SWEAT, SMILES AND SAVASANA ~ HotYogaLeaf Retreat with Angela & Richie (D'Alijo Retreat Center, Portugal)

This hot yoga retreat in Northern Portugal is a week of Bikram yoga, Yin Yoga and Inferno Hot Pilates, led by Angela and Richie of HotYogaLeaf. It takes place at D'Alijo Yoga Retreat Center in Casal, in the Vila Real district, and suits anyone who likes to practice in the heat and then rest well afterwards. The title says it plainly: sweat, smiles and savasana.

What to Expect

The week brings together several styles of practice, so the days have variety. The program includes:

- Bikram Yoga, the hot yoga series many practitioners know well
- YOGA BEATS
- Yin Yoga, the slower, longer-held practice that balances the heat
- Inferno Hot Pilates
- Time set aside for relaxation

The organizers describe the week as one of good food, good people and good vibes, set in beautiful nature and tranquility. The retreat runs for eight days, from one Saturday to the next. The material does not give a daily timetable, so expect the rhythm to be shaped by the teachers once you arrive.

The Setting

D'Alijo Retreat Center is a yoga retreat center in Northern Portugal, in the mountainous country around Vila Real. It hosts established teachers and yoga studios from abroad, and this retreat is one of several hot yoga programs held there through the year. The surroundings are quiet and green, which suits a week built around practice and rest. The center describes itself as a space for visiting facilitators, so each retreat is run by its own teachers, and places are booked directly with them.

Before You Go

This is a retreat for people who enjoy hot yoga and want to spend a full week immersed in it, alongside a mix of gentler and more athletic classes. The range of styles, from Yin to Inferno Hot Pilates, means you can find your own pace across the week. The material does not state an experience requirement, a language of instruction, or the details of meals and rooms, so it is worth asking Angela and Richie directly about those before you book.