rediscover the new and beautiful within yourself. From this perspective, the goal of practicing Pilates in Puglia is to strengthen this connectedness to yourself and to the incredible world around you.
Throughout the week you'll stay in a masseria, a working Italian farm converted into a beautiful hotel. Surrounded by olive groves and equipped with its own restaurant, spa, and pool, your masseria operates like a traditional Italian family, welcoming guests as if they were returning home. The antidote to large, impersonal hotels in cities, every room in the masseria is slightly different, has its own story and expresses the hospitality of authentic Italy.
Leslie Orndoff began taking mat Pilates classes in 2005 and quickly recognized how beneficial Pilates was to her overall health and well-being.
After the birth of her first child in 2006, she was able to regain her core strength quickly because of Pilates' specific system of exercises. It was then that she decided to obtain a certification so she could help others the way she had been helped.
She got certified to teach mat Pilates classes in 2009, shortly after the birth of her second child. She then obtained a group fitness certification in 2010 and a 200-hour yoga certification in 2017.
In 2023, she began a new chapter in her fitness career when she bought a Pilates studio in St. Michaels, MD. She began training in New York City to learn the entire classical Pilates system: mat, reformer, wunda chair, highchair, barrels, and pedi-pole. She earned her 600-hour certification in 2025.
She enjoys working with clients of all fitness levels and ages, incorporating her extensive knowledge of the body gained over the last 17 years of teaching into her sessions.
For further questions don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.
This is an active trip with physical activities planned each day. In addition to the morning workouts, you will spend considerable time walking, hiking, and cycling throughout the week. If you do not lead an active lifestyle or would like recommendations on how to prepare physically for the trip, please write to us before signing up.
The masseria is about one hour by car from Brindisi (BDS), the closest airport. A month before your trip begins, we will request your flight arrival details and will organize two free shuttles which will be at the airport on the day of arrival. If you plan to arrive earlier, please let us know and we will coordinate a transfer service from Brindisi to the masseria.
There is much more to see in Puglia, and spending a little extra time in the masseria is a great way to settle into the rhythms of southern Italy. If you wish to extend your stay before or after the trip dates, let us know and we’ll help coordinate the additional nights.
Brindisi is the closest airport to our masseria. ITA Airways has excellent flights from O’Hare, connecting through Rome to Brindisi. Swiss Airlines also offers various flights connecting through Zurich to Brindisi. Remember that transatlantic flights from the U.S. are overnight, so you'll need to depart at least one day before intended arrival. We recommend booking flights 3-5 months prior to departure.
Yes! We are happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and other dietary needs. One month before the start of the trip, we will send out a request for any allergies or dietary restrictions, and we will plan accordingly with the chefs to ensure safe and enjoyable dining.
Absolutely. When you go to book, select 'Single Occupancy Traveler' and we'll make sure you have your own room.
We’ll send a more comprehensive packing list prior to departure, but in general, bring enough clothes for the week, including active wear and casual wear. We advise good closed-toed shoes or athletic sandals for biking and trekking, a swimsuit, a sweater or jacket, and comfortable, enjoyable outfits for excursions and meals.
The Masseria and many cafes are equipped with WiFi. Italy uses a Type C charging port. Keeping your phone on airplane mode and using only WiFi will ensure no charges for data roaming. If you wish to purchase data, check with your carrier to see what international plans are offered. Alternatively, an Italian SIM card through Vodofone may be purchased in the airport, or e-SIMs may be purchased on apps such as Airalo. To use an international SIM card, your phone must be “unlocked” by your provider, which you can find in your settings.
Yes. Starting in late 2026, U.S. citizens will be required to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization before entering Europe.
ETIAS is a simple online application, with responses typically issued within 96 hours. Once approved, it is electronically linked to your passport.
ETIAS is not yet in operation, but it is expected to be introduced soon. We kindly ask travelers to check whether ETIAS is required for their travel dates and to complete the application if necessary.
To apply, please visit: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias
