OVERVIEW

Join us as we celebrate Alisha’s birthday in style! This private retreat will bring together an amazing group of women in a beautiful atmosphere, exciting activities and day trips, with mouthwatering cuisine, and optional yoga classes and a creativity class. What a way to catch up and mark this milestone together.

ACTIVITIES

Our week will take us through a journey of cultural and culinary delights. Morning yoga classes will be offered for those interested in starting the day off with some breathing and stretching, and a creativity class will be fit in during our time together as well.

MAY 15: A welcome reception on the rooftop terrace over looking the Guggenheim is where we’ll begin with a “cheers” to our celebration retreat. Following our orientation we’ll enjoy a gastronomic dinner to kick off the week.

MAY 16: We'll begin the week with a walking tour of our home city of Bilbao to give us a nice overview of our base for the week. We’ll get to see the historic center and learn about the cultural significance of this city and the Basque region. Then after lunch we’ll visit the famed Guggenheim Museum. For those interested in art and creativity, our co-host Julian will be there to give some pointers on starting a “travel journal” of our week, photographic tips for smartphone photo editing, etc. We’ll have some free time in the afternoon to regroup and then head out for a birthday celebration dinner at a Michelin restaurant that evening!

MAY 17: After getting to know Bilbao the day before, we’ll now head out to Basque’s other main city - San Sebastian. There on this coastal beautiful town which surrounds a picturesque bay, we will get to know this special city with a walking pintxos tour so we get to know the history and taste the bites of this region’s version of the tapas - and a culinary highlight of this region. This is a great way to get to know the city, and we’ll have some time after the tour for those who want to explore, maybe relax at the beach, or do some shopping. On the way back to Bilbao we’ll stop for a visit at the Balenciaga Museum in the beach village of Getaria. We’ll make it back for a casual dinner in Bilbao.

MAY 18: On this day we'll make our way inland to the famed Rioja wine region for a day of wine-tasting and getting to see some of the area's most architecturally interesting buildings. Our first stop is for a cantina tour followed by a tasting lunch. Then the afternoon will allow for a stop at other amazing locales where we’ll get to compare the varieties and see what this region’s vines really have to offer. Dinner will be enjoyed out in the area before we return again to Bilbao for a well-deserved rest after a long and enjoyable day amongst the vines.

MAY 19: After starting the final full today together with morning yoga, we will continue to the seaside for a horseback ride on the beach. Afterwards we’ll be dropped back off in Bilbao for some free time for lunch, and spa time! Everyone will enjoy a 30-min massage as well as some down time in the spa’s relaxation area. That evening we’ll have a private boat ride for aperitivo down the river in Bilbao to say goodbye to our home for the week, followed by our last gastronomic Michelin dinner.

MAY 20: Enjoy a leisurely morning with breakfast before your departure.

HOTEL

We'll be staying at an award-winning luxury hotel in the heart of Bilbao, just steps from the Guggenheim Art Museum. Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao is a designer space designed by Javier Mariscal, and features a roof terrace with a restaurant and spectacular views, as well as a wellness center. The hotel, known as an "Ode to Design", opened in 2002, is one of the most important works of Spanish designer Javier Mariscal, who wanted to retrace the history of 20th century design through the hotel. The Gran Hotel Domine is a living and vibrant tribute to design, while at the same time retaining all the functionality and pertinence of a luxury five star hotel. The hotel is playful, charming and luxurious.

CUISINE

Award-winning, local food is part of the retreat experience, including daily breakfast, and selected lunches and dinners. This is one of the world's gastronomic capitals, filled with many Michelin-starred restaurants, which our week will include a visit to, as well as a wine tasting and pairing lunch at one of the nearby Rioja's famed wineries. A "pintxos" tour will guide us through the old town of San Sebastian as one of the region's most famous "bites".

CLASSES

Yoga classes will be offered in a way to relax, stimulate, and help guests grow in their own personal practice. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced, and can range from gentle, restorative, and more vigorous vinyasa flow and ashtanga styles.* Style and class levels will be determined and modified to fit participating students' needs, and with a small intimate retreat class size, students will be able to get personalized attention and comfortability to deeply explore their practice.

Certified yoga instructor and EPM founder, Erin Lewis, will facilitate the classes, helping each student focus on improving their practice and gaining new insights into their bodies and movements. She's studied various types of yoga disciplines since 1998, concentrating on the Ashtanga discipline since 2008. She received her teacher certification in Florence, Italy and has continued her education with various specialty certifications throughout the years. She now combines powerful movements with more anatomical-based core vinyasa flow and restorative movement in her personal practice and teaching style.

Julian Hyzler will be a cultural guide for the week as well as your creative teacher for those interested in finding new ways of seeing during our time in Basque. Learn interesting smart phone photography techniques and put them together in a creativity class where we’ll produce a piece to take home which will be a mindful way of collecting memories from the week.

* Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!

DETAILS / PRICING

• 5 nights / 4 retreat days (May 15-20, 2023)

• Inclusive retreat price varies from $1,850 - $3,950 depending on selected accommodations. Room options include economy inner hotel lobby view rooms, standard city view rooms, and premium Guggenheim view rooms. All rooms are offered at a shared double occupancy (two twin beds) rate or private single occupancy (king bed) rate. CLICK HERE for room and pricing details.

  • Sign up in pairs or we can pair people up in shared rooms with a roommate you will love!

• Deposit to hold space = $500

  • Refundable until Feb 1 minus 3% processing fee

• Retreat size and hotel rooms are limited so please sign up early to guarantee your preferred accommodation

  • Final balance due 60 days before retreat start date.
    Read full cancellation policy in our Terms & Conditions.

INCLUDED*:

• Luxury hotel accommodation (spacious bedrooms each with private bathrooms, linens, wellness center, etc)

• Breakfast daily

• Select lunches and dinners

• Transportation to/from day trips

• Daily meditation and yoga classes

• Use of estate premises (wellness center, terraces, etc.)

• Tour guide on various day trips

• Entrance fees during day trips

• Visits to local sites

• City tours

• Guggenheim Museum visit

• Regional visits

• Wine/cuisine tasting, winery tour

• Private Boat Ride in Bilbao

• Spa Day + Massage

• Horseback Rides on the Beach

• Taxes

*airfare and staff tips not included

LOCATION:

• Hotel is located in the city of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain

• Nearest airport is Bilbao Airport (BIO)

• Other nearby airports include San Sebastian (EAS), Santander Airport (SDR)

SUGGESTED PACKING:

Besides the basic packing and travel needs, here are a few things to think about bringing with you. 

Yoga Mat
Yoga clothes
Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
Scarf, Hat, Weather layers
Plug adaptors / converters