3 places left
Costa Vicentina, Portugal
Coastline Flow
Yoga & Movement
- Dates
- 12–17 Nov 2026
- Duration
- 5 nights
- Starting price
- From €1,450 per person
Places availableCreative Retreats
Words by the Sea
A five-night writing retreat for beginners and returning writers.
- Dates
- 11–16 Mar 2027
- Duration
- 5 nights
- Destination
- Costa Vicentina, Portugal
- Experience
- Creative Retreats
- Level
- Beginner friendly
- Group size
- Up to 10 guests
From €1,390 per person
Overview
Morning writing workshops with Daniel Moreau, free afternoons to write or walk, and small-group feedback in the evenings.
Each morning Daniel runs a two-hour workshop with short prompts and craft discussion. Afternoons are free for writing, walking or resting.
Every guest gets one private 30-minute feedback session. On the last night there is an optional reading by the fire.
No experience is needed; the group is capped at ten.
- Workshops
- 4 morning workshops (2 hrs)
- Feedback
- 1 private session + 2 small-group evenings
- Movement
- Optional morning stretch (30 min)
Who this retreat is for
A good fit if…
- You want to start writing or return to it
- You like quiet work with a little structure
Probably not for you if…
- You want a manuscript edit or publishing advice
Experience level: Beginner friendly. Our retreats are not a substitute for medical or mental health treatment. If you have a health condition, please talk to your doctor before booking.
Day by day
Times are a guide and may shift with the weather. Everything is optional unless marked otherwise.
Day 1Arrival11 Mar 2027
- Morning
- Travel day. Transfers run from the meeting point listed under Travel.
- Afternoon
- Check in from mid-afternoon, settle into your room and explore the grounds.
- Evening
- Welcome dinner and a short introduction to the week.
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2Noticing12 Mar 2027
- Morning
- Workshop: writing from the senses.
- Afternoon
- Free writing time.
- Evening
- Dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3Voice13 Mar 2027
- Morning
- Workshop: finding your voice.
- Afternoon
- Optional coast walk with notebooks.
- Evening
- Small-group feedback.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Optional
- Walk
Day 4Shape14 Mar 2027
- Morning
- Workshop: structure and revision.
- Afternoon
- One-to-one sessions.
- Evening
- Dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5Share15 Mar 2027
- Morning
- Workshop: editing your own work.
- Afternoon
- Free time.
- Evening
- Optional reading and farewell dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Optional
- Reading
Day 6Departure16 Mar 2027
- Morning
- Final breakfast.
- Afternoon
- Check out and transfers back to the airport or station.
- Evening
- —
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you'll stay
Monte da Luz
Alentejo coast, Portugal
Eleven rooms across a main house and two low outbuildings, set around a courtyard with a covered yoga shala, a salt-water pool and a garden of olive and fig trees.
Monte da Luz is an independently owned guesthouse. SOLARA books the whole property for each retreat and runs the programme; the owners' team manages housekeeping and the kitchen.
| Room | Occupancy | Bathroom | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared twin roomTwo single beds, private bathroom. | 2 guests sharing | Private | 2 left |
| Private double roomDouble bed, private bathroom. | 1 guest | Private | 4 left |
- Amenities
- · Bedding, bath and pool towels provided
- · Covered shala with mats, blocks, bolsters and blankets
- · Salt-water pool (unheated, open April–October)
- · Wi-Fi in the main house only
- · Library and fireplace lounge
- · Laundry service on request (extra cost)
- Accessibility
- Four rooms are on the ground floor with step-free access from the courtyard. Paths between buildings are gravel. The shala has a single 10 cm step. Please contact us before booking so we can talk through your needs.
- Check-in / check-out
- From 15:00 on arrival day. By 11:00 on departure day.
- Extra nights
- Extra nights before or after are sometimes possible at the property's own rates — ask us.
Meals & dietary needs
- Meals provided
- 14 meals: 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners.
- Schedule
- Breakfast 08:30, lunch 13:30, dinner 19:30.
- Drinks
- Water, tea and coffee included.
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian menu with fish options. Vegan and gluten-free on request.
- Allergies
- Tell us about any allergy when you book and again on arrival. We share it with the kitchen in writing. Kitchens handle common allergens, so we cannot guarantee trace-free food.
- Not included
- Lunch on arrival day.
Your facilitators
Daniel Moreau
Writer & photographer
Daniel grew up in Lyon and started out as a newspaper photographer, covering local news and the occasional football match. Over twenty years he moved into documentary work for magazines in France and the UK, and began writing the essays that became his two published collections. He started teaching in 2012, when an adult education college asked him to run a single evening class, and found he enjoyed it more than most assignments.
Qualifications: MA Creative Writing, 2006 · Author of two published essay collections · 20 years as a working documentary photographer · Adult education workshop leader since 2012 · Emergency first aid, renewed 2025
On this retreat: Writing workshops, Photography walks, One-to-one feedback sessions
Full profile
What's included
- 5 nights' accommodation
- 14 meals
- 4 workshops
- 1 private feedback session
- Notebook and writing materials
Not included
- Travel to Portugal
- Airport shuttle
- Travel insurance
- Alcoholic drinks
Pricing & booking
Prices are per person, in euros, and include VAT and local accommodation and tourist taxes. Anything optional, such as transfers where they aren't already included, is offered at checkout. Visas and entry fees set by governments are listed under Not included.
Shared twin room
2 guests sharing · private bathroom
€1,390 / person
€1,290 if booked by 31 Dec 2026
Private double room
Single occupancy · private bathroom
€1,790 / person
€1,690 if booked by 31 Dec 2026
- Deposit
- €400 per person, due at booking
- Balance
- Due 10 January 2027 (60 days before arrival). Book after this date and you pay in full.
- Single supplement
- Private rooms are priced per person — no hidden supplement.
- Payment methods
- Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA transfer
- Taxes
- VAT and local tourist taxes included
- Cancellation
- Deposit non-refundable but transferable once if you cancel 60+ days before arrival.
Getting there
General area shown. The exact address is sent with your booking confirmation. Open larger map
- Nearest airport
- Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) is 2 hrs 15 min by road. Faro (FAO) is 2 hrs 30 min.
- Transfers
- A shared SOLARA shuttle leaves Lisbon Airport at 12:30 on arrival day and returns there by 14:00 on departure day. Seats are booked during checkout for a flat fee.
- When to arrive
- Plan to land in Lisbon by 11:30 to join the shuttle. If you drive, aim to arrive between 15:00 and 17:00; the welcome circle starts at 18:00.
- Local transport
- Rede Expressos coaches run Lisbon–Vila Nova de Milfontes several times a day. We can arrange a local taxi from the bus stop (about €20).
- Parking
- Free private parking on site.
- Check-in
- From 15:00 on arrival day
- Travel documents
- Portugal is in the Schengen Area. Check the entry rules for your passport before travelling.
How to prepare
What to bring
- A laptop or notebook — whatever you write with
- Warm layers and a rain jacket
- Walking shoes
Weather. We run retreats here from October to May. Expect 15–22°C days in autumn and spring and 12–17°C in winter, with cool evenings and occasional Atlantic rain. The sea is cold year-round (14–18°C).
Before you arrive. You'll receive a welcome pack 30 days before the retreat, with the final itinerary, address and emergency contacts, and a reminder 3 days before.
During the retreat. Your host is reachable by phone and WhatsApp at all times.
Full guest informationQuestions about this retreat
Do I need to have written before?
No. The prompts work for complete beginners and for people who write regularly.
Can I book a place with a friend or partner?
Yes. Choose a shared room and add a second guest during booking, or book separately and add your friend's name in the special requests field so we can room you together.
What happens if I need to cancel?
Deposits are non-refundable but can be moved to another retreat once if you cancel more than 60 days before arrival. See the full booking policy for later cancellations.
Can I swim in the sea?
Yes, but the Atlantic here has strong currents. Only swim at lifeguarded beaches in season, and ask the team which beaches are calm that day.
Is there a pharmacy or shop nearby?
Vila Nova de Milfontes, 15 minutes by car, has pharmacies, supermarkets and an ATM. The team runs a shop trip on free afternoons.
11–16 Mar 2027 · Costa Vicentina, Portugal
Words by the Sea
From €1,390 per person · Places available
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