Arrival is from 14:00 on the first day. There's a first yoga class at 18:00 to shake off the travel, then a welcome dinner at 20:00. From day two to day four the timetable is the same each day: breakfast at 08:00, yoga at 10:00, lunch at 13:00, a second yoga class at 17:00 and dinner at 19:00. The last morning starts with yoga at 08:00, breakfast at 09:30 and check-out at 11:00.

The morning sessions are the more active ones, Hatha or flowing Vinyasa to get you moving. The 17:00 class is slower and restorative and finishes with a relaxation phase, so by dinner you're ready to sit by the fire. The middle of the day is free. Most people spend it by the pool if the weather allows, walking through the orchards, or driving the few kilometres into Óbidos to walk the castle walls and narrow streets.

What sets this one apart from other yoga weeks near Lisbon is the setting and the timing. It isn't a beach-town surf camp. It's a quiet rural house in wine country with only nine rooms in the main building, and it's scheduled across the last days of December. The food is a big part of it too. Vegetables and fruit come largely from the house's own garden or local markets, and Portuguese red and white wine is served with dinner.

The teaching team includes Marie Endres, an E-RYT certified teacher with more than 15 years of experience who blends Hatha and Vinyasa, and Nancy Reyerts, an Iyengar teacher who comes back each season as a guest teacher on some retreats. Surf lessons, if you book them, are run by João Pereira, who grew up in Peniche and has been teaching surfers of every level for over ten years. Several staff are on hand throughout, and the team speaks English, Portuguese, German and Dutch.

The Atlantic is close enough to shape the climate. The surrounding hills stay green all year, but the weather can turn quickly in winter. Expect cool evenings, which is when the big fireplace in the living room comes into its own.

What's included

- 4 nights accommodation in your chosen room type - 2 yoga classes per day (1 class on arrival and departure days) - Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 5 - One 45-minute Ayurvedic massage - Fruit, coffee, herbal teas and filtered water all day - Portuguese wine with dinner - Yoga mats and props - Towels - Beach transport when booking a surf lesson

What's not included

- Flights - Transfers to the accommodation - Surf lessons (optional, extra cost) - Lunch on Day 1 and Day 5 - Breakfast on Day 1 - Travel insurance - Anything not listed as included

More wellness retreats in Portugal