I just returned from my 2024 Sobertopia Beach Retreat in Malaga, Spain. It was the fifth sober retreat I organized, the first in a beautiful house right on the beach! Today I’m sharing some moments from this trip with you.
The Arrival
Let’s start at the beginning. My guests arrived on Thursday afternoon; the sun was shining, and the pool & sun beds were waiting for them… Eight incredible women who all decided that life is better without alcohol. They flew in from different places, and came from different backgrounds, yet they had (at least) one major thing in common: The desire to have fun in the sun without alcohol!
The arrival of my guests is always a super exciting moment for me, the culmination of a year’s worth of anticipation and preparation: Everyone arriving at the trip I prepared for them! Who will they be? Will they have a good time? Will they connect? (spoiler alert: They always do lol)
This year, I already had a feeling that the ladies attending would really hit it off. And I was right! Within minutes of everyone arriving at the retreat house, I heard giggles and chatter from the pool area, where they naturally all gathered — the best sound ever!
From that moment on, I knew this would be a successful retreat — and it was! Filled with connection, fun moments, and deep conversations. And this fills me with such joy… As it is my aim is to create beautiful situations for alcohol-free women to connect and bond over their choice to lead an alcohol-free life. Witnessing it actually happening, is just the best thing…
The House, Food and N/A Cocktails
For this year’s retreat, I booked a beautiful 9-bedroom house just outside Malaga – Right on the beach!! In the back garden, there is a pool, surrounded by sun beds. And if you walk out of the front yard’s gate, you’re on the beach. It turned out to be a phenomenal house for this retreat – Big enough for everyone to have their own space but still cozy enough to have that special, intimate togetherness feeling.
Then the food… Chef Bethany, whom I worked with from my first-ever retreat, took care of us by preparing the most delicious meals three times a day. She spoiled us! For yummy non-alcoholic drinks I worked with Lyre’s – Lyre´s is an Australian company offering an exquisite range of lovingly crafted non-alcoholic spirits, and they were my official sponsor this year (for the third year in a row!). Almost every classic alcoholic product you can imagine is mimicked and represented in Lyre’s range, and they now also offer pre-mixed non-alcoholic cocktails in cans!! How ideal are these for at the pool/beach/dinner/anytime, really? So the delicious n/a drinks were flowing this weekend 😉
Fun activities at the Sobertopia beach retreat
I organized several activities for my Sobertopia beach retreat. We made a trip to Malaga City, where we visited the Gibralfaro Castle and strolled through the cobbled streets of the town center. You’ll find cute shops and typical Spanish coffee shops and restaurants here, a great place to spend some hours exploring!
And the fantastic Lori Sjollema offered daily yoga sessions. Lori is my favorite yoga instructor and masseuse, and you’ll find her at all my retreats. She’s simply the best… Lori has this super calming aura over her; I call her my personal Buddha haha.
Other things we did was a sweaty HIIT session on the beach by Luke Hill, and of course lots of lounging at the pool, where the ladies were writing, reading, and chatting away every day. Then, there was paddle boarding at the sea, and most of my guests booked in a magical massage with Lori, too.
On the last night of the retreat, I organized a breath and sound healing session with the amazing Leonie Schuurman, aka The Body Sound Sister. This session was the magical cherry on top of the cake!
The Goodbye
At the end of my three day Sobertopia beach retreat, it felt like my guests had known each other for years. And today, they’re still chatting away on our WhatsApp group that was set up before the retreat. To exchange fun n/a drinks, but also to support each other on their alcohol-free journey. The bond they have formed is genuinely heartwarming.
It is obvious that alcohol is 100% overrated and só not necessary to have the best time, connect on a deep level, and have meaningful conversations. Many of the ladies shared how they felt more connected to themselves and others after the retreat, and had a clearer vision for their future. Plus, everyone arrived home rested and enriched in several ways, how beautiful is that?
I already look forward to organizing next year’s retreat (yep, I started already haha)… Are you interested in joining? Then leave a message below, and I’ll send you the information about my 2025 Sobertopia Retreats. You can also find more information HERE… Spoiler alert: Next year’s retreats will 100% take place in this same fantastic beach house in Malaga, Spain 😉
Look forward to hearing from you!
Izzy x
