2013 YOGA & ASTURIAS HIKING RETREATS, NORTHERN SPAIN
October Saturday 5th - Saturday 12th
7 nights / 8 days
Cost: €1200 Euro Twin Share per person, €1600 Euro Single
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Join Jessie Chapman and facilitators for an awe inspiring Radiance Yoga & Hiking retreat in the heart of the breathtaking Quiros Valley, in the region of Asturias, northern Spain. Be inspired with a glorious week of dedicated twice daily yoga and exhilirating hiking exploring all that this lush green land has to offer. The mountain scenery is breathtaking, the air fresh and energising.

Retreat inclusions:
7 nights accommodation at the lovely Hotel Fuentes De Lucia
Transfers and all group travel during the retreat
All delicious home cooked vegetarian breakfasts and dinners
Morning and afternoon yoga with Jessie Chapman
Meditation & evening yoga nidra (guided relaxation)
Core strength classes to strengthen weak abdominal and lower back muscles
Guided mountain hikes with our experienced guides
Coastal walk & swim
Village walks and other gorgeous cultural tours
Full days cycling the Brown Bear Trail
Informal Spanish conversation classes

The retreat is held at Hotel Fuentes De Lucia in picturesque Faedo. Each day includes dedicated twice daily yoga with Jessie Chapman in the spacious purpose built yoga studio overlooking the stunning green Quiros Valley. After morning yoga we enjoy a scrumptious Spanish breakfast before a beautiful days adventure begins. We cross beautiful mountain and valley trails, some beginning just outside our front door. We savour local dishes and sip the regions famous Sider. We cycle through scenic gorges and along bubbling streams, lunch at traildside taverns, stop to explore 10th-centuary churches and rest under Spain’s oldest Yew trees - some more than 1000 years old. In the late afternoons we journey deep into yoga's restorative practice before another lovely shared dinner. The Celtic and Roman history in The Asturias region is seen in the many ancient churches and carved symbols in the villages and on lone mountaintops and our friendly and knowledgable guides fill our days with a soulful blend of scenic hiking, historical insights, traditional experiences and wonderful food.

About the yoga: Yoga is taught by Australian yoga teacher and author, Jessie Chapman whose inspirational classes are designed for all levels from the beginner to the experienced practitioner. Jessie has been practicing yoga since 1991 and teaching since 1996. An assistant will be helping to give individual attention and adjustments in the classes with special attention given to yoga beginners. There will also be guided seated meditations, pre lunch core strength classes and evening yoga nidra (a lying down guided relaxation). Click here to read more about Jessie Chapman, the yoga and the facilitators.

About the hiking: We average between 10-15 kilometers per day.  A lot depends on the group dynamics and how much you would like to walk.  We encourage people to ride in the van if feeling fatigued or to walk more miles if they have the energy.  We have the luxury of a fully supported van, which can pick you up at certain points on many of the scheduled walking trails if you only want to do a shorter walk. .

A sample retreat day:
7.00 am:         morning yoga
9.00 am:         scrumptious Spanish breakfast on the terrace
10.30 am:       depart for one of our inspiring guided mountain hikes, village walks or other excursion.
1.30 pm:         we share a delicious picnic lunch on a mountain top or visit one of the local restaurants
6 - 8 pm:         afternoon relaxation & restoration yoga
8.00 pm:         home cooked Spanish dinner using fresh foods from the market and garden
9.00 pm:         yoga nidra (lying down relaxation for a good night's sleep)

Some days we leave the retreat after yoga and breakfast for a full day’s adventure returning in the late afternoon for more yoga. Other days we may be out exploring for half a day and return for a pre lunch core strength class and more exploring in the afternoon or enjoy free time to relax under the Spanish sun...
Our retreat program is quite full as there is so much to see and do in this incredible region however we encourage you to opt out of a class or excursion when you feel to simply rest. In house massage and body treatments are available and lovely deck chairs are on the terrace to soak up the stunning views.

Not included in the prices: Airfares and lunches. During the retreat we eat our lunches at various cafes and traditional restaurants along our hiking routes or we stop in the nearest town and buy supplies for a picnic lunch. The average cost for lunch at a cafe is between 10-20 euros and buying food for a picnic lunch around 8 euros. Most people travel with an ATM card.  Money machines are everywhere in Spain but be sure you know your PIN number. Traveler’s checks are not easy to cash.

About the food: Whilst our retreat menu is vegetarian and meals are mainly wheat and sugar free, we do indulge in the regions specialties including wines and cheeses, pastries and other delights, and so this is not a strict cleanse but offers a healthy balance. Food is organic where possible and sourced from local markets and the hotel gardens.

Optional activities nearby: kayaking on the lake, rock climbing with a certified instructor and horse riding. Massage is available at the retreat.

Retreat cost:
€1200 Euro twin share / per person (approx Aus$1475)
€1600 Euro Single (approx Aus $1967)
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Most people are happy to share a room and if booking twin share we put you in a room with a same sex person.

All rooms are spacious and have en-suite bathrooms with bathtubs, patio’s with village or valley views and lovely décor. There’s a laundry with washer and dryer for guest use, high speed internet and WIFI, TV room and library and lots of private areas to soak up the Spanish mountain air and warm sun. Special dietary requests can be catered for.

Arrival & Departure: Our guides will pick you up at Oviedo Bus Station (next door to the train station and right in the town's centre) at 5 pm, or your hotel in Oviedo at 4.30 pm. If flying into Oviedo there are buses running on the hour from the airport to the bus station. Full pick-up and retreat information is emailed to you upon registration. Once we've arrived at the retreat there'll be time to get settled before our first group yoga class followed by a welcome dinner. On the last day yoga finishes at 9 am followed by a farewell breakfast. Our guides will then transfer you back to Oviedo or the station.

Extra nights: If you arrive in Oviedo a night or two before the retreat begins we reccommend you stay at Hotel Fruela, which is in a central location. Or, if you wish to stay any extra nights at our retreat hotel please email us to check availability.

How to get there: The retreat is held at Hotel Fuentes De Lucia in Faedo. The closest city is Oviedo, which is a one hour’s drive from the retreat. There is an airport near Oviedo with regular flights from Madrid and other points in Spain and Europe. There are international flights from London and Paris. You can check all available flights from anywhere in the world using www.skyscanner.net. Madrid is 5 hours south of the retreat via fast train and San Sebastian 5 hours north east by bus or car. Pick-up is included from Oviedo Bus Station (next door to the train station). For train travel information within Spain contact www.renfe.es. For bus service contact www.asla.es. If flying into Oviedo there are buses running on the hour from the airport to the bus station. Full pick-up and retreat information is emailed to you upon registration.

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RADIANCE RETREAT TESTIMONIALS

"Having just spent a fantastic week in Asturias, Spain, I am delighted to recommend Jessie Chapman's Radiance yoga retreat for anyone who wants an active and stimulating holiday. I feel both rested and reinvigorated, and ready to explore the world further. The hiking and scenery is incredible, and the intensity of the daily yoga helped me make some real gains (even as a beginner). The combination of mental and physical challenges and restorative contemplation was perfectly balanced and both teachers were really helpful and knowledgeable. Oh, and the food was delicious! Fabulous week in an amazing part of the world.
Cara, 39, Journalist - Spain Yoga & Hiking Retreat 2012

"Thank you so much for the wonderful yoga retreat in Spain. Never having done yoga before it was a pretty special introduction with amazing teachers. A great group of people on the retreat made our time there even better. Thanks also to our hosts, nothing was too much trouble, we will always treasure our memories of the Asturias"
Leanne, Spain Yoga & Hiking Retreat 2012

"I thoroughly enjoyed the Spain Yoga & Hiking Retreat. The accommodation was wonderful, the hiking fabulous, the food delicious and the yoga sublime!  Thank you.  You will certainly be the first person I think of when next I decide that I need to do a yoga retreat"
Amanda, 46, Lawyer - Spain Yoga & Hiking Retreat 2011

"As a total beginner, I could have easily been left behind. Instead, I found myself nurtured and supported every step of the way. Jessie is a fantastic teacher and the extra assistance from the facilitators made such a difference to my experience. I would highly recommend this retreat to anyone who is new to yoga. I now feel like I have a great foundation for my future yoga practice'"
Toni, 45, HR Manager

"I came to this retreat with some high hopes and expectations and can honestly say the retreat surpassed my expectations. I can't recommend this retreat highly enough. Whether you just need to relax from a stressed life, you are a beginner, or you are someone who wants to delve deeper into your yoga, you will be catered for. Thank you to Jessie and the facilitators for creating such a special space"
Mark, 41, Teacher

Click here to read more Radiance Retreats Testimonials

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from previous retreats