ATTENTION: HERE YOU WILL FIND ONLY RETREATS IN ENGLISH, FOR THE FULL PROGRAM PLEASE SEE THE PAGE IN ITALIAN
Bookings will be possible, through our website, starting from Sunday January 18th 2026 at 8.00 a.m.
Those who are not yet members of the association, must have completed and sent the application form prior to their booking (see below in the useful information).
As per tradition, Dhamma teachings are offered free of charge, but we invite participants to show their appreciation with a generous donation for the teacher and, if applicable, the translator (practice of Dana ). Donations are accepted in cash only.
Check out our retreat calendar here ⇒ retreat calendar 2026
March 29th – April 12th
Hannes Huber
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all, in English with Italian translation, and includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular individual interviews and Dhamma talks every evening. All participants will be asked to respect the Noble Silence and to take the eight or five precepts (see explanations on our website).
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day; departure is after lunch on the last day.
Hannes Huber is an experienced Austrian Dhamma teacher. He began meditating in 1985 with Godwin Samararatne of Sri Lanka and has long experience of retreats in the Mahāsi tradition with Ven. U Pandita and Ven. U Vivekananda, by whom he was authorized to teach. He reports the teachings of this tradition very faithfully while offering an accessible approach to the Western mentality, thanks also to his training in psychosynthesis with the teacher Sascha Dönges. He teaches Vipassanā meditation in Austria and other European countries and is an MBSR trainer.
He is the spiritual guide of the Pian dei Ciliegi Meditation Centre.
Retreat fee: 490 €
April 12th -20th
Gautam Verma
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all and is in English with Italian translation. It includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular interviews with the teacher and Dhamma talks every evening. All participants will be asked to respect the Noble Silence and take the eight or five precepts (see explanations on our website).
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Gautam Verma is a Vipassanā meditator of Indian origins and has been practicing for many years under the guidance of distinguished Dhamma teachers, besides doing long periods of solitary retreat. He’s been collaborating with Pian dei Ciliegi as a translator during interviews with English speaking Dhamma teachers. He’s been an assistant of Bhante Bodhidhamma since 2017, from whom he’s been authorized to offer Dhamma teachings. He has also been authorized to teach by Ven. Vivekananda, Hannes Huber and Beate Gloeckner
Retreat fee: 280 €
April 20th -30th
Sayadaw U Vivekananda
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all and is in English with Italian translation. It includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular interviews with the teacher and Dhamma talks every evening. All participants will be asked to respect the Noble Silence and take the eight or five precepts (see explanations on our website).
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Sayadaw U Vivekananda began his training under Ven. Sayadaw U Panditabhivamsa in 1988. He is a German teacher resident at the Panditarama Lumbini International Vipassanā Meditation Center in Nepal, where he has taught insight meditation and Brahmavihāra meditation since 1998. He also leads retreats in other countries around the world, guiding meditators in English, German, French, and Burmese. He has translated Ven. Sayadaw U Panditabhivamsa’s Dhamma talks at Panditarama Lumbini and at the Forrest Refuge, which were collected and published under the titles “Beautifying the Mind” by Inward Path in 2007, and “The State of Mind Called Beautiful” by Wisdom Publications in 2006. Sayadaw U Vivekananda has also written several articles on Buddhism and the environment.
Retreat fee: 350 €
May 7th – 17th and 17th -27th
Ayya Virañani
Loving Kindness (Mettā) retreat and Satipatthana Vipassana retreat
The retreat is open to all. You can register for each individual period, although participation in both is recommended, as Loving Kindness and Insight Meditation support each other. The welcoming and gentle attitude cultivated with Mettā allows one, in mindfulness meditation, to penetrate the deepest truths of phenomena as they are. Together, they help free the heart from attachment and pain. In this retreat, Ven. Virañani will share with participants the traditional Burmese teachings of Mettā as a foundation for building the practice of Vipassanā in an accessible and immediately applicable way in everyday life.
Ten places will be reserved for those who register for both periods, from May 7th to 27th.
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, and departure is after lunch on the last day.
Ven. Virañani began to practice meditation in 1979. In 2003, after several years spent working at the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts, USA, and training in the Thai Forest tradition, she began a four-year period devoted to intensive practice in the Burmese lineage of Mahāsi Sayadaw. She took permanent ordination in Burma with Sayadaw U Pandita on New Year 2006, and now resides at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre North of Yangon. She teaches loving kindness and Vipassanā meditation retreats in Burma, Europe, and Australia. In 2008 she co-founded Mettā In Action, a charity devoted to offering Burmese people in need the means and skills to help themselves. She is passionate about the Dhamma, about nature, and about using both to help others rediscover the intrinsic goodness in all beings.
Retreat fee: 350€ (first period), 350€ (second period), 700€ (whole retreat),
June 20th – 30th
Ven. Sayalay Daw Bhaddamanika
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
Venerable Sayalay Daw Bhaddamanika offers a rigorous and systematic approach to the Mahāsi method, encouraging meditators to cultivate a sincere heart and a strong desire to cultivate the mind. The retreat is open to all, both those who wish to approach the practice of meditation according to the Mahāsi approach in a clear and guided way, and those already on the path who wish to deepen their practice with an experienced Dhamma teacher committed to the method. The retreat is held in English with Italian translation and includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, as well as regular individual interviews and Dhamma talks every evening. All participants will be asked to observe Noble Silence and take the eight or five precepts (see explanations on the website).
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Venerable Sayalay Daw Bhaddamanika began practicing under Sayadaw U Pandita in Myanmar in 1974 when she was 19. She ordained as a nun in 1999 with Sayadaw U Pandita as her preceptor and began teaching meditation in 2002. Sayalay is currently based in Nepal, residing and teaching at the Panditarama Lumbini Meditation Centre alongside Sayadaw Vivekananda, and spends several months each year leading retreats in countries around the world. Outside of teaching, Sayalay has a deep love for nature and has been active in conservation efforts in Lumbini. Before becoming a nun, she taught biology at universities in Myanmar for over 13 years
Retreat fee: 350 €
July 31st -August 9th
Hannes Huber
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all, in English with Italian translation, and includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular individual interviews and Dhamma talks every evening. All participants will be asked to respect the Noble Silence and to take the eight or five precepts (see explanations on our website).
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day; departure is after lunch on the last day.
Hannes Huber is an experienced Austrian Dhamma teacher. He began meditating in 1985 with Godwin Samararatne of Sri Lanka and has long experience of retreats in the Mahāsi tradition with Ven. U Pandita and Ven. U Vivekananda, by whom he was authorized to teach. He reports the teachings of this tradition very faithfully while offering an accessible approach to the Western mentality, thanks also to his training in psychosynthesis with the teacher Sascha Dönges. He teaches Vipassanā meditation in Austria and other European countries and is an MBSR trainer.
He is the spiritual guide of the Pian dei Ciliegi Meditation Centre.
Retreat fee: 315€
August 9th -19th
Jan de Wurstemberger & Henrich Dahm
Assistant: Marcella Bagnoni
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all and includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular interviews with the teacher and evening Dhamma talks. During the retreat the Noble Silence will be respected, and participants will be asked to take the five or eight precepts (for more information see the website). The retreat will be in English, with Italian translation.
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Jean-Marie (“Jan”) de Wurstemberger began his Buddhist journey in the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism during the 1990s. When he once asked Rinpoche, his teacher, for personal advice, the reply was simple: “Above all, just sit.” No recitations, no visualizations, no rituals. Not long after, Jan encountered the Theravāda monk and experienced meditation teacher Bhante Sujiva. Bhante’s teaching gave practical meaning to Rinpoche’s words and shaped Jan’s meditation practice into a clear and incisive path: Vipassanā. Since 1998, Jan has practiced insight meditation under Bhante Sujiva’s guidance, traveling with him across many countries to hold retreats. He has also served as Bhante’s translator and co-translator of his seminal work on insight meditation, Tree of Wisdom, River of No Return. In his professional life, Jan works in Switzerland as a teacher, counselor, and systemic coach for teenagers, their families, and young adults seeking independence.
Henrich Dahm’s dhamma journey started in 1989 in Nepal, when he was introduced by Sayadaw Jhanapurnika, a senior disciple of Mahāsi Sayadway, to Vipassana meditation. Since then he has practiced and explored different meditation techniques under the guidance of distinguished teachers like Sayadw U Pandita, Sayadaw U Janaka, Achaan Buddhadasa, Thich Nhat Hanh, etc. His practice took a new turn when he started to practice full time under the guidance of Bhante Sujiva. Most recently, he spent time in Burma giving him the chance to deepen his understanding of the Burmese Satipaṭṭhāna method in practice and theory.
Marcella Bagnoni is a Vipassanā and Mettā meditator according to the tradition of Mahāsi Sayadaw. She has been practicing for some years under the guidance of valid Dhamma teachers, both monks and lay people, including the Ven. Bhante Sujiva, her reference teacher from whom she received authorization to train as a Dhamma teacher, Brother Dassana and Ayya Virañani. She collaborates with Pian dei Ciliegi as a translator, a retreat manager and as an assistant to some teachers. She co-leads meditation retreats with other teachers in Emilia-Romagna. Her approach includes the two practices of Vipassanā and Mettā and the benefits resulting from their mutual support.
Retreat fee: 350€
August 19st – 29st
Piero Urban
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all and includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular interviews with the teacher and evening Dhamma talks. During the retreat the Noble Silence will be respected and participants will be asked to take the five or eight precepts (for more information see the website). The retreat will be both in Italian and in English.
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Piero Urban graduated from the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy of the University of Bologna with a thesis on “Yoga and sound: observations on states of consciousness“. He has been active as a Yoga teacher for 25 years and has been a consultant for the Municipality of Turin, in the context of social and health assistance activities for the disabled over 14 years of age. He has been practicing Vipassanā meditation since 1993 and trained under the guidance of teachers from Eastern and Western backgrounds, monks and lay people. For over 20 years Ven. Bhante Sujiva has been his reference teacher, deepening the practice with him during long intensive retreats of Vipassanā and Mettā. He is his translator in retreats and has received authorization from him to teach. He was also a teacher in ethical-professional training courses and at the F.A.R.O. Hospice of Turin.
Retreat fee: 350€
September 25th – October 4th
Ariya Baumann
Loving-Kindness (Mettā) Retreat
With the practice of mettā (loving-kindness) meditation we develop and strengthen this beautiful quality by directing our minds throughout the day to this benevolent and friendly attitude of the heart. Mettā chants (recitations) support the opening of the heart and form part of the daily practice. The retreat takes place in silence, there are daily talks and regular individual interviews. Suitable for beginners and advanced meditators, it’s in English with Italian translation.
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Ariya B. Baumann left her career as a music and dance teacher in favour of her deep yearning to understand herself and the world. Based on her many years of practice, twenty-one of them as a nun in the Burmese tradition, she now lays a strong emphasis on the practice of loving-kindness (including mettā chants) as a basis for the vipassanā meditation practice. She has translated a number of Dhamma books from Burmese to English and German, among these are Mahāsi Sayadaw’s ‘Manual of Insight’. She is a co-founder and president of ‘Mettā In Action’ which supports a variety of social projects throughout Burma, especially nunneries and monastic schools. Her website is: www.vipassana-metta.com
Retreat fee: 315€
October 21st -29th
Gautam Verma
Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
The retreat is open to all and is in English with Italian translation. It includes alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, regular interviews with the teacher and Dhamma talks every evening. All participants will be asked to respect the Noble Silence and take the eight or five precepts (see explanations on our website).
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day, departure is after lunch on the last day.
Gautam Verma is a Vipassanā meditator of Indian origins and has been practicing for many years under the guidance of distinguished Dhamma teachers, besides doing long periods of solitary retreat. He’s been collaborating with Pian dei Ciliegi as a translator during interviews with English speaking Dhamma teachers. He’s been an assistant of Bhante Bodhidhamma since 2017, from whom he’s been authorized to offer Dhamma teachings. He has also been authorized to teach by Ven. Vivekananda, Hannes Huber and Beate Gloeckner.
Retreat fee: 280€
November 1st – 30th
Ayya Virañani
Intensive Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation retreat in the Mahāsi tradition
This retreat is reserved for experienced meditators who have completed at least two retreats under the guidance of either Ven. Ayya Virañani, or teachers from Pian dei Ciliegi or other teachers in the Mahāsi tradition. It is in English with Italian translation. There is a daily program, with alternating sessions of sitting and walking meditation, but meditators are free to modulate their practice individually. There will be two scheduled weekly interviews with the teacher, with the option to request additional ones by signing up, and Dhamma talks will be offered two evenings a week.
Arrival is between 2pm and 5pm on the first day; departure is after lunch on the last day.
Ven. Vīrañāni began to practice meditation in 1979. In 2003, after several years spent working at the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts, USA, and training in the Thai Forest tradition, she began a four-year period devoted to intensive practice in the Burmese lineage of Mahāsi Sayadaw. She took permanent ordination in Burma with Sayadaw U Pandita on New Year 2006, and now resides at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre north of Yangon. She teaches loving kindness and Vipassanā meditation retreats in Burma, Europe, and Australia. In 2008 she co-founded Mettā In Action, a charity devoted to offering Burmese people in need the means and skills to help themselves. She is passionate about the Dhamma, about nature, and about using both to help others rediscover the intrinsic goodness in all beings.
To encourage participation in such a long retreat, the daily contribution will be 30 euros per day instead of 35 euros, for a total of €870
SOME USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT OUR RETREATS
- To join a retreat you must be a member of the association “Pian dei Ciliegi” (by applying through the website, after logging in) and pay the yearly membership fee (25 euros).
- The participation fee for the retreats is 35 euros per day for room and board; the fee should be considered as a free contribution by members to support the Association, and covers the expenses of the organization and management of the Centre. It’s possible to ask for sponsorships, or give a contribution based on one’s financial possibilities, but this should be agreed upon with the manager, prior to the retreat.
- There is no reimbursement of the fee in case of cancellation or anticipated departure once the retreat has started.
- The Dhamma teachings are offered free of charge, but we encourage participants to show gratitude with a donation to the teacher.
- Before arriving at the center, please make sure you have carefully read our Rules & Regulations sheet.
- From our website you can also download audio files of meditation instructions, guided meditations and Dhamma talks from our past retreats.