Balanced Practice Yoga Retreat in Northern Portugal's Vinho Verde Country

The daily rhythm doesn't change much, which is part of the point. You get up and do 90 minutes of yoga before breakfast — a flowing sequence that builds heat and works the whole body. Liz and Amelia teach it so that anyone in the room can follow: easier options if you're stiff or new to the practice, stronger variations if you've been at it for years. The aim, as they put it, is to energise the body and then let that lead you toward meditation naturally, rather than forcing it.

Evenings are different. The second class is therapeutic rather than athletic — slower movement, a lot of attention on the breath, and practices meant to balance out the energy you spent in the morning. It's the kind of session that sends you to dinner relaxed rather than wired.

Two additional workshops during the week go into Ayurvedic lifestyle practices and meditation in more depth. These aren't lectures bolted onto the side; they're taught by the same two teachers who've been running the classes all week, so there's continuity.

D'Alijo itself is a traditional quinta — a farm estate — spread across terraces, olive fields and hills with rock formations you can walk out to. There's a meditation cave on the property, two swimming pools, and water features scattered around. The studio and the accommodation are built into the landscape rather than sitting apart from it. Wildflowers are everywhere in June, which is when the retreat runs.

The excursions break up the week nicely. One bus trip heads into the Douro Valley, which is terraced vineyard country and a completely different landscape from the Minho hills. Another goes to historic towns in the region, including Guimarães, which was Portugal's first capital and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. There's also a Fado performance among the vines with local wines poured, and walks straight from the property into the bordering national park, where you'll find waterfalls and old-growth trees. Porto is an hour away, with its international airport, and the retreat runs a bus to collect everyone on arrival day and return them at the end.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation, 9-16 June 2023 - Return bus transport from Porto International Airport on arrival and departure days - Dinner on arrival evening, 3 meals per day throughout, breakfast on departure day - Regional wines with a special celebration lunch on Thursday 15 June - 2 bus trips: one to local historical towns, one to the Douro Valley - Organized walks in the national park - 2 x 1.5-hour yoga classes per day, suitable for all levels - 2 additional Ayurveda / Yoga Lifestyle and Meditation workshops - Fado performance among the vines with local wines

What's not included

- Flights to and from Porto - Travel insurance - Douro River cruise (optional extra) - Porto city and beach visit (optional extra) - Optional local wines with lunch - Personal expenses - Anything not listed under inclusions