Sanctuary Portugal ꩜

Seven days of yoga, swimming, food, rest, and exploring the Portuguese countryside...

13-19 August 2025

Swim, sit, move, breathe, rest, let go, and arrive back into yourself amidst the purity of nature.

“vibrant life, overwhelming silence, and an amazing night sky…”

13 - 19 August 2025

Late summer is the time when we’re smoothly sliding from maximum heat into a steadiness, slowly rolling towards the Autumn Equinox. It’s a time for letting the fires of activity begin to smoulder and gently glow, and we start to ground ourselves.

Nestled in the hillsides of Alentejo, at the merging of two evergreen valleys, sits a pilgrimage site with a sacred well. Home for my Fire & Earth retreat - a week-long journey through core shamanic principles, leaning into my love of The Wuxing and all things elemental.

Location 𖤣

I took my sweet time finding the right spot to hold my longer retreat, and this place is just the dream.
You can watch the sunrise and moonrise, over the hills…
The buildings are filled with history, amongst the first recorded in the area, this was a place of pilgrimage. There’s a Temple, and sacred well in the plum orchard. Now you know why this place is my dream!
Home life 𖥧

The experience is focused on loving nature and living sustainably.
Revolving around principles of sustainability and a love of nature, this beautiful location is family-run, the food is home-grown, the water solar heated, and its surrounded by forests, animals, and eucalyptus.
We’ve also got a bio-pool filled with lilies, sauna and ice tub, and a freshwater irrigation canal to swim down.
Offerings 𖡼

We’ll have movement sessions twice a day.
With both soft and strong practices, and hours filled with all kinds of nourishment (perfect Earth element medicine!), these days will ready you to step back into the transitional final part of your year.
We’ll dive into Elemental Yin, creative vinyasa, embodiment, pushing boundaries, partner work, music, and solo meditation. All optional.

The Details:

- 2x practices per day - one soft, one strong, always optional
- An extra workshop session mid-week
- 3x vegetarian meals every day (dinner on arrival, breakfast on departure day, lunch packs for trips)
- Self catering coffee & tea corner, plus water fountain are available 24/7
- 6x nights accommodation in traditional rooms, bungalows, or a few spots in the treehouse and lotus tent
- Outdoor baths overlooking the valley
- Bio-pool swimming
- Irrigation canal swimming
- Sauna and ice tub
- Numerous hiking trails, long and short
- Massage and de-armouring (on request - paid for extra)
- Hammocks and sunbathing spots
- All your yoga equipment needs - mats, blocks, bolsters, cushions, straps
- WhatsApp group to connect with fellow travellers and organise meeting up etc
- Endless nature…
- Plenty of time to switch off, relax, rebalance, and nourish
- Travel to/from Portugal, and return transfers (station drop-offs can be arranged for a fee)
- Massage and de-armouring sessions (request on arrival)
- Towels for sauna / outdoor use
- Travel Visas - please check if you need one
- Personal Insurance
- 9.999DKK early bird investment (full amount 11.500DKK)
- Pay a 3.500DKK deposit to secure your ‘early bird’ space by 31st January 2025, final amount of 6.499DKK required for payment by 30th June 2025.
- After 31st January 2025, you can pay 3.500DKK deposit due by 31st March, final full amount of 8.000DKK required for payment by 30th June 2025.
- After 31st March 2025 has passed if no deposit has been paid, the full price investment of 11.500kr will be payable in 4x instalments by 30th June 2025, or in one full amount.
- email me about our instalment plan
Deposit and payments can be made via:
- MobilePay 53593776 - add your WhatsApp number and email address as a message
- Bank transfer:
  UK account - Halifax 110516-02011138
  UK IBAN - GB47HLFX11051602011138
  UK BIC/SWIFT - HLFXGB21O62
  Danish account - 6695-1001978353
  Danish IBAN - DK8466951001978353
  Danish BIC/SWIFT - LUNADK22
- Please note: any fees / conversion rates should be absorbed by you, so we get the correct amount to pay the venue.
- Your spot is confirmed upon receipt of payment.
- Cancellation policy outlined below.
- Arrival 13th August 3pm, departure 19th August before 12 noon
- Fly into/out of - Lisbon or Faro
- Train from either city, to Santa Clara Saboia
- Taxi pick-up on arrival, coordinated with train times
- Due to various departure times, we organise leaving transport when we know everyone’s details
- If you’re driving, GPS can be provided
- Please note: all travel is your own financial responsibility other than arrival taxi from the train station
We also have the opportunity for extra activities during the trip, which can be organised closer to the time:
- Hiking alongside the Vicentina Coastline with a guide
- Horse riding on full moon / evening
- Day trip to the local town for food and shopping
- Beach days, kayaking, surf lessons
- Bird watching
- Canoeing on the Mira river
- Enjoying an Outdoor Massage with birds chirping
- Outdoor pizza night
- Once the WhatsApp group is set up, use it to connect and make travel buddies!
- Stay in touch with myself or Rune either on the group or directly for any further details
- Once you’re booked on, we’ll send more detailed travel information on what to book after your flight, where to book it, and your potential costs…
  Remember:
- Our location is a beautiful ancient sanctuary and eco-lodging retreat, so please do not bring any products that have toxins in - bath/shower water is often reused to nourish the garden
- There is no cash machine on-site, so be prepared with EUROS for taxis or trips (again we will organise this closer to the time)
- The venue is smoking and alcohol-free
- Email to let us know of any food allergies
- Take care of your own eco-system as well :)

sunset meditation
home-grown plant-based food
qigong practice
a relaxing bath overlooking the valley
sleep in the treehouse
walk around the veg garden
practice on the sun terrace
soundbath
endless amazing views
elemental yin practice
take an inflatable down the canal
swim in the bio-pool
beach trips and canoeing
partner play workshop
have a sauna and an ice-bath
book a massage under the trees
facilitator - Miz

“This retreat provided just the right nourishment for my body, mind and soul.”

— 2024 traveller, from Denmark

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

My name is Miz, I’m a movement teacher from England specialising in inclusive and accessible elemental practices - practices that help reconnect people with their source, their deeper senses, their true nature and the nature around them. I guide creative vinyasa, breathwork, qigong, elemental yin, and meditation, and enjoy creating boundary-pushing group sessions and mostly fun times!

This is my third venture to this magnificent location, and I’m so excited to share its gifts with you.

“Legend goes that both people and animals once here would not want to leave until regaining their full natural and cosmic forces.”

Our week will be an exploration of the aspects of Fire and Earth that impact our mindset and our being. The positive Fire element brings us a sense of joy and compassion, enthusiasm and creativity. It’s following element in the five element cycle is Earth - grounding and stabilising. We’ll start each day with a movement practice, end each day with a relaxation practice, and filling the spaces in-between as we see fit to nourish our own eco-system. The week will also include a workshop session focusing on partner work, and a sound-bath from a surprise guest.

As well as practices, you can stimulate yourself with an invigorating swim down the canal, take a sauna and cold tub, or hike across the hills and valleys we’re situated in. Alternatively, you can hang out in a hammock, take a dip in the bio-pool with the lilies and frogs, and book a massage with the on-site therapist.

The food is predominantly home-grown and completely plant-based - you can walk around the gardens and view the veg patch. I can undoubtedly confirm that the menu will be absolutely delicious, without fail. We eat breakfast at 08:30, lunch at 13:00, and dinner at 19:00, with lunch packs if we go on a day trip.

Everything you need other than your personal effects is provided. Just bring what you need to make you comfortable for the week.

Rooms are shared - either twin/double, or a group of 4 - in gorgeous traditional farmhouses and bungalows (pics below). There are a couple of spots in the Lotus Tent and the Treehouse, weather dependent. We arrange room buddying on arrival.

Practices and space-holding by me, and a local musician.
Organic, vegetarian food, magnificently and lovingly created by the team on-site.
Logistics and travel will be taken care of by my partner Rune, alongside Laura and Jacob from the farm.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

FOR BOOKING, GO TO ‘THE DETAILS’, ABOVE…