Downward Dogs & Daydreams: A Joyful Peek Inside a Portuguese Yoga Retreat

In September last year I had the pleasure of joining  The Lovely Catalyst, Elena on her yoga retreat in rural Portugal.

I have been fortunate to get to retreat with her as her photographer for the last three years (Bali, Perthshire and Portugal) and she has an even more exciting one planned for 2026! A secret retreat! Oh the excitement. I have chosen to stay in the dark about the location along with the other early bird retreat bookers and I can’t wait for the final reveal!

But back to Portugal!

What a retreat this was!

Elena is a wonderful retreat host, planner and facilitator. She chooses such special locations and brings together a really fabulous group of yogis. And last year was no exception. She chose Solar Alegria as the venue, which is a beautiful historic building that dates back to 1843!

It is full of charm and character and breath-taking views!

Here are some of the highlights…

We got plenty of lovely Yoga practice, we danced with the locals, visited a beautiful local village with stripey houses and a stunning beach, went on restorative long walks in the woods and we laughed and ate and sat by the pool… the ultimate escape from the busyness of life and just the best reset you could ask for.

One of the best parts of being a brand photographer is getting to see every side of a business. It’s never just headshots… it’s all the little details that make you and your brand uniquely you. And if retreats are part of what you offer, then having beautiful brand photos that bring those experiences to life becomes absolutely essential.

Got a retreat planned? I’d love to hear from you – let’s chat!