Creative Retreat | Basket Weaving in Portugal
Sculptural Basketry with Harriet Goodall
+ Fiber Sculpture with Maria Pratas and ‘Empreita de Palma’ basket weaving with Ysaline Ophoff
September 23 - September 30, 2026
Travel to Portugal with renowned artist Harriet Goodall and dive deep into the world of sculptural basketry while enjoying the idyllic countryside of the Alentejo Coast.
Our journey begins in Lisbon, where we’ll explore the city’s vibrant contemporary art and craft scene with our local guide. We’ll visit off-the-beaten-path galleries and artists’ studios, gathering inspiration to carry with us into the creative work ahead. From Lisbon, we’ll journey south to the rural beauty of the Alentejo region, where a multi-day series of immersive workshops awaits.
Harriet will introduce the history, cultural significance, and ecological benefits of basketmaking and fiber crafts from around the world. We’ll begin by spinning hand-made cordage using plants gathered from our natural surroundings, along with naturally dyed raffia. We’ll then work with clay to create pinch-pot, air-dried bases that will later serve as the foundation for a twined vessel project using colored rope. Along the way, we’ll experiment with looping techniques using reclaimed copper and wire, and explore freeform (or “random”) weaving. Natural materials will also be used to dye and embellish our work.
During the week, we’ll also learn from two local artists. Maria Pratas, a Portuguese textile sculptor, will share her distinctive approach to fiber wrapping and coiling. Portuguese-based artist Ysaline Ophoff will introduce the history of basketweaving in Portugal through the Algarvian technique known as empreita de palma.
By the end of our time together, you’ll leave with a collection of handmade projects and a range of new techniques and ideas to bring back to your own creative practice.
This Ace Camps Travel trip is open to all skill levels. Trip Itinerary, Details and Important Notes below.
DATES
September 23 - September 30, 2026
8 Days + 7 Nights
PRICING
SharedRoom - $5,495 USD
PrivateRoom - $6,495 USD
Full Rooming + Pricing Details Below
BOOKING FOR THIS TRIP STARTS ON
MARCH 17, 2026 AT 1:00PM PST
CRAFT RETREAT HIGHLIGHTS
A multi-day series of sculptural baskety workshops with Harriet Goodall, including
An introduction to sculptural basketry, cordage, and creating air-dried clay bases
Looping with reclaimed copper and wire
Twined vessels with clay and colored paper rope
Freeform (random) weaving and dyeing with natural materials
Full-day fiber wrapping and coiling workshop with Portuguese textile sculpture Maria Pratas
Half-day empreinta de palma basket weaving workshop with Ysaline Ophoff
Half-day tour of the art and craft scene in Lisbon to gather inspiration and learn about some of today’s emerging artists
Gentle, guided hike through the rural countryside and white sandy beaches of the Alentejo
Accommodations at artist-inspired boutique hotels
Chef-prepared meals
Transportation during included meals and activities
Dedicated Ace Camps Travel Host, with you throughout your trip
Trip Prep call to meet fellow travelers and talk through schedules, recommendations, and questions
Harriet Goodall
Travel, Learn, and Explore with:
Harriet Goodall is a leading contemporary fibre artist and sculptor working in the Gundungarra/Dharawal escarpment country, Robertson, in Southern NSW, Australia.
Known for transforming natural and reclaimed materials into evocative, large-scale works that speak to identity, landscape, and ecology, her practice has evolved from contemporary basket-making into a distinctive fusion of traditional basketry, tapestry, and metalwork with painted and stitched canvas. Her work is exhibited regularly and held in numerous private and commercial collections, contributing to the evolving discourse on fibre art in Australia and beyond.
Harriet’s formative years in a creative farming family on a large Australian cropping and grazing property instilled in her a deep connection to the landscape, which continues to inform her artistic vision. She draws on the rhythms of agricultural life, using meditative processes such as weaving, stitch, and painting with earth pigments to echo the textures and cycles of nature. Her creations often evoke the fragility of ecosystems and the interdependence between human and plant life.
Goodall is committed to exploring craft, community, and environmental consciousness through art and immersive experiences. Her in-person and online teachings have created a springboard for thousands of students into their own fiber art practices and connections to weavers around the world.
@harrietgoodallartist
Maria Pratas
As a textile sculptor, Maria Pratas, uncovered a newfound dimension in her craft driven by her degree in a visual education and its two-dimensionality emphasis. With a dedication to crafting expansive textile sculptures, her creative odysseys take her to diverse destinations, collecting objects and memories as wellsprings of inspiration. Drawing from the wisdom of ancient artisans, Maria skillfully merges diverse raw materials into narrative-rich objects. Undeterred by the constraints of time, she meticulously sculpts thread by thread, keeping textile fibers within constant reach. In her atelier, immersed in the textile realm, Maria discovers comfort as she orchestrates the complete creative process. Enthusiastically embracing eclectic artistic environments, she envisions her creations springing to life in distinctive, transformative spaces that honor both functionality and artistic expression.
Ysaline Ophoff
Born in Belgium and with a background in architecture, Ysaline Ophoff now lives and works in Portugal. In 2019, Ysaline to put her curiosity for the art of basket weaving into practice. She immersed herself in this ancient craft with local basket weavers in the Brazilian Amazon. By discovering the different layers of this craft—the technical know-how, the embodied nature, as well as the social and cultural aspects —her curiosity and desire to explore it grew more. In 2020 she relocated to Portgual and founded her studio, Atelier Balancê where she uses the local and endangered empreinta de palma technique to intuitively weave baskets whose shapes uniquely reveal her background as an architect. Based on ancient and traditional know-how, Ysaline applies basket weaving techniques on found materials, such as natural fibers and discarded materials, and aims to convert them into new shapes and objects through experimental manipulations.
Day by Day Itinerary
Nota Bene: This is a prospective itinerary. It is subject to modest modifications, dependent on local weather, partner schedules, unexpected opportunities and the needs of the group.
Day 1
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Arrival Day: Welcome to Lisbon! Make your way to our hotel in the Príncipe Real neighborhood of Lisbon. Please plan to arrive at the hotel by 3pm so you have time to get checked in and settled before we meet up as a group.
If you can, we encourage you to arrive early, as the neighborhood is filled with incredible boutiques and restaurants. Before you arrive, we’ll share our favorite things guide.
Late this afternoon we’ll meet up as a group, make introductions, and talk about our time together. Then, we’ll have a casual welcome dinner as a group where we’ll sample small plates and local wine.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Today is a special treat—a half-day, guided tour of the Lisbon art and craft scene. Our local guide, who an active part of this thriving artist community, will take us to galleries, artist studios, and artist residences. We’ll talk about what makes the artistic community in Lisbon so vibrant while visiting a variety emerging artists who specialize in different mediums. We’ll wrap our tour at the LX Factory where you’ll have time to explore the shops and have lunch on your own or with members of the group.
Later this afternoon, we’ll leave behind the bustle of Lisbon and transition to the peacefulness of the Alentejo countryside, which will be our home away from home for the remainder of our time together. We’ll check into our rural retreat—a boutique hotel surrounded by nature and beautiful scenery. This incredible property is bursting with color thanks to owner Alfredo Moreira da Silva’s abstract paintings and his impeccable eye for architecture and interior design.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3
Friday, September 25, 2026
Today we’ll dive right into our sculptural basketry practice with a full-day workshop with Harriet. We’ll start with a deep discussion about the history, nature, and benefits of basketmaking and fibre crafts around the world, while learning to spin hand-made cordage using plants from our natural surroundings, as well as naturally dyed raffia. Then, it’s time to get a bit messy—we’ll spend some time playing with clay and making pinch-pot, air-dried clay bases, which we’ll use later in the week for our twined vessel project.
This afternoon Harriet will teach a variety of looping stitches, which are used globally to create woven vessels. Together we’ll make a wall hangings from reclaimed copper and wire in hand-bent organic shapes. We’ll also learn about different ways to patina your metal to add texture and visual interest.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Saturday, September 26, 2026
This morning, Harriet will show you the fun, contemporary method of freeform weaving (also called random weaving), which you’ll use to make a nesty basket. You’ll choose from a variety of materials to make your basket, including some some locally harvested vines.
This afternoon we’ll have a half-day workshop with basket weaver, Ysaline Ophoff where you’ll learn Empreita de palma—a traditional Portuguese basket weaving technique, using palm leaves from the Palmeira-anã (Chamaerops humilis), a native palm plant from the Algarve region. We’ll start off learning about the origin, history, technique, and material of this age-old craft. Then, we’ll work hands-on, learning the different steps from braiding the leaves to sewing them into a little basket. When we’re done, you’ll have your own small creation to bring home with you.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Today we’ll learn learn fiber sculpture with renowned Portuguese textile sculptor Maria Pratas. Maria will guide us through her unique approach to fiber wrapping and coil technique, the foundation of her sculptural practice. By learning the fundamentals of the technique, we’ll begin to see its many possibilities and, with Maria’s guidance, you’ll choose to create either a wall hanging or a vessel. The day will move between demonstration, hands-on making, and individual mentoring, allowing you the time and rhythm to develop your own piece.
As the day unfolds, conversations will naturally weave through the process, touching on the materials themselves and the careful art of selecting and recognizing quality. Portuguese wool and fibers will be the true protagonists of the day. Along the way, Maria will also share insights into Portugal’s long tradition of working with wool and basketry, opening small windows into the cultural heritage that quietly informs this practice.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Monday, September 28, 2026
This morning we’ll dive into the paired twining technique, which is used around the world to make different types of woven baskets. After talking about the history and importance of this technique, we’ll work with beautiful, colored paper rope to make a twined vessel. Using the clay bases we created together earlier in the week, we’ll experience the magic of combining the opacity of clay with the subtle transparency of basket weaving.
After a later lunch, you’ll have some free time to relax and explore our natural surroundings on your own or with other members of the group. You may choose to take a nature hike, go for a swim, or get a massage.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
This morning, we’ll pick up where we left off with our random weave baskets from earlier in the week and learn a variety of finishing techniques. Harriet will show us how to make and use a natural mordent to add color and texture to our piece.
The afternoon is “open studio” time for you to continue working on the variety of projects we started this week with 1:1 help and guidance from Harriet. Later this afternoon, we’ll have a mini gallery showcase to share and celebrate our work and learnings from the past few days together. You’ll have time to discuss your work with Harriet and get her personal feedback and guidance.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Departure Day: After breakfast at the hotel, we will pack our bags and say our farewells. Together, we’ll make our way back to Lisbon.
We’ll have one drop off at the Lisbon Airport and a second drop off in Central Lisbon.
Please plan your flights or onward travel after 3pm to give yourself plenty of time.
Meals included: Breakfast
Where We’re Staying
We’ll be staying at a rural boutique hotel, surrounded by stunning scenery and close to the spectacular Atlantic coastline. The hotel bursts with color, thanks the vivid paintings by owner and abstract painter Alfredo Moreira da Silva, combined with red, pink and orange doors, chairs, sofas, cushions, and handmade quilts.
Rooming Options
Please read below carefully and make your rooming selection on the Booking Request form.
The style and layout of every room is unique and may not be exactly as pictured.
Note: If you are two guests traveling together and would like to share one bed, please contact us for details about a shared bed option.
Group Size: Minimum 8 guests, Maximum 12 guests.
All prices are in USD.
BOOKING FOR THIS TRIP STARTS ON MARCH 17, 2026 AT 1:00PM PST
OPTION 1 - SHARED ROOM
with ensuite bathroom
$5,495 per person, paid in two separate installments.
Rooming Details:
1 night in a Lisbon boutique hotel in a shared room with en suite bathroom, shared with one other guest. Each guest has their own twin bed.
6 nights in a rural boutique hotel in the Alentejo in a shared twin room with en suite bathroom, shared with one other guest. Each guest has their own twin bed. Note: The toilet and shower are behind obscured glass and the sink is open to the main room, as shown in the photo below.
Initial Paymentdue immediately: $2,495
Final Payment due April 17, 2026: $3,000
OPTION 2 - PRIVATE ROOM
with ensuite bathroom
$6,495 per person, paid in two separate installments.
Rooming Details:
1 night in a Lisbon boutique hotel in a private room with a double bed and an en suite bathroom.
6 nights in a rural boutique hotel in the Alentejo in a private room with a double bed and an en suite bathroom.
Initial Paymentdue immediately: $2,495
Final Payment due April 17, 2026: $4,000
Important Trip Details
Culinary Notes
Portugal has a rich culinary history and we look forward to sharing local ingredients and regional dishes with you. While we will try our best to manage allergies, unfortunately we are unable to accommodate vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, or dairy-free options and some severe allergies. Vegetarian options can be available for all provided meals.
If you have any allergies or dietary restrictions, you will need to submit those on your booking request form. We cannot accommodate any allergies or dietary restrictions if you do not advise us when you submit your initial booking request.
Please contact us before booking if you have any questions.
Accessibility
In Lisbon, you can expect a bit of walking, which may include hills and cobblestones. In the Alentejo, each day you’ll need to walk 5-10 minutes between the main house for your meals, as well as other locations on the property workshops. You may also be on your feet during workshops for an hour or two at a time. We suggest wearing comfortable, sturdy walking shoes as you’ll walk on a variety of surfaces (sidewalk, gravel) and have a few small changes of elevation.
Who is this Trip for?
This trip is for the open-minded and patient traveler. You should be eager to learn and work hands-on during your workshop sessions and be curious about regional culture and cuisine.
This is an immersive adventure and best suited for those who enjoy traveling as a part of a small group.
Supplies
Essential supplies for your workshop will be provided. In addition to the supplies we provide, you’ll need to bring a few of your own things. Closer to your departure date, we’ll send more information about supplies you’ll want to bring with you. At the end of the workshop, you’ll need to take you projects home with you, so you’ll want to leave a bit of extra room in your suitcase or carryon.
Trip Start + End Locations
This trip starts and finishes in Lisbon, Portugal. Humberto Delgado Airport, also known simply as Lisbon Airport, is an international airport located 7 km northeast from the city centre of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The airport is the main international gateway to Portugal with many direct flights from all over North America + Europe.
On Departure Day, we’ll have two drop offs in the early afternoon, first at the Lisbon Airport, then at a pre-determined location in Central Lisbon. We suggest booking flights or onward travel for no earlier than 3pm Lisbon time.
Weather
Late September is a nice time to visit Portugal. The scorching temperatures of summer have subsided and days are warm and sunny, with cooler evenings. Daytime temperatures are in the low 80s F and evenings are in the mid 60s F. We suggest bringing layers so you can be comfortable in short sleeves during the day for workshops and cozy sweaters at night for sitting by the fire. Rain is unlikely, but possible, so we suggest bringing a light jacket and umbrella, just in case. Our rural boutique hotel has three swimming pools and we encourage you to bring swim suit, in case you want to cool off in the pool.
Included in this Trip
A multi-day series of sculptural baskety workshops with Harriet Goodall, including
An introduction to sculptural basketry, cordage, and creating air-dried clay bases
Looping with reclaimed copper and wire
Twined vessels with clay and colored paper rope
Freeform (random) weaving and dyeing with natural materials
Full-day fiber wrapping and coiling workshop with Portuguese textile sculpture Maria Pratas
Half-day empreinta de palma basket weaving workshop with Ysaline Ophoff
Half-day tour of the art and craft scene in Lisbon to gather inspiration and learn about some of today’s emerging artists
Gentle, guided hike through the rural countryside and white sandy beaches of the Alentejo
Accommodations at artist-inspired boutique hotels
1 night accommodation in Lisbon
6 nights accommodation in the Alentejo
Chef-prepared meals
7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
Transport during included meals and activities
Dedicated Ace Camps Travel Host, with you throughout your trip
Trip Prep call to meet fellow travelers and talk through schedules, recommendations, and questions
Ace Camps Travel Host
An Ace Camps Travel Host will be with you through your trip, dedicated to ensuring you have the best possible experience. Your Host is there for any questions or concerns, to look out for the health and safety of the group and to help resolve any issues that might arise. This Host is not a local guide but will work with our local partners to insure the right combination of pace, information, and duration. Our local partners are deeply knowledgable in the culture and customs of the area and will be there to share their knowledge and passion with the group.
Not Included in this Trip
International roundtrip airfare; required Travel Insurance; alcoholic drinks; activities and food and beverages not included in the trip itinerary; hotel incidentals including but not limited to room service, laundry service and hotel bar tabs; and all expenses during free time.
Travel Arrangements
Ace Camps Travel will send you detailed Trip Planning information when it’s time to make your travel arrangements. We usually send this information once we’ve reached the minimum number of guests required to run the trip. We’ll also send you an Ace Camps Travel “Preparing for your Journey” document prior to your trip, which will include arrival and departure information, a suggested packing list, useful country information, and more.
Travel Health
We recommend consulting a doctor, nurse, health care provider, or travel health clinic once we confirm your booking on this Ace Camps Travel trip so you know what may be required based on your individual circumstances and based on the locations you’ll be traveling to. If you have any health concerns, contact your health care provider for advice prior to booking this Ace Camps Travel trip.
Travel Insurance
As stated in our Terms and Conditions, we require all guests to have Travel Insurance that at minimum covers both medical emergencies and trip cancellations. Cancellations 180 days or fewer prior to the trip start date will incur a cancellation fee equal to 100% of the price for the trip. There are no exceptions to this cancellation policy which is one of the many reasons we require all guests to have Travel Insurance.
For full details on our Travel Insurance requirements, visit our FAQ’s and review our Terms and Conditions.
Health + Safety
Our goal is for each of our guests to enjoy the amazing trip we’ve put together. To ensure that happens, we put the health and safety of the group as our top priority. Individual guests are responsible for ensuring they meet all destination and layover country requirements and laws, including any Covid-19 related requirements, providing proof of vaccination, testing before or after entry, masking, etc.
During the trip, if you feel unwell, exhibit signs of, or test positive for an illness, you should be prepared to follow the advice of local health authorities as well as the Ace Camps Travel Host to ensure the health and safety of the entire group. Depending on the severity of your symptoms and/or viral nature of your illness the Ace Camps Travel Host may determine you need to mask, distance, self isolate, or depart the trip early. You are responsible for any expenses incurred from an illness, injury, or early departure including testing, treatment, isolation, accommodation, transportation, etc. and you will not be issued a refund for any unused portion of the trip. This is one of the many reasons we require all guests to have Travel Insurance, as outlined in our Terms and Conditions.
For full details on our Health and Safety Policies, visit our FAQ’s and review our Terms and Conditions.
Cancellation Policy
If you choose to cancel your trip for any reason, you must do so via email to hello@acecampstravel.com. If we receive written notice 181 or more days prior to the Trip start date, we will refund your initial payment, less a $1,000 cancellation fee. If we receive written notice 180 days or fewer prior to the Trip start date you will incur a cancellation fee equal to 100% of the price for the Trip. There are no exceptions to this cancellation policy, including for reasons related to weather, terrorism, civil strife, pandemics, illness, personal, family or medical emergencies, or any other circumstances beyond our control. For this and other reasons, we require you to purchase Travel Insurance.
Be sure to read our Terms and Conditions for full details on Booking and Payment, Cancellation by You and Trip Changes and Cancellations.
Questions + FAQs
If you have any questions about this Ace Camps travel Trip, please feel free to contact us.
You can also read our FAQs here.
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