Retreats give time apart from settings and routines of daily life; and replace these, for a time, with an environment, pace, and activities designed to contribute to spiritual orientation.
Some go on formal retreats, where they join others (seekers and teachers) at spiritual centers or conferences.
Some take informal retreats to their own personal special sites; where, in finding solitude or natural beauty or inspiration, they can to get away from it all, for a while.
As is discussed this link, personal special places have been described in Swedish as “smultronstället” – “the place of the wild strawberries”.