Welcome. I am an experienced yoga teacher, meditation, mindfulness, iRest & breathwork teacher. I am also a yoga therapist and mentor.
How I can I support you? Simon
Yoga & Meditation for everybody
"Whether you're a beginner or experienced, I tailor practices to your specific needs. I can support you in building resiliency, strength, flexibility and help you to reduce stress, anxiety, improve sleep and (re)connect to your inner calm."
Yoga & meditation retreat at Rodis Apartment studios,
Bouka village, Zakynthos, Greece
Friday May 17th - Friday May 24th 2024 - SOLD OUT
&
Saturday May 25th - Sat June 1st 2024 - SOLD OUT
"Escape to a Greek island & slow down, restore & rebalance"
Feedback from the 2023 Zakynthos retreat (see below for more reviews)
"The Zakynthos retreat was a little slice of heaven"
Carol
Your Greek island 7 day retreat
Join us in 2024 for our week long yoga retreat in the tranquil village of Bouka, near Tragaki, on the Greek island of Zakynthos. We will be staying at Rodis Studios surrounded by olive groves and just 5 minutes walk from the beach.
Practice mindful yoga, conscious breathing, meditation, iRest yoga nidra and deep relaxation on the purpose built, shaded yoga deck in the landscaped gardens.
Enjoy home cooked, delicious, wholesome & nutritious food, freshly prepared for us.
There will be plenty of free time too, when you can sunbathe on one of the beautiful beaches, swim and snorkel in the crystal clear waters and enjoy the stunning sunsets.
Take home simple, yet powerful tools to reduce stress, support your wellbeing and peace in your everyday life.
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You may wish to sit and unwind in the gardens, amongst the olive, lemon and peach trees, relax in the hammock, take time to enjoy the enchanting views or walk along through the olive groves or on the beach to the local taverna.
This retreat is suitable for everyone, whether you are new to these practises or experienced, and it gives you the opportunity to learn new skills and / or deepen your practise and knowledge, whilst meeting friendly like minded people.
All of the practices / sessions will be taught by Simon Hoten.
What's Included
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Seven nights accommodation in air conditioned ensuite rooms with kitchenette, including fridge.
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Six morning mindful breath-centred slow flowing hatha yoga practices on the shaded yoga deck before brunch (allowing for one full day off for an excursion if you wish)
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Five late afternoon / early evening slower and gentler nourishing sessions including pranayama, restorative yoga, iRest yoga nidra and deep relaxation.
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One optional yoga masterclass.
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7 delicious vegetarian brunches & 5 vegetarian dinners (allowing 2 nights off for you to explore the local tavernas).
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Unlimited bottled water, tea, coffee and fresh fruit.
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A yoga mat, strap, block, bolster per person is provided (so there is no need to bring your own)
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Free time and space to reset and refocus throughout the week.
Pricing -
Twin / double shared ensuite air conditioned rooms
Friday May 17th - Friday May 24th 2024 SOLD OUT
Sat May 25th - Sat June 1st 2024 - SOLD OUT
Single occupancy of ensuite air conditioned rooms
Friday May 17th - Friday May 24th 2024 SOLD OUT
Sat May 25th - Sat June 1st 2024 SOLD OUT
*Subject to availability. The rooms will be sold on a first come first served.
Please note - pricing does not include flights, transfers, travel insurance or additional activities / optional excursions, any meal out in local villages / tavernas, massages or other treatments.
Accommodation
Your home for the week is the quiet and tranquil Rodis Studios, on the eastern coast of this beautiful island, surrounded by olive groves and the Ionian Sea. Set within the village of Bouka, Tragaki, it is walking distance to beaches and tavernas.
All rooms are fully equipped with a small kitchen, balcony, modern shower-room, flat screen TV, free air conditioning & wifi.
Within the landscaped gardens is a tranquil pergola and shaded yoga deck where we will practise in the morning before brunch and late afternoon/ early evening before dinner.
Rodis Studios in June 2023 has a rating of 9.1 on Booking.com and 5 on Trip advisor.
The local area
Bouka beach and it's calm crystal clear waters is just 200m away and is one of the blue flag beaches of Zakynthos. It is 1.45km / 0.9 miles from the resort of Tsilivi where you will find the sandy Tsilivi beach, gift shops, supermarkets, tavernas, bars and restaurants as well as a bank, and medical centre.
Zakynthos Town, with its many historical buildings, elegant squares, Byzantine churches, and shimmering harbour is only 4.3 miles / 6.9km away, whilst the airport is 5.6 miles / 9 km from Rodis Studios.
The food
Home cooked, healthy, delicious vegetarian food will be prepared for us by our us by our hosts Kate & Gerard.
Brunch & dinner will be served outside on the shaded table and dining area and a typical sample menu is as follows -
Brunch
Yoghurt, honey and fruit, including peaches from the Rodis garden,
Tea, coffee and juice, Granola, greek yoghurt, fresh bread/ toast
& baked tomatoes with homemade cheese
Dinner
Bruschetta, followed by lentil, courgette, tomato, beetroot & Halloumi salad
Lemon yoghurt cake & fresh fruit
Allergies and intolerances can be potentially serious and Rodis Studios' food storage & preparation cannot guarantee that some meals are entirely free of certain ingredients.
However, if you are dairy free without having strong allergic reactions if you come into contact with dairy products, please ask me, as dairy free may be able to be catered for if booked in advance at time of booking.
Getting there
Zakynthos International Airport (Dionysios SolomosAirport) (ZTH) flights from most UK airports with flight time approx 3.5 hours. Check out Easyjet, BA, Tui, (also should you choose to fly earlier Jet2 airways & Ryanair ) or you can fly via Athens (flight time 50 mins from Athens to Zante) with a number of airlines.
Ferry - Ferries depart daily from Killini, a seaside town on the western side of Peloponnese, Greece. The journey takes about an hour & is currently offered by Levante ferries.
How to Book
Please email me at simon@yoga360.co.uk and I will send you the deposit & booking details.
Zakynthos
The island once called " Fiore di Levante or the flower of the east" by the Venetians, due to the stunning countryside including 7000 varieties of flowers, is about 40 km (25 m) long & 20 km wide (12 m). It is the southern most and 3rd largest island of the Ionian Sea and olive groves, vineyards, lemon trees, bougainvillea cover the rolling hills of this beautiful island. The capital is Zakynthos town (there is only one town and 44 villages) which is also the main port of the island and it lies on the eastern part of the northern coast, located at the base of the hill of Bochali. Half the (approx 20,000 out of 41,000) population live in Zakynthos Town and you will find the famous church of San Dionisio, Saint Mark's square dating back to the Venetian period, (in fact St Dionysios tower is the twin tower with St Marco's tower in Venice) numerous museums, tiny and quiet alleyways, as well as shops, tavernas, restaurants and bars in the town. At the back of the city on the top of the hill of Strani are the ruins of the ancient Venetian castle.
There are many stunning sandy beaches around the island including the famous Navagio (shipwreck) bay, numerous natural "blue caves" and hidden coves. The touristy Alikanas on the northeastern coast is 8km away from where we will be staying in Bouka village, where on the beach you may find the internationally protected lily of the sea, whilst the lively Laganas, which is also known as the place where the endangered Caretta caretta turtles lay their eggs, is 14.5 km away on the southern coast.
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Reviews / Testimonials
"Brilliant exposure to different styles of yoga and meditation in a beautiful and peaceful outdoor setting. I will be booking again" Shirley
"Thank you wholeheartedly for an excellent yoga retreat in Zakynthos. Really feel better physically, mentally and emotionally & it is all down to your caring approach, detailed preparation & patient teaching. Food, accommodation and location all fantastic” Toni
"Simon's yoga retreat in Zakynthos was a 5 star one that well surpassed my expectations. I hadn't attended any of his classes previously and was pleasantly surprised. Thoroughly enjoyed the variety of asanas, meditations, teachings, adjustments suggested and yoga nidra practices. Simon is a thoughtful, compassionate and highly experienced yoga instructor who went out of his way to ensure that everyone's needs were catered to and that all of us felt included. As if this weren't enough, Rodis Studios was a fabulous location - beautiful yoga deck in a peaceful and beautiful garden, very friendly and helpful hosts, comfortable accommodation and amazing food! Being a short walk from the beach was an added bonus. I'd highly recommend the experience and will definitely go back again" Sandra
"The Zakynthos retreat was a little slice of heaven. Rodis Studios provided the perfect location - simple rooms, lovingly prepared food eaten around a beautiful communal table and a yoga deck surrounded by olive trees with the wafting scent of honeysuckle. Simon guided our group skillfully and effortlessly through a well thought out programme of yoga and meditation. After 3.5 hours of practise a day the rest of the time was spent swimming in the crystal clear sea (5 mins walk) and exploring this beautiful island. Time out to connect with fellow human beings and with ourselves in such a magical environment is priceless. I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity" Carol
"I loved this week in Zakynthos, a perfect mix of yoga and meditation, led by a warm and caring teacher in a beautiful setting with excellent food and hospitality. It could not have been better" Paul
"A brilliant retreat of yoga, breathwork, meditation, yoga nidra. I was completely relaxed and restored by the end of the week. The food was amazing! Simon the teacher was so knowledgeable and experienced and meeting such other lovely people was great. A fantastic experience" Susan F
"Wonderful yoga in a peaceful setting run by an excellent yoga and meditation teacher who responded to everyone's individual needs" Fiona
"Great week in Zante with Simon, lots of different practices. Lovely food and great company. Really enjoyed it" Sheila