Holidays@CasaAna
Yoga & Walking holidays
Mountain landscapes have long been a source of inspiration for thinkers, meditators and practitioners of yoga. Equally they have been a haven for walkers and lovers of nature and the environment. Join us for some peaceful days of walking in the Alpujarran hills with yoga classes in the mornings and evenings. The yoga will be taught by certified Iyengar instructor Lisa Maclean and the walks will be led by experienced local guides.
To book one of these holidays download and send us a Booking Request Form. We will reply to you within 48 hours.
Next holidays:
25 - 31 May, 14 - 20 September and 12 - 18 October 2024
Start the day with an active, energising yoga class in the light, airy yoga space at Casa Ana. The peaceful location, clean mountain air and stunning river-gorge views provide a beautiful space to practise yoga.
Then, after a healthy breakfast, your walking guide will lead you on a walk of about three or four hours, including a generous break for a picnic lunch and for admiring the views. The panorama is unforgettable, reaching from the Sierra Nevada peaks to the blue haze of the Mediterranean sea.
You’ll get back to Casa Ana in time for an afternoon dip in the nearby swimming pool, or a lazy siesta, or a therapeutic massage from Casa Ana’s wonderful massage therapist. In the early evening Lisa will lead an hour’s gentle restorative yoga, a perfect complement to the walking you’ll have done.
Enjoy your week to the full: the walks and yoga are both optional!
Half way through the week there will be an excursion to one of the famous historic villages of the Alpujarras, dating back to Moorish times. Down the cobbled lanes there are cafes, craft shops and bodegas selling local hams, wines and cheeses.
The bedrooms at Casa Ana are comfortable and beautifully simple, most with en suite bathrooms. Meals are sumptuous and healthy with vegetarian and vegan options, as well as meat/fish dishes, an alchemy of Spanish, Mediterranean and North African cuisine.
“It was quite simply wonderful. Casa Ana is a beautiful place, in a spectacular setting overlooking a river-gorge (with a lovely terrace-garden full of roses); the rooms are clean and comfortable, the food is fantastic.
Lisa (the yoga teacher) was really good, sensitive to the needs of a pretty mixed set of abilities and our walking-guide Jens clearly knew his stuff and ordered things excellently.”
About the yoga classes
Whether you're completely new to yoga or have been practising for a while, these classes will provide you with a strong and safe foundation to enhance and deepen your practice. The Iyengar method is suitable for everyone and includes many variations and modifications to suit all levels and abilities. Each class will last one hour.
Morning classes will be energising and active - easing into the day with some deep, opening stretches where we will focus on safe alignment and spreading awareness/intelligence throughout the whole body. These classes help build strength and stability, improve posture, and ease tension.
Evening classes will be restful and restorative - using props to release into the poses with a more passive practice. We will connect mind, body, and breath with a sequence of resting poses and the introduction of yogic breathing techniques for mental wellbeing (pranayama). These sessions will restore energy and soothe the nervous system.
Each session is wrapped up with a deep and nourishing guided relaxation.
About Lisa
“I completed my first yoga teacher training in 2009 and since then have trained in various yoga styles with respected yogis across the world – in Nepal, South Korea, and the UK. I have been granted 200hr qualifications in Bihar yoga, Raja yoga, Seasonal yoga, and became a certified Iyengar yoga teacher in June 2019.
“I fell in love with yoga from the first time I stepped foot on a mat in 2001. I had never felt such peace, harmony, and sense of connection within myself. I was amazed at the awareness it brought to me – first to my body and (much later) to the more subtle energy of the mind. For what felt like the first time, I felt clear-headed and full of energy, and I knew straight away that this was going to be a big part of my life. Yoga is an evolving science of life, and continuing to learn is so important to me. I am passionate about keeping my teachings authentic and accessible to everyone, and firmly believe that every single person can benefit from having a practice.
“I have been coming to the Alpujarras for about 20 years now, and have never been anywhere like it. It's the perfect place for retreats! I want to share the special peace and tranquility of the place with all my students and I look forward to meeting you at Casa Ana.”
About the walks
The entire Alpujarra region is a maze of footpaths and mule tracks, winding through the fiercely beautiful scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Each day after breakfast, we’ll head out to the hills, on walks through oak woods and alpine meadows, passing by medieval farmhouses and the grounds of the Buddhist Retreat of Osel Ling. We’ll have picnics beside mountain streams and refreshing ponds, with stops for coffee in the white villages that dot the hillsides.
The walks are moderate in difficulty, and will last 2 – 4 hours with elevation gains of up to 300 metres approximately. To enjoy them to the full, you’ll need to be reasonably fit and comfortable with walking up and down hills.
A typical day
8.00 Yoga class on the terrace. An energising way to start the day
9.30 Breakfast
10.30 Meet your guide and depart for a walk in the hills
Picnic lunch
Early pm Return to Casa Ana
17.30 Gentle, restorative yoga class
19.30 Dinner
Prices
From €1050. Please contact info@casa-ana.com for further information or download the Booking Request Form.
The price will include: 6 nights’ accommodation, breakfasts, 5 picnic lunches, 5 dinners, tea and coffee It will also include 10 yoga classes, use of yoga equipment, walking guides, local minibuses.
The price will not include: flights or airport transfers, 1 dinner, drinks (apart from those included with meals).
For further information and bookings: email Tinca at Casa Ana.
“I have practised Iyengar yoga for forty years and in that time had many wonderful teachers, but Lisa is absolutely one of the very best. She has a way of teaching the poses that enables you to constantly improve your practice. It’s an absolute joy to be taught by her.”
Accommodation and Food
Casa Ana is known for its stylish and comfortable accommodation, fabulous vegetarian cooking and stunning views of the Trevelez river gorge and the mountains beyond.
“Casa Ana provided fantastic vegetarian meals, with homemade desserts that were beyond delicious, fantastic hearty healthy food, beautiful breakfasts…”
The House
Staying at Casa Ana is like staying at a private house, simple, comfortable and welcoming. A place where you can feel at home.
The old Alpujarra-style buildings are arranged around a Moorish courtyard garden, planted with wisteria and roses. A few steps through the garden take you to the terraces with breathtaking views along the valley and into the mountains.
In the bedrooms we’ve kept the original chestnut beams with white walls and terracotta floors, comfortable beds, quality linens and a scattering of rugs.
The bathrooms are modern with rain showers, huge mirrors and hand-made tiles inspired by the Moorish designs of the Alhambra. A large sitting room gives onto a shady terrace with superb mountain views.
The Architect-designed dining room and kitchen are open plan and welcoming, giving onto a secluded south-facing terrace. For winter warmth there is underfloor central heating throughout (even in the bathrooms) and a fireplace in the sitting room.
“Casa Ana is a perfect place to bring a small group, especially for walking, writing, or personal development – you can have the place to yourselves. The mix of indoor and outdoor spaces provides a conducive and pleasing environment for this kind of activity. If you bring a group of 6 or more, you can opt to have lunches and dinners included, as we did, and I highly recommend this.”
The Garden
Casa Ana was made for outdoor living. Everywhere rooms open onto the Moorish garden, the courtyard or the terraces.
There are big shady pergolas where you can relax with a glass of wine, or a cup of coffee and a good book and secluded sunny corners where you can soak up the Andalucian sun and do nothing at all. At night you can sit out, gaze at the stars and watch the moonrise over the mountains.
Everywhere there are panoramic views, the scent of jasmine and orange blossom, and maybe the sound of goatbells or a nightingale or the river far below.
It’s what makes Casa Ana special.
“The Casa itself is beautiful, and has been lovingly and sympathetically restored... Anne and the staff couldn’t possibly be any friendlier. The surroundings are also stunning.”