Casa Fuzetta is an exceptional private home available for exclusive hire in the heart of Olhão, a historic fishing town in the eastern Algarve, Portugal. The house was lovingly restored by its owner, Tara, over several years and opened as a retreat venue in 2017.

It is available throughout the year for yoga retreats, pilates retreats, meditation retreats, wellness retreats, creative immersions, writing retreats, foodie retreats, corporate retreats, leadership offsites, multi-generational family holidays, special celebrations and photo shoots. The house sleeps up to 22 guests across 12 beautifully appointed rooms, each with a private ensuite bathroom.

Casa Fuzetta has been named among the best yoga retreat venues in the world by both Condé Nast Traveller (2024) and Travel & Leisure US (2020, 2021, 2023), and has been featured in Monocle, Forbes, The Times, House & Garden, FT How To Spend It, Lonely Planet, Yoga Journal and many more international publications.

Casa Fuzetta is located at Travessa Heliodoro Salgado 7, in the heart of the old town of Olhão, eastern Algarve, Portugal. The postcode is 8700-558.

Olhão is a vibrant, authentic fishing town on Portugal's southern coast — often described as one of the most characterful and least touristy towns in the Algarve. It sits on the edge of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, with a network of pristine barrier islands and beaches accessible by boat just minutes from the town's waterfront.

The house is a 15 to 20 minute drive from Faro International Airport, which is served by multiple daily direct flights from London Gatwick, Heathrow, Bristol, Manchester and many other European cities — typically under three hours from the UK.

From North America: Faro is easier to reach than many guests expect. United Airlines now operates direct flights from Newark, and Air Transat offers direct flights from Toronto. For other North American cities, good options include flying into Lisbon (approximately 3 hours from Casa Fuzetta by road or train) or Seville in Spain (approximately 2 hours by road) — both well served by transatlantic connections — and continuing to Olhão from there.

Casa Fuzetta sleeps up to 22 guests across 12 rooms, all with private ensuite bathrooms. The breakdown is as follows:

• Seven rooms can be configured as either a double or a twin
• One room is always set up as a twin
• Three rooms are recommended as luxury singles
• One further room (with its own bathroom) is ideal for a house manager, team assistant or retreat support person

In practice, most retreat groups are between 12 and 20 guests (including the retreat team). Our pricing for the cooler months reflects both the lower season and our recommendation that smaller, more intimate groups tend to suit that time of year particularly well.

If you need additional accommodation — for example, if some guests prefer single occupancy — there are a number of options in the immediate neighbourhood that have worked well for past groups, at different price points. Please ask Tara and she will be happy to share recommendations.

The house is available on an exclusive hire basis only — when you book Casa Fuzetta, the entire property is yours. There are no other guests, no shared spaces with strangers, and complete privacy throughout your stay.

We welcome families with children aged 8 and over.

Casa Fuzetta has a generous range of indoor and outdoor spaces, making it ideal for both retreat programming and relaxed group living:

• Large, beautifully furnished living room and library
• Stunning entrance hall with original barrel-vaulted ceilings
• Fully equipped kitchen with large terrace — a favourite gathering space
• Dedicated yoga deck (open air, with shade)
• Meditation room
• Rooftop pool terrace with panoramic views over the old town of Olhão and out to the Ria Formosa
• Multiple terraces at different levels for breakout sessions, meals and relaxation
• Courtyard
• Games room

The combination of indoor and outdoor spaces means the house works beautifully year-round — bright and breezy in summer, warm and intimate in winter. And on the rare occasions of prolonged bad weather, we can facilitate access to a larger indoor space for yoga and movement at a local arts centre just a short walk from the house.

Yes — extensively. Since opening in 2017, Casa Fuzetta has been featured in more than 35 international publications including Condé Nast Traveller, Travel & Leisure (US), Monocle, Forbes, The Times, The Telegraph, House & Garden, FT How To Spend It, Vogue UK, Lonely Planet, Yoga Journal, Elle Germany, CN Traveler España and many more.

Casa Fuzetta was named among the best yoga retreats in the world by Condé Nast Traveller in both February and December 2024 (online and print), and by Travel & Leisure US in 2020, 2021 and 2023. It also features in the book Fifty Places to Practice Yoga Before You Die (Abrams Books, 2021).

You can see the full press history on our Press & Awards page.

By air — UK & Europe: Faro International Airport is the nearest airport, just 15 to 20 minutes by car from Casa Fuzetta. Faro is served by multiple direct daily flights from London Gatwick, Heathrow, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and many European hubs — typically under three hours from the UK and around two hours from most of western Europe.

We recommend flying out midweek — ideally arriving Wednesday or Thursday. This means your group can enjoy the celebrated Saturday morning market, you'll benefit from cheaper midweek fares, and you'll sidestep the weekend flights that tend to attract stag and hen parties. One of the great pleasures of Casa Fuzetta is how easy it is to get here.

By air — North America: Getting to us from North America is easier than many people expect:

• United Airlines now operates direct flights between Newark and Faro — see united.com
• Air Transat continues to offer direct flights from Toronto to Faro
• Alternative options include flying to Dublin or London Gatwick and connecting to Faro, or flying to Lisbon and transferring by road or train (approximately 3 hours)

Transfers: We are happy to recommend reliable local transfer companies who can collect your group from the airport and bring them directly to the house. Please ask us for recommendations when you book.

From Lisbon: Allow a minimum of 3 to 3.5 hours. There are four options:

• Coach (recommended) — the Rede Expressos public coach departs from Lisbon Sete Rios (central Lisbon) and drops off just around the corner from Casa Fuzetta in Olhão. Currently priced at approximately €10–20 per person, it runs several times a day and takes the same time as any other option. Friends and guests rate it highly. See rede-expressos.pt for timetables.
• Train — trains run to Faro, from where a taxi to Olhão takes approximately 20 minutes
• Plane — domestic flights to Faro, again with a taxi for the final leg to Olhão (approximately 20 minutes)
• Private transfer — door to door, approximately 3 to 3.5 hours

From Seville: Casa Fuzetta is approximately 2 hours by road from Seville, making it a convenient gateway for guests connecting through Spain.

By car: If driving, Casa Fuzetta is easily reached via the A22 motorway. Please note that the old town of Olhão has very limited parking — we recommend arranging a drop-off and using the nearby public car parks.

By train: Olhão has a railway station with regular services to and from Faro (approximately 10 minutes) and connections along the Algarve line.

Olhão is one of the Algarve's most authentic and characterful towns — a working fishing community with a distinctive North African-influenced architecture of flat-roofed, whitewashed cubic buildings and narrow cobbled streets. It has been described by Monocle, The Guardian, National Geographic Traveller and The Times as one of Portugal's most compelling destinations.

Within a five-minute walk of Casa Fuzetta you will find family-run local restaurants, the spectacular covered waterfront market (particularly lively on Saturday mornings), and the boat dock for the Ria Formosa islands. The pristine barrier islands of Armona, Culatra and Farol — with some of the most unspoilt beaches in Europe — are accessible by ferry in under 15 minutes.

The Algarve enjoys approximately 300 days of sunshine per year, making Casa Fuzetta a genuinely year-round destination.

Prices for exclusive hire of Casa Fuzetta range from €12,500 for five nights (December low season) to €24,600 for five nights (July peak season). Pricing varies by time of year.

The hire fee covers exclusive use of the entire house, all terraces, the rooftop pool, yoga deck, meditation room and all common areas. It includes daily maid service, fresh linen once a week, fresh towels twice a week, a meet-and-greet from a member of the house team on arrival, and houseteam support for your retreat chef — two Casa Fuzetta houseteam members to help set up tables, assist with service and washing up, for a maximum of six hours per day per team member, split between brunch and dinner service.

Please note: the rental fee does not include food, drinks or catering services. These are arranged separately through your retreat chef or our trusted local caterers and settled directly.

The rental fee also does not include the local tourism tax, which is charged per person per night (to a maximum of five nights). Current rates are €1 per person per night between 1 November and 31 March, rising to €2 per person per night for the remainder of the year — a maximum of €10 per person. Please note these rates may increase for 2026/27.

Other extras such as yoga teachers, massage therapists, florists, island boat trips and other experiences can be arranged through our trusted local network and are settled separately.

For full pricing details please visit our Prices page. For a bespoke quote for longer stays or multiple retreats, please contact Tara directly.

The minimum booking at Casa Fuzetta is five nights. Over Christmas and New Year the minimum stay extends to seven nights.

Most retreat groups and corporate teams find that five to seven nights is the optimum duration for genuinely transformative work — long enough to settle in, go deep, and leave with something lasting. Many groups return year after year and extend to eight or ten nights.

We recommend arriving on a Wednesday or Thursday so that your group can enjoy the Olhão waterfront market on Saturday morning — one of the highlights of any stay.

To secure your dates, we ask for a 50% non-refundable deposit. If the booking is made 12 months or more before the intended arrival date, the initial deposit reduces to 25%, with a further 25% due no later than nine months before arrival.

The balance of the rental fee is due eight weeks before arrival.

We also reserve the right to require a security deposit equal to 20% of the rental fee, payable one week before arrival.

Please note: all bookings are made on a non-cancellation basis and payments are non-refundable. We strongly recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance.

Extras (chefs, treatments, activities etc.) are settled locally before departure, in most cases directly with suppliers. Few local suppliers have card facilities, so cash is preferred.

The best way to enquire is to email Tara directly at casafuzetta@gmail.com with your preferred dates, the size of your group, and a brief description of what you have in mind. Tara responds personally to all enquiries and is happy to talk through options, answer questions and make introductions to previous hosts if that would be helpful.

Check-in is typically between 16:00 and 18:00. Check-out is by 11:00. We will do our best to accommodate other requests where possible.

Casa Fuzetta hosts a wide range of retreat formats, including:

• Yoga retreats (all styles and levels)
• Pilates retreats
• Meditation and mindfulness retreats
• Wellness and wellbeing retreats
• Creative immersions and art retreats
• Writing retreats
• Foodie and culinary retreats
• Spiritual retreats
• Coaching and transformation programmes
• Corporate retreats and leadership offsites
• Cultural and adventure retreats
• Combination retreats (e.g. yoga and food, movement and creativity)

In 2026 and 2027, Casa Fuzetta will welcome more than 50 different retreats. You can browse the current schedule on our 2026 Retreats and 2027 Retreats pages.

Owner Tara has supported more than 225 retreats since Casa Fuzetta opened in 2017 and has deep experience of what retreat leaders need. Her support includes:

• Personal guidance on planning and logistics before you arrive
• Introductions to previous retreat leaders who are happy to share their experience
• Recommendations for trusted local chefs and caterers
• Referrals to local yoga teachers, massage therapists, sound healers and other practitioners
• Local knowledge on island trips, market visits, winery lunches and cultural activities
• A dedicated local house team on the ground throughout your stay

Tara is also happy to share a link to our Dropbox of high resolution hero shots of the house and grounds to help with your retreat promotion. And once your retreat is confirmed, we will actively support your marketing — sharing details of your retreat with our engaged community of followers via our social media feeds and newsletter. Many retreat leaders find that this support meaningfully helps with filling their retreats.

We also have dedicated (password-protected) resources for retreat leaders — please ask Tara for access when you enquire.

Yes — Casa Fuzetta is an increasingly popular choice for corporate retreats, leadership offsites and executive immersions. The house offers complete privacy (no shared spaces with other guests), a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces suitable for both plenary sessions and breakout groups, reliable WiFi, and a house team experienced in supporting programme logistics.

The combination of the extraordinary setting, Tara's extensive local network and the intimacy of a private home creates conditions where professional walls come down, genuine connection happens and lasting change begins. Groups of up to 22 can be accommodated.

For more information please visit our Corporate Retreats page or email casafuzetta@gmail.com.

Yes. Casa Fuzetta has a dedicated outdoor yoga deck — shaded and open-air — suitable for group yoga, pilates, movement and breathwork sessions. The deck is usable in most months of the year thanks to the Algarve's exceptional climate.

There is also a dedicated meditation room indoors — a calm, intimate space suited to stillness practices, sound journeys, guided meditation and smaller group work.

In addition, the large living room, the kitchen terrace, the rooftop pool terrace and the courtyard all offer inspiring settings for different aspects of retreat programming.

And on the rare occasions of prolonged bad weather, we can arrange access to a larger indoor space at a local arts centre just a short walk from the house — so your yoga and movement sessions are never compromised.

Yes, Casa Fuzetta has WiFi throughout the house. For retreat leaders and corporate planners who need reliable connectivity for programme delivery, please mention this when enquiring so we can confirm current speeds and coverage ahead of your stay.

The Algarve enjoys approximately 300 days of sunshine per year — one of the highest in Europe — making Casa Fuzetta a genuine year-round destination. Summers (June to September) are warm and dry, with temperatures typically between 25°C and 35°C. Spring and autumn are mild, bright and ideal for outdoor activities.

Winter months are generally glorious in their own way. Evenings can be chilly — though the house has underfloor heating throughout, so inside is always warm and comfortable. Days are typically bright and sunny, and a wonderful antidote to the cold, dark, grey winters of northern Europe. In January 2023, for example, guests from the US were paddle boarding in their bikinis and dinners were being enjoyed outside from mid-March. We can make no guarantees that every winter will be so warm, but blue skies above Olhão while the rest of Europe shivers is a very regular occurrence.

And there is no risk of Olhão feeling empty or closed up out of season — as a working fishing town with a vibrant, year-round community, there is always life here: the market, the restaurants, the waterfront, the boats. It is one of the reasons we love it.

The eastern Algarve, where Olhão is located, tends to be slightly less developed and more authentic than the western Algarve — a characteristic that is very much part of its appeal.

Yes. Casa Fuzetta has a large, fully equipped kitchen and works with a trusted network of local chefs and caterers who can provide anything from daily brunch and dinner service to single special occasion meals. The house team can support up to two full catering services per day (for example brunch and dinner).

Tara is happy to make introductions to her preferred chefs — many of whom have become firm favourites with returning retreat groups. Local produce, fresh fish from the market and Algarve wines all feature prominently.

On arrival, the house is stocked with initial provisions including coffee, tea, fresh bread, local cheese, fruit, vegetables, eggs, olive oil and basics. A full fridge shop can be arranged in advance on request.

Olhão and the eastern Algarve offer a remarkable range of experiences within easy reach of Casa Fuzetta:

• Boat trips to the pristine Ria Formosa islands (Armona, Culatra, Farol) — 10 to 15 minutes by ferry
• Olhão's celebrated Saturday waterfront market — a five-minute walk
• Private winery visits and lunches (Morgado do Quintão is a favourite)
• Sound healing and ceremonial experiences
• Massage and bodywork treatments (available in-house)
• Cycling and walking routes through the Ria Formosa Natural Park
• Cooking classes and market tours
• Day trips to the Seven Valleys trail, Tavira, Faro, the Benagil caves, and even Seville in Spain

Tara's local knowledge and network means she can unlock experiences that most visitors never find. For more details see our Local Activities page.

Yes — sustainability and community are woven into how Casa Fuzetta operates, not bolted on as an afterthought. Our commitments include:

• TreeSisters — proud members since 2019, with donations funding the planting of more than 25,000 trees by November 2025
• Love for All Olhão — we actively support this local community initiative (somosesperancaolhao.com), which welcomes volunteers, donations and excess food from guests during their stay
• ReFood Faro — we work with this local organisation that gathers excess produce from properties like ours to create and distribute meals to those in need across the wider area
• Beach cleans — the local community regularly organises beach clean-ups in the area, which guests are welcome to join (all Algarve beaches hold Blue Flag status)
• Local sourcing — we prioritise local producers, fresh market produce and trusted local suppliers throughout
• No televisions — in keeping with our ethos of connection, creativity and presence, there are no TVs in the house. We encourage a digital detox and ask guests to keep phones and laptops off the shared terraces and common areas

For more details see our Volunteering & Fundraising page and Things to Be Aware Of.