June 1, 2016 | Yoga Retreats In Sardinia

The Fairy Houses

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Alex Redmond

The Fairy Houses (Case delle Fate) in Cardedu are archaeological remains of ancient burial sites of the Nuraghe people. The Nuraghe people inhabited the island of Sardinia from the bronze age to the second century AD, some 20 thousand years! The Nuraghe would place their dead within the carved out rocks in the fetal position and then close them off with large boulders. They, like many other civilisations across the globe, believed in life after death and the holes carved into the rocks were designed to represent the womb, with many being found with carved and painted symbols representing the feminine and birth. This was also why the bodies were placed in the fetal position…they were returning to the womb ready for their next life.

The site at Cardedu is found by walking about 30 minutes from the car park, which is found opposite the entrance to Perda Pera Resort. You can find the location on my area map. There is a path leading from the Car Park which is shaded for a time, You will then join and come to a fork in a gravel road, take the right hand track and then it’s a bit of a steep uphill trek for about 10-15 minutes along a gravel track.

It’s a peaceful place, and although this will be a photo post, as usual, photos cannot really transmit the feeling and energy of the place. It is a site I would thoroughly recommend visiting, you can cycle all the way to the site if you’re fit and take the gravel road, but I enjoy the gentle walk. If you’re coming mid summer, I would suggest going early morning or late evening to avoid the heat and make sure you have plenty of water as there are no services or cafes at the site!

So here they are, my photos of our trip to the Fairy Houses with my partner, best friend and our two wonderful labradors! I hope it inspires you to check them out…

The view along the track

Site Information

Information about carvings and purpose of site.

Another information board

You can crawl through the opening to this one and sit on the ledge!

You can crawl through the opening at the side to this one and sit on the ledge!

The information board about this structure.

The information board about the structure above – Click to enlarge.

This one has 3 separate chambers with one being a large chamber that has two entrances.

One of the entrances

A peaceful place!

The information board about the structure above – Click to enlarge.

Another structure which you can enter to reach a ledge

The ledge as viewed from the front

Our labs sitting on the ledge – taken from inside the structure

The ledge viewed as you round the corner

The Hobbit House!

Rectangular Carving

We then went off the path to explore!

Awesome, massive boulders…you could walk through the gap if you were brave enough!

Top 5 Tips for selecting your perfect retreat

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Alex Redmond

Posted in Tips & Advice

Relax

Taking time to find your perfect retreat is well worth the effort, here are a few tips about how to go about it.

1. Location

Choose an area that will enhance your experience of a self discovery retreat, a quiet, tranquil area instead of a bustling holiday resort where you will be tempted to stay in the hectic, chaotic pace of modern life. Pick a location you’d really like to visit, maybe somewhere on your bucket list or somewhere different than you would normally holiday. Search for retreats in these areas and do some research into the local area, it’s customs and traditions, find some places you might want to explore while you’re there.

2. Accomodation

Research the accomodation, does it look like a tranquil place with clean rooms? Ask your retreat organizer if the center, hotel or location has it’s own website and check it out, look up the address on Google Earth or Street View at the location. Do they have other facilities like a spa or massage therapist, a pool, other facilities that you would make use of during your stay? If there’s no picture of the rooms or location to be found, or the pictures look dated, there might be something they are not saying. If you can’t find anything about the location anywhere, ask for some recent pictures to be sent to you by email.

3. Teacher

Many people go on retreat with their own regular teacher, but if your teacher is not organising a retreat or not at a time convenient to you, or you just want to try something different; be open to looking for retreats with other teachers. Check out the teacher of the retreat you are researching; their schedule, teaching background, where they are from, etc. Check out their social media links; if there are a lots of pictures of him or her in advanced acrobatic postures, then it’s a safe bet the retreat may be focused on the gymnastics on the mat. What other things do they post about, do they live a yoga lifestyle or is there a feeling of contraditction in their posts? If you are unsure, contact the teacher direct and ask questions. Read the testimonials on the retreat website, but also about the teacher if you can find some, there can be quite a bit of info in these testimonials and they may give you a better idea of what people enjoyed about their stay at the retreat.

4. Style & Activities

There are many types and styles of yoga, and each teacher is different, but it’s worth thing about whether you are looking for a more rigorous physical retreat or a more restorative, meditational experience. Some retreats combine yoga with other complimentary practices such as Mindfulness or Reiki; you might discover a retreat that combines the style of yoga you want with a complimentary practice that you have always wanted to try or find out more about. Check out the rules and programme of the retreat, some retreats can be strict about their schedule, others more flexible; choose which type works well for you to be able to reach the goals of your retreat, whether that be to progress your practice or just to take time out to remember who you are! Participants often start out buzzing with nervous energy, asking for details on the schedule for the week, where the nearest town is, if there are extra acitivites, what to do during “freetime”….. they want to stay active at all times and keep the stressed pace of life they are used to… be open to doing less, taking time to pause from your usual pace of life and be flexible about what you’re going to do in your “freetime”.

5. Pricing & Timings

Think about what time of year is best to visit the area, peak season may not be the best time to go on retreat with the beaches or local sights packed with people, and off season there may not be anything open. Research about the best time of year to visit and what the weather will be like; if you usually live in a really cold climate and then go to a retreat that is really hot, will your body be able to cope with the heat and the physical demands of daily yoga classes? Retreat weeks can be costly, but if you plan ahead you can sometimes find great deals during off-season or end of season months. And remember the cheapest retreat may not always be the best choice for you, don’t make any decision just based on the price. Check out flight prices for the different retreat dates. Don’t forget to think about travelling to and from the retreat, some may offer transfers, but you might also want the independance of hiring a car or bike so you can get about and explore the area at your lesiure.

Regain your balance

A Yoga Retreat can be hugely beneficial to your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, it has the potential to connect you with like-minded people who share similar passions, beliefs and outlook on life; a friend made on a yoga retreat can become a friend for life. It gives you the opportunity to make some space for yourself, quiet your mind, and find inspiration that can benefit your relationships, work and many other areas of your life. So start researching for your perfect retreat today and have a great time, learn things and relax!

Some useful links for you to explore:

Check out our range of retreats on the beautiful island of Sardinia.
Or check out what’s on offer throughout the world at BookYogaRetreats.

Getting About

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Alex Redmond

We highly recommend that you hire a car when you come to Sardinia, it is by far the easiest way to get out and about and really explore the area to your heart’s content. The roads in Sardinia are generally very quiet, if a little curvy when you near the mountains!

Map of Sardinia (Click to Enlarge)

However, we do appreciate that it’s not the most ecological way to travel and many people don’t drive or want to drive on holiday. So here are a few alternatives to consider for your transfers from the airport and getting around once you’re here…

There are Transfer and Taxi services to and from all the island’s airports, however these can be pretty expensive if you are not travelling in a group.

Ogliastra Transfer Shuttle Service

This year a new transfer shuttle service has started offering reasonable rates for transfers to Ogliastra from Cagliari Airport. They are called Ogliastra Transfer and you can visit their website by clicking here. Unfortunately their website is only available in Italian, but is pretty easy to Google Translate. You can book online direct with them and pay by Paypal, or alternatively you can book and pay via us with your booking for your retreat, just let us know when you book, what dates and times you would like to book the shuttle and we will do the booking for you. Please understand that not all their drivers speak English, but if you get in a bind you can always give me a call to help you translate!

They run 3 shuttles per day to and from Tortoli/Cagliari Elmas, which stop at the town centres of Cardedu, stopping on the main SS125 in front of Supermarket Lobina, and at Bari Sardo, stopping on the main street of Via Cagliari, in front of the Petrol Station AGIP. From the drop off points, you can arrange a shuttle service to your chosen retreat hotel through reception prior to arrival.

Cagliari (Elmas) to Tortolì

Dep. at 11:00 – Arr. 13:30
Dep. at 15:00 – Arr. 17:30
Dep. at 18:30 – Arr. 21:00

Arrival times for Cardedu are 15 minutes before stated arrival time
Arrival times for Bari Sardo are 10 minutes before stated arrival time

From Tortolì to Cagliari (Elmas)

Dep. at 08:00 – Arr. 10:30
Dep. at 12:00 – Arr 14:30
Dep. at 15:30 – Arr 18:00

Departure from Bari Sardo 10 minutes after stated departure time
Departure from Cardedu 15 minutes after stated departure time

Prices

1 Passenger € 42
2 Passengers € 82
3 Passengers € 110
4 Passengers € 140
5 Passengers € 170
6 Passengers € 200
7 Passengers € 230
8 Passengers € 260
If you are booking as a group larger than 8, then I will get you a personalised quote.

Prices are each way, so for a return price, just double the above prices.

Pick-up point at Cagliari (Elmas)

Pick-up Point at Tortolì

Alternatively, ARST offer various bus services from the airports and around the area and their timetables and routes can be found on Google Transit.

For a different mode of travel, you could also consider travelling from the Port of Cagliari to the Port of Arbatax, the trip takes approximately 4 hours, and you can find more information at the Tirrenia website. Although I have to say that this is a car ferry route and not available every day, so may not be the most convenient option!

Once you’re here, there are the ecological options such as walking (Shank’s Pony) or you can hire a bike or moped.

There is also a train service in Ogliastra, but it is a only a tourist train and only operates at certain times of the year. You can get your tickets via an English speaking tourist service STS, by clicking here.

There is a full Public Transport report (2008) from the Regional Government in PDF from the Regional government, which you can view by clicking the following link:

Public Transport Sardegna.