Portugal Island Yoga Adventure Retreat
Portugal Island Yoga Adventure REtreat
Dates
October 20th-24th, 2025
+
August 23rd-29th, 2026
Locale
Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal at 5 Star Hotel, The Cliff Bay, PortoBay with 2* Michelin Restaurant on site~
Planes, trains, and automobiles! Adventure to Madeira, Portugal this October or next August!
Take your yoga practice and sense of adventure on the road to one of the most beautiful and majestic islands in the world.
This 4 night/5 day retreat is for our fellow nature lovers and adventurers as just getting to Madeira Island will take several flights and maybe even a ferry depending upon how you choose to travel (we love the flight + ferry combo).
The mountains and views in Madeira, a Portuguese island off the northwestern coast of Africa, are unlike anything else we've ever seen and we can't wait to share a fantastic 5 days together overlooking the sea.
Join us for an incredible retreat and experience filled with yoga practice and workshops, guided + silent insight and mindful meditation, time to slow down and relax, journaling and art, and time to enliven with adventure and island exploration.
Madeira has some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the entire world. Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and diverse trails, the stunning island of Madeira is a nature lovers and hiker's paradise. From its jagged volcanic peaks to its lush green mountains and dramatic coastal cliffs, the island offers an array of hiking experiences that cater to all levels of adventurers. Whether you're seeking a leisurely stroll through forests or an exhilarating trek to towering peaks, Madeira's natural beauty and rich biodiversity will leave you captivated and take up a permanent space in your heart.
We'll stay at a wonderful 5 Star oceanfront hotel, The Cliff Bay - PortoBay, that features sea breezes, incredible views, pools, space to relax and unwind, 3 restaurants including a 2*Michelin Restaurant, a fitness center, room service, balconies AC, and more.
This retreat is appropriate for all levels and students, from beginning students to experienced practitioners and teachers.
Yoga, adventure, explore!
We are counting down the days until our Portugal Island Yoga Adventure and Retreats in one of the most stunning and special places and spaces in Portugal and the world. Join us this October 20th-24th, 2025 or next August 23rd-29th, 2026.
Together we'll enjoy a well-balanced retreat immersed in practice, beauty, island adventure and a bit of exploring, and time to slow down and be.
Treat yourself this fall or next summer to an unforgettable experience designed and curated to nourish the body, mind, spirit, and heart. Let's revel in the best of Madeira and take time to enjoy life, practice, and connect in nature.
Each day a breakfast will be included at the hotel and four dinners are also included within the retreat, as well as a gift bag for each attending. During our retreat we will head out to some delicious local restaurants!
We'll get out for a hike and time out in nature together, explore and see the sights, head out on a boat for sunshine, fresh air, sea adventures, and incredible views, and take time in the mornings to reflect in journaling.
Join a seasoned and experienced yoga teacher and educator for a joyful and deep dive into your yoga and meditation practices as we explore, practice, and learn alongside one another. We'll support our practice with plenty of yoga props, time to slow down with our breath, and adventure on and off the yoga mat in a safe and supportive environment.
Yoga Mats
Please Note: Everyone joining is to bring a yoga mat and two yoga blocks with them. Yoga mats and blocks can be rolled or folded up and put into your checked bag, or your mat can be rolled up and attached to your carry-on bag or backpack. Thank you.
Retreat Deposit
$500 Deposit holds your space~
*Retreat deposits are non-refundable
Retreat Tuition for October 2025
*Please Note: Retreat tuition includes retreat taxes and processing fees
1) Shared 2 Twin Bed Room, 2 Ppl: $3699 per student
2) Shared 2 Queen Bed Room, 2 Ppl: $3899 per student
3) Private Double Bed OR 2 Twin Bed Room: $4899 per student
Retreat Tuition for August 2026 (Pricing coming soon for 2026)
*Please Note: Retreat tuition includes retreat taxes and processing fees
1) Shared 2 Twin Bed Room, 2 Ppl:
2) Shared 2 Queen Bed Room, 2 Ppl:
3) Private Double Bed OR 2 Twin Bed Room:
Retreat Savings:
*Register by June 15th for our October yoga adventure and save $200 on your yoga adventure in Portugal and retreat. Returning students will enjoy a little extra savings, and this who attend both our 2025 Greece Yoga Retreat and the Portugal Island Yoga Adventure will receive a VIP discount for both retreats.
Retreat Inclusions
Shared or Private Lodging and Accommodation at 5 Star Hotel - 2 Queen Bed Rooms OR Double Bed/2 Twin Bed Rooms, Limited Private Rooms Avail-
Welcome drink
Breakfast Daily at hotel
Four Dinners
Yoga classes and workshopping asanas
Guided + silent insight and mindful meditation practice
Yoga Nidra Relaxation
Transportation during the retreat to activities, adventures, and exploring together
Group excursions/activities
Nature hike/s together
Boating adventure!
Free excursions to sites of interest
Pre and post retreat support from our team
Luggage Storage if you arrive early or depart later
Wifi connection
Free Parking at Hotel
Painting Workshop (free painting with acrylic and watercolors)
Retreat Gift Bag
Access to amenities on site at hotel (3 pools, hot tub, fitness center, restaurants, spa on site, and more)
Incredible Community
Retreat Taxes and Processing Fees
Not Included
Flights and travel to retreat locale (the Madeira Airport is roughly a 15-20 minute drive in a taxi to the hotel)
Tips
Lunches
2 Dinners are not included for the August 2026 retreat, all dinners are included for our 4 night retreat this October
Alcohol or extras at dinners out
Travel Insurance
Additional activities not included in the itinerary
Additional treatments - spa treatments can bo booked at the spa on site at the hotel
More about Madeira, Portugal
Take your yoga practice and sense of adventure to the lush emerald island of Madeira in Portugal this fall for a wonderful 4 nights, 5 days oceanfront.
Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, is an archipelago comprising 4 islands off the northwest coast of Africa.
It is known for its namesake wine and warm, subtropical climate. The main island of Madeira is volcanic, green and rugged, with high cliffs, pebbly beaches and settlements on deltas of the Fajatilde, River. Capital Funchal has botanic gardens and is known for its harbor and a large New Years fireworks show.
With a subtropical climate, Madeira boasts an abundance of flowers and lush vegetation, diverse landscapes, fantastic hiking trails, and delicious food. Together we’ll soak up plenty of practice, time out in nature, island exploration and adventure, relaxation, and rich culture.
Retreat Guide:
Mary Susan Stults Sassone
Learn more about Mary Susan at https://www.marysusanstults.com/
Born in Fort Payne, Alabama, Mary Susan Stults was raised in Cedar City, Utah. After moving to Colorado in 2001 to attend CU Boulder, she made Colorado her mountain home for about 20 years until she followed her heart to Hawaii.
In 2018, she traded the mountain life for island life and moved to Kauai, Hawaii where she lives with her fiance Brandon and their two cats, Tux and Sir Wobbles.
Mary Susan’s yoga and meditation practice and path began early in life with her mother as a child at home in 1991 and continued in the studio at the age of 14 in 1997 with the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. Mary practiced Hatha, Ashtanga Yoga, and Iyengar Yoga throughout highschool and early college and in 2002 began practicing at Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor's studio, the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado. Years later, Mary had the blessing to find Master Mentor-Teacher Maty Ezraty with whom she studied intensively, mentored with, and assisted until her recent passing in 2019. Over thousands of hours and many years of study and practice, Maty shaped and influenced Mary Susan’s practice, teaching, and life on and off the yoga mat.
Mary Susan teaches in the U.S and internationally and is an experienced Senior Yoga & Meditation teacher, educator, mentor, and practitioner. She is a certified and experienced Yoga & Meditation teacher, educator, and practitioner, a WPA/Paddle Into Fitness Certified Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) and SUP Yoga teacher, certified Kids Yoga teacher, certified Adaptive Yoga teacher, and is known by all for her enthusiasm, heart, and positive outlook.
She teaches a knowledgeable, dynamic, and refreshing yoga practice that intelligently weaves together the traditions of Iyengar Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She also enjoys teaching Yin, Restorative Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, and Vipassana and Mindful Meditation. Many describe her energy as contagious, finding her nurturing, wise, grounded, & patient style of teaching to be welcoming &supportive. Her offerings are infused with her grounded yet light-hearted nature. When she is not teaching herself you can often find her in a training or Yoga intensive with one of her teachers or mentors.
Yoga
We will be practicing a strong, dynamic, sustainable for all, and compassionate Hatha yoga practice and flow marrying together the traditions of Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. We will also weave in workshopping, gentle and restorative yoga, and Yoga Nidra relaxation.
We will slowly and mindfully weave our way through alignment-based practices each day taking time to workshop asanas and come-see-come-look moments giving students the opportunity to demo postures as we practice.
Expect longer holds occasionally, flowing, break-downs of alignment and postures, and a focus on the breath. Classes are wonderful and appropriate for all levels from beginners to advanced practitioners and teachers. We ask students to be curious and expect to take a deep and joyful dive into the practice and their own inner ecology and wilderness.
Styles
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Vipassana & Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Yin Yoga, General Yoga, Yoga Nidra
Skill Level - appropriate for beginner, intermediate, advanced
Meditation
We will enjoy guided meditation and will explore the style of Insight/Vipassana and mindful meditation.
Within this style we will explore a variety of methods including breath meditation, and heart meditations including a compassion meditation and a metta or living kindness meditation. We will talk about the basics of meditation, finding a comfortable seat, and the roots of mindfulness. We will take time to explore seat options, mudras, our breath, and begin cultivating a greater sense of connection and intimacy with our own breath and mind and we practice befriending the breath and befriending the mind on and off the yoga mat. At the end of the day, yoga is life, it’s how we are living and how we are meeting ourselves on and off the yoga mat, and we can’t wait to share an incredible time together living well, immersed in practice, nature, and community.
Retreat Lodging
The Cliff Bay, PortoBay - A 5 Star Hotel with Sea Access and Stunning Views~
This hotel is the jewel in the crown of PortoBay Hotels & Resorts. Being located high on a natural promontory ensures genuine tranquility and well-being. Its direct access to the sea, the Il Gallo d’Oro restaurant with its 2 Michelin stars and the gardens with their numerous hidden corners and ancient palm trees complete the picture with a magnificent view over the bay of Funchal.
In 2021 the hotel was refurbished, in an extensive renovation that included reception, lobby and the 2 Michelin starred Il Gallo d'Oro restaurant. The hotel features a spa, 2 Michelin Star restaurants, 3 restaurants total, 3 pools, a fitness center, room service, option to have hotel help with arrivals and departures, and fantastic views of the sea.
Hotel Features and Amenities
bar : 2
restaurants : 3
outdoor saltwater pool : (at sea level)
1 heated indoor/outdoor pool
outdoor pool for children
pool towels (no additional charge)
rooms : adjoining
chill-out area (near the sea)
solarium area
indoor and outdoor jacuzzi
viewpoints over Funchal
steam bath
sauna
gazebo for outdoor massages : (in season)
hairdresser and beautician
tennis court
table tennis
fitness room
snooker room
children’s facilities
playroom
library
games room
adapted for guests with reduced mobility
business centre
parking : free
Smart TV : + 100 channels
hair dryer : (2100w)
computer with internet in reception
daily live music
diving centre
room service : 24-hr
laundry
babysitting
golf green-fee
rent-a-car
excursions
transfers to and from the airport
air conditioning
heating
includes high-speed internet (wi-fi 6)
Hotel Locale:
Located on Estrada Monumental, on a promontory with direct access to the sea. Near the seafront promenade and shopping area with central access.
Address
Estrada Monumental, 147 9004-532
Funchal Madeira - Portugal
Hotel Website:
https://www.portobay.com/en/hotels/madeira-hotels/the-cliff-bay/
2 Twin Bed Room
2 Twin Bed Room
2 Queen Bed Room
Travel
- Getting to the The Cliff Bay, PortoBay Hotel~
Students can fly into Madeira and the hotel is just a 10 minute drive or so from the airport! Students can also fly into Porto Santo which has an easier approach for flights at the airport and take a 1.5-2.5 hour ferry from Porto Santo to Madeira. This latter option is our preferred way to travel into Madeira.
The best way to get to Madeira is by flying from Lisbon, Portugal (90 minutes) or Porto, Portugal (120 minutes), or by ferry from Porto Santo. These are the locations which offer the most direct flights to Madeira per month. There are other places in Europe with direct flights to Madeira including London, Budapest, Vienna, Frankfurt, and more! It’s always a good idea to take a few extra days to explore on your own before the retreat or after the retreat ends. Students will want to fly into either Lisbon or Porto, Portugal and then take a connecting flight into Madeira.
Our preferred way to travel to Madeira is to take a flight from Lisbon or Porto into Porto Santo and then take a 2.5 hour ferry from Porto Santo Island to Madeira Island. Upon departure we take a ferry back to Porto Santo and then a connecting flight from Porto Santo to Lisbon, or another airport.
The flights into Madeira are known to be a more bumpy and exciting experience and landing. The flights into Madeira at times can be canceled due to high winds, and it is a more difficult airport for pilots to land at. The pilots that do fly there have been required to take extensive additional training and are among the best of the best as far as pilots go. Many visitors and travelers choose to fly directly into Madeira, but there is also the option to fly into Porto Santo which is an easier airpot to fly into with less cancellations due to winds, and take a ferry from Porto Santo into Madeira.
Ferry Company for Ferry from Porto Santo to Madeira Island
*The Porto Santo Line
https://reservasc.portosantoline.pt/en/othersen/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22411704927&gbraid=0AAAAA9clopqkR5wh8mdursJaDdHmJGboM&gclid=CjwKCAjw6NrBBhB6EiwAvnT_rlwy2-xeUzT1TiMrz3-nW0XPgl99gHh1UHBtPepvX5hIwAHhTBodCxoC6BUQAvD_BwE
Flights from U.S:
Fly from Newark Liberty International Airport. Fly from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Madeira Airport (FNC)
Fly from General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport.
Fly from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Fly from Philadelphia International Airport
Airports:
Madeira Airport in Santa Cruz, Portugal — https://www.madeiraairport.pt/en/fnc/home
Porto Santo Airport in Porto Santo, Portugal — https://www.portosantoairport.pt/en/pxo/home
Humberto Delgado Airport / Softly Known as the Lisbon Airport — Located 7km from downtown Lisbon — https://www.lisbonairport.pt/en/lis/home
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport or simply Porto Airport — https://www.portoairport.pt/en/opo/home
Porto airport is slightly more organized than Lisbon or Faro. They recently increased capacity and improved security controls so this airport might be slightly more what you are accustomed to with airports as a foreigner. The airport has all major airport services and is less prone to crowds than Lisbon and Faro.
