Luxury Fitness and Wellness Escape with Reformer Pilates in Ericeira, Portugal

The retreat runs for seven days, with Reformer Pilates forming the backbone of the schedule. Sessions are led in a dedicated studio on the property, with small class sizes so the instructor can correct form and adjust the spring resistance per person. Alongside the Reformer work there's mat Pilates, stretching and mobility, and some light strength and conditioning. Nothing here is high impact — it's core work, controlled movement, and a lot of attention to how you're actually moving rather than how hard you can go.

Mornings are the busiest part of the day. You'll typically have a class before breakfast, then a second session later in the morning or before dinner. Midweek there's a rest day where no classes are scheduled, which is when most people book a massage, hire a board, or take a day trip to Lisbon, about 45 minutes away by car.

What separates this from a standard Pilates holiday is the equipment and the setting. Reformer machines are expensive and most retreats don't have them on site — here you're training on proper apparatus, not mats on a hotel floor. Ericeira itself is a working surf town with a protected World Surfing Reserve coastline, so the surroundings are cliffs, Atlantic swell and a compact old town full of seafood restaurants, rather than a resort strip.

The instructor team is trained in classical and contemporary Pilates methods, with Reformer certification and experience teaching both group classes and one-to-one. Classes are capped small, which means beginners get hands-on help with the machine setup and more experienced guests get progressions rather than the same sequence repeated all week. If you've never touched a Reformer, you'll be walked through the basics on day one.

Accommodation is in the same building as the studio, so there's no commuting. Rooms are simple and comfortable, the pool and garden are shared, and breakfast and most dinners are included. Evenings tend to be quiet — dinner is served on site several nights, and on the others people walk into town together.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation on site - Daily Reformer Pilates classes - Mat Pilates and mobility sessions - Strength and conditioning sessions - Breakfast daily - Dinner on site most evenings, including welcome and farewell dinners - Use of the pool and garden - Pilates studio access and equipment - Wifi

What's not included

- Flights - Airport transfers (can be arranged at extra cost) - Travel insurance - Lunches - Massages and spa treatments - Surf lessons and other excursions - Personal expenses - Drinks outside of meals