A Taste of Longevity: Join Me in Sardinia's Blue Zone
Updates and a special offer! October 12 to 19, 2025
Hello, everyone. I am excited to share our updated itinerary for this fall’s Brain Health Retreat from the heart of Italy’s Blue Zone—Sardinia. We’ve added some time to explore the city of Cagliari, which offers great shopping and some of my favorite restaurants in Italy. We also added a few more mountain excursions with our guides Giambattista and Roberto of Abellabellu, which means (loosely translated) to walk and notice all the beauty.
BHK Retreats: Sardinia’s Secrets for a Long and Healthy Life
When: October 12 to 19, 2025
What: An 8-day educational vacation through Sardinia’s Blue Zones
Who: Annie Fenn (your host) + You (food-loving travelers)
We’ve had some spots open up for this retreat
If you have your heart set on joining me in Sardinia, now is the time to grab your spot. We’ve just had a few openings and they are sure to fill quickly. Whether you are traveling solo, with friends or a partner, this is an ideal way to soak up the culture of the Blue Zones while staying active with gentle hikes, e-bike rides, and yoga on the beach.
A special offer for retreat guests
Now that my BHK EVOO is here, I am sending a tin to each guest so no one has to wait until October to have a little taste of Italy. Sign up by August 1, 2025 and I’ll get your BHK EVOO in the mail* to you!
*You must have a shipping address in the U.S. to qualify.
Call 877-298-9677 (M-F, 9 am-5 pm ET) for more information and to reserve your spot. Or reply to this email and I’ll connect you with the team.
Why Sardinia?
Sardinia is an island off the coast of Italy famous for its Blue Zones—a cluster of villages in the mountains where healthy elders thrive. In fact, Sardinia was the very first part of the world where researchers discovered these pockets of longevity. During my last five trips to Sardinia, I have explored much of the island and gotten to know the Sarda people. I’ve walked the steep streets of the famous centenarian villages and have learned much about why people here live long, healthy, dementia-free lives.
This fall, come with me to explore this magical place! In this 8-day educational vacation, we will explore this stunningly beautiful island of mountains and beaches set in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. First, we’ll start in Cagliari, its vibrant port city at the southernmost tip. From there, we’ll head into small villages in the interior, meeting with locals and Blue Zones experts along the way. We’ll even get to meet with centenarians and learn how to cook traditional foods from local cooks. Next, we’ll travel to the eastern coast, home to rugged coastline and quiet beaches. We’ll stay in the most luxurious hotels, all designed for a restorative vacation.
Here are a few highlights of the trip:
Visit renowned Blue Zone villages and engage in conversations with local elders to learn how community, daily walks, and their unique way of eating may be the secret to their longevity
Taste the best of traditional Sardinian cuisine, from “Centenarian soup”, fresh seafood, and crispy flatbread to homemade stuffed pasta
Discover Sardinia’s diverse and rugged terrain on guided hikes through oak forests, ancient villages, and rocky coastal trails
Explore the countryside by e-bike; we’ll stop at an olive farm for an olive oil tasting, and then bike to a very special agritourismo for a lunch
Embrace the Italian practice of an afternoon riposo and learn how rest and relaxation is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle
For this trip, I am partnering with Academic Travel Abroad, a leader in experiential travel since 1950. They have curated tours for Smithsonian Institution, the New York Times, Yale University, and many others. Together, we hope to bring BHK Brain Health Retreats to other Blue Zones—Japan and Greece are definitely on our list!
Read what last group of Sardinia retreat guests say about the trip here:
Meet Your Team
Marta from Academic Travel Abroad lives in Italy; she oversees all the the day to day operations to keep the retreat running smoothly.
Paola was born in the heart of the Blue Zone in Sardinia and is an expert on the science and culture of Sarda people. She’ll be joining us one day in the town of Urzelei to discover centenarian portraits.
Giambattista and Roberto of Abellabellu are our adventure guides. They’ll show us their favorite secret places to hike and bike, including nuraghic settlements that date back to the Bronze Age.
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Sardinia!
Arrive in Sardinia (Cagliari Elmas Airport - CAG) and transfer independently to your hotel. Gather with your fellow travelers for a welcome drink and kick off your week of healthy living with a Welcome Dinner at one of Annie’s favorite local restaurants — Pescheria Bianchi. Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita
Day 2: Exploring Cagliari—hikes, shopping, and affogato
Begin with a guided hike to Sella del Diavolo, a stunning bluff overlooking the Gulf of Cagliari that offers panoramic views and a refreshing start to the day. Relax with a coffee or affogato, then enjoy lunch at Is Femminas, a celebrated restaurant that sources its ingredients from Blue Zone villages. The afternoon is yours to enjoy as you wish – you might choose to stroll through Cagliari’s historic streets and check out the shops, join an optional guided walking tour, or simply unwind back at your hotel. As the sun begins to set, gather at the hotel’s rooftop bar for an Aperitivo Talk with Dr. Annie Fenn, followed by dinner and the rest of the evening on your own.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita
Day 3: Heading into the Blue Zone, hiking, pasta making, and exploring a centenarian village
This morning, depart Cagliari and journey into the heart of Sardinia’s Blue Zone, arriving in the hilltop village of Baunei. Meet a local guide for a walking tour that explores why this region is home to one of the world’s highest concentration of centenarians, offering insight into the traditions, lifestyle, and community bonds that support healthy aging. Gather for lunch at Ristorante Baunei Centro before continuing to nearby Urzulei, a Blue Zone village of just over 1,000 inhabitants. In the evening, join local women for a cooking class to learn how to make the perfect culurgiones, traditional Sardinian stuffed pasta which we’ll enjoy over dinner.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Gorropu
Day 4: Hiking to ancient ruins, a picnic, and discovering centenarian murals
Set out on an easy 2.5 mile hike through an oak forest and past the historic nuragic village of Or Murales, a route that offers a deeper connection to Sardinia’s rugged landscape and ancient past. Pause for a light picnic lunch, then return to Urzulei for a walking tour of the village’s striking black and white murals and discover the blend of folk art and storytelling. Reconvene at the hotel for another engaging Aperitivo Talk, followed by dinner.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Gorropu
Day 5: Hiking to the Giant Tombs, a shepherd’s lunch, and yoga overlooking the sea
Venture to the Tombe dei Giganti S’Arena, megalithic burial structures known as “Giant Tombs” that date back to a period between 1500-1000 BCE. Enjoy a classic shepherd’s lunch of cured meats, vegetables, cheeses, and local flatbread, then depart for the picturesque coastal town of Santa Maria Navarrese. Check into Lanthia Resort where you may choose to stroll the grounds, grab a bite at the onsite Beach Bar & Grill, or take a quiet riposo in your room. Afterwards, gather on the grounds overlooking the sea for a relaxing outdoor yoga class. In the evening, dine together as a group at Ristorante Sa Cadrea.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Lanthia Resort
Day 6: E-biking to an olive farm, olive oil tasting and farm lunch
Experience coastal Sardinia by e-bike on a half-day excursion. Departing from your hotel, you will first travel to the town of Lotzorai where you will learn all about olive oil during a visit to Olivina di Tangianu Stefania. Learn the history of olives at the foot of centuries-old olive trees, visit the oil mill where the extraction process takes place each fall, and enjoy a taste of freshly pressed olive oil. Continue to Girasole, then turn west and into the countryside for Agriturismo Nuraghe Murtarba. Pause for lunch at the farmhouse, then return to your hotel in Santa Maria Navarrese. This e-bike ride is approximately 30 km / 4 hours, and will travel on asphalt, dirt, and sand roads. Dinner and the rest of the evening will be at your leisure. Accommodations: Lanthia Resort
Day 7: Takeaways, Goal Setting, and Looking Towards the Future
This morning, early risers may choose to attend an optional guided hike along the Santa Maria Navarrese coastal trail. Check out of your hotel and depart for Jerzu Antichi Poderi, a small winery that uses the local Cannonau grape. Originating in Sardinia, the Cannonau varietal is a rich source of flavonoids for the Sarda people. Stroll through the vineyards, visit the cellars, and enjoy a light lunch and a tasting of three different wines. Continue to Cagliari and check in to your hotel, Hotel Regina Margherita. Gather for a farewell feast at Caffe Libarium Nostrum, a classic restaurant with sweeping views of Cagliari, for a celebration of our time together cultivating the habits of a brain-healthy life. Accommodations: Hotel Regina Margherita
Day 8: Departures
Transfer independently to Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG) for individual flights home.
Call 877-298-9677 (M-F, 9 am-5 pm ET) for more information and to reserve your spot. Or reply to this email and I’ll connect you with the team.
I hope some of you will join me for this trip of a lifetime. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions, or click on the FAQ sheet below.
Love,
Annie
PS: Be sure to sign up as a paying subscriber to learn about new retreats as soon as they are anounced.
I sure hope you will offer this trip next year, because I really want to go! I have too many travels this year to join you. Put me on the list for next year!
Can I get on the list for 10/2026?