El cortijillo history
Learn about the History
of El Cortijillo
This beautiful project was carried out by Valentín Ocaña Breimer (my life partner),
Margreet Breimer (his mother and my friend) and me.
Valentín and I lead a nomadic life and Margreet has her habitual residence in the Netherlands but every time one of us returns to Spain, El Cortijillo represents our home.
It is a very special place, full of life, where Margreet and Miguel raised their children in the middle of nature, where they built their home from scratch and where we now bring to life another great project, the space for retreats and conscious activities, to be able to share with the world the full experience of connecting with nature.
For me El Cortijillo is a magical place, a gift from the universe that connects me with the cycles, the elements, life and myself. It represents a home but also a school.
A space for sharing
Now El Cortijillo is a space created to develop conscious activities and to bring human beings closer to their roots and to nature.
Moved by the need for change at all levels of the human being to protect nature and our future, we decided to create awareness through spiritual and creative activities but also through the environment itself, offering complete experiences of connection.
Our commitment
Our commitment to the human being goes beyond a service, it is about creating a space for exchange:
Attention
Our groups are very small, only 6 people, so we can give individual attention to each participant.
A unique experience
We offer an experience in a unique environment, where you can connect with yourself and nature in a special and original way.
Holistic health
Everything is designed to offer you health. You will breathe fresh air, eat fresh and healthy food, connect with your physical, mental and energetic body,…
Back to nature
We give your being the right and the opportunity to connect with nature, with your origin.
Our commitment to the environment is real and at all levels:
Our commitment to the environment is real and at all levels:
Accommodation and facilities
Accommodation consists of three cotton bell-style tents that sleep two people each. They are spacious and well equipped for your relaxation.
The Shala is open-air so as not to isolate your practice from the environment.
95% of our facilities are designed to leave no trace, they are removable, so that the rest of the year, when there are no retreats, it remains a place for nature.
Water
We obtain our water from a natural spring that emerges thanks to the thawing of the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
We do not consider the use of wells that dry up our aquifers to be sustainable.
The water we do not need is returned to the spring.
We reduce our consumption to a minimum thanks to our dry toilets, our showers with auto-stop and our small groups of participants. In addition, we always seek the involvement of those attending our retreats and workshops.
Fire
We are in one of the driest areas of Europe, every year we lose thousands of hectares of vegetation and animals in forest fires.
Fires are not allowed in the area and we have a designated smoking area.
A fire can be caused by the induction of the sun’s rays on glass!
Sustainable energy
Our electricity is solar and our night lighting is modest, we don’t want light pollution, we want to continue to enjoy the Milky Way, the stars, the song of owls and nightingales, ….
The water in the showers is heated by the sun.
Food and drink
We have a wonderful vegetable garden which is the delight of Cortijillo.
We do not use chemical fertilisers or pesticides, we seek balance through biodiversity and natural processes. We have drip irrigation.
We support the exchange of seeds and encourage the use of old local
ancient species from the area.
Everything we cannot obtain from the garden we buy or exchange from the nearest organic producers,
supporting the local economy and the consumption of Km. 0.
Our menus are vegetarian, with fresh, seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired food.
Waste and residues
Everything that is biodegradable is returned to the soil and nourished by our dry toilets and composting bins.
We try to reduce our consumption of plastics and packaging to a minimum.
Waste is recycled.
Location
El Cortijillo is located in the south of Spain, in the region of Andalusia, in the province of Granada, between Bérchules and Trevélez.
In the heart of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park and very close to the National Park. A very important enclave at national level where the highest peak of the Iberian Peninsula, the Mulhacén, with 3.478,6 metres, is located, El Cortijillo is at about 1410 metres.
You can enjoy the mountains but we are also very close to the coast, just an hour’s drive away.
This region on the southern face of the Sierra Nevada is known as the Alpujarra, a very important historical enclave as it was the last refuge of the Muslims in the peninsula after the reconquest by the Catholic Monarchs. Visiting its villages and landscapes you can taste this influence.
In El Cortijillo you can enjoy a unique natural environment, listen to the birds singing, watch the beautiful panoramic views, with beautiful sunrises, surrounded by typical Mediterranean aromatic and medicinal vegetation, with starry skies, silence, …… The perfect place to rest, enjoy nature and disconnect.
If you want to see more, Irina made this video on her experience at the Yin Yang Yoga retreat in El Cortijillo:
