El Camino del Alma · Full Overview
A Mystical JourneyThrough Spain
April 25 – May 5, 2027
Ávila · Toledo · Segovia Day Trip · Montserrat & Manresa
At a Glance
Dates
April 25 – May 5, 2027
Duration
10 Days
Group Size
Min 12 · Max 20 participants
Price
€3,500 (first 5 registrants) · €3,750 thereafter
Deposit
€750 per person, due upon registration
Balance Due
Within 45 calendar days after registration and receipt of deposit
Registration Deadline
January 25, 2027
Lead Facilitator
Dr. Peter Tyler
Organizer
Tropismo Travel
Welcome to El Camino del Alma
A ten-day journey through the Spanish mystical tradition
El Camino del Alma is a ten-day journey through some of the most important landscapes of the Spanish mystical tradition. Beginning in Ávila, continuing to Segovia, and concluding in Montserrat and Manresa, the journey follows three extraordinary figures:
Teresa of Ávila — entering the interior castle
John of the Cross — the dark night, longing and divine love
Ignatius of Loyola — discernment and finding the way forward
This is not simply a tour of historic places. The places themselves are part of the teaching. El Camino del Alma combines cultural exploration, history, theology, contemplative practice, conversation, silence and guided reflection in an intentionally small-group setting.
The retreat is rooted in the Christian mystical tradition of Spain while being offered in an ecumenical and interfaith spirit. Participants do not need to be Catholic, belong to a particular Christian denomination, or have a prior understanding of mysticism.
Places & Traditions
Places That Give the Journey Meaning
El Camino del Alma unfolds in Spanish places where spiritual inquiry, history, architecture, and living traditions intersect. These settings are not simply destinations to visit. They offer an opportunity to encounter the people, writings, and questions at the heart of the retreat.
Ávila
The world of Teresa of Ávila, where the interior journey becomes an invitation to examine contemplation, self-understanding, and spiritual life.
Toledo
A city shaped by centuries of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim history, offering a rich setting for cultural discovery and reflection.
Segovia— Day Trip
An encounter with the legacy of John of the Cross and the questions of darkness, longing, and love explored in his writings.
Montserrat & Manresa
Places associated with Ignatius of Loyola and the beginnings of a tradition centered on reflection, discernment, and purposeful action.
The Mystics
Three Mystics. Three Ways of Seeing.
Across the journey, participants will encounter three influential figures in Spanish Christian mysticism. Their writings offer different ways of exploring the interior life, the challenges of transformation, and the choices that shape how we live.
The Interior Journey
Teresa of Ávila
Teresa's writings invite an exploration of contemplation, self-understanding, and the search for a deeper relationship with the Divine.
Darkness, Desire & Love
John of the Cross
Through poetry and spiritual writing, John explores longing, uncertainty, transformation, and what may emerge when familiar certainties fall away.
Discernment & Direction
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius offers a framework for reflection and discernment, inviting us to examine our experiences and consider how we choose a way forward.
Pricing
What Is Included
The final booking documentation will provide the definitive list of included services.
Included
Accommodation throughout the scheduled retreat
Ground transportation associated with the published retreat itinerary
Scheduled cultural and historical visits
Admission fees for included sites and experiences
Local guides where specified
Retreat teaching and facilitated sessions
Scheduled contemplative and reflective activities
Meals specifically identified as included in the final itinerary
Selected group dining experiences
Scheduled local transportation
Cultural immersion experiences identified in the final itinerary
Services of the retreat facilitator(s)
Applicable taxes and service charges associated with included services
Not Included
Transportation from your home to Spain
Transportation from Spain to your home after the retreat
Passport or visa expenses
Travel insurance
Medical insurance or medical expenses
Personal purchases
Meals not identified as included
Personal excursions or optional activities
Airline baggage fees
Laundry
Personal communications
Gratuities, where applicable
Accommodation before or after the retreat unless specifically arranged as part of the retreat
Any service not expressly identified as included
The Program
What to Expect From the Program
The program combines structured and unstructured time. Participation is encouraged, but the journey is not intended to be an environment in which everyone must have the same religious experience or reach the same conclusions.
You can expect:
Teaching sessions
Guided reflection
Guided yoga instruction
Historical and cultural exploration
Visits to significant religious sites
Time for silence
Group conversation
Individual reflection
Opportunities for contemplative practice
Shared meals and informal conversation
Time to experience the places themselves
The Mystical Dimension
El Camino del Alma is not designed as a generic wellness retreat or as an introduction to esoteric practices. It is an invitation to encounter the Spanish Christian mystical tradition through the people, places, writings and questions that shaped it. We will explore questions of:
Interior life
Desire
Silence
Love
Darkness
Transformation
Discernment
Relationship with the Divine
What it means to become more fully human
The journey is rooted in Christian mysticism while remaining intentionally ecumenical and welcoming to participants from different faith traditions and backgrounds.
Practical Information
Getting Here & What to Know
Getting to the Retreat
El Camino del Alma begins in Ávila on April 25, 2027. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to Spain and for arriving at the retreat starting point in sufficient time to participate in the opening programme.
Tropismo Travel can assist with identifying appropriate flight options and can also help arrange additional travel before or after the retreat — including accommodation, transportation, tours, cultural experiences, and restaurant reservations.
Accommodations
Accommodation has been selected for more than simply comfort — we are looking for places with character, history, atmosphere and a connection to the contemplative nature of the journey. Some accommodation may be provided in retreat centers, religious institutions or other properties whose primary purpose is not conventional commercial hospitality. You should expect comfortable and welcoming accommodation, but not necessarily the standardized experience of an upscale commercial hotel. The character of these places is part of the experience.
Walking, Mobility & Accessibility
El Camino del Alma involves regular physical activity. Participants should expect:
Regular walking
Standing for periods of time
Cobblestones and uneven historic surfaces
Stairs
Inclines
Walking through historic city centers
Visits to churches, convents and monasteries
Walking between some sites
Changing weather conditions
Some days involving substantial walking
If you have mobility, accessibility or other participation requirements, please contact Tropismo Travel before booking.
Food & Dietary Requirements
Meals included in the retreat will be identified in the final itinerary. If you have dietary restrictions, allergies or other significant food requirements, please tell us when you book. We will communicate those requirements to relevant suppliers and make reasonable efforts to accommodate them. Because food is prepared by independent restaurants, hotels and other providers, we cannot guarantee that every supplier can eliminate every potential allergen.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is strongly recommended and may be required as a condition of participation. We recommend coverage that includes:
Trip cancellation
Trip interruption
Medical expenses
Emergency assistance
Medical evacuation and repatriation
Travel delays
Baggage loss or delay
Personal Responsibility
Participants are responsible for valid travel documentation, any required visa or entry authorization, personal medications and medical needs, personal belongings, appropriate clothing and footwear, being physically prepared for the walking and activity involved, providing accurate accessibility and dietary information, following reasonable instructions from facilitators and local providers, and respecting fellow participants and the places we visit.
Payment & Cancellation
Booking Terms
Payment
Early-bird price
€3,500 per person (first five registrants)
Standard price
€3,750 per person
Deposit
€750 per person, due upon registration
Balance due
Within 45 calendar days after registration and receipt of deposit
Registration deadline
January 25, 2027 (90 days before the April 25 program start)
Currency
All prices and payment obligations are denominated in euros (€)
Cancellation & Refunds
We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel your participation in El Camino del Alma, please notify Tropismo Travel in writing. Your refund depends on how far in advance of the retreat we receive your cancellation.
90 days or more before the retreat
100% refund, including the €750 deposit
61–89 days before the retreat
50% refund, subject to the €750 nonrefundable deposit ⚑
31–60 days before the retreat
25% refund, subject to the €750 nonrefundable deposit ⚑
30 days or fewer before the retreat
No refund
Refunds cannot exceed the amount actually paid by the participant.
The cancellation policy reflects the increasing financial commitments Tropismo Travel makes to accommodations, transportation providers, facilitators, venues, and other suppliers as the retreat approaches.
If applicable law provides additional cancellation or refund rights, including in certain unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, those rights will apply regardless of the schedule above.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance with trip-cancellation and trip-interruption coverage sufficient to protect the amount paid for the retreat.
Cancellation by Tropismo Travel
El Camino del Alma requires a minimum of 12 registered participants. Tropismo Travel will make its minimum-enrollment determination at the registration deadline of January 25, 2027.
If the minimum enrollment requirement is not met by that date, Tropismo Travel may cancel the retreat. In that event, all registered participants will receive a full refund of all amounts paid to Tropismo Travel, including their €750 deposits. Participants will be notified promptly.
If Tropismo Travel cancels the retreat before a participant's balance becomes due, no further payment will be required.
Tropismo Travel is a DBA/trade name of Rock Creek Global Holdings, LLC.
An Invitation
A Different Kind of Journey
El Camino del Alma is not a promise of a particular transformation. It is an invitation. You may come with questions. You may come with faith. You may come with uncertainty. You may come simply because something in these places and these people calls to you.
What happens within that space cannot be predetermined. Our responsibility is to create the conditions for a thoughtful, well-guided and meaningful encounter with the Spanish mystical tradition. Your experience will be your own.
Watch & Learn
El Camino del Alma Video Library
Booking
Reserve Your Place
Before completing your registration, you will be provided with the applicable Participant Agreement and required booking information. By registering, you acknowledge that you have had an opportunity to review the retreat's practical requirements, inclusions, exclusions, cancellation provisions and participation conditions.
El Camino del Alma is limited to 20 travelers. Early-bird pricing of €3,500 is reserved for the first five registrants. Registration closes January 25, 2027.
Matthew Cloninger-West · Tropismo Travel
matthew.cloningerwest@fora.travel
+1 202 406 0606 · WhatsApp +34 607 54 68 46