Finding a sense of self and beauty with Take the Time in Portugal
Karen Hockney reviews Escape & Unwind, a fitness and nutrition retreat in Comporta, and discovers some challenging moves, barefoot bootcamps and how not to be a ‘cheeeater’
Comporta has been on my bucket list for many years. Around 75 miles south of Lisbon, this wild, undeveloped nature reserve resplendent with olive groves and pine forests is fringed by some of the longest, most dramatically beautiful beaches in mainland Europe.
Beloved by those in the know (Madonna and Christian Louboutin amongst others) and dubbed a cross between old school Bali and Ibiza, this idyllic spot finally beckoned. I joined Take the Time’s four-day Escape & Unwind retreat, a female-only affair designed by seasoned events and travel supremo Victoire Harth to gift you back some time and help you rebalance your mind, body and soul.
“It’s a horseback adventure along the deserted coastline edged by pine-filled dunes which has the most rebalancing effect on me. Puro Sangue takes me on a wild and utterly liberating canter through the ocean shallows which I’ll never forget”
Arriving at Quinta da Comporta’s humble looking whitewashed gatehouse on a quiet street gives no clue to the sumptuous gorgeousness beyond. Situated on an ancient rice farm adjacent to vast swathes of paddy fields, the rebalancing aspect starts as soon as you check in.
My bedroom suite is pared-down luxe at its very best; a delightful whitewashed beamed space dominated by an enormous and hugely comfortable oak four poster bed, accentuated with boho chic raffia objets, wicker lamps and tactile Portuguese textiles.
As well as the ubiquitous hotel fluffy robe, Panama sun hat, reusable water bottle and canvas beach bag, there’s a bag of welcome goodies from Victoire - a T shirt, baseball cap, hair masks, soaps and a pretty bracelet.
Tea and coffee-making facilities are cleverly concealed behind a full length mirror and the zellige-tiled bathroom is stocked with toiletries by Benamor, a Lisbon-based brand using refillable, recycled containers. A private sun terrace with loungers overlooks the dunes and wild grasses beyond, promoting a feeling of complete escapism and laidback relaxation.
We’re put through our paces shortly after arrival by irrepressible Alsace-born trainer Cyril. He encourages our high-powered, fit and animated group of 30 to 50-something lawyers, entrepreneurs, a doula, jeweller and banker hailing from France, Switzerland, Sweden and Thailand through some seriously challenging moves. He’s hardcore but humorous with it, and his high expectations inspire you to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
The following day starts with a bike ride to the beach before a fun, hour-long barefoot bootcamp featuring sandy sprints, squats, boxing, team games and exhausted laughter. Cyril’s philosophy is 90 seconds of static and dynamic exercise, followed by 30 seconds of recovery, which sets the bar high for our timetable of water and land-based classes, in which we give our all so as not to be dubbed ‘cheeeaters’ by Cyril, who is only half joking.
Emphasis is also placed on ‘time to unwind’ and ‘time to escape’ and while some are happy to go with the flow (this is Take The Time, after all), my lifelong FOMO sees me filling these downtime periods with early morning swims in the longest pool I’ve ever seen (it’s 40m), a zen-like hydrating grape seed oil massage at the resort’s stunningly appointed spa and a bracing dawn surf in the powerful Atlantic waves at nearby Praia do Carvalhal beach.
Our surf instructor Daniel knows the currents and swells better than anyone as he grew up riding these powerful waves. I manage to catch a few and gasp at the unexpected sighting of a pod of bottlenose dolphins. After a 90-minute session, I’m whacked but happy. Even better, there’s just four of us in the water – a rarity and yet another feather in Comporta’s cap.
However, it’s a horseback adventure along the deserted coastline edged by pine-filled dunes which has the most rebalancing effect on me. Accompanied by Luis, a former three-day eventer who has competed at Blenheim and Burghley, my beautiful thoroughbred mare Puro Sangue takes me on a wild and utterly liberating canter through the ocean shallows, which is the closest moment to perfection and one I’ll never forget. The glow of an afternoon in complete harmony with my horse remained with me for the rest of the trip.
Early evening vinyasa flow with Dutch-born Susanne, a Comporta convert who exudes elegance and calm, is the perfect foil to Cyril’s classes, effortlessly slowing the vibe as the balmy breezes blow into the yoga shala and the wildlife strikes up a symphony in the paddy fields. These sessions put me in the right frame of mind for winding down and chatting through the day’s highlights with my fellow retreaters over a sunset apero.
Communal dining in the open-plan beamed restaurant Mar D’Arrozal is informal and relaxed. Our retreat menus are based around seasonal estate grown produce including courgettes, cabbages, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, thyme, mint, marjoram, verveine, chives, dill and parsley, and line-caught fish, comprising a light breakfast and/or brunch and a three-course supper. Grilled vegetables with fresh local sheep’s cheese, shrimp and vegetable curry with Azores green tea, couscous and dark chocolate cake made from 75 per cent cocoa with passion fruit are just a few of the evening highlights.
Lunch at Sal’s, a Comporta legend on the beach at Carvalhal, is a sublime feast; calamari served with home-made aioli, ceviche, fish carpaccio and glorious grilled sea bass served with steamed veggies and Portuguese lemon rice. Definitely not to be missed.
I liked the whole vibe, but chiefly, the space, charm, time out and sense of calm that enveloped me from the start. Our WhatsApp group kept us abreast of schedule changes but I could have done without the hotel’s piped disco pool playlist. A day or two in, I was also profiting from a little ‘do nothing’ time, reading and dozing quietly by the pool.
A scoot around Comporta village reminded me of a cross between Bali’s Canggu and Ibiza’s Santa Gertrudis…a clutch of artisan boutiques dotted along wide streets sell local crafts, ceramics, beachwear, perfume (the salty, orange and cedar tones of Alma da Comporta is heavenly), jewellery and hand-made hammocks. Interspersed with cute cafes and pastelarias, it hits the sweet spot between stylishly authentic yet still somewhat undone.
I leave feeling elated at the joy of discovering not only a fabulous new destination but a renewed and energised sense of balance and self.
