5 Day Yoga and Pottery Weekend in Coimbra, Portugal
Grounding Yoga and Pottery Retreat in Portugal
Step away from the pace of daily life and spend a few days immersed in nature at Cara Creek. These weekends are designed with a gentle rhythm. Mornings begin with yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Afternoons are for creativity like pottery and other hands-on creative projects, alongside space to rest, walk, sauna, hot tub, swim in the river, or simply be. There is no pressure to do more. The invitation is to slow down, reconnect with your body, and enjoy the simplicity of creating something with your hands.
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- Daily morning yoga, breathwork, and meditation
- 2 Pottery workshops
- Hands-on creative projects
- 1 mud bath ritual and 2 sauna sessions
- Hot tub and bonfire night
- Plenty of free time to dip in the river or in the natural pool
- 4 nights accommodation
- Daily nourishing meals
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
5 days with instruction in English
Average daily hours of activity: 6
Accommodation
Facilities
- Hot tub / Jacuzzi
- Sauna
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Yoga shala
Although the landscape feels wild and untouched, the accommodation is very comfortable and thoughtfully designed. Guests stay in beautifully furnished canvas glamping tents or natural stone and timber rooms, with proper beds, quality linens, hot showers, and solar-powered facilities. It’s a gentle balance of comfort and closeness to the land.
Program
Workshops
Pottery workshop will take place on-site. You will do two workshops, so you'll have time to get acquainted with the materials, and have time in the second workshop to create something you might want to take home.
Other creative workshops will include nature collaging, in which you work with natural materials from our surroundings, and intuitive painting, which will have you create something based on intuition. No experience required!
Clay bath ritual
The Clay bath ritual will take place on the river beach on our site. You will be guided through and feel reborn after a dip and wash in the river.
Itinerary
Thursday (Arrival Day)
- 15:00 - 16:00 | Arrival and check-in - Arrival, check in, settle into your room, and get acquainted with the peaceful surroundings.
- 17:30 - 19:00 | Opening circle and gentle yoga, breathwork, and meditation - A gentle, restorative yoga session to stretch and ease into the retreat, followed by a calming meditation and breathwork practice.
- 19:00 - 20:00 | Dinner - Enjoy a delicious, wholesome dinner with locally sourced ingredients.
Friday / Saturday / Sunday
- 07:30 - 09:00 | Morning yoga, meditation, and breathwork - Start the day with a deep, 1.5-hour yoga practice to stretch, strengthen, and center yourself, followed by breathwork to cultivate clarity.
- 09:00 - 10:00 | Breakfast - A nourishing breakfast to fuel the day.
- 10:00 - 12:00 | Waterfall hike / walk down the river / mud bath ritual
- 13:00 - 14:00 | Lunch - Enjoy a light, seasonal lunch made from the garden and local farms.
- 14:00 - 17:00 | Creative workshop: Pottery / Intuitive Painting / Nature Collage - Connect to your inner artist and start creating. All creative workshops will be guided, and no prior experience is required.
- 17:30 - 19:00 | Free time or 1:1 sessions - Take a dip in the creek, enjoy a rejuvenating 1:1 session (optional).
- 19:00 - 20:00 | Dinner (Sunday you will have a pizza, hot tub, and bonfire evening)
- 20:30 - 22:00 | Sauna session (Friday and Saturday) - Relax in the sauna for a calming session before bed.
Monday (departure day)
- 07:30 - 09:00 | Morning yoga, meditation, and breathwork - A deep, 1.5-hour yoga practice that flows with your breath, helping you awaken and center your mind for the day.
- 09:00 - 10:00 | Breakfast - A wholesome and energizing breakfast to prepare for the final day.
- 11:00 - 12:00 | Closing circle - A final circle to share insights, gratitude, and what you've learned.
- 12:00 - 13:00 | Lunch - A light, celebratory lunch to savor before departure.
Good for
- Anyone looking to slow down and reset
- Beginners and experienced yoga practitioners and artists
- People craving hands-on creativity
- Solo travelers, friends, or couples
Included excursions
Waterfall hike will be guided directly from the site. Option to swim in the waterfall depending on the weather circumstances.
Instructors
Ashley O'Connor
For 20 years I have found a sense of peace and healing through Yoga, and I'm humbled to share this practice and way of life. Through the process of building our retreat center together with my husband, and living an off-grid close-to-nature lifestyle, I’ve come to realize that natural living and yogic living go hand in hand. For me, nature is the ideal space to deepen one’s Yoga practice, and learn ways to both integrate Yoga and share it with others. The core principles of Off Grid Yoga School is to honor authentic Yoga to the highest respect; to apply Yogic ways to the Western way of life.
Violet Oosterwijk
Violet Oosterwijk is a certified Hatha yoga teacher, Art Life Coach and Reiki practitioner who brings a gentle, heart-centered approach to her work. With teaching experience across diverse locations around the world, she weaves together creativity, mindfulness, and embodied movement to create nurturing and meaningful experiences for her students.
Retreat location
The retreat location is tucked into a quiet river valley in Central Portugal, surrounded by forest, granite boulders, and two flowing rivers. This peaceful countryside setting offers true immersion in nature — ideal for a silent yoga and meditation retreat or a digital detox retreat in Portugal.
The retreat center includes an open-air yoga shala overlooking the forest, a private river beach, a chemical-free swimming pool, a wood-fired hot tub and wood-fired sauna, a clay mud bath, stand-up paddle boards for use, communal dining spaces, and quiet hammocks for rest. Nourishing vegetarian meals are prepared onsite and served mindfully, supporting deep rest and nervous system reset.
Guests can swim in natural river pools, walk forest trails directly from the property, and relax beneath expansive star-filled skies. Nearby are traditional Portuguese villages, local farmers’ markets, river beaches (praias fluviais), and scenic drives toward the Serra da Estrela mountains.
Despite its seclusion, Cara Creek is accessible from both Porto and Lisbon International Airports (approximately 2.5–3 hours by car). Transfer guidance and carpool coordination are offered, making this Portugal yoga retreat both remote and reachable.
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
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Food
All meals are freshly prepared with care, offering simple, nourishing food designed to support rest, digestion, and a gentle slowing down throughout the retreat. Ingredients are locally sourced where possible, following the rhythm of the seasons. Meals are shared in a calm, mindful atmosphere, complementing the overall experience of silence and allowing space to fully arrive with the senses.
Please let Off Grid Yoga School know of any dietary requirements or allergies when booking so they can thoughtfully accommodate you.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Detox juices
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Spa treatments
- Massage (35 EUR/30 minutes, 45 EUR/45 minutes, 55 EUR/1 hour, 80 EUR/90 minutes)
- Reiki (35 EUR/30 minutes, 45 EUR/45 minutes, 55 EUR/1 hour, 80 EUR/90 minutes)
- Reflexology (35 EUR/30 minutes, 45 EUR/45 minutes, 55 EUR/1 hour, 80 EUR/90 minutes)
- Indian head massage (35 EUR/30 minutes, 45 EUR/45 minutes, 55 EUR/1 hour, 80 EUR/90 minutes)
- Craniosacral therapy (60 EUR/1 hour)
- Hypnotherapy with recording if desired (90 EUR/1-1.5 hours)
What's included
- All guided yoga practices
- Pottery + creative materials for the other workshops
- Guided waterfall hike
- Sacred mud bath ritual
- 4 nights private accommodation
- All meals and refreshments
- Tea, coffee, and spring water
- Use of sauna, hot tub, natural pool, and river, stand-up paddle boards
- Use of shared facilities
What's not included
- Travel to/from Cara Creek
- Airport transfers (can be arranged)
- Optional treatments or 1:1 sessions
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Transfer available for additional US$ 210 per person
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport
109 km away from your destination
Transfer available for additional US$ 326 per person
Lisbon Portela Airport
209 km away from your destination
Arrival by airplane
You can fly into either Porto or Lisbon, both of which are well-connected internationally.
Off Grid Yoga School offers a direct pick-up service from either airport for an additional fee (indicated per vehicle)— a simple and easy option if you’d like a smooth, door-to-door arrival.
Arrival by train
Alternatively, you can travel by train or bus to the nearby town of Carregal do Sal, the closest station to the venue. The journey is straightforward and offers a beautiful glimpse of the Portuguese countryside along the way. From Carregal do Sal, Off Grid Yoga School is happy to pick you up and bring you the rest of the way to Cara Creek.
If you’re unsure about the best way to travel, feel free to reach out — the team is always happy to help you plan your journey.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
Reviews
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