“This year is the year you will create your own personal

Italian experiences!”

— Annette Joseph, Founder, Stylist, Producer, & Cookbook Author

Retreat experience 2024

I started our Retreats over 10 years ago. What started as a way to connect with creatives all over the world has turned into an immersive experience in a part of Italy that is beautiful and undiscovered. Lunigiana, Italy is a place that is close to my heart and I would love to share it with all of you. With that in mind I will help you and your group create a custom experience that will feed your creative soul. La Fortezza has become a place to recharge, be inspired and enjoy the bounty of our land. Join us for a special vacation that is relaxing, and educational. We look forward to welcoming you. Annette x

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

  • 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 
www.insuremytrip.com

All attendees traveling from the United States are asked to purchase short-term international travel health insurance.  *As of 2024 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.

Plan your own Private Experience for 2024

In 2024 we will be offering ONLY private retreats

Stay: 1 night up to 4 nights

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Build Your Own Experiences.

1 night and up to 4 nights. Create your own retreat experience. Whether it is cooking lessons or foraging and flower arranging with Annette . You can customize your retreat anyway you’d like. Perhaps balsamic vinegar tasting, truffle hunting followed by a four course truffle lunch. Morning yoga, and a Thai or Shiatzu or Reflexology massage. A private tour of the Cararra marble mines followed by lunch at the top of the mountain. A slow food purveyors tour, or wine tasting at the local award winning winery. Hiking to waterfalls or walking to our vineyard with a glass of vino in hand. Shop at the chic Forte Dei Marmi market followed by lunch at the sea and an afternoon at the beach. You can participate in our grape harvest. Enjoy cocktail lessons, or building the perfect charcuterie board with Annette. You can relax by the pool with a book and play a little bocce ball. It’s your retreat your way. Perfect for birthday and anniversary celebrations, girls trips or family holidays. Annette personally curates your entire “La Fortezza Experience” 40 minutes from the seaside, 1 hour and 15 minutes from Parma, 1 and 15 minutes from Lucca. It’s the perfect location to explore.

Gather your family, friends. Groups must be a minimum of 4 people (we can host up to 10 people with couples and shared rooms). Itinerary planning and accommodations, yoga, meals, cocktails, wine are included. Also included is a personalized signed copy of Annette’s cookbook about the region, At the Table of La Fortezza, and a bottle of La Fortezza wine.* Note you are responsible for your Transportation. Annette is happy to suggest a car service for day excursions pricing on request, or a rental company. Make La Fortezza in Lunigiana in Tuscany your Italian destination in 2024.

Please email us to reserve dates and *Inquire about pricing for your retreat here:

Annette: annettejoseph@mac.com or our customer service liaison: Gen: at genesis.carlina@gmail.com

*Note Your deposit (which is half of the total cost) is due upon reserving and it is NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-TRANSFERABLE. We do however issue credits for other dates.

One Night Stay

 

 For a one night stay you arrive for lunch, cook with me and lounge by the pool.

Stroll to our vineyard with a glass of vino in hand and then dinner on the terrace.

We meet for 8:30am breakfast and goodbyes around 11:00am

3 Night Stay

  • Monday, Arrival Day (please plan to arrive after 3:00 p.m.)

    3:00 - 6:30 pm - Arrivals at The Fortress. Light lunch or snacks available. Unpack, shower, nap.

    6:30 pm - Meet and Greet Aperitivo on the terrace. Cocktails and nibbles will be served

    7:30 pm - Welcome dinner on the terrace 

  • Tuesday, Truffle Hunting (available in May or September and October)

    9:00 - Meet the Truffle Hunter

    10:30 - 11:00 am – Hunt

    12:30 - 2:30 pm - 4 course Truffle Lunch at a stunning Agritourismo

    4:00 - 6:30 pm - Rest & relaxation or a cooking lesson, learn to make pizza dough.

    6:30 pm - Aperitivo on the terrace.

    7:30 pm – Pizza Party on the vineyard terrace, tunes and pizza. Learn to make your own pizza

  • Wednesday, Hiking and Picnic, or Shop in Sarzana

     8:00 am – Breakfast, and we pack you water snacks and picnic lunch for your hike

    9:00 am - 1:30 pm - Hike for to a scenic spot *(or you could shop in Sarzana)

    1:00- Picnic lunch on your hike or lunch at a local spot in Sarzana

    1:30 pm - Head back to La Fortezza

    3:00-6:00- Read and relax at the pool with a cocktail and snacks, play bocce ball

    6:30 pm - Aperitivo 

    7:30 pm - Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant

  • Thursday and Ciao Ciao!

    10:00 am - Breakfast and Departures

 

Select Your Experiences from a Menu of Activities

We have loads of choices and options for excursions and experiences. This is just a sample.

Come cook, eat, drink with me.

You’ll get to know a little known beautiful part of Italy. My special place.

~Annette x

  • Food Forward Experiences

    • Cooking Classes from my Cookbook

    • Cocktails and charcuterie board lesson with me

    • Truffle Hunting, with Four Course Truffle Lunch - *Fall only

    • Slow Food Lecture and Cooking Class

    • Panagacci Dinner

    • Pizza Party* a must

    • Testaroli Maker (Local Food purveyor)

    • Harvest at our Vineyard, dependent on the harvest timing, usually mid-September

  • City Tours

    • Tour of Fivizzano

    • Tour of Sarzana

    • Tour of Modena

    • Day at Cinque Terra, Portovenere* - Fall only

    • Tour of Pietrasanta

  • Special Excursions

    • Hiking, caving, rafting , mountain climbing, biking

    • Flea Markets

    • Private Carrara Mine Tour with Lunch at the top of the mountain

    • Private Castle Tour with an amazing first edition book collection

    • Forte dei Marmi Market* - Summer only

    • Bio Dynamic Vineyard Tour Tasting and Lunch

    • Private Boat rentals

  • Lessons in the Studio

    • Yoga

    • Foraging and Flower arranging

    • Styling and photography lesson

    • Wine and Watercolor Class

    • Inksperience with Betty Soldi

Contact Gen to reserve your place (Gen is our La Fortezza Guest Service Liaison).