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Retreat to the sunny hills of the Algarve for a retreat that’s all about you — your rest, your movement, your breath, and your joy. This exclusive experience, created just for the Glow Pilates community, is a unique blend of soul-nourishing practices and connection — from energising Pilates and transformative breathwork to moonlit ceremonies, nature adventures, and plenty of time to simply be.

GLOW x Wild & Free Retreat in Portugal

with Catherine & Sarah

1 - 6 November 2025

Meet your hosts

Dr. Catherine Browne (Physio & Pilates Instructor) of Glow Pilates, is a believer in ‘healing through movement’, a philosophy that’s reflected in her physiotherapy and Pilates practices. Known for her thoughtful and encouraging teaching style, Catherine helps women reconnect to their bodies through intelligent, effective, and enjoyable movement.

Sarah Shannon is the founder of Wild & Free, a retreat space in the Algarve, Portugal, where she helps women reconnect with their bodies, hearts, and natural rhythms. After years as a corporate lawyer in Dublin, Sarah followed her passion for wellbeing and has since hosted retreats for over 300 women. Her work is rooted in creating space to slow down, listen within, and live more freely — from the inside out.

Move your body, eat nutritious food, soak up the sun, heal, laugh & share with your community of like-minded women.

Many of you already know and love Catherine’s teaching at Glow Pilates. During the retreat, you’ll have the chance to reconnect with the joy of movement through daily 90-minute Mat Pilates sessions. These classes are designed to be both challenging and accessible, helping you move better, feel stronger, and leave each session feeling refreshed, aligned, and uplifted.

Sarah will be your host and guide for the Wild & Free experience — a gentle invitation to slow down and connect with yourself and nature. Through nature-based practices and soulful workshops, she’ll help you explore how to live in tune with the natural cycles of life — from the moon and the Celtic Wheel of the Year to your own inner rhythms — so you can feel more grounded, inspired, and in flow.

Women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

  • Choose your preferred room type from Twin room sharing, Private double room, Deluxe Private double room or Panoramic Deluxe Private room.


    All rooms are en-suite with rooms serviced and cleaned daily. Fresh towels and all your shower lotions will be there for you. See booking button below for prices and availability.

  • You will enjoy a buffet breakfast every morning, nutritious lunch & three course dinner each evening by our retreat chef. All meals are vegetarian and specifically designed for Wild & Free and are included in the price. Much of our produce comes from the garden and farm on the land. We can cater to any allergies/dietary requirements like dairy free or gluten free.

  • Classes will take place each morning in our beautiful indoor space.

    Many of you will be familiar with Catherine’s teaching style and Glows ethos of ‘Move well. Be well’ meaning our aim is to help you move better so that you can feel your best.

    The classes are suitable for all levels. All pilates equipment will be provided.

  • Sarah will open the retreat with a candlelit welcome circle to allow you to relax and ease into the experience. It will be a chance to get to know your hosts and each other. There will be a closing circle at the end to reflect on your journey.

  • This 90-minute transformative breathwork journey is an immersive experience where you will be guided through deep rhythmic breathing for emotional expression and self-discovery. The session will close with slower deep breathing to release tension and integrate the practice.

  • We are on over 800 hectares of land where you have access to 8 hiking trails from your bedroom. Enjoy a guided hike and group trip to the lake on the land to swim in a still rain water lake, use the soft mud for a facial mask and allow yourself to feel your inner wildness.

  • A unique part of Wild & Free is the cyclical wisdom teachings that Sarah shares in workshops during your retreat.

    This is an interactive space to learn, share wisdom and practice working with cycles - the moon phases for manifesting and co-creating with the Universe, menstrual cycle awareness as a tool for self-care, and the Celtic Wheel for living more in alignment with nature and your soul’s mission.

    Learning about these cycles and weaving them into your consciousness with help you connect deeply with the feminine and live an authentic life.

  • At Wild & Free you are invited to join a cacao ceremony. Cacao is a plant medicine that has been used in Central America for several thousand years for spiritual and ceremonial purposes.

    Sarah is a trained cacao facilitator and she creates a beautiful, abundant, fun & joyous ceremony for you to experience the energies of cacao - love, bliss, abundance and heart connection.

    Here you will learn about cacao, experience its healing benefits and integrate the medicine with sound healing, reiki healing, dance and meditation. Many of the women say this is the most special part of the retreat.

Your Experience Includes:

Our venue is your haven to immerse yourself back into nature.

Just 35 minutes drive from Faro Airport (FAO) with magnificent views of the mountains, meadows and lakes that surround it.

The venue also has a salt water swimming pool and a stunning terrace to watch the sunrise and sunset. The beautiful Mediterranean garden has a century-old fresh water spring where you can find peace in the sound of gentle waterfalls.

You will rest in modern, eclectic rooms that have recently been renovated and styled. Be spoilt with organic, vegetarian, farm fresh food that is grown and produced on site and prepared by our chefs. The farm even produces its own jams, honey, figs and fig cheese for you to try!

  • Outdoor yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    OUTDOOR DECK

  • Women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    SALT WATER POOL

  • Healthy food at yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    BEAUTIFUL DINING AREA

  • Cacao ceremony at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    CACAO CEREMONY

  • Lakes at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    TIME AT THE TWIN LAKES

  • Nature at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    PROPERTY FARM LIFE

  • Relaxing Yoga Nidra at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    RELAXING WOMEN’S CIRCLES

  • Candlelit cycles workshop at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    CANDLELIT CYCLES WORKSHOP

  • Lake swimming at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    LAKE SWIMMING

  • Morning journaling at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    MORNING JOURNALING

  • YOGA FOR ALL LEVELS

    OUTDOOR DECK

Sample Schedule

8:00am Morning breathwork

9am Breakfast

11am Glow Pilates

1pm Lunch

Free time (hiking, lake swimming, massage, lay by the pool, go to the beach or markets)

3pm Swim in the Twin Lakes

5:30pm Cacao Ceremony with Sarah

7:30pm Dinner

Healthy food at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

Retreat Flow

Day 01: Ground

Day 02: Let Go & Release

Day 03: Dream & Vision

Day 04: Intention Setting

Day 05: Step into Your Power

Day 06: Weave & Integrate

  • “I’m feeling balanced and excited. Balanced because I felt the last 5 days were rest time that I have needed for a really long time. Time away from work and external noise. Time away to tune into my thought and feelings that often get lost and forgotten.”- Victoria

  • “What an incredible experience with a gorgeous group of ladies. If you are thinking of joining Wild & Free retreat, I have one piece of advice… just DO IT!. It is an investment in your wellness, spirit and soul. Sarah curates the perfect combination of yoga, outdoor experiences, spiritiual journeys and a whole lot of fun! The venue is rustic and beautiful and the food is beyond expectations. I hope to return again in the future. Thank you Sarah and all the Wild women I was blessed to meet.”
- Ann | Educational Psychologist

  • “Thank you Sarah for once again creating the exact container that I needed at this point in my life! It has been beautiful to experience Wild & Free again and incredible how different each has been. I loved integrating lots of what I learned last year into my routine and I think that has helped me to really drop into the offerings this time. Really appreciate all of the love and thought that goes into what you do and looking forward to more.” 
- Nadine

  • “I had the most incredible time at this retreat - I can’t begin to put it into words. I felt stuck in my healing journey and this retreat was the push forward that I needed. Sarah is amazing, I learnt so much from her and felt so at home in the safe space she created. This was my first time doing anything list this and definitely won’t be my last. I feel more connected to who I am , my goals and life feels so much lighter.”
- Antonia | 25yrs | Lawyer

  • “Attending Wild & Free retreat was an utterly transformative experience. The cacao, Reiki and meditation created a profound sense of inner peace and self discovery. These sessions, especially the heart opening cacao ceremony, unlocked a deeper connection within myself. What truly elevated this retreat was the opportunity to forge genuine connections. Sarah is so approachable, fun and genuinely interested in your wellbeing.”
- Claire | 32yrs | Teacher

  • “W&F retreat is the perfect blend of movement. learning, self reflection and fun. The practises fostered throughout the retreat gave me the foundations to transition form fear and passiveness to saying an effortless YES! to things that bring me joy and adventure to my life. Thank you Sarah for reminding us that we can be the cultivators of our own empowerment and success. Stunning location, delicious meals, a calm and inviting space. I would highly recommend.”
- Emily | 30yrs | Scientist

  • “Thank you Sarah for a wonderful few days with you and this wonderful tribe. It was a magical, supportive healing experience for me. I feel so much lighter & stronger going back to my life with my little rituals and practises to keep me whole.”
- Izzy | Human Resources

  • “I’m leaving this retreat with a greater sense on freedom. A greater sense of understanding what I want to prioritise in my life going forward. I felt I was able to take the time to tap into what matters to me and where I want to direct my energies and time. I really appreciated learning about journaling, affirmations and all the rituals to focus on the feminine.” - Helen

  • Room at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    PANORAMIC ROOM - with panoramic mountain views + private balcony

  • Room at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    SHARED TWIN ROOM - not pictured but will be 2 single beds

  • Room at women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal

    PANORAMIC ROOM — Nature-Immersive Sanctuary with view + balcony

  • Bohemian quiet luxury vibe

  • PRIVATE DELUXE ROOM with living area, courtyard + kitchenette

  • PRIVATE ROOM double bed en-suite

  • All rooms are en-suite with towels + lotions

  • DELUXE PRIVATE ROOM with extra space + light

For booking you will be taken to WeTravel to choose your room and choose your payment plan. Please note that choosing Bank Transfer “SEPA payment” incurs only service fee and if you choose card payment there are additional fees.

About the wild & free founder

Sarah is a women's retreat leader, yoga teacher, cacao facilitator, Reiki practitioner and meditation teacher. Sarah worked as a corporate lawyer for 7 years before leaving her career to follow her passion. When she left law, age 32 in the summer of 2018, she had no idea what she was going to do next. She went to Mallorca to do her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with Green Yoga International. From there she travelled to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago for one month. She walked 850 kilometres soul searching and rewilding herself in nature to listen to her heart's call.

Read more about Sarah here.

Women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal by Sarah Shannon

    • 5 nights accommodation

    • All pilates classes

    • Cacao ceremony

    • Cyclical Wisdom Workshop

    • Daily morning breathwork

    • Nature adventure

    • Evening practices

    • Vegetarian breakfast, lunch and three course meal everyday* (*no lunch on market day)

    • wild & free tote bag and journal

    • Flights and transfers

    • Any meals, beverages or snacks ordered at the on-site cafe outside of meal times and anything outside of the venue

    • Activities outside of the retreat center that you may choose to do such market trip, tour of the farm, beach trip.

    • Optional massage treatments on site

    • Bike rental

  • Deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.

    If you have to cancel your spot please do so in writing to sarahshannonyoga@gmail.com.

    Regardless of the reason, the following cancellation fee will apply:

    Notification received 8 weeks before start of retreat : deposit is non-refundable

    Notification received less than 8 weeks before start of retreat : 100% of retreat price.

    To protect against any loss we recommend you obtain related insurance cover.

    Wild & Free reserves the right to cancel the retreat if required to due to unforeseen circumstances. In such circumstances the participants will be informed promptly and registration monies will be reimbursed. Any travel costs will not be reimbursed. We recommend all participants get coverage through their travel insurance. Please make sure you have medical and travel insurance that covers the area you will be in and the activities that you will be doing.

  • Our booking payments are powered by WeTravel who charge a service fee of 2% + 35c for payment processing. If you choose a card payment visa / mastercard there are additional standard card fees. The best option is bank transfer option which is free.

    The venue must charge local tax of €1/€2 per night depending on low or high season which will be collected at checkout.

  • Click on the book now button and choose your room and payment plan powered by WeTravel.

    Please note: If you are choosing the shared option your roommate will be chosen at random. If you have someone you would like to share with you can note this on your form.

  • You will be sent the exact location of the venue on confirmation of booking.

    The venue can be accessed from Faro or Lisbon airport. Faro is the closest.

    Faro airport

    Faro is the best airport to arrive. We are located just 35 minute drive from this airport.

    UBER is in operation in the area and it is the easiest way to get to us (approx cost of €35). If you would prefer I can provide details of private driver to book. If you love to explore, car rental is another option with plenty of parking at the venue.

    In advance of the retreat we will connect you with other women arriving at the same time as you to facilitate sharing taxis.

    Lisbon airport

    You can take a train from Lisbon to Loulé train station and then take an 30 minute taxi/UBER to the venue.

  • Check in 4pm

    If your flight arrives earlier you are welcome to come to the venue and relax in the on-site cafe until your room is ready. We begin with a welcome yoga practice on the first day at 5:30pm followed by dinner and our evening opening circle.

    Check out 11am

    On the final day, there will be morning meditation and yoga followed by breakfast before you check-out. If your flight is later that day you are welcome to relax in the venue until your flight.

  • All that you need to bring is your clothing for yoga and hiking, something that makes you feel like a goddess yet comfortable for the ceremonies and bathing wear. A detailed list is sent out a few weeks before the retreat.

  • Keep you bag light knowing that you do not need to bring any pilates mat or equipment. Hairdryer, bath towels, shampoo, body wash and body lotion are all provided. We also provide your journal & pen, and a tote bag to carry it all in.

  • You don't have to have a certain level or practice of pilates or meditation for the retreat but you will get more out of it if you get into the flow of practising in advance.

  • Breakfast options include fruit, fresh juice, coffees and tees, granola and yoghurt. Lunch is a nutritious vegetarian buffet and dinner each evening is 3 course vegetarian meal.

    Please include any allergies when booking

Frequently Asked Questions:

Women’s yoga retreat Algarve Portugal