About the Retreats

OUR RETREATS’ AIM

Our aim is to offer 'an insider's view' in the islands with respect to their particular culture and environment, together with a restoring week of yoga & meditation. Learn more...

TEACHERS & GUIDES TO THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

Sofia and Isidora, two yogis who represent two different generations-the older and the younger, and also mother and daughter. Active in teaching yoga, Sofia, for more than 45 years, and Isidora for the last 15 years. Learn more...

OUR TEACHING STYLE-TEACHERS’ NOTE

All lessons are taught in English and in Greek; And they are an instant outcome of our "live teaching dialogue". Learn more...

TIME & SITES OF THE LESSONS

Our yoga lessons are daily at dawn and at sunset, in the beautiful open air sites of our settlement and of the islands that we visit in each retreat. Learn more...

FOOD AND ACCOMODATION

The total cost of participation includes 7 nights accommodation including breakfast. Learn more...

WHO IS IT FOR

Our Yoga and Meditation lessons are tailored to welcome a general level of practitioners. However, our main priority is to acknowledge our students' individual capacities and needs and to enable a personal improvement. Learn more...

EXTRA PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME

After the lessons we offer optional group activities, such as boat trips, nature and cultural walks, visits to places of special archaeological and cultural interest.

OUR RETREATS’ ETHOS & THE HUMAN REFUGEES CRISIS

Every summer, we have an unforgettable time in our Yoga Retreats in the Greek islands. We enjoyed, the islanders' hospitality, cuisine, customs, and of course the islands' clean air, the natural, unspoiled beauty. Learn more...

YOGA & MEDITATION HAPPINESS RETREATS 2023

IKARIA, JULY 7-JULY 14, 2023

ABOUT IKARIA ISLAND

We love Ikaria's particular culture and strong community feeling, authentic dance and music festivities, its plurality in herbs, plants, the richness of landscapes, the crystal clear blue waters, the slow pace of lifestyle.

Ikaria has been acclaimed as one of the world's 5 Blue Zones, as its residents reach the highest age of living.

Alongside to our yoga & meditation lessons, we offer a versatile programme, including hiking, visits to magnificent traditional villages, live music and dance festivals organised by the local community.

COST OF PARTICIPATION

In our Ikaria yoga retreat, we will spend 7 nights at Kerame hotel which is 1 km away from Evdilos village.

The cost is 599 euros in a single room or 440 euros in a 2 persons' double shared room. That includes 7 nights accommodation, breakfast with organic delicacies and all our Yoga & Meditation lessons.

For your patrticiptaiton in our daily additional group activities in Ikaria, such as hiking with our specialist nature guide, boat trips, bus trasnportation, you'd need to pay extra.

HOW TO GET THERE?

You can fly from abroad (i.e London) directly to the Greek islands of Mykons/Samos/Kos (i.e with Ryanair) and from there it's a short ferry trip to ikaria.

Alternatively, you can fly to the cities of Thessaloniki or Athens and from there fly to Ikaria (flights available with Skyexpress, Aegean Airways, Astra Airlines).

For assistance to book your tickets please contact us. For more related to the ferries timetable please check viva.gr or contact us.

FOURNOI RETREAT, JULY 14-JULY 17, 2023

ABOUT FOURNOI ISLANDS

An ideal base for pirates in the Middles ages, because of the hundreds of small fjords and secret beaches where their ships could be hidden, Fournoi are also known as '' Fournoi Corseon'', after corsairs, i.e pirates.

Fournoi is not just one island, but a complex of small ones, of which only two are inhabited: Fournoi and Thymaina. Fournoi combine natural rare beauty with history; ancient finds scattered throughout the island dating back to the Ionians, Classical and Hellenistic times. The Cyclopean wall, the ruins of the ancient temple at Kamari, the shrine to Poseidon at Agia Triada, the ancient quarry at Petrokopio.

COST OF PARTICIPATION

In our Fournoi island retreat, we will stay at Bilios apartments. The cost is 260 euros in a single room or 195 euros in a 2 persons's double shared room.

That cost includes 3 nights accommodation, breakfast with local delicacies and our 4 Yoga & Meditation lessons.

If you wish to participate in more activities, as for instance, a boat trip to the neighbour tranquil island of Thymena, you need to pay extra for your ticket.

More details about our extra optional activities programme in Fournoi can be provided upon request.

HOW TO GET THERE?

You can fly from abroad (i.e London) directly to the Greek islands of Mykons/Samos/Kos (i.e with Ryanair) and from there it's a short ferry trip to ikaria.

Alternatively, you can fly to the cities of Thessaloniki or Athens and from there fly to Ikaria (flights available with Skyexpress, Aegean Airways, Astra Airlines).

For assistance to book your tickets please contact us.

ASTYPALEA ISLAND YOGA RETREAT JULY 19-JULY 26, 2023

ABOUT ASYPALEA ISLAND

Astypalea is situated between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese group of islands. That is also vivident in the island's architecture that combines the Cycladic with the Dodecanisian style; small white washed houses, picturesue alleways, but also impressive mansions and the Venetian Astypalean castle.

Known as the small butterfly shaped island, Astypalea is also known for the versatility of options and sites with cosmopolitan aura and the tranquil unspoiled beaches and places that offers. All our Yoga and Meditation daily sessions take place in open air sites of Astypalea, early in the morninng and at Sunset. Allongside to our lessons, we offer a schedule of other activities that enhance our spherical and hollistic experience of this unique island.

COST OF PARTICIPATION

This is the second time that we visit Astypalea with a yoga retreat. We will spend 7 nights at Maltezana Beach Hotel, which is situated at the natural picturesque bay of Maltezana, but also is near Astypalea's airport. The total cost of participation is 665euros/person, in a single room, or 485 euros/person in a two persons' double shared room. Apart from 7 nights accomdation, the total cost also includes breakfast with Mediterannean delicacies, and all our Yoga & Meditation Sessions.

Participation in all the other additional and optional group activities that we have scheduled, such as hiking trips, excursions, bus transportation, need to be paid extra.

HOW TO GET THERE?

You can reach Astypalea directly by plane from Athens or by ferry from Athens' main port (Pireus) and islands such as Kos, Rhodes, Fournoi, etc. You can also catch an indirect flight to Astypalea from Thessaloniki airport.

For direct flights from/to Athens-Astypalea check Skyexpress.gr, for flights from/to Astypalea via Kos, Rhodes or other islands check Aegean Airlines.
Astypalaia Island National Airport is "Panaghia" is locates in the region of Maltezana. The duration of the flight from Athens airport is about 50 minutes.

Ferry routes from Pireus port are carried out approximately 3 times per week and the slow ferry trip lasts almost 9 hours.To find more ferry types and schedules you can check at Viva.gr, Dodecanisos Seaways, Blue Star Ferries.

KERKINI LAKE SPRING RETREAT MAY 5-MAY 7, 2023

ABOUT KERKINI LAKE

Smile! Spring has come, and we can get the best of it in Northern Greece, at Kerkini Lake and the surrnounding area.

This is a long weekend retreat with two Yoga & Meditation sessions suitable for all levels, inspired and adapted to the ecosystem of the lake.

We will also have the chance to gain more experiences that enable us to re-connect with the nature and ourselves.

To name a few: A boat trip across the lake, bird watching and a special tour by Maria Panagiotopoulou - an experienced ornithologist-forester. Trip and food to ano Poroyiga village, hot spring bath at Sidirokastro.

Kids are welcome too! Kids can join drop-in archery, Kids' yoga & Music session by the lake, run by Isidora Liakou (Yoga Instructor) and Feroniki Sourouvali (Music Instructor).

COST OF PARTICIPATION

The Total Cost of participation includes: Two nights accomodation with local traditional breakfast at the Oikoperiigitis and Archontiko Hotel, 2 open-air Yoga & Meditation lessons.

The Cost of participation varies according to the type of room that you will choose. For instance, that starts from 120 euros/perosn in a four persons shared room, or, 150 euros/person in a double two persons shared room.

All other activites mentioned, are optional and paid extra.

HOW TO GET THERE?

Kerkini Lake is an 1.15 min drive from Thessaloniki.

You can also come from Thesslaoniki/Serres by train/Bus (Ktel) or join our group on a 9 persons' mini bus that departs on Friday evening from Thessaloniki.

If you are coming by train from Thessaloniki you need to get off at the Livadia Serron, which is 5 klm from Kerkini. Upon arrangement, you will be picked up from Livadia Serron and driven to our accomodation (Archontiko Oikoperiigitis).

Book your place

If you wish to book a place in one, or more of our retreats, you can pay a deposit of 80 pounds or euros at:
- Isidora-Sevasti Liakou, Natwest Bank, account number:22769706, sort code:56-00-13

Or, if you prefer paying in euros you can pay your deposit at:
- Isidora-Sevasti Liakou, National Bank of Greece, ΙΒΑΝ: GR6301102100000021000672101

When you make a payment please give your full name as a reference. The deposit will be excluded from the total participation cost. You can complete the total cost payment until June.

OUR RETREATS’ AIM

Our aim is to offer ''an insider's view'' in the islands with respect to their particular culture and environment, together with a restoring week of open-air yoga & meditation.

A week to rest and isolate-a week to strengthen and connect. Connect with physical persons, places, the nature and your own nature. Through daily yoga & mindfulness lessons, we create new healthier habits in the clean energy of less touristic Greek islands.

YOUR TEACHERS & GUIDES TO THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

Sofia and Isidora, two yogis who represent two different generations-the older and the younger, and also mother and daughter. Active in teaching yoga, Sofia, for more than 46 years, and Isidora for the last 15 years.

Isidora Liakou

instructor

Sofia Chatzipanagiotou

instructor

OUR TEACHING STYLE - TEACHERS’ NOTE

All lessons are taught in English and in Greek; These are an instant outcome of our "live teaching dialogue". We are mainly inspired from the following systems: Restorative yoga for therapy and re-energization, yogic exercises and routines for control weight, balance of the metabolism and the nervous system, Hatha Yoga, Transcidental Meditation, Pranayama-The art of breathing, Hindu and classical Greek philosophy, Iyengar Yoga, Yin Yang Yoga, Scaravelli, Ashtanga, Partner Yoga and Vinyasa. But mainly, we teach our own styles, which are the Therapeutic Yoga of the Circle and the Cross and Creative Yoga, that reflect our personal training and education. We also offer daily routines that are adapted to our group and are repeated each day in order to offer a sense of familiarity and development to each practitioner.

Sofia & Isidora

Sofia has a great experience in working with people who suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, minor Parkinson, arthritis and other. Isidora, has a long experience in teaching yoga to adults of learning and physical ‘’special abilities’’, performers, dancers, and practitioners of various capacities or age. Our particular teaching style, long and versatile experience enable the lessons to be beneficial and challenging for all.

TIME & SITES OF THE LESSONS

Our yoga lessons are daily at dawn and at sunset, in the beautiful open air sites of our settlement and of the islands that we visit in each retreat. The natural environment of the island plays a crucial role in the development of our yoga classes.

Not only because the environment inspires us in relation to the words we convey in our teaching, but also because we actually use our natural surroundings, for the implementation of our practice. We identify the potentialities for practicing Yoga and meditation in the natural environment of the islands and adapt our practice accordingly, by moving through it, over and under its features. Participants are closely instructed and encouraged to develop alternatives to techniques that are tailored to their personal needs.

WHO IS IT FOR

Our Yoga and Meditation lessons are tailored to welcome a general level of practitioners. However, our main priority is to acknowledge our students' individual capacities and needs and to enable a personal improvement.

Participants are closely instructed and encouraged to develop alternatives to techniques that are tailored to their personal needs. To achieve that, we are two long experienced teachers co-leading closely, all classes.

FOOD AND ACCOMODATION

The total cost of participation includes 7 nights accommodation. Breakfast is included as well, and that consists of local delicacies and fine products of Mediterranean diet and options for gluten free persons and vegans. A typical breakfast offers: bread, home made cake and marmelades, butter, yogurt, eggs, cheese, local seasonal fruits, cereals and musli, milk, honey, tomatoes-cucumber-olives, homemade pies or Halva, tea-coffee, juices, and herbal local tea made by the yoga instructors every morning.

Our accomodation this year at our kalymnos yoga retreat, is at

OUR RETREATS’ ETHOS

The islands' lifestyle and landscape are an inspiration for our Yoga teaching; In each yoga retreat we become healthier, we re-energize physically and mentally, and that helps us to go on healthier and happier through the winter. We enjoy, the islanders' hospitality, sense of community, slow pace lifestyle, cuisine, customs and of course the clean air, and the natural unspoiled beauty. A week to rest and isolate-a week to strengthen and connect. Connect with physical persons, places, the nature and your own nature. Through daily yoga & mindfulness lessons we create new healthier habits in the clean energy of less touristic Greek islands.

The last few summers, we are in front of an ethical dilemma: Can we run our annual yoga retreats in our beloved Greek islands in the middle of this dramatic refugee crisis? After a lot of thought, we have decided that we should run our retreats and not turn our back to the islands that have hosted us with such hospitality all the years before. We have been always trying to 'support' the least touristic islands of Greece with our yoga retreats. And it is now in many of these islands where the locals together with foreigner volunteers too, work daily on rescuing, offering food, roof and warmth to the people who have been enforced to become refugees. Their actions inspire hope, admiration, and are 'a real lesson of solidarity, compassion and appraise of life'. Isn't that what Yoga Philosophy and practice should all be about? Of course, we still hold respect for every individuals' personal need to have a restful time in our yoga retreat, and this is what we continue to offer as well.

Part of our profits from our Yoga Retreats in 2016 in Leros and Ikaria islands, were given for the financial support of locals' and foreign volunteers work to improve the life of refugees in Leros. We are hoping that we can keep offering this minor financial support with our future retreats.

Contact

Please contact us using the form below for further information or to register your interest.

Themistokli Sofouli 72Β
Thessaloniki 546 55

info@isidorayoga.com
isidoraliakou@yahoo.com

+30 231 041 5211