A horrified look crossed our faces when, on the third day, we were asked to hand over our phones for 24 hours. These little black bricks are basically part of us. How could we function, stay connected – or know when to wake up?
At 6.15am the next day the beating hum of a primal drum rang out across Quinta Carvalhas. I was tempted to ignore it, knowing another would follow at 6.45am, but unlike the aggressive beep, beep, beep of my phone alarm I was lulled wide awake and I reached for my pen – instead of an Instagram doomscroll – and journaled. I hardly knew myself.
I’d arrived at Just Flow, a Portugal yoga and meditation retreat feeling a bit anxious and apprehensive. I’m more of a wellness worrier than warrior, and while I love my weekly (or so) yoga class I’ve never managed to sit still long enough to consider meditation. But my busy mind was caving in on itself, so I promised myself I’d keep it open, commit to every experience 100 per cent, and see how it went.
By the end of the short week I could see the change in the faces of my fellow retreat goers. Perhaps more surprisingly, I could see it in me. Together we went with the flow, rested and recharged, and set some positive intentions for spring – all while someone else cooked and cleaned for us. The whole week felt like a big, warm, cosy hug. Just what my soul needed.
Let’s dive in to see what this 5-day Portugal wellness retreat is like. Spoiler – no one dies at the end.
What was this Portugal wellness retreat?
Just Flow is a nurturing yoga and mindful meditation retreat that happens twice a year (March and November) at Quinta Carvalhas in Portugal’s Ribatejo area, just an 80-minute drive or train north of Lisbon. I joined the March edition, which falls around the spring equinox.
This is the only retreat run by Michelle, the incredible owner of Quinta Carvalhas – The Green Farm, who takes the meditation and art sessions; her co-host, the yoga teacher Rianne; and Rianne’s little shadow, Julius the rescue dog (who stole my heart).
We arrived on the Sunday afternoon, meeting around the dinner table for the first time. The Portugal wellness retreat wrapped up five nights later around lunch on Friday. The next Just Flow will be in November. The rest of the year the estate welcomes retreats from other facilitators.
Where is Quinta Carvalhas?
Quinta Carvalhas is in the Ribatejo, about an 80-minute drive or train north of Lisbon. The estate itself is absolutely gorgeous and you can see the love and detail around every corner. The rooms are all unique, set within restored farmhouse buildings, and the expansive property has more than a dozen horses and 650 historic olive trees.
The first thing I noticed when I stepped out of my car was the gentle birdsong. A constant chorus of little birdies chirping away from dawn till dusk was the backdrop for this peaceful week. The train stops in Mato de Miranda, just a five-minute-drive from the estate, so they will happily organise pick-ups and drop-offs. Super easy.
What was the vibe of this yoga and meditation retreat? Who attended?
Just Flow promised to be an inward journey of self-care and nourishment to make you feel good on the inside and out. Being spring, the theme was about blooming into your best self with daily yoga and meditation sessions, and plenty of free time to journal, walk in nature, join a horse therapy session or get a massage.
The Portugal retreat was really all about going with the flow – and I think the best way to describe the whole experience is like a really delicious, warm hug. Each day had its own theme – Sow, Root, Sprout, Grow, Bloom, Thrive – and the meditation sessions reflected this, plus we received a page of journal prompts every night after dinner.
For the most part our mornings were busy – but a mindful, purposeful kind of busy – with yoga, breakfast and meditation. We’d have a small pocket of time ideal for journaling, reading or a walk through the luscious meditation garden before lunch. In the afternoon we’d have a group activity or free time, which many used to take long walks in the countryside or add optional extra therapies or massages to their programs before an early evening yoga or meditation session and dinner.
This Portugal yoga and meditation retreat is open to everyone and anyone. Among us quite a few attendees were returning for the second, third or even fourth time. We were a mixed crowd with people in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s coming from within Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria, America and England. There were a couple of men too.
One of the women told me: “it’s the only holiday I return from that I feel truly rejuvenated.”
Overall the vibe was a very judgement-free and body-positive space with a supportive and open group.
What did I learn during the retreat?
The beauty of a retreat that’s about looking inward is that each person is on a different journey. For me personally, it was a chance to slow down, defrost after winter, and reconsider where I was putting my energy.
There were so many takeaways, and I don’t want to go into great detail here as I’ll break down various parts of the retreat below. Overall the main things I took away were probably:
- Manifestation is an amazing tool. Use it to get clear on what you want and visualise your future.
- Journaling is another great tool to go deeper, unlock unanswered or avoided questions and to clear your mind and find clarity.
- Everything will unfold as it is supposed to (so try your best but don’t panic if you’re late).
- Fear is a clue to take action (lean in, not away).
- We should all be kinder to ourselves.
- There is enough time, so just breathe.
Read next… 9 places to visit in Portugal this spring
How was the daily yoga?
Daily yoga was such a treat. Quinta Carvalhas has a beautiful specially designed yoga hall – the Yoga Shala – with all the equipment you could ever want. Rianne (pictured) is a brilliant yoga teacher who is focused on the physical body and technique, while still bringing lots of fun to each class. We did one session every morning with a different theme, and sometimes a second, different style later in the day.
The first couple of morning sessions were slower with a focus on technique. We re-learnt downward dog and warrior poses, speaking about what we’re trying to achieve with these different positions. The final two morning sessions were more dynamic with a faster flow to build heat. The studio has inversion chairs, which were fun to play with.
On the first full retreat day we also did an evening yoga nidri session, which was amazing. I’d never done this “sleep yoga” style before. We wrapped ourselves in cosy blankets and lay down in a circle in the meditation space. It was a cool and curious experience to teeter on the edge of consciousness, and after I felt like I’d just woken up from a long restorative nap. Wild.
And the meditation sessions?
These sessions led by Michelle were all so different, in a good way. Opposite the expansive Yoga Shala is Pine Hall, a kind of sanctuary for meditation and thinking. Here Michelle and Rianne had created a central altar of sorts with tall candles surrounded by fragrant jasmine and eucalyptus leaves from the gardens. We gathered in a circle on comfy floor cushions with bolsters and blankets.
These meditation sessions and deeper-thinking sermons honed into the spring theme of the retreat. The earlier retreat meditations were about digging deeper and reflecting on oneself, and the later ones looked at how we’d expand ourselves and become our best versions. Michelle also organised a really special sound bath experience in the space one evening.
Other included activities?
Besides daily yoga and meditation, there was an art activity on one of the first days. Michelle ran this session in the Olive Art Studio, a dedicated art hall that also hosts regular mosaics retreats. With fun music blasting, we each had a lump of terracotta clay and were left to run wild for some time before being forced to destroy our creations. Fun? Yep, my takeaway was to spend more time being creative and making things for no reason.
As this retreat collided with the spring equinox, we had a mysterious activity planned on the final day that involved writing down our spring intention on a piece of paper, throwing it in a fire pit and then jumping into the icy cold pool. Later that day we also had a half-hour intuitive dance session to close the event, before a fancier dressed-up dinner where we swapped yoga pants for something more chic.
How was the food?
Fantastic. I’m not a vegetarian, so I was worried I’d be low in energy or not feeling myself with a 100 per cent meat-free week – but actually my body was so happy with the food. We received a delicious, creative and healthy vegetarian menu for lunch and dinner. It usually included a starter, main and dessert all served to us at a long table set within a light-filled glass veranda.
Some favourite dishes of mine were the mushroom soup (or any of the soups!), the herby pea fritters, the falafel with beetroot hummus, the healthy roasted pumpkin bitoque (a traditional Portuguese dish of steak with a fried egg), and the insane baked chocolate and fig puddings.
Extra therapies, from massage and reiki to horse therapy
The program of Just Flow at Quinta Carvalhas was really spacious, allowing lots of time for self-reflection, journaling, reading, long walks and extra therapies. Rianne the yoga teacher is also a trained Thai masseuse, but I opted for a more traditional relaxation massage with Shana. Michelle ran private sessions for intuitive healing and reiki.
You could also book equine or horse therapy, led by the stables. I’d heard this type of therapy was really helpful for some people but I remained a little sceptical. But when one of the participants invited me to join her for the first 15 minutes as she wanted pictures of the experience – it was quite amazing to step into the field with the horses and see how she connected with one in particular. The experience moved her to tears and it was just the first 10 minutes.
The rooms
Quinta Carvalhas is made up of a series of old stone farmhouse buildings lovingly restored into various spaces and rooms, ideal for hosting retreats. There are 16 unique bedrooms split across a handful of buildings – from the original farmhouse to converted stone stables – and most are ensuite. I stayed in the Forest Room, a massive moody bedroom with so much space to spread out.
The bed was super comfortable with a choice of pillows, the room had a couch and a little tea- and coffee-making station (a rarity in Portugal), and the Wi-Fi reached the room so I could do my Portuguese lesson remotely. The shower was 10/10 and house keeping came through every day.
When’s the next Just Flow retreat?
Michelle and Rianne host Just Flow at Quinta Carvalhas twice a year – in March and November. Each is about embracing the change of seasons and resetting your intentions.
Would I go again? Absolutely and I can highly recommend it anyone looking to change their perspective, be good to themselves, and slow down with a week in nature.
I experienced Just Flow as an invited guest of Quinta Carvalhas, but my opinions and thoughts are all my own. This article has been published independently and Quinta Carvalhas were not allowed a preview or to request changes.
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One Response
This sounds like it was such a lovely experience! And what a gorgeous backdrop to it all