Has the constant connectivity of today’s life left you weakened and in need of countless hours of sleep you are unlikely to get any time soon?
The best thing for you then is a retreat.
To go to a place where you will be disconnected from all your devices, where you will be able to refocus your mind on what is most important to you, a place where you can also relax and tone your body.
Some of you may be thinking that a yoga retreat sounds ideal yet expensive but that does not need to be the case. You don’t need to head off to India for a yoga retreat as there are several on offer in Europe.
Most of them are in beautiful south Mediterranean settings but if more northern landscapes are what inspire you we have included a few of those as well. Here follow some of the best places to go to on a European yoga retreat.
Yoga Rose Retreat
Ibiza (Spain)
If on the other hand, you wish to immerse yourself in the world of yoga a trip to Ibiza and the Yoga Rose Retreat is the place to go. At the Yoga Rose, the practice of yoga is used as a healing process. Its focus is on finding inner peace through the practice of yoga. There is also the change to learn about the practice of meditation. Since the healing process takes a bit longer than an unwinding vacation they offer 8 to 10-day retreats.
Kali Yoga
Granada (Spain)
Staying in the vicinity of Granada but closer to the southern Mediterranean coast is the Kali Yoga Retreat House. At Kali, guests can enjoy spa treatments and horse riding in the hours that remain after their daily yoga program.
Related read: Andalusia Road Trip Guide
Sayanna Yoga Retreat
Aldeia da Falésia, Portugal
Heading west across Andalusia and over the border into Portugal the yogi traveler can find an amazing view in front of which to spend six days of revitalization.
In the Algarve, Sayanna Yoga Retreat offers 6 yoga session, massages, and time to head down to the beach to bask in the warmth and peace of the Portuguese Atlantic Coast.
In the same area, you can also combine a yoga retreat with the chance to take in some surfing. Chicks on Waves is a nice retreat to get you started on the right foot.
Ayurveda Resort Sonnhof
Hinterthiersee, Austria
If you would rather be in milder climates and under the shadow of towering mountains then we recommend two yoga retreats in the beautiful alpine landscape of the Austrian countryside. The Ayurveda Resort Sonnhof not only offers Ayurvedic retreats but also offers yoga sessions.
This retreat is great for those that are not looking for a fixed yoga program but for the healing Ayurveda medicine offers combined with the soothing properties of yoga practice. The Royal Ayurveda retreat combines a weekly program of treatments combined with yoga and meditation.
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Retreat House
Reith bei Kitzbühel, Austria
Located close to the Alps, in the beautiful settings of the region of Tirol, we find the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Retreat house. This European yoga retreat is near mountain lakes that you can hike to and swim in after your yoga practice.
If you go in the winter months you will also be able to take advantage of the winter sports and getting in some skiing in the between yoga sessions. Win-win!
Ayurveda Parkschlösschen
Traben-Trarbach, Germany
Heading north into Germany we find the Ayurveda Parkschlösschen. Their guests will be able to take part in a 7-day yoga and Ayurveda Program that combines yoga exercise with a nutritional diet that is designed to maximize the healing and promotion of the well-being feeling believed to come from yoga practice.
They offer therapy, exercise treatments, yoga, and meditation leaving you energized and rejuvenated.
Les Passeroses Yoga Retreat Centre
Nonac, France
Crossing the border into southwest France the traveler will find Les Passeroses. Set up in 2005 this yoga center combines yoga teaching that draws from Iyengar with freestyle.
It is located near the town of Angoulême, in a region that has exquisite food. As a result, the varied vegetarian diet is one of the major attractions of this retreat.
On the other hand, this European yoga retreat will also delight the artist and architectural connoisseurs among yoga practitioners as the building is designed in the French style with oak floors, a stone fireplace, and exposed beams.
If you head more towards the Swiss border women can enjoy an all-female yoga retreat at the foot of the French Alps. Inspired4Life is situated in the region of Haute Savoie only an hour away from Geneva Airport. Aside from their group sessions guests can request a special one-to-one coaching session.
Jiva Healing
Wiltshire, United Kingdom
If however, you want to combine your yoga practice with views of the gentle, emerald green scooping hills of England there is no better place than Jiva in Wiltshire, England. At Jiva Healing you will stay in a 17th Century water mill situated in a ten-acre property of woodlands and meadows.
It has been classified as the best yoga retreat in Europe as it combines sustainability with daily yoga practice and meditation.
The mill is run entirely on renewable and the healthy meals are cooked with local produce.
Ockenden Manor
Haywards Heath, United Kingdom
Still in England and closer to London is Ockenden Manor. This will offer very luxurious accommodation in a pretty Tudor Village in the town of Cuckfield. Here you can combine your yoga practice with a sauna and steam room as well as spa treatments.
They also offer more flexible schedules that can accommodate both beginners and experts in the world of yoga.
Rolling Meadows Retreat at Ebbio Center
Monteriggioni, Italy
This yoga retreat will give you a unique opportunity to practice yoga while looking over vineyards and olives while enjoying the world-famous Italian cuisine. They have great teachers that love to focus each session on opening your energy pathways and help you find who you are.
It’s eight days long and you will get a lot of that quiet and slow-paced life that, indeed, helps fighting burnout.
Ananda Mandala Retreat Center
Småland, Sweden
This is a great retreat located in a nature reserve where the yoga is great and there is a strong commitment to Eco-friendly ways of life. They grow their vegetables and their retreat is hydro-powered.
All in all, this is a relaxing retreat that offers something more than you are probably expecting from a yoga retreat.
Hvareno
Dol, Hvar Island, Croatia
On the beautiful Dalmatian coast, this yoga retreat offers great yoga classes in a peaceful village setting. Enjoy the peacefulness of this area as well as fresh seafood while practicing yoga with amazing teachers.
Related:
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No matter your inclinations, there is a world to choose from when organizing your next yoga retreat. Plus staying in Europe gives you the benefit of not having to travel miles and miles on an airplane, which is always a nice plus and wonderful for the environment, and you save on additional expenses leaving your budget more open to whatever may take your fancy during your vacation. Enjoy!
Would you like to recommend another European yoga retreat? Send us an email to aworldtotravel @ gmail . com.
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