A place to stop, pause and enjoy the view.
Four nights in Bouro Santa Maria, near Gerês National Park, Northern Portugal ❤️ Created around rest, nature, choice and connection.
Reserve Your PlaceKeep me postedPrices & paymentA cosy autumn retreat for women near Gerês National Park, Northern Portugal
Need a deep breath before the winter rush?
Join us this November for an intimate four-night Yin Yoga retreat with a women’s circle, in a small boutique hotel among the misty green hills. We’re gathering a small group of women for a long weekend given entirely to slowing down, resting and reconnecting.
November brings a cosy, quiet feel to the northern hills – perfect for reflection, turning inward and warming up by the log fire in our event room. Over the long weekend we’ll create a safe, gentle space to put down the busy-ness you’ve been carrying, share as much or as little as you like in our women’s circle, and come back to nature.
Your days flow through gentle Yin Yoga, guided meditation and fresh mountain air on easy walks along old cobbled paths to the Caniçada dam (Barragem da Caniçada) and the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Abadia – said to be one of the oldest Marian sanctuaries in Portugal. In between, enjoy good food in the hotel restaurant, which looks out over the valley and the mountains – with a themed dinner or two along the way.
Come for Yin Yoga, meditation, breathwork, gentle walks, nature, good food and plenty of time to simply stop 🌿
Everything on the retreat is an invitation, never an obligation. Join in with whatever you need that day – or step out, find a quiet corner and rest. You don’t have to keep up with anything.
Four days to exhale completely.
Move. Explore. Connect. Or simply stop.
Everything is an invitation, never an obligation – and the programme follows the weather. Tap to open.
You won’t have to think, plan or make a single decision. Simone and I are with you the whole time, and we don’t stick to a rigid timetable. We tune into the weather, and into you.
Come straight to The Annex and say hello, or boa tarde, when you get here. I will be ready for you. Drop your bags, kick off your shoes and settle in by the log fire with a drink of your choice. Wander around the grounds and down to the river, just listen to the water and the wildlife for a while. Tonight we say hello, olá, properly over a welcome drink and our first dinner together.
Bom dia! Every morning we stretch in The Annex, have a leisurely breakfast, wake up and embrace nature, feeling the ground under our toes. Then a guided walk on the old cobbled paths, at your pace, and back to our herbal tea bar. After lunch, pick your activity: Yoga, Pilates, a swim for the brave, a further walk using maps, or simply relax, no obligation. In the evening Rui fires up the BBQ, with amazing smells that will make you drool.
It’s the weekend! We stretch, have breakfast and, with our towel, head to the river, take our shoes off and meditate. After our guided walk and lunch, the afternoon is yours to choose. In the evening we relax by the fire, share if you want to, and set our intentions together. Let’s have some fun and enjoy manifesting together.
It’s Sunday, nothing to do and no place to urgently be. Fancy a morning stretch, then a visit to the local village? Return for lunch and an afternoon of your choice, or simply take time out. Is today a good day for a massage? Our last evening is by the fire with our women’s circle, a farewell dinner and plenty of laughter.
One last morning stretch and a slow breakfast. At 10:30 we hug and say goodbye, tchau, and your carriage awaits: a taxi to Braga, with a packed lunch for the journey. Boa viagem! I hope you take a little of this place home with you.
Clare 💚
This is a sample day.
Set among the green hills near Gerês National Park, Northern Portugal, our retreat home in Bouro Santa Maria gives us room to slow down properly. With nature on the doorstep, peaceful outdoor spaces and the river close by, it becomes our home for a few days – somewhere to practise, eat, rest, talk, laugh and simply be 💚
Fresh, local food in the hotel restaurant, looking out over the valley and the mountains – breakfast, lunch and dinner together, with a themed dinner or two along the way. Tell us about any dietary needs or allergies when you reserve and we will do our very best to look after you.
Hi, I’m Clare – an E-RYT 200 Yoga teacher who loves Yin Yoga, slowing down and these hills. We live here in Bouro Santa Maria, so we know the paths, the cafés and the quiet corners. Read our story →
4 nights in a boutique hotel · full board · daily Yoga, Yin and meditation · guided walks · a women’s circle by the fire · herbal tea bar · a welcome gift
A shared twin room in one of our apartments, with a shared bathroom. Optional upgrades: your own double room +€150, or a private en-suite room +€300 (only 6).
Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the hotel restaurant overlooking the valley and mountains – including themed dinners. Drinks are extra, apart from a welcome drink and wine with the BBQ.
A shared taxi to Braga and a packed lunch for the journey – extend your adventure in the city, or take the coach to Porto.
Gentle morning Yoga and breathwork, Yin Yoga and meditation every day.
At an easy pace, along old cobbled paths to the Caniçada dam and the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Abadia.
Gathering in our event room with its log fire – share, listen, or simply be.
Warming herbal teas, there whenever you want a cup.
A little something from us, waiting for you when you arrive.
Live nearby? Spend a morning with us: a session with the group – Yoga, Yin and meditation, or a gentle guided walk – then lunch together in the hotel restaurant with the view.
Friday 27, Saturday 28 or Sunday 29 November · 09:30–14:30 · €100 per day
Coming for 2 or 3 days? 10% off with the code DAYS10. Want to stay for the whole day, including dinner? Email us.
For women · held in English · 10 places per day · no accommodation
Porto Airport (OPO) has direct flights from much of Europe.
The drive from Porto Airport to Bouro Santa Maria takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Arrival from Porto Airport is not included – a direct transfer costs around €80 each way, and Uber is usually the cheapest (how to get here). On departure day, share a taxi and we’ll cover the cost to Braga.
Please wait until we confirm the retreat is going ahead.
€1,350 per person. Choose the way to book that suits you best.
In partnership with Glamoux Portugal, RNAVT nº 9787.
€1,350 per person, paid in full when you book. Then there is nothing more to pay.
We are now within 60 days of the retreat, so places are paid in full when you book and are non-refundable. Payment and cancellation policy
Every retreat follows the same payment and cancellation policy.
Private room · own double room · airport transfer · coming with a friend
+€300 for the whole stay (four nights), not per night. Limited to 6 private en-suite rooms, first come, first served. Choose it when you reserve.
+€150 for the whole stay – your own double room in a shared apartment, sharing the apartment bathroom. Choose it when you reserve.
Book together and a bottle of local wine – or a basket of local treats (fruit, Gerês honey and herbal tea) – will be waiting in your room.
All prices are per person. Questions about paying? See our FAQ: how payment works, private rooms, booking with a friend, the 10-guest minimum and, if you are paying from outside Portugal, how to avoid extra bank fees.
This retreat needs a minimum of 10 confirmed guests to go ahead. We’ll confirm by 31 October 2026 and keep everyone who has booked informed as places fill. If the minimum isn’t reached, your payments will be refunded and you’ll be offered a place on one of our 2027 retreats instead. Please don’t book flights until you’ve received confirmation that the retreat is going ahead.
Reserve your place today – there is no payment until we confirm your place and send you your final balance and bank details from our partner travel agency, Glamoux Portugal. Not ready yet? Ask us to keep you posted about new dates and special offers.
Reserve Your PlaceKeep me postedQuestions first? Email info@holisticolivebranch.com – Clare will reply personally 💛
From our sanctuary to yours,
The Holistic Olive Branch Family 💖
