AZORES
BODYPAINTING
RETREAT
DATE: 11-17 MAY 2025
Created by: Vilija Vitkute and Elisabeth Lund
Participants : 8 max (small group for best experience)
Creative level : interested, beginners & professionals in photography, bodypaitning, theatre, dance and visual-traditional arts.
Physical level : Moderate
COST:
from 2800€ + administrative fee
(payment plans available in 2-3 payments)
Language - ENGLISH
St. Miguel island, Azores, Portugal.
11-17th May 2025
HOOP n HIKE - BODYPAINTING - MOVEMENT CLASSES - OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES - MARINE LIFE - ART PERFORMANCE- COLOURFUL MEETINGS - MEDITATIONS & MORE
For the third edition of the body painting retreat, we are swapping the Arctic landscapes for a more tropical version and inviting you to join us on the Azores island of São Miguel. The essence is still the same: enhance your creativity and learn something new while being present in breathtaking nature.
We welcome you to connect body and mind in a unique creative environment, led by two adventurous and playful women, Elisabeth Færøy and Vilija Vitkute.
ARCTIC Bodypainting Retreat is in top 10
of the best European activity breaks with a spirit of adventure -
( from 2024 retreat)
Get Inspired
Colourful memories from previous retreats 2023-2024
Photography by Dorota Milewitz and Ewa Kalinowska
Disconnect
to connect
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a unique and creative retreat
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learn the ancient art of bodypainting
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get playful with hula hooping
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daily movement & meditations
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explore nature in new ways
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be present in breathtaking nature
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healthy meals
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marine life experience
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small group for best experience
Bodypainting
One of the oldest art forms in the world, you will learn the basics of body art and experience it through different techniques such as camouflage, abstract, UV, special effects, and face painting.
Hula Hoop
Hula hoop dance is a playful way to learn new movements with your body. In a class, you will be introduced to hoop dance, learn new tricks, and put them together as a sequence. a fun way to challenge both your body and brain.
Azores Adventures
For you to get the best experience of Azores island St. Miguel, there will be adventures both on land and Atlantic ocean experience.
MOMENTS WITH
NEW PEOPLE
Create colorful memories by opening up and sharing life’s adventures, experiences, and precious moments.
MOVEMENT & MEDITATION
Throughout the week, we will be doing movement and meditation exercises to ground ourselves and prepare our bodies and for daily activities. Elisabeth will share a blend of breathwork, listening, and movement meditation, drawing from her extensive experience as a performance artist.
Celebration
With your backpack filled with new friendships, inspiration, and memories for life, we end our experience together with a colorful and playful party.
HEALTHY MEALS
We will open ourselves to happy, sunny, and healthy meals that will give us joy and energy. We will experience more sustainable ways of eating by supporting locally grown food, with vegan and vegetarian dishes served 2-3 times a day.
SURROUNDED BY ATLANTIC OCEAN
Mother Nature has created a land full of natural beauty, ready to be explored in the blue immensity of the Atlantic Ocean: the Az. Our retreat is located on São Miguel, the largest island, a seductive destination with its Sete Cidades and Fogo Lagoons. The power that emanates from the earth is felt in the geysers, hot thermal waters, and volcanic lakes, as well as in the tasty "Cozido das Furnas," slowly cooked inside the earth.
ABOUT RETREAT CREATORS
Vilija
"Vilija is your teacher in body art and the connection to your inner nature. She is a two-time world bodypainting champion, known for her body art in the Arctic. Her work focuses on human rights, the, and self-expression.
Vilija believes that change happens from within, through daily choices, smaller and bigger actions, and daring to visualize your wildest dreams and let them live.
In this unique retreat at the Azores, her goal is to build a safe and environment for you to open up and see nature—yourself. She aims to help you experience connection and creativity from a different perspective, express yourself, and let your inner child play—to be a bit "crazy, weird, and unique"—to be YOU."
Elisabeth
Is your hoop dance instructor and hostess. She has lived for 11 years in the Lofoten Islands, where she has held several Hoop n Hike and body painting retreats, and loves to combine movement with nature hikes. Elisabeth is an experienced space holder, and in the Azores retreat, she will be leading meditations, breathwork, and movement practices to you feel comfortable in your body and skin, in addition to her playful hula hooping classes. She will ensure that your Azores body paint experience is an unforgettable event in your life.
Retreat Schedule
Preliminary schedule
( Changes apply due weather)
Saturday 10 th
Azores welcomes you
Arrival day
We recommend to arrive a day before to St. Miguels island - Aeroporto João Paulo II and stay in city town Ponta Delgada.
Sunday 11 th
A warm welcome
Participants pick up 2.20pm from airport Aeroporto João Paulo II and at 2.40 pm from City Ponta Delgada.
Checking in at RETREAT House 3.20pm - 4pm
Welcome to the retreat
4.30 - 6 pm
Dinner
6.30pm - 7.30 pm
Monday 12 th
Moving through greens
08 am Meditation
Breakfast
08.30-09.30 am
Hoop-Hike & camouflage body-painting demonstration
10.00am - 4 pm
Lunch 1-2 pm
Hot spring/Thermal waters
5.30 pm -7.30 pm
Dinner & reflection
8 pm -9 pm
Tuesday 13th
Oness
Morning meditation
08am
Breakfast
08.30 -10.0 am
Camouflage Body-painting outdoors, warmup/movement class with Malgoshia
10.30 - 5.30 pm
Lunch
1-2 pm
Dinner & reflection
6.45 -8 pm
Wednesday 14 th
Atlantic Ocean
adventure
Morning meditation
08.30 -09 am
Breakfast
09.00 - 10.00 am
Sailing into Atlantic ocean
10.30 - 5.30 pm
Surprise activity & lunch
12.30 pm - 2.30 pm
Dinner & reflection
6.30 - 8 pm
Thursday 15th
Hoop & site seeing around St. Miguels island
Morning meditation
9am
Breakfast
09.30-10.30 am
Hoop, sightseeing and group body-painting.
11.00 - 6.00 pm
Sunset dinner by the Ocean
7.30 -9.30 pm
Friday 16 th
Rest & Celebration
Breakfast
09.00 - 11.00 am
Your free morning & midday to rest, enjoy, eat in town, pack for your journey.
You can choose to spend your time in town or retreat area. We will give you a ride to town at 11am and pick up at 4.20pm
Put your playful look on
5.00-6 pm
Pick up to party 6.15 pm
Farewell home dinner with locals, show night & retreat reflection
6.45pm- 23.00 pm
Saturday 17 th
Fill your backpack with colorful memories
Breakfast, Hugs and Kisses
08.00 - 11.00am
( retreat participants get driven to town or airport)
KEEP ON ADVENTURE!
Retreat Base Home - Casa do Termo
We found the perfect place for your best Azores Bodypainting Retreat, next to the ocean with an inspiring view of the Atlantic, surrounded by gardens and farms. This place will allow us to create, share, eat, relax, and have adventures and colorful together.
After an intense makeover, you will find at Casa doo all the comforts of a modern home combined with the spirit of a traditional manor house.
The space
This house also has two wide terraces with an unbelievable over the Atlantic Ocean and the city of Ponta Delgada. It features a dining room and a large typical living room with a fireplace, as well as a fully kitchen. All of the social areas are spacious.
Relax the Azores way
After a day filled with creative and adventurous activities, we will have the opportunity to let our bodies relax at the spa, which includes outdoor hot springs, thermal waters in jungle gardens, and the ocean. We will try several hot springs on the island.
option 1 A
Queens space
Large single room with queen size bed, private bathroom, view to garden and the ocean.
price from - from 3100 € EURO 1 person
option 1 B
Princess space
Single room with large bed, private bathroom and view to the garden.
from 2900 EURO
option 1 C
Mermaids space
Shared room with 2 person, private bathroom.
from 2800€
The retreat costs
Azores Bodypainting Retreat EARLY BIRD TICKETS costs start from 2,750€. This includes standard accommodation from May 11th to 17th, meals, transfers, model fees, and materials (an additional administrative fee of 90€ applies per invoice)
Loyal participants from the previous year receive an 5% discount. For professional artists, we offer invitation letters that they can use to apply for funding to cover their travel and accommodation (please contact us for invitation letters 4-7 months in advance).
The offered housing for this price is a shared accommodation in an 18th-century house, consisting of five bedrooms with heating and private bathrooms. Four of the rooms are double rooms, and one is a single room, accommodating up to 12 people (8 participants and 4 team/crew members).
In this intimate and unique retreat, we only offer 8 spots to ensure everyone is seen and gets the best experience possible.
To reserve your spot, we offer different payment options. You can pay everything or create a payment plan to divide your costs into 2 or 3.
A 5% administration fee is added to the invoice. Please note that body painting colors, some other materials, model fees, and extra nights are not included in the package and will incur additional costs.
Your Azores Bodypainting Retreat ticket is reserved as soon as we receive your first or full payment.
For any questions, don hesitate to contact us!