21 Mar Ikaria Surf & Yoga Retreat 2023

Posted at 17:57h in Camps, retreat, surf, Yoga by Andreas Zethon

Ikaria Surf & Yoga Retreat

2-8 September ’23

Join us

on the island of eternal youth for a week of Surfing, Yoga, Hot Springs, Dancing, Music, Amazing Food and Relaxation. In cooperation with Ikaria Surf School and Yoga certified instructor Yiannis Spyroudis, our retreat combines surfing with a specifically designed yoga-mobility program for surfers (stretching, flexibility, balance, strength and handstands).

Dip your feet in the island’s natural hot springs, dance with us at a traditional Panigiri, and if the water is flat come with us on an SUP adventure along the beautiful coastline with plenty of rocks to jump off. With an experienced team of photographers and filmers joining us on our adventures you’re guaranteed to go home with more than just a suntan and a surf rash!

Surfing in Ikaria

is the best you can find in Greece. Messakti beach is the one of the greatest spots in the country for beginners and medium level surfers. Ikaria Surf School is well equipped with everything you need so that you’ll will be riding your first wave in no time!

Yoga and Mobility

As you may know surfing and yoga are two thing very well combined. There will be an everyday program, for every level, created by our experienced yoga instructor Yiannis Spyroudis.

In our camp we will be using one key element of this system/practice, the somatic/body exercise (asana) to combine it with our surfing lessons, aiming to both strengthen and flex our muscles and create a unique experience in and out of the water.

Our daily routine/program will include:

a morning session: time to warm up while strengthening our core, hands and legs and getting us ready for our surf lessons. Body postures and sequences aiming to strengthen your core and increase your balance/stability, in combination with breathing exercises will energise us and prepare us for a safe ride.
an afternoon session: offer yourself a chance to relax /release the tension with a carefully designed program focusing on stretching and flexing your muscles/body after a long day surfing.
Open jam sessions: in our chill time or when the waves are small grab the opportunity to play and work on anything you want including handstands, arm balances and acrobatics!

All sessions designed by our experienced yoga instructor Yiannis Spyroudis are open to all levels, without any previous experience necessary.

ACCOMMODATION

We’ll be staying in the cosy beachside village of Gialiskari, within walking distance of the surf spot. A small village, that has everything you need including a mini market, a few traditional greek tavernas (yes there will be gyros and souvlaki) and a couple of small bars to grab a refreshing mojito or ouzo.

MARINOS ROOMS

Low key, clean rooms without all the frills. Single to 4-people rooms available.

KIALARIS LUXURY APARTMENTS

On the beach front, overlooking the cute harbour or Gialiskari, these rooms are slightly more up market, yet still modest. Single to 4-people rooms available.

Other Activities

Ikaria – “The island where people forget to die”, is not only home to some great beaches, but more importantly to a wholesome and balanced lifestyle, that keeps everyone forever young. Surprisingly this involves a lot of ‘Good Living’, including dancing at “panigiria” (traditional fiestas) and drinking local wine, said to have therapeutic properties second only to the natural hot spring found in several places on the island. So let us take you on a rejuvenating adventure on this natural utopia, and we promise you’ll never want to leave!

Getting to Ikaria

Flights

Ikaria Airport (JIK) is easily and conveniently reached on direct flights from Athens “Eleftherios Venizelos” Airport (ATH) and Heraklion, Crete (HER) via Aegean/Olympic & Sky Express Airlines. The flight time from Athens is 40 minutes. Aegean/Olympic also connects Ikaria with regular service to/from Thessaloniki (SKG). Ikaria’s airport is located on the south-east tip of the island, 1km from Faros, 10km (15 minutes drive) from the capital Agios Kirikos, 50km ( 70 minutes drive) from Evdilos port on the North side, and 60km (1.5 hours drive) from Armenistis resort area.

Ferries

Hellenic Seaways and Blue Star Ferries connect Ikaria (Evdilos Port or Agios Kirikos) with Athens (Piraeus Port) and other Greek islands.You have to choose to arrive at the harbor of Evdilos because the drive to Gialiskari is only 20 minutes, as opposed to 1.5 hours from Agios Kirikos.