Top 3 lessons in running a retreat in the Azores

A string of nine dark pearls in the North Atlantic, 900 miles west of Portugal and about 3,000 miles due east of Richmond, Va., the Azores are an authentic paradise that hopefully will remain so by attracting the right travelers. We are not a resort destination with perfect weather and senseless entertainment. Thankfully.

We have run over 30 international yoga retreats in São Miguel. Here are our top three lessons as you embark on planning yours!

1) Why the Azores? Come for the magical volcanic energy, the nature, the authentic. Don’t come for the weather.

​There are many other more reliable weather destinations, but the discerning traveler will experience the Azores as so much more.

Soak in a geothermal hot spring or have your dinner cooked by a volcanic vent. Hike challenging volcanic slopes, through Jurassic-like forests and end with waterfall soaks.

We are blessed with a cool to warm subtropical climate, heavily influenced by the ocean. We get enough rain to look lush and green year-round :) Temps average 18c (64F) year-round, rarely dropping below 10c (50F) or rising above 30c (86F).
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There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear and bad attitudes.

Breathe and feel the breeze on your skin, smell the mineral-rich soil, step on the black sand beaches and verdant green hillsides and taste the ocean air.

Photo by Josh Alves @mr.a_visuals

2) When to hold your retreat?

We hold retreats at quinta minuvida in the Autumn, Fall, Winter and Spring, when we can have the island mostly to ourselves and avoid the summer crowds. If you’re hell-bent on running a summer retreat consider renting a house or property on AirBnB or VRBO but be sure to hire on-the-ground support for logistics.

Our most popular retreat months are October and November (it can still be summer-like), followed by April in the spring.

There's never, however any guarantee on weather;-)
One day could have sunshine on the north coast of the island while rain on the other. So it’s best to be flexible. And yes you may be hiking in the rain at some point;-) 

​3) Less is more

​Even though São Miguel is only 300 square miles (750 square kilometers) there is a LOT to see. As the island was created over a period of four million years there are several distinct areas and differences from one side of the island to the other. 

It’s important to know the type of participant you’re seeking to attract in how you plan your retreat pace. You could easily fill a week with non-stop sightseeing and never get bored, but it’s likely you and your retreaters will need a retreat to recover from the experience!

This island is very much alive. It’s a truly magical place if you slow down and really feel it, so allowing space for rest and reflection is a precious gift you can give your retreaters. 

In our five-or six-night retreats we curate two full-day hiking and sightseeing excursions for the group, but leave at least two full days open for longer yoga/meditation workshops and free time. ​

We are now accepting 2020 retreat bookings, contact us!

We also have some double and triple spots remaining on our upcoming Yoga + Hiking Retreat in October hosted by the co-founders of Yoga Azores, Rimi + Mandy. Early bird discount ends March 31!