Upcoming Events
Retreat: Spring Yoga Retreat in Finland! May 23-30, 2019
My favorite trips combine beautiful nature, energizing yoga and amazing food.
I am beyond excited to lead a Spring 2019 Retreat with my best friend and colleague Aino Siren, in our home country Finland! Part of the trip we are going to stay in the beautiful port town called Hanko and part of the trip we will stay in the capital city Helsinki. All whilst deepening your connection with your Self, others and the Nordic nature, with the help of yoga, of course.
Super early bird pricing is available until February 28, 2019! Scroll down for details.
First part of the Retreat is in Hanko!
Hanko, Finland’s southernmost city, is situated at the tip of a peninsula where mainland Finland ends and the Finnish Archipelago begins. This is the setting for the first part of the retreat, 4 days to be exact!
We will stay in the gorgeous Hotel Spa Regatta which won't disappoint you. Between the late 19th and early 20th century, when Finland was under Russian rule, the town became a popular Spa destination for the Russian elite, making Hanko the ‘French Riviera’ of Finland.
The beautiful old wooden villas in the Spa Park were built around the Hanko Spa around the turn of the 20th century. The villas, designed by well-known architects, represent a decorative wooden architecture. Many of the spa guests stayed in Hanko for the whole summer and were accommodated in the villas. Some of the buildings still serve as guest houses and restaurants. The spa building was damaged during the Continuation War and was pulled down after that. The Spa Park is situated in the city center. The Hanko Casino nearby used to be a banquet hall and now houses restaurants, nightclubs and a casino, with a great view on the Baltic.
Some of the wooden buildings used to be dance halls, bath houses and banquet halls, and have now been restored and turned into restaurants and hotels, whilst others are rented out as summer homes. You don’t want to miss having a walk around if you’re an architecture lover. These villas are truly stunning.
The last three days of the retreat are in Helsinki!
The second part of the retreat will be spent in Helsinki, the seaside capital of Finland. The compact center is easy to explore by foot and we have booked a stay in Hotel Lilla Roberts that is located in one of our favorite neighborhoods Punavuori. Yoga will be held at a beautiful space 10 minutes walk away from the hotel, a dance and yoga studio that also serves as our ISHTA Pop Up studio in the summer.
Helsinki is known for its beautiful parks, architecture that combines eastern and western influences, Scandinavian design, museums and a Sea Fortress Suomenlinna. Aino and Mikaela have lots of tips for exploring their hometown and there will be an optional day trip to Suomenlinna where we can enjoy the World Heritage site with some fresh local snacks to bring along. We have put in an order of sunshine and sweet early summer temperatures! After our relaxing stay at the spa in Hanko, you might feel ready for sightseeing, shopping, vibrant restaurants and nightlife too. This part of the trip you can make your own.
Like any other city, Helsinki is at its best when experienced with locals. We can’t wait to show you around!
Sample Daily Schedule:
7am Breakfast at Hotel
8-10am Yoga & Meditation
12pm Lunch at Hotel (some days out lunch)
FREE TIME
4:30-6pm Yin & Yoga Nidra
6:30pm Dinner at Hotel (some days out dinner)
FREE TIME
Each day involves an enlivening and energizing morning yoga & meditation session, and an afternoon yin & yoga nidra practice. This week is all about exploring Finland and the culture, and get to enjoy the authentic experience with us natives. The theme of this week is light. In yoga we want to direct light of consciousness in to the patterns in our unconscious. With that light we can illuminate these samskaras, that cause confusion and discontentment.
Also during the end of May the sun sets around 10:30pm and rises about 4am, as we are headed towards more and more sunlight. That means that the civil twilight starts around 2:15am and ends 12:30am. That of course means lots of LIGHT!
What's included:
Morning and afternoon yoga each day (bring your own yoga mat)
Room accommodation during May 23-30th (double or single first in Regatta Spa Hotel in Hanko 4 nights, then in Lilla Roberts in Helsinki 3 nights.)
3 delicious meals daily at the hotel (two of the luches and 2 of the dinners excluded for variety)
Spa access at the Regatta Spa in Hanko.
What's not included:
Airfare and travel to hotels (we will however guide you with the easy transportation options)
Travel insurance
Airport transfers
Add on optional excursions or day trips
Optional Raindrop and Reiki treatments
Meals outside the hotels
Accommodations
Regatta SPA Hotel has all the amenities you would expect. In keeping with the architectural style, each room is decorated in its own unique motif, with a few surprising accents.The hotel offers a beautiful view of the Tehtaanniemi Park, the charming hotel grounds and the sea. Designed by famous Finnish architect Lars Sonck in 1898.
Hotel Lilla Roberts offers an elegant environment - a simultaneous dichotomy of the modern, and rich with history. In the hotel's stylish lobby you can sense the times gone by, and be charmed by the wonderful history of the building. You are welcome to enjoy the services of the lobby bar, while browsing the daily papers by the fireplace in our beautiful lobby.
Double room
$2700 (you are responsible for finding a roommate)
Single room
$3190
Deposit of $500 reserves your spot. Full price must be paid by April 15th. Inquire for more details and info at yogaretreats.info@gmail.com.
Sign ups or for more info: yogaretreats.info@gmail.com
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