Figs on the Funcho

Figs on the Funcho is a riverside retreat centre in the Algarve countryside near São Bartolomeu de Messines, beside the Funcho river and dam, run by Cheryl and Graham. They moved from the UK to the Algarve and opened the retreat to host small-group residential experiences built around art, cooking and nature. The retreat specialises in art retreats and vegetarian cooking holidays for small groups, alongside guest-led and private retreats. Art workshops include botanical watercolour painting and mixed media painting, some combined with gentle yoga, run in a supportive, unhurried style for beginners and experienced artists alike. Guests stay either in The River House, a private retreat villa for up to 10 people, or in eco-friendly riverside glamping tents that each sleep up to 4, with the venue able to host up to 80 guests for weddings and other celebrations. The property sits directly on the Via Algarviana walking trail. Figs on the Funcho has won the World Luxury Travel Awards' Eco-Friendly Glamping category and the Algarve Business Awards' Tourism and Hospitality award, and was named Destination of the Year in the LuxLife Hospitality Excellence Awards' Art and Culinary Wellness Escapes category. Its workshops have also been featured in Mail Online's "10 Best Art Escapes in Europe" and on Channel 4's "A New Life in the Sun".