Our dates for 2026
| 9-16 June | General level with Marios | 25 Aug – 1 Sept | Experienced level with Marios |
| 30 June – 7 July | Experienced level with Marios | 1-8 September | Beginner/general level taught by Marios and Anna |
| 7-14 July | Experienced level with Marios | 8-15 September | Beginner/general level taught by Marios and Anna |
| 14-21 July | Experienced level with Marios | 29 Sept – 6 October | Experienced level with Marios |
| 18-25 August | Experienced level with Marios |
Our Holiday Courses
For twenty years we have been welcoming Iyengar yoga students to Crete – of all ages and nationalities, keen regular students, teachers and aspiring teachers, and all enjoy meeting a stimulating mix of like-minded people. A high proportion (some weeks as much as 80%) are returning students who love the beauty and tranquillity of the area and the opportunity to practise yoga with Marios in a purpose-built yoga space.
Our new yoga studio
Since 2024 we have been using a new yoga studio, designed and built by Nikos Kapsanakis, in a very peaceful location which looks out on to his olive trees. We have wall ropes, chairs, bolsters, an equipment storage area, water cooler and toilet, and the new space is much less susceptible to extremes in the weather, or cats, dogs and insects! It is a 15-20 minute walk from the rooms, so to cover all options we make bike hire available for the week, and lifts will be offered before and after every class.
All yoga equipment is provided and we prefer that you do not bring your own so that the equipment used in class is uniform.
Which weeks are suitable for me?
Weeks for experienced students and teachers
All students must be attending regular Iyengar classes, whether live or online. The courses for experienced practitioners are challenging – to be offered a place you should have a regular practice and be used to practising inversions and backbends.
Weeks for general level students and teachers
These weeks are suitable for all students with a minimum of 3 years’ regular Iyengar classes.
Weeks for beginner/general level students
The weeks of 1-8 and 8-15 September will be taught jointly by Marios and Anna Argiros (see photo right) and will be ideal for those attending beginner level and general level classes. We accept complete beginners with a good level of fitness, and aspiring teachers being mentored are also welcome to join.
For all weeks you will benefit most if you have a good level of fitness, but it may still be possible to take part if you are recovering from an injury, an operation, or serious illness. Please give full details on your application form or in an email so that Marios can make an informed decision about your suitability.
The usual weekly schedule is shown here, although exact times will vary with the season and temperature. The beginner/general level weeks will have slightly shorter classes.
| Tue | Travel or free day | Welcome dinner |
| Wed | 9.00-11.00 class – brunch | 18.00-19.30 |
| Thur | 9.00-11.00 class – brunch | 18.00-19.30 |
| Fri | 9.00-11.00 class – brunch | 18.00-19.30 |
| Sat | 8.30-12.00ish class – brunch | Free |
| Sun | Free | Free |
| Mon | 9.00-11.00 class – brunch | 18.00-19.30 – Farewell dinner |
| Tue | c9.00 breakfast | Travel or free day |
After morning class and brunch, the middle part of the day is your own, to enjoy time on the beach swimming or sunbathing, to go off exploring, or just to relax and read away from the usual hectic pace of life. The yoga space will be available for practice outside class times and there will also be spare mats available if you wish to practise in your room/veranda. The evening class will include inversions, restorative postures and pranayama. Sunday is a free day, and also an ideal opportunity for some self-practice to put some of the week’s learning into effect. We have found that having a longer break at the weekend has proved popular, giving you scope for trips further afield.
Accommodation
Nikos and Maria’s rooms are simple and basic, spotlessly clean and airy, but if you want 5 star luxury please look for a different yoga holiday! You are welcome, of course, to share a room with a friend/family member (participant or non-participant) but please note, we do not allocate shared rooms to strangers. All rooms can be single or twin/double and all have ensuite shower room, an outside area (either veranda or balcony), fridge and tv. A couple of rooms can sleep three or four so are suitable for family/friends sharing. Air-conditioning is available when needed at no extra charge. There are kettles provided in the rooms so you can bring your favourite teas or coffee with you. There is also free internet access and an informal ‘library’ in the reception area.
If you are spending time in Crete with a group of family or friends who are not participating in the yoga and would like to book your own independent self-catering accommodation please ask us – there are places locally that we can recommend. We will then give you a price minus accommodation – please do bear in mind though, that for each week we commit to filling all the rooms at Leonidas first.
Food
We now have all our group brunches and welcome and farewell dinners at Camping Mithimna taverna next door to Leonidas rooms. The dinners and breakfast on departure day will not be included in the price however, so you can choose whether or not to take part. On the other evenings there is a choice of about 5 restaurants within walking distance, or many more further afield if you have the use of a car. There are no meals scheduled on Sundays, so you are entirely free to eat when and where you like. Lots of our students choose to visit either Chania or Kissamos at the weekend.
The Area
Next door to our rooms Camping Mithimna has a mini-market, bar (with good coffee) and taverna. Nopigia, a 15 minute walk along the beach, has two fish restaurants, Porfyra and Sargos, and the Blé Beach Bar. A little further there’s Camping Nopigia where it is usually possible to use their pool free of charge. In the other direction towards Kissamos there is Hippocampos (The Sea Horse) bar and taverna, and a longer walk, Akrogiali fish restaurant.
The area around us is quiet and rural, even though it’s right on the coast. The village of Drapanias (with bakery and small shop) is a fifteen minute walk and from there you can catch buses to either Kissamos or Chania. Cars can be hired locally for as many days as you require and can be brought to the hotel for you, and bike hire will be available. Taxis can be arranged by us for trips if you prefer not to hire a car.
This part of Crete is a wonderfully varied area, famous for its olive oil since antiquity, and there are many places to explore within easy reach. Walking east round Kissamos Bay past Nopigia will bring you to some rocky coves and secluded beaches which you may find you have all to yourself.
Falassarna is a beautiful long sweep of yellow sand facing west which has the most stunning sunsets (and some good restaurants) – it’s only about 20 mins drive away.
Boat trips are available to Balos Bay, an iconic Cretan beauty spot. Elafonisi, famous for its white and pink sand and turquoise lagoon, which offers fabulous swimming, is about an hour away by car. Both Balos and Elafonisi are exceptionally busy in high season!
Nearby Kissamos (also known as Kastelli) is a quiet untouristy sort of town, with plenty of shops, tavernas, banks and post office for all your practical needs. It also has a small but excellent archaeological museum.
Chania (photo below) is a wonderful place to spend a few hours exploring (or days, if you have any extra time in Crete). It was first settled by the Minoans and remains one of the longest continuously inhabited city sites anywhere in the world. The old city around its Venetian harbour is full of interesting narrow streets with shops, cafes and restaurants. The historic covered food market is currently closed and undergoing a major renovation – it may be reopening next summer. Chania also has several interesting museums worth visiting, in particular the stunning new Archaeological Museum in Halepa.
Travel Information (flights and insurance are not included in the price)
The courses run from Tuesday to Tuesday – this day has the widest choice of flights to Chania from the UK. Direct flights to Chania are available from Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham. Easyjet offer flights to Chania from Gatwick on most days, offering you more flexibility on price if you have any extra days available. British Airways fly to Chania from Heathrow on some days, but sadly not on Tuesdays in 2025. You can fly to Chania daily via Athens with Aegean, Olympic and Sky Express. Chania is also served by daily ferry from Piraeus (Athens). Please visit our links page for some useful travel sites. Car hire is available locally or can be pre-booked with your flight from Chania or Heraklion airports.
For travel information from outside the UK please visit our page Booking from outside the UK.
