“Uplifting, memorable, refreshing and fun — My week as a yoga newbie at Iberian Wellness Retreats”
- Liberty Venn
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
At Pilot PR, we’ve worked in travel and wellness for many years and understand that the idea of joining a retreat solo can feel daunting. Will the yoga be too advanced? Will everyone else know each other? Will I feel out of place? That’s exactly why we love this honest, heartwarming account from Liberty Venn, a self-confessed yoga newbie who joined an Iberian Wellness Retreat in Spain on her own. What follows is a brilliant reminder of the transformative power of pressing pause — and just saying yes.
What made you decide to visit The Olive Mill?
My week at Iberian Wellness Retreats was in March, and couldn't have come at a better time. I’d sat at a screen throughout so much of winter, busily ignoring the lack of exercise in my life which led to a work-life imbalance that prompted a loss of mojo and enjoyment of the most simple things.
The chance to spend six days away from my desk, to be able to move regularly, to sit with my thoughts, to learn about my body and to engage properly with new people in a new place felt like the perfect reset. The trip turned out to be all those things, but also a gift for my family, to whom I returned with a new appetite for shared fun and more presence.
Tell us about your journey to The Olive Mill
After leaving the airport in Seville, the landscape swiftly turns rural, with frequent and oddly appealing signs pointing the way to Portugal, just 150km away. My fellow retreaters were all new to me and we spent much of the journey comparing notes about our respective yoga abilities (mine non-existent, others far more practiced) and wondering how quickly we'd have the chance to meet the donkeys after which our bedrooms were named.
As we approached The Olive Mill our driver explained that the trees hugging the road either side were cork, olive and chestnut, with an occasional break between the leaves affording a glimpse of the Sierra de Norte. We learned that cork trees are harvested every nine years and we reflected on the positive impact this must have on the local pace of life.
What were your first impressions of the property?
The Olive Mill sits among an olive grove, looking up a slight hill and facing east. It evokes a real sense of space and place. To arrive there is to be wrapped immediately in a huge blanket of warm spirit and rural beauty, so from the outset we felt relaxed and welcomed. Linne Melinkat, our yoga teacher for the week, met us on arrival with boundless and infectious enthusiasm for the week ahead.
How would you describe the interiors?
Inside, bedrooms spill off a central atrium rather than down long corridors. There's a family feel to the building, which invites you to venture out of your room, though you can easily escape and seek out time by yourself if needed. There was never any awkwardness about what to do or where to go next — it felt natural to use the space as we wished.
The main hall has huge doors and windows that look out onto a hillside of olives in one direction and a beautiful red bricked courtyard in the other. The light in there changes depending on the time of day and I loved the ceremony each morning and evening of stepping over its threshold into the space for yoga and meditation.
As someone with very little yoga experience, how did you find the classes?
I’m a relative yoga newbie but it turned out that this didn't matter in the slightest. Every single class was prefaced by an invitation to take it at our own pace, to enjoy it for what it was and if we wanted, to stop or to advance a movement according to our ability.
Some of my fellow yogis were streaks ahead of me in terms of their familiarity with the moves, and their pace or pose would often reflect this. But every class was different, giving everyone the opportunity to learn something new, and I could feel myself advancing, even as the week progressed. And who would have known that every class includes a Savasana, which is essentially deep relaxation, and dare I say it, a chance to fall asleep?!
With two yoga classes every day, plus meditation and walks, I had no doubt that I would leave mentally energised and centered.
You mentioned going out for walks. Tell us more about your time outdoors.
It felt natural to me that we would spend a good proportion of each day outside, either walking or simply sitting by the swimming pool. Linne showed us the ancient footpaths that lead up over the hillside to the neighbouring village, and on another day she invited us each to take a donkey on a group walk into the groves. It was a beautiful walk which culminated in us arriving at a hilltop for a picnic, set up for us by Simone, the owner of Iberian Wellness Retreats.
As this is a group retreat, how did you feel about socialising with the other guests?
As a group we ate, walked and practiced yoga together. The opening and closing sessions marked the beginning and the end of our time together, so it felt so much more of a shared experience than I had anticipated. There was a real sense at the end that we'd all taken something away from our time at The Olive Mill.
What were your biggest takeaways from the trip?
I learnt the importance of carving out time for myself and to slow my pace sometimes. I’ve taken so many elements of the retreat back to London, and I continue to reap the benefits even now. The whole week was utterly wonderful — uplifting, memorable and certainly refreshing and fun, as well as good physically. The overall experience was amazing!
The Olive Mill is available for bookings in June & September 2025. Its sister properties The Manoir (Portugal) and The Yellow House (Spain) are now booking into 2026.
Retreats from €1,950pp (sharing) for 5 nights
To find out more visit iberianwellnessretreats.com or call +351 960 293 601