The Green Oracle Writers Retreat
Nestled among citrus orchards where dragonflies dance over a shimmering pond, this retreat is a space to breathe deeply and create freely. Mornings unfold gently with writing beneath the grape vines, the smell of jasmine is already kissing the air. Float through the afternoon in the pond or by the pool. Hang out in your hammock. Yes, there is time to nap. Time to read. Time to take a walk. This is time outside of time. Pluck a poem. Let it split open in the sun. Feast on your sweet life. Gather in the evenings to share meals and words. Watch the sunset slowly. Taste the blessing of this delicious life.
The Green Oracle Writers Retreat
19th - 25th October 2026
“I will hold this retreat in my heart for the rest of my days. Every moment was pure poetry. The attention to detail was beyond words. Material and prompts were exquisitely curated, balance between in and out breath was perfect, and every moment was in and of itself an art form.
Heather is attentive, considerate, creative and deeply inspiring as a host, and I felt more at one with my creative practice than I have in years. The location is paradise. Swims, organic food made with love and gorgeous space all around, there is nowhere better on earth to be with beautiful humans and poems alike. Take me back….
”
The Green Oracle
This writers retreat will evoke a wholehearted YES in your whole body and being. Your mind, body, soul and creativity will flourish in this space. You will pick and pluck poems from the orchard, float in inspiration and in the pond, where you will be enchanted by blue dragonflies—yes, you will catch poems that sparkle in sunlight and listen to frogs sing. This is a retreat that invites you to live the poem, then write it. Every single moment. If you are reading this, you know how I facilitate—with colour, with life, with joy! We will feast on poems and each other. We will read. We will write. We will remember the warmth of poet-friends. There will be picnics. If you fancy a boat trip to the nearby beach, we will take one. I want to know your favourite flavour of ice-cream. I want to see your summer dresses and hear your summer yes-es. Yes, you can pick fruit from the orchard and let it run down your chin. We will fall in love with life again, trust me.
Come with me, friend. For pleasure, for poems, for inner peace.
So put a poem upon your lips. Chew its pulp.
Let its juice spill over your tongue.
Let your reading of it teach you
what sort of creature you are
—Phyllis Cole-Dai
Casa Terra
Altanure, "Être la nature" (Be nature) is to find yourself between land and sea. Casa Terra is private accommodation overlooking an oasis of beauty. Finely decorated using local materials, the common areas of the main house open onto the garden, inviting you to relax (on your own and in our group). The main terrace features an outdoor lounge and a guest table under the shade of a grape vines. Casa Terra is the perfect place to relax, restore and write in an oasis of greenery, bathed in the light of the Algarve. There is a natural pond and a natural pool (no chlorine) so you can be in harmony with nature on a deeper level.
The hosts are meticulous with detail, you will be well looked after, from exquisite food to breathtaking beauty, and that’s before the poems and prompts.
A note on travel: Fly to Faro, Portugal and pop in a pre-booked taxi to the location which is about a 40 minute drive. Taxis and Ubers are affordable and easy to book when you get to the airport. More details will follow on this.
Food Love
Nutrition is an essential part of any retreat. Serving as a conduit to the creative process, it provides vitality and support for both body and soul, enriching the emotional, spiritual and creative journey for every poet. Our chef Salomé has crafted the most colourful, high-quality, vegetarian menu with the aim to provide an experience that activates all your senses, allowing you to indulge in the beauty and harmony of seasonal and regional biologic ingredients. We will let Salomé surprise us every day with different tastes, vibrant colours, enticing aromas, and delightful textures. Each meal becomes an experience. I have eaten with Salomé for two blessed weeks of my life now, and was awed by the experience and sensory inspiration.
Cost
Luxury Private King Room
Single Occupancy | En-suite
£4555 per person
Limited availability
These are the first floor rooms, with more spaciousness and the option for either: sea view or bathtub. Please specify on booking.
For more information, see below.
Luxury Shared Twin Room
Double Occupancy | En-suite
£2999 per person
Tell me if you know who you want to share with.
Rooms are first come, first served.
Non-refundable deposit of £555
The cost is inclusive of accommodation, food provided by our gorgeous chef, as well as your materials for the week. Flights and airport transfers are not included in the price.
Deposits will be collected to secure places on the retreat. Payments can then be made in full or in 10 monthly instalments. Once you have paid your deposit, please e-mail and let me know how you would like to pay.
E-mail: hello@heathermackayyoung.com
Rooms
First Floor
Two super luxurious rooms on the first floor, one with a sea view, the other with a gigantic bathtub. These are the most spacious rooms in our altogether lush accommodation and include a large balcony looking towards the ocean, above the jasmine. Additional cost applies.
Ground Floor
There are five ground floor bedrooms, each with a terrace. These rooms are surrounded by myrtle and vetiver. The ground floor rooms blend into the landscaped setting, offering privacy and comfort. The rooms are bright, simple and refined, and each has a corner terrace under an umbrella of eucalyptus, and yes, there are hammocks and tables to write outside. Each room has its very own magic.
“To slow way down to the pace of my true life. To receive the poems. To swim in a pond and a circular blue pool. To study guava, pomegranate, figs, and carob. To laugh and sometimes cry, among the loveliest humans. To be hosted generously and imaginatively, in ways that lead (and will continue to lead) to more poems, more laughter, and more life. To prioritize friendships, sharing, listening. To reimagine time. To inhabit in a space that so clearly supports the work and experience of poets and our muses (great blue heron, dragonfly, frog, sea wind, rosemary, olive tree, coot). To be fed the rainbow day after day by Salome. To celebrate birthdays, days of awe, thresholds, and eclipses.
...during The Green Oracle Writers Retreat, hosted by Heather Mackay Young, I had the once in a lifetime experience of being on the receiving end of all of these gifts and more. Thank you to the green goddesses for making it among the most magical weeks of my life. Thank you for Heather, for all you created and shared and made possible in Portugal.
”
