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Taking place in the exclusive surroundings of Rocca delle Tre Contrade, Constantly Evolving is a week-long retreat designed and led by Nadia Zaki, whose daily workshops and one-to-one coaching sessions focussing on inner strength and fitness techniques will be complemented by an immersive (and delicious) journey into the rich traditions of Sicilian cuisine. Add on a selection of exclusive excursions and what awaits participants is an irresistible mix of fun, interactive and life-changing experiences punctuated by memorable moments of pure gastronomic joy.
Rising proudly between Mount Etna and the sparkling waters of the Ionian Sea, Rocca delle Tre Contrade is one of the finest luxury villas in the Mediterranean. Over the years it has acquired a well-earned reputation for its exquisite cuisine, its warm hospitality and its refined, sophisticated accommodation.
Between 19 - 26 April 2025, Rocca delle Tre Contrade will be hosting a week-long full-immersion wellness experience led by acclaimed NYC-based fitness coach Nadia Zaki (seen in Shape, Fitness, Whole Living and Martha Stewart Living magazines), mixing the culinary delights of our in-villa chef, Dora Maugeri (featured in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and Cucina Italiana magazines) with a daily programme of inspiring wellness and fitness workshops based on the "Inner Series Method" triggering both mind and body. Nadia's method reinforces inner calmness, control, power and precision to improve strength, flexibility and increases range of motion.
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Highlights of the Week:
Across 6 whole days (7 nights), the programme includes:
• alternating fitness, stretching and yoga sessions
• a cross-country hike on Mount Etna, (Europe's highest active volcano) culminating with a winery visit
• power walks along local beaches and/or towns
• a visit to the local fish market
• a special night-time tour of Catania to take in the city’s fascinating history, its ancient mythology and the lives of ordinary people through their culinary traditions.
You will also have time to enjoy the infinite, luxurious charms of Rocca delle Tre Contrade, relaxing in the gardens, strolling through the lemon orchards, swimming in the pool, recuperating energies with a massage, or even playing a set or two of tennis on the property's clay court. Last, but not least, you will be able to immerse yourselves in Sicilian food culture with a series of dedicated hands-on lessons under the guidance of our in-house villa kitchen team, including master classes on pasta-making, limoncello and desserts.
"This retreat is about getting inspired, refreshed and energised from the setting of the villa and the surrounding nature, and finding the balance between physical challenges and well-deserved rest:"
Nadia Zaki
"We can't wait for Nadia to return to Sicily. Her boundless energy is contagious and together we have designed a series of activities that will fill your whole week here in Sicily with wonder and amazement, from the power of Mount Etna to hands-on lessons making authentic cannoli in the villa kitchen."
Jon Moslet, owner of Rocca delle Tre Contrade
The retreat is designed to be inclusive and suitable for all levels of fitness.
About Nadia:
Nadia Zaki is a celebrated dancer, choreographer and teacher who has already hosted several retreats at Rocca delle Tre Contrade. She has travelled the world teaching at workshops and conventions, and has led masterclasses in Italy, Sweden, Japan, England and throughout the United States.
Nadia was raised in Egypt and Sweden and now lives in New York City. She has spent the last 20 years studying and practicing yoga and martial arts, specifically Hapkido, Muay Thai, Kung Fu and Capoeira. This unique range of expertise led Nadia to create "Inner Series", a fusion of ballet technique, yoga and martial arts designed to build strength from the inside out through conscious, purposeful, beautiful movement that sculpts the body. She studied dance in Sweden, London, Paris and the United States at prestigious schools such as Alvin Alley, Broadway Dance Center, Steps and The Edge and has choreographed for Nike, Reebok, Ralph Lauren, Crunch USA and various pop artists.
About Dora:
Dora Maugeri is Rocca delle Tre Contrade's brilliant, enthusiastic and beloved resident chef. Cooking practically ever since she could walk, when she would follow her grandmother into the kitchen to help, and always with a smile on her face, Dora has a flair, generosity and passion for food that is contagious.
Her cooking is a multi-sensory spectacle of authentic tastes, flavours and aromas, and watching her transform the fresh produce that is brought in every day from the nearby markets and from Rocca delle Tre Contrade's own kitchen garden, is a sight to behold. She is the nonna we all would like to have. Her specialities include exquisite raw seafood dishes (which, unbeknown to most have actually been served for generations along these shores), mouthwatering roast vegetable dishes, fish and meat secondi, arancini al ragù (the archetypal Sicilian street food), and cannoli with fresh sweetened ricotta.
“Dora stepped in to teach us how to make arancini, cannoli, almond semifreddo, and the heavenly cakes that were always available for guests to snack on.”
Food & Wine magazine, September 2020
Optional Two-Day Add-On: Sicily's Easter Processions
As an exclusive option you may choose to add on two extra nights at the beginning of your stay at Rocca delle Tre Contrade (17 and 18 April 2025) to experience Sicily's dramatic and spectacular Easter processions. This add-on consists of two extra nights with chauffeured transfers, meals and accommodation in the small Sicilian town of Piazza Armerina. You will join a private guided excursion on the afternoon and evening of Good Friday, bringing you to the narrow mediaeval streets of the ancient town of Enna, in central Sicily. Here you will witness how Easter has been celebrated unchanged throughout the centuries in Sicily, following ancient rituals. The most dramatic and heartfelt event takes place every year on the evening of Good Friday - the climax of the Easter celebrations - when the hooded members of different confraternities perform a moving torchlight parade along a two-mile-long route, carrying the statues of the Holy Mary and of Jesus (as well as an inestimable silver cross containing one of the thorns of the crown of Christ) on their shoulders.
It is one of the most unique and peculiar events in Sicily, with an incredibly intimate atmosphere as the inhabitants of the town and devoted believers fill the streets in silence, accompanied only by mourning songs in dialect and sombre funeral marches played by marching brass bands.
On the morning of Saturday 19 April, after a wholesome breakfast at your hotel, you will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Villa Romana del Casale, a remarkable archaeological site that offers a vivid glimpse into the ancient Roman lifestyle and artistic achievements. Built in the 4th century AD and believed to have been a hunting lodge or a luxurious residence for a Roman aristocrat, the villa is renowned for its extensive and exceptionally well-preserved mosaic floors, which depict a wide range of subjects, including mythological scenes, daily life, hunting scenes and intricate geometric patterns and which are among the most complex and and well preserved Roman mosaics in the world today. After lunch, we will transfer you to Rocca delle Tre Contrade, where you will be able to check in for your retreat with Nadia.
Price for the Easter procession add-on experience (2 nights):
Double occupancy - € 850 per person
Single occupancy - €990
The Sicily Environment Fund
By participating in this retreat, you will contribute to supporting environmental grassroots initiatives in Sicily. 5% of the proceeds from the retreat will be devolved to the recently formed Sicily Environment Fund (SEF), of which we are founding members. Being active through SEF is important for us in our wish to give back to this incredible island that hosts us. SEF is part of the wider, global network of environmental foundations called Conservation Collective, founded in London by Ben Goldsmith. If you would like to receive more information, please let us know. Or visit the foundation’s web site, https://sicilyenvironment.org.
