Yoga and Hiking Week in the Mountains of Stari Bar, Montenegro

Days follow a steady shape. You're up for an 8.00–9.30 class, held in the garden when the weather is kind and on the hotel's indoor yoga deck when it isn't. Brunch is at 9.45, then from about 11.00 the group goes out for the day's activity and is back by 2.00. Afternoons are free until the second class at 17.00, and dinner is a buffet at 19.00. Evenings are your own.

The outings are the reason to pick this week over a studio-based retreat. There's a hike through the countryside to waterfalls and hidden river pools, with swimming in the pools on the way. There's a coastal walk through small seaside villages finishing on a secluded beach. The full-day trip goes to Skadar Lake National Park — kayaking, birdwatching, a lunch, visits to historic monasteries on the shore and the ruins of an old island prison, and a sunset before the drive back. The old town and fortress are a few minutes' walk from the door and easy to fit into any free afternoon.

Marija's classes are built as workshops. She works through alignment in detail, explains what a posture is doing and why, and includes breathing practice and meditation in every session. That structure suits people who want to understand their practice rather than just move through it, and it holds up for both first-timers and people who have been practising for years.

What separates this from other yoga weeks is the location. Stari Bar is a small town in the mountains behind the coast, with olive groves on one side and rocky slopes on the other, and it gets nothing like the traffic of Montenegro's seaside towns. The hotel is a renovated olive mill over a century old, with seven en-suite private rooms and two dorms, a big common room with a fireplace, an open kitchen, and a garden with a plunge pool. A mountain creek runs in front of the yard.

There's also a spa centre in the old town, ten minutes' walk away, and the week usually includes a visit. Between the classes, the hikes and the lake day, the schedule is full enough to feel like a proper week away without being packed.

What's included

- All yoga and meditation classes (twice daily on most days) - Seven nights accommodation - Two freshly prepared vegetarian meals per day (brunch and dinner) - All the local hikes - Tea and coffee at the premises

What's not included

- Any additional meals - Any transfers - Day trip to Skadar Lake - Visit to the winery