Our Story
A RETREAT IN THE TUSCAN HILLS · A LONG TABLE · A DOOR THAT’S ALWAYS OPEN
MEET JOANNA
I'm Joanna, founder of Breathe Tuscany: a Yorkshire lass who met an Italian lad over 30 years ago and fell in love, with him and with all things Italian. Eventually, I swapped grey skies for olive groves, and I've never looked back.
For more than three decades, I've helped people around the world look after their wellbeing, from corporate organisations to quiet one-to-one conversations. Breathe Tuscany brings it all together, in a place where you can finally slow down.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Breathe Tuscany wasn't a business plan. It grew, slowly, the Tuscan way.
For 22 years we've welcomed guests from all over the world to our corner of Tuscany. Many arrived tired and stressed, and left rested and restored.
Again and again, they told us the same thing: they wanted more time to slow down and look after themselves.
So, bit by bit, we began bringing my years of wellness experience into their stays, and our retreats were born.
MEET YOUR HOSTS
Antonio: my husband (yes, that Italian lad) and the quiet strength behind the retreat. With Italian roots and a deep love of the land, he tends our gardens, olive trees and grounds with endless care. Give him a kitchen and a table full of people, and he's at his happiest.
Massimiliano: our son, half Italian, half Yorkshire, and raised right here in these hills. There's nothing he doesn't know about slow living and the Tuscan way of life.
Kasper: our very Instagram-ready, if somewhat spoilt, wellness cat. He'll happily greet you, pose for photos and find the sunniest spot on the terrace, usually on whichever cushion you were about to sit on.
YOGA, WELLNESS COACHING AND MORE
Between us, we bring years of experience and training in wellness coaching, NLP, yoga, breathwork, sound therapy and Ayurveda. It's a rare combination, and it's at the heart of what we do.
Each retreat follows a thoughtfully planned itinerary, but with just six women in a group, there's always room to adapt to you: your needs, your pace, and what you hope to take home. For private groups, we create the retreat around you from the start.
COME AND BREATHE WITH US
Our first women’s retreat, Tempo per Te, takes place on
1–6 May 2027, with just 6 places
Shape the days however
you like
Why Tuscany
A Place That Already Knows How to Slow Down
Tuscany doesn’t need to be taught how to rest. Meals stretch for hours. Afternoons are meant for shade and conversation. The hills, the olive groves, the golden light — none of it is in a hurry, and neither will you be.
This isn’t a backdrop. It’s part of the medicine. When the pace of a place changes, something in you changes with it.
Five nights. One villa. A rhythm of life you’ll want to bring home with you.