Make Life sweet Presents
Sweet Tuscan Retreat
E
ach Spring and Fall we take 12 women to discover the hidden gems of Tuscany. This year we’ll stay in a charming pink villa tucked away in a quaint and quiet village.
ur days will be spent exploring
the hilltop towns of Tuscany,
enjoying authentic food
and off-the-beaten path experiences.
fternoons & Evenings will be for delighting in sunsets, gelato, music, game nights and great conversation!
ring your sister, your mom, or some girlfriends
Let ITaly rejuvenate your soul
and restore your purpose and passion!
ome home a happier momma, sister, wife, auntie, girlfriend, lover, grandma, teacher, friend, daughter…
a happier girl!
O
A
B
C
Come with Us!
You NEED this. And we will make it so Easy!
ALL TRIPS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
CHARMING ACCOMODATIONS
You will love the Beautifully Restored 1850's Pink Villa and Cottage with pool, tennis court, and heart-melting views. We can't wait to introduce you to our friends in the cute village! When we are not at the Villa we will either be staying one night at our favorite quaint hotel in the heart of historical Florence or two nights at the Spa Hotel. See trip options.
DAILY AUTHENTIC
EXCURSIONS & EXPERIENCES
We have happened upon some of Tuscany's hidden gems, as well as a few of it's "don't miss" favorites to come up with an idyllic itinerary. We provide excursions to charming hilltop villages including: Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Lari, and Pisa. Weather permitting, we plan to bike on a renaissance wall and take a boat ride on the blue Liguarian Sea! We've arranged for a water-color class taught by a local artist, and for the cherry on top, we will travel to the coast and see the amazing cliff side villages of Cinque Terre, on the Italian Riviera. Belissimo!
Breakfast & Dinner everyday
Prepare for a delightful breakfast each morning, some at the villa, some at local cafe's, and then always an abundant mouth-watering dinner at some of our favorite finds!
Click HERE if you’d like to be notified as new trips and dates are announced |
2024 Dates and pricing
May 1- May 8
Sweet Tuscan Retreat
7 NightTrip
6 nights in Villa, 1 night in Florence
Take Your Mom to Italy
7 Night Trip
Including One night at
Thermal Water Spa Hotel
Bonus....
Rome LDS Temple visit with 1 Night spent in Rome!
$3195 per person
Full
$3395 per person
Full
Not Included:
Airfare
Gratuities
Alcohol
Coming | |||
Soon |
Sept 25- Oct 2
Sweet Tuscan Retreat
7 Night Trip
6 nights in Villa, 1 night in Florence
$3195 per person
$3695 per person
Sweet Tuscan Retreat Plus
8 Night Trip
5 nights in Villa, 2 Nights in Boutique Spa Hotel
w/thermal waters and massage
1 night in Florence
Oct 2-
Oct 10
Click HERE if you’d like to be added to the waiting list. |
April 24 -
May 1
Sweet Tuscan Retreat
7-Night Trip
6 nights at the charming villa
1 night in Florence Hotel.
Includes Day Trip to the seaside, time at the villa for swimming, tennis, relaxing and enjoying the estate and local village as well as transportation, delicious meals, painting class, boat ride, and fun surprises and extras!
Sweet Tuscan Retreat Plus
8-Night Trip
5 Nights at the Pink Villa
2 Nights at Boutique Spa Hotel
1 night in Florence Hotel
The Spa Hotel is a 2 hour drive, located in a remote village in the heart of Tuscany, known for relaxing pools of natural thermal healing waters perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the rolling Tuscan hillside. This option includes a One-hour Facial or Italian Massage.
*Take Your Mom to Italy!
7-Night Trip
5 Nights at the Pink Villa
1 Night at Boutique Spa Hotel
1 night in Rome (this trip substitutes Rome for Florence)
*If you would like to See Florence we strongly suggest you Fly in a day early
*Same trip, but moving at a slower pace and walking 2-3 miles per day, rather than 4-6 miles a day.
3 Trip OPtions:
Note: Dates are tentative and prices are subject to change.
Deposit & Upgrades
NOTE: Prices reflect Double Occupancy
Single Occupancy (Private Room) is available on a first-come basis and is an additional
$1000 for 7 night trip and $1500 for 8 nights/spa trip
Contact Maria Directly for availabilty
Click HERE to join our email list for updates on trips including dates, pricing, and waitlists.
Deposit is $500 and is
Transferrable but not Refundable
Balance for Spring Trip due July 31
Balance for Fall Trip due August 1
Wine Package
Enjoy local wine at reception,
painting class and at meals
$195
Want some Extra Space?
Upgrade to a Princess suite with attached bathroom
and extra Twin Bed if separate beds are preferred.
$300 Per Room
Want your Own Space?
Upgrade to a Private Room and enjoy the comfort of your own bed and bathroom.
Only $1000-$1500 for Your Own Room
Need a couple more Days?
2-4 DayTrip extensions to Venice, Florence, or Rome
are highly recommended.
$500-$750
Includes Breakfasts, Transfers, Hotels, and our
authentic out of the way experiences!
What About My Man?
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
After your week with the girls, extend your Italy trip one more week and
have your husband fly into Florence, rent a Fiat, and come pick you up at the Villa. When you come on our Girl’s trip, we offer to plan a romantic detailed itinerary for you and your guy in Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, or Venice for $199!
Or stay in Tuscany and show him around! One week in Tuscany is never enough, and he will be so impressed with how
"Italian" you've become!
This could be you!
Photo Gallery
Cenque Terra
Siena
Lucca
Volterra
Accommodations
The Pink Villa
Giuseppe will be our host at his personal summer home. This Villa found us, and we love it's feminine charm. It is kept impeccably clean, and authentically Italian. You will feel like your are staying with Your Italian Nonna (grandmother).
Main House
The villa features a charming private adjoining cottage which will sleep 4 of our guests and is available upon request. Swimming pool, and dressing rooms are just steps outside the front door.
Adjoining Cottage
Suites and Bedrooms
Standard Rooms
Rooms featuring 1 Queen or 2 single beds
Private bathroom
double occupancy
Mama Mia Suite
Suite with 1 Queen Bed 2 twins Private Bath
quad occupancy
Sophia Suites
Suites with Queen Bed and Sofa Bed with Private Bath
double occupancy
Highlights
The Views
We have chosen a villa, drives, and specific towns that offer amazing views. Our goal is to help you focus your view...and clarify your perspective so that you go home with not only a beautiful picture of Italy, but a clear view of your beautiful life
The Food
As self-described foodies, we take eating very seriously and have chosen restaurants that feature one, if not all, of the following:
Best views
Favorite of the Locals
Specializing in Traditional Regional Dishes
The Time
We strongly believe in the power of Time.
Time to ask the questions, and listen for the answers
Time to remember your passion and purpose.
Time to create a life you love!
After living in Italy, learning the language, returning many times,
and especially growing up with
Grandpa Papaleo, we‘ve learned that one of the things Italians do well is
Savor the Moment.
Whether in work or play, crisis or calm, Italian women
LIVE EACH MOMENT WITH PASSION & PURPOSE.
Spending time in Italy inspired us to seek the sacred in the ordinary,
cherish our relationships,
and delight in the simple pleasures and beauties of life,
recognizing that life is what you make it.
Come to Italy with me
and my sisters and let's
no matter what life gives us!
Our Philosophy
Meet your Hosts
We are American Italian Sisters that live in beautiful northern Utah. We love the mountains, the lakes and the trails. Between us, we have 4 pup dogs (3 good, 1 naughty) We have 11 babies ranging from age 25 to 7
(5 good, 6 naughty)
And we each have our very own handsome-devil of a husband...no sharing! (not that kind of sisters)
And, like you, we've stayed home, we've gone to work, we've perfected the side hustle including: selling real-estate, planned over 1000 weddings, been PTA moms, taught public school, driven 10,000 carpools, taught Sunday school, decorated model homes, dried 100,000 tears, altered prom dresses, cried a little, and laughed a lot! We have a testimony of aprons and currently design and sell aprons with our amazing Mom (click Here to see the fun designs) ...And we've just been patiently waiting for the right time to share our
Philosophy!
-M,G&A
would you love to grab your girlfriend and share a bedroom in a beautifully restored 250 year old Villa with like-minded women.?
would you delight in walking 4-5 miles a day on cobblestone streets through quaint Tuscan Villages sampling gelato, window-shopping, and people watching, enjoying a “less-touristy” Italian experience.?
do you treasure: simplicity, beauty, gratitude, authenticity, faith and dipping your feet in the pool.?
do you value Purpose over Perfection.?
do you have a hearty appetite for gelato.? there’s a little spot in Tuscany that has been awarded "The Best Gelato in the World".. We’ll take you there!
Gelato in San Gimingano
Make it sweet tuscan retreat
italian.retro.sisters@gmail.com
Click to be added to our email list
Click to go to 4RetroSistersAprons
Sweet Tuscan Retreat
Reviews
A once in a lifetime trip!! I was hesitant to go alone without my spouse and 12 other women (many of whom I had never met) but it turned out to be an absolutely incredible and well planned out adventure. I am planning on doing it again with my daughter in the future. --Monique
Maria and Gina planned and executed an over-the-top trip to Italy. The very special accommodations, dinners, and activities all gave us a true taste of authentic Italy! Gina brought her savvy language skills and knowledge of the culture. She communicated and coordinated with the locals, while Maria put the charm cherry on top of with all the sweet details! This was a trip of a lifetime. Im so glad I decided to go!
--Brandi
Maria and Gina went ABOVE and BEYOND any expectations I had about this trip!!! They had everything planned and organized SO WELL Their expertise and knowledge of the areas we visited was impressive, not to mention Gina’s Italian!!! They really know what they are doing and put together an amazing itinerary!!! The Villa and Spa lodging were really first class… they were BEAUTIFUL!!! But not only did they put together an amazing trip… they took SUCH GOOD CARE OF US!!! You know how you sometimes want a momma or auntie to just feed you and love on you… well that’s what they did!!! They are SO WARM and SO LOVELY It felt like such pampered and indulgent experience which is exactly what women need every once in a while!!! It was truly an unforgettable trip that I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to experience. Thank you is not enough for Maria and Gina!!!!
--Forever Grateful Jenny G
Gina
Gina
M & G,
I just want to thank your for inviting me on this AMAZING adventure. It was so awesome to see Italy for a second time. What was cool was seeing these beautiful sites with all these wonderful women was a whole different experience for me. It allowed me to see things in a different perspective. I have so many ideas, and you both inspired me to take my ideas and see them through. A favorite part of the trip is watching you two in action. Gina, I'm in awe at how well you speak Italian, you do it with such personality, and it was so much fun to be a part of that! --Marti
This was Such a Fabulous and well thought out Trip. Gina and Maria did such a wonderful job planning every last detail with such fun added touches and charm. I highly recommend this Women’s Retreat you won’t regret it
--Charlene
Maria
Maria
This trip was amazing! I loved the time spent getting to know new people and the knowledge Gina and Maria had about where we were going. It was a great combination of getting to know the local people and areas as well as the tourist areas that are must sees! -- Jen
I’m SO GLAD I said yes to this trip! I think of those moms out there going… “I can’t leave my kids, It feels selfish…” I said those things to myself too. But what I found in Italy is that I needed that time away to reconnect with who I am and remember why I love my life and the people in it. Gina and Maria took such good care of us! They made magic happen. I was able to grab a friend I never have enough time with. Together we decided to be brave and go for it. I’m SO GLAD we said YES even though it was a little scary. Now, we have memories we’ll always cherish, a handful of new friends, and a renewed sense of passion and purpose. Thank you Gina and Maria for making this possible! When can I go again? --Danielle
Sometimes we get so busy
Running around
The Distractions and Demands of Life
become so Loud
that we can't hear the answers anymore
Maybe we've forgotten our Purpose.
Maybe we’ve forgotten our Passion.
Carve out one week of your life
Find a sacred space
Ask the questions
and Listen
You will Hear your Answers
We've found a Place to Hear the Answers