Life in Movement | Private Pilates Retreat

When & Where?

JOIN US FROM April 21st - 25th 2023 AT THE newly opened Quinta Marugo in the heartland of the Alentejo region of central Portugal.

When we first came to visit Quinta Marugo in the search for the perfect Portuguese spring location, we instantly knew that we had found the right place. When we later sat in the Yoga Pagoda, doors wide open, smelling the breeze, watching the moon rise, we never wanted to leave again.

We can't wait to introduce you to Mary Ann and Ugo, who built their dream with Quinta Marugo: an eco-sustainable retreat and wellbeing center in Portugal with the vision of bringing a bit more peace, calm and connection to the world.

The tastefully designed Quinta with its pagoda, living spaces, library, massage room, swimming pond, sunset point, lakes, island and other landmarks all combine to provide the best experience for you to retreat, reconnect and regenerate.

Tucked into the heart of Portugal's Alentejo region, Quinta Marugo is 'off the beaten track' and perfect for a gentle awakening of our senses surrounded by endless horizons of oak trees and herbal meadows.

What’s Included?

Leave your stresses and worries at home and Let us indulge you:

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

4 nights accommodation in shared or single elegant bedrooms
daily healthy breakfast, light lunch and dinner
one-on-one assessment / private session with Mareile or Dom
daily Mat Pilates and Vinyasa Yoga sessions
morning walk and/or meditation
guided herb walk & medicinal plants mini workshop
60 min massage or sound bath
Qi Gong experience with Mary Ann
breathwork session with Mary Ann
unlimited herbal teas picked straight from the garden
round trip transfers to/from Beja

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

additional private sessions with your teachers
visit to the village of Serpa
Horseback riding or horse therapy session

Not INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

international flights
transportation to Beja
travel insurance
alcoholic beverages

How to get there?

Find out below how to best reach our retreat venue

Quinta Marugo is located just outside of the small village of Serpa. Unless you arrive with your own car, we will pick yo up and drop you in Beja (30 min drive), from where there are reliable connections to Lisbon by bus and train. For those really disliking public transport and not wanting to drive, Beja's tiny airport has some flight connections with Lisbon and Porto...

Transportation to and from the venue will be provided to/from the town of Beja or Serpa on arrival and departure days.

BY CAR
By far the easiest is to arrive by car. Driving is safe in Portugal with good highways for most of the way from Lisbon (2 hrs) or Faro (2 hrs). Rental cars are generally cheap. We can help with car pooling options.

BY TRAIN
You can reach Beja from Lisbon Oriente by train - check the CP website for details. It's not the quickest way, but Portuguese trains are generally reliable and comfortable.

BY BUS
There is a direct bus from Lisbon all the way to Serpa with Rede Expresso, which takes about 4,5 hrs.

Accommodation & Price

Share a room with a friend or opt for a single room

Quinta Marugo feels like home, the moment you step in. Mary Ann and Ugo, the owners, will kindly invite you to leave your shoes and your worries at the door and to indulge in a few days of barefoot luxury. One can feel the attention to detail and deep connection to the venue's origins that went into the creation of this 35ha healing space. Quinta Marugo gives you all the reasons to 'just be'.

The only sound we heard at night was the chirping of the crickets and a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves of the trees.

Infused with a sense of fine luxury and a strong mission for regenerative and mindful living Quinta Marugo is a perfect fit for those who want to connect with nature in the most comfortable possible way.
We will snuggle up into soft pillows and lounge on inviting sofas. We will get lost in the Quinta's expansive library of stimulating reads and eat and laugh together around the large communal tables crafted from fallen olive trees. The outdoor pool is 100% natural, and while it might be early for some of you to jump in in April, if you do... you will find yourself gliding through the most delicious fresh water.

Shared Room

Of our 10 tastefully furnished rooms, 6 are available for sharing. Bring a friend or family member or we will match you with a room mate.

EUR 1,200*

get 5% discount for sharing with a friend (EUR 1,140 pp)

Single Room

There is a limited availability of rooms available for single occupancy. Booking early will ensure you get the room type you prefer.

EUR 1,550*

only 4 available

* all prices are per person, and quoted in EUR. We will try our best to help you avoid bank and transfer charges, but if they do occur, all bank/PayPal charges must be carried by the participant.

Your Teachers & Host

YOU COULD NOT BE IN BETTER HANDS! This retreat is hosted by our Founder Mareile Paley and the Ever Joyful DOM Vieira

Mareile Paley

OWNER OF LIFE IN MOVEMENT, RETREAT HOST, PILATES & WELLNESS GUIDE

If a retreat is a beautiful piece of art, Mareile is the glue that holds all the pieces together. Having started in 2010 leading her own Pilates retreats, she soon found her true calling and strength in connecting people, in crafting and curating truly exceptional retreat experiences and in finding the best teachers. The personal attention you will receive before, during and after the retreat can all be attributed to Mareile’s deep desire to make people happy and to make you feel valued and special.
This retreat will take place on Mareile's 'home turf' - Portugal. Passionate as she is, she will share with you all her local insight and best-kept secrets. Mareile will also teach your daily dose of Pilates, so you are in for a treat from our founder herself.

Dominique (Dom) Vieira

YOGA TEACHER, STUDIO OWNER, TEACHER TRAINER

Dom teaches Vinyasa & Restorative Yoga, as well as a meditation and breathwork. She firmly believes that yoga is for everybody and every body and carries that ethos throughout her teachings. Her classes focus on intelligent sequencing and making the practice as accessible as possible. She places a lot of value on the connection to breath and cultivating that beautiful feeling of presence and connection through breath, movement and stillness. For her, the yoga practice is really a practice of coming back home to oneself with loving-kindness. She can’t wait to guide you through your own practice.

Mary Ann Voli

VENUE HOST, QI GONG, BREATHWORK FACILITATOR, MINDFULNESS COACH

A former Hong Kong-based executive coach running a successful business in leadership development and corporate mindfulness, Mary Ann built her dream in Portugal by creating Quinta Marugo - A place where she could put her certifications in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Compassionate Living to greater use. We are excited to collaborate with Mary Ann not only as our venue host, but to share some of her wisdom and magic with you. Mary Ann will be teaching Breathwork and Qi Gong providing you with more space to reconnect with your inner resources, wisdom, compassion, and power.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RETREAT? MAKE A FREE APPOINTMENT TO CHAT WITH MAREILE,

here

Highlights

There are many reasons why we love Portugal so much. Let us share our passion for This Venue's secrets! we have sprinkled them throughout this retreat.

The Quinta

Privately owned with a huge heart dedicated to our planet, we love not only what we see, but also what's deep embedded into Quinta Marugo's soul - a place to heal and to connect to nature. From their Zero Waste policy to their well tended food forest... we promise you will leave inspired!

Private Classes

As part of our signature program you will enjoy your private one-on-one Pilates or Yoga session with either Mareile or Dom. This extra time spent with you helps us to get to know you and to serve you better during the group sessions. It’s also a wonderful learning opportunity. Bring your practice to the next level! Guided Breathwork and Qi Gong classes are offered as well.

The Pagoda

Our Movement Space - The Pagoda - deserves a special mention. With sweeping views across the horizon, this beautifully crafted octagonal space will give us room to move and reflect. Can you see yourself rolling out your mat?

Nature Immersion

With Spring being our guide on this retreat, we have built in plenty of opportunities to see, smell, taste and touch what the natural environment surrounding us has to offer. One of our highlights is our guided foraging walk on Day 2, where you will learn about Portugal's indigenous medicinal herbs and their uses in your every day life.

New Connections

If you are an animal lover, we bet you that you will fall hard for some of the Quinta's four legged inhabitants. Three dogs, two cats, three donkeys and two beautiful horses can't wait to meet you. But don't worry, if furries are not for you... they have their own space on the 35ha quinta and won't disturb you and respect your privacy.

Time for Pause

And if the choice is to simply do nothing? Yes, your retreat will allow for that as well. Take a book and read. Enjoy the sun setting over the oak trees. Lie by the pool on a sun chair for hours. Always remember that we curate these retreats for you... it's your choice how to best honour yourself and take what you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

I KNOW... IT’S HARD TO STAY GLUED TO THE SCREEN AND READ THROUGH SO MUCH INFO. HERE ARE A FEW MORE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS I’VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS:

Do you offer this retreat at other times of the year?

No. We offer each of our retreats (except for the Teacher Trainings) just once a year around the same time.

Do you organize bespoke retreats?

Yes. If you are a group of friends looking for a personalized and intimate retreat experience, the Life in Movement team is happy to work with you on a bespoke retreat package

I am a complete beginner. Can I still attend ?

Yes. Even if you are new to Pilates or Yoga, we welcome and encourage you to join. A retreat week always starts with the basics no matter how experienced the other participants might be. Both Mareile and Dominique are experienced teachers and will attend to all levels. Depending on the overall level of the group we will slowly (or quickly) build up the classes day by day. You can decide to book additional private sessions if you feel you want to work on something specific. If there is a very big difference between levels, we might offer some additional classes to the more advanced participants, but the group sessions will always be tailored to accommodate beginners.

Can I come with a non-participating spouse or friend?

Yes. As this retreat offers so much more than Pilates & and Yoga, we are quite certain that there will be some experiences that your 'other half' will enjoy, if not just the delicious meals and a book by the pool. For 2 people booking together and sharing a room, we offer a 5% discount.

It’s my first time traveling alone. Will I feel safe?

We have lots of guests traveling alone and for many it’s been the first time or the first time on retreat. Portugal is a very safe country with helpful, friendly people, many of whom speak good English. A retreat is actually a perfect setting for a first solo trip. All is organized and taken care of, but if you want to step out of your comfort zone, make friends, try something new, here is your opportunity. You will be surprised how quickly it all falls into place.

I am a Pilates teacher. What can I expect?

We love it when teachers join our retreat! This usually means that you are excited to continue your learning journey. Be aware that our retreats are open to all levels and that this retreat is not primarily focused on an advanced level participant. That said — as this is our most focused Pilates retreat and with highly sought after teachers, we are expecting a higher than usual level of experienced Pilates participants. If that's not enough and when we see that you can be pushed… we will do so! You can always book additional private sessions if you want to go deeper.

Do you offer any Reformer Pilates classes on this retreat?

I get asked this a lot and unfortunately, I have yet to find the perfect Pilates retreat location that offers the possibility to add in equipment sessions. In fact, I am building this space right now in Portugal, so I invite you to support CALM Portugal, so that in a few years the answer can be ”Yes, of course!”

I have a special condition / injury. Can I still attend?

If you have doubts about your physical abilities in regards to the retreat and due to a chronic or acute condition, we encourage you to contact us prior to booking. That way we can advise you and make sure that you will benefit from the retreat. All participants will need to complete a health form prior to the retreat start.

I want to come, but need to leave early/arrive late...

For maximum benefit we encourage each guest to arrive and leave on the official retreat arrival & departure days. If you can’t make it, we will try our best to find a custom solution for you, which will, however, not affect the retreat price.

I have a food allergy and need a special diet

As you can imagine, we are very used to dealing with all kinds of food allergies, preferences and unusual diets. As long as you tell us ahead of time (there is a line about it in our mandatory health form) we can inform the venue and let you know how much we can accommodate you. For the most part it’s easy (ie vegan, gluten free, dairy free) and if it’s potentially tricky, we will advise you to bring your own snacks, supplements and supplies.

HAVE SOME MORE PERSONAL QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED HERE? SEND US AN EMAIL OR MAKE A FREE APPOINTMENT TO CHAT WITH MAREILE,

here

Not sure if this retreat is for you?

LET US HELP YOU DECIDE HERE...

This retreat is for you if...

you expect an exceptionally high level of Pilates instruction and are interested in learning more about the classical Pilates method.
you are new to Pilates and are interested in getting a thorough and meaningful introduction to classical Pilates.
you are an experienced practitioner or teacher who believes that we never stop learning
you are looking for an advanced understanding of Pilates, including not only the 'how', but also the 'why' of the practice.
you like to find out how Pilates can touch and influence your life on multiple levels.
you would like to bring your Pilates practise to the next level and learn from some of the world's best teachers.
you are looking for a retreat that goes deep and beyond 'great food / great location / fantastic teachers'
you are looking for a retreat that connects movement, learning, excursions and the location into a meaningful package
you are ready to unlock a part of your brain to channel a more direct pathway to your body.
you want to leave with an understanding of the full classical mat sequence in mind and body for continued self-practice.

This retreat is not for you if...

being on a holiday in Portugal is more important to you than the Pilates classes. In that case, we'd recommend you book a private retreat with us, so we can tailor the Pilates program to your needs and add in more bespoke experiences.
you are an experienced practitioner or teacher who sees no point in sharing a class with a beginner
you like to be in a big group of people and prefer to keep social interactions light
your main attraction to this retreat was the wine tasting and and vineyard tour. We will do this as well, but as we only have 6 days, our focus will be on Pilates and your mind and body.
you are not ready to step out of your comfort zone to learn and possibly be surprised.
you see the retreat as light entertainment with Pilates being just another point on the program.
you are looking for a retreat that comes close to a teacher training with more than 3-4 hours on the mat. We are also here to have fun, to enjoy some R&R and mostly to explore how Pilates can play a role in all moments of your life.



STILL UNSURE? MAKE A FREE APPOINTMENT TO CHAT WITH ONE OF OUR TEAM,

here



NEED MORE TIME TO DECIDE? LEAVE US AN EMAIL AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WHEN SPACES BECOME LIMITED.

Sign Up & Deposit

We would do the same! WELCOME TO OUR Portugal Spring Awakening RETREAT, 2023

Yay! That’s exciting. We are very happy to have you on board. We will be in touch with the next steps.

Below, you can pay your deposit to make sure you get a spot.

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Secure your Spot

In order to secure your spot on the retreat, we need to receive a non refundable EUR 500 deposit from you. We accept Credit Cards, PayPal or direct bank transfer. Please note that we won’t pay for any bank or transfer charges, including PayPal fees.

PAY DEPOSIT NOW:

Pay with Credit Card

OUR CANCELLATION POLICY:

Travel Insurance

We highly encourage you to purchase travel insurance in case you need to cancel your trip. We have found during our travels that it is well worth having the coverage, as it covers many unforeseen circumstances that may arise while on vacation.

Cancellation up to 90 days before retreat start:

If we are able to fill your cancelled spot by three months before the retreat start, we will return all money paid to us, except your deposit. If we are unable to fill your spot, we will only return 50% of all money paid to us after deduction of the deposit.

Cancellation after three months before retreat start:

Sorry, but no refund possible after this date.If you are not able to attend the retreat but have a friend or family member that would like to attend, we are happy to transfer 100% of the money that you have paid toward your friend or family member. Both parties must notify us in writing in order to transfer names.

If we cancel the retreat:

All money paid to us by you will be returned, excluding bank chargers. Unfortunately we cannot compensate you for any plane tickets/transportation arrangements you have already made.

Payment general:

EUR 500 non-refundable deposit is required in order to secure your spot. We accept Credit Card (PayPal) and / or direct bank transfer. Please note that we won’t pay for any bank or transfer charges, including PayPal fees.

Co-create your own Retreat !

Why did we pick this location?

Mareile Paley

Mary Ann Voli

The retreat brought incredible insights to the art of Pilates.

All you need to know about our Portugal Spring retreat

When & Where?

What’s Included?

How to get there?