SELF DRIVE TOURS
SHINRIN-YOKU: THE MYSTIC WOODS
ECO-GREEN and WELNESS TOUR IN CENTRAL ITALY
FROM € 620,00
The itinerary Shinrin – Yoku: The Mystic Woods, Eco Green and Welness Tour in Central Italy, is a new tour which harmonizes sustainable tourism, ecology and spiritual places.
SELF DRIVE PROGRAM
SELF DRIVE TOUR
8 Days Trip in Umbria & Tuscany
ITINERARY STEPS
Transportation: Private car with driver/ rental car / own car
Difficulty: Low / Medium (you will decide everyday the length of each walk)
Tour Type: Self drive Tour
CALENDAR
Period: from April to October
Departure: any day
ABOUT
Shinirin – Yoku is a new exciting outdoor activity that arrives from Japan.
It simply means walking in the woods for good health at every level. It is a “forest bathing” that means also preventive medicine. Practically every tree can affect the human organism, for example the lime tree for the nervous system, pomegranate for the cardiovascular system.
Through the Bioenergetic Landscape method there is an “electromagnetic relationship that can occur by resonance between the local biosphere, man and plants and which attributes to each plant species energy characteristics capable of influencing in a different way on the our body “. All this would be implemented simply by walking in the woods.
It seems strange? It is not, according to this discipline, in fact, walking in the woods would give enormous benefits, it would be an effective cure for stress, depression, high blood pressure and strengthen the immune system.
Then, what better than bathe yourself in the mystic woods of central Italy? Centuries-old woods that inspired the most revolutionary mystical thoughts of the West. Shinrin Yoku is a fantasting match between a new holistic discipline that comes from the traditionalist East and the mystical tradition of Italy characterized by a still unspoiled and rich nature. That’s simply a natural way of discovering uncontaminated
Thanks to this unique program you will also discover wonderful retreats and secluded place where breathing only peace, energy, wellbeing! You don’t need to be a skilled hiker, you don’t need to be trained at good level, just take with you a nice and comfortable walking shoes and smile! The guide and our itineraries will make the rest!
Day 1: Pistoia
Day 2: Pistoia and mountains
Day 3: Camaldoli
Day 4: Camaldoli and La Verna
Day 5: Assisi
Day 6: Assisi and Mount Subasio
Day 7: Assisi and Spoleto
Day 8: Departure
Day 1: PISTOIA
Arrival in Italy and transfer to PISTOIA for visiting this interesting tuscan old town.
Pistoia has very interesting treasures for its visitors, including an underground itinerary.
Visit to Villa di Celle for exploring XX century art history of international artists. This is a rich and ambitious program of Environmental Art, which begins in the park of the Villa and is the park itself and consists in the realization of projects for which space and nature are not mere containers but part of the work.
Overnight near Pistoia.
Day 2: PISTOIA and mountains
Transfer to the mountains beyond Pistoia for your wonderful Hike in chestnut woods.
The area of Pistoia mountains has always been very popular for the production of chestnut. Beautiful mountains covered with endless chestnut groves that in autumn give very rich crops. One of the most typical products of this area is in fact the chestnut flour which is used for local delicacies such as Necci (a dessert).
After the walk in the woods, time to visit the small village of Cireglio and its Castle and to taste the typical Necci. The hike will take you discovering not only the unspoiled chestnut woods but also the old mountian railway and some traditional old villages (distance from 5 up to 14 km).
Overnight in a local little hotel; dinner with local delicacies.
Day 3: CAMALDOLI
Departure from Pistoia to CAMALDOLI, situated in the Casentino forests.
Time for visititng the Hermitage. The story of Camaldoli begins a few years after the year One Thousand, and is linked to San Romualdo, a monk from Ravenna who preached the Rule of Saint Benedict.
On his way to the Abbey of Santa Trinità, located on the slopes of Pratomagno, he stopped around 1012 in a glade on the Apennine ridge. Fascinated by the solitary beauty of the forest he decided to build a hermitage as a shelter for pilgrims and wayfarers. The Hermitage was consecrated in 1027; in 1080 the hospice became a real Monastery.
From the beginning of its centuries-old history, Camaldoli became one of the most significant examples of how monastic management contributed to the conservation and propagation of environmental and naturalistic values.
Casentinesi forests are a national park, one of purest European forested areas, a quiet natural oasis home to roe deer, venison, fallow deer, wild boars and even wolves.
According to the altitude there is a different vegetation: pure beech forest, mixed forest of beech and silver fir with the presence of mountain maple, curly maple, mountain elm, ash, lime and yew; higher you will have Coniferous forest composed of white fir with the presence of some exotic species such as black pine, American fir (douglas) and spruce etc.
Your trekking today is approximately 5 km. Dinner with typical menu made of mashrooms. Overnight in Camaldoli.
Day 4: CAMALDOLI and LA VERNA
A new day to discover the vibrant atmosphere of the Casentino Forest and to breath the forest around Camaldoli and La Verna Sanctuary, where Saint Francis received stigmatas.
The holy forest of La Verna is the Mystic place where in the summer of 1224, St. Francis retired for his usual periods of silence and prayer.
The monastery, the pharmacy and the wood in the Sanctuary are very interesting for the rich history, art, tradition.
Overnight.
Day 5: ASSISI
After breakfast departure to Umbria to explore the holy wood of Saint Francis near Assisi and Mount Subasio.
Assisi is the birthplace of Saint Francis and the place where his revolution started. First visit to the amazing cathedral where Giotto frescos are preserved and time to explore the beautiful medieval town.
In the afternoon a first hike in the hermitage wood. This sacred retreat carved in the stone and protected by the wood is one of the places most dear to the saint. The energy of this place is very powerful and we can almost touch it; walking in the trail of this holy wood is a source of endless wellbeing and pure energy.
It is probably due to the energy of these woods and forests that the mystics, saints, thinkers have always retired in meditation and contemplation in these area of Umbria and then left to travel the world bringing their revolutionary thought.
Day 6: ASSISI and MOUNT SUBASIO
Time to discover a fantastic wood on the eastern side of Mount Subasio inclusing the nice medieval castle-hamlet of Armenzano.
This side of the mountain is characterized by splendid and imposing beech woods. Interesting is the important presence of conifers (pines and firs) and mountain pastures with an important variety of flowers and gorse (visiti s possible with a guide - on request) which in the spring change the color of the turf on the Park.
Immerse yourself in the beautiful timeless nature of this place to breathe deeply and fill your eyes with the splendid colors of the forest and nature.
In the afternoon time to visit a local wine estate in the area of Montefalco and tasting of wine and local delicacies (organic oil and wines).
Day 7: ASSISI and SPOLETO
Full day excursion to Spoleto for exploring the holy wood of the hermitage of Monteluco.
The dense vegetation of the "sacred wood" covers Monteluco (800 m), the hill in front of Spoleto. The millenary importance of the forest is testified by the name itself (lucus = sacred wood) and by the ancient, severe protection rules testified by the Lex Spoletina: the first example of forest regulation consisting of stone inscriptions from the late III century BC, written in archaic Latin, which establish the penalties for the profanation of the sacred wood dedicated to Jupiter.
The Sacred Wood of Monteluco is characterized by the presence of the evergreen holm oaks that are an ideal home for large beetles, for the green woodpecker, the great spotted woodpecker, the creeper and the nuthatch.
Walk in the wood and time to explore the hermitage.
At the end, time for discovering Spoleto.
Day 8: DEPARTURE
Departure after breakfast.
Price from € 620,00 per person in double room.
It is possible to extend the stay. Extention has to be requested at reservation.
Supplement for single room on request.
Supplement for private transfer throughout the tour on request.
Accomodation: 7 overnights in typical rural Hotel and / or natural agriturismo located outside the towns and very green and natural.
Food: 7 breakfasts with Bio / organic food, 2 typical dinners without beverages, 1 wine tasting in Umbria with delicacies.
Other Services Included: 2 half day experiences with an expert hiking guide to explore the woods of Camaldoli and Subasio, GPS tracks, information, assistance.
Price Does Not Include: meals when not mentioned, beverages, transfers, city tax, tips, entrance fees to museums and exhibitions.
Transportation: Private car with driver/ rental car / own car
Difficulty: Low/Medium (you will decide everyday the length of each walk)
Category: Self drive tour
Accommodation level: Standard or Superior
Attention: the itinerary might change because of bad weather conditions, pandemic, closure days in general
Departure: guaranteed min 1 persons – groups always available on request
Note: Tour is possible from April till end of October. Other months are on request
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