With beautiful and diverse landscapes, fascinating history and culture, amazing food and great weather, Europe is an amazing place for a yoga holiday or wellness retreat.
Whether you dream of combining your yoga practice with exploring ancient ruins in Greece, learning to surf in Portugal, hiking in Italy, or just relaxing on the beach in sunny Spain, the choice of amazing yoga retreats in Europe is as diverse as this fascinating continent.
To help you with the overwhelming amount of choice, in this post I’ll guide you through the best European yoga destinations, give you my recommendations for the best yoga holidays in Europe, and tips on how to choose the best retreat for you.
A Guide to Yoga Holidays in Europe
The Best Yoga Destinations in Europe
There is a wide range of excellent European yoga retreats in almost every country and they all offer fantastic yoga teachers and beautiful locations with plenty to explore after your yoga classes. Whichever you choose for your yoga holiday, you can’t really go wrong, it just depends on what you’re looking for.
The countries with the biggest range of retreats are Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy. These destinations all offer great weather, beautiful beaches, amazing food, historic cities and exciting activities to try.
In Spain, you’ll find amazing retreats everywhere from Barcelona to Ibiza, Mallorca and Andalusia. The Canary Islands like Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are my top pick for winter sun.
Portugal is the best place in Europe to combine yoga with learning to surf in famous surf spots like Peniche, Ericeira and the Algarve.
Foodies will love retreats in France or experiencing ‘la dolce vita’ on a yoga, hiking and cooking retreat in Italy, while sunseekers will find their slice of paradise on Greek islands like Santorini, Corfu and Crete. As you can see there’s certainly no shortage of choice for yoga holidays in Europe!
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My Pick of the Best Yoga Retreats in Europe
To help you narrow it down here’s my top 5 picks for the best Europe yoga retreats based on personal experience, recommendations from friends and reviews from previous guests.
- Best Yoga and Wellness Retreat in Spain – La Crisalida Retreats, Alicante
- Best Yoga and Surf Retreat in Portugal – Omassim Guesthouse, Ericeira
- Best Yoga Holiday in Greece – Just Relax Yoga Holidays, Corfu
- Best Yoga and Fitness Retreat in Italy – Tuscan Fitness, Tuscany
- Best Yoga Retreat in France – The FrogS’House, South of France
Best Yoga Retreat in Spain – La Crisalida, Alicante
One of the best reviewed and most affordable yoga retreat centres in Europe is La Crisalida Retreats in Alicante, Spain.
La Crisalida Retreats is located along Spain’s gorgeous Costa Blanca coast. You will enjoy a morning meditation and be practicing yoga everyday on a roof terrace that offers stunning views of both the mountains and the glistening sea.
There are 12 yoga classes each week with a variety of great teachers, mostly in the Hatha yoga style, but there’s also the opportunity to try other styles of yoga.
This fantastic Spanish yoga retreat also offers lots of other activities to enjoy, like guided walks, cooking classes, mindfulness workshops and fitness classes or you can just relax by one of the two swimming pools.
There are so many classes and activities included, making it great value for money, but it’s up to how much you want to participate in. Three tasty and healthy vegan meals per day are included using locally grown ingredients, You can also try a juice diet if you prefer.
Accommodations here are extremely cosy and included in the yoga retreat package. Stay in a private apartment, in a shared two-bedroom apartment or in a twin room. If you’re on a budget then you could opt to stay in the multi-share apartment that can sleep up to four people. All apartments have a basic kitchen, eating area and lounge area with a TV and DVD player. Transfers from Alicante airport are also included.
Read More: The Best Yoga Retreats in Spain
Best Yoga Retreat in Portugal – Omassim, Ericeira
Located in charming Ericeira, the surfing capital of Europe, Omassim Guesthouse is one of the most popular surf and yoga retreats in Portugal. It’s the dream of Lia & Eduardo, who opened the space in 2014. Not only is it a bright, homely and friendly place to stay, but it’s also a haven for yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic medicine.
This eight-day retreat includes five morning Vinyasa yoga classes and five evening Yin yoga classes, as well as guided meditation and a 1-hour full body massage. When you’re not practicing yoga, it’s only a 15 min walk to the beautiful beach of Ribeira D’Ilhas which is also a world surf reserve.
I highly recommend trying surfing, as you are in one of the best surf spots in Europe and Omassim can arrange surfing lessons with experienced instructors or you can also join the surf and yoga retreat package which includes 5 surfing lessons as well as yoga. There are also some wonderful hiking and biking opportunities nearby.
Back at the retreat there is also a fully-equipped fitness room, a sweat lodge and a swimming pool onsite. You can even try fire walking, which is also included in this Europe yoga retreat package. The spiritual practice of walking on fire is truly the union of body, mind and soul and a unique experience to try.
Locally sourced, vegetarian breakfast and lunch are included and there’s a kitchen you can use to prepare dinner or check out the nearby restaurants. This retreat is perfect if you want to experience the amazing combination of surfing and yoga in one of the most picturesque towns in Portugal.
Read More: Best Yoga Retreats in Portugal
The Best Yoga Retreat in Greece – Just Relax Yoga Holidays, Corfu
Located on the stunning Greek island of Corfu, Just Relax Yoga Holidays offers you a place to take a break, relax and reconnect with your senses while practicing yoga in a villa that’s surrounded by refreshing gardens.
This is one of the best yoga retreats in Greece if you want to experience a plethora of different yoga styles in a relaxing island escape.
You’ll enjoy a a 20-minute welcome massage session to relax you into the retreat and both morning and evening yoga sessions in restorative, yin, vinyasa, ashtanga and hatha yoga styles suitable for all levels with experienced international yoga instructors.
There’s also plenty of free time in between, this could be spent at the beach, exploring the island or relaxing in your traditional Greek Ionian themed room. On Tuesdays, a boat trip to Cape Drastis, the location for a magical sunset yoga session, is included.
The villa itself is a traditional Corfiot sea-facing villa in a beautiful location on peaceful Almyros Beach and enjoying views of the Albanian coastline. Traditional Greek vegetarian breakfast and dinner are included and for lunch you can use the kitchen in the villa or try one of the local Greek tavernas on the beach or in the village.
Read More: The Best Yoga Retreats in Greece
The Best Yoga Retreat in Italy – Tuscan Fitness, Tuscany
This seven-day wellness retreat with Tuscan Fitness in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy offers yoga, guided hikes, fitness classes and much more in the middle of the gorgeous Tuscan countryside. Relax and recharge by practicing yoga, eating delicious and healthy food, hiking through stunning scenery and surrounding yourself with nature.
This is one of the best European fitness retreats for those who want to get in shape too because as well as twice daily Hatha or Vinyasa yoga sessions they also offer fitness sessions, like HIIT, Barre and circuit training. So not only will you be stretching, relaxing and meditating, but also building muscle and burning calories.
Enjoy six nights accommodation at the beautiful Hotel La Forra, which sits on a green Tuscan hilltop. This is one of the best all-inclusive fitness retreats in Europe, with all meals and classes being included but it’s still up to you, with the advice of your personal trainer, to decide how much you want to participate in.
You will also get the chance to go on a wine tasting tour of a local vineyard , go hiking in the stunning Tuscany countryside and go horseback riding. You can also simply relax at the two swimming pools, lounge areas and outdoor yoga deck.
Read More: The Best Yoga Retreats in Italy
The Best Yoga Retreat in France – The FrogS’House
The FrogS’House is perched on a hilltop in the beautiful medieval village of Saint-Jeannet in the south of France with stunning views of the famous French Riviera. They’ve been hosting yoga holidays in this wonderful location since 2006.
This is a fabulous off-the-beaten-path retreat that gives you the chance to mingle with the locals, experience French culture, admire the beautiful landscape and taste delicious regional products.
Every day you will enjoy a morning yoga or meditation session, an afternoon activity and an evening yoga session. Hatha, Ashtanga and Yin Yoga classes are offered and taught by experienced teachers.
You can also join classes in mediation, yoga philosophy, communication workshops, medicinal and aromatic plants workshops, Tibetan healing sound bath, cheese and wine tasting, French cooking classes as well as mindfull walks and sightseeing trips.
Homemade organic breakfast is served on the sunny terrace and there’s some fabulous local restaurants you can try for lunch and dinner. There is also a kitchen that can be used where you cook up your very own French meals. Comfortable accommodation complete with balconies with mesmerizing views is also included.
Read More: Best Yoga Teacher Training Courses in Europe
How to choose the best yoga retreat for you
As you can see there’s a huge amount of choice when it comes to Europe yoga retreats which makes it tricky to choose.
Most retreats offer daily yoga classes, meditation sessions and delicious, healthy food, but can vary a lot in terms of accommodation, facilities, the other activities available and price.
Here’s 10 things to consider when choosing a yoga retreat:
Type of Retreat – There’s many different types of wellness retreats so consider your intention and find which one suits you best. Do you want something fun and sociable jam packed with activities or are you looking for a detox, spa and meditation retreat – there’s so many different retreats available nowadays that whatever your preference you’re sure to find one that suits.
Experience Level – Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced yogi, checking that the retreat is suitable for your experience level is important to ensuring you have a good experience.
If you are an experienced yogi a retreat aimed at beginners might not be challenging enough for you whereas if you’re a beginner you’ll probably feel overwhelmed if you end up on a yoga teacher training retreat.
Most yoga teacher can cater for beginners by offering modifications but it’s worth checking what level the retreat is aimed at to ensure you get the most out of the experience, especially if it’s your first yoga retreat.
Yoga Styles – There are many different styles of yoga from traditional Hatha yoga to dynamic Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow, relaxing restorative yoga, yin yoga and even yoga nidra, kundalini yoga, ariel yoga and acro yoga. Some yoga retreats focus on just one style while others will offer the opportunity to try multiple styles.
Accommodation, Meals and Facilities – Retreat centres vary enormously in terms of accommodation, meals and facilities so make sure you find somewhere that you feel comfortable with.
Accommodation on a retreat can be in luxurious private rooms, to apartments, shared dormitories or even camping. Low cost retreats often offer shared accommodation in dormitories with self catering facilities like a shared kitchen which creates a sociable atmosphere and helps to keep costs down but may not live up to your dream of a luxurious wellness holiday.
If you’re looking for more privacy and comfort then look for luxury retreat centres with facilities like a swimming pool, spa, restaurant and accommodation in a private room.
Food is another important factor to consider, most wellness retreats will serve healthy, organic food, but some only offer vegetarian or vegan food and may not serve alcohol so check that the food meets your requirements.
Location – Retreats can be found in almost every destination nowadays so you can combine a yoga vacation with visiting a place you’ve always dreamed of visiting.
If your dream yoga holiday includes relaxing on the beach or learning to surf then you’ll want to look for beach yoga retreats.
Or perhaps you want to be immersed in nature and combine hiking with yoga then look for a retreat in the mountains or a national park.
You can even find urban yoga retreats where you can combine deepening your yoga practice with exploring the culture, history and food of an iconic city. There’s definitely no shortage of choice!
Other Activities – In addition to daily yoga and meditation classes many retreat centres also offer the chance to try other exciting activities. Yoga and surf retreats are popular and fun while others combine yoga with hiking, spa treatments, horseback riding and even cooking classes. Whatever you’re into you can probably find a retreat
Cost – Of course your budget is another important factor to consider. You can find some amazingly affordable retreats nowadays but always check what’s included. Some budget retreats may not include meals and require an extra payment for spa treatments, additional activities and airport transfers so you might find an all inclusive retreats is better value for money.
Reviews – While some retreats may sound amazing it’s vital to check real reviews from previous guests so that you can get a better idea of what the retreat is really like. Reviews on a retreats website or social media pages might not tell the whole story so check reviews on an unbiased website like bookyogaretreats or bookretreats before you book.
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I hope this blog post has been useful and helped you to find your ideal yoga holiday in Europe. If you still haven’t found the perfect retreat read this article for more tips on how to choose a yoga retreat and check out my other posts.
