Reclaiming Attention: Digital Wellness Retreat
Reclaiming Attention: Digital Wellness Day Retreat
📍 Villa Ananda, Palazzolo Acreide, Siracusa, Sicily
📅 July 18th | 8 hours full day
💶 €60 early bird | €70 last minute
About the retreat
We check our phones before we even say good morning to ourselves. We scroll without meaning to. We stay "connected" and somehow feel more alone.
This retreat is not about throwing your phone in the sea. It's about pausing for one day, to ask yourself: is the way I'm using technology actually working for me?
Set in the breathtaking Villa Ananda, a traditional Mediterranean house perched above a gorge in the Iblei Mountains, surrounded by 63 centennial olive trees, wild Sicilian herbs, and two hectares of nature that feel like a private park, this is the kind of place that slows you down the moment you arrive. Named after the Sanskrit word for bliss and happiness, Villa Ananda was born from a story of adventure, homecoming, intention, and it couldn't be a more fitting backdrop for this retreat.
Your host
This day is led by Veronica, certified Digital Wellness Educator, marketing professional with a background in psychology, and digital nomad who has lived and worked across 5 continents over the past 7 years and paid the price for it.
Years of constant connectivity, always-on work culture, and life lived largely through a screen eventually led her to burnout. That experience became a turning point: a reason to slow down, to study, and to understand how technology was shaping her life in ways she hadn't consciously chosen. Out of that journey came a deep commitment to helping others do the same.
She is the founder of The Digital Awareness Community, with the mission of helping individuals, remote workers, and teams understand how addictive technology is engineered to hijack their attention and build the awareness and habits to take it back. Because you are not powerless, you get to decide how technology fits into your life.
What the day looks like
We'll spend 8 hours together moving through something that's rare these days: genuine presence.
The day unfolds slowly and intentionally:
A soft landing with herbal teas and gentle music, leaving the rush of the week at the gate
An opening circle where we share our stories and why we're here
A honest conversation about why tech is designed to be addictive, and why that's not your fault
Journaling time to explore your own relationship with screens, with space to share if you want
A macramé plant hanger workshop with Chiva: hands busy, mind quiet, a little handmade gift to take home with your plant
A shared slow vegan lunch lovingly cooked by Valentina and Steve, the owners of Villa Ananda, with conversation prompts on the table and no rush
Free time to wander the land, sit in the sun, or simply do nothing
A yin yoga & meditation session with Eleonora to ground the nervous system before the day closes
A practical integration session: simple tools you can actually use on Monday morning
A closing circle where each person names one main takeaway and one small intention for the following week
This is for you if...
You feel like your phone uses you more than you use it
You've been meaning to "be more present" but don't know where to start
You're curious about digital wellness without wanting a lecture
You're ready to explore what a more intentional relationship with technology could look like
You just want one beautiful day to breathe, reflect, and reconnect, with yourself and others
What's included
✔ Full day digital wellness program (8 hours)
✔ Herbal teas & drinks
✔ Macramé workshop & materials + a plant to take home
✔ Shared homemade vegan lunch by Valentina & Steve
✔ Yin yoga & meditation session by Eleonora
✔ Access to Villa Ananda's stunning grounds
"Technology is a tool: it should serve you, not control you."
Spots are limited to keep the day intimate (Max 10 people)
Early bird: €60 | Last minute: €70
Payment options: cash, Paypal or bank transfer (20€ deposit at the moment of the registration).
The retreat will be held in English · Italian · Spanish, or some combination of all three, depending on who shows up. The most important language of the day is presence.