Spain Retreats
Imagine waking to mountain stillness, breathing air scented with wild herbs, and beginning your day with yoga as the sun rises over ancient olive groves. This is what awaits you at Hotel Balcón de Cómpeta, nestled in the Almijara foothills of La Axarquía, just an hour from Málaga, Spain.
Three times each year – at Easter, late summer, and early December – we welcome you to authentic Sivananda Yoga retreats in Spain organized by the Sivananda Yoga Centre of Madrid. 638 meters above sea level in the traditional whitewashed village of Cómpeta, you’ll discover something increasingly rare: genuine tranquillity. The Mediterranean beaches lie just 18 kilometers away, yet you’re worlds apart from the coastal crowds.
Here in Cómpeta you’ll find the space to slow down and feel whole again through classical yoga practices, nourishing vegetarian food, and the kind of natural beauty that quiets the mind without effort.
An Authentic Tradition for Modern Times
In a world of quick fixes and wellness fads, Sivananda Yoga offers something with roots – a complete system for health and spiritual growth that has stood the test of time. Swami Vishnudevananda learned directly from yoga master Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh before bringing this wisdom to the West in 1957. His goal was to make authentic yoga accessible – deep enough for serious practitioners, welcoming enough for complete beginners.
Sivananda Yoga retreats go beyond the physical. Yes, the asana sequence systematically works every part of your body, building flexibility, strength, and balance. But the practice reaches deeper: pranayama breathing exercises enhance your vital energy and calm the restless mind, while deep relaxation releases accumulated tension and allows the whole system to reset. Vegetarian meals further support this process, nourishing the body with light, wholesome food that promotes clarity, balance, and inner calm. Meditation then develops the self-awareness that changes how you move through the world – helping you return home not only rested, but more centred, present, and connected to yourself.
Sivananda Yoga Centre Madrid belongs to the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres network, ensuring you receive teachings rooted in an unbroken lineage of wisdom. Our experienced instructors have dedicated years to this path. They don’t just teach yoga – they live it.
Structure that sets you free
Each retreat day follows a steady, supportive rhythm designed to help you restore your energy, calm the mind, and return to a deeper sense of balance.
You’ll rise with the sun for meditation – there’s something profound about practicing as the world awakens.
The morning yoga class energizes your body, followed by a leisurely vegetarian brunch prepared with ingredients from local Axarquía farms.
The middle of the day is yours. Explore Cómpeta’s winding streets. Swim in our outdoor pool. Read in the garden. Rest. Simply be.
Afternoons bring workshops on yoga philosophy, chanting sessions that open the heart, or specialized techniques to deepen your practice.
A second yoga class in the late afternoon releases the day’s tensions.
A light dinner follows.
The day closes as it began with satsang – a beautiful gathering for meditation, mantra chanting, and an inspiring talk that sends you to bed feeling fulfilled and at peace.
Throughout your stay, you have access to the hotel’s tennis court, solarium, and mountain-view terraces.
Choosing when to join us means choosing the experience that calls to you most.
During Holy Week, spring transforms the mountains. Wildflowers carpet the hillsides, temperatures are perfect for hiking between sessions, and the air carries that particular freshness that only comes with new beginnings. This is the time for awakening practices, for setting intentions, for renewal.
From early August through early September, golden light and the warmth of harvest season fill the days. Early morning yoga happens as the sun paints the mountains pink, and evening sessions on our outdoor terraces offer panoramic views that seem to stretch forever. The village hums with quiet life, grapes ripen on the vines, and the Mediterranean is still warm enough for swimming.
Early December offers something different – a chance to step away before the world gets busy. Cooler mountain air sharpens your focus. The village grows quieter. This is when contemplative practices go deepest, when you can truly hear yourself think.
Because we keep our groups intimate, spaces fill quickly.
Contact the Sivananda Yoga Centre in Madrid early to secure your place. They’ll provide all the details – dates, what to bring, how to prepare.
6:30 – 8:00 am
Morning meditation, mantra chanting and talk
Occasionally, the morning meditation takes the form of a silent walk in nature.
8:30 – 10:00 am
Asanas and pranayama
10:30 am
Vegetarian brunch
From 12:00 noon
Free time for walks or excursions to some of the most beautiful places in the area, such as the beaches of the Costa del Sol or the city of Nerja.
1:30 pm
Snack
2:30 – 3:30 pm
Lecture or workshop
4:00 – 5:30 pm
Asanas and pranayama
6:00 pm
Vegetarian dinner
8:00 – 9:30 pm
Meditation, mantra chanting and talk
Occasionally, the evening meditation takes the form of a silent walk in nature.
Attendance at all activities is highly recommended. The programme is subject to change.
The retreats are in Spanish and English, unless noted otherwise on the Madrid website.
Yoga classes are bilingual.
A simultaneous translation into English via headset will be offered for any talks given in Spanish.
