Island Yoga Paradise: Silver Island Yoga
Head to Silver Island Yoga, a small privately owned island retreat in the Aegean Sea, that offers guests an exclusive Greek yoga, wellness and sustainability experience
Reading time: 4 minutes
Silver Island Yoga is a family-owned, female-led business, which has been going strong now for 10 years. Set on a completely private island in Greece, it offers incredible yoga retreats and total peace of mind away from all the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life — it is thought to be the only private island in the world dedicated to the practice of yoga.
The setting is dreamy. Situated to the north east of Athens and a few miles from the mainland, Silver Island is 60 acres of gently rolling hills, small idyllic coves, ancient old olive groves, wildflowers and cypress trees. The island is surrounded by the crystal blue Aegean with glorious views every way you turn. It makes it truly a magical place to practice the art and joy of yoga; a place where you can unwind and merge with nature and self.
Silver Island Yoga’s week-long retreats run from Sunday through to Saturday, from mid-April through to Mid October, and retreats are all-inclusive, with the per-person price based on whichever room you chose. A small boutique retreat with just six rooms, you can expect a very personal touch. As big yoga enthusiasts themselves, the founders, sisters Claire and Lissa Christie, mean nature and sustainability are prominent features of the island retreat experience.
“We are an eco-retreat, we have tried to create a self-sustaining island for future generations,” Claire tells OM.
“We are completely off-grid, and have our own solar farm and batteries, with a back-up generator for bad weather days. We collect all our own water for use on the island and recycle or upcycle everything as well as do our own composting. All our cleaning products are made from natural products and essential oils, and we do our own laundry on site too using solar power.”
This sustainability commitment also extends to supporting local businesses too, sourcing products where locally possible, even in the development of the toiletries used during the retreat. “We offer complimentary toiletries that are natural and biodegradable to our guests,” she adds. “These are made for us by a previous Greek client, who is a chemist and together have been created especially for us inspired by the smells of the island.”
Clearly, the Silver Island Yoga team have created something that visiting yogis love. “Our customers trust and love us,” says Lissa. “Our return rate is 70% and 30% by word of mouth.”
As you’d expect from any retreat in Greece, food is one of the major attractions. The self-taught chefs, which include Lissa herself, and her husband, Corne Uys, are passionate about healthy, delicious, nutritious vegetarian Mediterranean-inspired food. The retreat has even created its own cookbook due to popular demand among guests. Onsite treatments are also available from resident Shiatsu therapist, Katerina Polydoropoulou, as well as other therapeutic offerings from the different teachings.
While the 2023 season is now drawing to a close, there are some exciting new plans and developments for next year.
“In 2024, we will be incorporating very island-specific themes to our beginning and end of season retreats,” says Claire. “Spring brings with it an incredible bounty of flowers and wild foods, so as well as our yoga, we have invited Maria Christodoulou, the Greek Herbalist, to share her knowledge of herbal medicine and for us to make our own Greek herbal remedies during the retreats with her.”
And for all olive lovers, later on in the year there are also plans to run yoga retreats where you can pick your own, for a truly immersive back-to-nature experience. “As we are an organic working olive farm, we will offer olive-picking retreats in October, so guests can learn the process and go home with their very unique and special olive oil.”
Silver Island Yoga is also going international looking further afield to offer something extra to its growing numbers of loyal retreat fans. “We are currently expanding our offering for our loyal customers by creating bespoke retreats around the world that have a special meaning to my sister and I. We will be leading two groups over two weeks in the Okavango Delta in Botswana in January 2024. The African bush is where we spent a lot of time as children.”
For further information about Silver Island Yoga and retreat details please visit: silverislandyoga.com
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
