Retreat in Alpujarras, Spain
19–25 October 2026 · Órgiva, Alpujarras, Spain
Six days of craft and nature in the mountains south of Granada. We harvest esparto and weave baskets, build with wild clay, forage wild herbs and learn about regenerative syntropic agroforestry — and bathe in the river in between.
The week contains
Come with us for a week of immersion in nature and craft in the most beautiful river valley in our favourite mountains in Alpujarras. We're holding a week-long nature and craft retreat near Òrgiva in Spain (1 hour from Granada) The retreat takes place in an off-grid community in the mountains with a divine view of the river. We will harvest and weave baskets with esparto, learn about syntropic forest gardens, forage wild aromatic herbs and build with wild clay. We swim in the river, warm up in the sauna, walk along the river to the local craft market, and take a trip to Granada where we visit a 500-year-old ceramics workshop and a Moorish hammam.
Craft
Esparto grows wild on the mountain slopes, and the clay lies in the riverbed. We fetch the materials ourselves, and we learn what they can do. Along the way we see how the forest garden has been laid out syntropically — layer upon layer, so the soil is built up instead of used up. We make oil infusions with aromatic herbs, and look into what other materials we can use: minerals, aloe vera fibres and cochineal
Nature
We stay in the most beautiful mountain landscape, with direct access to the river. From here we can walk both with and against the current, explore plants and stones in the riverbed, cross the river and hike up the mountainside. We pick wild herbs such as lavender, thyme and rosemary. Plenty of pomegranates, figs, oranges and olives grow here too. The season decides what we can do.
Pleasure
The river runs below the house, and we swim in it. The clay sauna is fired up in the evening. And on the trip to Granada we go to the most beautiful Moorish hammam: steam, candlelight and mosaics. Mette serves delicious meals daily, inspired by Andalusian cooking. Look forward to olive oil, herbs, prawns, fresh vegetables and natural wine. Other meals we cook together, using what we have found and harvested in the area. We eat on the terrace overlooking the river and mountains.
Day by day
19 October
You can also arrive the day before, on 18 October.
Days filled with pleasure, walks in the mountains, craft and good company. There is sauna every day, and you choose for yourself what you want to join in on.
8,050 DKK for members · Guests 8,750 DKK
The place
The stay takes place in the off-grid community Union de los Rios on the edge of Órgiva. The house is spacious and has water, electricity and a wood stove.
The place also has direct access to the riverbank, a clay sauna, a music studio built from straw bales, a syntropic forest garden and a democratic school. The association here works to restore the local ecosystem — agroforestry, teaching, soil and art.
We spend the week being nourished by the sun, the mountains and the river, and letting ourselves be inspired by the landscape, the culture and the local crafts.
Five double rooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, living room, fireplace — and a bathtub with a view of the river. You are two in each room
Host and teacher
Elena is a co-founder of EARTH WEAVERS and has run workshops in traditional crafts for 6 years. She has roots in Spain and has visited the area and Union de Los Rios since 2020. She loves that place and looks forward to sharing it. She learnt to weave with esparto at a market in Órgiva, and has worked with local materials and crafts for many years.
Our cook
Mette makes delicious food with seasonal produce. For 4 years she has served lunch in Skovhaven at our monthly workshops, and she cooks extraordinary dinners for our sauna retreats.
Sofie helps set the scene and creates beauty everywhere. She makes sure there are flowers in the vases and soul in every corner. Sofie is a designer and co-creator of EARTH WEAVERS products and events.
Aufguss master
Jakob heats up the sauna and creates wild, hot and transforming aufguss sessions. He is a professional aufguss master and does aufguss in Copenhagen and in Skovhaven.
8,050 DKK for members · Guests 8,750 DKK
Price
Stay, all meals and all workshops are included. You arrange your own travel.
8,050 DKK
Member price
Guests 8,750 DKK
Become a member — then the member price applies.
Arrival 18 or 19 October · departure 25 or 26 October
The journey
The house lies outside Órgiva in the Alpujarras, about an hour south of Granada. You arrange your own travel — and you can sort out car sharing with the others in the group thread once you have signed up.
Timetables change — check the times at Alsa before you book your flight.
8,050 DKK for members · Guests 8,750 DKK
