Algarve Pilates & Yoga Escape: Sea Views, Caves & Coastal Trails

The retreat runs from Friday 26 September to Thursday 2 October 2025 — six nights at a five-star resort on the coast at Carvoeiro, in the Algarve. Everyone stays in a Deluxe Sea View Room, and breakfast and dinner are served daily in the resort's restaurant.

Mornings are structured: a Pilates class at 7:30 with Elaina, then yoga at 8:30 with Stephanie, then breakfast from 9:30 to 10:30. The classes are suitable for mixed abilities and mats are provided (bring your own strap and block if you use them).

After breakfast, the day is yours until dinner. The programme includes three organised excursions: a hike along the Seven Hanging Valleys trail, a three-to-four-hour bike tour (electric or standard bike), and a boat trip to the Benagil caves. There's also an optional sunset trip to Sagres, the southwestern tip of Portugal and mainland Europe. Beyond that, people swim, kayak, paddleboard, use the resort's fitness facilities, book spa treatments, or walk down to the nearby beaches.

What separates this from a generic yoga week is the balance of the two disciplines. It's not a yoga retreat with Pilates tacked on — you get a full Pilates class every morning as well. The instructors teach together at the same studio, so the two sessions are designed to work as a pair rather than compete. The resort setting is also a step above the usual retreat centre: five stars, full spa, sea-view rooms, and a proper restaurant rather than a communal kitchen.

The group flies into Faro (FAO). Transfers from the airport to the resort — about 50 minutes — are included in both directions. If you're coming from the US, you'll need to depart on Thursday 25 September to arrive in time. Flights from Boston usually connect through Lisbon or the Azores; alternatively you can fly to Lisbon and take a three-hour bus to Lagos.

What's included

- 6 nights' accommodation in a Deluxe Sea View Room at a 5-star resort - Daily buffet breakfast - Daily dinner at the resort restaurant - Morning Pilates class with Elaina - Morning yoga class with Stephanie - Roundtrip group transfers from/to Faro Airport - Hiking excursion on the Seven Hanging Valleys trail - Cycling excursion (3–4 hours, e-bike or traditional) - Boat excursion to the Benagil caves - Access to the resort's fitness facilities - Access to the resort's spa facilities (treatments extra) - Yoga mats provided

What's not included

- Airfare to/from Portugal - Travel insurance - Lunch - Alcoholic beverages - Spa treatments (massages, facials, etc.) - Optional excursions (Sagres sunset trip, kayaking, golf, city tours) - Gratuities for drivers, hotel staff and guides - Yoga props other than mats (bring your own strap and block if desired)