BASQUE COUNTRY, SPAIN - August 12-18, 2018

Join us on another tasty FORM+FOCUS retreat – combining yoga, creativity, and culinary delights in one of the world’s top gastronomic regions! 5* accommodations and Michelin restaurants are on the agenda – along with plenty of cultural experiences.

FORM + FOCUS

We are so excited about another special collaboration with Julian Hyzler from EASEL&LENS to combine a look at creative focus with art projects in travel-journal creation throughout the week. We’ll learn techniques from sketching to smartphone photography, some watercolor, and even scrapbooking and writing. Yoga and meditation classes will be held daily to prepare our bodies and minds for our activities and day trips – and then these art projects will help us find news ways of seeing – both yoga and art working together to find FOCUS in the many layers of smells, sites, and sounds that abound in this culturally rich area of Spain. *NO PREVIOUS ART OR YOGA BACKGROUND REQUIRED. All levels are welcome, and participation is voluntary. Projects and classes will be offered as a completely exploratory, non-intimidating and personal experience.

HOTEL

We’ll be staying at an award-winning 5-star Luxury Hotel in the heart of Bilboa 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. Rooms are spacious and some offer views over the Guggenheim, while the bathtubs are the work of famed designer, Philippe Starck.

CUISINE

Healthful, vegetarian food is part of the retreat experience, including breakfast, selected lunches, and dinner daily either hosted at our hotel or out and about in town. Seafood options for those who desire will also be provided as this region is famous for their coastal cuisine. 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 Bilbao and San Sebastian as one of the region’s most famous “bites”.

SURROUNDING AREA

Guests will not only enjoy the grounds of the villa, the outdoor areas including a lovely patio and lounges, but the retreat includes some amazing day-trips to the surrounding sites. We’ll begin the week with a walking tour of our home city of Bilbao including the Guggenheim Museum, then we’ll head to the famed wine region of Rioja for a winery visit, tasting, and pairing lunch. A day with a stop at the “heart of Basque Country”, the town of Guernica plus a visit to the beautiful San Sebastian with a food tour, time to see the old-city, and a funicular ride from a look out over the bay. Of course, the week will include a luxurious spa day with treatment to put the final touches on a week of renewal and relaxation. All this, alongside daily yoga and travel-journal creation classes, and punctuated by the amazing cuisine and a Michelin-starred meal.

YOGA

Daily meditation and 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 moulded 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. Depending on each retreat location, classes will be held in a dedicated indoor yoga space and some also offer outdoor options as well for us to use if the weather is agreeable.

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.

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