The Circle & the Journey of the Soul
May 5 - 13, 2025
“Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.”
C.G. Jung
Sacred Space
Step into a sacred space where ritual, creativity and experiential practices guide you to explore the deeper rhythms of your life’s pilgrimage.
We warmly invite you on the Camino de Santiago for a transformative retreat.
Sacred pause, beauty & wonder
In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, this retreat offers a sacred pause—a chance to slow down, immerse yourself in meaningful rhythms, timeless beauty and the warmth of shared community. It is a space for meaningful reflection, creativity, transformation and belonging.
This is also your opportunity to be on the Camino. You can extend your retreat with an optional 7 day pilgrimage to the breathtaking Valley of Silence - a meaningful, sacred site along this old pilgrims’ road.
“Beyond words and knowing, there is a spark- the unspoken becomes radiant”.
Meister Eckhart
Camino and Creative Spirit
Where land & spirit intertwine, this retreat invites you to step into the ancient grounds of the Camino and uncover its profound treasures. Deepen your connection to yourself, the earth, and the creative spirit that weaves a sacred cosmos. Through experiential visits to sacred sites, contemplative practices, and creative expression, you will engage with the liturgy of the land and the journey of the soul.
What awaits you
Explore symbols of pilgrimage, like the circular journey and the fourfold path of transformation in Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s journey.
Participate into the living patterns of the cosmos in relationship to your own journey of transformation.
Connect with place, the land and sacred sites with ancient stories carved in stone.
Experience how the ancients witnessed the meeting of heaven and earth as a sacred dance — that weaves through the fabric of time and unfolds through our own experience.
“Everything in nature, constantly invites us to be what we are.”
Gretle Elrish
Reflect on ancient symbols and sacred geometric designs and engage in creative contemplation through drawing sessions.
Co create with the earth through collecting, preparing and painting our sacred designs with foraged earthen pigments.
“"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt."
John Muir
Enjoy a soulful environment where Beauty matters.
Be held by an ancient and meaningful daily rhythm.
Join guided community sharing in freedom and safety.
Special Visits
Discover intricate petroglyph designs etched into stone,
a dolmen with its astronomical alignments at Beltane midseason,
and harmonious proportions in Visigothic sanctuaries where monks once chanted.
The Village
You will be staying in one of the most beautiful villages in all of Spain as voted by National Geographic. A heritage site, the village dates back from Celtic times to the 16th century. Enjoy stunning views at every turn. The village is in complete harmony with its surroundings. The warm coloured stones will embrace you. They glow at sunset and the old arched wooden doors dazzle red, blue and green.
A unique experience
Embraced within a peaceful environment on the Camino, you will be held and guided in expert care. As well as soul-nourishing sessions, enjoy delicious meals homemade with fresh ingredients.
The Retreat Centre
Your home will be Flores del Camino - a charming traditional Maragato house with heart and soul that has been lovingly renovated to host you. Enjoy gorgeous creative workspaces nested around a courtyard. You will be staying in one of our charming ensuite rooms at Flores, or at the nearby hotel we work in partnership with. Enjoy stunning views overlooking the village, church and rural landscape.
Is this retreat for me?
No prior skills or artistic abilities are required, only a curious and open mind.
If the following describes you, then you are a perfect fit for this retreat:
I appreciate moments of silence & times of reflection.
I give space to others and can listen.
I value community experiences as well as my own individual journey.
Optional - part 2
7 day Camino to the Valley of Silence
13- 20 May, 2024
The Camino
Continue the retreat with a soulfully curated week long pilgrimage. It is open only to the retreat participants to ensure an intimate experience.
Leaving from the doorstep of the retreat center, you’ll step onto one of the most beautiful stretches of the Camino, rich with history, symbolism and legend. The walking is gentle and unhurried, allowing you to move at your own pace, as well as thoughtfully guided within a meaningful story and structure.
Our shorter Camino offers a deeply enriching experience of this ancient pilgrims’ road. Complete in its own right, it is carefully designed into meaningful stages, culminating in the serene Valley of Silence—our sacred and alternative destination along the Camino path.
The Valley of Silence nestles within a mountain range named after the Tebaida region in Egypt that once inspired the first desert fathers and mothers to lives of contemplation and solitude. A place of awe and wonder, inviting stillness and silence - at the heart of the Valley we will encounter a hermit’s cave and the exquisite pre-Romanesque church of Peñalba de Santiago. These sacred sites are a remnant of the many vibrant monastic communities that flourished there from as early as the 4th century in the presence of these sacred mountains.
Steeped in this rich heritage and rooted in the spirit of the land, this Camino invites you to step into a timeless landscape—one of beauty, nature, reflection, solitude and community—a path where countless pilgrims have walked before, experiencing personal transformation and the spiritual journey.
Preliminary Schedule
Arrival Day - Mon, May 5
Arrival between 4 - 5pm
6:30 pm ~ Dinner and welcome
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Day 1 - Tue, May 6
Entering Liminal Space
Morning
Introduction to the schedule and themes. Guided entry into liminal space, a time of slowing down and leaving everyday life behind.
Afternoon
Exploring patterns of pilgrimage and the Journey of the Soul.
Evening
We will close our day with the poem “Dusk as beginning”.
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Day 2 - Wed, May 7
Sacred Cosmos
Dawn
Optional dawn meditation
Morning
Exploring a meaningful cosmos, symbols of transformation and the sacred art of pilgrimage.
Drawing session.
Afternoon
Sharing Circle followed by another creative session.
Evening
Dusk poem and end of day ritual.
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Day 3 - Thu, May 8
Heaven & Earth Meet
Dawn
Dolmen at Beltaine.
Morning
Collecting pigments, walking the labyrinth and sharing circle.
Afternoon
Creative session.
Evening
Dusk poem and end of day ritual.
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Day 4 - Fri, May 9
Co - creation
Dawn
Optional dawn meditation.
Morning
Preparing and painting with pigments.
Creative contemplation and the journey of the soul.
Afternoon
Playful and contemplative painting - diving deeper in to sacred designs.
Evening
Dusk poem and end of day ritual.
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Day 5 - Sat, May 10
Living Patterns
Dawn
Optional dawn meditation.
Morning
Experiential visit to San Miguel de Escalada.
Afternoon
Sharing Circle and creative session continued.
Evening
Dusk poem and end of day ritual.
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Day 6 - Sun, May 11
Journey of the Soul
Dawn
Petroglyph visit.
Morning
Sharing Circle
Afternoon
Creative session
Evening
Dusk poem and end of day ritual.
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Day 7 - Mon, May 12
Journey of the Soul
Dawn
Optional meditation
Morning
Creative session.
Afternoon
Closing circle.
Evening
Dusk poem and end of day ritual.
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Day 8 - Tue, May 13
Departure
Departure after breakfast.
Optional Part 2 ~ Camino
Includes overnight stays in guesthouses along the way.
Day 8 ~ Tue, May 13
Flores del Camino ~ Rabanal - Pilgrimage Day 1
(14km - average walking time 3h)
From the very start, as you leave Flores and pass through the lovely villages of Santa Catalina and El Ganso, you’ll be accompanied by Camino symbols, the labyrinth and the goose. You will cross a threshold, from a flat landscape to a gentle climb. Your destination for the day is the charming village of Rabanal, with more than a thousand years of history linked to the Visigoths and Templars.
In the evening, you will experience the pilgrims’ blessings & vespers, still chanted by the monks in the atmospheric 12th century Romanesque church.
Each of our evenings and mornings will be grounded in gentle community refection time.
Day 9 ~ Wed, May 14
Rabanal ~ Foncebadon - Pilgrimage Day 2
(6km - average walking time 1h30)
Morning spacious reflection time in Rabanal at the Stone Boat.
Afternoon short walk to Foncebadon
Day 10 ~ Thu, May 15
Foncebadon ~ El Acebo - Pilgrimage Day 3
(11km - average walking time 2h45)
At this meaningful point on your journey, you will reach the highest point on the Camino: Cruz del Ferro, a gentle place of letting go for pilgrims. Here, you are invited to participate in the tradition of symbolically leaving a stone from home.
As you pass the mountains of León, you will discover breath-taking views over the Bierzo region. Your destination of the day is the charming mountain hamlet of El Acebo with its distinctive architectural style.
The day will end at dusk as you watch the sunset over the the extensive Bierzo plain from a purposeful viewing point in the village.
Day 11 ~ Fri, May 16
El Acebo ~ Molinaseca - Pilgrimage Day 4
(8km - average walking time 2h)
You will descend the mountain to reach the charming village of Molinaseca situated by a tranquil river. After having lunch there, we will make our way by car to the nearby Peñalba de Santiago. Nested within the breathtaking Valley of Silence, Peñalba is our highly symbolic pilgrimage destination. It is known for its exquisite 10th century Mozarabic church with solstitial alignments.
Day 12 ~ Sat, May 17
Peñalba de Santiago - The Valley of Silence - Pilgrimage Day 5
The valley gained its name because a hermit lived there in silent contemplation. At sunrise you will make the circular journey around the Valley to and from the hermit’s cave. For the rest of the day we will end our time in purposeful retreat.
Day 13 ~ Sun, May 18
Walking back to Flores from Rabanal - Pilgrimage Day 6
Early morning Taxi to Rabanal
Walk back to Flores from Rabanal (14km)
Dinner & Night at Flores evening gathering by the font
Day 14 ~ Mon, May 19
Final Day at Flores - Pilgrimage Day 7
Preparation for your return home.
Day 15 ~ Tue, May 20
Departure after breakfast
This schedule may be subject to changes.
What you can take home
Inspiration, rest, renewal, and seeds of insight ready to unfold over time.
On-going Practices: an invitation to pause, reflect, and bring beauty, intention, and a deepening awareness of the sacred into everyday living.
Creative Skills: hands-on experience in sacred geometry, natural pigment preparation, and artistic expression to continue exploring at home.
Connection and Belonging: Practices for connecting with the earth, place, and community, with insights unfolding from ancient wisdom, sharing circles and personal discovery.
What’s included
Accommodation
During your stay at Flores del Camino, all accommodation consists of ensuite individual bedrooms.
Food
During your stay at Flores del Camino, enjoy nourishing and healthy meals prepared onsite and served with love in either the dining area or in the courtyard under the pergola. Wine is offered at dinner.
On the Camino, dinners will be provided and most breakfasts are included.
Dietary requirements
When on-site at Flores, we cater for the following dietary requirements: vegetarian, gluten-free, carb-free, dairy-free.
Please get in touch with us if you have concerns.
We cannot guarantee all dietary requirements during the pilgrimage / outside restaurants. Please get in touch with us if you have concerns.
Sessions
All equipment & material provided.
Outings
Site entries & transport fares for cultural activities.
Private transport between Madrid & the retreat centre
If you prefer to arrive independently to the retreat centre, see how to get here.
What’s not included
Flights
Insurances (travel, health, etc.)
3 lunches on the Camino, as well as some breakfasts if you wish to leave early from the hotel. (Budget 10 - 20 € per day for sandwich light lunch and coffees etc)
Your facilitators
Basia Goodwin (MA) co founder of flores del Camino is an artist, educator, retreat fascilitator and pilgrimage guide. She is passionate about pilgrimage as a transformational journey & its parallels with the creative & contemplative aspects in sacred art. An alumni of the Kings School of Traditional Arts, she specialised in the use of geometry in traditional arts, craft & philosophy, as well as making pigments from the earth and minerals. She is currently co authoring a book with Bertrand on the sacred art of the Camino de Santiago.
Bertrand Gamrowski (PhD) co-founder of Flores del Camino, Bertrand crafts spaces for creative and contemplative journeys. A dedicated educator and retreat facilitator, he shares geometry as a hands-on contemplative practice. Specialising in Christian art and architecture, he has conducted original research in this field. Bertrand finds joy in inspiring others through his knowledge and passion for the spririt, rich history and architectural treasures of the Camino.
Please familiarise yourself with this Summary of our Terms & Conditions.
You may also find these Frequently Asked Questions useful.