Sitges Retreat
Jun 1 — 4 · 2026
Sitges · Catalunya
Canyelles is a small hilltop village in the Garraf Natural Park, about 45 km southwest of Barcelona, surrounded by vineyards, pine forests, and limestone hills.
The village has a well-conserved old centre and sits at a natural crossroads between sea and mountain that people have been passing through for centuries. The park itself is rich with wildlife — rare orchids and Mediterranean scrub to wild boar, foxes, and birds of prey. We’ll also be heading into the Montserrat Natural Park for our group hike starting in Can Maçana.
Sitges is the nearest town, ~15 minutes by car, and is well-known as an artistic and LGBTQ+ haven, particularly during the Franco regime. The movement’s liberal and free spirit still runs through it today. It’s worth exploring on our last day.
The wider region sits in the heart of Penedès wine country, one of Spain’s most celebrated wine-producing areas, which we’ll get a taste of during our visit. We’ll be sitting down together for local Catalan cuisine and enjoying some music.
Pinch / drag to explore. The full map shows the two villas, Barcelona–El Prat (BCN), train stations, beaches, the hike start point, and the Barcelona dinner spot.
An object that represents what motivates you to do the work you do — or what makes you want to continue working here.
We’ll share these together during the retreat. Bring something small enough to fit in a bag — it doesn’t have to be fancy.
Spend a few minutes on each question. You won’t be asked to share your writing.
If helpful, try a free writing exercise — write continuously for 5–10 minutes without stopping. No judgement, no concern for logic, rhetoric, grammar, or orthography. Just download your thoughts onto the page.
Contact Sophie Rushton on WhatsApp with any questions or concerns.
Contact Sophie Rushton on WhatsApp with any questions or concerns.
For life-threatening emergencies, call 112 immediately. For all other situations, call AIG first before going to hospital.
AIG Travel Guard will help coordinate the most appropriate medical facility.
Canyelles is ~50 km from Barcelona, where most foreign consulates are located. Madrid (~600 km) hosts the main embassies.
Documents linked from the original Welcome Pack — request from Sophie if you need them.