10 Best Yoga retreats in Europe 2024
10 Best Yoga retreats in Europe 2024 Yoga retreats to kick start your fitness and health regime
Yoga retreats for everybody from beginners to yoginis
How do you choose your perfect yoga retreat?
With 25 years of experience writing about health and wellbeing (whilst trying to bend myself into natural and unnatural positions) I have taken all the hard work out of the choice and compiled a list of my favourite teachers offering retreats over the next 12 months. With locations from mountain to lake, the lowdown on who their retreat is suitable for, what makes it special and what type of people you'll meet, I've got all the insider knowledge - so all you have to do is breathe deeply and relaaax.
Here's your year-long guide to the perfect holiday with lots of time to be, find extra chi or even après ski...
What: Ski and yoga retreat
When: Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th January
Where: The Dolomites, Northern Italy
With: Kari Zabel - an American-born Munich-based teacher with a background in Auyrveda and nutrition
Style: Jivamukti Yoga- A vigorous vinyasa-based style combining physical, ethical and spiritual practice
Verdict: A long weekend in the quiet and beauty of nature at the lovely 4 star Saalerwirt Hotel in St. Lorenzo, Südtirol with a sophisticated English speaking European crowd, often with a good balance of men and women. Great for starting your New Year strong
What: Nurturing Yoga Retreat
When: Friday 15th - Sunday 17th March
Where: Vale of Evesham, England
With: Jo Sumner who along with yoga brings wisdom as a Bach Flower essence practitioner, Reiki master and Shamanic Practitioner
Yoga: Classical Hatha Yoga with yin yoga wisdom
Verdict: This will be nourishing weekend, full of heart, to rest body and soul. Great for nurturing your emotional and physical resilience
What: Fitness and Strength Yoga Retreat
When: Friday 12th - Tuesday 16th April
Where: The French Retreat, near Bordeaux, France
With: Claire Hunt a yoga and Pilates trainer with a long experience as a Personal Trainer
Yoga: Hatha yoga, Yoga Nidra, some mat Pilates and a bit of a workout.
Verdict: This is your kick start towards transforming your body and a healthier lifestyle. Great for helping you make more mindful decisions when it comes to your health.
When: Friday 19th - Sunday 21st April
Where: A private home in the Cotswolds, England with its own swimming lake
With: Anna Coates, a passionate yoga teacher and mother of 3, who's mission is to create calm in an overwheming world.
Yoga: Friendly, supportive Hatha yoga plus deep yogic relaxation for everyone from beginners through to seasoned yogis.
Verdict: Anna attracts a friendly 40-something crowd. With guided walks, fire circles and plenty of time to sit, sleep and read, this weekend will be a gentle hug for your body and soul.
When: Saturday 4th - Saturday 11th May
Where: A Tuscan farmhouse, Italy
With: Claire Hawkins, a former dancer and performer who teachers Yoga, Pilates and Barre
Yoga: Dynamic morning classes alternate each day between Yoga and Pilates, gentle evening sessions which combine Restorative and Yin Yoga
Verdict: Claire brings so much fun to her retreats. Her clientele are predominatly female, 40+ solo travellers. This retreat in a wild and wonderful backdrop, with fresh spring air, sunshine and local organic food will stretch you physically but keep you laughing all the way.
What: Living Yoga Holiday
When: Saturday 18th - Saturday 25th May
Where: Sicily, Italy
With: Gareth and Chantal, yoga teachers who also bring a deep understanding of how the body works as trainers in Thai Yoga Massage
Yoga: Mindfull ‘viniyoga’ hatha yoga inspired by the teachings of T.Krishnamacharya
Verdict: Expect to meet fellow Brits, Scandinavians, Germans, Italians, Spanish, Australians, Americans and Canadians, all with a common thread – an interest in yoga and having a relaxing and happy holiday. Great for a mixed crowd
What: Ceremonial Yoga Retreat
When: Saturday 1st - Friday 7th June
Where: The French Retreat, near Bordeaux France.
With: Amy Nicole Already a dancer, yoga helped Amy deepen her love with her physical body. She hopes to help others heal and connect with themselves in the same way
Yoga: Vinyasa Yoga, a style which aligns movement with breath, so move from one pose to the next as you inhale and exhale.
The verdict: With meditation, a gong bath and new moon cacao ceremony this retreat is great for younger people with spiritual leanings
What: Classical Yoga Retreat
When: 5-12 September
Where: The French Retreat, near Bordeaux, France
With: Bea & Christina both highly experinced teachers who's approach honours the traditional yoga teachings of Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, seeing each participant as a unique individual and selecting accordingly from the vast range of yoga’s tools in order to apply them in the most simple and effective way.
Yoga: Classical yoga working with āsana, prāṇāyāma (awareness of breathing ), bhāvana (visualisation), mantra and meditation
The verdict: This is a true retreat, working on the principle that “Yoga is not an escape from life but an approach to living.” (TKV Desikachar). It's your time to escape the demands of life, breathe, relax and recharge.
What: Well Woman Retreat
When: Thursday 19th - Monday 23th September
Where: The French Retreat, near Bordeaux, France
With: Rebecca, with over 20 years of training in yoga, massage and reiki, and a love of supporting women
Yoga: A mixture of flowing asana (poses), with stillness interspersed throughout, pranayama (breathing techniques), mudra and guided meditation. More restorative evening sessions with slow movement and supported poses using plenty of props along with guided Yoga Nidra.
Verdict: A soul-soothing journey designed exclusively for women to nourish, nurture, and rejuvenate their mind, body and spirit, all within easy reach of the UK. Great for: Safe women-only space.
What: Meditation and Yoga
When: 24th-27th October
Where: Near Kassel, Germany
With: Eran Eisen & Anat Feingold
Yoga: Traditional yoga for body relaxation, steady posture, diaphragmatic breathing, Concentration, self-observation, and meditation.
The verdict: This is more retreat than holiday, offering a complete practice from the Himalaya tradition which leads beyond the thought process into higher consciousness from which you can find guidance, creative power and joy.
Ready to take the plunge?
All these retreats are bookable directly with the hosts, who's links are within each section. No-one has paid to be in this blog post and all the opinions expressed are my own.
