Can't travel to India? Datu Wellness retreats brings transformative Ayurvedic healing to Tuscany

On the fourth day of a week-long retreat in the Tuscan countryside I’m standing atop a grassy hill at sunset. Alongside 14 other guests and the entire staff, I am dancing euphorically, barefoot. It’s all in the name of movement therapy, one of the Ayurvedic practices which promises to help rebalance my doshas (life forces) in the name of better health and wellbeing.

Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medicine, has been gaining pace with westerners in the past few years, due to an increasing feeling that mainstream medicine is failing to address the health issues caused by their hectic lives. So while Italy might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of where to practice it, Datu Wellness is among a growing number of Ayurveda retreats where you can reboot without the long-haul flight.

Founder Constantin Bjerke created the retreat after experiencing his own personal healing journey with Ayurveda. While working in a high-powered media job in London, he suffered a series of seismic losses in his career and personal life. He then decided to travel to India, and after spending two years practicing it, he found he had gradually been nursed back to a place of wellbeing.

On returning home, Bjerke’s visible transformation meant that friends quickly asked for recommendations of how to see the same results, and so Datu Wellness was born. He asked the top team of the Indian practitioners he had worked with if they would come over.

The retreat takes place at a remote 1,000-year-old borgo, which has been renovated into a rustic hotel, retaining stunning stone walls and grand beamed ceilings, decorated with terracotta tiles and in Mediterranean hues. In the bedrooms, each guest is provided with white cotton pyjamas, a woven poncho and a linen scarf which became a levelling uniform for the week.

So why was I here? Following a very stressful few weeks (well, years) I arrived with a nervous system in overdrive and chronic neck pain, as well as searing headaches. I was welcomed with the scent of burning incense, handed rudraksha prayer beads and read a philosophical quote. It might sound woo-woo, but any scepticism was quickly put aside moments after meeting the impressive, sincere team.

Our daily schedule would include a diverse mix of prayer, yoga, meditation, art therapy and cooking classes, as well as a host of massage therapies.

I first received an abhyanga massage, a treatment in which medicated hot oils are rubbed across the body. The next day it was myotherapy, a decidedly clinical form of Australian physio, followed by a restorative massage and finally a relaxing shiatsu. Upon leaving, my body was jelly-like from the intense physical intervention.

Nutrition was also a big focus of the week, and my diet was immediately ridded of salts, sugar, caffeine, and any processed ingredients. Traditional Ayurvedic dishes were given an Italian twist, with chef Asha and her brilliant team using local, seasonal, organic ingredients. They create delicious daily meals packed with nutrients, but easy for the body to digest to prevent inflammation.

It was the job of the rest of the Datu team to address the root cause of my ailments. And here lies the beauty of Datu’s holistic approach. Outnumbering guests and incredibly generous with their time, the dedicated practitioners, from world-class yoga teachers to chefs, psychologists and life coaches, are all happy to share their knowledge, both during and outside sessions.

They also acknowledge that while most of us will likely drop the early morning yoga, we can all adapt some basic Ayurvedic principles for our lives. As Bjerke said himself, “Take what you want and leave what you don’t.” I have come home eating much cleaner, with less UPFs in my diet and more aware of the physical impact mental stress has on my body. I’d recommend Datu to anyone looking for an alternative approach to more holistic wellbeing.

Spring 2025 retreats run from 13th March-16th April. Prices start from £2500 per person, per week at datuwellness.com