Lunigiana - Tuscany

The main base of our life and activities centered around Integral Yoga is in Tuscany, amidst the incredible valleys of Lunigiana (the land of Luni People, who ere connected to the Moon), between Bagnone and Villafranca at the Auroluni Home and the Lunigiana's Country House. Lunigiana is a strip of predominantly hilly land, crossed by the Magra River, nestled between the seas of Versilia and the Gulf of Poets, and the mountains of the Apuan Alps, the Tuscan-Emilian and Ligurian Apennines. By being a meeting and passage land between central and northern Italy, it experienced periods of immense splendor and all its valleys, mountains, streams, and forests are dotted with prehistoric, Roman and medieval heritage. The countless reasons to come to Lunigiana can be summarized as follow:

• Ancient Culture and Traditional Life. From Pontremoli to Fivizzano, from Zeri to Bagnone, from Mulazzo to Fosdinovo, the marvelous villages of these lands, governed for nearly 1,000 years by the Malaspina marquises and where Dante also stayed, still today exude the scent of slow, ancient times. Perfect places to escape the hustle and bustle of the city in a still unspoiled, green, peaceful, and untouched environment. Furthermore, the Lunigiana people still carry on their ancient traditions in everyday life and festivals, with countless year-round activities and authentic cuisine.

• Unspoiled Nature and Wild Mountains. This part of the Apennines, Tuscan-Emilian on one side of the Magra River and Ligurian on the other side, is a naturalistic territory yet to be discovered, sparsely populated but inhabited by countless animals. Here, you can lose yourself in chestnut woods, hike along ancient rarely frequented paths with beautiful views and incredible natural scenery, and bathe in hundreds of waterfalls and crystal-clear pools. Furthermore, for those who love hiking and rugged mountains, the Apuan Alps offer off-the-beaten-path trekking and above all climbing trails through breathtaking landscapes, often with the additional gift of incredible sea views.

• Coves and Beaches between Sea and Mountains. At the doors of Lunigiana, the Gulf of Poets is an enchanting inlet on the Levante Riviera overlooked by the Ligurian Apennines, renowned for its extraordinary beauty. In particular, the age-old trails and romantic atmosphere of gems like Tellaro, Montemarcello, Lerici, and Porto Venere have inspired countless poets, writers, and artists, including Byron, Shelley, Goethe, Dante, Petrarch, Botticelli, Dickens, James, and more. Instead, those craving for large beaches and esplanades with lively establishments, can go to the nerby Versilia resorts, from Bocca di Magra to Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio, which are enriched on the backdrop by the majestic presence of the Apuan Alps, and not by chance famous among celebrities from around the world.​