Women's Retreat in Italy: How Umbria Changed My Mind About the Biological Clock
Discovering sisterhood, and the power of saying no to societal timelines in the Italian countryside.
Author: Bianca Venchiarutti
When Italy Calls Your Name
There's something magical about those moments when you feel pulled toward something you can't quite explain. For months before I finally clicked "purchase" on that plane ticket, thoughts of Italy kept floating through my mind like a gentle but persistent whisper. I'd never done a retreat before, never even considered it really, but this European summer experience felt less like a want and more like a need my soul was quietly expressing.
What unfolded during those eight days at Serenità wellness retreat in Umbria with eleven beautiful women would completely reshape how I see life, love, and the relentless tick-tick-ticking of expectations we place on ourselves.
The Heavy Weight of Other People's Timelines
Leading up to this women's retreat in Italy, I was swimming in a sea of anxiety that felt deeper each day. At 26, I found myself caught in that strange space where everyone around me seemed to be gracefully gliding into the next chapter while I felt like I was still trying to find my footing in the current one. Houses were being bought, engagements announced, babies celebrated, and meanwhile, my naturally easy-flowing personality started feeling rushed and uncomfortable in its own skin.
The questions crept in quietly at first, then louder:
Is something wrong with me?
Should I be changing too?
Are we somehow broken because we're not there yet?
That biological clock pressure so many of us carry became this background hum of urgency, whispering that time was slipping away and I needed to hurry up and commit to things before it was too late. It was exhausting, and it was slowly poisoning the joy in my everyday moments.
Days in the Umbrian Countryside
Our time there unfolded like the most beautiful, unhurried poem. We wore whatever felt good on our bodies, swam topless under the Italian sun without a thought of judgment, and savoured endless bowls of pasta without counting anything but blessings. The Italian countryside held us gently, but it was really the presence of these women that created the container for something profound to happen.
What We Did Each Day
If you're curious about what actually happens at Serenità's Wellness women's retreat, here's how our magical days flowed:
9:00am - Italian Breakfast Bliss
We'd wake up gently to the most incredible Italian breakfast spread. I'm convinced food allergies don't exist in Europe because I could finally have regular milk without any issues! There's something so nourishing about starting your day with real, unprocessed foods in the Italian countryside.
10:00am - Slow Movement Yoga
An hour of gentle yoga that taught me the profound importance of moving my body slowly and intentionally. Ari was an incredible teacher, and her healing sessions made me realize how much I'd been rushing through everything in my regular life.
11:15am - Creative Workshops
Our first workshop of the day was always hands-on creativity: pottery sessions where we got beautifully messy, painting our emotions onto canvas, crafting lavender bundles that smelled like pure peace, learning to make fresh pasta from scratch, horseback riding through olive groves, or hiking the rolling Umbrian hills.
1:30pm - Lunch with Chef Laura
The most amazing pasta dishes appeared like magic, lovingly prepared by our chef Laura. Every single meal felt like a celebration of abundance and nourishment.
3:00pm - Sacred Pool Time
Afternoons by the pool became our sanctuary for reading, deep conversations, and pure relaxation. Some of the ladies swam topless because why not embrace that freedom when you're surrounded by nothing but support and natural beauty?
5:30pm - Introspective Workshops
Our second workshop was always more soul-deep. These were the sessions where we cried together, releasing layers of pain, guilt, sadness, fear, and anger that we'd been carrying. We'd pull oracle cards, journal about their messages, and help each other digest what they meant for our individual journeys.
7:30pm - Dinner Magic
Evenings began with incredible dinners. That first night's pizza was honestly the best I've ever had in my life, and every meal after continued to exceed expectations.
9:00pm - Evening Connection
The night would gently unfold with deep conversations over herbal tea, more journaling, discovering our human design types, gua sha face massage sessions, and the kind of bonding that happens when women feel truly safe to be themselves.
The Conversation That Shifted Everything
One evening, as golden hour light filtered through the windows, I found myself talking with someone I'd assumed was close to my age but was actually 37. When our conversation drifted to the topic of biological clocks and the frantic energy so many of us carry around partnership and children, she shared something that felt like cool water on a burn I didn't even realize I had.
"You know what breaks my heart? Watching beautiful, whole women frantically searching for partners because they're terrified they'll miss their chance at motherhood. But here's what I've learned: choosing someone from a place of fear rather than love isn't really choosing at all. We get to unsubscribe from the panic. We get to trust that our lives will unfold in their own perfect timing."
Her words settled into me like seeds finding fertile ground. Sometimes wisdom arrives exactly when we're ready to receive it, delivered by exactly the right person in exactly the right moment. This was one of those times.
The Gentle Magic of Women's Stories
What happened next felt like the most natural transformation. Being surrounded by women of all ages and life stages created this invisible safety net that allowed the tightly held parts of me to finally exhale. My emotional side, usually kept carefully managed, could emerge and be witnessed without judgment.
In that sacred space of sisterhood, I found myself releasing things I didn't even realize I was carrying:
The fear about my biological timeline slowly melted away. The shame about not being "where I should be" lifted like morning fog. Guilt about my choices transformed into gratitude for my unique path. Jealousy toward others' milestones softened into genuine celebration. The exhausting habit of constant comparison gave way to curiosity about my own becoming.
Stories really are medicine. The wisdom that flowed from a week of authentic conversations with these incredible women taught me more about living than any book ever could. There's something about hearing how other people have navigated their own messy, beautiful paths that makes you remember you're not alone in this.
Learning to Release the White-Knuckle Grip
The most profound shift wasn't about Umbria's breathtaking landscapes or the life-changing pasta (though both deserve their own love letters). It was about finally understanding that I'd been trying to control something that was never mine to control in the first place.
Here's what gently revealed itself to me:
You can't force your life into someone else's timeline – and what a relief that is when you really let it sink in. Fear makes terrible decisions – the kind that look right from the outside but feel hollow from within. Comparison steals the magic from whatever beautiful thing is trying to emerge in your own life. Your path doesn't need to make sense to anyone else – not your friends, not your family, not society. Community and sisterhood are some of the most healing forces on this earth.
Trusting the Pull of Your Own Intuition
I still can't fully explain why I felt so drawn to Serenita retreat in Umbria. What I do know is that following that quiet, persistent pull changed something fundamental in me. Sometimes our souls know exactly what medicine we need long before our minds catch up to the prescription.
That "little European summer" my heart had been whispering about became so much more than a beautiful vacation. It became a gentle homecoming to the person I'd always been underneath all the noise about who I should be.
Soul Sisters and Sacred Connections
The women I met in those rolling hills of Umbria didn't just become friends; they became chosen family. There's this particular magic that happens when women gather without pretense, when we let our stories be seen and heard without trying to polish them first. We held space for each other's messy middles and uncertain futures, celebrated the courage it takes to live authentically, and reminded each other that there are as many ways to live a beautiful life as there are women living them.
Your Own Gentle Invitation
If something in this story is resonating in your chest, maybe these questions are worth sitting with:
What timelines are you following that don't actually belong to you? Where in your life might fear be masquerading as practicality? What is your intuition gently trying to tell you right now? How can you invite more authentic community into your world?
Author: Bianca Venchiarutti
Bianca Venchiarutti, is a health coach-in-training, founder of "The Twenties Detox," and host of its accompanying podcast. Navigating the complexities of early adulthood, Bianca is on a mission to transform this pivotal decade through a process of continuous learning and unlearning. She blends her academic background in science with a passion for personal growth to guide individuals through the challenges of their twenties. Through her platform, Bianca offers a mix of interviews, personal stories, and practical tips aimed at fostering a healthier, happier mindset. Her commitment to wellness is further demonstrated by her current studies in health coaching at McMaster University.
