Days 180 to 185: Yoga retreating on Portugal’s southwest coast

I was feeling less than a hundred per cent when we arrived at Prana Casa – a yoga retreat centre close to Aljezur on the southwestern coast of Portugal. Since Lisbon I had been feeling a distinct loss of energy and the stirrings of a cold brewing.

Situated in the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina (the South West Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park), this place felt miles away from the tourist hotspots of the Algarve.

Prana Casa is owned and run by Eve, a vibrant ex dumpster-diving surfie, while Hector, a gentle giant of a man from Mexico, helps out with the cooking and maintenance. Eve’s yoga class in the morning (at a quite civilised hour of 8:30) was followed by a big casual breakfast. Then we have the day for ourselves – nice . . . Another hour of yoga at 5pm (one of which was on the beach) and then dinner – vegetarian. My highlight was a barbecue, prepared by Hector, over an open fire pit in the garden. We had a great group of fellow guests from Germany, the Netherlands, Argentina and Spain.

I thrived here and within 3 days was relatively back to normal, health-wise. The house and garden have energy about them – I can’t put my finger on it, but I just felt incredibly chilled. The environment is beautiful – quiet and natural with birdsong and, in the distance, the sound of surf at the nearby beaches. If anyone is looking for a place to restore – come here – it’s magical . . .

The sea on the Atlantic coast is completely different from the Mediterranean. The water temperature is chilly and the waves big – this is real surf country. The beaches are stunning – raw and natural. It’s wonderfully quiet and far less built-up than the Algarve towns we travelled through. Portugal has one “national” and thirteen “natural” parks – this area being in the latter category. Wikipedia has a convoluted explanation of the difference between the two, which completely befuddled me. Looks like it was written by some bureaucrat at the end of a very long lunch. But the system obviously works judging by the absence of featureless high-rise apartment blocks and hotels.

Next stop – Cadiz on the southern coast of Spain . . .