Spotlight: Revealing the Magic of Spain with Españolita Retreats

Spotlight Spotlight: Revealing the Magic of Spain with Españolita Retreats

04/02 2023

Photo Lucy Laucht

It all began with her deep love for Spain, Carmen Ruiz’s home country. Nostalgia and her deep affection for her country evolved into a gourmet food stall in LA Farmer’s markets and an online store, slowly transforming into a service offering honest hospitality in the shape of travel itineraries, experiences and cultural immersions.

“I realized what I missed couldn’t be found in just one place, it was a curiosity driven mix of people and places so for a while I photographed Spanish artists and artisans in their studios… ( following my wish to “Gather Talent and Soulful Places” ) I would share my encounters in a website.

Then I let my curiosity for traditional methodologies lead, and inspiring craftsmanship, and primitive lost trades took over my interest, but also honest hospitality and the desire to welcome travelers on different unique experiences that they would remember forever. I am distilling an idea of sharing through emotional experiences but at the same time igniting cultural exchange and how much I enjoy meeting new people, and hosting them with care.”

Photos Lucy Laucht

Share a bit more about your retreats in terms of what you offer and the intention behind it.

Espanolita aims to promote the conservation of Spain’s cultural and natural heritage. So through travel experiences we take conscious travelers through transformative travel experiences. They have typically been 5-7 day trips that include cooking workshops, tastings, harvesting, diving into weaving techniques, ceramics etc, all while staying in historical locations, and learning about the historical landscape through nature trails, and connecting with all those who I consider heritage stewards.

Photos Lucy Laucht

Then I let my curiosity for traditional methodologies lead, and inspiring craftsmanship and primitive lost trades took over my interest, but also honest hospitality and the desire to welcome travelers on different unique experiences that they would remember forever.

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Photos Lucy Laucht

You also work with brands and hotels to craft retreats and cultural immersions, can you tell us more about this?

Hotels haven’t necessarily grasped the idea of cultural preservation where they operate, as corporations tend to impose their ways and trend driven decisions take over the soul of hosting with honesty. However, some hotel brands want to offer their clients the possibility of diving deeper into Spanish culture so ask me to put retreats together for them. This is a part of my business that is growing.

How do you select your retreat locations/destinations?

I only work with good people who are honest and nice, and in old meaningful places that describe the history of the place. But who also are actively working towards preservation. Heritage house owners, landscape regenerators, regenerative fincas, tradition keepers and such… I am not interested in trendy places that have erased authenticity as I really struggle to accept homogenized design, where you don’t know if you are in Bali, Mexico or Ibiza! Because it all looks the same.

Photos Lucy Laucht

You are now located in Mallorca – what brought you there and why is it special to you?

I grew up coming to Mallorca every summer from Madrid, so my fondest memories are with my parents and siblings sailing here, but also discovering fincas and people with them.Eventually after 14 years abroad, moving back to Spain started to make sense. The perfect mix of history and nature happens here, all while sharing my life with locals but also with a good mix of interesting foreigners…