Book 2019 Wellness Holidays: The best places in Europe for a yoga retreat

Greece, Italy, Retreats, Spain, Travel, Yoga 0

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From a morning yoga practice at sunrise on the beach to a candle lit sunset meditation on a mountain in the midst plenty of azure seas and glorious sunshine, Europe has got it covered with an abundance of retreats to choose from. Here’s our recommendations on the best places in Europe for a yoga retreat.

The best places in Europe for a yoga retreat: Greece

Though having one beach to wander and relax upon is great, in Greece you are able to choose between hundreds of beaches. Since the country is home to 227-inhabited islands, it is on the cards that you will find that one special beach that allows you to escape and truly enjoy yourself.

Not all beaches are created equal in Greece as some have white sand while others have pink or black sand covering the shores.

Santorini

7 Day Rejuvenating Yoga Retreat

Dates: 31 August – 7 September, 7 – 14 September

Best places in Europe for a yoga retreat

Be energised and inspired on this trip of a lifetime and join us on our 7 day Santorini yoga retreat. Enjoy flowing vinyasa practice, gentle restorative sessions and rejuvenating meditation.

This rejuvenating 7 day Santorini yoga retreat programme combines vinyasa yoga, restorative yoga and meditation to take you on an incredible journey of wellbeing and discovery in stunning Santorini.

From your arrival in Greece you can feel at ease and enjoy the wonders of this glistening jewel of an island, safe in the experienced hands of our team. We look forward to welcoming you, supporting you and guiding you through this incredible wellbeing experience.

As well as the expert teachings you will also find yourself rebalanced by the beautiful nature of Santorini, with inspiring walks and views all around.

You can take in the stillness, soak up the Greek sunshine and enjoy the energy of this special island, allowing yourself the time and space to invite relaxation and wellbeing in. Book this retreat!

Mykonos

Nourishing Luxury Retreat for Women

Dates: 13th – 20th May

Luxury Retreat for Women in Mykonos

Luxuriate for eight days and seven nights on this unforgettable nourishing luxury retreat for women in Mykonos, the Greek Islands of the Gods!

Nourish your body, mind, and soul surrounded by the Aegean blue, learn how to embody your dreams with playfulness and manifest miracles in your life! Relax by the swimming pool of a serene eco-luxury villa as you indulge your senses with a Fresh Greek mountain tea during the sunset hour, gazing endlessly the union of the golden sky with the crystal clear sea at the cosmopolitan Mykonos island.

Experience a nourishing blend of mindful practices and rituals in Delos island, one of the most uplifting energy sites in the world. And there is more bliss to follow as your inspiring teachers, Apostolia and Toby are preparing a Full Moon Ceremony especially for you and your new amazing friends that bring energy to your soul!

This life-changing journey is for those of you longing to set your soul free and embody your dreams through breathwork, meditation, yoga, dance, chanting and dream journeying!

This unmissable retreat experience is meticulously designed for you, as a gift to yourself to receive transformative guidance and invoke your untapped source of creativity, wisdom and to become a Dreamer of Dreams, ready to weave your own pathway to happiness when you go back home. Book this retreat!

Lefkada

The Alchemist Meditation and Yoga Retreat

 

Join us for a beautiful and transformative Indian Yoga and Meditation experience in the scenic backdrop of Lefkada Islands, Greece. Learn to go inside through deep Buddhist meditation and classical yoga in order to release our blockages and undo the cycles of our past, while simultaneously applying this powerful knowledge in order to heal the body through tantra, ayurveda and reflexology practices.

Winner of the Luxury Travel Guide Awards 2017 for Asia and Australia region and Service Excellence by Tripadvisor this is an intensive spiritual experience, where with the back drop of pure nature you can learn to go inside, let go off the pain, the cycles of limitations and expand beyond your original self through simple direct work on and into the mind which the Yogis have practiced for thousands of years.

Our luxurious back drop if the Urania Luxury Resorts, standing on top of a mountain overlooking the 7 Ionian Islands and the beautiful Ionian sea. Book this retreat!

♥ Book the best yoga retreats in Greece

The best places in Europe for a yoga retreat: Spain

The excellent climate is a great appeal for travellers and with an average of 300 or more days of sunshine each year along the Mediterranean coastline; Spain is the sunniest country in Europe.

Siesta time may not be adhered to religiously throughout Spain, however the pace is slow, and the climate warm. Whilst on holiday, relaxing midday is a great part of the Spanish culture to indulge in.

Choose the right location and settle into the swing of things; Spain is the ultimate location for fully recharging the batteries.

Altea

4 & 5 Night Yoga and Hiking Retreat

Dates: 3 – 8 October, 17 – 22 October

the best yoga retreats in Europe

Escape to Spain for 5 nights and immerse yourself in warm sunshine, ‘drink’ fresh clean sea air, feast on delicious tasty food, open your body in twice daily amazing yoga and hike in stunning natural scenery.

And, if you fancy exploring further, you can go biking and horse trekking, cook up a delicious paella lunch or simply chill in the sun.

Our yoga and hiking retreats in Spain are the perfect blend of two complementing exercises. Whilst hiking is great for the heart and lungs it can create tight leg muscles and an aching back but, with the addition of delicious yoga to lengthen, open and strengthen your posture, you’ll loosen your hamstrings, build strength, mobilise joints and deepen your breathing. The simple fusion of yoga and hiking on one retreat means you receive a complete boost to your health and fitness. Book this retreat!

Ibiza

7 Day Luxury Nourish and Flow Yoga Retreat

Dates: 8 – 14 June, 6 – 12 July

the best yoga retreats in Ibiza

Join us for an activity filled nourish and flow yoga retreat in a luxurious villa, located in the beautiful and peaceful north of Ibiza. We focus on providing a full programme during the retreat week, making sure you have plenty of time to relax, unwind and explore Ibiza and its beaches.

During the week, we work on achieving balance. Providing you with uplifting activities such as – dynamic yoga, partner yoga, stand up paddle boarding, a drummer’s circle and sunset at Benirras beach. To balance we offer restful activities including – restorative yoga, meditation and candle gazing meditation, healing crystal sound baths, and plenty of time to sunbathe, enjoy each other’s company and free time to do what you please.

The inspirational yoga teacher Zarah Boden will guide you through a morning Vinyasa flow yoga practise as well as restorative yoga and meditation in the evenings.

This retreat will guide you towards embodying yoga, listening to your inner guru and taking steps towards self-empowerment. You will be nourished with healthy and delicious Mediterranean food, fresh from local Ibiza farms.

Our luxury nourish and flow retreat will be about you, focusing on slowing down, being present, disconnecting, appreciating nature, food, health, and living consciously. We keep groups small with a maximum 12 guests. Book this retreat!

4 Night Long Weekend Yoga & Fitness Retreat

Dates: 31 May – 4 June, 13 – 17 October

best yoga retreats in Ibiza

A 4 night long weekend yoga and fitness retreat in Ibiza. Filled with yoga, mindfulness, fitness sessions, great vegetarian food, healing massage, energising hike and even a afternoon / night out in one of Ibizan beach clubs (optional) to complete full Ibizan yin/yang circle!

Join us for this true re-set Ibizan style – daily 2.5 hour yoga and mindfulness practice, two one hour fitness sessions by personal trainer to get your heart rate up, healing one hour massage treatment for your body, mind balancing journaling and intension setting, session in our authentic wood-burning sauna, deeply relaxing Yoga Nidra and if you feel like it, let your hair down with music and bit of dance one afternoon / evening in a well-known Ibizan beach club.

We stay in authentic Ibizan country house with lovely green gardens and large swimming pool, sauna and plenty of chill-out areas. We do our practices on a serene yoga platform that is surrounded by ancient trees, eat clean, locally grown vegetarian food and enjoy great company!

Leave totally rejuvenated and find your inner fire and that sparkle again.All meals and full program is included. All you need to bring is a positive spirit and curious mind. Come and join us! Book this retreat!

Canary Islands

Yoga Holidays in Las Palmas Gran Canaria

Dates: open all year round

best yoga retreats in Gran Canaria

Join us for one of our yoga holidays in Las Palmas, a place known for its all year long summer, right in the beach promenade of la Playa de Las Canteras, a 12 kilometers beach which is considered one of the best urban beaches in Europe. We are open all year round and you can check-in and check-out anytime you like.

The Canary Islands are known for their eternal summer weather, so you can enjoy your holidays at the beach all year long. We want to give you the opportunity to let yoga be your daily companion, merge into the Canarian lifestyle, meet new people, connect to nature and have a time for yourself.

An invitation to leave your “musts” behind and just live your holiday as you please. We want to give you what we love, so we offer you daily yoga classes and all sort of activities to discover Gran Canaria, experience something new or simply relax and chill.

Your non yogi partner will also have its place and you will be able to enjoy both your yoga practice and the pleasure of sharing. Because we believe that above all, the best way to be healthy is to be happy.

The neighborhood where we are located is very quiet, secure and warm, so you can have all the facilities of being in a city, but in a soft and calm atmosphere. Las Palmas is a charming city which still keeps its Latin American colonial influences, making it colorful, joyful and kind.

It also has a lot of different kind of nice restaurants where you will be able to eat all sorts of food from all over the world. Our cute yoga studio is from 5 to 10 minutes walk from all our accommodations as it is the rooftop where we teach some of our lessons. Book this retreat!

♥ Book the best yoga retreats in Spain, Canary and Balearic Islands

The best places in Europe for a yoga retreat: Italy

It’s an old saying, but in Italy, what grows together truly goes together. Eat to live and not live to eat. How could you go to Italy and not enjoy the food? It is, of course, one of the delights of travelling in Italy.

But food in Italy is more than about taste. It’s about respect for the land, the people who produce food and wine and the ancient knowledge and traditions that have been developed and refined over many centuries.

Puglia

7 Day Luxury Yoga Retreat

Dates: 1st – 7th September

best yoga retreats in Italy

Join us for our annual Luxury Yoga Retreat in Puglia, and discover this “it list” region of Italy’s rural heel. This wonderful retreat will enable us to experience the landscapes and activities of this incredible rising star of Italy.

Spend a week amongst fertile red earth, gnarled olives and turquoise seas. The day trips will allow you to experience the many unique landscapes and activities that this area has to offer.

Tour through Puglia’s famous “Trulli,” white, cone-shaped houses in the town of Alberobello, a UNESCO heritage site where the main concentration of these trulli still stand.

One day is spent in the neighbouring region of Bascilicata in the town of Matera where we’ll enjoy the sites and unwind in a beautiful spa with treatments. The next day will be spent learning about the flavours of Puglia.

We start off with a cheese tasting and a visit to the town of Martina Franca. We will take in the gorgeous hilltop town of Ostuni, known as the White City, explore some of Italy’s oldest olive farms and enjoy a meal in a local restaurant.

Our day trips will allow you to experience the many unique landscapes and activities that this area has to offer. One night will be spent at an award-winning restaurant with a tasting menu + wine pairing. Next we have a day of relaxation planned at one of the region’s blue beaches and at a private beach club.

One day will include a winery visit with a tour and tasting, and yet another day with a visit to one of the area’s most picturesque towns with plenty of photo-worthy vistas and blue waters, followed by an amazing unique meal in a “grotto” overlooking the cliffs by the sea in Polignano al Mare.

We will round out the week with massage treatments and plenty of time to relax at our home-away-from-home with its beautiful pool, walking trails, and more. Book this retreat!

♥ Book the best yoga retreats Italy

The best places in Europe for a yoga retreat: France

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, over 80 million people travel to France every year. People from all over the world are drawn to France’s sophisticated culture, heritage sites, delicious wine, sheer diversity, mountain range and charming little towns.

It’s time to discover some of the gems of this country with our recommended yoga and wellness retreats in France.

French Alps

Alpine Yoga and Hiking Retreat

Dates: 31 July – 7 August, 7 – 14 August, 14 – 21 August 21 – 28 August

alpine yoga and hiking retreat

Join us in the beautiful French Alps for an alpine yoga and hiking retreat. After touring around the French Alps, we love hiking in this area. With so many routes to choose from and breathtaking views, you won’t want to go home!

If you are a lover of the mountains and enjoy being in the great outdoors this is the hiking yoga holiday for you. An exciting week of adventure activities during the day beginning with yoga and then a choice of hiking, white water rafting, paragliding or wild swimming.

The hiking yoga experience is unrivalled here. After touring around the French Alps, we love hiking in this area. With so many routes to choose from and breathtaking views, you won’t want to go home! There’s nothing like a hiking yoga holiday to exhilarate and enliven body and mind.

Stay in our beautiful rustic Chalet style accommodation nestled on the mountainside surrounded by alpine pastures. Start and end the day with yoga to stretch out your hiking limbs, and soothe them with a sauna and hot tub, or treat yourself to a massage.

Step out of the chalet and the mountain trails are yours for the picking. If you’ve not visited the French Alps in the summer time, you’re in for a treat. As the winter snow melts away in the spring, the mountains take on their summer mantle of bright green grass and colourful alpine flowers. The views are equally as spectacular in the summer as they are in the winter.

After a long walk reward yourself with a swim to cool off in a refreshing glacial lake. There are so many hikes to choose from, at blue, red or black levels.

Enjoy views of Mont Blanc in the distance. If you feel like a day off from walking why not try paragliding or white water rafting, or enjoy the Olympic sized pool in Bourg St Maurice. Or simply relax in the garden of the chalet and catch some sun whilst enjoying a good book. Book this retreat!

French Pyrenees

A 5 day Yoga, Mindfulness and Embodied Mediation Retreat in a French Chateau to re-establish a rich, soulful connection to your yoga and meditation practice. Located in a picturesque medieval village in the southern French Pyrenees, the house feels like a temple, the rooms are large and stylish.

This retreat is intended for all those in need of rejuvenation, rest and relaxation, and those who are seeking a more mystical connection to their existing yoga and meditation practice.

Retreat facilitator Gertrud shares her practice of Embodied Meditation, which is the yoga of breath, mindfulness and movement. Without excessive effort, the practice strengthens your core, legs and hips, tones your parasympathetic nervous system and sets alight your inner space.

The gourmet vegan food has been described as sensational, outrageous, alchemical, the best ever, and more. It is often raw, always free from dairy, meats, gluten, and sugar.

There will be periods of free time each day, which gives you opportunity to just relax in the walled garden, pamper yourself or explore wild swimming in nearby lakes and rivers. You will be held within a clear daily structure. You are welcome to add additional nights to the end of your stay. Book this retreat!

South of France

Yoga, Spa & Culture Retreat

Dates: 9th – 15th June

  best yoga retreats in France

Get ready for our annual getaway in the south of France – this time with a new itinerary with daily yoga, walks, and food-focused activities throughout the week. From gourmet tastings, the famous Provencal rosé, and plenty of time to take in the gorgeous surroundings on our hikes past lavender, blue waters, and vineyards.

Bastide Avellanne is the ideal location to visit Provence. Situated only 30 minutes from the sea and from the Cote D’Azur between Cannes, St. Tropez and Hyeres. With its hundreds of kilometers of white beaches, rocky capes and wild bays, it is considered the most beautiful coastline of France – 300 kilometers of coast accompanying the Mediterranean Sea, white sandy beaches, a preserved landscape, protected islands and famous locations renowned worldwide.

It looks just as you see in postcards: fields of lavender, medieval villages, chateaux, markets full of colours where you can find local products and exotic spices, lively small towns with a slow way of life.

Day trips will allow guests to add arts, culture, adventure, and natural beauty to their retreat experience. Trips may include visits to small villages, large cities, outdoor activities, even a gorgeous spa day in a 5* countryside chateau where guests can swim, enjoy lunch, use the spa area and receive a relaxing treatment (included in the retreat).

See smaller villages that few tourists visit, and get a true education and taste of France with various tastings of regional wines, aperitifs and cheeses.

One day will be spent on the French Riviera on the island of Porquerolles for freetime to explore the beaches, hiking trails or town. We will take a tour through the countryside to see quaint villages, French markets, and hopefully get a peek at the early-blooming lavender fields.

You’ll enjoy a true Provencal experience with the markets, food, culture, and sites. Our final day will be spent relaxing at a beautiful spa in the countryside with treatments, 5* service and lunch. Book this retreat!

♥ Book the best yoga retreats in France

The best places in Europe for a yoga retreat: Portugal

For nature and landscape lovers, Portugal will amaze the most difficult to impress visitor. From volcanic islands, green national parks, waterfalls, caves, stunning long white beaches, valleys, mountains, vast golden fields of wheat, Portugal has it all.

Whether you just like to take pictures, hiking through nature, or just contemplate post-card like landscapes, you’ll love the spectacle Portugal has waiting for you.

best yoga retreats in Portugal

Portuguese Mountains

Vale de Moses

Dates: open April to October

best yoga retreats in Portugal

Vale de Moses is a family run yoga retreat in the heart of the Portuguese mountains. Spend a week or more practicing yoga, receiving massage and acupuncture treatments, walking in forests, swimming in natural river pools and eating delicious nutritious food.

Stay in one of the beautifully restored stone cottages, Soulpads or in a Tipi.  Our retreat home is perfect for those in need of a break, rest and relaxation. We are surrounded by nature and forests, peace and tranquility – the perfect ingredients to restore your body and mind.

The combination of good food and sleep, clean mountain air and water, therapeutic massage and acupuncture, hill walking and river swimming, all create a highly restorative context in which to begin, or to deepen, your yoga practice.

Soulfully reconnect with our planet and with your own body. This warm invitation to deepen your love affair with yoga, is open for everyone, travelling alone or with friends, new to yoga or practicing for decades. Most of our retreats at Vale de Moses include morning and afternoon classes, a health consultation, massage/acupuncture treatment, 3 nourishing daily meals and a trip to the nearby Rio Zêzere. Book this retreat!

♥ Book the best yoga retreats in Portugal

Having trouble choosing from our collection of the best yoga retreats? Email us at retreats@soulseedmedia.com and we will help you find and book your perfect retreat. Follow our travels on Instagram @soulseedtravel.

Pack your bags and book your flight! We recommend Skyscanner to find the best airfare.

Author: CHERYL SLATER