Join in the grape harvest, make and taste local wine made the traditional way
Highlights
- Experience a traditional grape harvest in a rural community in Central Portugal
- Discover a form of moving meditation while reconnecting with nature
- See how wine is made the traditional way and enjoy some local wine tasting
- Indulge in a spot of healing yoga, forest bathing or relax in the plunge pool overlooking our olive grove
- Enjoy our deliciously fresh, homegrown, homemade food as well as some traditional meals out in local restaurants
We created Relaxscape as a place for you to escape from the stresses of your everyday life. It offers a calm and tranquil environment to reconnect with nature and recharge your body and mind.
You'll stay in our charmingly restored 100 year old house that combines traditional style and modern comforts, set in a peaceful olive grove surrounded by trees and amazing views leading down to a beautiful river lagoon. In all of our retreats we invite you to explore relaxation and wellbeing by enjoying these restorative natural surroundings.
Read what other guests have said about their stay at Relaxscape.
Overview
Our Grape Harvest and Local Wine and Yoga Retreat is designed for people who would like to take part in a fun traditional rural activity as well as enjoy daily yoga sessions. The grape harvest in Central Portugal is a significant annual community event. By taking part in this retreat, you'll enjoy the mind-clearing satisfaction of physical labour as well as seeing how wine is made the traditional way, and of course, sampling some of the locally produced vintages!
During the rest of your stay, you are free to relax in our secluded grounds, join in our daily yoga classes, cool of in our plunge pool, enjoy a swim in the local river lagoon, or explore the local area walks. We have bicycles available for guests to use and can arrange lifts into the nearby town of Tomar if you feel the need for some Unesco World Heritage sightseeing.
We can welcome a maximum of nine guests currently (until we have restored the rest of the property), which creates a cosy, intimate retreat. The comfortable rooms all have private en-suites. There are three single rooms with showers, and three larger double or twin rooms with shower and deep soak baths overlooking the beautiful gardens.
Downstairs, there is a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room, where you can help yourself to breakfast, lunch and refreshments and where we'll come together to eat a locally sourced (homegrown where possible!), home-cooked meal in the evenings, or out on the surrounding terraces. We'll also take in a couple of trips to some local restaurants where you can enjoy some more traditional Portuguese food.
We try to be as eco conscious as possible at Relaxscape, respecting our environment, using natural materials where we can, re-using and recycling, renewable energy, and growing (and eating!) seasonal, organic produce on site. We kindly ask our guests to respect these principles and our home when they stay with us as they help to create a more sustainable world for us all. You can read more about Relaxscape and sustainability here.
Programme
Day 1
- Arrive at Relaxscape. Transfers can be arranged from Entroncamento or Tomar train station, or from Ferreira do Zêzere bus station. (For an extra cost we can book an airport transfer for you).
- Evening: Welcome Dinner
Day 2
- Breakfast
- Introduction to grape growing and vinology by a local expert
- Lunch
- Grape picking
- Free time
- Dinner
Day 3
- Breakfast
- Yoga among the grape vines
- Lunch
- Free time
- Wine tasting in a local restaurant
- Dinner out
Day 4
- Breakfast
- Yoga or mindfulness in nature session
- Grape picking
- Lunch
- Visit to a traditional adega to see local wine being made
- Free time, optional massage
- Dinner
Day 5
- Breakfast
- Sightseeing day
- Dinner
Day 6
- Breakfast
- Connecting with nature yoga session
- Visit to a commercial vineyard and wine-tasting
- Free time, optional massage
- Dinner
Day 7
- Breakfast and check-out
- Travel home (or onwards to explore more of Portugal!)
Please note
This retreat involves light gardening, bending and pruning. All activities are undertaken at your own risk and you must ensure you have adequate insurance to cover you during your stay. Relaxscape cannot be held liable for any loss, damage or injury that may occur as a result of your decision to participate in any retreat activity.
The grape harvest is very much dependent on the weather and cannot always be adequately predicted in advance, so there may be occasions where this retreat involves less grape picking and more of other horticultural activities or activities of local interest.
We consciously incorporate plenty of free, self-reflection time into our retreats (even if that means helping out with some gardening, or mending some old bikes!) as our aim at Relaxscape is to help you to discover the benefits of relaxation, of "just being". Our facilitators are all trained to offer you gentle guidance to enable you to improve your emotional and physical wellbeing.
Please ensure you bring adequate comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for outside work. We will provide gardening gloves.
We are welcoming you into our home in a small, tranquil village, so please be respectful of your surroundings, our village neighbours and your fellow retreat members during your stay.
Prices
This retreat is £700 per person on a shared room basis. (1 room with 2 twin beds and 2 rooms with double beds suitable for a couple or close friends available at this price).
There are also 3 single rooms available at a cost of £800 per person.
All rooms have an ensuite toilet with shower or bath+shower.
If you already live in Portugal, ask us about Day Pass Prices or Weekend Rates
We're looking forward to welcoming you at Relaxscape and to sharing with you the special calm and beauty of this wonderful area of Central Portugal.