About RuaMar
We design and produce corporate retreats, group gatherings, productions, and bespoke Portugal journeys. We bring together the right setting, rhythm, food, cultural programming, and on-the-ground coordination so every detail supports your purpose and fulfills what you came to achieve.
In Portuguese, rua means street and mar means sea.
Our name reflects the balance at the heart of every experience we design: pairing the rich, grounded rhythm of local streets with the awe-inspiring expanse of the ocean. Two forces that shape how Portugal is experienced.
WHY RUAMAR
The local depth of a Portugal insider.
The discipline of experienced producers.
We have built a trusted network on the ground across Portugal, partnering directly with independent hotels and quintas, chefs, winemakers, cultural hosts, and creative specialists.
That combination gives us the judgement to choose the right partners, places, and pace for each experience, and the operational expertise to bring it all together smoothly.
Meet the founders
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Michael, Co-Founder & Head of Event Production
Michael spent 15 years in New York’s film industry, leading international audio-visual productions and film shoots across philharmonic concert and stage performances, cosmetics and fashion, tech, and luxury goods. He manages complexity, timing, logistics, and high expectations without losing sight of the guest and client experience, developing a producer’s mindset rooted in precision, adaptability, and the invisible details that make everything feel seamless.
At RuaMar, he brings that same instinct to travel design. He is especially drawn to the pacing of a program — how a day unfolds, when to linger, what to edit out, and how to create the kind of experience that feels natural, unforced, and memorable for all the right reasons.
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Carmen, Co-Founder & Head of Experience Design
Carmen spent 15 years leading high-performing teams in marketing, global event execution, and product and brand launches at the highest level, creating experiences where every detail must be on message and aligned with essential global positioning. That background shapes the way she approaches RuaMar today: with an instinct for brand and storytelling, a sharp attention to logistics, and a deep understanding of how to turn a client, launch or team experience from simply well done into something genuinely unforgettable.
At RuaMar, Carmen helps shape experiences that feel warm, well-composed, and deeply rooted in place. Her love of exceptional food, cultural texture, thoughtful hospitality, and beautiful detail helps define the sensibility behind everything RuaMar creates.
"The best travel isn't about doing more; it's about finding the right rhythm and local context."
Hear Michael & Carmen discuss the philosophy behind RuaMar on The Sustainable Travel Podcast, episode 24: RuaMar - is immersive travel the answer to overtourism?
What we design
CORPORATE RETREATS & OFFSITES
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Custom company retreats and offsites designed for strategic alignment, team culture, and a change of perspective. We replace cookie-cutter venue packages and rigid itineraries with the right setting, exceptional regional food, local access, and producer-level execution—so every part of the gathering supports the work your team has come to do.
GATHERINGS & INCENTIVES
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Hosted group journeys and milestone events shaped around warm hospitality, cultural depth, and seamless logistics—from intimate leadership gatherings to private celebrations and team incentives that feel personal, well paced, and genuinely unforgettable.
PRODUCTIONS & BRAND MOMENTS
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Producer-level local support for film shoots, fashion editorials, brand launches, and special projects. From location and venue sourcing and local crew coordination to guest hospitality and complex logistics, we bring the local knowledge and production discipline needed to execute smoothly across Portugal.
BESPOKE PORTUGAL TRAVEL
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Tailored private journeys for travelers who value handpicked stays, regional gastronomy, and unhurried pacing. Choose between fully custom 1-on-1 trip design or our self-guided digital maps and insider itineraries across Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.
How we work
RuaMar brings together creative vision, operational rigor, and a carefully cultivated Portugal-based network to create experiences that feel both effortless and meaningful.
We bring deep regional perspective to every brief—matching your goals to an Atlantic hideaway, a historic city, a Douro estate, an Alentejo quinta, a coastal resort, or somewhere less expected.
Whether you’re planning a corporate retreat, private journey, or production, tell us a bit about your vision and we'll be in touch.