How it started
Victoria arrived in Portugal in 2017, heavily pregnant, with over a decade of Reformer Pilates teaching behind her in Sydney, Australia. She looked for a Reformer Pilates class she could attend. She could not find one. So she started one.
What began as a single Reformer in a small space grew into the studio that exists today in Almancil. Reformer Pilates Algarve is the first dedicated group Reformer Pilates studio in Portugal, and it has been running continuously since 2017.
The studio serves clients from Almancil, Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, and Loulé, as well as tourists visiting the Algarve who want to keep up their practice while they are here.
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
13 years of Reformer Pilates teaching
13+
Years teaching
Reformer Pilates instructor since 2011
12
Retreats run
Private Reformer Pilates retreats in the past 12 months alone
Since 2017
Based in Portugal
Almancil, Algarve, the first group Reformer studio in Portugal
Australia
Training
Trained and taught in Sydney before relocating to Portugal
What Victoria teaches
Victoria teaches group Reformer Pilates classes (maximum 8 people), private 1:1 Reformer Pilates sessions, and runs bespoke private Pilates retreats across the Algarve. She also teaches mat Pilates and Barre, and has a particular love for the Pilates Tower.
Her clients include golfers, padel players, runners, people recovering from injury, women over 50, and people who have never done Pilates before. She has worked with complete beginners and with people who have been practising for decades.
She is known for small class sizes, precise cueing, and a teaching style that is warm, direct, and effective. Every session is different because every body is different.
THE STUDIO TODAY
Reformer Pilates and remedial massage under one roof
Victoria met Alex in Sydney. They moved to Portugal in 2017. Portugal is Alex's home. He holds a degree in sports science, has worked with leading physiotherapy clinics in Sydney, is a triathlete, and specialises in sports and remedial massage.
In 2025 they joined forces. The studio now offers Reformer Pilates, remedial sports massage through Alex's practice at muscletherapyalgarve.com, and the new Wellness Circuit, infrared sauna, compression legs, and red light therapy, all in one place in Almancil.
Victoria has been offering all of these things on her retreats for years. Now, for the first time, they are available together in the studio when she is not running a retreat. It is, as she says, amazing.
Private retreats across the Algarve
Victoria runs bespoke private Reformer Pilates retreats in the Algarve for groups of 4 to 20 people. She brings the Reformer to your villa. She brings her eight years of living in Portugal, knowing the best chefs, the best practitioners, the best local experiences. She brings twelve months of running retreats back to back.
In the past twelve months she has run twelve private retreats: twelve Irish women in November, four French women in Almancil in February, and six women in Vilamoura in June with twice-daily Reformer Pilates for seven days.
See Retreats
Common questions
Who is Victoria Barton?
Victoria Barton is a Reformer Pilates instructor with 13 years of teaching experience. She trained and taught in Sydney, Australia, before relocating to Almancil, Algarve, Portugal in 2017, where she founded the first group Reformer Pilates studio in Portugal.
Where is Reformer Pilates Algarve located?
The studio is located at Edificio Doza, Av. 5 de Outubro 143, 8135-100 Almancil, Portugal. It is easily accessible from Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, and Loulé.
How long has Victoria been teaching Reformer Pilates?
Victoria has been teaching Reformer Pilates for 13 years. She began her teaching career in Australia and has been based in the Algarve since 2017.
Was Reformer Pilates Algarve the first group Reformer studio in Portugal?
Yes. When Victoria founded the studio in Almancil in 2017, it was the first dedicated group Reformer Pilates studio in Portugal.
Does Victoria run private Pilates retreats in the Algarve?
Yes. Victoria runs bespoke private Reformer Pilates retreats across the Algarve for groups of 4 to 20 people. She brings the Reformer to your villa and builds a programme around your group.
What is the Wellness Circuit at the studio?
The Wellness Circuit is a recovery and wellbeing experience at the studio in Almancil. It includes infrared sauna, compression leg therapy, and red light therapy, followed by relaxation and tea. It can be booked standalone or combined with a Reformer Pilates session.
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