Registration open
5 - 10 September 2025 | Cucumbi Retreat Center, Portugal
Back to Center: Find Peace, Presence, and Power Within
This retreat is unique, with a private session with me to deepen your transformation, and nourishing, energy stabilising meals by our private chef Catarina designed to balance your glucose levels. Rejuvenate your body and soul in a tranquil setting, with plenty of personal time and attention in an intimate group of no more than 15 participants.
Imagine a space...
Imagine a space where you can breathe deeply, feel alive, and reconnect with yourself and the world around you. A place where you're not just surviving, but thriving. Does that sound good?
I’m inviting you to join me for a transformational retreat at Cucumbi Retreat Center from Friday, September 5–10, in the heart of the beautiful Alentejo countryside. This is your chance to hit the reset button and explore how you want to feel in your body, mind, and life. It’s about reconnecting to the life you truly want to live—one that’s grounded in peace, presence, and purpose.
Tools for Life Beyond the Retreat
This retreat isn’t just a week away; it’s about giving you practical tools to navigate life with more ease, joy, and self-compassion. You’ll learn how to treat yourself with the kindness you deserve—the same kindness you offer others. When you approach yourself with compassion, you open the door to real growth, healing, and transformation. Trust me, starting with kindness is a much faster path to change than any self-criticism could ever be.
Nature as a Healing Companion
Nestled in the Alentejo countryside, Cucumbi is the ideal place to slow down, reset, and reconnect with what truly matters. The 112-hectare property features beautiful walking trails, a peaceful lake with a pier, and ample spaces to unwind, including a saltwater pool.
About the Food - Culinary Alchemy with Catarina
Catarina, founder of Alquimia da Horta, crafts vibrant, high-energy meals designed to stabilize glucose levels and sustain energy throughout the day. By starting each meal with fiber-rich greens or salads, her cooking helps prevent sugar spikes and unconscious eating habits. This retreat offers you the chance to experience what it’s like to eat healthily, sugar-free, and with balanced glucose levels—leaving you feeling energized, clear-headed, and truly nourished. With love, intention, and seasonal ingredients, Catarina creates colorful, plant-based dishes that transform food into powerful, healing medicine. Don’t miss this opportunity to feel the difference real nourishment makes.
Special Private Session with Esther
To make this experience even more meaningful, I’m offering a 30-minute private session with me after the retreat. During this personalized check-in, we’ll explore how you’re feeling, how to stay centered, and how to bring what you’ve learned back into your everyday life. This special session is included in your retreat package to help you keep the peace, presence, and power you’ve cultivated long after the retreat ends.
More About this Retreat
Retreat Highlights
Yoga and Meditation: Daily sessions including morning meditation, pranayama, invigorating yoga practices, and evening restorative or Yin yoga.
Transformative Talks: Insightful discussions and awareness practices to deepen your connection to peace, presence, and purpose.
Nature Immersion: Explore serene walking trails, a private peaceful lake, and the tranquil Alentejo countryside.
Water Activities: Paddleboarding, canoeing, and peaceful moments by the lake.
Cycling Adventures: Bikes are available for exploring the beautiful surroundings during your free time.
Saltwater Pool: Relax and rejuvenate in the retreat’s saltwater pool.
Nourishing Meals: Catarina will prepare delicious, thoughtful meals to support your body and energy throughout the retreat.
Silent Mornings: Begin your day in peaceful silence until the first yoga session, fostering deeper restoration and clarity.
Optional Evening Practices: Additional meditation or restorative yoga sessions for those seeking more.
Daily Schedule
08:00 - 09:00: Meditation and Pranayama
09:00 - 11:00: Breakfast and break (in silence)
11:00 - 12:30/13:00: Yoga practice
13:00 - 17:00: Lunch and free time
17:00 - 19:00: Talks, Awareness practices, Yin and/or Restorative yoga leading into Yoga Nidra
19:00 - 20:00: Dinner and free time
20:00: Optional extra meditation or restorative yoga
Note: Mornings are spent in silence until the yoga practice at 11:00 to allow for deeper restoration of body and mind.
Arrival & Departure
Arrival: Friday, September 5th. Check-in begins at 15:00, followed by a grounding yoga practice in the evening.
Departure: Wednesday, September 10th, after a short morning practice and breakfast.
Pricing
Pricing (Including Private Session & Special Food)
The cost includes five nights of accommodation, nourishing meals prepared by Catarina, the complete yoga, meditation, and awareness program, plus a 30-minute private session with Esther.
Room Options
Single Room En-suite: € 1775 — Queen bed with private bathroom
Deluxe Single/Double Mezzanine Room: €1800 single / €1550 per person sharing — Queen bed with mezzanine and private bathroom BOOKED
Single with Shared Facilities: €1700 — Private sitting area and bathroom shared between 2 - 3 people
Twin Room: €1550 — Either en-suite or shared bathroom between 2-3 people. Beautiful apartment rooms with private sitting area.
Luxe Studio For Couples: €1700 per person — Kingsize bed, private bathroom, and sitting room
Ready to join me?
This is your invitation to step away from the noise of daily life and reconnect with your true self. Are you ready to come back to center and find peace, presence, and power within?
Book & Pay Online Today
You can secure your spot immediately be selecting to pay your deposit or full amount. Accepted payments include credit/debit cards, iDeal and Klarna (online bank transfer for specific countries)
Book and Pay by Bank Transfer
You can also choose to pay via bank transfer. If you want to book via this option please fill out our registration form.
We Are Proud Tree Sisters
By booking an in-person training with us, you are actively contributing to the global tree-planting efforts led by Tree Sisters. For every individual attending our retreats and trainings, we make a donation on your behalf.
About Esther Ekhart
Esther, the founder of EkhartYoga.com, is a down to earth well-loved spiritual teacher and a renowned global authority on yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Esther has a reputation for providing exceptional guidance both online and offline and has captivated countless students over 25 years. Esther's teachings incorporate diverse influences, making her online classes, “live” workshops, and trainings a fusion of wisdom. Her practice has evolved from dynamic styles like Hatha and Vinyasa flow to include slower practices such as Yin Yoga and Meditation & Mindfulness. Continually expanding her knowledge, she remains open-minded and integrates new insights into her work all the time.
More Information
How To Get There
Cucumbi Retreat Center is located in the small village of Barrancão, near Santa Susana, in Portugal's Alentejo region. It is around 1.5 hours drive from Lisbon Airport. We can arrange group transfers to the retreat depending on your arrival time. If you opt for a group transfer, the cost will be approximately 60 euros both ways for 4 people in a car, which is about 30 euros each way (give or take, depending on the number of people in the car). Private taxis or an uber are also an option.
Additionally, there are public transport options available. If you prefer to rent a car, you can find cheap car rental options via RentalCars or through airlines like Transavia and RyanAir. Please make sure you travel with valid travel insurance.
About Cucumbi Retreat Center
Cucumbi is a serene retreat nestled in the heart of Portugal's Alentejo region, offering guests an authentic and tranquil escape. The property spans approximately 118 hectares of picturesque landscapes, including vast fields, cork oak, olive, and orange groves.
Guests can enjoy a variety of amenities designed to enhance relaxation and connection with nature. These include a saltwater swimming pool, serene walking trails, and communal spaces such as a common room with a piano and a shared kitchen where breakfast is served.
Cucumbi is committed to sustainable and eco-friendly practices. All water used on the property is recycled and reused, and the products utilized are organic and biodegradable. The retreat emphasizes organic food, aiming to produce all necessary ingredients on-site. The estate also houses diverse crops, greenhouses, a sheepfold with a flock of 180 sheep, and an aviary dedicated to the repopulation of four native breeds of chickens facing extinction.