Join herbalist Holly Bellebuono in Italy!
Our 12-day herbal, foodie, art and culture adventure will immerse you in the sights, scents, flavors and sounds of the Italian countryside. It's the olive-studded, flower-scented, farm-and-pharmacy, folklore and history retreat that will leave you feeling inspired and rejuvenated!
Register early! Spots will fill quickly.
Together, our group will experience:
Herbs of Tuscany
Fragrant, colorful, heady aromas. Indulge your senses in herb gardens, historic botanical gardens, and flower gardens that have been thriving and blossoming for centuries.
Wine Tour & Tasting
Tour the vineyards and Etruscan tunnels of Montepulciano and taste the wines and foods special to the this hilltop Tuscan paradise
Sights & Tastes of Florence
Enjoy exploring the ancient Tuscan towns of Siena, Florence, and Assisi. This is your chance to dive into their history, art, culture and food.
Botanical & Herb Gardens
Explore historic botanical gardens, herb gardens, herbal pharmacies and museums, thriving ancient farms, thermal hot springs, historic hotels, and more.
Groves & Grottoes
We will visit the Boboli Gardens in Florence, laid out by the Medici family behind the Pitti Palace. Our home Villa Certano is a 16th-century herb and flower garden with ancient trees, olive groves, and the lush and fragrant roses and lavender of Tuscany.
Optional Herbal Business Track
Arrange to deepen your understanding of herbal medicine for natural and organic product makers; scope and sequence available.
Relax with Yoga
Daily optional morning yoga, movement and breathing exercises with instructor and certified massage therapist Natalie Young at the centuries-old Villa Certano.
Traditional Tuscan Meals
The trip includes most (except 3-4) delicious meals with fresh local cuisine and thoughtful vegetarian options, with many meals made in Villa Certano's historic kitchen.
Flowers & Perfumery
Explore an essential oil harvesting farm and distillery for a full sensory experience of fragrant flowers including lavender, helichrysum, broom, cedar, and more
Your Tuscany Hosts
Holly Bellebuono and David Vigneault
Herbalist, author, entrepreneur coach, and herb school director Holly Bellebuono and her partner David Vigneault, housing director and disabilities professional, will warmly welcome you to Italy.
Dr. Richard Liebmann and Natalie Young
Husband-and-wife team naturopathic physician and former Executive Director of United Plant Savers Richard Liebmann and Natalie Young, certified massage therapist and yoga and pilates instructor.
Join fellow plant lovers for the trip of a lifetime
Our trip will be hosted by leaders in the herbal world who love Italy and have deep connections to its people and to plants. About your hosts and instructors:
Holly Bellebuono has taught in Costa Rica, Canada, England, and across the US. An herbalist and teacher of 30 years, Holly is the author of 8 nonfiction books published in 3 languages, apothecary owner and developer of retail and wholesale product lines, is the founder and is the director of The Bellebuono School of Herbal Medicine teaching Western herbal medicine and business courses for natural and organic product makers.
Husband-and-wife team naturopathic physician Dr. Richard Liebmann, former Executive Director of United Plant Savers and co-founder of Lokahi Garden Sanctuary in Hawaii, and Natalie Young, dancer, pilates and yoga instructor, and certified massage therapist. Richard is curating this amazing experience, and both have extensive experience across Italy and will organize a fantastic trip.
Our Italy Itinerary
Dates: May 24 - June 4, 2025
Expertly curated and organized by Richard Liebmann. Note: While the itinerary is subject to change, this is the current offering.
Also note: all activities are optional and you are welcome to sit out a tour to relax at our gorgeous 16th-century Villa!:
- Delicious breakfasts, luncheons, dinners and feasts make with fresh local Italian foods at our Villa as well as specially selected local restaurants
- Home-away-from-home at the 100-acre, 16th century Villa Certano
- Guided tour of an essential oil production farm and perfume distillery in the heart of Chianti, growing thyme, rosemary, sage, helichrysum, hyssop, broom, Damascus rose, and of course lavender
- Experience the thermal spa and bubbling hot springs at a Tuscan resort (optional massage, beauty and hydrotherapy treatments are encouraged!)
- Tours and free-time in the ancient Gothic walled city of Siena and its cobblestone lined piazza
- Visit and get a special tour of the Orto Botanico of Siena, the oldest "Horto Medicinale" in the world established in 1545
- Guided tour of Siena's Baroque Duomo Cathedral, with its paintings, frescos, and sculptures
- Tour Florence's Simpler's Botanical Gardens, originally a teaching garden for Italian physicians in the 1500s
- Tour the Boboli Gardens of the Pitti Palace and its famed underground grottoes
- Tour the Aboca Herbal Museum with its medicinal herb gardens and botanical library in the ancient walled city of Sansepolcro
- Explore Assisi, with free time to see its Basilicas of Santa Chiara and San Francesco, and grottoes
- Enjoy a Vineyard tour, wine tasting, and Tuscan supper in the famous hilltop town of Montepulciano, with its Etruscan underground tunnels
- Guided tour of the fragrant lavender farm of Assisi
- Meet and share a wonderful 11-night/12-day adventure with fellow plant lovers and people with an expansive and welcoming spirit
All the Deets
Dates: May 24 - June 4, 2025
What's included: So much is included for this fantastic price!!
- all transportation once you arrive at Florence Airport, including pickup and drop-off at the airport to our Villa
- nearly all meals (except 3-4)
- 11 nights double-occupancy lodging (single upgrades are available)
- all instruction and material fees
- all tours and excursions, including all fees
- all entrance fees
- daily yoga & movement
Cost per person: $3,900
Non-refundable deposit: First payment (half) is due now. This includes a $300pp non-refundable deposit.
Final payment due by February 15, 2025.
Payment options: We can accept personal checks by mail; Venmo; and credit card payments through our website.
Not included in the trip: tips, 3-4 meals, airfare to Italy, and items of a personal nature (such as phone calls and laundry).
Let's go to Italy!
Pay your deposit and reserve your space today for
HERBAL TUSCANY, May 24 - June 4, 2025
Fill out this form to reserve your space. We will send you the details about registration and how to submit your initial payment.
Please note! Spaces are limited. Please fill out this form when you are ready to commit to the trip. We will send you details on how to make your payments as well as what to expect, more specific details, and Zoom links for planning as we get closer to the date!
What's the max number of people who can sign up for this trip?
Will I need to pay for my own transportation or lodging within Italy?
Is this trip only for couples?
Can I request vegetarian meal options?
Do I have to be a current student, or an herbalist, to go?
How much is a single room upgrade?
What is the payment schedule?
What kind of information will I receive after I reserve my spot?
Are all activities required?
