Well-being Break- Thursday 3rd- Tuesday 8th October 2019
Quinta Sao Bento/Matalva, Sintra, Portugal
Invitation
You are cordially invited to spend 5 nights in a beautiful and historic Quinta in Sintra, Portugal (www.saobentosintra.com and www.matalva.com ), experiencing a Well-being break with Xintara Ltd. Xintara experiences are aimed at people who are interested in a relaxed and friendly introduction to well-being activities as well as benefiting from an environment of cultural interest and comfort.
The relaxation and de-stress activities will cover 4 days from Friday the 4th to Monday 7th October 2019 with arrivals and departures expected either side of these dates.
Xintara Well-being Break will involve:
- Accommodation in a private historic Portuguese Quinta, with extensive private gardens, two swimming pools and a chapel.
- A relaxed and beautiful setting in the UNESCO World Heritage protected Serra of Sintra, surrounded by forested hills and adjacent to the botanical gardens of Monserrate Palace.
- Morning and evening accessible sessions of stretching and toning exercises using Yoga techniques.
- An introduction to mindfulness practices.
- Delicious and nutritional cuisine based on the produce of the Quinta and the local Sintra suppliers as well as a vegetarian cooking workshop.
- Guided hikes of the natural trails of the Sintra mountain range.
- A communal social experience with like-minded people
- A regular shuttle service from and to the airport as well as a daily service into historic Sintra.
- Advice on local cultural and historic sites and access to our local guide Sofia who will be on hand to arrange things.
- Access to a range of private massage sessions (available at an additional cost) including Shiatsu, deep tissue massage and light relaxing massage.
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Contact
If you are interested in participating in this experience, please contact: Jonathan Bryers – [email protected]
About us
Where does the name Xintara come from? – Xintara comes from the old Moorish name for Sintra. The Moors arrived in Portugal from the dry deserts of North Africa in the 9th Century and identified the cool forested mountain range and clear springs of Sintra as an earthly paradise in which to build their palaces and castles. The moors brought with them an advanced civilisation, fruit such as oranges and pears, and sophisticated cultivation techniques.
Why Sintra? Magical historic mountain range – Sintra has a long tradition and history of poets, writers and hermits seeking its refuge to find inspiration, beauty and calm. The Portuguese royal family selected Sintra as its summer retreat to escape the summer heat of Lisbon. Byron described Sintra as ‘a garden of Eden’. Sintra is now a UNESCO World Heritage protected National Park, only 30km up the coast from Lisbon.
Why Quinta Sao Bento? – Ideal retreat location – Quinta Sao Bento is a 16th Century historic property built by Gaspar de Cisneros, a noble Knight of the House of the Duke of Braganza. The property was subsequently gifted to the Monastery of the Trinity and used for hundreds of years as a small monastic retreat for ailing monks to convalesce and benefit from its regenerative properties. In 1981, the property was acquired and renovated by Peter and Monique Bryers. The combined properties have 10 bedrooms, two swimming pools, a chapel and extensive private gardens.
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Team
Jonathan Bryers – Xintara was founded by Jonathan, whose family has owned Quinta Sao Bento for nearly 40 years. Jonathan has looked to combine his love of Sintra and Sao Bento with his interest in well-being to create an updated accessible modern retreat experience based on authenticity, comfort and personalised service. A regular practitioner of reformer pilates, Jonathan was the founder of a Clean Technology Investment company, 350IP, and now spends his time between Xintara, environmental consultancy projects, photography, his family and walking Figo, his Portuguese water dog.
Shayna Dameron – Shayna is a Yoga instructor, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Massage therapist, and Teacher Shayna is of Swedish origin and is mother of two girls. She has been living in Portugal for the last 9 years and works as a yoga teacher, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Massage therapist. As a Health Coach she supports and empowers people to find their own individual healthy balance and offers, programs, workshops and retreats in the subjects of Clean Eating, Nourishment beyond food, Detoxification and Healthy Cooking. Shayna studied Ayurvedic Massage in Pune, India, under master Kosum Modak. Before becoming a massage therapist and Health coach, Shayna worked as an aerobic teacher and water gymnastic instructor in Stockholm Sweden. She also has a university degree in Political Science. Since 2014, she is a graduate student of IIN- Integrative Institute of Nutrition and the founder of Indira Nutrition.
Sofia Quintana – Sofia runs Sintra by Sofia (www.sintrabysofia.com ) and specialises in sharing the ‘ins and outs’ of Sintra with people from all over the world. Sofia and her team lead small groups on a range of off-the-beaten-track activities including hiking on Sintra mountain trails, and finding the Secret Spots of Sintra.
Katie Pattinson – Katie is an actress, voice over artist and busy mum and helps provide logistical and customer management services for Xintara. Katie is a regular Pilates practitioner, whilst also providing individual coaching on presentation techniques and public speaking.
Sabine Chalopin – Sabine is an advisor to Xintara, and is a certified Yoga Teacher trainer who trained in Singapore, specialising in Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga. She has studied with highly sought after Ashtanga teachers including David Swenson, Richard Freeman, Mary Taylor and Tim Feldmann.
Testimonials
“You can’t help but relax at the Quinta! Beautiful historical property nestling in a stunning garden with views over the hills, right to the Ocean. Delicious food cooked with local fresh produce. The holiday is designed so you can relax and look after yourself with yoga and meditation classes and also plenty of free time to enjoy the pool and read your book in peace! You can also discover all the beauty of the Sintra area and its extraordinary heritage”.
Mathilde, France
“A beautiful 16th Century, family owned Quinta, set in magnificent gardens and located in the hills of Sintra, within easy travelling distance of Lisbon, makes for a unique and special experience. This is a perfect venue for well-being retreats, cultural visits and sporting activities. The property is maintained and catered by loyal staff who have worked for the
family for years making for a relaxed and comfortable stay, with the personal touch you simply wouldn’t find in a hotel.”
Georgie, United Kingdom
“What an incredible place! The peace and tranquillity of Sao Bento makes one instantly relax. A beautiful family home set in stunning gardens and offering majestic views. A truly luxurious experience that leaves you revived and rebalanced.”
Tom, United Kingdom
“ I cannot speak highly enough of the beautiful tranquil gardens and home. This together with the exceptional staff and wellbeing experiences, made this an unforgettable few days. I would recommend this to anyone in need of total relaxation.”
Kirsten, United Kingdom
“Xintara is a home-from-home sanctuary. As it is occupied by the family for part of the year, every little detail has been thought of, from reliable wifi and comfortable beds to the stunning tiered gardens and delicious food. I came away feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and would return in a heartbeat.”
Donna, United States
“Unique location, hospitality, food, activities, well-being to revive and revitalise”.
John, United Kingdom
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Cost
The cost for the 5 nights with accommodation, 2 well-being activities per day, daily meals plus cooking course/ transport and daily shuttle is:
£995 per person if staying in Quinta Sao Bento (on the basis of two people sharing a room) or
£795 per person if staying at the adjacent Quinta Matalva (on the basis of two people sharing a room)
A single person supplement of £250 will be charged.
Additional activities such as massages and customised guided cultural tours will be in addition.
Contact Jonathan on [email protected] or on 07894 095733 for more information and to check availability.