Porto Retreat

We will meet at Held Space, a traditional Portuguese home turned urban retreat center in the heart of Porto, Portugal. The center is only a 15 minute drive from Porto Airport (OPO) and a 5 minute walk from the main train station. The venue is located near the city center, about a 15 minute street car ride from the main square, river front, and cathedral. Several restaurants, cafes, and bars are only 2 - 7 minutes walking distance away. Please note your flights or ground transportation from/to Porto International Airport (OPO) is not included in your ticket price and you should arrange for separately – see below for more info on ground transportation options.

We’ve structured the retreat to be suitable for both newer and experienced yogis - adjustments will be suggested for all levels. The vocal and self expression classes will not be singing based-  Exercises will focus on movement, self awareness, sound and breath. Everyone is welcome!

Weather is unpredictable and we make no guarantees, but the weather in Porto is generally cooler than southern Portugal. In August, daily high temperatures are around 75°F, rarely falling below 69°F or exceeding 86°F. Daily low temperatures are around 59°F, rarely falling below 53°F or exceeding 65°F. But again, weather patterns are particularly unpredictable these days so make sure to check the weather report yourself closer to the trip!

Please let us know if there is a room type you (single or double) are wanting to book that is sold out. We will do our best to see if it’s possible to open up another space. Nothing is guaranteed but we will try! Please email us at info@resoundretreats.com

We expect 9 to 11 participants.

We have both options and hope to have a mix of both, but it will all depend on weather conditions. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding here. Most will likely be indoors.

Please note that Yoga mat/strap/bolsters/blocks/straps will be provided. In addition to clothes, toiletries, and other things you would normally pack for a trip like this, we recommend you bring the following: yoga clothes, comfortable walking shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, light jacket (please check the weather report and plan accordingly!), umbrella/rain jacket, bathing suit/flip flops, etc.

Plug in and charge your devices with USB A and USB C plugs next to every bed and throughout the house. If you need to charge anything else, yes please bring an adapter. 

Our day of arrival check in time is 1pm, we will have a welcoming circle and dinner in the evening. On our departure day we will have a closing circle and breakfast, check out is 12pm. 

The food will consist of plenty of fresh and local cuisine. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options will be available as well. Although it’s impossible to customize the menu to perfectly accommodate everyone’s individual requests especially in a foreign country such as Portugal, we will try to account for dietary restrictions and allergies so please make sure to note them during the registration process. 

Porto is known for its amazing cuisine, so we’ve also made sure to leave ample free time for you to explore and experience meals on your own – to the extent you don’t see a meal listed in the schedule, those meals are not included as part of the retreat or ticket price. 

There is no alcohol available at the venue or planned with the catered meals. If desired, you will be able to purchase outside of the venue in town. 

Tax and tip for all group meals, classes and activities are included in your ticket price so no need to tip separately after group meals, classes or activities. Feel free to tip for room cleaning or massage services at your discretion per the usual. 

Keren and Viviana are hoping that the retreat can be an immersive experience for you to reconnect to your practice and reflect inwards. So we recommend things like journaling, walking/sitting meditation in the garden or just rest or get a massage during break times (see below for massage booking info). If you’re the adventurous type and are looking to explore Porto, the vibrant river area and city center with various cultural sites, public gardens, restaurants and bars is also only a 25-30 minute’s walk, 15-20 minutes’ metro ride, or 5-10-minute taxi ride away. There are also cafes, bars and restaurants within a 5-7 minutes’ walk. This retreat is about taking care of yourself so please feel free to do what feels appropriate and best for your body, mind and spirit.

Massage is available to book at $75 per 60 minute session and $150 per 90 minute session. 

Maria, our local, trained Ayurvedic massage therapist is available to book for private treatment on site. Please book a massage as an “add-on” within the booking site when you buy your retreat ticket. It may be possible to book a massage once you arrive, but we can not guarantee there will be time slots available then.

As far as we’re concerned, this retreat is on! Please note, we are only human and there are always things outside of our reasonable control (such as boarders closing, acts of war & terrorism, natural disasters, etc.) that might require us to change plans, but that’s what travel insurance is for and this is a risk that you would have with any travel. So the answer is, whenever you feel comfortable.

Everyone’s situation is different and therefore it is up to you to research and confirm any visas or other travel documentation that might be required for you to enter Portugal based on your nationality, where you’re coming from, etc. Depending on your particular situation, you may need to apply for a visa, have a valid passport (that doesn’t expire for either 3 or 6 months after your scheduled departure or has empty pages left), etc. Please note that this is your responsibility to understand and take care of based on your unique individual situation!

There are no refunds for cancellation. In order to secure the venue and programming, we are required to enter into binding contracts with 3rd parties that do not allow for refund or cancellation in any instance except for limited instances where “acts of god” render the entire event impossible. For example, if the venue must close down, then we would be able to get a refund and refund all ticket holders. Otherwise, unfortunately, we must enforce a strict cancellation policy and there will be no refunds in any instance. You may transfer your ticket under certain conditions. Also, purchasing trip insurance to protect yourself is always a good idea.

You may transfer your ticket to another person up to 3-days before the retreat start date without penalty by emailing us at info@resoundretreats.com . After that time, our strict cancellation policy applies.

Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is just a 20-minute drive away. Taxis are available 24/7 outside arrivals, costing roughly €25-€35. Uber and Bolt (a local app similar to Uber) are also reliable options and may be cheaper.

It is highly recommended. Even in the rare instance that we need to cancel or reschedule the retreat due to “acts of god” including pandemic or natural disaster related shut downs, we will only be able to refund ticket costs at most, and would not in any instance be able to compensate you for other costs, such as flights booked, etc. Due to this concern, we highly recommend that you purchase personal travel insurance.

We suggest that you include “cancel for any reason” with your policy and include medical coverage. Many insurance policies must be purchased within 14 days of making your reservation so please prioritize accordingly. Some credit cards also come with travel insurance benefits which you might want to consider. Here is a helpful site to compare different policies based on your specific needs. There is also the option to add travel insurance (with Trawick travel insurance) offered directly at check out via our booking platform. 

Depending on the payment option you choose during check out, you will be automatically billed using the credit card on file so that all remaining balances have been fully paid at least 3 months in advance of retreat start (at time of ticket purchase, you’re only charged for the initial $500 deposit). As noted above, we have a strict cancellation policy with no refunds (including for any deposits) so please make sure you have sufficient funds ready to pay any remaining balances as they become due.

This is possible! Please send a note to info@resoundretreats.com just noting that you would prefer one larger bed in the room.

This may be possible, please send us an email to info@resoundretreats.com with a description of your partner’s needs (for example, partner would like to participate in meals and excursions but skip the yoga classes, etc.) and we will do our best to accommodate and get back to you with what is available.