Casa Ana
Andalucia, Spain
Idyllic mountain guest house for enriching creative, wellbeing, walking and yoga retreats
Casa Ana offers inspirational writing, yoga and walking retreats from a delectably converted 400-year-old guesthouse. Your base is in secluded Ferreirola, the last, whitewashed village on a long and winding road through the stunning Alpujarra mountains. Enjoy majestic river gorge views, spectacular walks and reconnecting with yourself.
our Reviewer OLIVIA SNAIJE says:
‘Award-winning poet, writer, polyglot and global nomad, Mary-Janes Holmes, had just the right balance of professional know-how, kindness, encouragement, yet demanding rigour, to guide us through the variety of projects we were working on’
Queen of Retreats says:
‘This is a genuine retreat, where all you can hear is a distant river and birdsong and where the mountains can’t fail to inspire. The area gets busier with walkers in spring, but never enough to detract from its contemplative atmosphere. The house’s three secluded terraces are particularly perfect for alone time, writing or creating’
Experiences
There’s an excellent range of creative writing retreats on offer, from writing weeks with prize-winning novelists and poets to a 10-night writing retreat where you can work at your own pace with help from mentor Mary Jane Holmes when you need it.
Yoga and walking retreats are led by Iyengar yoga teacher Lisa Maclean. Classes are held on the terrace overlooking a stunning river gorge; enjoy a classic Iyengar session as the sun rises over the mountains, and a gentle, restorative yoga class in the late afternoons.
Painting holidays with watercolour artist and tutor Bettina Schroeder source inspiration from Casa Ana’s wonderful scenery, the village and beyond. Suitable for beginners as well as experienced artists, they aim to enhance the pleasure of painting while improving your skills.
Therapeutic massage is with the in-house therapist Carolyn Godfrey, who specialises in Swedish deep tissue massage with tui na acupressure. Massage is given in your room, using local pure, sweet almond oil. There’s also a swimming pool a 20-minute walk from the house that guests can use by arrangement.
Whichever retreat you choose, there are delectable walks - owner Anne shares her hiking notes on her favourites. Follow the Trevelez river valley or mountain trails and immerse your senses in flowers, fig orchards and mulberry trees. Fill your water bottle from a natural spring and enjoy spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada’s snow-capped peaks.
Spaces
Casa Ana is a stylish and comfortable house with south-facing terraces, a Moorish-style, flower-filled courtyard garden and spectacular river gorge views.
You’ll have shared access to a spacious, light sitting room with a wood-burning stove and armchairs. Meals are eaten in an attractive dining room looking over the mountains.
The secluded village of Ferreirola (population 27) has narrow, stone streets with white-washed houses and pots of colourful geraniums – perfect for an amble back in time.
Beyond the village are small meadows terracing the hillsides and an “era” - a magical medieval threshing circle. These are ideal places for quiet meditation or doing nothing at all.
Ten simple and elegant bedrooms are set around the courtyard garden. All have comfortable beds, writing tables, artisan rugs and warm lighting. Underfloor heating keeps them cosy in winter, and fans keep them cool in summer. All bathrooms are modern, with rain showers. Most are en-suite, and some share with one other room.
Sustenance
Yoga retreats are vegetarian. Local fish and meat such as jamon (ham) and chorizo are sometimes served on the creative retreats.
Breakfasts include fresh juice, seasonal fruit such as melon or berries, local honey, cereals, eggs, toast and cheeses, with various teas and coffees.
Simple delicious lunches might feature tortilla or Gazpacho soup with a big green salad.
Dinners are a little more lavish, and might include a smoked paprika feta salad with peppers and date cigarillos and a sweet lemon dressing, followed by chicken or fish tagine with pearl barley, and a Lebanese rose and pistachio flavoured yogurt cake.
There’s a small shared kitchen with a fridge and kettle, so you can make your own drinks throughout the day as you choose.
