30 New Year New You Wellness escapes
Saturday 5th January 2019
An oasis of tranquillity
The magical Suryalila Retreat Centre in southern Spain is the perfect place to unwind, discovers Amber Armstrong
F
ar from the madding crowds in beautiful Andalusia, Suryalila
is an oasis of tranquillity, nestled in the
softly rolling foothills of
the Sierra de Grazalema. I spent a glorious week there in September.
A sanctuary of wellbeing Suryalila, which means ‘cosmic play of the sun’, is a world unto itself, seemingly outside of time. It is a heavenly realm brimming with human warmth, amazing organic vegetarian buff ets not to mention world-class yoga. For retreat centre director, Vidya
Heisel, Suryalila is the realisation of a dream. Having taught yoga at retreat centres around the globe, Vidya’s vision was to distil the best of all of them into one sublime destination, with quality yoga teaching at its heart. Yoga classes are held in unique
beautiful yoga spaces including the awe-inspiring Om Dome. This is arguably the most impressive yoga hall in Europe. Practising yoga in such an stunning space as the sun rose over the hills is an experience I’ll remember forever.
Something for everyone For culture lovers, there’s a Culture and Yoga Holiday with trips to Seville, the elegant home of fl amenco, as well as picturesque Ronda and the
charming nearby
pueblos blancos or ‘white towns’. For beach lovers, Suryalila is just an hour’s drive from the stunning beaches of the Costa del Luz. Active types can hike in the nearby
mountains, book horse riding or embark on an Adventure and Yoga Holiday. This exceptional retreat combines canyoning, kayaking, cycling, climbing and yoga. Personally, I took a more laid back
Yoga classes are held in unique beautiful yoga spaces including the awe-inspiring Om Dome
better. After months of ‘quick and easy’ eating, it was the inspiration I needed to kickstart a healthier life- style — I even brought home their very own Suryalila cook book.
The warmest welcome The cortijo itself has been artfully decorated with an Arabian infl u- ence. I stayed in a gorgeous room overlooking Plaza de las Naranjas, a charming courtyard full of orange trees. More homely and cosy than a hotel, the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming.
approach, balancing my morning yoga with days spent lounging by the salt water pool and admiring the expansive views over lakes and fi elds of sunfl owers. In the evenings I luxuriated in the wood-fi red sauna or enjoyed a glass of the delicious local red wine while marvelling at the breathtaking sunsets. The icing on the cake for me was an amazing ayurvedic massage.
Deliciously wholesome farm- to-table food Suryalila is also home to Danyadara, a permaculture project, which produces a great deal of the organic olive oil, eggs, herbs and vegetables enjoyed by guests. The buff et-style meals are delicious and brimming with vitality — I’ve never eaten
What to book Check out the Suryalila website for year-round off erings with interna- tional yoga teachers. For those who are new to yoga, the
resort off er specialised Beginners’ Yoga Immersions. If you’re ready to dive deeper,
Vidya, the retreat director, leads her world-renowned Frog Lotus Yoga Teacher Training Intensives several times a year there. Or simply do as I did and visit as
an independent yoga hotel guest at any time of year to enjoy the excel- lent in-house
yoga wonderful facilities.
For more information visit
suryalila.com
classes and
Autoglym is available from all Halfords stores and online at
autoglym.com T: 01462 677766
autoglym.com
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