Yoga, Pilates & Countryside Hiking Week in the Czech Highlands

The week runs Monday to Saturday (or Sunday to Friday, depending on the departure), and the shape of it barely changes day to day. There's a 90-minute yoga session first thing, mostly Hatha and slow vinyasa, followed by breakfast at the house. Late morning is a Pilates class — mat work with props, focused on core and posture. Lunch, then a walk: three to five hours depending on the day, through the sandstone formations the region is known for, or along the lakes and river valleys nearby. Back for tea, then a shorter restorative class or guided relaxation before dinner. Two of the evenings are free after dinner, one has a sauna session booked, and one closes with a candlelit yin class.

The middle day of the week is the long one — a full-day hike with a packed lunch, usually around 15km, taking in some of the bigger rock towers and the viewpoint at Trosky or Hrubá Skála castle. Guests tend to say afterwards that this was the bit they didn't expect to enjoy as much as they did.

What separates this from the yoga retreats in southern France or Italy at similar prices is the property and the setting. It's an old estate with thick walls, a courtyard, an orchard and a walled garden, sitting at the edge of a small village. There's no pool, no spa menu and no other guests — it's a house that runs one group at a time. Meals are cooked on site using whatever's in season, and the wine comes from a small winery about 20km away.

The teacher running it is a Czech-born instructor with British and Iyengar yoga training, plus a comprehensive Pilates certification, who has taught these weeks herself since 2011. She walks with the group on the hikes rather than handing you off to a guide, so the classes and the walks connect — she'll pick up on what people are struggling with in downward dog and then work it differently the next morning.

Weather dictates a lot. Spring and early autumn dates get the best walking conditions; midsummer weeks run earlier in the morning and later in the evening to avoid the heat, with a longer siesta in the middle of the day. The house has a covered terrace, so a rainy afternoon doesn't cancel anything — the class just moves under the roof.

What's included

- 5 or 6 nights accommodation at the estate (depending on departure) - All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, cooked at the house - Local wine with dinner - Daily yoga classes (around 90 minutes) - Daily Pilates classes (around 60 minutes) - Guided afternoon walks on five days - One full-day guided hike with packed lunch - One sauna session - Use of yoga mats, blocks, straps and Pilates props - Tea, coffee and cake each afternoon

What's not included

- Flights to and from Prague - Airport or station transfers (can be arranged for an extra cost) - Travel insurance - Drinks outside of mealtimes - Bike hire, castle entry or other optional activities - Massage or other treatments - Single room supplement, if applicable - Personal expenses and tips