Yoga Retreat with wildlife walks, ancient culture, mountains and unspoilt beaches
May 4-11 2027
Whether you need a complete wind down and restorative yoga break with time to simply relax by the ocean and enjoy unspoilt beaches, or you’re looking for picturesque mountain walks, stunning wildlife, Cretan culture and cuisine, and ancient Venetian archeological ruins, this yoga holiday has what you need.
Kissamos (also knowns as Kastelli), is in the north west of the island. A hospitable, well-equipped town, with a charming taverna and cafe-lined promenade. Famed for its wine and olive oil, Kissamos has true Cretan character, set against a stunning mountainous backdrop, wonderful to explore for accessible walks where you might see birds of prey and wild flowers.
The yoga venue is on outskirts of the town, where the sea is clean, warm and shallow making for easy swimming with a long quiet strand of golden sandy beach with occasional shingle. The yoga space is above the beach looking out to sea, which offers the ideal space for quiet contemplation, meditative movement and a real undoing of stressful patterns in body and mind.
There will be morning yoga sessions to wake up the senses, explore fluid movement and breath to undo excess held tension, and later afternoon sessions which will be more restorative, including meditation and yoga nidra to really deepen your experience and invite next-level relaxation.
Our hosts Mike and Maria feed us with beautiful vegetarian, home-cooked Cretan cuisine after the morning yoga class and on week day evenings – weekend evenings are free so that you can visit the renowned local fish restaurants (vegetarian options are easy to find and delicious).
There are wonderful (optional) excursions available to the world-famous organic olive oil mill at Astrikas and to our tour guide’s family home, showcasing Cretan tradition, to the beautiful Elafonissi Beach with it’s renowned pink sands and crystal clear waters, and to the spectacular Syricari and Samaria Gorges for those of you who like a picturesque hike (we have guides and walking sticks for anyone who needs).
For more details and to book, see Free Spirit Travel, and make sure to mention that you are my student as you will receive a discount.