Poetry and Pilgrimage: A Weeklong Writing and Walking Retreat
For over a thousand years, people have strolled the Camino de Santiago, following ancient footpaths carved into the soul of Spain. Are you ready for it?
Every hero's journey requires an inciting incident.
(Here is yours, a rare invitation to walk and write for a week in Spain.)
Next, the hero must face and overcome fierce external and internal challenges.
(Like walking 75 miles while opening, exposing, and sharing your heart with a group of like-minded creatives.)
Last comes a resolution via personal revolution. Our hero survives the harrowing journey and is more confident, wiser, more worldly, and capable.
(And having written some incredible poetry!)
The Camino calls.
Your new story awaits.
What's the history of this walk?
For over a thousand years, pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago, a sacred route winding through the mountains, forests, and rural villages of Spain, leading to a captivating cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Originally a Catholic pilgrimage to honor the remains of Saint James, the Camino has evolved into something much more universal.
It's a soulful journey of reflection, intention, and inner transformation. Kings, poets, mystics, and wanderers have all followed this path, leaving behind layers of devotion, story, and energy that still linger in the cobblestone footpaths of the countryside.
Today, walking the Camino is less about religion and more about reconnection to your body, to your creative spirit, and to something greater than yourself. It’s a rare chance to step away from noise and expectation and drop into the quiet rhythm of your own footsteps. With each mile, you let go of what no longer serves you, and somewhere along the way, as the landscape opens up, so do you.
This is a profound opportunity to fully unplug so that you can write, feel, and move, all while being held by a group of new friends, as you return to yourself and your inner voice.
What's a normal day like on this trip?
- Morning silence, meditation, or breathwork to start the day
- Walk 4-8 hours, having one-on-one coaching chats with Jeremy, giggle fits with the group, pausing regularly at cafes for a croissant and a coffee, taking photos of flowers, petting random horses, stopping to smell the flowers outside an ancient church, and attending an impromptu poetry workshop from Allie to catalyze creative thinking in stunning spaces
- Arrive in a new place, unpack, settle, explore, nap, journal, laugh, chat, and eat all the pastries
- Storytelling discussions and deep chats over a delicious restaurant dinner
- Evening writing practice, plus gentle restorative yin yoga classes, stretching, and foam rolling
What's this experience really like?
Jeremy has led similar trips five times. Here are various firsthand accounts from a few folks who have walked with him.
(Click each video to watch it.)
MAKE NO MISTAKE: THIS IS A BIG DEAL.
YOU MIGHT CRY, CURSE OUR NAMES, AND NOT SLEEP GREAT. YOU'LL LIKELY BE SORE, AND YOU MAY GET BLISTERS. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF GREAT WEATHER OR CLEAN CLOTHES ON THIS CREATIVE ADVENTURE, SO YOU MAY BE QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE QUITE OFTEN, FEELING PRIDE, BLISS, PAIN, GRATITUDE, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, BUT AT THE END OF THIS WILD, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE, YOU'LL SEE YOURSELF IN AN ENTIRELY NEW LIGHT, YOUR CREATIVE LIFE WILL CHANGE, AND YOU'LL NEVER BE THE SAME.
SOUNDS FUN, RIGHT?
Here are a few more thoughts from past participants:
"If you’re into a life-changing, mind-boggling, heart-exploding, adventure-of-a-lifetime, look no further, you’re in the perfect place!"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The connection, expansion, and challenge is next level and indescribable. There were days when it was hard but always totally worth it!"
"If you’re hesitating or thinking twice all I can say is: DON'T. This experience will change your life in unimaginable ways, and aside from walking in beautiful places seeing extraordinary things, expanding your heart and your mind, you'll develop connections with others humans that you never knew were possible and find out things about yourself that will smash the old stories to smithereens."
"I was gifted an opportunity to heal in a way I didn't know I needed."
THREE SIMPLE NEXT STEPS:
1. Reserve your spot, and book a flight.
There are EIGHT SPOTS LEFT for this retreat. It's intentionally small, an intimate group of heart-centered humans with whom you can eat, walk, share, chat, confide, sigh, laugh, bond, and make lifelong memories while stepping out of your comfort zone.
2. Pack a bag, prep the body, and get excited.
This is not the kind of trip where you pack last minute and show up. We're going on a proper adventure together, so you need to get yourself prepared. There are things to acquire and there is training to do to get yourself ready to rock. Read Jeremy's packing advice by clicking here.
3. Come to Europe, and start walking.
We'll carry what we need from city to city, backpacking, spending time, and sharing epiphanies with each other. We will make memories amidst the breakdowns and breakthroughs, celebrating all of it together. At the end of the walk, you'll have a Camino family.
What else do I need to know?
- In April and May, we'll have a one-hour group Zoom call leading up to the trip to let you connect with the other participants and ask questions;
- We will also start a WhatsApp group to share training tips, accountability, and excited encouragement;
- Each day, we will walk between four and eight hours, rain or shine, as we slowly make our way forward one step at a time;
- We will backpack and live simply in hostels, sleeping on bunk beds and sharing communal showers/toilets with other pilgrims from all over the world. There will be various hotel stays scattered along the way, too, where you'll have a bit more comfort and space.
Where will we sleep?
We'll be staying in some shared spaces such as pilgrim hostels and basic rural hotels. They'll be safe and clean, and are not nearly the stuff of nightmares you may be imagining. It'll likely look something like this.
Want to see what it's like?
Here are some photos from previous trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
May 27 to June 3, 2026, eight days, seven nights, and six big days of walking.
This experience costs $3,599 USD, and payment plans are available for 6 and 10 months. Please note this price includes everything detailed in the next question below, e.g., dinner each night, accommodation each night, transport to the start, travel insurance, three Zoom meetings, your Camino passport, etc.
- A WhatsApp group chat to get connected before the trip, stay updated on it, and keep in touch once it's done;
- Two group Zoom calls (in April and May) leading up to the trip to let you connect with Jeremy, Allie, and the other participants and ask all the questions;
- Your accommodation for 7 nights in hostels and shared spaces (there will be some nice nights in a hotel though), covering the first evening in Tui and including the last night in Santiago de Compostela;
- Dinner for 7 days (from dinner in Tui through dinner in Santiago de Compostela);
- Your Camino passport for collecting stamps along the walk, which is required to get your official certificate of completion (and also a great souvenir itself);
- Transportation from Porto to Tui, where we will have dinner and then begin walking the next morning;
- Travel insurance including full medical coverage only, not trip cancellation or interruption coverage for flights, luggage, etc... (So, if you need to see a doctor or you break your hip, you're covered, but if you want to change your flights, you're not);
- Eight new friends (because anyone who decides to come on this trip is going to be similar to you), countless stories, and an empowering adventure of the highest order;
- A group Zoom call when we return home to work through what we experienced and how to integrate the various lessons into our daily lives;
- A special welcome gift package from a few favorite brands to ensure you have some essentials for the trip.
Your flight, transportation to/from the airport, most breakfasts, all lunches, snacks, alcohol, and any random upgrades, treats, purchases, or souvenirs you desire.
The bare minimum and essentials. Jeremy wrote a summary of his previous trips and included all of his best ideas/suggestions. A former participant also wrote a packing checklist for women. Click here to check them out!
- We'll meet up in Porto and travel north to the Spain/Portugal border via train. Then, we'll walk the last 115 km of the Camino Portugues over six days, starting in the small city of Tui and finishing up at the traditional end point, Santiago de Compostela in Northwest Spain. There, we'll visit the world-famous cathedral, have an incredible dinner, and you will collect your certificate of completion from the Pilgrim's Office;
- Basically, we fly into Porto, Portugal, and then take a train up to Tui, Spain. From there, we walk: Tui --> 16 km --> O Porriño --> 16 km --> Redondela --> 20 km --> Pontevedra --> 21 km --> Caldas de Reis --> 19 km --> Padron --> 24 km --> Santiago de Compostela.
It's easiest to arrive via Porto, in the northwest of Portugal, which has a major international airport. There is also an international airport in Santiago de Compostela, at the end of the walk, if you'd like to fly out of there.
Is it nerves and fear you feel, or is it excitement and aliveness? Is it an opportunity and an invitation? There is no other experience like this on the planet, but if you're still on the fence, read this.
Yes, you will need a visa to visit the European Union, but most people can obtain one on arrival without any prior preparation. Click here to learn more.
If you're over 18, you can sign up! All earthlings are welcome.
We'll walk through northwest Spain, an area known for its lush greenery, Celtic influences, and deeply mystical atmosphere (according to ChatGPT). There will also be wooded paths, mossy trails, Eucalyptus forests, meandering streams, rolling countryside, paved alleys, cozy suburbs, ripe agricultural areas, babbling brooks, panoramic views, misty mornings, seaside towns, and ancient Roman roads, bridges, and churches. Many people have said that it's prettier than they thought it would be, and different from what they imagined.
In 2024, a grandmother in her 60s did the trip with Jeremy. If you commit and prepare, you can definitely do it. There are a handful of sweaty hills to climb, but it's also pretty flat in parts, e.g, dirt trails near streams, vineyards, and farmland, plus some cobblestone paths, roads, and sidewalks. This trip is not a giant and ongoing epic uphill slog over an exposed mountain pass, and there are no dangerous parts of the path. There are forests, birdsong, and quiet streams, plus ancient bridges and churches. It's spectacular.
If you decide you want to do it, you can do it, we promise, but also, we'll be walking 75 miles in a week, so it's not easy!
The best way to prepare is to take some steps. Break your shoes in. Walk, and slowly build up strength and distance. Find the backpack you're going to wear and begin to add some weight over time. Build up your stamina. Prepare the body to do hard things. Baby steps. Don't rush or overdo it!
Yep. There are 6-month and 10-month payment plans available.
Just so we're clear:
This is a full-body, hell yes, holy moly, "OMG I can't believe I am really doing this," unforgettable, unbelievable, entirely ridiculous once-in-a-lifetime, transformative, initiatory memory-making creative experience.
Are you the hero you're waiting for?
Carl Jung believed that the reason we resonate so deeply with the hero’s journey (think The Lion King or Harry Potter) is that all the major archetypes exist within our own subconscious, i.e., within each of us is a hero, a villain, a fool, and a sage.
The hero's journey happens within each of us every day. The villain tries to control us, the sage advises the hero on how to rise to the occasion, and the fool reminds us that laughter may be the wisest act.
Usually, we get stuck in the archetype that receives the most validation from the world. If you’re the person everyone relies upon, that likely means your caregiver archetype is active. If you are the one who makes people laugh, that likely means your fool archetype is active.
This trip is an opportunity to slip out of your comfortable costumes and embody a different archetype on our journey.
Ultimately, we seek to answer two questions: Who are you, truly, deep down, and what kind of life do you want for yourself?
We get the world we settle for.
As Henri Matisse said, “Creativity takes courage.”
Save your spot!
If this walk is calling your name, now is the time to answer. Every step is a sentence, and every mile makes a memory.
WHO IS LEADING THIS ADVENTURE?
Allie Michelle is a poet and fantasy novelist who believes in the power of storytelling to create more empathy in our world. She is a 3x best-selling author who has performed and led workshops all over the world. She co-hosts her podcast, Easy A, where she interviews various artists, storytellers, and wellness experts to bridge the connection between mental health and creativity. She is also certified in craniosacral, breathwork, meditation, and yoga.
Dr. Jeremy Goldberg has led five group walks on the Camino and walked across all of Spain in 2018. He is a recovering scientist turned life coach, podcast host, and giver of keynotes who speaks fluent burrito. He worked internationally for governments and universities for over a decade and spent five years studying how our brains influence our actions and wrote a Ph.D. thesis on it. The founder of Long Distance Love Bombs, with a mission to make kindness cool, he also wrote a book and makes spoken word poetry videos.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE:
Because this trip requires a tremendous amount of planning and investment, full refunds are NOT available. In the event of unforeseen events forcing the trip to be canceled, e.g., a global pandemic, or you backing out before February 15, we will provide a full refund of your payments until that date minus $500 (which helps cover the loss of hostels/hotels pre-booked). The first $500 of any payment made thus serves as a non-refundable deposit. If the trip proceeds, but you decide to withdraw on or after February 15, then only half of your payment(s) will be refunded. Please consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance.
NOTE: If two consecutive monthly payments are missed, your spot will be forfeited and made available to the waiting list. If you have other questions, please message Jeremy, and he'll get back to you ASAP.
