Step into the untouched beauty of São Miguel, the “Green Island” of Portugal’s Azores, where lush landscapes meet volcanic coastlines. Revive your senses and immerse yourself in nature with a community of like-minded adventurers.

Embrace the rhythm of island life, and return home with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration.

The Azores are a volcanic archipelago of natural beauty, a temperate climate and plenty of outdoor activities. Truly an adventure lover's paradise, and just 5 hours from Boston and New York, these islands are known as the "Hawaii of the mid-Atlantic" and are not to be missed. You will be staying on “The Green Island" of São Miguel, home to vibrant blue volcanic lakes, black sand beaches, lush natural preserves, and panoramic cliffs.

Each day includes morning and afternoon yoga and meditation sessions at our ocean-front resort. Emilie and Ilana make these ancient practices relevant, enjoyable, and deeply fulfilling. Classes are all-levels with no prior yoga or meditation experience needed.

On two included excursion days, you will hike (all levels) to some of the most stunning vistas on the island, soak in natural hot springs, and explore neighboring towns and beaches. You’ll have plenty of time on your two free days to relax amongst the gorgeous, peaceful grounds of our oceanfront beach resort. All meals (with the exception of 2 lunches) are included, and will be nourishing, fresh, and delicious, so that you get a true taste of Azorean fare.

Join us for an experience that is part adventure, part relaxation and rejuvenation, and all parts magical.

ALL PRICES LISTED ARE PER PERSON and a €500 per person non-refundable deposit is due to reserve your spot on the trip. 

Trip balances are due 120 days prior to departure, and payment plans can be set up upon registration. If you'd like to inquire about alternative payment plan options or have retreat related questions, please email [email protected].

Please read on for important info on: What is Included, Not Included, Retreat Activity Level, Passport & Entry Requirements, Our Cancellation & Refund Policy, Required Travel Insurance, and info on Selecting your Room Type. 

*5 Nights / 6 Days lodging at Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort

*Breakfast & Dinner Daily (Arrival day no breakfast, departure day no lunch or dinner)

*Lunch on Arrival Day, and Picnic Lunch on Excursion Days (no lunch on free days)

*Early Check-in on the morning of your arrival to the resort

*Two group hiking, hot springs, and town visit excursions, including all guides and transportation

*Daily yoga classes and meditation with Emilie and Ilana

*Roundtrip airport transfers from Ponta Delgada Airport (PDL) to SBER and back (about a 15 minute ride each way).

*Base gratuities for the resort staff, taxi drivers and tour guides

*Airfare to Ponta Delgada (PDL). We recommend flying SATA (Azores) Air direct from Boston and NYC. 

*Lunch on your two free days

*Alcoholic beverages

*Additional excursions or cab rides 

*Massages & Spa Services (can be booked directly at the resort front desk)

*Required Travel Insurance

We rank this itinerary as Activity Level 3 - Moderate. Group hikes will be offered as part of the included retreat programming, however, there will always be an easy, all levels option offered.

Activity Level 1 - Easy: Expect only short walks, and short flights of stairs.

Activity Level 2 - Relaxed: Expect short walks, slight inclines, and sustained activity for only a few hours.

Activity Level 3 - Moderate: Expect slightly longer walks, and activities that correlate to a semi-active lifestyle. Participants should be comfortable with half days of touring, and walking up and down steeper inclines.

Activity Level 4 - Active: Expect longer walks, steeper inclines, and 4 - 6 hours of sustained activities, with appropriate rests. To take advantage of all the offerings, folks should lead an active life style.

Activity Level 5 - Challenging: Expect vigorous walks, hikes, kayaking, etc. Participants should be experienced in outdoor activities, and know how to prepare for, and endeavor upon full day adventures in the wild!

If you have any questions or concerns about this itinerary's Activity Level, please contact [email protected] for more details prior to registering. 

You must have a valid passport to travel to the Azores. Please check your passport expiration date and make sure it is valid for at least 3 months after the end date of your retreat.

Currently, there are no COVID testing or vaccination requirements to enter the Azores or mainland Portugal.

We will keep you posted if this changes prior to your retreat. However, registrants are personally responsible for complying to local laws, at their own expense. Such expenses may include, but are not limited to:

1. Proving adequate vaccination status
2. Providing a negative PCR test(s)
3. Showing proof of travel insurance

The purchase of travel insurance is required for this trip.

Most policies protect you against potential trip delays or cancellations due to airline issues, family emergencies, illness, injury, etc. The travel insurance will also demonstrate to the host country that you are able to pay for any emergency services which may be necessary during your stay.

SolSeed is not authorized to sell travel insurance. Any offer to purchase travel insurance that you encounter during the checkout process are third party offers. You are free to select your own policy provider. If you would like to review options in a convenient online marketplace, we like what www.insuremytrip.com has put together. We have also had great experience with Trawick International and their customer service, and heard very good things from AAA and AMEX Members who have purchased their travel insurance through those respective agencies.

We strongly encourage you to speak with a travel insurance agent to discuss your specific coverage needs, and to clear up any questions you may have relative to travel insurance coverage, including questions about COVID-19.

Please make sure you purchase a plan that includes coverage for COVID-19 related trip cancellations and trip interruptions as not all do. 

To learn more about Travel Insurance and review some FAQs, please visit this helpful blog post that we put together on the topic: https://solseedretreats.com/travel-insurance-faqs/

All retreats include a €500 non-refundable / non-transferable deposit, which is required to hold your spot on the trip. 

Additional balance payments made are refundable up to 120 days prior to the retreat start date. SolSeed must receive an email at [email protected] requesting cancellation prior to 12:00AM on this date in order to secure a refund of additional balances paid. The initial €500 deposit remains non-refundable and non-transferable. All balances paid are non-refundable and non-transferable within 120 days of the retreat start date. 

SolSeed Retreats can only make an exception to these terms if:

1. The host government forbids us to visit as tourists.
2. The host government forbids our vendors from hosting us as tourists.
3. The US government forbids us to travel to the host country as tourists.

If SolSeed must further postpone or cancel the trip for any of the above reasons, all registrants will receive a refund of all deposits paid less €200.

Below you'll find all of our available accommodation packages. If you're wondering which is the best type for you, and possibly your travel buddy or group of friends, please follow this link to our handy ROOM SELECTION FLOW CHART. 

By selecting a single occupancy room type you will have a private bedroom and bathroom, while selecting a double occupancy room type you will have a shared bedroom and bathroom with your travel buddy.

All Villas and Studios are equipped with: LCD TV | Independent air conditioning | Wi-Fi | Hair dryer | Bathrobes | Electronic safe | Kitchenette equipped with microwave, fridge and utensils | Coffee machine with capsules 

Luxury Upgrades: The resort also offer a handful of villas which feature private hot tubs on their decks. If you're interested in booking one of these more high end rooms, please reach out to [email protected] to inquire about pricing and availability. 

You will be flying into Ponta Delgada Airport (PDL).

For non-stop flight options, we recommend booking flights directly through Azores Air out of New York (JFK), and Boston (BOS). If you are originating from another US airport, you will need to connect through either JFK or BOS to take advantage of these direct flights to and from Sao Miguel island. We recommend allowing 3 hours minimum between your connecting flights. 

Feeling adventurous, and have some extra PTO? Look into "stop over" packages which would allow you to continue on to Lisbon or Porto for very little extra money on Azores Air.

Retreat start date: Sunday, April 27th

The best direct flights are red-eye flights, so you leave one calendar day prior to the start date of your retreat. Everyone's rooms are held for an early check-in, so you will have an opportunity to get settled and take a nice nap. The first event of the retreat is a lunch at the resort at roughly 1pm. If you are arriving on a flight other than the direct red-eye options from BOS and JFK, you should arrive at Ponta Delgada by 11:30am in order to attend this meal.If you are considering arriving early, please reference this guide for Early Arrival- Santa Barbara Eco-Resort. 

Retreat end date: Friday, May 2nd

Check out at the resort is at noon. The last programmed events are in the morning leading up to and including breakfast. We will offer multiple shuttles to Ponta Delgada airport, and/or hotels in Ponta Delgada, during the day according to people's travel itineraries. The resort will safely store luggage, and you are welcome to enjoy the restaurant and grounds if you schedule an evening flight.

If you book flights outside of these dates, you may be responsible for paying for your own taxi (budget about 35 Euro for this each way), but we can still help to coordinate a taxi for you.

Once you have secured your flights, please forward your flight confirmation email itinerary to [email protected]