Oh what a Yoga holiday this was! 6 days, 20 women + 2 men 😉 Yoga in Santorini followed by Mykonos. I must say this one was helluva yoga retreat!
We were of all different nationalities so obviously attracted attention wherever we went. I knew most of the attendees and its always a pleasure getting to know and make new friends.
We’ve waited for this break for more than 6 months. Planning, 
anticipating, meeting up  and building excitement. So we take off, most of us on the same flight bound to Athens. We change flight to make our connection to Santorini. The view from the airplane was a great sneak peak as to what we were gonna witness in the next few days.
We arrive at our oh-so-gorgeous hotel on a moon lit evening, the perfect location in Baxedes, Oia a small town. We were nestled in this pleasant resort space, close enough to hop into town, far enough to relax and soak in some peace and quiet.
Day 1
We check into our cozy quaint white washed individual villas with large verandas. Some people had arrived earlier and had gathered at the dinning area familiarizing themselves. So we joined them for a light meal. And then retired to bed.
Day 2
We are woken up the chirping of the birds and warm sunshine. We prepare ourselves for a Hatha beginners class. But before the class, we have a round of introductions and I am always thrilled to hear what people’s passions in life are and where it takes them. The yoga tent was fabulous, fully equipped with yoga mats and props for us all.
After class, I shared goodies bags with everyone, which is the most exciting part for me. I plan so many months in advance as to what I’m going to add to it and each retreat is different 🙂 Today was a relaxed chilled out day. Some people spent it at the local town shopping, some people at the pool reading a book. Everyone gathered again in the evening where I gave a talk on Pranayama, types and its importance. We were to practice 5 different simple techniques on the retreat. We finished the day off with a lovely Hatha flow class.
 
 
Day 3
Today, we started with meditation and pranayama. Some participants absolutely love this section of class, especially because they have never tried meditation ever before. After our yoga asana class, we were all set for the day’s excursion – Santorini wanderlust, a walk of discovery through the amazing cave houses. We captured the essence of Santorini as it used to be, before being wrecked by a massive earthquake. We ended this tour at one of the oldest and most unique art inspired winery. Our evening session for this day was a relaxing Yin class.Â
 
 
 
Day 4After the walk, we needed a chill day. So we followed the routine for the day and left the afternoon and evening to relax and unwind. There is no doubt that the town of Oia is beautful and the sunsets are indeed spectacular. We were particularly lucky that we also witnessed the gorgeous full moon and also on one of the days had a view of the partial lunar eclipse.
 
 
Day 5
Everyone was looking forward to this day. Our pick up was 7 am and we were due for the Caldera Hike! I think the best way to get to know a place is on foot. This is Santorini’s most impressive path, right on the rim of the famous volcanic caldera.We walked through traditional whitewashed settlements and marveled at the breathtaking landscapes and the azure sea. It was my personal highlight. We competed the hike with a well deserved lunch some 300 steps down the Oia town at a local tavern at the spectacular Ammoudi port.Â
    
      
Day 6
Our regular routine involved two yoga classes a day, along with breathing and meditation every morning. The excursions were completely optional and up to each person. Some preferred to stay back on certain days. It is meant to be a holiday and there are no rules 😉 On this day, the sun set cruise was organized by the lovely Michelle. Although I missed this one, I hear it was pretty amazing. Some stayed back and we had some group activities around the chakras and its application.
 
Day 7
This was our final day on the Yoga Holiday in Greece. We have our early morning class to organize our departures to catch the ferry to Mykonos. Everyone parted ways and I ca n safely say that everyone had an enjoyable time in Santorini. I hope that curiosity was sparked about some of the conversations we have about the Eight fold path of Yoga and this will prompt everyone to maintain their Yoga practice and find their own path of spirituality.
