Long before it became one of Spain’s great wine estates, Abadía Retuerta was a working monastery where daily life revolved around craftsmanship, hospitality and care for the land. Bread was baked, vineyards were tended and travellers welcomed through its doors. Centuries later, the abbey is still shaped by the people who work on the estate. On this estate-hosted journey, you’ll spend time alongside bakers, beekeepers, curators, musicians and makers, sharing the skills and traditions that fill their days. Each offers the pleasure of slowing down, working with your hands and experiencing what it feels like to become completely absorbed in making something well.
Living Traditions at Abadía Retuerta
Learn and make alongside bakers, beekeepers, artists and craftspeople who still shape life at the ancient Spanish abbey
Abadía Retuerta Duero Valley, Spain
Map View
Overview
Bread baking
Wine tasting
Meditation with bees
Seasonal harvest
Wine and music evening
Monks garden
A Signature Journey
From £0
Tailored to you
No two journeys are exactly the same. Every experience is adapted around your interests, preferred pace, group size and travel dates.
BackWhat we love
The pleasure of making
At Abadía Retuerta, there’s something deeply satisfying about making something with your own hands alongside someone who’s spent years mastering their craft. Stretching and folding sourdough in the 12th-century abbey kitchen, collecting honey from a hive or gathering from a harvest, there’s concentration, occasional imperfect attempts, and the pleasure of becoming completely absorbed in what you’re doing. For a few hours, little else seems to matter.
View all images
Close
Bake
The abbey kitchen
Flour dusts the worktops of the Obrador, where breads, pastries and desserts are still made by hand each day. Alongside the kitchen team, get your hands into the dough, learning to tend the sourdough and make different breads, sweets or traditional seasonal pastries. Iberian ham and a glass of Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial bring everyone together around the table.
Grow
The monks’ garden
The estate's organic kitchen garden, once tended by the monks, is still worked by hand today. Alongside the expert gardener, move between beds of vegetables, herbs and seasonal produce, touching, smelling and picking whatever is ready that day. At an outdoor table, taste vegetables from the garden alongside freshly baked bread, estate olive oil and wine —a simple celebration of everything grown and made close by.
Tend
The secrets of bees
Alongside a specialist beekeeper from local honey producer Oro del Duero, head through the estate, learning to read the flowers and plants through the eyes of a bee. At the apiary, lift the lid on a working hive, seeing at close quarters how thousands of bees work together. Three distinctive honeys are paired with local cheese and Abadía Retuerta wines, bringing the experience to a delicious close.
Season
The estate harvest
During flowering season, walk between fragrant rows of lavender, gathering the flowers by hand before they’re distilled. Come grape harvest, head into the vineyards to select then tread ripe grapes in the traditional way and taste the fresh must. Roll up your sleeves and join in with whatever the season brings.
Art
Layers of the centuries
Moving from Romanesque stone to the contemporary spaces of LeDomaine, explore the abbey with its curator. Italian Renaissance paintings, French tapestries and Spanish bargueños give way to Joan Miró and Ulrich Rückriem, with old and new sitting comfortably side by side. Over a glass of one of the estate’s most distinctive wines, there is time to appreciate how each generation has added something of its own to the abbey.
Savour
Wine, art and music
In the Fireplace Lounge, pianist Miguel Ángel Recio takes his place at the estate’s Steinway & Sons. As a selection of wines is poured, each is paired with a carefully chosen piece of music, with the artworks around you offering further inspiration for what Miguel plays. As the evening unfolds, the wines, music and artworks each bring a different dimension to the experience.
Reflect
The joy of curiosity
Flour on your hands. A glimpse inside a working hive. Grapes selected at their peak. A pianist absorbed in the music. Spend time with people who have mastered their craft and something unexpected happens. Somewhere between learning, listening and making, you rediscover the pleasure of following your curiosity, simply to see where it leads.
On the journey
Signature moments, curated around you
Every experience is thoughtfully shaped around your interests, pace and the season, while staying true to the spirit of the journey.
- Estate-hosted journey
- Baking in the historic Obrador
- Iberian ham and estate wine
- Private beekeeping experience
- Honey, cheese and wine tasting
- Seasonal lavender or grape harvest
- Private art and architecture tour
- Wine tasting with estate curator
- Private piano, art and wine experience
- Time to enjoy the abbey
Where you'll stay
Historic sanctuary
This journey unfolds at Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine, a beautifully restored 12th-century Romanesque abbey. Centuries-old stone and cloistered courtyards sit alongside elegant contemporary interiors, while every room looks out across the vineyards. Wake to vines outside your window and settle into a place where eight centuries of history are simply part of the stay.
Additional Information & Cancellation
Good To Know
Local insights, insider tips and practical information to help you plan your journey.
Where is Abadía Retuerta, and how do you get there?
Abadía Retuerta lies in Spain's Duero Valley, between Valladolid and the historic wine town of Peñafiel. Surrounded by vineyards, woodland and open countryside, it's around two hours by road from Madrid and approximately 30 minutes from Valladolid. The estate is home to LeDomaine, a beautifully restored 12th-century abbey where historic architecture, contemporary art and exceptional hospitality come together. We can arrange private transfers from Madrid or other Spanish destinations.
When is the best time to experience Abadía Retuerta's traditional crafts and seasonal activities?
The pleasure of this journey is discovering how life on the estate changes with the seasons. Spring brings fresh growth to the kitchen garden and flowers for the bees, while summer offers opportunities to gather lavender and enjoy long evenings outdoors. September and October are particularly exciting, when the grape harvest brings the vineyards to life and guests may have the chance to pick and tread grapes. Baking, art and music can be enjoyed across much of the hotel's operating season. The hotel typically closes from mid-December to mid-February, so we'll confirm opening dates when planning your stay.
Can I learn to make bread and pastries in Abadía Retuerta's historic kitchen?
Yes. At the estate's Obrador, where breads, pastries and desserts are prepared by hand, you can spend time alongside the baking team discovering the skills behind their craft. Depending on the experience arranged, you might work with sourdough, shape traditional breads or prepare seasonal pastries. It's a wonderfully hands-on way to appreciate the patience and care that goes into something as familiar as a loaf of bread, with time afterwards to enjoy the results.
What can I expect from the private beekeeping experience?
Accompanied by a specialist beekeeper from local producer Oro del Duero, you'll discover how bees support the estate's plants, flowers and wider landscape. The experience may include visiting working hives, learning about the different roles within a colony and discovering how the seasons influence honey production. You'll also have the chance to taste local honeys paired with regional cheeses and Abadía Retuerta wines. Close access to the hives will depend on conditions and individual suitability.
Can I take part in the grape or lavender harvest?
Yes, when your visit coincides with the right season. Lavender is generally harvested during summer, while the grape harvest usually takes place in September and October, depending on the weather and the vintage. At harvest time, you may be able to join the estate team in picking grapes or experience traditional grape treading. These are wonderful opportunities to understand the work behind the estate's produce, with the exact activities confirmed for your travel dates.
What makes Abadía Retuerta's art collection so special?
Abadía Retuerta brings together centuries of art and architecture in a remarkable setting. Its restored Romanesque abbey provides a home for historic paintings, tapestries and decorative objects alongside works by contemporary artists, including Joan Miró and sculptor Ulrich Rückriem. Exploring the collection with an estate curator offers a fascinating look at how different generations have expressed their ideas through art, and how the abbey continues to find new ways to bring creativity into everyday life.
What is the wine, art and music experience at Abadía Retuerta?
This unusual sensory experience brings together three pleasures that aren't often enjoyed in quite this way. In the estate's Fireplace Lounge, pianist Miguel Ángel Recio pairs pieces of music with selected Abadía Retuerta wines, drawing inspiration from their character and the artworks around you. As the music unfolds, each wine takes on another dimension. It's a lovely opportunity to slow down, listen closely and discover how different creative expressions can influence one another. The experience is subject to the pianist's availability.
Do I need any previous experience to enjoy the workshops?
Not at all. The experiences are designed around curiosity and the pleasure of trying something new, rather than mastering a particular skill. Whether you're kneading bread, discovering beekeeping, exploring art or joining a seasonal harvest, you'll be guided by people who know their craft intimately. We'll tailor the activities to your interests and comfort level, allowing plenty of time to ask questions, get involved and simply enjoy the experience.
Are the experiences private, and is everything arranged for us?
|This is an estate-hosted Signature Journey, thoughtfully designed around you and your travelling companions. Working closely with the Abadía Retuerta team, we'll coordinate your accommodation, workshops, tastings, art experiences and other arrangements. Many experiences can be organised privately, while some special events or estate gatherings may be shared with fellow guests. Your personalised proposal will confirm exactly what's included and which experiences are private or shared.
Can I extend my stay or combine this journey with other experiences?
Absolutely. We recommend four days or more to enjoy this journey, but the duration and programme can be tailored to your interests and preferred pace. You might choose to spend longer exploring the estate's gardens and vineyards, enjoy additional time at Santuario Wellness & Spa or discover more of the Duero Valley's food and wine traditions. We can also combine your stay with Valladolid, Segovia or Madrid, taking care of the arrangements along the way.
Cancellation
Wellness Traveller Tailor-Made Travel Booking Conditions
This Signature Journey is designed by Wellness Traveller Ltd and delivered in partnership with our trusted local destination team.
Payment Terms
A 30% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The remaining 70% balance is due 60 days before your journey begins. For bookings made within 60 days of the journey start date, full payment is required at the time of booking.
Cancellation Terms
We understand that plans sometimes change. If you need to cancel your journey: 61 days or more before your journey begins: Your 30% deposit is non-refundable. Any payments made above the deposit will be refunded. 60 days or less before your journey begins: 100% of the total booking value is non-refundable. Some elements of your journey may require advance payment to local partners and may become non-refundable earlier. Where different cancellation terms apply, we will make these clear before you confirm your booking. A £25 administration fee applies to customer-requested cancellations, except where you are exercising a statutory right to cancel without charge.
Your Financial Protection
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Wellness Traveller, Member 5735, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for:
• Non-flight packages
ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Wellness Traveller. In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.
You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/made You can find out more about ABTOT here: https://www.abtot.com/
Travel Insurance
Adequate travel insurance is a condition of booking for our Signature Journeys.
We strongly recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking, including appropriate cancellation cover, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and any activities included in your journey. Contact Wellness Traveller If you need to cancel your booking, please contact us in writing at hello@wellnesstraveller.co and include your booking reference number.
For full details, please see our Booking Conditions
Instagram