Greece Yoga Retreat: This Year’s Island Adventure

If you were unable to join us in Greece this year, here is everything you need to know about this year’s Greece Yoga retreat.

Perhaps it will encourage you to join us next year!

Greece is truly an ideal destination for a Yoga Retreat. Following several lively, bustling days in Athens, an island escape is exactly what you start to crave.

This year, the group successfully arranged their travel schedules so that everyone arrived together in Athens. We spent a few busy, fun-packed days strolling through the streets of Plaka, taking in the scale and remarkable achievement of the Acropolis, visiting some of the best rooftop bars and enjoying delicious meze. Naturally, there were also gelato stops, coffee shops and gyros to enjoy.

The fruit market became our usual meeting point. Located just beside Monastiraki Square, it offered unbelievable fresh cherries and strawberries every day. Each corner revealed unusual, cheerful and colourful shops, perfectly complementing the city’s plentiful and even more vibrant graffiti.

Whether on a Monday evening or at the weekend, restaurants feature live music. They may even invite you to smash plates once dinner is over!

Athens is genuinely a city that reaches your soul, drawing you in through its history, distinctive edge and friendly locals.

Eventually, it was time to take a taxi to Lavrio port. The journey, which takes around an hour from Athens, gives you a better appreciation of just how extensive the city is.

Once at the port, we made a brief stop to pick up our tickets before boarding. The ferries are comfortable and provide a range of seating choices, both indoors and outdoors. However, do not expect a prompt departure: a small delay is likely.

We arrived in Kythnos within two hours of departing.

We had one evening to get settled before the Yoga retreat officially started.

Our taxi drivers were patiently waiting for our arrival, ready to take us to our final destination in Port Lavrio: Porto Klaras.

The 15-minute journey followed some very winding roads, with wonderful views of local farmhouses, churches and, naturally, a donkey or two. We reached the hotel safely.

This father-and-son-owned hotel gave us an exceptionally warm welcome. Every room was generously sized and included an en-suite bathroom. The VIP suites sit on the top floor, up a considerable staircase, although the view more than makes the climb worthwhile. This was also where we practised Yoga: an ideal shala overlooking the bay of port Lavrio.

Did I mention that our playlist featured the water beneath us and birds singing in the distance? Complete bliss.

Those attending the retreat experienced several styles, thoughtfully arranged to make the most of the extra time spent on the mat. Vinyasa, Hatha and Yin classes were combined with a silent walking meditation, all intended to help participants absorb their new surroundings, work with their individual Sankalpa and reset their energy.

Our morning practice began far too early for the locals to attend. Greeks seem to know exactly how life ought to be lived: no early mornings, slow starts, strong coffee and afternoon siestas, followed by relaxed dinners and enjoyable conversations that continue late into the evening.

Port Lavrio has a selection of tavernas and bars within walking distance of the hotel. Each day, we ate breakfast at Sofrano.

They serve not only an excellent breakfast, but a delicious meal at any time of day. The menu offers traditional Greek food with a contemporary twist, using entirely locally sourced ingredients.

Day activities involved visiting the capital, Chora, walking to one of the island’s best-known beaches, Kolona, and discovering the nearby bays within walking distance of the hotel. Kolona features a stretch of white sand with the sea on either side. We soaked up vitamin D, enjoyed a quick dip in the local hot springs, and soon found plenty of viewing platforms and strips of beach.

Yet, as with all good things, the Yoga Retreat eventually came to an end. Our closing ceremony took place on the final morning before we travelled back along the winding roads to the port. We then boarded the ferry for Athens. Some people enjoyed a little last-minute shopping in the city before heading home, while others stayed on for several more days in Athens.

The Yoga retreat promoted balance, enjoyment, laughter, good food and a wonderful range of daily Yoga classes suitable for every level of practice.

Thank you to everyone who came along. Your energy, enthusiasm, photo galleries and appetite for adventure made it such an incredible experience!