“We love the Earth; this is the place we celebrate it.”
— Annette Joseph, Founder, Stylist, Producer, & Cookbook Author
About
Annette is a published author with six books under her belt: Picture Perfect Parties, Cocktail Italiano, Italy is My Boyfriend, and her two latest books My Italian Guestbook and At The Table Of La Fortezza, a cookbook based on the La Fortezza kitchen and the incredible food, food purveyors, and artisans in the region of Lunigiana. Available for purchase here.
Make sure to subscribe to her YouTube Channel All About Annette, tour homes for sale, tour villages and cities, meet the locals. La Fortezza Kitchen for recipes, It’s fun and informative. For anyone wanting to move to Italy Annette’s channel is a must.
NEW BOOK ALERT! Annette’s first work of fiction is now available for purchase, a murder mystery you guessed it that takes place in the kitchen. The Killer Menu *Watch for the new La Fortezza Dessert Cookbook available for pre-order in Summer 2025.
The Fortress
The Fortress, Annette’s Tuscan summer home and retreat location, is nestled in the heart of Northern Tuscany a region known as the Lunigiana. The medieval stone compound sits on 27 acres, on the grounds are Roman ruins, a river and the vineyard. The Fortress has a breathtaking view of the Apennine mountains & the marble-topped Apuane Alps and the valley below. The property is surrounded by olive groves, chestnut trees, and fruit orchards. The Fortress was a medieval defensive tower in a region that had over 120 castles and kingdoms to protect in the 12th to the 15th century. On the property there are 3 outbuildings, 3 dining terraces overlooking 3 killer views, and a private living quarters. You can wander the grounds with camera in hand and capture the Italian country life during your stay. All retreats offer a cooking lesson, and chef prepared meals on site. Our own wines are served they are all totally organic and grown sustainably. We have 6 guest rooms. Private Retreats can have 8 individual guests with 2 shared rooms and 4 private rooms or up to 10 guests if couples are attending; all rooms have their own bathrooms .
Private retreat cost per guest is $1000 per person per night, included is a curated itinerary, your accommodations, yoga, pool time, meals, cocktails, snacks and all beverages, one cooking lesson, a truffle hunting excursion plus four course truffle lunch. You can reserve from 1 - 4 nights for your group. There is a 4 person minimum. note *deposit is non refundable but we do issue credits for other dates in case of cancellation. Please email genesis.carlina@gmail.com for more information.
Your Retreat Includes:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
All snacks, water, soft drinks, espressos, cocktails and wine from our vineyard
Custom curated excursions and activities for you
Yoga on the terrace (if desired)
Sunset Aperitivo, includes signature cocktails and nibbles
One Cooking lesson, Pasta or Focaccia or Pizza Dough
A Bottle of La Fortezza Wine of your choice. White, Rosé, or Red
Signed copy of Annette’s cookbook, At the Table of La Fortezza or The Sweet Life at La Fortezza, your choice.
Pizza night, learn to make your own pizza
Important Information:
Please be aware: due to the nature of our property, we are not ADA compliant, and we cannot accept guests requiring accessibility.
We recommend personal injury insurance. Here are sites to compare pricing and benefits:
www.allaboardbenefits.com/policy_individual.ht
All attendees traveling from the United States are asked to purchase short-term international travel health insurance. *As of 2025 you will be required to get a Visa in advance.
Transportation Information
Note: Airfare is not included. Guests fly into the nearest airport which is Pisa or Florence, Italy. There are no airport pick-ups. You are responsible for transportation to and from La Fortezza as well as to and from town for meals or any individual excursions. We strongly recommend that you plan to rent a car for ease of getting around during your stay at La Fortezza. Our rental suggestion is Sixt Rental cars. Reach out to other guests to share a ride from and to the airport if you wish. *NOTE there are no taxis.
FAQs
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Joining us at La Fortezza is an easy way to vacation with family and friends. We do it all for you. It’s a relaxing and great way to enjoy the Italian countryside. Private retreats are custom experiences that you will never forget. No children under 14 are allowed on the property. *( for safety reasons)
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La Fortezza is located in Lunigiana, a little known gorgeous region of northern Tuscany. It’s rough and rugged landscape is a beautiful way to enjoy the Italian countryside. Organize wonderful trip where you and your private group will learn and experience a little known region of Italy it’s food, it’s people and the incredible vistas.
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All inclusive fees typically include:
Lodging
All breakfasts, snacks, beverages, wine, and cocktails for all workshop days; most lunches and dinners
All arrangements, reservations, directions and contacts for any excursions, meals off site will be arranged for you by Annette. Note* We pay for transportation for one excursion. You will need to drive or pay for a driver for all other excursions.
Optional morning yoga with our fabulous local instructor
Pool access and Bocce Ball, we are happy to book Thai massages at the pool (you will pay the Claudio directly).
1 cooking lesson.
Signed copy of Annette’s cookbook about the region At the Table of La Fortezza (Rizzoli NY)
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Of course depending on the season, but layering is always a great idea. The countryside is relatively casual. There is usually one night out. Perhaps a day trip to a city, like Florence or Modena, Parma or Genova. So 1 nice outfit is good to have. It is chilly at night even in the summer since we are located in the mountains, so a shawl always comes in handy. Good sturdy walking shoes are a must. The grounds are uneven and walking to the vineyard you will need a good pair. Flip flops are forbidden on the grounds, you can certainly pack them for inside the guest quarters and for the pool area. We just don’t encourage you to walk around the grounds in them during the day. We do go truffle hunting so a shoe with a good grip is a good idea. Yoga pants and a bathing suit. Any specifics will be included in the informational email we send 1 month before the trip.
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Here’s a great article about the 11 food and drink rules the Italians live by.