om travel
L
ocated in the Greek Cyclades, a
group of beautiful rugged islands
reachable in just a few hours
by boat from Athens, Fykiada
Retreats offers a covetable
combination of both luxury and homeliness.
Run by Greek natives and keen yogis, Anna
and Eranthi, the retreats take place on
either the island of Kythnos or Mykonos,
alternating throughout the year.
While Kythnos offers a more traditional
setting, with its busy harbour and local
tavernas, Mykonos showcases a more
modern Greece, with the island’s main
town being a vibrant hub of bars, cafés and
boutique shops for tourists worldwide. Every
retreat whisks guests off to a palatial cliff-top
hideout, away from any hustle and bustle.
Arriving in Mykonos for a five-day retreat
(when summer in Britain had long packed its
bags and left), I was greeted by both blazing
sunshine and my friendly Fykiada driver
(host Eranthi’s charming brother), ready to
escort me away from civilisation.
My home for the next few days was a
sprawling white-washed villa, framed on the
outside by luscious cacti and clear blue
skies. Inside, vast reception areas were
flooded with sunlight, colourful modern
art hung on the walls and hidden nooks
appeared the perfect spot for a moment
of relaxation or hours of reading. Stepping
outside again, this time on the back terrace,
a glistening infinity pool appeared to fall
straight into the turquoise ocean below.Yoga itinerary
From the start it was clear to see that
the Fykiada ladies take pride in the
finishing touches: a welcome present of
aromatherapy oils and a healing ring was
waiting for me on my bed, delicious-smelling
organic Greek products lined the bathroom,
and a complimentary massage helped iron
out any aches from my flight.
After a tour of the house, guests (there
were around 14 of us) were asked to join
Anna and Eranthi for an arrival lunch. As we
dined on a home-cooked feast of Grecian
vegetable stew, creamy feta, freshly-baked
bread and the tastiest tomato salad I’ve
ever eaten, the pair ran us through a rough
itinerary for the retreat, which included two
90-minute yoga sessions each day (one in
the morning and one at night).
Morning yoga took place out on the
terrace when the wind was behaving, or in
the spacious lounge area when it wasn’t.
Either way, the early sun beamed in, helping
to wake us sleepy yogis. The evening classes
were the most special however, as, althoughinside, we could look out and catch the most
vivid orange and purple sunset through the
glass terrace doors.
The resident teacher on this retreat
was Los Angeles native Miki Ash. Sweet,
softly-spoken but utterly grounded, Miki
was impressively accommodating to every
guest, adapting poses to all levels of
experience and ability. Each day she led
a different type of practice, prescribing us
with a class to suit our energy. Across the
five days there was deep yin stretching, a
sweaty session of fast-paced ashtanga,
acro-yoga for some light respite (which
is as hard as it looks) and, my personal
favourite, an evening of candlelit night
yoga, where we laid on the floor in
blankets and were treated to 60 minutes
of guided meditation.Family feel
Away from the yoga mats, downtime could
be spent lazing on loungers, mesmerically
watching the flow of the infinity pool, or
chatting with new-found friends. For the
more adventurous guests, days out included
visits to local beaches and trips into the
Chora (Mykonos’ main town), where an
abundance of dinky shops selling white
linens, leather sandals and delicate jewellery
lined the streets.Nourishment on the retreat was supplied
by Alexandra Dudley, a British whole foods
enthusiast and author of cookbook Land &
Sea. Meals varied each day depending on
what was fresh at the local market, but most
were vegetarian and frequently vegan-friendly
too. Greek yoghurt, honey, fresh fruits and
hot coffee would often kickstart the day, and
dishes such as roasted squash, leafy greens,
crumbling feta and spoonfuls of herby quinoa
where on offer for lunch. A highlight dinner
was Thai tofu curry with coconut followed by
warm guilt-free brownies.
The whole retreat was thoroughly organised
and flowed like the vinyasas. Anna and
Eranthi were the most accommodating of
hosts, tailoring dietary requests, day trips and
transport arrangements for each guest where
possible. By the end of the five days I felt part
of a new family too, with all guests having
learned together, tumbled down together,
and well and truly laughed together. Sure, a
Fykiada retreat is the place to escape, unwind
and work on your yoga practice, but it’s also
the place to build new relationships and make
friends, and come away with much more than
a perfected headstand.For more information on Fykiada
Retreats along with 2018 retreat dates
visit: fykiada.com