Vayia Chanou
“Armonia Nature Yoga retreats”
Armonia travels!
In every change of a season, a retreat, ever based on yoga and our connection with the Mother Nature, takes place on a mountain or at the sea.
Our retreats comprise activities such as climbing, rafting, canoeing, and swimming in rivers / lakes, sea, visits to wineries, etc.
We choose hospitable hostels in northern Greece, supporting the alternative tourism development of the areas around Thessaloniki.
We invite you to our company, despite your age, beliefs, tradition!
Keep yoging in nature!
Come! Just follow us to the blessed Mountain of the Centaurs!
“The Summer Yoga Retreat”
Yoga-mountain-see-trekking & botany!
17-21 August 2018
with Vayia Chanou
Lafkos , West Pelion
Welcome to our Summer Yoga Retreat!
This time I chose a place that combines mountain and sea, Pelion.
Our practice will take place outside the hotel in front of the dazzling view of Pagasitikos, in the mountainous, picturesque and beautiful village with the magnificent sunsets – Lafkos!
If the weather requires so the indoors area is also available.
Our Yoga Practice:
Hatha yoga
Bhakti Vinyasa yoga
Meditation-Pranayama-Asana-Yoga Nidra
Practices are suitable for practitioners of all levels.
Beginners are welcome.
Experienced practitioners will be able to deepen their practice with appropriate guidance and variations.
Upon request, there will be guidance in English for our foreign friends, for the yoga practice as well as for the botany seminary.
Everybody is taking place in the Yoga practices!
That is the driving force of yoga retreats.
There will be a teacher who will look after and entertain the children creatively in the beautiful garden so the parents can do their yoga practice without any worry.
Children’s participation in these morning activities is free of charge.
(Welcomed are donations for those who want it).
Our Botany seminar and adventure:
Maria Zafiriou
Nature Seminars Pelion
www.natureseminars.gr
Our program
Friday
19:00 Just before the sunset, meeting in the hotel garden for tea and juice, welcoming circle, altogether enjoying the sunset.
Saturday
08:00 awakening with mountain tea
08: 30-10:30 Yoga practice
10:30 brunch
11:30 – As long as it will take: Departure for exciting adventures!
From our hotel, we will take the path that leads us to the coastal Milina and all the way till there we will all take part in the observational Botany seminar. Approximately 2.5 hours total, the route and the experiential seminar.
Arrival at Milina
Sunbathing and swimming or renting canoe-kayaks and water bikes to drive to the islet of Alatas for swimming and enjoying its small lagoons.
Alternatively with the same sea boats we can go along the coast to the beach of Vathospilia for swimming. For those who wish the Chiron’s Cave is about half an hour walking.
Returning back to Milina with the boats from where we can take the path uphill for the hotel or take the local bus.
Sunday
08:00 Awakening with mountain tea
08: 30-10:30 Yoga practice
10:30 Brunch
11:30-13:30 Botany seminar
Studying the herbs that we have collected in the observational seminar the previous day… and not only. We will prepare our own products and at the end we will take them along with a certificate of attendance and a commemorative gift!
13:30-18:00 free time for swimming, rest
18:00-20:00 Excursion to Lafkos
Guided tour around the village: the most significant places; the history of Lafkos; the herbs and plants. Having a coffee in the village square in one of the 10 oldest cafes in Greece.
Visiting the Folklore Museum, the Faba Gallery and the Radio Museum, the only one in Greece.
Monday
08:00 Awakening with mountain tea
08: 30-10:30 Yoga practice
10:30 brunch
11:30 – As long as it will take: Departure for exciting adventures!
Day trip to Trikeri village and Trikeri Island.
Visiting several very beautiful beaches such as Marathia and the very picturesque beach of Tzastenis. Taking a boat from Alogopore and going to the Trikeri Island; visiting the Monastery of Our Lady to admire its architecture and learning about the history of the island and the church. The island has been a place of women’s exile for many years (4000 women lived on the island). Swimming in some of the beaches of the island. (Approximately 30 minutes away). Dining in a small tavern on the island.
Returning to the village of Trikeri. Taking a tour of the village and visiting the church of Agia Triada with the wooden and golden plated throne of Napoleon, and the wooden crafted iconostasis dated 1739.
Returning and swimming in Milina with the best sunset you’ve seen!!!!!
Tuesday
08:00 Awakening with mountain tea
08: 30-10:30 Yoga practice
10:30 brunch
12:00 Check out, bath and return.
Our stay:
Lagou Rahi Country Hotel
http://www.lagouraxi.com/
Participation per person until 31/7:
Triple room: 230€
Double room: 270€
Single room: 350€
Includes:
4 overnights with vegetarian brunch
4 morning yoga practices
Observational botany seminar and hiking Lafkos-Milina
Practical course of botany
Guided tours as mentioned in the program
Children up to 12 years of age participate free of charge in the activities
It does not include:
All the other meals except breakfast
Canoe-kayak-sea bikes: € 5 per hour per person *
The boat for the Trikeri island: ticket price 5 € *
The bus that will take us to Lafkos from Milina (if we decide not to pass the distance by foot): 2 € per person *
* These costs may slightly fluctuate as the prices of this summer season are still not officially announced.
Important
Pets are welcomed!
(If does not exceed the size of a Mastiff …)
Children up to 6 years old free of charge accommodation
Children 6-12 years old 10 € per night
Children 12-16 years old 15 € per night
Our summer retreats usually gather su people!
Please note that your early registration help the coordinators to better organize the excursion and service all the participants according to their preferences.
First come first served.
If all the rooms in the hotel are booked, you will need to find another hotel to stay.
The confirmation of reservation is active only by paying the participation fee.
In case of cancellation after July 31 no refunds can be made.
For those who are not in a position to organize the transit alone as well as in order to minimize the transportation costs we will try to organize carpooling.
Every participant needs to have their own yoga mat, blanket, pillow for meditation.
Those who live in the area or are already there for a vacation and wish to come only for yoga practice or botany seminars and other activities you can contact us.
Information / Subscriptions:
Armonia -Yoga & Meditation Center
www.vayiachanou.com
https://www.facebook.com/ArmoniaYogaCenterGR/
A few words about our inspiring teacher, organizer and ubiquitous caregiver of Armonia Nature Yoga retreats
Vayia Chanou
Graduated at the Higher Professional School of Dance of the Municipality of Thessaloniki with teacher of classical ballet Dimitra Koroneou.
Founder of the Yoga & Meditation Center “Armonia” in Thessaloniki since 2000, where teaches and organizes the activities of the studio.
Yoga Teacher 500 EYT specializing in Vinyasa and Iyengar based yoga, with over 17 years and 30,000 hours of teaching experience.
Teacher of Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga (Birthlight).
Co-founder and member of the Thessaloniki Yoga Festival Board since 2012.
I’ve been apprenticed to several Iyengar & Vinyasa yoga teachers, some of whom are:
B.K.S. Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar, Sophia Chatzipanayiotou, Vivi Letsou, Rusty Wells, Petros Haffenrichter, Shiva Rea and others.
My current teacher and inspiration is Shiva Rea, whose training for Prana Vinyasa teacher 500 hours, I attend.
All that I have been tought and all that I love is harmoniously combined in my teachings.
All those things that guided me through my many years of experience have led me to create my own style, Bhakti Vinyasa yoga.
Bhakti: devotion, offer, love.
Vinyasa: flow, link, sequence.
A complete Yoga Vinyasa practice.
A dancing, slow and based on the alignment flow / Vinyasa, where Pranayama, Mantras, Meditation, Yoga Nidra have the place they deserve.
My love for yoga and nature and my amateur, though regular engagement in mountaineering and rafting inspired me to create “Armonia Nature Yoga Retreats”.
Like this, we travel together in wonderful places, mostly in Northern Greece and enjoy our yoga practice along with alternative activities in nature.
I invite you, I challenge you, I expect you!
Vayia
