60 YOGA JOURNAL
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- LONDON
London’s yoga scene stands apart from other cities' with its
emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility: Ourmala offers classes
to asylum-seekers, women refugees, and survivors of trafficking;
Stillpoint Yoga London (try one of their daily Mysore-style
Ashtanga yoga classes held at London Bridge) helps bring the
practice into local prisons; and Michael James Wong’s Boys of
Yoga platform cultivates stories, videos, and tutorials to break
down gender stereotypes in yoga. In addition, popular teachers
like Stewart Gilchrist and Claire Missingham call London home,
teaching at Triyoga and East London School of Yoga.
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- BORNHOLM YOGA &
RETREAT CENTER, DENMARK
Off the southern coast of Sweden,
Bornholm is an ideal setting for three-
day silent meditation retreats hosted
by resident yogi Solveig Egebjerg (who
studied with Sharat Aurora, the head of
the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center) and
American Diane Long (a disciple of Iyengar-
focused Vanda Scaravelli). Disconnect and
unwind with walking meditations along the
rocky Baltic coast or workshops aimed at
weaving mindfulness into your daily grind. - MOUNTAIN YOGA FESTIVAL,
ST. ANTON, AUSTRIA
This event, held in the birthplace of modern
skiing, offers a heavy dose of outdoor
wellness. Intimacy is part of the draw:
Fewer than 300 attendees and teachers
from around the world gather to fill their
souls with music and movement. Alpine
hikes and lectures by Jivamukti teacher Karl
Straub and nutritional biochemist Florian
Überall roundout the lineup. - SURYALILA YOGA RETREAT
CENTRE, CADIZ, SPAIN
The Om Dome (an igloo-shaped yoga hall)
at this Andalusian retreat might be the most
magnificent place to practice in all of Europe,
says yoga teacher Tiffany Cruikshank. The
geometric studio was designed to resemble a
Nepalese temple topped with a golden stupa.
Wholesome farm-to-table organic meals are
another reason Cruikshank enjoys leading
retreats here. Regular teacher trainings by
Vidya Jacqueline Heisel, founder of vinyasa-
focused Frog Lotus Yoga, and Carol Murphy,
founder of Green Lotus Yoga, are other
highlights. - SCHLOSS ELMAU, BAVARIA, GERMANY
Since opening in 1916, this wellness and culture sanctuary in the Bavarian Alps has
welcomed luminaries (author Ian McEwan, jazz musician Paolo Fresu) to its concert hall
and lecture library. Here, you’ll find an annual yoga summit where Europe’s top teachers,
such as Barbra Noh and Timo Wahl, lead lectures, asana, and meditation sessions against
the backdrop of the snow-capped Wetterstein mountains. - BARCELONA YOGA CONFERENCE
This five-day event is one of Europe’s largest yoga festivals,
attracting more than 1,200 attendees from across the globe
to flow with master yogis such as Shiva Rea and Krishna Das,
indulge in Thai massage, enjoy music from international
performers, try acroyoga with a partner, and lose themselves
in ecstatic dance. - ELYSIA YOGA CONVENTION,
AEGIALI, AMORGOS
Located on the island of Amorgos in
Greece, the Elysia Yoga Convention is
a conglomeration of yoga practitioners,
enthusiasts, and wellness coaches. In
ancient literature, Elysia was a divine
final resting place for the souls of heroes,
setting the tone for a complete mind-body
yoga retreat.