Yoga and Nature Week in Madeira with Green Lotus

The week is based at the Sentido Galosol Hotel in Caniço, on Madeira's south-east coast, about 15 minutes from Funchal. The hotel was the first green hotel building on the island and is 100% self-sustainable in energy. It sits on a cliff edge, with a saltwater outdoor pool and a spa that includes panoramic ocean-view saunas. The group has access to special areas of the property for an unlimited number of activities, including daily yoga and meditation classes with MB and Marcia, plus diving, hiking and kayak tours.

Daily practice is the spine of the trip. Merry Beth Freienmuth and Marcia Appel teach yoga and meditation sessions each day, and the programme also includes mindfulness and qi gong. Sessions are held on site, and the schedule leaves room around them for the excursions and for rest.

The excursions are what separate this from a standard yoga week. There is a sunset walk that leads to a levada — the aqueduct-and-footpath system Madeira is known for — and a guided nature hike through the island's dense forest and volcanic terrain. A jeep tour covers landscapes and viewpoints and stops for a farm-to-table lunch. An e-bike tour is tailored to the ability level of the group so that everyone can take part. There is also a private catamaran trip, and a visit to Funchal Market in the capital, with its fruit, vegetable, flower and craft stalls.

Meals are a mix of included and independent. Seven breakfasts, two lunches and five dinners are covered, including the farm-to-table lunch on the jeep day. The remaining meals are your own — Funchal has plenty of restaurants, and the hotel has its own dining. The trip is priced with double or single occupancy, and the cost covers accommodation, ground transport including one round-trip airport transfer, English-speaking guides on all excursions, daily classes, and miscellaneous fees such as tour entrance fees, road tolls and VAT.

Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center has been running retreats since 2007, with past trips to India, Bali, Tanzania, Guatemala, Spain, Costa Rica, Crete, Santorini, Mexico, Oregon and New York. This one is capped by the hotel's capacity rather than a stated group limit, and the deposit deadline is 23 November 2025, with final payment due 23 February 2026.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation at the Sentido Galosol Hotel - 7 breakfasts - 2 lunches - 5 dinners - One round-trip airport transfer - Ground transportation for all tours - Experienced English-speaking guides on all excursions and tours - Daily yoga and meditation classes with Merry Beth Freienmuth and Marcia Appel - Tour entrance fees - Road tolls - VAT (value added tax)

What's not included

- International airfare - International airport taxes, airport porter and extra baggage - Hotel early check-in and late check-out - Drinks and personal expenses - Meals not mentioned in the programme - Extra sightseeing and optional activities - Travel insurance (not included but will be offered) - €2 per night ecotax