Suryalila

Suryalila Retreat Centre is a yoga retreat on a renovated olive farm in the hills of Cádiz province, southern Spain. It hosts group retreats through the year, runs flexible week-long stays with 2 classes a day, and is home to Frog Lotus yoga teacher trainings. It suits anyone who wants countryside quiet, vegetarian food and a steady yoga routine.

What it's like

Suryalila sits on Cortijo La Fábrica, an old olive farm in the hills of Cádiz province, between the white towns of southern Spain. The land looks out over rolling farmland, olive groves and lakes, and the lakeside village of Bornos is visible from the property. It's a quiet, rural spot, about 10 km from the town of Villamartín.

The centre was started by yoga teacher Vidya Heisel, who moved to southern Spain in 2011 after looking for the right site in Portugal, Italy and Spain. She's been its sole director since 2014. Over the years it's grown to take up to 70 guests, with a domed yoga hall called the Om Dome among its practice spaces.

Rooms run from private doubles with their own bathroom to shared twins, small dorms, glamping yurts and tents, so there's a fair range of comfort levels. Around the grounds you'll find a saltwater pool, a sauna, lounges, a meditation garden, an organic garden and the centre's own olive oil farm. There's a café and a small yoga shop on site, and massages and holistic treatments are available. Wi-Fi is included.

The programs

Group retreats run throughout the year, led either by the centre or by visiting teachers who rent the venue. The calendar mixes yoga with themes like hiking.

Retreat Yourself is the option for people who want to come on their own terms. Stays start on Saturdays and last 5, 6 or 7 nights. They include a morning vinyasa and hatha class from 8 to 9:30 am, a yin or restorative class from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, 3 vegetarian meals a day, one 60-minute massage or treatment, and weekly group activities like a sauna night and a permaculture tour. You can join as much or as little as you like. Optional extras include breathwork, a cacao ceremony, horse riding in the Sierra de Grazalema, a day trip to Ronda and wine tasting.

If those dates don't work, the centre says you can ask about staying as an independent guest, space permitting.

Teacher training is run by Frog Lotus Yoga, Vidya Heisel's school, which says it has certified more than 3,500 teachers. Options include a 3-week, in-person 200-hour training, a hybrid 200-hour course with online study and a week at Suryalila, and 50-hour continuing education courses on topics such as yin yoga, restorative yoga and the business of teaching. The trainings are Yoga Alliance accredited.

Who it suits (and who it doesn't)

It's a good fit for solo travelers, friends and anyone who wants a gentle daily rhythm with countryside walks and vegetarian food. Morning classes are open to all levels, and mats and props are provided.

It's not ideal for families. Children can't stay from March to October, and family stays at other times are limited. It's also a tricky choice for people with serious food intolerances: the kitchen caters to vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free diets but can't handle coeliac, low-FODMAP or severe onion, garlic or tomato allergies. Pets aren't allowed.

Getting there

Seville is the airport the centre recommends, about 75 minutes away by car. Jerez is closer at around 50 minutes, and Málaga is about 2 hours 15 minutes. The centre arranges shared taxi transfers, or you can take a bus to Villamartín and a taxi from there. Rooms are ready from 4 pm and the latest check-in is 9 pm.