Stage De Yoga Iyengar De 7 Jours Avec Constantinos Sans Hébergement en Crète, Grèce
Greece Yoga Retreat
Join YogaOnCrete to explore external alignment, inner awareness, and energy flow in asana and pranayama, while opening the back body and activating spinal movement.
Key information
- Format: Full-day
- Total duration: 7 days
- Schedule overview: 08:30 - 11:30 and 18:00 - 20:00
- Address: YogaOnCrete in Hora Sfakion, Crete, Greece
- What to bring: Personal essentials, eco-friendly items, and outdoor items
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Caractéristiques
- Pratiquer le yoga Iyengar en mettant l’accent sur l’alignement et la précision
- Explorer les asanas, le pranayama et les techniques de relaxation profonde
- Relâcher les tensions et améliorer la posture grâce à l’utilisation guidée de supports
- Développer la conscience corporelle, l’équilibre et la mobilité à long terme
- Profiter chaque jour de la plage dans un cadre méditerranéen paisible
- Nourrir le corps et l’esprit avec une alimentation saine et la vie en communauté
Niveau de pratique
- Débutant
- Intermédiaire
- Avancé
Styles de yoga
7 jours de cours en Anglais
Nombre moyen d’heures d’activité par jour : 5
Hébergement
Accommodation is at your own expense. You can choose to stay at YogaOnCrete House or another place near the center.
YogaOnCrete House
This is a lovely traditional stone house. The house is a five-minute walking distance to the village center and beach, but also pleasantly secluded. The garden at the front and the private olive grove at the back blend in with the landscape and offer options for places to rest. Rooms are designed in a natural combination of old and new and are spacious and comfortable. The rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis (there is a limited availability of rooms and single rooms in particular).
Programme
Join YogaOnCrete and experience lightness of body and spirit and the joy of honoring and nurturing the needs of your body, mind, and spirit through the practice of Iyengar yoga, daily encounters with the cool, turquoise Mediterranean waters at quiet beaches, idyllic, unspoiled surroundings, wholesome local food, excursions, and a warm and welcoming group of people, and much more. During this program, the importance of external alignment as a prerequisite for students to develop awareness of internal space will be emphasized.
Precise energetic techniques as they apply to the practice of asana and pranayama will be provided, while you will have the opportunity to understand external and internal rooting in different series of asana, relax in action, focusing on the internal dynamics of the body, and open the back body and diaphragm, to put the energy of the spine in movement. The workshop aims to encourage you to become more receptive and independent, and to develop your own personal practice. It is designed to address the physical imbalances of modern life. Using the Iyengar yoga method’s precision, you focus on spinal alignment and structural health.
Through the strategic use of props (including wall ropes or yoga kurunta, bricks, blocks, bolsters, belts, etc.), and starting with a series of basic asanas (yoga postures), you see how also advanced postures can be approached with “effortless effort”, allowing you to release deep-seated tension, especially in the hips, back, neck, and shoulders. You will learn how to feel when the body is in a state of alignment and ease, in order to prevent pain and support long-term mobility. Each class ends with a 10-minute deep relaxation.
The teaching is guided by your deep respect for the Iyengar yoga tradition, while you remain open to scientific and experiential advances that keep the practice alive and offer tools for deepening your understanding. They prioritise the student’s unique body and experience over rigid rules. The teaching is precise yet compassionate and adaptive, creating a safe environment for every individual.
Iyengar yoga
The classes comprise a series of asanas (physical postures), usually sustained for some time so that the body and its necessary actions can be observed within the posture, pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditative techniques (sitting in silence, concentration techniques), through which the development of awareness of the body and mind in the present moment and deep relaxation are practiced. Iyengar yoga was developed through the pioneering work of B.K.S. Iyengar, who freed the classical yoga postures (asanas) from their Indian mystique and, with the use of props, made them suitable for Westerners, who want to have a clear understanding of what happens in a yoga posture.
A typical Iyengar yoga class focuses on the precision of movement, correct alignment, and the study of the ‘muscle and mind’ actions and resistance necessary to enter a state of concentration. Breathing awareness is emphasized in every asana to deepen the experience. Through consistent practice, the student overcomes physical and mental/emotional limits and develops a deep awareness of the body, power, control, patience, and physical and mental harmony.
Is this the right retreat for you?
This retreat is for you if you are ready to:
- Refine your understanding of alignment: Develop a clearer sense of how structure and precision support stability and ease in the body
- Work with precision and attention: Explore asana and pranayama through detailed guidance, where small adjustments lead to meaningful change
- Address tension and imbalance: Work systematically with the spine, breath, and props to release deep-seated tension and support long-term mobility
- Practice in a quiet, focused environment: Simple surroundings and a calm setting support concentration, allowing you to go deeper into the practice without distraction
Schedule
The week begins with an introductory yoga session at 6:00 p.m. on the day of arrival, and the day's program closes with dinner. Thereafter, there will be a morning (8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) and afternoon (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.) Iyengar yoga workshop-style class. In between classes, there will be enough time for guests to relax and enjoy the beach and sunshine, receive a massage treatment, or explore the village and region.
Dressing information
Light, loose clothing made from natural fibres is recommended, allowing you to move freely and comfortably during practice.
What to bring
Please bring a swimming costume and towel, walking shoes for optional hikes, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and a small torch, as village paths have limited lighting at night. They kindly ask you to use natural soaps and shampoos to help protect the surroundings. These can also be purchased locally. Indoor slippers or flip-flops are useful, as they follow a no-shoes policy inside the house. And last but not least - your smile.
Travel assistance
If you would like to explore other beaches that are not within walking distance from the village, you should budget approximately 5 - 20 EUR per trip, depending on whether a boat or taxi ride is shared with other guests.
Important information
YogaOnCrete aims to apply the basic principle of yoga, connectedness, in its relationship with the natural environment. Damaging it in any way would run contrary to any effort they make to allow their true nature to unfold. Therefore, recycling, composting, use of detergent and body care products that are as friendly to the environment as possible, moderation in the use of natural resources (water, electricity, gas), use of plants that either grow wild in their garden and surroundings or they cultivate organically, peaceful co-habitation with animals that choose to make the garden their home (cats in particular), are among their everyday practices.
They kindly request that you respect their rule against smoking and consumption of alcohol or other substances on the premises. Of course, the unspoiled beauty of Sfakia offers them extra motivation. YogaOnCrete invites you to join their effort to remain in harmony with your surroundings, as well as with yourselves.
Professeurs
Constantinos Giannetakis
Constantinos est un pratiquant enthousiaste et dévoué de yoga Iyengar depuis 1992. En 1996, il s’est installé en France où il a également obtenu son diplôme de psychologue clinicien à l’Université de Picardie. À cette époque, il lui est apparu clairement que la santé ne se résume pas à l’absence de maladie, mais concerne aussi un état qui va au-delà. En 1999, il a déménagé à Londres où il a poursuivi ses études de psychanalyse au niveau postuniversitaire tout en étudiant le yoga. À son retour en Grèce en 2003, il a ouvert le premier Centre officiel de yoga Iyengar à Athènes.
Lieu du séjour
This program will take place in Sfakia in the region of Chania in Crete, Greece. Chora (pronounced "Hora") Sfakion or Sfakia, the capital of the municipality of Sfakia, is located on the southwest coast of Crete. The landscape of the region is particularly dramatic. The mountains in this part of Crete meet the sea, with steep slopes towering over the beaches. The road from the north of the island threads through breathtaking mountains and small villages to reach the port village of Sfakia. A sense of peace radiates from the dry mountains and the sunset skies. With its quiet, picturesque alleys, the beaches are just within walking distance.
There are a few restaurants and cafes with tasty local dishes on offer lining the old harbor. Sfakia can become a little haven for anyone who wants to step out of the modern city's fast-paced lifestyle for a while. If you are up for a short hike after the sun has gone down, just above the last house of the village is the little church of Agios Georgios, hidden away in a cave. Previously a neighborhood of the village, but nowadays abandoned, Georgitsi is also a 10-minute hike up the mountain.
Distances
- Georgitsi - 10 minutes hike
- Vrisi (Spring) village beach - 10 minutes walk
- Amoudi (Sandy Beach), 1.5 kilometers
- lligas (Vertigo) beach, 1.5 kilometers
- Filaki (Prison) beach, 2 kilometers
- Glika Nera (Sweet Water) - 30 minutes walk
- Chania Airport - 1 hour drive
- Heraklion Airport - 2.5 hours drive
- Orthi Ammos (Vertical Sand, literally), 15 kilometers
- Frangokastelo (Frankish fort), 15 kilometers
Nearby places
- Coffee shop
- Post office
- Pharmacy
- Dentist
- Bakery
- Supermarket
- Mini-market
- Tourist shop
- Medical center
- Gas station
Repas
All brunches and five dinners are offered at the house and included in the price, while on two of the nights, you are free to dine out in the village restaurants (not included; approximately 15 EUR for a full meal including drinks). On the last day, the morning is free, and you all meet at brunch for farewells. A selection of hot and cold herbal teas, both local and imported, and fresh fruit is available at all times. YogaOnCrete kindly requests that you respect the rule against smoking and consumption of alcohol or other substances on their premises.
Cretan food
The Cretan diet is renowned for its macrobiotic qualities, but also for its great variety of delicious flavors. More than the pure, fresh ingredients themselves, it is the fact that cooking is traditionally performed almost like a ritual, with love, and always in the prospect of offering the food to others, that makes the Cretan cuisine so special. YogaOnCrete's cook embodies this spirit, preparing two nutritious lacto-vegetarian meals a day, using local, and wherever possible, organic products (grown in their own garden).
The village restaurants, only a short walk away, offer a wide range of local dishes, including fresh fish and game. The guests have also found the local bakery particularly enticing, with delicious local bakes, biscuits, and breads. If you have any dietary requirements, please notify them and they will do their best to accommodate them.
A typical day's menu
- Brunch: home-made warm muesli (their specialty) or cooked grain and fruit and nut-based breakfast (porridge, compote, etc.), cow’s (or goat's, whenever available) and grain (e.g. rice) or home-made almond milk, selection of sheep’s cheeses, sheep’s or cow's yogurt (depending on seasonal availability), wholemeal bread and savory as well as sweet biscuits, selection of homemade jams and marmelades, honey, tahini and local butter, freshly squeezed orange juice, fresh seasonal fruits, local herbal and other teas.
- Dinner: vegetable or grain/pulse soup (e.g. gazpacho, zucchini, or lentil soup) or other starters (e.g., dolmades, cooked local greens [vlita] with lemon and oil); locally inspired, vegetarian main dish (e.g., stuffed vegetables, vegetable risottos using a variety of grains, tabouleh, fava, spinach pie, grilled veggies); selection of delicious fresh salads (hearty Greek salad is, of course, the staple!); and, of course, a healthy fruit/nut/dairy-based dessert (e.g., yogurt and honey, fruit and nut power balls, halva, flourless cakes).
Les repas suivants sont inclus:
- Brunch
- Drinks
Les boissons suivantes sont comprises:
- Eau
- Café
- Thé
Les régimes alimentaires suivants servis et/ou pris en charge :
- Végétarien
- Lacto-ovo-végétarien
- Vegan
- Sans gluten
- Aliments bio
- Autres régimes particuliers sur demande
Activités et lieux à visiter
The fourth day of each week-long course is a rest day from the classes. You can join an optional excursion, including a guided hike through the stunning Aradaina Gorge on this day, at an extra cost (25 EUR). Individual excursions can also be arranged to numerous gorges, along the coastal trail, as well as boat trips to neighboring seaside villages and beaches, in addition to scuba diving lessons.
Area attractions
Most beaches of the region are pebbly, the white of the beach and the turquoise of the water creating a beautiful scene for relaxed swimming and sunbathing. The waters in most beaches actually come from springs high up in the White Mountains, so they are literally crystal clear.
- Boat trip to Sweet Water beach
- The village beach, Vrisi (Spring), is just 10 minutes walk away from the house
- Lligas (Vertigo), 1.5 kilometers out of the village, has been awarded a Blue Beach Award for its pristine waters
- Filaki (Prison), approximately 2 kilometers away, offers a nudist choice
- Amoudi (Sandy Beach), 1.5 kilometers away, is the quietest beach around
- Glika Nera (Sweet Water) is their favorite pick. Its name refers to the freshwater springs that are found under the sand and that give the sea its magical, clear color. It can be accessed on foot (30 30-minute walk along the coastal path) or by kaiki (small boat, 10 minutes from Sfakia)
- Frangokastelo (Frankish fort) and Orthi Ammos (Vertical Sand, literally) are two adjacent sandy beaches 15 kilometers away from Sfakia. Frangokastelo takes its name from the very well-preserved Frankish (Venetian) castle built by the shore. There is actually a legend that just as dawn is breaking in late May or early June, the image of men on horseback, exiting the castle and riding into the sea, can be witnessed in the early morning mist—these are the mysterious Drosoulites (mist-men).
Soins et massages
Massage and treatments
Choose from holistic massage, Thai massage, cranio-sacral treatment, and reflexology with their on-site or visiting therapist at 40 EUR per hour.
Ce qui est inclus
- 11 séances de yoga Iyengar de type atelier
- 7 brunchs
- 5 dîners
- Accès à tous les espaces de la retraite
- Professeur de yoga professionnel avec 25 ans d’expérience dans l’enseignement
Ce qui n'est pas inclus
- Vols vers la Crète
- Transferts depuis et vers l’aéroport
- Hébergement
- Autres repas
- Assurance
- Activités supplémentaires
- Transferts vers Chora Sfakion
Comment se rendre sur place ?
Aéroport recommandé
Transferts non disponibles
Heraklion International Airport (Nikos Kazantzakis Airport)
À 95 km de votre destination
Transferts non disponibles
Chania International Airport ("Ioannis Daskalogiannis")
À 36 km de votre destination
Transferts non disponibles
Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos Airport)
À 304 km de votre destination
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Chania International Airport ("Ioannis Daskalogiannis") (CHQ) or Heraklion International Airport (Nikos Kazantzakis Airport) (HER) to reach Chora Sfakion. You can also fly to Athens (ATH) and either get a transit flight or boat to Crete (Chania - CHQ). For flights from the UK, Easyjet, Ryanair, and Monarch Airlines have direct flights from several UK airports to Crete, both to Heraklion (HER) and to Chania (CHQ), during the tourist season. You can also use Thomas Cook, Just The Flight, Charter Flights, Cheap Flights, or Flight Line.
From London Stansted, also check the daily flight of Aegean Airlines to Chania via Athens. For flights from other European countries, try Ryanair, which now connects several European cities to Chania (CHQ). Also, Easyjet, Transavia, Norwegian Airlines, Aer Lingus, German Wings, or Air Berlin. Be aware that on some occasions booking two single flights can be cheaper than a return flight.
Arrival by bus
To get to the bus station in Chania from the airport (2.50 EUR; duration 30 minutes), buses run at different times every day to correspond with the flights. This is also the case for the return journey. The bus station in the city has luggage storage, operating between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., which can be useful if you have a long wait, as the beautiful old city is just a few minutes' walk away. If you need to get a taxi from the airport to the bus station, the cost should be about 15 to 20 EUR. From Chania, you can then get a bus directly to Chora Sfakion, but confirm departures in advance because, during high season (April-October), there are only four buses a day (at 8:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.; 8.30 EUR; duration one hour and 45 minutes).
From Heraklion airport, there is a frequent bus service (No. 6) that takes you to the main bus station in Heraklion (duration 15 minutes). Ask the driver to tell you where to get off the bus at the station, because it is not obvious. From there, you first need to get a bus to Rethymnon (approximately every hour; 8.30 EUR; duration 90 minutes) and then a bus to Chora Sfakion, changing buses at Vrisses (at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.; 8.30 EUR; duration two hours). Vrisses does not have a bus station per se, rather, a coffee shop in which you can buy a ticket, and in front of which the buses stop.
Arrival by ferry
There is an overnight ferry to Chania from Piraeus, the port of Athens, easily accessed by metro from Athens' E. Venizelos airport. It departs at 9:00 p.m. and arrives at Souda, the port of Chania, at 5:30 a.m. the next morning. The port of Chania is a 10-minute bus journey away from the main bus station in Chania city center. The return journey with Anek lines starts from 63 EUR (deck price; there is a discount if the return journey is booked at the same time as the first part).
The southwest coast of Crete is fairly well served by daily ferry lines traveling from Paleohora to Chora Sfakion, which is a convenient option if you are thinking of spending some time on the south coast before arriving at YogaOnCrete. You can also reach them in this way after hiking the Samaria gorge (consider putting your luggage on a bus at Chania, to be picked up at Chora Sfakion, so you can hike lightly).
Arrival by taxi
Traveling by taxi is the most convenient way to reach the village. A taxi from Chania city center or airport costs 85 EUR (one hour) and from Heraklion 140 EUR (two and a half hours).
Conditions d'annulation
- Pour réserver, un dépôt de garantie correspondant à 30% du prix total est requis.
- Le dépôt de garantie est non-remboursable si vous annulez votre réservation.
- Le reste du paiement est dû 14 jours avant votre arrivée.
Avis
Pour cette offre, vous pouvez effectuez votre réservation sur BookYogaRetreats.com. La plupart des cartes de crédits sont acceptées.