August 28 - September 4, 2027
Exclusive Tuscany Wellness Retreat at Villa Ripanera
We are thrilled to invite you to join us for an exclusive wellness retreat at the stunning Villa Ripanera, a historic estate nestled in the rolling hills just outside Florence, Italy. Co-hosted by Lucia from Simply Healthy Living and Meg from Red Buddha, this experience is designed to help you reset, recharge, and reconnect. Lee Persson will also be joining us to offer her amazing massage and reiki sessions.
Villa Ripanera is a peaceful 16th-century sanctuary surrounded by private vineyards and olive groves. It features elegant traditional architecture, modern comforts, panoramic views, and a private heated pool, providing the ideal backdrop for deep transformation just a short distance from the art and culture of Florence.
Your all-inclusive retreat activities feature daily yoga and workshops, soothing massage and Reiki sessions, guided bicycle tours through local Tuscan trails and historic villages, a private wine tasting showcasing estate-produced wines and local olive oils, farm-to-table group meals, an introductory Italian language class, and plenty of unstructured free time to swim, read, or explore the local surroundings.
Meet Your Hosts
Meg DeClerck — Yoga & Mindfulness Facilitator
With over 25 years of experience, Meg’s work lives at the intersection of body and mind. Her background spans Eastern philosophy and traditional Ashtanga yoga to modern biomechanics, functional movement, and advanced strength training. Ultimately, her practice is about building a body and mind that are flexible, strong, and resilient.
Meg has taught in over 10 countries, working with groups, teacher trainings, and private clients. Currently, she is continuing her advanced education to become a licensed Psychologist in Switzerland and a Psychotherapist in the United States, specializing in mental health, trauma, and life transitions.
Based in Zurich, Meg meets with clients privately. In her free time, you can find her cycling high alpine roads in the Swiss Alps with her husband, Andronikos, or hiking with her cuddly Goldendoodle, Yoshio.
Lucia Di Cesare: Culinary Nutritionist
Lucia’s approach to wellness uniquely blends the precision of science with the restorative power of functional nutrition. Originally a chemist in Canada, her own experience with corporate burnout inspired her to pivot her scientific background toward how we fuel our bodies for true vitality.
Now based on the beautiful island of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, Lucia designs the entire culinary and dietary experience for her retreats. Using fresh, wholesome ingredients, she crafts vibrant, nourishing meals that prove healthy food can be delicious and sustainable.
Whether curating your daily retreat menu or offering practical dietary insights, Lucia’s goal is to teach you how to use food as medicine so you can break free from burnout and reclaim your long-term energy. When she isn't helping clients restore their health, she can be found soaking in the slower pace, warm community, and healing energy of the Mexican Caribbean ocean.
Lee Persson: Massage & Reiki Specialist
Lee’s work focuses on guiding others toward alignment and vitality through a beautiful blend of therapeutic bodywork, energetic healing, and spiritual inquiry. Originally from Sweden, her decade-long journey has taken her across the globe—studying extensively in Thailand and Mexico to learn deeply from diverse healing traditions.
Lee is a certified medical massage therapist with advanced training in lymphatic drainage, cupping, fascia release, and Thai yoga massage. She is also a certified yoga teacher and a Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master Teacher, incorporating wisdom from global master teachers and traditional medicine women to develop her unique style of Shamanic Reiki.
On this retreat, she utilizes her vast toolkit of touch, energy work, and somatic movement to help you release stored stress, clear blockages, and ground into a balanced path forward.