Costs And Application

The application for September 2026 is now open. The general application form is here.

Prices for the Take World writing retreat Portugal vary slightly depending on room option:

£2275 for a private room (double-bed)

£1995 for a shared room (1-2 people, single bed)

£1890 for a semi-private room (fold-out door screen instead of full door, single bed)

Prices are inclusive of all creative workshops and activities across the five nights and four days, The house is totally private with security codes on the main doors. It is equipped with a pool, two kitchens, a greenhouse and workspaces for all attendees. Some rooms are equipped with desks and all rooms have air-con and heating.

Payment plans

After we have received your application we organise a short Zoom call to discuss your suitability for the program. If you have been accepted, a non-refundable deposit of £300/$400 to secure your spot is due within 48 hours which goes towards your final balance. The remaining balance can be split across two or three separate payments (no discount) or paid upfront (earlybird discount).

Payment is via bank transfer, direct deposit or Wise. We do not accept Paypal or Stripe.

Discounts

We offer a small number of flexible discounts across Take World retreats. These are designed to make the retreat more accessible while keeping pricing fair and consistent for all guests.

A 5% discount is available for guests who book and pay in full within the early bird window. Details for early bird pricing will be clearly stated for each retreat via email but may close closer to the time of the retreat.

Guests who book with a friend can receive a 5% discount each. Both bookings must be made within the same retreat intake period. This discount is applied per person and is only valid when both places are confirmed.

Previous Take World attendees are eligible for a 10% returnee discount. This discount applies once per retreat booking and cannot usually be combined with other offers.

Discounts cannot normally be combined unless explicitly agreed in writing. Where multiple offers apply, the highest eligible discount will be used. All discounts are limited in availability and may be withdrawn once places are filled

What’s included

-Self-catered breakfasts and a range of healthy (and unhealthy!) snacks and wine while in the villa
-Five nights accommodation in our private mansion house with pool
-Daily lunches prepped by private professional chefs with snacks, dessert and coffee
-Yoga sessions with a professional teacher
-A welcome meal with wine at a local Portuguese restaurant in Sintra (taxi ride included)
-A closing meal with wine at a local Portuguese restaurant in Sintra (taxi ride included)
-A trip to a local beach (taxi ride included)
-Talks and workshops from leading writers such as Nikesh Shukla, Abigail Bergstrom,
Ore Agabaje-Williams and Nicole Dennis-Benn
-All other activities, workshops, creative exercises and writing feedback sessions
-An exclusive Take World goodie bag complete with books and black-owned beauty products.

What’s not included

-Flights to and from Portugal
-Transport to and from the retreat (taxis for pickup and drop-off can be arranged at an additional cost but Ubers and Bolt are widely available)
-Travel insurance
-Transport to and from Sintra for activities during your free time
-Two optional evening meals
-Cocktails in restaurants
-Anything not mentioned above

Cancellation policy

Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable to protect against last-minute changes. As we're a small business and each retreat is carefully budgeted based on confirmed bookings, we’re unfortunately unable to offer a refund if you cancel your plans at any stage of the payment process.

Given the nature of making plans in our current times, we encourage those offered an official spot on a Take World retreat to consider buying flexible flight tickets and to always take out personal travel insurance.

Application

Spots are limited to 11 people per retreat. If you’re interested in applying, fill out the short form below and we will let you know within two weeks if we will progress you to a Zoom call.

If you’re interested in working with us as a speaker or in any other capacity, please email: hello@take-world.com. We can’t wait to see you at the next Take World retreat.

The application form can be found here