SUP Yoga Foundations Certification Retreat on the Athens Riviera

The course is run by Yoga Skyros Academy, now based in Glyfada on the Athens Riviera. The academy has a long history of traditional Hatha yoga teaching, led by the husband-and-wife team of Dietmar and Carmen Hellmann, who teach all courses themselves. Their approach is methodical—"baby steps"—which suits a skill like SUP yoga, where the water adds a whole new layer of challenge to familiar poses.

The program breaks down into roughly three blocks each day. Mornings begin with a yoga class on land to prepare the body. Then it's down to the seaside at Glyfada/Vouliagmeni for the SUP component, which runs from late morning until early afternoon. After a generous lunch break, you're back on the boards for more water practice, before finishing with a style-focused yoga class—Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, or Nidra—back at the studio.

What makes this retreat special is the progression. The first step is learning to slow down—moving at half the speed you would on land, syncing your strokes with your breath. Then you work on position and gaze, keeping your eyes on the horizon to maintain balance. By the end of the week, you'll be moving through sequences on the board with a stability you might not have thought possible on day one.

The certification side is serious. This is a Yoga Alliance USA-continuing education provider, and completing the course earns you 42 CE credits, which count toward keeping or upgrading your yoga teacher status. The syllabus covers the origins of SUP—which started in Hawaii in the 1940s—and the benefits, from improved core strength to better breath control, but the real learning is practical, out on the water.

Glyfada itself is a pleasant base. It's the Greek Riviera, with upscale shops and restaurants, yet it's also close to nature—the studio is 2.5 km from the sea and just 0.5 km from Mount Hymettus. The location makes it easy to slip into Athens for sightseeing in your free time, though you might find the rooftop yoga deck with its sea views is hard to leave.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation in a 4-bed room or shared double room - Daily breakfast - WiFi connection - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Fruit and snacks available all day - Specialized workshops - Nature hikes with a trusted guide - Teacher training course and certification - Certificate upon successful completion - Course manual - Registration with Yoga Alliance/Professionals/International - 42 CE credits for Yoga Alliance

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Lunches and dinners (available at €25 per day) - Travel insurance - Flights cost - Visa fee - Personal expenses - Private yoga classes - Additional treatments - 90-minute massage - Private alignment class - Washing machine use (€10)