The most beautiful yoga spots around the IJsselmeer
Yoga is now as commonplace in the Netherlands as ice skating and peanut butter. You can find a studio on every street corner in the Randstad. Yoga is popular and rightly so. It has many benefits for body and mind; even if you cannot touch your toes, you can participate in various forms of this originally Indian movement theory without any problems.
Maybe you have been taking your yoga classes online for the past year, not only is it nice to be able to dive into the studio again. A weekend away in the Netherlands in the theme of Yoga is closer than you think!
Surprisingly, you don’t have to travel far for that. You have already read about the special yoga spots on the Wadden Islands. From the Randstad, for example, you can get to Texel relatively quickly.
But the Netherlands has much more hidden nature to discover and considerably closer than the islands. For example, at the green, quiet shores and small sandy beaches of the IJsselmeer.
Here you will find unspoilt nature interspersed with small villages and unobstructed views of the horizon. Here you can still meditate with only the sound of the wind as guidance. A weekend back to yourself on your yoga mat without distractions is just a stone’s throw away from, say, Amsterdam. No wonder, then, that there are many yoga schools and retreats here.
We have listed the 10 most beautiful yoga spots around the IJsselmeer for you:
1. Iyengar yoga class in Makkum
At Yoga studio Siesta they know all about Iyengar yoga, this form of yoga is accessible to everyone. The clear and simple poses in a relaxed tempo help you unwind and give you a better posture.
Or as B.K.S Iyengar himself said:
“Asana (yoga postures) brings stability, health and makes the limbs light. By practising asanas, one develops flexibility, a sense of balance, stamina and great vitality”.
Book a single lesson or a workshop, if possible the lessons are outside. On the sea dyke in Makkum, for example, or on the IJsselmeer beach.
Yoga on an authentic sailing ship on the IJsselmeer
If you can’t choose between the best places on the IJsselmeer, book a Yoga weekend on an authentic sailing ship. You see not one but many beautiful places.
You come on board on Friday evening and everything is arranged. There is a teacher, a select group of other yogis, mats and a made-up bed in your private cabin. In addition, the ship’s cook is ready to provide you with the most honest and delicious vegetarian meals and snacks throughout the weekend.
The weekend is dedicated to inspiring yoga sessions under professional guidance. The various sessions take place on board the sailing ship and in the Frisian countryside or a small harbour around the IJsselmeer.
This option is interesting if you are a yoga enthusiast or want to become one, but also if you are a teacher and/or studio owner and want to organise your own retreat for your students.
Organise a yoga weekend on a sailing ship around the IJsselmeer
You can choose to organise a yoga day trip or weekend. You can shape the programme yourself. Materials such as mats, blocks and blankets can be provided on request. Boarding is possible from various ports around the IJsselmeer or Markermeer.
Together with the skipper, you can compose a unique trip, in which your yoga sessions can take place on board and at different places on and around the water. Contact us to discuss the possibilities.
3. Sup yoga in Friesland
Yoga can be done anywhere and does not necessarily have to be on a mat, at Yogaflow Friesland they do yoga on a surfboard. Talk about finding a good balance! You paddle with a small group under the guidance of an experienced Sup and Yoga teacher to a beautiful spot in the lee of the water and do a series of Asanas on the sup plank. Do bring a change of clothes, as not everyone stays dry during the bending swan pose.
Besides yoga, you can also book individual classes for yourself or, for example, together with your child or children. Want a bigger challenge? Book an hour of power yoga and then relax with a drink on the small private beach.
4. Dynamic flow yoga in Lemmer
Dynamic flow yoga is bij Puurbalans door de jaren heen als vanzelf ontstaan. It is a sporty mix with an emphasis on strength and balance. You train your abdominal muscles and core. Your breathing is like your meditation. That is until you are out of breath, because this lesson is intense!
That is not the only thing you can do at Puurbalans, what about a more quiet Hatha or Yin yoga? Check the website and sign up!
5. Yoga and Kitesurfing at lifestyle campsite Welgelegen in Workum
The special atmosphere at Lifestyle camping Welgelegen invites you to a Kitesurf meets Yoga event. The motto of the small campsite is ‘Bring the good Vibes’ and they are happy to comply with it. Throughout the summer, surfers, yachties and other water sports enthusiasts camp here directly on the banks of the IJsselmeer. You can surf straight from your tent onto the water.
Even if your yoga mat is the only mat you want to lie on and you don’t like camping, there are plenty of other great accommodation options. There is a spacious B&B in a former farmhouse and there are authentic cabines, equipped with every luxury, on the Welgelegen grounds.
At Kite city you learn the basics of kitesurfing from real pros in a few days. To find a good balance, you can combine this with yoga. Nice to stretch those muscles you didn’t know you had before your first kitesurf session. It’s also nice to get all that adrenaline back into gear and relax after an intense kite surfing session on the water.
In short, all the ingredients for a unique sports holiday! Depending on the weather and wind, yoga sessions are held twice a day and in between you inspect the surface of the IJsselmeer from your kiteboard up close.
6. Yoga & Detox retreats at ‘Yoga elements’ in Enkhuizen
You can come to Yoga Elements in Enkhuizen for regular classes and various workshops. They also organise retreats in special locations. But what does that actually mean, a retreat?
What is a Yoga retreat
At Yoga Elements, they describe a retreat as follows:
Retreat’ means to withdraw. During a weekend of [korter of langer kan ook] you withdraw from everyday life and become completely yourself. You close yourself off, as it were, from the busy outside world full of stimuli.
You can discover who you are and what is going on inside you. You reset yourself and are confronted with yourself. By coming to rest completely, you experience the essence of your own consciousness. In this way you can feel how the energy slowly returns to your body and mind.
The different retreats of Yoga Elements
In addition to being able to decide on your own length of stay, you can often also choose specific themes and destinations.
Detox Yoga weekend
During a Detox weekend it is not only about mentally resetting but certainly also about resetting your inner self. A healthy diet of fresh smoothies, juices and soups gives your body a chance to detoxify completely. In combination with adapted yoga sessions and, if desired, relaxed walks in the woody surroundings of the IJsselmeer, you will feel reborn by the time it’s Sunday!
One day retreats
If you are not up for a whole weekend of [nog] and first want to see if it is something for you, you can choose a one day retreat. By the way, these day retreats are very popular, even among seasoned yogis! It is a one-day mini holiday.
The name says it all, a whole day for yourself! This retreat is also about being together with like-minded people and, in contrast to the Detox weekend, here everything revolves around nice and healthy lunches, delicious snacks and drinks and, of course, various yoga and meditation sessions. Many experience that a good one-day retreat at the end of the day feels like a whole weekend.
7. La Luz’ Yoga retreats Elahuizen
La Luz, the light, how appropriate for a retreat under the stars! To be fair, your morning swim here is not in the IJsselmeer but in the Fluessen, another beautiful lake in Friesland. During a weekend retreat, you camp in a luxury glamping tent by REBL, in the middle of nature.
After your morning swim, a fresh fruit smoothie awaits and the day starts with a first relaxing yoga session and a short meditation. Then you can sit down to an extensive breakfast buffet. After this, the daily varied yoga & meditation programme begins.
But that’s not all, everything has been thought of:
- Sup boards are at your disposal
- There is a luxury sloop for beautiful trips on the lake.
- Special Yin yoga sessions at sunset in a unique spot by the water
- A crackling campfire every evening
- A hot tub in which you can float late into the night with a glass of wine or a jug of herbal tea.
8. Deepening day at Yoga studio de verwondering Hippolytushoef
Even if you practice yoga, most people reach a point in their lives where they wonder: Is this it? At such a time, consider taking part in a deepening day. At Yoga studio ‘de Verwondering’ the philosophy is that if you don’t know which direction you want to go in your life, you can spend a day in your life for contemplation and deepening.
During this day, you will practice Kundalini yoga, meditation, dance and movement. Naturally, it involves breathing exercises and training in presence. There is room for reflection and silence, preferably outside in nature. How a deepening day looks like is always different. Be pleasantly surprised and look at the link for the next deepening day.
The idea is that you really listen to your body for a while, by taking a day off from your busy life and perhaps even its routine. This brings you closer to yourself, which can help you feel better about yourself and give direction to your life.
9.One day retreat met je collega’s
Not only for yourself but also with your colleagues you can do a one-day retreat. Something else than bowling and stone grilling. Get to know each other in a different way during a day of mindfulness, yoga and connection. Every group of colleagues is different, of course, you determine the exact content with the yogis from ‘One day retreats’.
What you can expect in any case is that you and your colleagues will be guided by passionate yoga teachers. During the day, you will be pampered with tasty snacks and a delicious lunch. In good weather, the programme takes place outside as much as possible. The day will end with a nice drink to chat together.
10. Yoga in all forms in Hoorn
On a particularly beautiful spot in the heart of Hoorn’s historic centre you will find Zense yoga.
In this modern studio they offer a whole range of yoga forms. You can always book a trial lesson to see if you like it and which form suits you best. From strong flow yoga to stress relief yoga and everything in between. This is also the place to be for a solid afternoon of ‘business yoga’. Learn how yoga affects your daily work life and interactions with colleagues. An afternoon with many insights and the necessary humour!
Beach yoga with a view of the IJsselmeer
Zense’s beach yoga sessions are highly recommended. An accessible lesson with a wide view over the IJsselmeer on the beach of Hoorn. After a beach yoga lesson, you’ll be bursting with energy! Conclude this lesson with a delicious lunch or dinner at one of the beach bars.
Be brought to your yoga retreat by a traditional sailing ship
Wherever you want to go and how long you want to make your retreat, make it a sustainable way to get there and be brought to your yoga retreat by a traditional sailing ship!
All places around the IJsselmeer are accessible, you can get on and off almost anywhere. Perhaps you want to do a mindfulness training on Saturday in one place and a yoga experience on Sunday somewhere else.
Then consider renting one of the antique sailing ships. Spend the night on board and let yourself be pampered by the ship’s cook. Reach your retreat by water. You will pass by the most beautiful places and get in the mood for your Yoga session.
