AGENDA
AGENDA

Host & Book

The Retreat Center in Bordei is part of the Ecovillage & Sanctuary Terra Vecchia Bordei, where we offer all the necessary facilities for the enriching retreat experience. These can be in many different subject areas, from personal growth to yoga to vision quests to non-violent communication and much more. We offer in-house retreats, but also welcome external groups who wish to host their own retreats. The retreats are on a full-board basis. We are also happy to co-create and help shape certain aspects of the retreats, such as a spiritual chanting, music or a ceremony event, a visit to the ashram or sharing the Bhakti practice. Further information can be found in our detailed program.

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Rejuvenate body, mind and spirit.

Cuisine

We believe that what we eat has a direct influence not only on our physical, but also on our mental and spiritual well-being. The cuisine we offer at our retreats is organic, vegetarian, healthy and delicious. It is prepared and served with love. In the yoga tradition, this blessed food is called prasadam or grace. We offer courses in which we show you how to prepare delicious, sattvic (pure goodness) meals that perfectly nourish body and mind.

OVERVIEW

The Domes

We provide two beautiful “geodesic” domes for our retreats in Bordei. The 12 Meter (diameter) dome has an area of 111 m² and can accommodate up to 40 yoga participants. For seminars, workshops and concerts this dome can accommodate up to 150 people seated in rows and 200 people standing. The 8 Meter (diameter) dome has a surface area of 50 m² and offers space for up to 17 yoga participants, up to 60 people seated in rows and 80 standing. The domes can be used for a variety of events and have temperature regulation for hot and cold days. There are rooms for smaller groups in the retreat centre and an outdoor yoga deck will be added soon.

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Rooms​

At the Retreat Centre Bordei we have different types of single-occupancy and double-occupancy rooms. They are located in one of the many cozy houses that make up our Ecovillage. We also have a large central retreat house with 6 double rooms, and our Osteria has an additional 7 rooms for guests.  In total, we can accommodate up to 40 guests in Bordei, but with the additional use of the sanctuary and tents we can also host festivals of up to 300 people.

VIEW ROOMS

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Contact

  • info@ecovillagesanctuary.org
  • 6657 Palagnedra - Bordei, Switzerland
  • +41 79 300 91 37

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Prices

Prices for seminar participants

Prices per seminar participant per night 
including: rooms, vegetarian full board & use of facilities.
excluding: travel to location and tuition fees
up to 5 nights:

  • Single room: CHF 165.-
  • Double room: CHF 135.-
  • 4 mattress dorm room: CHF 115.-

6 nights & more

  • Single room: CHF 150.-
  • Double room: CHF 120.-
  • 4 mattress dorm room: CHF 105.-

Cancellation conditions for guests and seminar participants

  • up to 28 days before the arrival date: CHF 50.- processing fee
  • 28 – 7 days before the arrival date: 25% of the total costs
  • 7 – 1 day before the arrival date: 50% of the total costs
  • on the day of arrival, or in the event of no-show: 100% of the total costs
  • in the event of early departure: 100% of the total costs
  • 2 nights minimum stay

Cuisine

The food we serve in our retreat center is vegetarian and primarily plant based. We follow the principles of healthy cooking and respects the planet and its inhabitants. The menus for the retreats were designed by Pietro Leemann, who studied Ayurveda and Chinese dietetics.  

We serve 2 meals are served each day, a brunch at 10 in the morning and a dinner at 17.30 in the afternoon (timings can adapt on request). Our meals are freshly cooked with organic ingredients (if possible from our own garden) and a variation of vegetables, fruits, grains, and vegetable proteins. Each meal will have gluten free options avialable.

Herbal tea and cecaf cofee are available througout the day, and we will also serve a light snack in the afternoon between meals in our tea room.

Herbal tea and cecaf cofee are available througout the day, and we will also serve a light snack in the afternoon between meals in our tea room.

History

Two hundred years ago, the village of Raxa was abandoned as its inhabitants relocated to Rasa. Over time, the houses fell into ruin, and the area came to be known as Terra Vecchia. Seventy years ago, a similar fate befell Bordei. Young people moved to the cities, leaving the town inhabited only by the elderly, who eventually passed away.

In the late 1960s, Jürg Zbinden, an ambitious and idealistic eighteen-year-old, visited the area and fell in love with the two remote villages. With a utopian vision, he dreamed of bringing them back to life. Miraculously, through his artistic and artisan skills and the support of numerous patrons, the villages began to flourish once more.

Over the last fifty years, many successful social projects have emerged, and the rebirth of these villages has been a remarkable achievement. Now in his later years, Jürg Zbinden decided to pass on the leadership of the Foundation. By a fortunate coincidence, a group promoting a new vision for the project presented their ideas, which were enthusiastically embraced.

The foundation is set to begin construction on the next phase in 2024, with activities scheduled to launch in the spring of 2025. Building on its rich history, the concept for the villages centers on creating an eco-village with a strong social and spiritual focus. It will be a space open to an evolving society, while also serving as a retreat for personal regeneration and a hub for learning essential life skills.

The Fondazione Terra Vecchia – Bordei owns the sites, which include 35 hectares of arable land, five houses offering 30 beds in Raxa, and six houses with a restaurant and 40 beds in Bordei. Several promising development projects and prospects for the two villages are supported by patrons and other foundations. Those interested in contributing are welcome to contact us.