If you’re looking for a lovely, laid-back retreat abroad, look no further than the ‘Retreat to Crete’, a yoga and cookery retreat that nourishes the mind, body and belly!

Set amongst a rustic and beautiful backdrop of the majestic Cretan sea in a gorgeous, Greek-inspired villa, the retreat offers a lovely space to have some much needed down time whilst also mingling with some fabulous like-minded people.

What I loved about this retreat was the informality and relaxed nature of it. With the retreat in its infancy, hosts Betty and Caroline were so welcoming and open to anything we felt like doing (or not doing) it was a real home from home. With another 8 attendees on the retreat it felt like one big happy family where we all cooked together, feasted together, explored the local town, hiked through stunning landscapes, visited a beautiful monastery and all whilst appreciating the breath-taking surroundings.

We spent 4 days at Villa Delfini and every morning we would partake in either sunrise yoga or a lengthy swim in the pool followed by a lovely breakfast spread of Greek yoghurt, local honey, walnuts and fresh figs topped off with some stimulating local Greek coffee. Arguably the perfect way to start the day!

Over the 4 days we learnt to cook some mouth-watering Greek inspired dishes, courtesy of the extremely talented chef, Betty, who taught us how to make Gigantes Plaki (slow cooked butterbeans), BBQ’d Octopus in garlic and lemon, stuffed courgette flowers, Cretan dakkos and of course our fave, Tzatziki. Skills I am still yet to put into practise in the kitchen but definitely top of my recipe list once summer pokes its head around again. The day ended as well as it started with a lovely cooked meal (prepared by us) with some delicious local wine.

Exercise wise the break was quite relaxed. Whilst starting the day with either a swim in the pool or a yoga session with the inspirational Caroline, we also hiked and swam at the local beach which was a beautiful cove, rustic & quaint in nature and devoid of tourists. Added extras on the retreat were wine tasting and massages from the local masseuse, which was a great way to unwind and recuperate.

This really was the ideal retreat. If you are a foodie like us, love to unwind, meet new people in an intimate setting whilst also appreciating beautifully scenic views and sunsets, this is the place for you!

Can we come back already Betty & Caroline?!