Alaya Retreat Centre at Cal Pau Cruset, Spain

Alaya Retreat Centre at Cal Pau Cruset offers retreats and holidays that aim for guests to embark on a journey of renewal and self-discovery.

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Ellen Christiaanse

Ellen took her first yoga classes at age 14. At that age, she wanted to become a vet. After that, she was a bit distracted for about 30 years by doing a master's in psychology and a doctorate in Information Systems at Harvard and MIT, and working for many years in the academic and consulting world. From 2005 on, she started to focus again on what life was really about and educated herself in healing techniques. In 2008, she left her academic career as an Associate Professor of Information Systems to dedicate herself to building Alaya Retreat Center at Masia Cal Pau Cruset near Barcelona.

Pierluigi Minicozzi

Pierluigi is a Hatha Yoga Instructor. He met Yoga while he was living in London in 2016 driven by the need of get in contact with his true Essence. This journey took him, 3 years later, in Rishikesh, India, where he certified as Allianz Yoga Instructor. He teaches in Italy and Spain during Festivals and in Retreat Centers. His curiosity about the mistery of life leads him towar different traditions and pratices that merge together during his classes in order to sustain the individuals to live in allignment between their Body, Mind and Emotion.

Alex Nairanovski

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Born in Belarus, Alex Nairanovski’s spiritual journey began early. In the USA, he discovered Kundalini yoga’s magnetic pull, honing his skills under Anya Castellano. Immersed in the diverse culture, he made Kundalini energy universally accessible. Alex later took this transformative power to Ecuador, establishing himself as a Yoga teacher in Quito. Today, he continues to travel, teach, and learn, spreading Kundalini Yoga’s light through online platforms, retreats, and collaborations. Alex has been teaching in Alaya since summer 2023 and currently is the resident yoga teacher.

Mirjana Murataj

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Mirjana came straight from India where she completed all her trainings and the biggest part of her yoga journey. From this holy land she brings the traditional practices such as Hatha yoga and Yoga Nidra, combined with the more modern Yin and Restorative yoga. She is a big fan of soundhealing and plays tibetan bowls to give meditation sessions for groups and individuals, chakra balancing treatment combined with aromatherapy and sound therapy with bowls massage. She speaks and leads classes in English, French, Italian and Spanish.

Eva Gomez

from Spain, October 2024

Los instructores y gente que trabaja en el retiro,amables,simpáticos y muy humanos

Anonymous

from Spain, October 2024

"Yoga with my couple "

The place, food and some activity

Anonymous

from Switzerland, October 2024

"Wonderful relaxed yoga retreat in the vineyards. "

Healthy food, good wine, relaxed tienda atmosphere with horses, dogs, cats and chickens.

The grounds have many different areas to sit and enjoy yourself alone or with companions. The yoga studio is gorgeous and full of light, with a view over the vineyards.

The yoga instructors were patient and friendly. I also enjoyed all the free time between the morning and evening classes. The nights were so peaceful; I slept very well in spite of being in a room with 2 strangers because quiet time is really quiet.

And all this just an hour’s drive from Barcelona.

Anonymous

from Belgium, August 2024

"Voor de eerste keer Yoga retreat "

Een bijzonder genereus team.!

Zeer lekker veggie eten( dus GEEN gefrituurd veggie stuf!, maar lekkere verse groenten en fruitbereidingen)

Veeeeel geleerd en inzichten verworven.

Dankzij ( Yoga) Alex en Mira en zeker en vast dankzij Ellen ( o.a Reiki) die trouwens als gastvrouw de krachtige genereuze motor is van deze bijzondere retreat , op deze schitterende locatie

Dankbaar

Namaste

Anonymous

from Spain, August 2024

"Un lugar magico"

Un experiencia inolvidable. Desde el personal a los otros huéspedes, un 10.

Valeria Guerrieri

from Denmark, August 2024

"Four days of relaxation and self-care"

I visited Alaya Retreat as a solo traveler and this was my first retreat. The location is wonderful - peaceful but still overall easy to reach from Barcelona. I got the studio apartment which was big and with a very comfy bed. The outside areas are beautiful, including the pool. As someone who loves animals, I was so happy to be surrounded by dogs, cats, chickens, horses,etc. Especially Shiva, the older dog, whom I sometimes found resting outside my apartment, was my favorite one and I miss her a lot already. The vegetarian food is so tasty and chef Martin really treated us. Also, the local cava was a lovely addition. The whole staff made me feel very welcome and was very attentive. Alex and Mirjana are absolutely fantastic yoga teachers and it was great for me to learn Kundalini, a yoga style I wasn't familiar with but which I will definitely try to practice more from now on. The hike to the waterfall and meditation with horses were also very nice activities. I loved in general the slow tempo, the authenticity of the retreat and the people I met there. Although traveling alone, I never felt lonely and the conversations with both Alex and the rest of the group were very interesting. I would definitely recommend this retreat to both solo and non solo travelers :)

Anonymous

from Spain, August 2024

"Expected more energy"

I liked kundalini practices. The facility has a lot to offer, is well taken care of and peaceful. Hike to the well was very bonding. Pool is always refreshing temperature. Hotel experience with clean towels.

Aleksandra Barska

from Spain, August 2024

"Beautiful experience "

Lovely chalet and garden and a swimming pool and a terrace overlooking the vineyards. Very positive people and the vibe.

Anonymous

from Netherlands, August 2024

"Actualizar las habitaciones en mejor confort.Aireacondiciona"

Las comidas con el vino.

La yoga excelente instructores.

El lugar muy tranquilo

Isabella Costantini

from Spain, July 2024

"Evitez la relaxation avec les chevaux"

Silence. Sourire et l’accueil d’Alex. Le yoga avec Alex. La nourriture

Ivana Jakacic

from Spain, June 2024

"Heartwarming experience "

I liked the warmth and attention received from Mirjana. She's very lovely. The food iz amazing, and the whole place overall! I can't wait to come back.

Karen Vandekerkhove

from Belgium, May 2024

Alaya Retreat Center is an amazing place to be at.

The location is very beautiful, surrounded by fields etc. The retreat Center is historically very beautiful and has a peacefull design.

The yoga classes of Alex and Ayleen were amazing. The meditation with horses was a very unique experience and is highly recommended if you love animals. Ellen was the perfect guide for it.

The pool(place) was very quite and peacefull.

And of course, one of the best experiences, was the vegetarion food prepared of the chef. Best vegetarian food I ate so far.

Overall my experience at Alaya retreat center was amazing, inspiring and relaxing. Everything was well planned by Alex, Ayleen and Ellen.

I highly recommend this place & of course : I'll defenitely come back one day 😊.

Karen

Kirsten Wabeke

from Spain, April 2024

"Amazing retreat!"

They did such an effort in making it nice. The food was super delicious and they even provided a glass of local wine. It was enjoyable to be with so many animals. The horse meditation is recommended. Great place to come solo as well. I would come back again! Thank you Ellen & Alex ❤️🧘‍♀️🙏

Anonymous

from Spain, April 2024

"Excelente!"

La calidad de las clases de Alex, la fabulosa comida, el lugar inmejorable y la súper sesión de meditación con caballos de Ellen.

Alice Nogue

from France, March 2024

"4 jours pour vos chakras"

Le lieu, et l'accueil que nous avons eu, très chaleureux. C'est un vrai havre de paix !

Adeline Perez

from Spain, February 2024

Quiet place

Meditation with horses

Kind people

Yoga classes

Judy Lifshitz

from Canada, November 2023

"An absolute must do experience! "

I loved everything about the retreat from the accommodations, food, activities and especially the staff. The staff are very accommodating and very warm and welcoming. The accommodations are absolutely beautiful and peaceful with a very warm vibe and the yoga instructor Alex is amazing! Thanks to him I am learning kundalini yoga and loving it! I also loved the other activities like horse meditation. The food is some of the best vegetarian food I have ever had and ever so yummy!

Sara Juul Bahnsen

from Denmark, September 2023

"Unforgettable experience! "

Ellen has truly created a magical retreat with enough heartwarming and relaxing experiences to fill your heart and relax your mind. Together with her wonderful staff and volunteers, Alaya will make you feel at home from the very first moment you arrive. Stunning nature, calm surroundings and the most delicious home cooked vegetarian/vegan meals that you can only dream of! Don’t miss out on a visit to Alaya the next time you go to Spain!

A very special thank you to Lauren for your amazing guidance in the morning vinyasa flows and for taking us on a picnic to the beautiful waterfall nearby. An even bigger thank you for being an incredibly warm and including person who always made sure we all felt comfortable. You made me feel at home from the very first moment I met you.

Also thank you to Alex for introducing me to Kundalini yoga and for creating a safe space where the line between reality and the spiritual world seemed to disappear for a moment in the afternoon classes.

Thank you Jesús for maintaining Alaya and ensuring that the place looked more beautiful than ever!

And thank you Susi for feeding us with love through every beautiful meal you cooked for us. You’re a wonderful chef and an even more incredible person!

4 days went by in no time - but the people and experiences sure will last a lot longer!

Julia Randow

from Spain, August 2023

"Amazing time in this beautiful little piece of heaven"

Eveything. Ambience, food, staff, location, calmness. It was just perfect

Anonymous

from Spain, July 2023

"Se respira tranquilidad "

Las sesiones de yoga, la piscina y la comida

Danielle Cross

from United Kingdom, July 2023

"Peaceful and chilled retreat"

Loved the location, very rural the staff were so sweet special mention to carmen who was lovely and accommodating with a beautiful sweet presence. I was poorly and she gave me extra TLC. Ellen the host was also great and arranged a lovely night in the town to watch a jazz festival. The animals are so lovely if you love them like me then this is a great place to be close to them. The pool area was very peaceful and rooms are nice. Food was of a very good quality and although vegan which I am not I enjoyed it. Maxsi who worked there was also very sweet and helpful. Both yoga teachers were amazing. Its a very chilled and flexible vibe which I loved. Overall a lovely tranquil stay, I will be returning. Thank you!

Rosy Abdull Khan

from Belgium, July 2023

"WONDERFULL experience! Ellen and Helena were great! "

The place was magical!

The yoga from Helena is so good, here voice is like an angel!

The artistic exercises where very surprising and fun!

Meditation with the horses is a unique oportunity to get in touch with them! Ellen is a great and lovely host!

Thank you all! Who made this happen! 🫶

Maria Lazzaro

from Switzerland, June 2023

"Awesome experience "

It was an magical experience, I‘m so blessed and thankful. The people there were so handsome and lovely. So much love for all. Beautiful place with animals as well. Peaceful and healing place.

Vilma Velazco

from Spain, May 2023

Stephanie Azzopardi

from Malta, May 2023

"Peaceful"

My first ever experience and it was so relaxing, peaceful and although the weather was not as expected the host Ellen still accomodated our requests. The animals are beautiful and they continued to make the experience even better as they were really friendly. The utilities and rooms were clean.

San Ca

from Spain, March 2023

"Great and paceful experience"

The wonderful atmosphere, the staff and voluntiers, the place and the animals, all the relax, everything was fantastic.

Sophie Petri

from Netherlands, October 2022

"Thank you!"

Pierluigi, Ellen, Basile, Lucas, Fabi: Thank you so much for the memorable stay! I feel very joyful that I came. Hopefully we will meet soon again!

Dennis Mocock

from United Kingdom, September 2022

"Everything was better than expected "

Im sure the instructor was Pietro he was incredible as was the helpers Katrina & karena

Rüveyda Soyupak

from Netherlands, September 2022

"Een schattig paradijsje"

Ik werd zo fijn opgevangen door Pierre & Faby, ik voelde me meteen thuis! Na een drukke week in de stad was dit het perfecte plekje om tot rust te komen! Ik was alleen en heb veel tijd doorgebracht met de staff, ze hebben super volt mij gezorgd en we hebben zo gelachen.

Overdag zat ik lekker te lezen bij het zwembad, de voorzieningen waren top!

De yogalessen waren helemaal gepersonaliseerd en Pierre hielp me om weer in contact te komen met mijn lichaam. Ook de Reiki behandeling heb ik als zeer behulpzaam ervaren.

Mijn eerste ervaring met paarden was een succes! Ze waren erg lief voor me :)

Al met al een fijne plek met fijne mensen!

Super goed te bereiken met OV en laatste stukje taxi. Waar voor je geld en zo veel meer.

Jillian De Kater

from Netherlands, September 2022

"Pure Serenity "

Loved the Reiki treatment, delicious food, lovely people, horse meditation

Kimberly Van Tongeren

from United Kingdom, September 2022

"Beautiful countryside house, chilled vibe, wonderful people"

This is super easy going place with people that makes you feel incredibly welcome from the moment you arrive. A beautiful Spanish house built in the traditional style, some rooms more luxurious, some more simple, but all clean.

The yoga classes were varied and very well adapted to the pace and flow of the moment. We even did a yoga class on the rooftop once, with a view of the sun setting behind the vineyards on the hills. Pierluigi is an incredibly attentive teacher.

The food, mostly by Favigniana, was super tasty, fresh and interesting. All plant based but never bored once.

Also did some great activities during the day like a hike to the waterfall, a reiki session and meditation with the horses, guided by the wonderful owner Ellen.

I remember the booking process wasn’t super clear to me, but I’m so happy I did it anyways. Highly recommend and hope to come back in the future.

Janneke Hollanders

from Netherlands, August 2022

"Perfect!!"

This place is everything that you are looking for in a yoga retreat. Ellen is so welcoming, the location is amazing and the food is beyond any expectations. The yoga classes and the reiki where an absolute gift

I will definitely come back, thank you so much for everything.

Irma Antončikaitė

from Malta, July 2022

"Incredible experience"

That was the first time I have visited any kind of retreat and I'm happy that I chose this place, it's the best runaway from the city. Location is good, it's easy to find it. I felt completely relaxed after the sessions and was enjoying every moment there. I really loved the environment surrounded by nature and especially animals, the villa was amazing too. Food was so good, I have no words! <3 I had a really amazing time at Alaya retreat centre and wish to come again for a longer time! Highly recommend it.

Imogen Hammond

from United Kingdom, July 2022

"Immersive wonderful wellness experience"

I had such a wonderful stay at the Alaya Retreat centre. I particularly enjoyed sunrise yoga on the roof. The yoga instructor was so happy to work around our requests and adjust the schedule and practise accordingly. The horses are beautiful and it was magical meditating alongside such wise animals. I felt very safe, energised and empowered.

Sitting by the lovely pool reading my book with the option to visit the bar gave the centre an extra and unusual edge. I tried the local Cava on the first night which was comparable to a great glass of champagne. The vineyards around the centre were vibrant green adding to the sense of being immersed in nature.

They sell lovely reiki candles in the reception area which were made by the same person who collected me from the airport. It feels like a real community of great people - great healers. I hadn't had much experience before of Reiki and was lucky enough to have not 1 but 2 practitioners one at my feet and one at my head. I am still feeling the benefits of all this 3 weeks later.

The chefs did a marvellous job with the food. Every meal was a picturesque spread of wholesome healthy deliciousness. The flavours were out of this world and I especially loved the soups. Herbs were collected from the garden.

Ellen and her team have built a truly beautiful wellness centre and I thoroughly recommend you to visit!

Alice Bell

from United States, July 2022

"Amazing amazing amazing!"

A friend and I spent a long weekend at Alaya and couldn’t haven’t chosen a better retreat. Ellen, Evo, and the rest of the team are incredibly friendly, warm, and welcoming. I felt like family. We had such relaxing yoga and meditation classes with Celeste each day, had reiki sessions with the horses, and enjoyed spending hours relaxing and reading in the sun by the pool. The food is DELICIOUS - I feel so good after several days of healthy, nutritious, and tasty meals. The house and rooms are beautifully renovated and perfectly clean, and the property is set within vineyards and rolling hills, lovely for evening walks. My only recommendation - bring some mosquito spray for yourself!

We took the train from barca to vilafranca, then a taxi to the house (about 20 minutes from station)

We will be back!! Thank you Ellen!

Alice xx

Aine Byrne

from Ireland, June 2022

"Exceeded my expectations "

Alaya Retreat is pure bliss. Ellen and her team were amazing, they created such a warm and friendly environment where you felt instantly relaxed the second you walked in. It was everything that we were looking for; we wanted a resort where all of our stresses fizzled away and that's what happened here. From sunrise yoga to meditation with horses, massages to reiki, relaxing in the pool to chilling out in one of multiple hang out areas, there is really nothing more that could be added to make our experience better. To top it all off the food was second to none, it was a 5 star hotel standard, pure bliss!!

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Alaya Retreat Centre at Cal Pau Cruset

Barcelona, Spain

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Videos (6)

Instructors (4)

Ellen Christiaanse

Pierluigi Minicozzi

Alex Nairanovski

Mirjana Murataj

Reviews (41)

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Yoga Retreats (9)

Videos (6)

Instructors (4)

Ellen Christiaanse

Pierluigi Minicozzi

Alex Nairanovski

Mirjana Murataj

Reviews (41)

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