13-17 May 2027
Step into a transformative creative experience on this immersive watercolour experience with Emma Weekes in Portugal, where art becomes a pathway back to yourself. Guided by Emma’s intuitive and expressive approach to painting, this Inspiring Art Escape is designed to help you break free from hesitation and reconnect with your natural creativity.
Set against the calming beauty of the Portuguese landscape, you’ll be invited to slow down, observe deeply, and rediscover the joy of making marks that feel alive, personal, and free. This is more than a painting holiday, it is a reset. A chance to loosen expectations, release perfectionism, and rebuild confidence from the inside out.
Through Emma’s gentle but empowering teaching style, you’ll learn to trust watercolour as a responsive, flowing medium, allowing it to guide rather than control your process. Each day unfolds through immersive sessions focused on florals, botanicals, and the surrounding natural world.
Whether you are returning to creativity after time away or seeking to deepen an existing practice, this signature Art haven offers a powerful opportunity for artistic and personal renewal. You’ll leave not only with a collection of work, but with a renewed sense of confidence, clarity, and creative freedom that extends far beyond the page. This is an invitation to paint more freely, see more deeply, and create with a sense of ease you can carry home with you.
13-17 May 2027
(5 days and 4 nights)
Single Room:
1789€ PP (+vat 23%) = total 2200€
You can reserve your spot today, and we’ll only charge you once the event is guaranteed.
Our rooms can be prepared for one person or for a couple. If you would like two separate beds and you are joining with another participant, please let us know. Check hotel details bellow.
Booking Process:
Payment:
You can reserve your spot today, and we’ll only charge you once the retreat is guaranteed.
Your place is guaranteed once the minimum group size has been reached and the retreat can be operated safely in accordance with applicable local, national, and other regulations.
In the unlikely event that a guaranteed retreat is canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ll let you know as soon as possible, refund all payments you’ve made in full.
For direct bookings, please email: info@sofiainmonsaraz.site
3 full-day Art Classes days with Emma Weekes
3 Dinners
3 Lunches
Yoga Class
Visit to an old rug factory
Wine and olive oil tasting session
4 Nights Accommodation (with breakfast included)
Private luxury coach transfer to the hotel in Monsaraz, approximately 2 hours from Lisbon Airport, with return transfer to Lisbon Airport included.
Thursday, 13 May 2027
The bus will pick up the participants at Lisbon airport at 3 pm. It is advisable to arrive at Lisbon airport before 2.30 pm. The trip to Monsaraz, to the hotel at Telheiro, lasts 2 hours, so we will arrive at the hotel around 6 pm. A light dinner will be served at the hotel upon arrival.
Friday, 14 May 2027
After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we’ll take a leisurely 15-minute stroll to the event centre, Sofia in Monsaraz. Our day begins with a warm welcome, followed by our first workshop starting at 9:30 am.
Tutorial: making our own watercolour work book. Basic colour theory and watercolour colour mixing in made work books and learning to embrace the unpredictability of watercolours. Around 12:30, we’ll gather in the garden for a delicious lunch, followed by an olive oil tasting with local produced olive oil.
In the afternoon, we’ll return to our work in the studio until 4 pm, then set out to visit Fabricaal, a historic rug factory that offers a glimpse into local craftsmanship where we will have an opportunity to gather colour inspiration. The day concludes with dinner at a charming restaurant within the ancient walls of Monsaraz Castle, a perfect setting to unwind and share stories from the day.
Saturday, 15 May 2027
After a breakfast at the hotel, we’ll take a pleasant 15-minute walk together to Sofia in Monsaraz, arriving around 9 am. We’ll begin the morning with a refreshing yoga session, the perfect way to ground ourselves and prepare for a creative day ahead. We’ll move into our painting class at 10:30 am, immersing ourselves in color and inspiration: Color and shapes. Learning to notice colour and basic shapes of flowers and landscapes. Practice applying colour and shapes to paper to create loose florals. Around 12:30 pm, we’ll pause for a special and relaxed lunch at the patio. In the afternoon, from 3:00 to 5:30 pm, we’ll gather again for our painting class, with plenty of time to develop our work and explore new ideas. As the day winds down, the evening is free for you to relax and enjoy at your own pace. (Dinner will be independent and not included, giving you the chance to explore local options.)
Sunday, 16 May 2027
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll enjoy a gentle 15-minute walk to Sofia in Monsaraz, where our final day begins at 9.30am. Today you will experiment further with the wet on wet technique, learning to really trust the use of water in watercolour painting. After some work in the morning until midday, we’ll gather outdoors for a lunch of freshly prepared local dishes, savouring the flavours of the region under the open sky. The afternoon will be dedicated to our final workshop, offering space to complete your artwork and reflect on all that you’ve discovered together. Around 5 pm, we’ll enjoy a local wine tasting experience, a delightful way to toast to new friendships and inspiration. To close the retreat, we’ll share a special farewell dinner at a local restaurant, a celebratory evening filled with connection and conversations for our time in this special corner of the world.
Monday, 17 May 2027
After breakfast, we’ll depart at 9 am for our return journey to Lisbon Airport, with an estimated arrival time of 12:30 pm. Along the way, we’ll make a 30 to 45-minute stop at a charming local pottery shop.
P.S. A heartfelt thank you to our past participants whose beautiful photos bring Sofia In Monsaraz to life!
We ensure that everything is well organised with attention to detail, so that nothing will prevent you from enjoying all the peace and quiet of the Alentejo.
Each participant is given their own room with air conditioning, full and private bathroom, shared or private balcony and outdoor access.
This accommodation is an enjoyable 15-minute walk from the workshop venue (SIM) and passes by the Bulhoa menhir (National Monument) and the Alentejo plain.
Note: The Shared rooms will be staying in the “Double Twin Rooms” and the Single rooms will be staying in the “Studio Suit” and “T1 Suite”.
Booking Process:
Get in touch and get exclusive access:
Internacional roundtrip airfare, alcoholic drinks, activities not included in the itinerary, hotel incidentals including room service, expenses during free time, laundry service and hotel bar, food and beverages not included in the itinerary. Partners are welcome with an extra fee of 500€.
We require all participants to have a personal travel insurance that at minimum covers medical emergencies and cancellations. We do not provide travel insurance for the retreat and each participant is required to have their own individual travel insurance. The place, where the retreat happens, has an Insurance that covers accidents. We will not be responsible for refunding any lost trip funds if you have to miss your scheduled trip.
We accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or dairy/egg free, and some allergies. We are unable to accommodate participants with severe food allergies or severe food intolerances. Please contact us in advance of registering if you have any dietary questions
It will start when arriving at the hotel, Thursday evening and finish when you leave the hotel, by Monday morning. We are not responsible for any non-retreat activity that a participant decides to purchase outside of the retreat and such activity will not form part of the participant’s contract with us. The bus transport is covered by insurance.
This retreat includes a walking tour where the ground may be uneven. You may be on your feet for several hours at a time and should be comfortable with walking.
The supplies list will be communicated a few months before the event, and each student will bring their own. The materials can be shipped to our place before you arrive.
Cancellation Policy
You can reserve your spot today, and we’ll only charge you once the retreat is guaranteed.
Your retreat is guaranteed once the minimum group size has been reached and the retreat can be operated safely in accordance with applicable local, national, and other regulations.
In the unlikely event that a guaranteed retreat is canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ll let you know as soon as possible, refund all payments you’ve made in full.
If you need to cancel your participation in a guaranteed retreat, the following cancellation terms apply:
If you are unable to attend, please notify us as soon as possible so we can process your cancellation and discuss any available alternatives.
Payment can be made by Bank transfer or PayPal in euros. Additional costs may apply where special accommodations are made available to participants.
In this event we will accept up to 15 people. The event does not include spouses, partners or friends if they are not taking the workshop. Please contact us if you would like to bring a non-participant partner.
If we cannot gather the minimum participants of 8, the event can be cancelled, and the payments refunded to the participants, less 20€ for administrative costs.
Other questions about this retreat please contact: info@sofiainmonsaraz.site
For more info or questions please consult here our Terms & Conditions.
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