YOGA SANCTUARY RETREAT 2026
Sacred Rhythms
For Seekers of Embodied Wisdom through Practice, People, and Place.
September 27 – October 3, 2026, Rhodes, Greece
We invite you to immerse yourself with us into the heartbeat of Rhodes, Greece, the island of the sun, where daily life moves to a pulse grounded in history and shaped by centuries of human presence.
Join us within the living walls of Old Town Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to experience how people, history, sea, stone, and the subtle practice of yoga come together in a place where life continues much as it has for millennia.
This return to Rhodes is deeply personal. When we held our first retreat together in Greece in 2012, we spent a single day inside the castle of Old Town Rhodes with a small group of yogis. That brief visit stayed with us long after we left, and the feeling was shared by everyone: we wanted more time here.
Now, more than a decade later, we are finally able to return in the way we once imagined, staying within the castle walls and living the rhythm of the city through daily practice, shared meals, and time together. Yoga Sanctuary 2026 is the realization of that long-held intention, and we would be honored to share this intimate experience with you.
Our Retreat Philosophy
West Wind Yoga retreats are not an escape from daily life, but a way of entering more fully into it.
Our retreats often resonate with people who are tired of large, performative yoga experiences and are seeking something fun, more relational, and rooted in place.
West Wind Yoga retreats are intentionally small and guided by experienced teachers, allowing space for meaningful practice, conversation, and integration rather than constant activity.
Each retreat is shaped by the relationship between practice, people, and place. Rather than offering a fixed schedule or a packaged experience, we allow daily practice, shared inquiry, and the rhythm of the land itself to inform how the retreat unfolds. Place is not a backdrop here. It is an active teacher.
Retreats at West Wind are designed for practitioners who value depth, continuity, and lived experience. Time is held intentionally, allowing space for movement, reflection, conversation, and integration. The intention is not transformation for its own sake, but a deepening of practice that can be carried home and woven into everyday life.
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Yoga Sanctuary 2026 is the realization of a long-held intention, and we would be honored to share this intimate experience with you.
If you are interested in joining us on this unique retreat or have any questions, please email Lara at Lara@LaraAlexiou.com
Accommodations
We are staying together in a luxury boutique hotel located within the medieval walls of Old Town Rhodes. The hotel has been carefully restored to honor the historic architecture while offering modern comfort. All guest suites include en-suite bathrooms.
7 Guest Suites are available. Space is very limited.
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The Retreat Package Includes
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Daily yoga practice and reflection program guided by the theme Sacred Rhythms
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Yoga Alliance Continuing Education hours for certified yoga teachers
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7 days / 6 nights accommodations in Old Town Rhodes, luxury private hotel
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Daily breakfast
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One shared group meal each day
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All group transportation during the retreat, including
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One scheduled group airport transfer to and from Rhodes International Airport (RHO) and the hotel
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Guided cultural experiences within Old Town Rhodes
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One private boat trip
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Opening orientation gathering and closing ceremony
Please note: All excursions and activities are subject to change based on weather conditions, site availability, group energy, and factors beyond our control.
Excluded: airfare, travel insurance, tips, personal spending, transportation outside group activities, meals outside group meals, alcohol
Rates
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$2997 per person
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All rooms are double occupancy
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All rates are per person
Booking & Cancellation Policy
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A non-refundable $500 deposit reserves your spot.
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Payment plans are available.
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All payments are non-refundable, No refunds for participant cancellation, late arrival, early departure, or no-show.
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We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment.
If you have any questions on how to reserve, please email me at Lara@LaraAlexiou.com
Reflections from our 2025 Yoga Sanctuary Retreat
Sacred Connections
Voices from Delphi, Greece
Participants arrived at Yoga Sanctuary 2025: Sacred Connections feeling anywhere from unsettled to quietly hopeful. Over the course of the retreat, each person reported feeling deeply grounded, more connected to themselves, and more connected to others. These reflections offer a glimpse into the experience we cultivate through these Yoga Sanctuary retreats.
"This retreat helped me return to center and deepen my connection to myself and the divine."
- Erin
"Every day had meaning. The cleansing at the spring, the reflection points, and the shared experience with the ancient and the divine was transformative."
- Sara
"This retreat helped me breathe fully again and put down the weight I've been carrying."
- Steph
"This retreat strengthened my bond with Delphi, Greece and the West Wind Yoga Family - a connection for life."
- Rick
“The experience didn't just offer ease of logistics; it revealed a side of the city that was both personal and real, never treating a destination like a checkbox to tick off a list, but as the authentic place it was."
- Audrey
Who is Yoga Sanctuary Really For?
For Those Who Want to Live Their Practice
Yoga Sanctuary is created for seekers of embodied wisdom through practice, people, and place. At its heart, this retreat is about living your practice in relationship with the world around you, not as an escape from everyday life, but as an invitation to meet it more fully.
For Those Who Value Experienced Retreat Leaders
Lara and Yanni Alexiou have been hosting Yoga Sanctuary retreats in Greece since 2012. Lara weaves decades of yoga practice, Taoist Five Element wisdom, and real-life application into every retreat program. Yanni’s deep cultural roots in Greece offer participants an authentic experience of the land, language, and daily life that only a local relationship can provide.
For Those Drawn to Place as an Active Teacher
Each Yoga Sanctuary retreat is shaped by a close relationship with the land and culture we gather within. Rather than offering a generic schedule placed onto a beautiful destination, the rhythm of each day is informed by the location itself. Movement, reflection, shared meals, conversation, and cultural exploration are woven together so that the place becomes an active participant in the experience.
For Those Who Seeking More Than Yoga Classes and Sightseeing
This retreat is for those who are curious about how practice evolves when it is lived throughout the day, shaped by environment, relationship, and shared intention. Yoga teachers receive Yoga Alliance Continuing Education credits for their participation, while passionate yoga students and curious newcomers to the West Wind Yoga community often discover new ways to integrate the transformative value of yoga into daily life, supporting renewed self-confidence and a deeper ease of social connection.
If you feel drawn to an intentionally designed, boutique retreat that is expansive in its rewards, where presence matters, yoga is a living experience, and the place becomes part of the teaching, Yoga Sanctuary may be the experience you’ve been seeking.