This half-term why not treat yourself to a getaway where you get to do nothing but relax, walk or practice yoga?

Neal’s Yard Holidays has a number of half term retreats available during this October and we’re featuring a selection of them below. If you’d like to see the full range of retreats available this October, visit this page.

At this luxury retreat in Marrakesh, practice yoga and Pilates and stay in the middle of the old town. What’s great about this retreat is, you won’t miss any of the sites – you can have guided tours of the souks and Imperial City. Surrounded by the snow-capped mountains, escape with yoga, Pilates and a Hammam.

Neal’s Yard Holidays also has this peaceful retreat in Spain available. Enjoy yoga, Tai Chi, Flamenco and swimming all nestled within the mountains. Optional extras include aromatherapy and Thai massage.

If dates aren’t an issue this October, visit this yoga retreat in West Sussex. Enjoy luxury accommodation with breath taking surroundings. Yoga, Pilates, meditation, and holistic therapies, detox cuisine, fresh juices and smoothies. Swim in heated indoor pool.

For more autumn retreats, also outside half term, check out this page.

Next time, we’ll be looking at silent retreats and other alternatives to help you clear your mind.

The post Half term retreats – where will you be relaxing? appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.

Later this year, take a yoga holiday in Greece and experience island-hopping like never before.

Hellenic Seaplanes will be launching their fleet of you guessed it – seaplanes – to make travel between the Greek islands faster. The seaplanes will fly from ports all over Greece including mainland Athens and Thessaloniki to the islands of Crete, Mykonos and many more. The seaplanes can take 19 passengers at a time and will have scheduled flights to the various ports. In addition, flightseeing tours of the islands will be available so you can bask in the Greek beauty from the skies.

Our yoga holidays in Greece

The Greek islands are a great place for a yoga holiday and we have quite a few on offer including this luxury yoga holiday in Mykonos. Yoga is done by the sea on a private beach with stunning views all around. The 5-star hotel offers great food, soothing massages and nearby, there’s charming cafes and boutique shops.

This yoga holiday is situated at the foot of the Pelion forest. It’s an exclusive, luxury retreat offering yoga, holistic therapy and massage. Other activities include painting, snorkelling and boating. Just 10 minutes away are tavernas and a village to explore.

We also have this lovely yoga holiday in Crete where you can take part in yoga twice a day by the sea, boat trips, hiking and day trips to nearby fishing villages. The private beach means you can swim in the warm sea in peace. The 5-star hotel has three swimming pools, a luxury spa and breath-taking views of the Aegean Sea.

Greece is a country full of history and culture and there’s no better place to take a yoga holiday than one of its beautiful, sunny islands. If you’re looking for a luxury yoga holiday in the sun, then these are perfect. With the imminent launch of Hellenic Seaplanes, there’s no excuse not to go!

For more Greek holidays including Tai Chi and holistic holidays, see this page.

Don’t forget that the sun gives us a good dose of Vitamin D, which we all need, but take the proper precautions to avoid burning and increasing your risk of skin cancer.

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The thought of going on your first yoga retreat can be daunting. You might have many questions such as am I experienced enough?

Who else will be there? Am I fit enough to keep up with all the classes and activities? Will it even feel like a holiday?

No worries, when you get there, there’s no need to plan anything. It’s all done for you. The days are mostly structured and you will be catered for. So there is nothing to do but relax and unwind, and take it in your stride.

A yoga retreat could be the perfect next step from your regular weekly class if you want to learn more and develop your yoga, or even if you just want to spend more time practicing without all the distractions of life. Most retreats cater for everyone from beginners to fully-practiced yogis and yoginis so there’s no need to worry about your fitness levels.

What are you looking for in a yoga retreat?

Before booking a yoga retreat, be clear about what you hope to get out of it. Having an intention will help you make the most out of the holiday. Next, think about the location. Would you prefer to be in a hot country on the beach or close to home in the countryside? Near majestic mountains or a tropical paradise? It’s usually best to choose somewhere that will inspire you; that gives you the energy you’re looking for.

Don’t let the idea of a group holiday put you off. The thought of a whole week with strangers – eating together, exercising together and sometimes sharing a room – can be daunting, but the kinds of people who will be there, are just like you. They too are looking for a relaxing break to focus on themselves, and besides, there are no rules against eating alone or taking some time off from yoga classes to take a walk by yourself. But generally, a sense of community will build. You will bond with each other and you might make some good friends out of the experience.

Go with an open mind because you will undoubtedly learn things about yourself, and learn new things about yoga. If you’re hesitant about booking a week-long retreat, there are plenty of long weekend alternatives instead, which will give you the opportunity to ‘try them out’ without committing too much time or money.

Wherever you decide to go, you’ll come home feeling happier and refreshed with a positive outlook!

To be the first to know about our latest offers, holidays and last minute deals, sign up to our monthly Ezine.

If you decide that yoga isn’t for you after all, take a look at our Tai Chi retreats.

The post Make your Next Holiday a Yoga Retreat appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.

You may have read our previous blog warning about the dangers of skin cancer during yoga holidays in Europe, (if not it’s here) and while covering up is a must in the sun, we should also be mindful of the amount, or lack of, vitamin D we get.

Why is Vitamin D important?

Our body creates vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunshine, without it we can become ill. Vitamin D deficiency is a major problem, especially in the UK where sun exposure is rather limited to around two months of the year. In the past, vitamin D deficiency was linked with rickets, but recently it’s become evident that a number of other conditions can manifest including muscle weakness and osteoporosis.  Pregnant women are at risk of their babies being born with serious health conditions if they are vitamin D deficient.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell, muscle weakness and pain when bones are under pressure. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all, which means that serious health conditions such as rickets can develop without warning. Evidence also suggest that those who live furthest from the equator are at higher risk of developing muscular sclerosis, due to lack of sun exposure. Scotland has the highest rates of MS in the world with around 10,000 sufferers.

So while on a yoga holiday in Europe, be sure to cover up in the sun to prevent burning and skin cancer, but make sure you do have some exposure in the mornings and evenings. It is also wise to eat plenty of oily fish. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and so a vitamin D supplement may be beneficial, in particular D3.

Yoga holidays in Europe

We have some yoga holidays in Europe that offer plenty of sun, such as this retreat in a quiet beach town in Fuerteventura. The beach is a short walk away and surfing is available.

There are many other sunny yoga holidays on offer on our website, so you can top up your vitamin D and stay healthy. Remember that sun exposure is necessary for our health but too much can also be detrimental. For more information about health risks due to lack of Vitamin D (and right dosage) you can listen to the BBC Radio 4 Food programme (25min).

Next time we’ll be blogging about yoga retreats for first-timers.

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