“Relax and Rejuvenate your Body, Mind and Soul”
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7 Day Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Experience in Hvar Island, Split-Dalmatia
Suncokret Retreat, St. Ana of Dol Village, Hvar Island, Croatia
Body and Soul Holistic Yoga Retreat Croatia
Join Suncokret in their integrated holistic yoga lifestyle program, overseen by your host and program manager, Evening Marie, who is a yoga therapist with 20 years of experience leading top-rated retreat experiences on Hvar Island in Croatia. The program is led in collaboration with the retreat co-founder, Stipe, who is a certified chef, agro-tourism expert, and Hvar Island native who acts as the local guide. Together with their visiting team of holistic yoga lifestyle instructors from around the world, Suncokret provides a masterful retreat program in a safe and cozy shelter that enables you to explore the various levels of your being. The aim of the program is to help you regain balance and restore your natural state of bliss, while simultaneously immersing you in the local way of life, and therefore, providing you with an unforgettable and transformational yoga holiday adventure in paradise, that will inspire you long after you return home again! This experience is best suited for fit and healthy participants between 28 - 65 years of age.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Opening and closing circles
- Daily integrated holistic yoga sadhana sessions
- Daily deep-dive sessions on yoga, meditation, and holistic lifestyle topics
- Daily outings to the cultural and historical gems of the island
- Daily free time for swimming, exploring, relaxation, and soft-adventure
- A Sunset adventure and wholesome celebration
- 6 nights accommodation in a cozy room in a beautiful stone cottage
- 6 pranic-infused, organic vegetarian breakfasts, and 5 dinners
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
7 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Croatian
Group size: 3-9 participants
Airport transfer available:
Split Airport (US$ 44 per person)
Split Airport (US$ 44 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
16:45
Check-out Time:
10:45
Facilities
- Dining area
- Garden
- Kitchen
- Terrace
- Yoga deck
- Yoga shala
- Free Wi-Fi
- Library
- Parking lot
Guests are situated in rooms within three semi-attached cottages, according to both preference and practical logistics. Cottage communal areas, including bathrooms, lounges, balconies, terraces, etc. are shared between guests and hosts alike, along with life stories and special moments.
A spiritual, "shabby-chic", Dalmatian island farm-cottage ambiance prevails, and the atmosphere here is that of a supportive family of spiritually-minded friends.
Earth & Fire cottage
This is a charming stone cottage, featuring a spacious, enclosed garden, which acts as the main hub for the retreat guests during mealtimes. The cottage has just been renovated during the winter months of 2020. It features three single rooms with fans and space heaters, located on the upper floor of the cottage, and the air-conditioning and heating unit are used, as needed, in the common living areas. The spacious house bathroom located on the ground floor is reserved for residential guests only. The ground floor also features the main retreat living and dining areas, which are open to all retreat participants until 10 p.m. The enclosed garden, with dining and lounge areas, is located here as well as the outdoor yoga terrace. Rooms one and three offer a single bed, room two comes complete with a double bed, perfect for individuals who require a larger mattress size. Wifi is available throughout the cottage.
Ether cottage
These elegant and beautiful, newly-built attic rooms come equipped with private, en-suite bathrooms and en-suite air-conditioning or heating. Room 6 Mini-Suite is suitable for a solo traveler and is furnished with a double bed and dresser as well as a private, en-suite bathroom. The Master-Suite features twin beds that can be placed together, an open closet and dresser, dressing table and chairs as well as en-suite bathroom and is ideal for two householders or a couple. Wifi is available throughout the cottage.
Wind and Air cottage
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, this cottage can now be booked exclusively by two friends or a family of up to four persons. The cottage features a romantically-furnished room with a beautiful, metal-framed double bed, and an adjacent twin room with double doors that open to a private balcony overlooking the village. The cottage comes complete with an adjacent bathroom, kitchenette, and covered terrace with a view to the veggie garden. The cottage has air-conditioning and heating. Both rooms can be fitted with either twin or double beds, according to the needs of those booking it. Booking priority is generally given to friends or family members traveling together on retreat, but it may also be booked at custom rates by couples or solo travelers. Wifi is available throughout the cottage.
Shared facilities
In addition to the outdoor yoga terrace and airy indoor yoga studio, other shared facilities include the main living room and indoor dining area and an enclosed garden with outdoor dining area in the Earth & Fire Cottage, as well as several other patios and decks in which guests enjoy socializing in with other retreat guests. Each cottage also features a tea-corner, where you can prepare fresh herbal infusions using freshly picked ingredients from our garden.
Guests may borrow inspiring books, magazines, music, and DVDs from the retreat library provided they are treated with care, and washing machines are available on a pay-per-load basis.
Though "switching off" is encouraged as much as possible during retreat time, Wi-Fi access is available in all rooms and throughout the retreat property.
Safety guidelines
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are committed to doing our part to help stop the spread of the virus by carefully adhering to the safety guidelines issued by the Croatian Government.
Program
Suncokret hosts a range of unique Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle programs every year from spring - to autumn!
What is the Suncokret Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Program?
The Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Program (IHYLP) will introduce you to various yoga teachings and related body-mind-spirit practices that support your retreat journey and your life on many levels.
The program has been conceptualized by retreat co-founder and holistic program director, Evening Marie, who currently leads the events together with her partner, Stipe, who is the logistics manager, local guide, and chef.
The IHYLP sessions are generally divided into two parts daily: morning Yoga Sadhana and daily "Deep-Dive" program sessions, which are focused on exploring more profoundly various yoga, meditation, and other holistic lifestyle-related topics.
Morning sadhana
Sadhana is a daily spiritual practice that includes a balancing blend of yoga and other holistic mind-body-spirit techniques to help you "tune into" yourself, the intentions you have for your life, and the day ahead. Traditionally, chanting, pranayama, meditation, asanas (postures), and deep relaxation are key ingredients of this process, although practices on offer at Suncokret may vary according to the visiting teacher and the area of expertise they are sharing.
The purpose of sadhana is to help you to start your day in a sacred, disciplined, and focused way. These sessions, generally lasting 90 - 120 minutes, will awaken you profoundly; aligning you to your body, mind, and spirit while preparing you to greet life's daily adventures with a sense of inner peace and clarity.
Daily "Deep-Dive" sessions
A range of practices and/or topics will be explored in the second daily IHYLP session. Topics and/or activities related to holistic health and lifestyle management, creativity, mindfulness, movement, meditation, food preparation, art therapy, dancing, chanting, healing work, etc.. may be covered in these sessions. The topics vary according to the expertise of the events team as well as the wishes of the participants.
The purpose of the deep-dive sessions is to highlight holistic teachings and techniques that help to systematically balance the body, mind, and spirit profoundly. These sessions generally last between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on the topic being covered.
2024 Events Calendar:
- 11 - 17 August - Yogi Explorer - with Marija Velichkova - limited availability!
- 18 - 24 August - Balance & Bliss - with Martyna Szczabel - limited availability!
- 8 - 14 September - Balance & Bliss - with Tanja Novojevska
- 15 - 21 September - Balance & Bliss - with Tanja Novojevska
2025 Events Calendar:
- 21 - 27 June - Balance & Bliss
- 29 June - 05 July - Yogi Explorer
- 13 - 19 July - Balance & Bliss
- 21 - 27 July - Yogi Explorer
- 10 - 16 August - Balance & Bliss
- 18 - 24 August - Yogi Explorer
- 6 - 12 September - Balance & Bliss
- 14 - 20 September - Yogi Explorer
All gatherings take place in inspiring and sacred spaces; either on the outdoor yoga terrace, in the beautiful indoor yoga studio, in nature, or by the sea, according to the program itinerary, the weather, and other considerations.
Sample six-night summer IHYLP schedule
Arrival day
On arrival day, you will have a 60-minute welcome circle with a program introduction.
Days 2-6
Each day you will enjoy ninety minutes of daily morning Yoga Sadhana, followed by breakfast and a daily outing. Daily "deep-dive" sessions, lasting 60-90 minutes, will be scheduled in the afternoons or evenings and will be held at the retreat, by the sea, or in nature. Dinner is served in the garden every evening. On day 5, the deep-dive session is usually conducted in nature, at Sunset, for an extraordinary peak of the event experience. Once or twice during the week, there is the option for the group to enjoy the morning practice by the sea or in a hidden spot in nature.
Day 7
On the day of departure, you will attend a 60-minute closing circle.
In total, between 12-15 dedicated IHYLP hours will be covered during the seven-day program, though timing and locations may slightly vary, according to what is most appropriate for the event theme.
Included excursions
- Ager (a UNESCO-protected site of ancient Greek plains, olive groves, vineyards, and ancient agro-architecture)
- Dol Village (2400-year-old inland settlement with impressive churches and pristine landscape)
- Jelsa seaside resort town with historical sites and beautiful sandy-bottomed coves
- Hvar Town where you can catch all the sights of this "living museum"
- Soline beach resort set on a stunning nature reserve
- Stari Grad town and beaches (Croatia's oldest and most charming town, dating back 2400 years!)
- Vrboska (the "Venice of Hvar" with quaint footbridges, impressive early-Croatian fortress, and cathedral)
- Hvar Island highlands and hidden lavender villages
- At each location we take you to, there is an opportunity to enjoy the beach and free time on your own so you can relax and rejuvenate your way!
Instructors
Evening (Eve) Marie
Working together with Evening Marie, you will discover a refreshing, spiritually enriching, and deeply profound retreat experience - one that blends tradition with intuition to render a transcendental journey that is appropriate for both new and seasoned path walkers alike. Marie is a highly qualified holistic yoga therapist with over 500 hours of training and 13 years of teaching practice running back-to-back weekly retreat events who is able to adapt to and challenge varying levels of experience.
Stipe Suncokret
Stipe (Steve) is Suncokret's Co-Founder, Head Chef, and Island Host. A Hvar Island native with a lifetime of hands-on experience in the local customs, culture, and cuisine, Stipe is a certified Agro-Tourism manager and a trained and gifted Chef who creates nourishing meals for our retreat guests, sourced from local ingredients, often those found in his family gardens and fields. Stipe's role at Suncokret as a head chef, local guide, logistics manager, and all-around good guy is a natural extension of the skills, interests, and natural talents he was born with and values.
Tanja Novojevska
Tanja is a traveling international yoga teacher with a background in the fitness and wellness industry. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Ashtanga Vinyasa & Yin Yoga studies at "Bend it Like Buddha Yoga Algarve" in Portugal; and her Advance Yoga Teacher Training in Hatha Yoga at "Yoga Skyros Academy" in Athens, Greece. After experiencing a personal evolution through her yoga practice, she believes that the heart is the most powerful element in the human body and she invites her students to take a journey into the heart-opening practice of yoga.
Bethany Demelza
Certified Yoga, Meditation, and Flow Dance Meditation Instructor Bethany started practicing yoga nearly 7 years ago when she had just had a baby and needed something to feel restored after sleepless nights. But it was when she began to experience a difficult time in her life through loss and trauma that the true benefits of yoga really shone through. Yoga became a channel to connect to herself, to come home to her body, and to set herself free. She knew then that she needed to share this healing technology with others and this is when she enrolled in a yoga teacher training course in 2019.
Marija Velichkova
A Certified +500h Hatha and Ashtanga Advanced Yoga Teacher Marija is an experienced senior teacher from IndeaYoga in Mysore, India, trained under the guidance of Yogacharya Bharat Shetty. She teaches Mysore Style classes, Pranayama, beginner as well as advanced Hatha and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Marija is partially based in her prestigious school in India, when she is not home in Macedonia and Serbia. Marija devotes attention to not only designing a personalized practice that encourages overall health and prevention of disease but also considers the safest approach towards it.
Mona Bektesi
Certified Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Ever since her first Vinyasa yoga class, yoga has fascinated her with its unique blend of breath and movement. It doesn't matter whether she wants to relax or needs more energy, she feels completely in good hands when she practices. Yoga is now an integral part of her life and is always an exciting path to her center, which gives her strength and peace at the same time. As a yoga teacher, Mona aims to accompany her students to be loving and careful with themselves and to get to know and expand their own limits again and again.
Martyna Szczabel
Martyna Szczabel is a Certified 500-hour Hatha and Ashtanga Advanced Yoga Teacher and a Yoga Therapist in training. A profound belief in the therapeutic powers of yoga drives her practice. Her journey has been marked by continual learning and growth. In her teaching, Martyna emphasizes that yoga is more than physical exercise. While she pays significant attention to alignment on a physical level, her classes also include meditation, mantra chanting, philosophy, and pranayama to harmonize the body, mind, and spirit. Martyna’s classes are open to all levels, genders, and beings.
Location
Suncokret welcomes you to retreat in the charming village of Dol Sveta Ana, a pristine 12th-century hamlet discretely nestled into the verdant brush which majestically rises above the island's oldest settlement, Stari Grad in Hvar Island Croatia. Stari Grad is located 2 kilometers from the retreat and we offer free transport from Stari Grad to Suncokret.
Dol Sveta Ana is often compared to Provence and Tuscany, with its sprawling vineyards, noble olive groves, fragrant lavender plantations, fertile fields, and charming stone cottages, so eloquently framed by the distant blue sea and open sky. The village is brought to life by the colorful sounds of friendly sun-kissed locals and their range of hearty farm animals going about their day-to-day lives. Located only minutes away from the island's major attractions, yet peacefully tucked away from bustling tourist towns, St. Ana provides an ideal escape from ordinary life to an extraordinary organic haven.
The complex of semi-attached stone villas is nestled into a secluded corner of Dol, Sveta Ana. The retreat neighborhood remains un-populated much of the year, providing deep peace and tranquility for the guests. During summer months, however, the village tends to fill up with holidaymakers, including natives taking up residence in their ancestral summer cottages that have been in the family for generations. The atmosphere becomes a more vibrant one - a true immersion into authentic village lifestyle on Hvar.
Village offerings versus town conveniences
The village features two local restaurants and a local café with Wi-Fi access within walking distance from the retreat. There are no shops, banks or ATM's, post offices, etc., so please plan ahead, though there is plenty of pure nature with inviting footpaths to explore and unlimited supplies of fresh air to help you relax and disconnect from the stresses of city life. Enjoy it.
Getting around
For your convenience, as part of the foundational retreat program package, Suncokret Dream provides complimentary scheduled transport to and from various points of interest each day of the retreat week. Guests may opt to remain at the retreat for quiet time during the day instead and arrange their own transport needs.
The nearest town, Stari Grad, is located two kilometers from the retreat and the nearest beach is three kilometers away. The journey to Stari Grad takes about 40 minutes on foot, 10 to 15 minutes by bike, and only five minutes by scooter or car (rental options are available in Stari Grad).
Distances
- Stari Grad, 2 kilometers - 40 minutes on foot + 10 minutes on foot from town to the nearest beach
Features
General
- Air-conditioned public areas
Services
- Free Wi-Fi
Food
From Monday to Thursday, Suncokret Dream serves a beautiful breakfast in the garden after the morning Yoga Sadhana practice, and once weekly, a picnic breakfast is served on location after the morning Sadhana practice which is held in nature.
Breakfast usually consists of fresh seasonal fruit, nuts, warm and cold cereals, fresh farm eggs, local bread or pastries, veggie and cheese spreads, yogurt and milk, organic rice or almond milk, and, quite possibly, tasty left-overs from the previous night's dinner (they don't believe in letting precious quality food go to waste).
Dinner usually consists of a soup and salad starter, followed by the main dish. There is the option to enjoy one dinner in a local restaurant, in which case a packed lunch is served instead on that day.
A self-service breakfast buffet is served in the garden after the closing circle on the final day, prior to the 10:45 a.m. check-out time, to ensure that you depart from the retreat well-nourished for your journey ahead.
Local tap water, mineral water, herbal tea, smoothies, and home-made organic cordials, when available, are provided with the meals. As a safe shelter from addictive substances, we generally do not serve coffee, but you can order one from the Chef if needed or help yourself to an emergency supply of instant coffee available in our kitchenettes, or perhaps savor the occasional cup of the local brew in the town cafes when the need or mood strikes.
Please state any dietary needs you might have at the time of booking.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Detox juices
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Lacto-ovo Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Lactose Free
- Whole food
- Yogic
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
The daily itinerary provides ample time to relax and explore each day. You are warmly invited to take advantage of the complimentary transfer service that takes you to and from a range of nearby towns and beaches where you can spend your day doing exactly what serves you best.
Twice weekly, the afternoon deep-dive program is held at the magnificent locations you are brought to by free transfer, while twice weekly the afternoon deep-dive program is held back at the retreat, making the latter ideal days in which to stay behind at the retreat for optional holistic treatments or workshops in case you are in need of pampering or holistic support.
During your free time, Suncokret Dream can help you to organize activities offered by local providers, including scuba diving, sea-kayaking, windsurfing, SUP, cycling, boat excursions, and bike, scooter, or car rental services.
Spa treatments
During your retreat time at Suncokret, you may want to enhance your experience by adding on a range of holistic services that can be tailored to your unique needs. If you would like to address a specific well-being issue, or simply pamper yourself with an extra dose of TLC while on retreat, consider adding on one, or a combination of, the holistic therapies, life-empowerment workshops, or spa treatments on offer to make the most of your time. Please contact Suncokret Dream for details.
What's included
- 2 daily Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Program sessions (including daily yoga sadhana + daily "deep-dive" session - the content and schedule of the deep dive sessions may vary according to the event)
- 6 nights accommodation
- A complimentary transfer from the Stari Grad port at 4:30 p.m.
- Check-in at 4:45 p.m. with refreshments and time to get settled
- 60-minute welcome and closing circle
- Welcome tour of the property and surrounding area
- Two daily vegetarian meals during your program stay + dinner on the program start date and breakfast on the conclusion date
- Free access to an assortment of books, music, films, and games
- Daily outings to places of interest including waterfront towns, beautiful beaches, historical, and cultural sights
- Relaxing evenings at the retreat and Mauna (quiet reflection) from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Scheduled transfer to the Stari Grad Port on departure day at 10:45 a.m.
- Seva (Karma yoga) program to build a sense of a caring, community spirit where everyone helps out
- Walking tour of the village
- Wi-Fi access in all rooms and throughout the property
- Deep-dive workshops and activities as scheduled in the chosen event week
What's not included
- 1 dinner on the sunset tour day (you are given a packed lunch or a light snack after the sunset tour on this day)
- Any other costs you may incur that are not mentioned in the package
- Extra activities
- Holistic workshops or treatments other than the ones specified in the itinerary
- International flights
How to get there
Recommended Airports
SPU
Split Airport
48 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 44 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Zagreb Airport (ZAG). From there you can book a connecting domestic flight to Split Airport (SPU). From Split, you will have to take the ferry to get to Stari Grad. You will be picked up by Suncokret Dream from the Stari Grad port at 4:30 p.m. to be transferred to the resort.
From Zagreb Airport (ZAG), you can also book a bus transfer with Flixbus to Split which takes approximately 2 hours and then a ferry from Split to Stari Grad. When you arrive at the Stari Grad port, you will be picked up by Suncokret Dream at 4:30 p.m. to be transferred to the resort.
Arrival by bus
Outside the Split airport, a bus operated by Croatia Airlines departs from just outside the terminal door. You buy the ticket from the driver, 4 EUR. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the city center. There is also a local bus that goes to the bus station in Split to and from Trogir every 20 minutes from a stop on the road in front of the Airport Terminal. The price of the ticket is approximately the same.
After you have reached Split Port, you will need to get a ferry transfer from Split Port to Stari Grad Port. You will be picked up by Suncokret Dream from the Stari Grad port at 4:30 p.m. to be transferred to the resort.
Tip: In addition to searching for flights to Split, you can try booking flights to Dubrovnik or Zadar. There are convenient connections between these places and Split bus and train terminals, which are just opposite the Split port where you need to land in order to catch a ferry to the island.
You can also search for flights that bring you into Split or other airports a day or two before or after the event start or conclusion. Suncokret Dream will be happy to adjust your program length to match your travel itinerary, whenever their availability allows for this possibility!
Pease feel free to consult with Suncokret Dream regarding your possible travel itinerary and we'll do what we can to help you navigate your way to us easily.
Arrival by ferry
After arriving in Split Port, you will need to get a ferry transfer from Split Port to Stari Grad Port. The airport bus stop is just next to the old town. From there you can see the ferry, a short walk away. Next to the ferry / bus / train / taxi station are ticket booths for Jadrolinija, the ferry company, where you can buy your ferry tickets. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket at the booth in the ferry terminal itself or online. You will be picked up by Suncokret Dream from the Stari Grad port at 4:30 p.m. to be transferred to the resort.
It is also possible to take a ferry to Stari Grad at alternate times if needed or a catamaran to Jelsa or Hvar Town. From Jelsa or Hvar Ports, you will need to take a taxi service to Suncokret retreat center in Dol Sveta Ana.
Arrival by taxi
From the Split airport a taxi to Split old town costs about 33 to 40 EUR. You can book a taxi online or we can book one for you for a small processing fee. Once you have reached Split Port, you will need to get a ferry transfer from Split Port to Stari Grad Port. You will be picked up by Suncokret Dream from the Stari Grad port at 4:30 p.m. to be transferred to the resort.
Airport: Split Airport
Airport transfer available:
Split Airport (US$ 44 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 14 days before arrival.
10
Special offer Discount
This listing has a Summer Sale discount of 10% if you book between 2024-Aug-06 and 2024-Sep-22.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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