Mountain Valley Yoga & Somatics Retreat in Central Portugal

Vale de Moses has been run as a retreat centre since 2008, when the owners began restoring four traditional xisto stone houses using local materials — clay, lime, stone and wood. The property is remote: no neighbours in sight, just forested valleys, waterfalls and birdsong. Accommodation is spread across the stone cottages (private double bedrooms in the main farmhouse, single beds in shared open-plan cottages) and glamping belle tents pitched under strawberry fruit trees.

A typical retreat week blends daily movement sessions with optional extras. On the Conscious Arts Retreat (28 September–3 October 2026), mornings are movement classes, afternoons are ceramics workshops, and ayurvedic treatments are available throughout. You can book the full week, a few days, or drop in for individual classes. The Reset Retreat (5–10 October 2026) is a five-day Pilates week led by Caroline Ponto and Carly Tomei, open to all levels. Essential Somatics (19–24 October 2026) is five days of Clinical Somatic Education with Martha, focused on releasing chronic tension and moving without pain.

What sets this place apart is the setting itself. Yoga takes place on a platform built above the valley — you practise looking out over the treetops. There's a lodge for sweating, river pools for swimming, and walking paths that lead to old water mills. Meals are cooked fresh each day using vegetables from the property's own garden, neighbours' gardens, or the greengrocers in Oleiros.

Beyond scheduled sessions, the week is largely yours. Common activities include forest bathing, healing treatments (Traditional Chinese Medicine, massage), health consultations, and simply resting in hammocks by the river. The property also runs a volunteer programme for those who want to stay longer. You'll need a car or arranged transfer — the nearest village is Oleiros, and the drive from Lisbon takes around 2.5 hours.

The instructors vary by retreat week, but the core team at Vale de Moses leads daily yoga and movement sessions. Caroline Ponto and Carly Tomei are the Pilates instructors for The Reset Retreat; Martha leads the Somatics week. All retreats are capped at small numbers to keep the atmosphere quiet and personal.

What's included

- Accommodation in stone cottages or belle tents - Three vegetarian/vegan meals daily - Daily yoga or movement classes - Use of yoga platform, river pools, walking trails - Wood-fired lodge access - All retreat-specific workshops (e.g., ceramics, Pilates, Somatics) - Wi-Fi in common areas

What's not included

- Flights to/from Portugal - Airport transfers (can be arranged at extra cost) - Travel insurance - Healing treatments (massage, TCM, ayurvedic) - Personal expenses - Additional excursions - Alcohol - Laundry service