September 12-19, 2027
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 an older, more connected world where shepherds are seen grazing their sheep, homemade pasta is a daily ritual, and wealth is measured by the hours spent with friends around the dining room table or sharing a glass of wine.
Largely undiscovered by travelers outside Italy, the region of Puglia preserves an approach to life where traditional Italy still thrives. Unlike a tour spent hurrying from one site to another, you'll spend the week in a masseria, a southern Italian villa, where you'll connect to the rhythms of Puglia, have time to stroll through the olive trees, and focus on the nourishing power of beauty.
Each day will begin with Pilates followed by activities that embrace a Pugliese approach to nourishing and strengthening the body. Throughout the week you'll take time to connect with cheese makers, wine-makers, and olive farmers; you'll cycle between seaside towns, create ceramics with local artisans, and learn traditional Puglian recipes in cooking lessons; you'll also find time to unwind and reflect whether by the pool or among the olive groves, or while hiking the coast, sailing the adriatic, or enjoying candlelit dinners with friends.
Arriving at your peaceful masseria, a historic farm dating back to the 1700s, you will have time to settle in, explore the property, and relax by the pool with an Aperol Spritz before our first evening together.
Around 5:00 pm, we will gather for an aperitivo and an introduction to Alithea’s style of slow travel. 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 hiking, sailing, and sharing the week with come into gentle focus.
•Dinner together.
Our first full day begins with a Tremble class together, a practice that returns awareness to the intelligence of the body. After breakfast, we will set out by bicycle from the masseria and ride into the landscapes of Salento, following a route that winds through ancient olive groves and on toward the coast, passing through villages that still bear the marks of the region’s long history. With a few stops along the way for coffee in Puglian villages, we will reach Otranto around midday, where you will have time to stroll through the town center, browse the local shops, and enjoy a free lunch by the sea. In the afternoon, we will make our way back to the masseria, where there will be time to rest before gathering 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 Tremble class and 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 clay-making. Here, we will be welcomed by the De Donatis family, heirs to a lineage of sculptors that stretches back to the 1650s. We will spend the morning in their boutiqe 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 winery for lunch, where you will be introduced to some of Puglia’s signature wines, made from primitivo and negroamaro grapes, and paired with thoughtfully prepared seasonal dishes. After taking our time to enjoy lunch and explore the property’s underground wine cathedral, we will head back together to the 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.
Tremble opens the morning with an invitation to inhabit the body more consciously, providing movement that is mindful and attuned. The morning then continues with a hike along the coast, through limestone cliffs and wide viewpoints overlooking the sea, where the ancient pajare still stand — traditional dry-stone structures typical of Salento. We will then arrive at a striking coastal canyon, where you will have time for a free lunch, to enjoy a spritz, take a swim, or 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 the region, become tactile reminders that real nourishment is an act of participation in cultural traditions. The 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.
This morning unfolds at a gentler pace. After breakfast and coffee, a later Tremble class offers time to move with greater ease, while time by the pool or in the spa invites quiet rest. In the early afternoon, we make our way to Lecce, a city of remarkable baroque architecture and layered history, where traces of the ancient world remain woven into the fabric of everyday life. During a guided walk with a local expert, we will move beyond the city’s best-known landmarks, including the ancient amphitheatre and the richly carved façade of the Basilica di Santa Croce, to discover some of Lecce’s quieter corners and hidden details. Along the way, there will also be suggestions for distinctive local shops and places that offer a more intimate sense of the city’s character. Afterward, there will be time to enjoy Lecce at leisure, with the rest of the afternoon free for shopping and a stroll through the city, before an aperitivo at sunset and a free dinner in town.
•Walking: ~ 2 hours
•Lunch at leisure.
•Dinner at leisure.
Today after Tremble and breakfast, we embark with Captain Vito 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 a free lunch in Gallipoli and the chance to explore the town at leisure. From the Greek Kale Polis, meaning “beautiful city,” Gallipoli is best discovered slowly, walking through its narrow streets and along the old walls overlooking the sea. 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 Tremble and breakfast, 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 an optional last Tremble session and breakfast. As you depart, your 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, always travels with you.
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 both 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 most.
Inspired by Joseph Pilates' vision that 'everyone is the architect of their own happiness', daily Pilates will introduce body and movement awareness 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 the world.
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.
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 Pilates practice, you will spend considerable time walking, hiking, and cycling throughout the week. However, this trip is for every body, and if certain activities seem daunting, the masseria's pool, spa, and olive groves will provide a superb setting to relax and enjoy the beautiful landscape of southern Italy should you decide to opt out of certain activities.
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
