Kyanos, Zakynthos Island Yoga Retreat
We arrived here at the stunning Villa Kyanos, our Grecian home away from home.
Immersing ourselves in daily yoga led by Zoë Markos-Thresher, days were complimented by Greek inspired homemade cuisine by our private in-house chef. Together we explored this beautiful island on foot, by boat, or passed the day by at a nearby cove in between all the yoga.
The rural setting of the retreat treats us to the most idyllic and peaceful environment to delve deeper into our practices and deeper into rest - whether experienced, completely new to yoga, or simply intrigued to be a part of the retreat - we invite you to join us for the next one.
Our Accommodation
Built in 2022 and accredited by the likes of Condé Naste traveller for it’s attention to detail and unbeatable style, our modern Greek villa is located up the hills of Agios Nikolaos and peers over the well-known nearby port connecting the island with travel routes to Kefalonia. Made up of 5 spacious bedrooms, including twin shared rooms with a private en-suite, perfect for friends or solo travellers, and master rooms with an extra bit of magic including large private terraces and bathrooms with a view, great for couples, friends who don’t mind bunking up together or the solo traveller who wants a little extra privacy. Villa Kyanos soon became everyone’s home away from home.
Guests were immediately greeted with views of the Ionian which extend onwards from the infinity pool and you can always find a private little nook hidden in the grounds which make for the perfect spots to tuck yourself away in with a book and ice tea. Our cosy outdoor bean bag area doubled up as an outdoor snug and massage area with our in-house masseuse, and our outdoor kitchen made for the best hosting space on BBQ night where my mum taught everyone a few steps to the most well-known Greek dances. We practiced our yoga outdoors, complimented by panoramic views just to add to the tranquility of Villa Kyanos. The villa is equipped with yoga mats + props from a mainland Greek yoga brand called Omonyma which supported our practices perfectly throughout the week.
The Yoga Practices
South East London Yoga Teacher, Zoë Markos-Thresher, hosted and facilitated the yoga classes throughout retreat guiding practitioners through twice daily yoga practices which are inspired by over 500 hours of training accumulated in the styles of Vinyasa, Mandala, Rocket, Yin, Pre + Post Natal. With this being Zoë’s longest retreat offering, her intention was to create a space for you to immerse deeply and experience the profound effects of regular practice in our Greek retreat home.
Morning practice was dedicated to more dynamic styles, most frequently exploring the concept of mandala yoga. Here we focussed on particular anatomical and energetic elements which weave a thoughtful, interoceptive and meditative framework to play, practice & contemplate within - one of Zoë’s favourite styles of yoga to share. You most definitely leave feeling as though you’ve explored every corner of the body after 4 mandala classes. Around this, there was also time for vinyasa and rocket practice, both of which bring with them their own creativity and a chance to try out something a little different.
Every evening ended with a slow, soft and mindful yin practice and an end of week workshop exploring arm balancing and inversions was a fun way to break down mechanics of postures and give practitioners something to go home with and practice.
Scroll through the below and take a look at what we got up to in our practices & workshops!
Our Greek Inspired Menu
Our menu took the best of Greek cuisine and Jesse adds her creative twist. Using locally sourced, fresh ingredients; our menu was a big part of the retreat experience here at Kyanos and something we always look forward to diving into. Colourful breakfast buffets were the perfect post-yoga refuel, mediterranean lunch spreads filled us to the brim, only to roll back onto a sunbed for another couple hours, with nutrient dense salads and our sit down three course dinners have a little something in there for everyone. Around our usual meals, we enjoyed a bountiful sharing BBQ one night, a seafood pasta party the next, and a little boat trip picnic floating in the Ionian one lunch time.
Greek cuisine is not only known for its delicious simplicity but is also packed full with islanders’ secrets for longevity. We always leave feeling nourished inside out with new inspirations for our home cooking. We’re still working on Jesse’s cookbook…
“The experience was beyond any of my expectations. I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the retreat. The yoga classes were just beautiful practices with a lot of thought that went into them.. the activities were spot-on, so much fun and laughter was had by all! I have come home feeling so calm, proud, happy and confident. One of the things that it has given me is a sense of balance and perspective.”
A Day On Retreat
Once we arrive and settle into Kyanos we move through a post-flight flow to shake off the travel, meet the group in our welcome circle & enjoy a welcome drink before a buffet dinner.
8:00am
Morning Dynamic Yoga Practice (90 minutes)
9:30am
Wholesome + healthy breakfast buffet
1:30pm
Freshly made mediterranean lunch buffet
an optional lunch out at a local beach restaurant so we can experience the lovely local cuisine
5:30pm
Evening Yin Yoga Practice (75 minutes)
7:30pm
Three Course Dinners & BBQ night
Boat Trips, Peligoni Watersports & Beach Days
In between the yoga, there were included activities on offer such as hikes to the beautiful viewpoints of Zakynthos or a trip to a local olive press with added extras such as massage treatments, boat trips, a local lunch out to experience local cuisine and a celebratory final dinner out locally. Guests are always welcome to stroll down to the local harbour which has some lovely shops to take a trinket or two home, and Peligoni watersports club is just a stones throw from the villa for those who fancied a change of scenery.
The boat trip was one of our highlights; exploring the famous caves of Zakynthos, the sights of Navagio Shipwreck beach, and cliff jumping if we felt brave enough.
Goodies!
We love to pack with us some of our favourite bits and bobs you can try out during your stay or take home with you. Sourced from independent or small businesses, we hope everyone finds a little something in there they love as much as we do. The goodie bags this year were made up of:
The Sports Edit resistant bands
Siamo Skincare lip scrub and face oil
Nature’s Joint cacao
We Kind intimate scrub, made with no nasties!
And homemade incense all the way from Goa, India.
We’ll be back in Greece the same time next year, and we so hope to see you there!