Gabriella’s Borgo

THE RETREAT

Gabriella’s Borgo is a recently renovated medieval village, close to Casole d’Elsa and Volterra, in the Tuscan countryside. The wonderful host, Gabriella, will charm and welcome you at arrival as if seeing an old friend again. You will have the pleasure of meeting other friendly faces such as her mother, or nonna, amongst other people.

After this warm welcoming, you look around and you will start to realize where your journey has brought you to. As Gabriella leads you up the balcony, you peer over the terrace, and feel you could be in a postcard. You jolt back into reality, suddenly realizing you are falling behind, and make your way to the others, to where you will be staying.

You first pass through a lovely kitchen, and while you look around, you catch bits of Gabriella’s talking about the “genius loci” of the place and about how all the bedrooms and buildings were recently renovated, by her, no less! The renovation took place between 2004 and 2006 and the Borgo came back to life with mostly recycled materials. The colors of the rooms, from blue to green to yellow, create a space-time atmosphere related to nature and its seasons.

The actual Borgo used to be a rural residence dating back to the 16th century. It is the probable birth place, in the 4th century, of Saint Attinia, a venerated saint from the Volterra area. Amongst its illustrious guests in the 1800’s, during the time the Borgo was a summer retreat from the ‘Scolopi‘ fathers, was Pope Pius the ninth.This Borgo is overall a place to enjoy with your heart, sourrounded by a soft landscape and a peculiar light which brings back forgotten emotions of interior freedom. It’s also a place, where one can experience a genuine Tuscany, with its tradition and land culture.

In the local tradition, one says that the Berignone Forest, facing the Borgo, is the one that inspired Dante Alighieri to write about the “Selva Oscura” where his Divine Comedy story starts.

The gardens of the Borgo, with paths lined with aromatic herbs, juniper hedges, myrtle and evergreens, reproduce a Mediterranean  environment. The characteristic ‘Osteria’, which used to be the old olive press, is the ideal place for a romantic candlelight dinner overlooking the amazing countryside, or a light lunch on the panoramic terrace. Specialized courses, such as music, art & pottery are held throughout the year, please inquire for fuller details.

THE YOGA SPACE

The yoga room is a large room (about 90 square meters) with tile floor and natural light. Students need to bring their own mats and props. The room has been used by many musicians as a reharsal space so it has an interesting energy.

ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES

The small, charming town of Casole d’Elsa is a hub for contemporary artists and is about 10 minutes drive from Gabriella’s Borgo. One can visit the charming mediaval towns of Volterra, San Gimignano, and Siena. Excursions to the beach and hot springs are also possible, as well as walks in the nearby forests and nature reserves. The Borgo neighbours the territory of the ‘Alta val di Cecina’, the Cecina valley,  an area of notable naturalistic interest, in fact, the area contains three reserves denominated SIC (sites of European Community interest): Montenero, Monterufoli-Caselli and Berignone. The forest of Tatti, with its particular plant life is only a short distance from the Borgo.The swimming pool is available during the warm months (May through September) and it is 16 x 8 meters large. There is a reading room that also has a wireless internet point. There is a golf course within 30 minutes drive from the Borgo.

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