Yoga and Walking holiday in Greece

Unwind and Revitalise in the Breathtaking Region of the Mani in the Peloponnese, May 10-17-2026

After falling in love with this beautiful part of Greece and the charming fishing village of Agios Nikolaos, I’m excited to return for the 10th year in a row. Our yoga and walking week is a wonderful mix of movement and relaxation. The yoga and walks are both grounding and energising, helping you feel more present and alive. There’s something in the air here that keeps people coming back year after year. Guests are amazed by the beauty of the Mani and some have been returning with us for three, four, and even five years, drawn by the special energy of this place.


The Spirit of Life Yoga Center (SOL) is a true hidden gem—genuine, welcoming, and far from commercial. Run by Kerry and Wendy Kousiounis, it holds a special place in my heart, and even after all these years, it still makes me happy to share it with you! The centre with it’s outdoor kitchen, stunning garden and beautiful yoga shala, is nestled in the hills, just a short walk from the seaside village. Surrounded by the mountains and the sea, it’s the perfect setting to unwind  and revitalise.


 Your accommodation is located in the village, just a short downhill walk from SOL—though be ready for a lovely, very doable uphill walk in the morning on your way to yoga! We combine daily yoga and movement classes with two guided walks and visits to two authentic mountain villages. In these hidden gems, far from the usual tourist traps, we’ll meet the locals, enjoy their local culture and traditional home-cooked dishes.


This year, Kerry Kousiounis – the owner of SOL, will be our walking guide and he’ll also offer one or two qi-gong classes. As a lifelong practitioner, his classes are clearly instructed and a lot of fun to do. The guided walks will take us through local mountain villages, and ancient kalderimi (dry stone footpaths), along coastal paths, and through stunning gorges, some of the most picturesque hikes you’ll find in Europe.


Throughout the week, there’s plenty of time to explore the charming fishing village and its surrounding area. Relax by the sea, sip coffee or wine at a local taverna, take a leisurely stroll along the beach, swim in the crystal-clear waters, enjoy a good book, or treat yourself to a massage.


If you choose to rent a car (I can help with a reasonable rental deal), you’ll have the chance to explore further and visit Areopoli, a charming town full of history and culture. For those who enjoy shopping, there are lovely boutiques. The scenic drive takes you through the mountains, along the coast, and past the small village of Neo Itilo, where you’ll find excellent fish tavernas.



Gentle yoga somatics

This week our yoga practise will be an invitation to slow down so we can enter the proces of undoing and connect with the simple joy of our being. The invitation is to focus on opening, strengthening and softening, balance and flexibility through a somatic, meditative and playful approach. The classes are suited for both beginners and more experienced practitioners.

 

I really enjoy Lisan’s style of ‘teaching’. She isn’t ‘putting us through the yoga paces’ (a lot of yoga teachers do, sadly) but more an exploration of movement and postures. It felt so good to slow down our practice together and talk about and feel the benefits. I love the way Lisan shares her understanding and enjoyment.

Yonnie F. (UK)

Morning sessions

Morning sessions begin with taking some time to quiet the mind by focusing on the present moment, becoming aware of the breath and creating space between the breaths. Then we will move into some somatic movements to wake up the body, followed by a well rounded mix of gentle yoga asana, myofascial unwinding and more movement explorations. Each person is encouraged to honor what serves their body in the present moment and the focus is more on exploring the energetic subtleties of yoga then on challenging our physical practice. The practise will help you to feel more energized and relaxed at the same time.

Evening sessions

Evening sessions are more restorative orientated. Because we'll move quite slow with the focus on grounding ourselves, it helps develop our inner listening. We’ll also practise some Yoga Nidra and learn to surf between the states of wakefulness and sleep so that our body finds its natural state of balans and deep relaxation.

Fabulous food

Each day, except for wednesday when we have our long walking day, we’ll have a yummie brunch at the centre after our morning yoga session. On both the evening of our arrival and on departure day, Kerry (the owner of the centre, our host, restaurateur for twenty years and experienced vegetarian cook), serves us fabulous Greek (organic) cuisine with plenty of mezes and organic wine. On the other evenings we wander down to the local village to enjoy a meal by the harbourside. The family run tavernas offer fresh fish and a good selection of vegetarian dishes. On two nights we’ll dine out in the beautiful mountain villages.

Accomodation

Depending on availabillity your accomodation is either at the Spirit of life centre, or in comfortable traditional apartments in the village within 15 min walking distance from the yoga centre.

During my week at the centre I felt my health increasing on all levels. The yogaclasses were like an adventure, Lisan guided and supported us along the way so we could make our own discoveries. The yoga combined with the walking in this incredibly beautiful area has been deeply rejuvenating for me.

Monique de Jong (Netherlands)

I've enjoyed several yoga holidays in different places but spirit of life is now my favourite. Kerry & Wendy have created a place with a magical quality based on a combination of ancient land and customs, deep love of Nature and respect for yoga and healing. Lisan is a wise and generous yoga teacher and gave us a wonderful week of practice and inspiration. The walks with Lisa were absolutely stunnung! Thank you to everyone involved.

Amber S. (UK)

Lisan has a wonderful ability to help us listen and connect to our bodies needs and lead us into deep relaxation. I felt I could proceed at my own pace during the week. The group was just lovely and although quite stressed upon arrival, after one week I felt both rested and strong again.

Annica E. (Sweden)

Time schedule*

Saturday

Time to settle in after your arrival and at 7 pm a lovely welcome dinner at the centre.

Sunday

  • Yoga 8.30 – 10.00
  • Brunch 10.15
  • Free time (walking, beach, resting, massage)
  • Yoga 17.30 – 18.45
  • Dinner in the village or stay at your own apartment

Monday

  • Breakfast 8.30

  • Guided walk

  • Yoga 17.30 -18.45

  • Dinner in mountain village

Tuesday

Schedule is the same as sunday.

Wednesday

We have a day off from yoga at the center. Guided walk.

Thursday

Schedule is the same as Sunday.

Qi gong lesson from Kerry

Dinner in a mountain village.

Friday

Like Monday, closing ceremony and farewell diner at the centre.

Saturday

 Fond farewells.

* The time schedule can be subject to change depending on the weather and our spontaneity.

Meet your facilitators

Lisan

As a senior yoga and movement teacher, Lisan has extensive training in hatha yoga, restorative yoga, medical yoga and yin yoga. She is also certified in somatic movement and the Movingness body-mind integration method. She now weaves these practices into her ongoing exploration, personal practice, and teachings.


“For me, open awareness of the body has proven to be the doorway to inner freedom and the felt sense of aliveness and presence that is already here.”

 

Kerry

 

Kerry is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher, as well as a Tai chi, Qi gong and Zen Shiatsu practitioner. He is also an accomplished chef, a life long animal lover and walking guide.

 

” I allow the body/mind to activate a healing process and my teaching encourages this personal sensitivity to the intelligence that resides in our bodies.”

Pricing

Price: €995 in a shared room and €1.195 for single accomodation.

 

This package includes:

  • 7 nights in a shared or single traditional apartment in the village.
  • 8 Yoga classes from Lisan 
  • 1 Qi gong class from Kerry
  • 2 dinners at the yoga-centre
  • 4 brunches and 1 breakfast
  • 2 guided walks

Not included:

  • Flight to Kalamata
  • 5 dinners around 15 euro in the villages
  • Massages
  • Transport from the airport Kalamata to the yoga centre between €25 and €50 depending on the amount of people sharing a taxi. We might rent some cars and can then offer a guaranteed rate of €30 p.p. one way. For excellent deals for car rental, click here. Your reservation is made as soon as you pay a deposit of €400. The remaining amount should be paid before the 15th of April and no refund is possible after that.

  • Our retreat is limited to 10 people, we tend to get fully booked each year so don’t wait to long with your booking if you want to be sure of your space.

Join us!

Contact me directly or fill in the form below if you like to make a booking or need more details:
PHONE NUMBER

0046 703588226

Fill in the form below and I will reach out to you:

Come join us for a magical time in the beautiful Mani!

Visit www.thespiritoflife.co.uk for more info on the centre and surroundings.

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