Each summer, I hold a retreat on the island of the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia. This retreat is not an escape, but a return — to the body, to presence, to a gentler rhythm of being. Rooted in the quiet wisdom of yoga and shaped by my background in anthropology and psychotherapy, the week offers a space to rest deeply, reconnect, and rediscover what it means to flourish. Held in the island’s Blue-Zone region — where longevity and joy are wellbeing are woven into everyday life — the retreat unfolds between sea and mountain, in a landscape of olive trees, warm stone, earthy terracotta buildings and open sky. Days move at an unhurried pace: sunrise practice, nourishing food, swimming in crystalline waters, and long afternoons of rest and reflection.
Each morning begins with a slow, strong, grounding yoga practice — breath-led movement that awakens the body and steadies the mind. Evenings invite stillness through restorative postures, meditation, and guided reflection. My teaching is gentle but deep, inviting you to listen, soften, and notice what is alive within you.Throughout the week, we explore the conditions for human flourishing — not as theory, but as lived experience. Through movement, dialogue, and rest, we inquire into what nourishes vitality, connection, and meaning in our own lives. Whether you come alone or with a friend, this week is an invitation to pause — to breathe, to move, to rest, and to listen and come home to yourself.
Between mountain and sea, an invitation to slow down and return to yourself.
Our home for the week is the Felix Hotels’ Galanias retreat centre on Sardinia’s eastern coast, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Nestled among olive trees and wildflowers, the centre combines simple elegance with the quiet beauty of nature.
Built in traditional Sardinian style, Galanias offers rooms set within terraced gardens, a freshwater pool, and shaded spaces for rest and conversation. The yoga shala opens to sea air and birdsong, inviting practice to unfold in harmony with the land.
After yoga, we enjoy a gorgeous breakfast buffet that is a highlight of the day. Evening meals with optional Italian wines are shared outdoors beneath the evening light. Every detail of Galanias supports what the island itself seems to teach: how to slow down, breathe deeply, and live with gentle abundance in heart warming company. .
join us in sardinia
Introduction To The Space
During the retreat, we journey beyond the yoga shala to experience Sardinia’s breathtaking elements — the sea and the mountains — each offering its own kind of awakening. One day, we sail along the Gulf of Orosei on a private boat, tracing a coastline of soaring limestone cliffs and secret coves accessible only by sea. We swim in the heart-opening clarity of the Tyrrhenian waters, turquoise and luminous, letting salt, sunlight, and laughter dissolve what no longer serves.
Later in the week, we travel inland to the mountain villages of the Blue Zone, where murals honour both the island’s centenarians and its history of resistance. Walking among olive groves and shepherding paths, we meet a quieter rhythm of life — one shaped by simplicity, endurance, and joy. The day ends with a feast beneath the olive trees, where local food, song, and stories remind us that to flourish is to belong: to the land, to one another, and to the moment itself.
Exploring the Living Heart of Sardinia
Community and Connection
Each retreat gathers a small circle of people from many walks of life. Together we share stories, laughter, and silence — forming a temporary community rooted in kindness, reflection, and care.
A Sense of Belonging
The Inner Journey
Through guided discussions and quiet inquiry, we explore what it means to live well — drawing on insights from yoga, psychotherapy, and anthropology. These conversations invite curiosity, not certainty.
Reflection and Conversation
Rest, Swim, Wander
Between practices, there is spacious time for stillness: to swim in turquoise waters, walk among olive trees, journal, or simply rest. The week unfolds without hurry — guided by the rhythm of your own energy.
Time to Be
Simple, Abundant, Shared
Meals are freshly prepared with local ingredients — colourful, plant-rich, and inspired by Sardinia’s Blue Zone traditions. We eat together, slowly, as an act of gratitude and connection.
Nourishment from the Land
The Art of Stillness
As the light softens, we gather for slow, restorative practice and meditation. These sessions guide the body into deep rest and reflection, preparing you for a night of easeful sleep and integration.
Evening Restoratives
Awakening the Body
Begin each day with gentle, breath-led yoga under the open Sardinian sky. These morning sessions invite movement, grounding, and quiet presence — an awakening that is as inward as it is physical.
Morning Practice
The beautiful yoga shala sits on a quiet hillside overlooking the sea, surrounded by olive trees and Sardinian light. Open to the sea breeze, it offers wide views across the coastline and towards the horizon of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The space is designed with simplicity and care, made with natural materials to create a sense of earthy spaciousness that supports steady, attentive practice.Each session unfolds in relationship with the landscape. The expansive view encourages perspective and openness, while the calm of the hilltop invites focus and presence. We return to Galanias each summer to come home to ourselves in this place — where our community of practice unfolds within the beauty and stillness of the natural environment. It is a space that fosters balance — between movement and stillness, reflection and renewal — and it reminds us of how deeply our wellbeing is shaped by the environments we inhabit.
The Yoga Shala
Day of arrival, opening circle at 5pm, restorative yoga and welcoming dinner 7.30pm
Daily, morning meditation and Sun Salutations yoga practice 7-9am
Daily evening restorative Spinal Release practice 4-6pm
Dinner daily at 7pm
Daily Breakfast at 9.30am
Itinerary Outline and Daily Schedule
Rhythm of the Retreat
Every detail of the retreat is thoughtfully cared for in advance, and I’m grateful to be supported once again by Jackie, my retreat coordinator and long-time collaborator. Many of you will already know Jackie from previous retreats — her warmth, clarity, and calm attention help everything flow with ease. Jackie will be your main contact in the lead-up to the retreat, helping you with travel arrangements, sharing practical information, and making sure you feel fully supported before you even set off. She liaises closely with me to ensure that all details — from room preferences to dietary needs — are handled with care.
Care and Connection with Jackie
Whether you travel alone or with a partner, family member or friends, you will find an eclectic, interesting, kind and encouraging group of people to retreat alongside. Many people return every year to enjoy their ‘happy place’ on retreat in Sardinia.
Heart Warming Community of Practice
Thoughtfully designed daily schedule and gentle coordination by Gillian and Jackie, ensuring that everything flows smoothly from arrival to departure.
Retreat Guidance and Support
A beautifully prepared meal each evening featuring local, seasonal ingredients — vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian options available. Dinner is a slow, shared celebration of Sardinian hospitality.
Four-Course Evening Dinner
The most extraordinary spread of local fruits, freshly baked breads, cheeses, Sardinian honey, and warm pastries — served outdoors each morning in the soft light of the day.
Breakfast Buffet
Seven nights in simple, elegant rooms set among lovingly tended gardens, with swimming pools, terraces, and easy access to the sea.
Accommodation at Galanias Retreat Centre
Daily classes blending mindful movement, meditation, and restorative practice. Morning sessions are energising and breath-led; evenings are slow, grounding, and deeply restful.
Morning and Evening Yoga
Your retreat week is designed to offer a balance of nourishment, rest, and inspiration. Everything is carefully arranged so you can arrive, exhale, and settle into the rhythm of island life.
Your Experience Includes
Not included in the retreat package, allowing you the freedom to enjoy light meals at the Galanias poolside restaurant or in the charming beachside cafés and local trattorias just a short walk away.
Lunches
Massage and wellbeing therapies available at the retreat centre, booked individually during your stay.
Holistic Treatments
Optional day trips, including the private boat journey along the Gulf of Orosei and the Blue Zone mountain village experience.
Excursions
Guests arrange their own travel to and from Sardinia, with Jackie available to advise on the simplest routes and timings.
Flights and Transfers
Some aspects of the week are left flexible, allowing you to shape your experience as you wish:
what's not included
£1200 PER PERSON
TWIN/DOUBLE OCCUPANCY GARDEN ROOM
£1700 SINGLE OCCUPANCY
SINGLE OCCUPANCY GARDEN ROOM
garden rooms
Enjoy the gentle beauty of Galanias — terracotta rooms nestled among flowering gardens, stone paths, and shimmering pools that invite you to slow down and simply be.
The Setting
Share the experience with a friend or partner in a light-filled room that balances comfort and calm — a space for laughter, conversation, and companionable ease.
Double or Twin Occupancy
Treat yourself to quiet privacy in a simple, elegant garden room — a peaceful sanctuary where you can rest, reflect, and reconnect with yourself.
Single Occupancy
accommodation
Discover Bari Sardo - a tranquil coastal haven - ten minutes walk away - where crystal-clear waters meet soft sandy shores lined with fragrant pine trees, gelaterias, and beach bars serving fresh local seafood.
stroll to the beach
Take time for a private session with Gillian to dive deeper into your yoga practice or to explore what’s unfolding for you during the retreat — a gentle space for reflection, integration, and the deeper emotional shifts that often arise through softening and presence.
One-to-One Time with Gillian
Experience the transformative touch of Tomaso, our phenomenal osteopath at Galanias, whose intuitive bodywork releases long-held tension and pain — restoring movement, balance, and ease in perfect harmony with your yoga practice.
Bodywork with Tomaso
optional extras
This retreat is for anyone who feels ready to pause — to step out of the rush and return to a gentler rhythm of being. You might be at a turning point in life, seeking stillness, or simply longing to rest and reconnect. You don’t need to be an experienced yogi — only open to the possibility of listening more deeply to yourself and to life.
Many people come back year after year, part of a growing community of practice that has evolved through trust, laughter, and shared experience. Others will be joining for the first time, finding an immediate welcome in the ease and kindness of the group. Whether you’re returning to familiar faces or meeting new ones, the week naturally becomes a circle of connection — a place to belong.
People come for many reasons: to release old patterns of fatigue or restlessness, to rediscover joy and clarity, or to explore new ways of living with awareness. What draws them here is often a quiet knowing — that something in them is ready to soften, to breathe, to begin again.
this could be right for you if...
Book your flights and travel insurance, and share your arrival details with Jackie so she can assist with coordination and transfers if needed. From that point onward, everything is lovingly organised — all you need to do is arrive, exhale, and let the island do the rest.
Arrange Travel
Once your deposit is received, you can make full or part payments at your own pace. Jackie — our wonderful retreat coordinator — will then be in touch to help with travel planning, room preferences, and any special requirements, ensuring everything flows smoothly.
Plan and Prepare
To confirm your place on the retreat, simply get in touch to check availability and pay a deposit. This secures your room and begins your journey with us.
Reserve Your Spot
booking details
I can help you plan a pre- or post-retreat road trip through the island’s mountains, coastlines, and villages, exploring its rich heritage, distinctive cuisine, and warm hospitality.
Sardinian Road Trip
We travel into the mountain villages of Sardinia’s Blue Zone, strolling through streets celebrated for their murals of centenarians and socialist heroes. Among olive groves and shepherds’ trails, we share lunch beneath the trees in celebration of community, connection, and life in Ogliastra.
Into the Blue Zone Mountains
We set sail on a private boat to explore the Gulf of Orosei — a coastline of luminous cliffs, hidden coves, and turquoise waters. We swim, rest, and share food on deck, carried by the rhythm of the sea and the warmth of the sun — a day of effortless joy and freedom.
Sailing the Gulf of Orosei
additional excursions
- zac
“Gillian guided my daughter and I through what was an amazing week in Sardinia. The yoga practice was deep and at times tough for me. I have done much dynamic yoga but the depth and detail in this practice and the requirement to sit with ones self in a way I have not done before was a new challenge.
We felt entirely held and nurtured and the connection that developed among the group through the week was testament to the atmosphere that Gillian created. She was assisted wonderfully by her daughter who also gave a fascinating workshop on essential oils.
The food was lovely and the time off the mat was organised perfectly, a highlight being a magical boat trip around the coast to beaches only accessible by sea. We left feeling restored and at peace.”
- serene
“I have always been skeptical about yoga / meditation retreats, not till I had the opportunity to experience the retreats run by Gillian. Joining the retreat at Sardinia was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. After battling my personal struggles for a long time, I left the retreat with a sense of renewal, strength and focus.
Through the yoga and meditation sessions, Gillian has helped me find self-alignment (both physically and mentally), and interacting with the other individuals at the retreat was extremely enriching for me. I am looking forward to joining the retreat again!”
- florence
“I had an idyllic time at Gillian’s retreat in Sardinia. It was the perfect mix of yoga, downtime and meeting new people. We created a really special community for the week and there was so much love and kindness, I came away feeling totally rested and recharged. ”
- angela
“Gillian is a truly inspirational and motivating teacher. I knew this from her classes at Beckenham Place Park, but spending a week with her on a yoga retreat in Sardinia was a very special experience. Through the individual attention which Gillian and Ty give to every participant, my practice improved so much. I also made some lovely new friends as we chatted over gorgeous food and relaxed meals.
The silent walk to the beach to experience the sunrise was something that I will never forget. Thank you Gillian. I look forward to many more retreats!’ ”
- karen
“There’s no doubt you’re in safe hands with Yogi Anthropologist Gillian Evans. Our Sardinian retreat was thoughtfully organised and carefully considered from start to finish. Her appreciation of a simple yet quality way of life became apparent as we basked in morning sunshine in the open-air yoga studio overlooking the sea. It really couldn’t get any better than this! A slow-moving, careful physical practice alongside thought-provoking readings, genuine care (with an emphasis on self-care) and infectious humour. I felt my mind and body unfolding as the week went on leading to a steady grounding I thought I’d long lost.
Spinal release in the evenings encouraged a letting go of the whole body and incredibly restful sleep followed. My shoulders and hips released - as did my heart - at this nourishing and transformative retreat. Thank you Gillian.”
- christina
“Our yoga retreat in Sardinia was blissful. Gillian’s morning and evening yoga practice is so well-judged that I woke up keen to start every morning and went to bed contented every night. She’s a wonderful teacher, able to get the best out of everyone, regardless of whether you’ve just started doing yoga or have many years’ experience.
The hotel itself was just what was wanted - the gardens lovely, the rooms bright and clean, and the food consistently excellent. And Sardinia - so beautiful, our days at the beach and in the countryside were an added pleasure. It’s worth saying too that Gillian attracts a great group of people - friendly and welcoming and good to talk with over dinner. If I can, I’ll be joining every yoga retreat she organizes.”
- cliff
“I was a complete newbie to Yoga or any stretchy stuff, sort of dragged along by my partner, and frankly apprehensive about what I could do. Gillian couldn’t have been more welcoming. And, when I found out everyone else was friendly and encouraging, no one expecting me to be any better than a beginner, I was first relieved ... then happier and happier.
I started the week planning on how I’d winkle out of sessions if I needed to. By the end of it, after such great, sensitive teaching, the warm company, the superb food and sunshine, I was a convert.”
- lisa
“I travelled all the way from Australia on my own to Gillian’s yoga retreat in Sardinia. It was a highlight of my life after working long hours and being stressed out it was the perfect way to unwind, restore, relax and recharge the body. It was also great to feel part of a little community as the group was so friendly and welcoming.
The surroundings were incredible and the yoga twice a day really restored my mind, body and soul. I loved the personal touches she gave to the classes by reading poetry. It was also a marvellous opportunity to experience another culture. Costa Rica here I come!”
- andy
“The Sardinian retreat was simply wonderful set in a beautiful hotel near the foot of the mountains and close to the sea. The yoga facilities were excellent and it was a pure joy to get up early in the morning to do our yoga and on one morning to watch the sun rise over the sea.
Gillian is a fantastic teacher she breaks down the individual poses to ensure that we do not hurt ourselves and provides alternate solutions for those of us who are not as flexible. Everything is an invitation as she says “yoga is a work in not a work out”.
If you are a beginner or have never tried yoga before she is ideal taking your through it slowly and carefully. My memories of Sardinia are of a great time making lots of friends and laughing an awful lot.”
- jackie
“The retreat to Sardinia with Gillan was a magical experience. Gillian is a wonderful yoga teacher, down to earth, very funny, but she brings a deep spirituality to everything she does. The Sun Salutation classes in the morning were the best way to greet the day, starting with a meditation listening to the sounds of the world waking and often Gillian read a poem or a text that was always inspiring and thought provoking.
Gillian’s attention to detail and her slow precise teaching means you are in very safe hands, ably assisted by her lovely daughter Ty. Beginner or expert, her classes catered for every level perfectly. The evening spinal release class was also a perfect way to wind down, again slow and deep.
There was plenty of time to explore the area and enjoy all that Sardinia had to offer, the hotel was wonderful, Gillian always chooses the most exquisite locations and hotels. Don’t miss the silent walks that Gillian organises, for me the highlight of my retreat was the silent walk to the beach to swim quietly towards the sunrise, what better way to start your day.”
kind words
Each summer, my sister, Lisa, lends her artistry and love to the retreat in the most beautiful way. She creates a bespoke piece of jewellery for every guest — a small gift infused with meaning, designed to support our practice and carry the energy of the island home. In 2025, she has crafted meditation bracelets made of semi-precious gemstones, each one chosen to reflect the elemental beauty of Sardinia — the light of the sea, the warmth of the earth, the calm of the mountains, the breath of the wind. Lisa’s creations are not simply adornments; they are tokens of connection — reminders of the stillness, insight, and transformation that unfold through the week. Her yoga malas, which I wear in my own practice and teaching, have become symbols of devotion — to yoga, to mindfulness, and to the ongoing work of becoming.
lisa's creations
gifts from the heart of the retreat
Not at all. The practices are gentle, accessible, and guided with care. Whether you’re completely new or returning after time away, the retreat meets you where you are — physically, emotionally, and energetically. It’s not about performance, but presence.
Each day begins with morning yoga and meditation, followed by a nourishing breakfast. Afternoons are free for rest, swimming, journaling, or exploring. We gather again in the early evening for a restorative practice, shared meal, and conversation. The week is spacious and unhurried — shaped by the rhythm of the island, not the clock.
Absolutely. Many people come alone, and community forms naturally through shared practice, meals, and time together. You’ll have space for solitude when you need it, and company when you wish — both are part of the retreat’s rhythm.
The yoga is slow, mindful, and deeply restorative — rooted in breath, alignment, and awareness rather than physical intensity. Each session weaves together movement, meditation, and reflection, offering both grounding and renewal.
The retreat includes accommodation, all meals, daily yoga and meditation, guided reflections, and two excursions — a private boat trip along the Gulf of Orosei and a visit to the mountain villages of the Blue Zone. Travel to the island is arranged separately.
Most guests describe leaving with a sense of calm, clarity, and quiet energy — more connected to their bodies, more spacious in their minds, and more grounded in what truly matters. The intention isn’t to transform you into someone else, but to help you return to yourself.
Cancellation before 3rd January 75% refund.
Cancellation between 3rd January and March 3rd, 50% refund.
Cancellation between March 3rd and May 3rd, 25% refund.
Cancellation after May 3rd, no refund.
Depending on government guidance in Italy or elsewhere you may be required to have a vaccine certificate or a negative Covid test to attend and/or participate in the retreat. Your wellbeing is our highest priority, and we ask all guests to take care of their own health and travel arrangements responsibly. We strongly advise that you take out comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking, which includes cover for illness, cancellation, and travel disruption or illness related to Covid-19 or any other unforeseen circumstances. If a guest becomes unwell during the retreat, they may be asked to self-isolate in accordance with local guidance to protect the health and peace of the group. Should medical assistance be required, there are excellent local healthcare services available nearby in Bari Sardo.
