Portugal Art Retreat 2026
Art · Culture · Connection
A Portuguese Immersion for the Creative Soul
October 10-16, 2026
↓
Where Art Meets Ancient Wisdom
Join this Portugal art retreat for seven days of artistic immersion and cultural discovery in the Portuguese countryside. Based at Casa da Avó Genoveva near Tomar, this intimate art retreat in Portugal blends portrait making, embodied creative practices, and the rich heritage of Portugal’s artisan traditions.
Experience 17th-century azulejo tile painting, explore private manor estates, learn healing recipes from generations of grandmothers, and gather under the Portuguese sky. This Portugal art retreat invites you to reconnect with your creative essence through authentic cultural immersion.
What Awaits You
Portrait Art
Create expressive portraits with Lulu Bea. Through focused studio time, you’ll develop core skills in observation, proportion, and value, learning to translate what you see into authentic mark-making. Creative movement breaks punctuate the week, helping you step away from your head and return to your art with grounded presence.
Manor House Visit
Enjoy a private tour of Quinta da Bizelga with the Countess of Nova Goa. Explore a working estate producing cork, olive oil, and wine, followed by lunch on the palace terrace by her private chef.
Castle & History
Embark on a guided exploration of Tomar Castle and its medieval old town, where Templar history meets contemporary Portuguese culture.
Azulejo Tile Painting Workshop
Journey to the medieval village of Óbidos for an authentic workshop with a local artist in traditional Portuguese tile painting using 17th-century techniques.
Ancestral Healing
Learn traditional Portuguese healing recipes passed down through generations of grandmothers. Create infusions and teas, healing creams, and nourishing oils for your skin, all to take home with you.
Creative Community
Share your journey with fellow artists in an intimate, small group setting, culminating in a celebration of your week’s creative output.
Investment in Your Creative Journey
Private Room with
En-Suite Bathroom
$3,500
Single Occupancy
Shared Room with
Two Beds &
En-Suite Bathroom
$3,000
per person
Double Occupancy
Private Room with
Shared Queen Bed &
En-Suite Bathroom
$2,700
per person
Double Occupancy
For couples, mother/daughter, close friends, sisters, etc., willing to share a bed.
*$500 discount for a partner who isn’t participating in the art workshops.
Dates: October 10-16, 2026
$300 RESERVATION DEPOSIT TO SAVE YOUR SPOT
** Sofia at Casa da Avó Genoveva will handle all payments securely and assist with all booking details.
Your All-Inclusive Experience
- 6-night accommodations at Casa da Avó Genoveva
- Private transfers to and from the Lisbon airport
- All meals, snacks, tea, coffee, and wine at the retreat property
- All excursions, entrance fees & private tour guides
- Workshop instruction with Lulu
- Azulejo tile painting workshop in Óbidos with a local artist
- Private manor visit and lunch with the Countess at Quinta da Bizelga
- Guided tour of Tomar Castle
- Traditional healing recipes workshop with a local teacher
- All local ground transportation during the retreat
Not included
- Two lunches during excursions (Óbidos & Tomar)
- International flights to/from Lisbon
- Visa fees (if applicable)
- Travel insurance
- Extra nights lodging
- Personal shopping and souvenirs
- Personal art supplies
It’s More Than An Art Retreat
This is not simply a week of art making. It’s a return to wholeness. A week that weaves creativity with cultural immersion, movement with stillness, ancient wisdom with contemporary expression.
You’ll step into the rhythms of Portuguese life, where meals are savored slowly on sun-drenched patios, where centuries-old traditions are passed hand to hand, where creativity isn’t separate from daily living but woven into its very fabric.
Through art, you’ll unlock new pathways of expression. Through ancestral recipes, you’ll connect to generations of women who understood the healing power of plants. Through private access to noble estates and medieval castles, you’ll witness how Portugal honors its past while embracing the present.
This is an invitation to slow down, to feel, to create from a place of deep presence. To return home not just with artwork, but transformed, with new ways of seeing, moving, and being in the world.
Meet Your Guide
Lulu Bea is an artist and facilitator whose work bridges embodied expression and visual art. She creates transformative experiences that help artists access deeper creative intuition through focused portrait making, supported by movement breaks that reconnect you with your body and infuse your artistic voice with fresh energy.
Lulu believes that true creative freedom emerges from understanding foundational skills. Rather than constraining expression, technical knowledge becomes the gateway to it. When you understand how to observe proportion, work with light and shadow, and handle your materials with confidence, you stop worrying about “getting it right” and start creating with intention and authenticity.
Your Home Away From Home
Casa da Avó Genoveva: Your Creative Sanctuary
Casa da Avó Genoveva, or “Grandmother Genoveva’s House,” is a haven where time moves differently. This historic property carries the warmth and wisdom of generations, offering the perfect backdrop for creative exploration and cultural immersion.
The casa sits amid rolling hills and ancient olive groves, near the medieval town of Tomar, home to the legendary Knights Templar castle. Here, the landscape itself becomes your muse. Gardens invite morning sketching sessions, terraced patios host dinners under the stars, and studio spaces filled with natural light provide sanctuary for your creative work.
From this tranquil base, you’ll venture to Portugal’s most enchanting destinations: the fairy-tale walled village of Óbidos, with its cobblestone streets and azulejo-adorned buildings; the grand Quinta da Bizelga estate, with its working cork and olive oil production; and the historic center of Tomar, where centuries of Portuguese heritage come alive.
Yet it’s the property itself, with its blend of rustic charm and thoughtful comfort, that becomes home for the week. A place where creative community gathers, where the pace slows to the rhythm of Portuguese life, and where every corner whispers stories of the grandmothers who came before.
This is more than accommodation. It’s a portal into authentic Portuguese living, a grounding force for your creative journey, and a space that holds you as you explore, create, and transform.
Meals at Casa da Avó Genoveva
Every meal at the retreat is a celebration of Portuguese cuisine and seasonal abundance. Breakfasts feature fresh breads, local cheeses, fruits from the garden, and strong coffee to start your day. Lunches are leisurely affairs served in the garden or on the patio, showcasing regional specialties and local wines. Dinners become gathering moments where the group comes together under the Portuguese sky, sharing stories over traditional dishes prepared with care and fresh ingredients. Laughter echoes across the terrace, and meals stretch into the evening as connections deepen. All dietary needs and restrictions are warmly accommodated, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other requirements. Simply let Sofia know your needs when you register, and her kitchen will ensure you’re nourished and delighted throughout your stay.
Your Sightseeing Excursions
Convent of Christ (Tomar Castle)
Step into the realm of the Knights Templar at the Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage site that stands as one of Portugal’s most magnificent monuments. This 12th-century fortress monastery weaves together Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance architecture in a breathtaking display of Portugal’s golden age. Wander through cloisters where Templar knights once walked, marvel at the iconic round church modeled after Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre, and discover intricate stone carvings that tell stories of exploration and faith. Your guided tour reveals centuries of history, from crusader knights to Portuguese navigators who launched voyages of discovery.
Tomar
Beyond its famous castle, the town of Tomar reveals the soul of authentic Portuguese life. The old town’s historic center invites leisurely exploration, from the charming Praça da República to riverside cafés along the Nabão. Medieval streets give way to local shops, traditional restaurants, and quiet corners perfect for sketching. This is where history breathes in everyday moments, where locals gather in town squares, and where you’ll experience Portugal as it’s truly lived. After your castle visit, you’ll have time to wander, shop for artisan goods, and absorb the unhurried rhythm of this riverside town.
Quinta da Bizelga
Experience Portuguese nobility and tradition at Quinta da Bizelga, the private estate of the Counts of Nova Goa. The Countess herself will guide you through this working manor, sharing stories of her family’s heritage while showcasing the estate’s cork production, olive oil pressing, and wine making. This is Portugal’s living history, where centuries-old traditions continue in daily practice. Your visit culminates with lunch on the palace terrace, prepared by the Countess’s private cook, where you’ll savor the fruits of the land while surrounded by the elegance of Portuguese aristocratic life.
Óbidos
Enter a living fairy tale in Óbidos, a perfectly preserved medieval village encircled by ancient walls. Narrow cobblestone streets wind past whitewashed houses adorned with vibrant bougainvillea and traditional azulejo tiles. This is where you’ll immerse yourself in the art of Portuguese tile painting, learning 17th-century techniques passed down through generations of artisans. After your workshop, explore charming galleries, browse local crafts, and lose yourself in the timeless beauty of this walled town. Don’t miss the chance to walk atop the castle walls for sweeping views of the countryside.
Your Creative Workshops
Portraits & Movement with Lulu
Lulu’s approach to portrait making is grounded in traditional techniques that build confidence and skill. You’ll work primarily in graphite and pastel, learning to observe proportion, understand value and contrast, and capture the character of the human face. Daily studio sessions guide you through fundamental skills like measuring and sighting, working with light and shadow, and rendering features with accuracy and sensitivity. You’ll explore both direct observation and interpretive approaches, creating multiple portrait studies throughout the week that track your growing mastery. Movement breaks offer moments to step away from the drawing table, shake off mental chatter, and return with grounded presence. Whether you’re experienced in portraiture or picking up a pencil for the first time, Lulu’s teaching meets you where you are, providing clear instruction, individual feedback, and space to develop your unique artistic voice through solid foundational practice.
Traditional Healing Recipes
Enter the kitchen wisdom of Portuguese grandmothers and learn healing recipes passed down through generations. This workshop blends botanical knowledge with tradition, teaching you to craft your own herbal infusions, healing teas, and nourishing skin creams and oils. You’ll work with local herbs and traditional ingredients, understanding their properties and preparations as you mix, steep, and blend. Each recipe carries the care of ancestral practice, connecting you to generations of women who understood the healing power of plants. The remedies you create are yours to take home, along with the knowledge to continue these practices in your own life.
Azulejo Tile Painting in Óbidos
In the heart of medieval Óbidos, you’ll step into the centuries-old tradition of azulejo tile painting, learning techniques that Portuguese artisans have practiced since the 17th century. Working with traditional blue and white pigments, you’ll discover the meditative precision of this iconic Portuguese art form. Your instructor will guide you through the delicate brushwork and layering methods that create the distinctive patterns adorning palaces, churches, and homes throughout Portugal. This hands-on workshop connects you directly to Portugal’s artistic heritage, and the tile you create becomes a personal souvenir of your journey, a piece of Portuguese tradition to carry home.
Your Creative Adventure Calls
Private Room with
En-Suite Bathroom
$3,500
Single Occupancy
Shared Room with
Two Beds &
En-Suite Bathroom
$3,000
per person
Double Occupancy
Private Room with
Shared Queen Bed &
En-Suite Bathroom
$2,700
per person
Double Occupancy
For couples, mother/daughter, close friends, sisters, etc., willing to share a bed.
*$500 discount for a partner who isn’t participating in the art workshops.
Dates: October 10-16, 2026
$300 RESERVATION DEPOSIT TO SAVE YOUR SPOT
** Sofia at Casa da Avó Genoveva will handle all payments securely and assist with all booking details.
There’s nothing like coming together in community. Join the newsletter to be one of the first to know about upcoming retreats and opportunities.