Description
Yoga and Cultural Retreats at Suryalila in Spain
Please contact for 2021 dates. These specially designed Yoga and Cultural Retreats at Suryalila enable you to enjoy the best of this beautiful and culturally rich area of Spain, in a relaxed and warm environment.
The week is designed in such a way that you will get plenty of Yoga and time to relax whilst experiencing authentic and culturally rich excursions to the fascinating cities of Seville, Ronda, Jerez and Arcos de la Frontera.
Suryalila is a beautiful old renovated olive farm consisting of eight houses that form the cortijo. In typical Spanish style there are two inner courtyards, one of which blooms with orange and lemon trees.
The property sits on 45 acres of land and is still a working olive farm with 350 olive trees. We also grow organic vegetables and fruits and keep chickens for eggs.
Suryalila is nestled serenely in a large open valley in the foothills of the Sierra de Grazelema. This majestic mountain range can be seen looming large on the horizon behind Suryalila. A striking part of the natural beauty of the property is the breathtaking vista extending in all directions: rolling hills, fields of sunflowers, and lakes. The sense of vastness and expansiveness is very uplifting.
Accommodation
At Suryalila Retreat Centre, we provide different levels of accommodation to suit every budget. From glamping in the olive grove to relaxing in the luxury of our deluxe doubles, we will make sure you have the experience of a lifetime! We offer a wide range of hotel accommodations to suit both independent travellers and large Yoga groups and retreats.
Our accommodation packages are all inclusive, which means that whether you are sleeping in a dorm or in our deluxe room, you will enjoy three gourmet vegetarian buffet-style meals per day and have full access to all of our beautiful common areas and facilities.
Unique Furnishings & Decorations:
Our furnishings and decorations have all been imported from Bali, India and Morocco. The Spanish farmhouse-style wooden ceilings with beams and the terracotta tiled floors blend harmoniously with the exotic Asian furniture and wall hangings. The designer decor is both soothing to the soul and delightful to the eye.
Suryalila has three Yoga halls. Ganesha Yoga Shala has a gorgeous wooden ceiling as well as a wooden floor and is filled with light from windows on both walls as well as a skylight. It also has a lovely balcony with benches for enjoying the expansive views.
The Om Dome has been dubbed the most magnificent Yoga Hall in Europe. The sacred geometry creates a cathedral-like space, which is awe-inspiring.
The Dome overlooks rolling hills, olive groves and a ruined convent. Inside, the Dome boasts underfloor heating and cooling and two long walls for practicing inversions. The walls have been beautiful decorated with colourful murals of Indian gods and Tibetan imagery. There is a state of the art sound system as well as atmospheric lighting.
Day Trips
Ronda
Ronda is famous for its spectacular views, ancient roman bridges & bullfighting! Ronda is just under a one hour drive from Suryalila Retreat Centre.
Similar to many towns in the region it is a fortified white town on a hill with stunning views and cliffs that was once a centre of Islamic culture. The old town is situated on the other side of a gorge, with a beautiful bridge connecting it with the newer part. Many travellers and writers have written about Ronda, most famously in the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway and Orsen Wells. Both were enamoured with the culture and landscape and in particular
Hemingway wrote about bullfighting. The ring is still used occasionally for bull fights, as well as being a site of tourist interest, with its lovely architecture. The history of Ronda can be traced back to the 9th century BCE, making it one of Spain’s oldest towns. Walking through the town and the old quarter and then taking the path into the gorge below gives one a good impression of this picturesque town.
Seville
Sevilla is one of Europe’s most charming and romantic cities. It is probably the most famous historical town in Andalusia, along with Cordoba and Granada.
It has a stunning cathedral and Alcazar (moorish palace). With the original minaret of a mosque incorporated into the Christian cathedral it is one more example of the fusion of Islamic and Christian architecture in Andalusia.
Sevilla’s history is woven into folklore, with Bizet’s Carmen capturing the image of a steaming, sultry city fuelled by colonial passions. Columbus’ ‘discovery’ of America in 1492 led to Sevilla gaining a monopoly on Spanish trade with the new-found continent.
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera, is about 45 minutes drive from Suryalila. Its old quarter surrounds the Alcázar de Jerez, a Moorish fortress founded in the 11th century. The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art is a famed riding school with horse shows and a carriage museum. The city is also known for flamenco music and sherry production in the so-called Sherry Triangle lying to the west.
Arcos is one of Andalusia’s most dramatically positioned pueblos blancos (white villages), Arcos balances atop a rocky limestone ridge, its whitewashed houses and stone castle walls stopping abruptly as a sheer cliff face plunges down to the river Guadalete below.
Declared a national historic-artistic monument in 1962 in recognition of its exceptional architecture and impressive location, the old town is a tangled labyrinth of cobbled streets that lead up to a sandstone castle, the Castillo de los Arcos. As you’d expect from such a spectacular vantage point, there are exhilarating views over the town and the rolling plain below.
You can find more information about talented and charmingly eccentric artist Jose Hinojo here.
Yoga Classes
Your Yoga Classes will be taught by lovely Kate Finn from Ireland. Kate is an advanced graduate of Frog Lotus Yoga International. She has a warm, kind and nourishing personality and always takes each guest’s particular needs into account.
You will have a more dynamic all levels class every morning, with plenty of modifications and help for beginners, as well as a gentle and relaxing yoga class before dinner on five of the days. All classes are optional.
Kate has been practicing yoga since 2009. She completed both her 200hr and 300hr Teacher Training with Frog Lotus Yoga International in Suryalila and most recently in India. She has also taken a Yin Yoga training with Josh Summers.
She has spent a lot of time over the last couple of years living and working at Suryalila, teaching lots of yoga! She absolutely loves Suryalila and is delighted to be offering this Culture and Yoga.
The morning practices will be a Vinyasa Flow suitable for all levels. The classes always include an element of fun and play, which is perfect for beginners whilst still challenging for more long term practitioners. The classes also include a focus on breath work, alignment, strengthening and developing greater embodied awareness.
They allow space to go within so one feels nourished and revived. I enjoy putting together eclectic music playlists to accompany the practices as well!! The afternoon practices will consist of Yin and Restorative sessions. She will also offer an optional afternoon session on Yoga Philosophy and Self Inquiry. For Kate teaching Yoga is one of life’s great pleasures. Come join her on the mat!
Schedule
Saturday
Arrive anytime. We can organise pick-up from the airport for you if you wish.
Dinner is at 7pm.
There will be a meet and greet introduction to your vacation after dinner on Saturday.
Sunday
Relax and Renew Day
After your morning Yoga, spend time by the pool, relaxing in a hammock, getting a massage, or private yoga session, if you wish, and generally relaxing and unwinding.
An easy optional guided hike with be offered in the afternoon before your restorative Yoga Class.
Monday
Morning Yoga
Visit to the enchanting city of Ronda
A tour guide will meet our taxi and give a fascinating walking tour (in English)
of Ronda. Enjoy tapas in a local restaurant for lunch.
Return to Suryalila for the evening Yoga session and dinner buffet.
Tuesday
Morning Yoga
A Day in Seville
Visit the beautiful Moorish Palace and Gardens of the Alcalzar.
Two free hours to wander, shop and enjoy tapas
Go for a horse and carriage ride to the Plaza de Espana.
Meet outside the cathedral and visit the tomb of Christopher Columbus.
Visit the flamenco Museum
Enjoy spectacular views over Seville from the Plaza de Encarnacion.
Head to La Casa De Memorias for a flamenco show
Dine at our favourite Tapas Bar and Restaurant
Wednesday
Morning Yoga
Rest/spa day
After your morning Yoga, spend time by the pool, relaxing in a hammock, getting a massage, or private yoga session, if you wish, and generally relaxing and unwinding.
An easy optional guided hike with be offered in the afternoon before your restorative Yoga Class.
A flamenco class will be offered in the evening after dinner.
Thursday
Morning Yoga
A day in Jerez de la Frontera
Visit the famous Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art
Enjoy the amazing Andalusian dressage show: “How the Horses Dance”
Lunch at a Tapas Bar
Visit the famous Tio Pepe Bodega
Friday
Morning Yoga
A morning visit to the nearby town Arcos de la Frontera, a Eunesco World Heritage site.
Lunch at Suryalila
Afternoon visit to the studio of a famous local sculptor and artist, Jose Hinojo.
Afternoon Yoga
Saturday
Morning Yoga
This is your departure day, so you need to vacate your room by 11am, however, feel free to stay and use our facilities as long as you wish.
Cuisine
We pride ourselves in offering sumptuous banquets of delicious gourmet vegetarian and vegan-friendly organic food. We grow as much of our food as possible and we keep our own happy chickens who provide us with eggs.
Our goal is to provide the perfect space and environment for retreats with excellent customer service, whilst creating a real sense of family style intimacy.
Our kitchen is a happy and bustling environment and the cooks are all very creative and talented. The Suryalila Kitchen specialises in gourmet international vegetarian cuisine, using the freshest seasonal, locally-sourced organic fruits and vegetables available, artfully prepared in a varied and truly eclectic international menu. Eggs are gathered daily from our own happy chickens and when the season allows you will enjoy the freshest of fruit picked from our own orchard of apricot, peach, fig and pear trees!
We regularly accommodate vegan, gluten-free, and non-dairy diets, so if you have any special dietary restrictions, just let us know!
If you are a little nervous about going vegetarian – don’t be! Our gourmet vegetarian cuisine will be one of the greatest food experiences of your life and we promise you, you will be raving about the food long after you return home!
What past guests have said
“Suryalila honestly is what Yoga dreams are made of. From the breathtaking views and the beautiful accommodation to the idyllic practice spaces and incredible food. The meals are fantasticly colourful, satisfying and healthy – lots of nourishing superfoods to choose from! It is so much more than a Yoga retreat. It is a safe and welcoming community that quickly becomes your home.” – Joanne Cone,
Retreat price
Prices are in Euros
Mini Dorm: €883 (share with three other attendees of the same sex)
Eco Casa/Yurt: €1100| for two people sharing €910
Twin: €1030 (share with one other attendee of the same sex)
Superior Double (shared bathroom): €1170| for two people sharing €988
Deluxe Double (private bathroom): €1275| for two people sharing €1135
Includes
Accommodation, three delicious organic meals a day, yoga classes and the use of the retreat centre facilities are included in your package stay at Suryalila.
How to get here
Travel Arrangements
There are a few airport options close to us. The best airport to fly to is Seville (75 min away), then Jerez de la Frontera (50 min). Malaga is also an option (2 hours by transfer/car or 3 hours by bus). We recommend Skyscanner to search for the best airfares.
Should you decide to travel by bus, we can send you the bus timetable closer to your arrival. Otherwise, organise transfers from the airport to Suryalila. The cost from Seville is €90, from Jerez – €70 and from Malaga – €150. Usually we group people arriving at similar time together, so you can share the cost of the transfer.
Alternatively, there are buses running to Villamartin from where we can pick you up. The cost of a pick up form Villamartin to Suryalila is €10.
Booking
To make an enquiry or book one of these Yoga and Culture Retreats at Suryalila, send your request to the team who will get back to you within 24 hours or email us directly on [email protected].
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