‘YOGA HOLIDAY ON THE ISLAND OF POETS’
MEDITERRANEAN RETREATS CENTER
ISLAND OF LESBOS, GREECE
13 – 20 July 2024
Rebirth and regeneration on the idyllic island of Lesbos
a paradise for your yoga holiday
www.holismos.com – www.yogaholiday.it
info@holismos.com – #39 3383824280 –
DISCOVER THE HEALING POWER OF YOGA AND THE SERENE BEAUTY OF
LESVOS, THE ISLAND OF POETS.
Dear serenity seekers, if you are looking for a peaceful getaway where you can nourish your body, mind and soul, look no further, the picturesque island of Lesvos is the perfect destination for a truly rejuvenating holiday. Located in the Aegean Sea, Lesvos is a hidden gem that boasts breathtaking beaches, crystal clear waters, thermal springs and a rich history dating back to 1000 BC. Our yoga holiday package offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in this idyllic setting while practising your daily yoga routine and enjoying a variety of activities that promote
wellness and relaxation.
WHAT TO EXPECT
• Daily yoga classes tailored to your level, led by experienced instructors in our open-air platform overlooking the sea and breathtaking sunsets. Alternatively, if the weather doesn’t permit, we have a spacious 100sqm yoga shala with large windows offering wonderful views over the bay of Kalloni.
• Delicious vegetarian meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients, including traditional Greek dishes and international flavours
• Guided recreational activities and explorations of the island’s most beautiful and characteristic areas, swimming, snorkelling and boat trips.
• Guided meditations and mindfulness practices to help you connect with your inner self and the surrounding nature.
• Workshops on yoga philosophy, breath and the concept of ‘Salutogenesis and Life Style Medicine’ to enhance your practice and well-being.
DAILY PROGRAMME
08.00 – 10.00 asana practice, pranayama, meditation and kirtan
10.30 – 11.00 Brunch
11.00 Departure for the various destinations with visits to the most characteristic places on the island (fossil forest,
beaches, characteristic villages, castles, monasteries and spas)
During the week two late afternoons will be dedicated to the practice of various aspects: from philosophy to singing
and meditation
COST
The cost per person in a double room with bathroom is €590 (the cost includes accommodation, two meals a day (brunch and dinner), all lessons, transport to and from the airport, guided tours)
EARLY BIRDS FOR REGISTRATIONS RECEIVED BY 5 JUNE 550€
REGISTRATION: a deposit of 200€ is required to register (contact us for registration details)
THE LOCATION Latitude: 39.145934 Longitude: 26.250718
TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION
The centre provides five rooms with bathroom, and 800 metres away we have another five rooms with bathroom. We offer accommodation in a double room with twin beds and in a single room (for an additional charge).
FOOD
All meals are carefully prepared by our staff directly in the centre’s spacious kitchen. The raw materials and ingredients, all locally produced, are of the highest quality because they are grown in a healthy, unpolluted environment on nutrient-rich lava soil. Meals include breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plenty of fruit from our garden, herbal teas, water and various drinks are available throughout the day. Meals are vegetarian/ vegan based
with a strong Greek/Middle Eastern influence.
THE ISLAND
This island, despite being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, does not have a tourist presence comparable to other Greek islands such as Santorini, Mykonos or Rhodes. Lesvos is nonetheless a generous and independent island, with its own well-defined profile in the Greek economy and full of interesting things to discover and, of course, to enjoy. It is the home of Sappho (a famous poetess of the Classical period), the best Hellenic olive oil, the undisputed
capital of ouzo, retsina (local aromatised wine), boasts a curious and unique petrified forest and its capital, Mytilene, is rich in historical vestiges and has a great student life that enlivens it even during the long winter months.
The island’s nature is lush and generous: millions of olive trees alternate with dense forests, but also leave room for desolate valleys and barren mountains. And then there is the endless coastline, for long stretches unknown to mass tourism, solitary but welcoming, familiar only to the almost 300 species of migratory birds that choose to stop here every year. Lesvos is an island where Greek daily life does not let itself be dazzled by the easy money and somewhat
kitsch of boorish and naive tourism. It lives its routine with optimism and appreciates the fact that those who come here have not chosen their destination at random.
HOW TO GET THERE
Lesvos is located in the archipelago of the north-eastern Aegean islands and is the largest of the group in size. Due to its importance, it has very easy connections with Athens, where there are several internal flights every day throughout the year. If you want to save money, there are good connections by ship every day of the year. Ships also stop at Chios and often go as far north as Thessaloniki. From some European countries you can fly directly to Lesvos, which has a small but modern international airport. If you cannot find a direct flight to Mytilene, fly to Athens and
from there take another flight to the island.
THE BEACHES
Like the traditional villages, Lesvos’ beaches are numerous, indeed, practically endless. From kilometres of sand and pebble beaches to quiet coves, you are spoilt for choice. The most famous are basically four, all far apart in terms of surface area. To the south, around the village of Plomari, is Agios Isidoros, to the north, just below Molyvos, Petra. The most famous beach in the western part of Lesvos is Skala Eressous, while along the same coast, but on the opposite side, is the beach of Vatera. All are very extensive and all have ample space to relax without crowds even in the middle of August.
WHAT TO SEE
In Lesvos, needless to say, there is much to see and do. To see everything, one must stay on the island for a long time, at least ten days or return several times, and we are sure that the island will tempt anyone with this desire. Some of the best attractions are the hot spring of Polichnitos, the petrified forest. Other things to see on Lesvos are the monasteries of Limonos and Taxiarchis, the Roman aqueduct and the castle of Mytilini.
TEACHERS
Massimo Cantara: graduated as a Yoga teacher (500h) with the international SYM school of which he was also a teacher, he also holds a diploma in Yoga Therapy (300h) with Vasistha Yoga Fundation in Kerala, India. He has been teaching at his own center in Italy since 2010 and is a founding member of “Three Treasures Yoga,” an international teacher training school. In addition to his professional activities as a practitioner in Bio-Natural Disciplines and as a Shiatsu Teacher, in 1999 he founded the Holismos arts for health center, a center for the dissemination and practice of Bio Natural disciplines, including Yoga, of which he is the director. In 2016 he founded together with Sara Della Torre the Holismos Yoga and Wellness Center in Varese. Cranio Sacral Balance Diploma, Kinesiologist, Shiatsu
Practitioner, Yoga Teacher. In 2020 he debuts with his music CD “Elemental World” on a sonic journey through the 5 elements.
In 2021 he published his book “Hospital without Pain” Bio-natural disciplines in the hospital context Ed. Epigraphia, Salus series.
Piero Bianciardi: attended medical school in Siena for five years, dedicating himself at the same time to Yoga, in particular Hatha Yoga and Viniyoga, taiji quan and Shaolin Chuan under the guidance of M° Chang Dsu Yao and shiatsu with Clemente Cocchiola and acupuncture with Prof. Guyen Vanghi in Florence. he studied contemporary dance with maestro Dominique Dupuis, contact dance and Gurdjeff’s movements and Sacred Dances with Shurta. He obtains the 1st dan of Taiji Quan and shaolin chuan with master Chang Dsu Yao and the Yoga teacher
diploma at the EFOA School in Rome with Francoise Berlette and his certification as Shiatsu practitioner. He obtained the “motor activities practitioner” qualification diplome at the school of medicine at the university of Siena and the qualification as a Feldenkrais practitioner atFeldenkrais method-Florence. for many years he taught Yoga and Feldenkrais in Siena and in the Chianti area developing his own yoga methods: Feldenyoga and Feldenwater. He practiced and studied Dong Style Taiji Quan with master Alex Dong and Aikido at the Renwakai School with M° Massimilano Perini and M°Alain Tendron to the degree of 2′ dan. He dances tango and studies it with various teachers including Chicho Frumbuli and Pablo Moyano. He obtained the Systemic Family Constellator diploma at Bert and Marie Sophie Hellinger’s School. He teaches as an assistant trainer of the Feldenkrais Method in Siena and Florence and as a teacher in various training courses in Italy and around the world.