Castell'Azzara · the land the retreats run on
Where Alchemy of Breath happens
Alchemy of Breath is an online breathwork school founded by Anthony Abbagnano. Most of what it does happens on Zoom — free sessions on Sundays, an eight-month facilitator training — but the in-person weeks all take place in one spot: ASHA, a retreat campus on the hillside below our village in southern Tuscany.
This page is about that spot. We live 1.5 km up the hill, and we are not affiliated with either organisation.
The in-person weeks
BreathCamps are seven-day retreats at ASHA. Alchemy of Breath listed five across 2026, at €888 per person for the retreat place — accommodation and meals at ASHA are booked separately.
The facilitator training is eight months and 400 hours online, accredited by the Federation of Holistic Therapies, the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance. Alchemy of Breath describes it as ending with “a 7 day immersive live retreat at ASHA, our land based school, where you graduate as a certified facilitator”, and their BreathCamps page says students completing the training stay the full week to graduate.
There is also a residential path that begins with 21 days at ASHA.
Check all of this with them before you book. Dates, prices and what the certification requires are theirs to confirm, not ours. Everything above is quoted from alchemyofbreath.com as it stood in October 2026.
What ASHA is
Forty-two acres of hillside at Loc. Le Piane, about 1.5 km below Castell’Azzara, in the province of Grosseto. Sixteen rooms across five cottages. Three practice spaces: the Nadi Shala, a round yurt; the Dharma Den, a small room with a log burner; and the open-sided Prana Shala, summer only. It is a registered agriturismo and a lavender farm, on solar power and its own water. Anthony Abbagnano and Amy Rachelle bought the land in 2020.
ASHA’s own site: asha.global
Getting there
There is no station. Chiusi-Chianciano Terme is about an hour away and ASHA arranges taxis from it. Roughly two hours from Florence, two and a half from Rome Fiumicino. If you are flying in for a week, allow for the last hour being slower than the map suggests.
There is also a local English-speaking taxi, Richard Tollow, who runs to and from the airports and stations on request.
While you're here
A retreat week leaves gaps in it, and most people arrive without knowing what’s within reach. The village is 1.5 km up the hill — a supermarket, a bakery, a gelateria, three bars, three restaurants, and a market on Thursday mornings. Five marked trails start nearby; the shortest is about ninety minutes, which fits an afternoon. The free thermal springs at Bagni San Filippo are around forty minutes by car.
People also arrive a day early or stay a day on. It is worth it if you have come a long way.
FAQ
Where are Alchemy of Breath's retreats held?
At ASHA, Loc. Le Piane, Castell'Azzara, in the province of Grosseto, southern Tuscany.
Do you have to travel to Italy to qualify?
Alchemy of Breath's own pages describe the training as ending with a seven-day live retreat at ASHA where students graduate, and say those completing it stay the full week. Confirm the current requirement with them directly.
What does a BreathCamp cost?
€888 per person for the retreat place in 2026, with accommodation and meals at ASHA booked separately. Check current prices with them.
Is Alchemy of Breath the same as ASHA?
They share a founder and the in-person programmes run on ASHA's land, but they are separate organisations, booked separately.
Who is Anthony Abbagnano?
The founder of Alchemy of Breath, and with Amy Rachelle one of the two people who bought the ASHA land in 2020.
How do you get there?
Nearest station Chiusi-Chianciano Terme, about an hour; roughly two hours from Florence, two and a half from Rome Fiumicino.
Something here out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
