Gozo Yoga, Hiking & Meditation Escape: Small-Group Island Retreat

The programme has been built around two daily sessions with a long free gap in the middle — the opposite of a packed retreat timetable. The sample day begins at 7:30 with yoga by the sea, breaks at 9:00 for breakfast, and then leaves you from 10:00 until 16:00 entirely to yourself. The second block runs roughly 16:30 to 19:30 and alternates between an outdoor yoga and meditation excursion and a guided hike, so no two afternoons look the same. Guests typically stay in Marsalforn, Xewkija or Sannat, and the excursions move around the island — sunrise sessions looking out at the waves of Qbajjar Bay, walking trails along the cliffs and through the valleys, and meditation spots chosen for how quiet they are.

What separates this from a hotel-based yoga week is that you're moving around Gozo rather than staying inside one resort. The hosts show you their local knowledge — the hidden spots, the restaurants worth eating in, which bus goes where. Because there are only up to six of you on the retreat activities, the hiking pace is set by the group, the yoga sessions can be adapted, and Monique and Norbert will slot in extra activities or wellness treatments if you want them. You can also join up to twelve local yogis for the morning classes, which is a good way to get tips on what's on while you're on the island.

The lead teachers are certified across a wide spread of styles — Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Hatha, Yoga Nidra, Restorative, Prenatal and Chakra yoga, plus Pranayama, Ayurveda and meditation — and are registered with Yoga Alliance International. That range means the daily class can be adjusted if you're pregnant, coming back from injury, or just want something slower one morning and stronger the next. Sessions are held outdoors rather than in a studio whenever conditions allow, which is one of the reasons the retreat runs all year round in a place that gets around 300 days of sunshine.

Accommodation is chosen and booked by the hosts from a short list of partner hotels, and the room you get reflects which one you pick. The Calypso on Marsalforn Bay puts you directly on the seafront with a private room, balcony and full sea view, and full breakfast included; Marsalforn itself has two small beaches, three supermarkets and plenty of restaurants, with direct buses to Victoria and Ramla. The Quaint Collection properties in Xewkija and Sannat are design hotels on the village squares — spacious individually designed rooms, coffee and tea facilities, mini fridge, A/C, free wifi and a more authentic, slower pace in the middle of the island. The Reef Hotel & Spa on the northern coast has two pools, a spa with an indoor pool, and four-star rooms with private bathroom and balcony.

Gozo is small enough to explore properly in a week — Victoria, the citadel, Ramla's red sand, the diving sites off the coast — and being able to start on any day means you can match the trip to the cheapest flights rather than the other way round. Non-yogis travelling with you can book the activities-only package, or simply use the free daytime hours to dive, cycle or sightsee while you're in class. Airport transfers from Malta International, or from your hotel in Malta, are included on every holiday that includes accommodation; if you're staying independently, the hosts will collect you from Gozo harbour instead.

What's included

- 3, 4 or 7 nights accommodation depending on your chosen package - Breakfast daily at Calypso Hotel, Reef Hotel or the Quaint boutique hotels - Daily morning outdoor yoga by the sea - Afternoon or evening yoga, meditation or hiking excursion - Approximately 8, 6 or 14 sessions depending on length of stay (e.g. 14 outdoor yoga & meditation activities on the 7-night holiday) - Group classes with up to 12 local yogis - Other yogic activities such as mantra meditation and ceremonies - Free yoga mat - Airport transfer from Malta International Airport or your Malta accommodation - Transfer between Gozo harbour and your place of stay and back (activities-only package) - Support from your hosts Monique and Norbert throughout - 50% discount on any of the short courses

What's not included

- Flights - Insurance - Visa - Lunch - Dinner - Drinks - Activities other than yoga, hiking or meditation - Optional spa and massage treatments - Personal expenses