Single rooms have a single bed, a desk, shelves, clothes hanger, hair dryer and fan. You will share a bathroom/shower on same floor, with another one available to you downstairs.

Double beds can  be split into singles for friends. Shared bathroom/shower on same floor with another available downstairs. Comes with hair dryer, hanging clothes rail, shelves, desk and fan.

The large triple rooms have the double bed split into singles plus one more bed. A screen can be supplied for extra privacy. Rooms come with hairdryer, desk, fan and hanging clothes rail.

General

What are the arrival and departure times?

Please arrive by 18:00 on the 14th (if possible). The event ends on Sunday evening (17th). Breakfast is available on the 18th before you leave. You are welcome to book extra nights accommodation at Posto Divino before or after the event. Contact +353 877513709 to reserve.

What is the daily schedule?

Breakfast will be available from 8am to 9.00am. There will be a break for lunch after your morning workshop. Lunch will be available from 1pm. Dinner is provided at 7pm. If you’d like to book a massage or other individual therapy you will have time.

What will we eat?

Beautiful, healthy plant based cuisine prepared in house out of our garden or prepared by the chefs at Almaranto Retreat Hotel. There will always be a vegan option.

Do you have WIFI?

No we don’t have WIFI, because it’s not healthy to be absorbing those frequencies all day, every day. You’ll need to either bring a data package on your phone, or you can try Nomad eSim online to buy your data. But please do this before you come, because Nomad doesn’t work with all phones. https://www.getnomad.app/en/  If you are desperate we can ‘hotspot’ you so you can connect through one of our personal phones. We can provide this for an emergency. We encourage you to take a break from being online, and turn your phone off as much as possible during your retreat.

What Sim Cards work in Italy?

We have Irish vodafone and it works perfectly here. If you are coming from outside the EU we suggest picking up a vodafone sim card when you arrive in Italy. Get one before you arrive at Posto Divino their shops are not in any of the small villages near here.

How do you get from Posto Divino to nearby villages and towns?

It’s a 20 minute walk to Calamandrana, or 2 minutes by car. You can get buses from there to Canelli  (in one direction) and Nizza Monferrato (in the other). Both are about a 10 minute bus ride.You can get trains from Nizza Monferrato to all the bigger towns and main cities. (Acqui Terme, Alessandria, Asti, Alba all approx 30 minutes away). Its about a 90 minute train ride to the cities of Turin (near the mountains) and Genova and Savona where you can swim in the Mediterranean.

IMPORTANT Please note: Please don’t  plan to travel to or from here on any Sunday. There are no buses running around here on Sundays and no trains from NIzza Monferrato. You have to be nearer the bigger centers to travel on Sundays. Normal taxis aren’t available in the small villages. You can hire a ‘driver’ who will need to be booked a long time in advance, especially in the busy season. There aren’t many and they are often available or turn down short trips in favor of holding out for more lucrative runs to the airport. (Circa 300 euro for one way trip to the main airports. Approx 80 euros from towns like Alessandria 30-40 minutes away.

Is there a pool?

We currently have a 5×3 meter above ground pool for dunking yourself in. There are public swimming pools in Canelli and Nizza Monferrato, or head to the sea by train.

What should I bring?

A notebook and pens. Pack light but bring a layer for the evening because September can be a little unpredictable temperature wise in the evenings. Bring swimming gear if it’s hot. Check out the predicted temperatures at https://weather.com/   Search Frazione Garbazzola, Asti, Italy and click to the 10 day forecast.

If you like to read, bring a book. It’s hard to find books in English over here.

Does Posto Divino offer wellbeing treatments?

Yes you can book massages and kinesiology treatments. Talk to us and we will book you in.

Are there any cats/dogs on site? Can I bring my pet?

We have an 11 year old rescue German Shepherd who was never socialised with other dogs, so  we cannot have other dogs on site. Edo doesn’t go up stairs. He is well supervised by us when there are groups staying. He has his own private space and yard for these times when it can be a bit overwhelming for him.

There are no cats but we have 10 silkie chickens that look a bit like cats! Our rooster Leonardo is a good alarm clock!

Where can I do my laundry?

There is a washing machine in the downstairs shared bathroom that you can use. You can hang your washing under the cover next to the swimming pool.

Is there a designated smoking area?

Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside. We’d prefer that you don’t smoke anywhere on our property. But if you must, please smoke outside where there are no people around. Please never discard your buts on the ground. Not only is it a fire hazard, but many non-smokers regard discarded buts as disgusting.  To avoid smelly rubbish make sure cigarettes are well extinguished, then wrap before going into the rubbish.

What about alcohol and drugs?

We are about wellbeing. Best to leave your recreational drugs at home and get high on life when here! We are in a wine making area. We are fine with you having a lovely glass of wine but please don’t drink excessively while staying here.

Are there restaurants nearby?

There’s a pizzeria and a very ‘meat oriented’ restaurant in Calamandrana (20 minutes walk) and two cafes. Another 10 minutes walk takes you to more sophisticated food at ‘Almaranto Retreat Hotel’  In the nearby towns of Canelli (4km) and Nizza Monferrato (4km the opposite way) there are many cafes and restaurants.

Are there places to shop?

All of the villages have fresh produce markets outside at different days of the week. Canelli and Nizza Monferrato have clothes and gift shops etc. (4km away) You can bus to both towns by walking to the end of our road (15 mins) and taking the bus. Not on Sunday though.

Outdoor markets, mornings only      : Canelli: Tues and Fri…….Nizza Monferrato:  Fridays with speciality markets some weekends e.g. antiques, arts etc. Calamandrana, Saturday and Monday small food market. Usually the larger the town, the larger the markets.

What is there to do around Posto Divino, if I want to stay longer?

• Walk through the truffle forests or up on the vineyard hills to get great views of the surrounding villages and towns. On a clear day see the stunning ring of Alps encircling us.
• Visit the amazing underground Bosca Wine Cathedrals in Canelli. Learn all about the process of making hand made champagne. Find out some history of the area and have several tastings at the end. (15 euros)
• Go shopping at the markets.Walk to Calamandrana (20 mins) or bus to Canelli or Nizza Monferrato (4km each way).
• Visit the small cities of Acqui Terme, Asti, Alessandria or Alba all about circa 30 minutes by bus or train.
• Spend a day in Turin (Italy’s original capital) by train.(Currently 7 euro each way). Or head to the seaside cities of beautiful Genova or Savona for a lovely day out, a bit of shopping, lunch and a swim in the Mediterranean.
• Hang out at the small village cafes and see what the locals get up to.
• In summer visit the local swimming pools in Canelli and Nizza. Have a game of beach volleyball in the sand! Get a lounger and brollie or picnic on the grass.
• If you have a car visit the river  near Aqui Terme for a lovely walk and swim in the water holes. (25 mins drive)
• Stay home and watch ‘chicken TV’. Silkie chicken’s antics on the lawn are always entertaining and they are very curious. They love getting a wee treat of juicy fruit or chopped fresh veg. But please don’t overfeed.
• Find a peaceful spot on the property within the fences or in the fields. Stay quiet and notice how many varieties of bugs, beetles, birds and butterflies that come by.

Ask us  for a musical instrument if you’d like to play, and Mike is always happy to play with others.

Which airport is closest to Posto Divino?

From Southern Ireland, Cork to Bergamo is your best bet.Bus 1 hour to Milan Central Station, then train to Turin, change for Asti and another to  Nizza Monferrato. Approx 3 hour journey.

From England Genova or Turin are the closest airports (less than 2 hours to get here).

Bus 1 hour from Turin airport to Turin Porta Nuova station. Train as per previous instructions from Turin.(Approx travel time 2 hours)

From Genova airport, take a 10 minute taxi to Train station, or walk 15 mins to get bus.  Take the train to Acqui Terme, change train to get off at Nizza Monferrato.Approx travel time 105 minutes, a bit closer than Turin.

From Dublin fly to Malpensa. Not so sure of the trip from there.

Always remember stamp your ticket before getting on board or they can fine you or make you get off at your next stop which would be rather annoying.

A BIG P.S.:  Don’t travel on Sunday unless you are hiring a car. There is virtually no public transport to the outer regions on Sundays. You need to be near the bigger centers to travel on Sunday. You will end up paying a fortune in taxi fare which can be just about impossible to get in rural areas in the busy holiday seasons.

What if I have to cancel my retreat?

When you pay you are making a commitment to come. It can be very difficult or impossible to find someone to take your place at short notice. And if  we can’t replace you we must pay for your place on the retreat. That is your part of the professional’s fees, your part of the catering and so on. We don’t charge you for accommodation, only for power and food, so we have a lot to lose.

We understand that sometimes there can be no easy way to get out of a crisis or emergency. But because of the above reasons we cannot offer refunds. The best thing to do in these circumstances is for you to try and find someone to take your place and pay you.

Because we offer free accommodation as a gift to you, we aren’t in a position to cover any other losses.

What amenities does Posto Divino offer?

Individual wellbeing and healing sessions (prices vary).

Complimentary tea and coffee in kitchen.

Above ground swimming pool.

Can I stay off-site for the event?

No, sorry that’s not possible.It’s an in-house retreat only. It’s very important and valuable to spend some time with the others when not in workshops. Our small studio can only accommodate up to 15 people. We can accommodate 10 individuals in house plus two workshops leaders. If all our rooms are full, we offer a four person tent for couples or friends. We aren’t able to take camper vans. We are still working on this property, and one of our upcoming missions is to create car parking. At the moment we cannot guarantee car parking on our property.

What about insurance?

We recommend that you take out travel and accident insurance  so that in the unlikely event of travel delay,  ill health or accident you are covered. P.S. You are entering a 300+ year old property which doesn’t have a lot of safety features. lol. For this reason please be careful when staying here. There are odd steps or subtle changes that can trip people up. Watch where you put your feet and also protect your head…There are some doorways that are very short!! We will try and warn you of these. Thank you for your co-operation.