12 European Yoga Vacations

Medieval castles, rustic chalets, sacred shrines—Europe offers a range of options for the yoga traveler.

By Sara Cryer

Does standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) atop the Austrian Alps appeal to you? How about practicing yoga in a twelfth-century German monastery or on a remote beach in Crete? Opportunities to do yoga in Europe come as varied as the local languages and customs. If you're planning a trip across the Atlantic, consider packing your mat and checking out one of the following destinations.

Tyrol, Austria

Seemingly taken right out of a scene from The Sound of Music, the Tyrolean village of Reith in the Austrian Alps boasts winter sports, pristine mountain lakes, and numerous hiking trails. Nearby, the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Retreat House offers the classical yoga teachings of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnu-devananda, which emphasize asanas, pranayama, Vedanta philosophy, meditation, and a vegetarian diet. A few kilometers away, the health spa at Kitzbuhel has an indoor swimming pool, massage center, and mud baths.

Phone: 011 43 5356 67404; fax 011 43 5356 67405

Web: www.sivananda.org/tyrol (in German)

E-mail: tyrol@sivananda.org

Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Purported by some historians to be the legendary continent of Atlantis, Lanzarote is one of seven paradisiacal islands off the coast of southern Spain. Holistic Holidays hosts morning yoga, aquarobics, massage, walks, and wholesome meals in Villa Isis. A balmy climate and sandy beaches soften Lanzarote's formidable volcanic landscape. Just looking out to sea will help release tensions.

Phone: 011 44 181 241 3880

Web: www.hoho.co.uk

Toulouse, France

In the Midi-Pyrénées region of southern France, Stephan-Jean's yoga center offers a full schedule plus some drop-in classes. Known as "La Ville Rose" for its pink buildings, Toulouse lies on the banks of the Garonne River, close to the Pyrénées Mountains. If you need a hotel, the eighteenth-century Des Beaux Arts hotel, which overlooks the river, may fit the bill.

Web: www.multimania.com/himalaya (in French)

E-mail: himalaya@multimania.com

Kloster Gerode, Germany

The foothills of the Harz Mountains lead to a small valley and the romantic setting of Kloster Gerode. Here, in a former Benedictine monastery built in 1124, is Weg Der Mitte, home of the European College for Yoga and Therapy founded by Daya Mullins, Ph.D. The monastery has teaching rooms, a dining hall, and comfortable guest rooms. Healing and yoga take priority, and the center includes a staff of doctors, herbalists, yoga teachers, and mind-body therapists to attend to guests.

Phone: 011 49 36072 8200

Fax 011 49 36072 82024

Web: www.wegdermitte.de (in German)

E-mail: Gerode@wegdermitte.de

Crete, Greece

If you want to mix sun, sand, and water with ancient Mediterranean history, seek out Yoga Plus on the remote southern coast of Crete. Hosted by Radha, a student of Pattabhi Jois, the center's smorgasbord offerings include Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, African dance and drumming, tai chi, Iyengar yoga, astrology, feng shui, massage, and more.

Phone: 011 44 1273 276175

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