This has been my vision since the lockdown when I was sitting in my apartment in Dubai contemplating a move back to Europe and working on my vision board.
Creating a space for like-minded people and community to meet, share their experiences through classes, workshops, movie nights, evening cacao ceremonies and meditations. This vision is finally coming through.
I am launching a studio space which is set in the Prado Villas resort in Vilamoura, a few minutes away from the Hilton Hotel. The resort is set in a quiet area surrounded by golf courses with easy access to parking. It hosts guests throughout the year in double bedroom villas, has a vegetable garden, pool for adults and kids and a cute little garden bar and café. HAVEN studio will be right next to the café with beautiful garden views, decorated in boho style setting, so when you step in, you will immediately feel at one with nature.
We will be hosting a variety of classes starting with yoga, meditation, Pilates, salsa, and cacao ceremonies, and will have group and private classes on offer as well as memberships. I am currently working on decorating the studio myself and aiming to have the soft launch opening around the second week of June.
To be part of our community, simply reach out to me through my website www.thehaven.pt or drop me a message on my social media @thehaven_algarve and I will gladly welcome you to the studio and the community.
I am currently teaching group yoga classes in Vilamoura three times a week – Mondays 6.30pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 9.30am. Whether you are a complete beginner and have zero flexibility or yoga is your passion and you wish to deepen your practice, you will find the right class for you with us.
HAVEN studio will accommodate classes to different levels of fitness, age and practice. We normally host one workshop per month, which usually happens on Saturday from 10am to 1pm where the members of HAVEN community have an opportunity to learn new skills and interact with specialists in their field.
Our last workshop was on ‘Healthy Nutrition’ with Barbara Donnelly who is a certified nutritionist with the American Fitness Professionals & Associates and is currently studying for her degree in BSc Honors Health Sciences. She also writes health-related articles for Thrive Magazine UK.
Barbara shared her story on how a plant-based diet changed her and her husband’s life. She explained what it means to be whole food and plant-based, and she gave us tips on how to shop for a whole food lifestyle. She demonstrated how to prepare a whole food Mexican salad with mango dressing, which was absolutely divine. As a treat, she baked her famous beetroot brownie with avocado chocolate frosting and we just couldn’t get enough of it.
For a little sneak peak and inspiration, let me share my mood board with you and I am hoping to see you in one of our classes at HAVEN Community in Vilamoura.
By ELENA MENCI
