RETREATS
ASHTANGA YOGA WEEK IN PUGLIA
May 2-8, 2026
Yogapuglia, puglia (ITALY)
Please join me for an ashtanga yoga week at yogapuglia, a small, private retreat center in PUGLIA, SOUTHERN ITALY.
OVERVIEW
This weeklong offering is the perfect opportunity to deepen your yoga practice and re-charge your batteries after the winter months. Located near the beautiful, ancient town of Ostuni, I am excited to host you at YogApuglia, a small, privately owned retreat center offering a stunning, light-filled practice space, a private salt-water pool, comfortable rooms with Trulli style roofs, and delicious, fresh local food.
The center focuses on small group retreats so space is limited (10-12 ppl max). This creates opportunity for a lot of personal attention in and outside the shala and aligns perfectly with my intention for a week of practice.
YOGAPUGLIA: Retreat center and ACCOMMODATION information
The small, private retreat center, YogApuglia, is located about 20 minutes from Ostuni (BR). The center focuses exclusively on yoga and meditation and is set-up and run by dedicated Ashtanga yoga practitioners Mark and Nicola. Their focus is to provide a location for smaller groups which makes for a deeper and more personal experience. Nestled amongst olive groves in the beautiful countryside of the Valle d’Itria, YogApuglia provides a peaceful setting to connect with yourself and nature.
YogApuglia: Nestled into olive and almond groves, the retreat center sits on 2.5 acres near Ostuni, in the province of Brindisi. Inside the main house there is a large dining room/workspace, a small kitchenette providing tea and coffee throughout the day and a cosy living room within a trullo, a conic style roof that is typical for this area. A large outdoor courtyard provides the main communal eating space, and several seating areas offer a place to relax in the sun or the shade. The salt-water swimming pool is situated in the heart of the complex, surrounded by palm and olive trees. Hidden nearby, a meditation hut provides a place to escape in silence and enjoy the vistas across the valley. YogApulia passionately cares about nature and the environment and minimizing our footprint. You can read more about their philosophy here.
Rooms: The center offers six twin bedrooms and one double bedroom, all with private ensuite bathrooms. All rooms are renovated to a high standard using locally sourced materials to create a luxurious yet simple and understated feel. The stunning, conic roofs you see in the pictures are called “Trulli” (or Trullo, singular) and they are unique architectural buildings very specific to Puglia, in particular the Itria valley. Trulli are made out of rough stone quarried locally and built in an overlapping way without using any mortar. The structure is composed of walls up to one meter wide, above which a conic roof rises, covered with “chiancarelle” – large narrow stone slabs positioned in a circular fashion.
Food: Food plays a central role in both the yoga practice and life. YogApuglia believes food should be varied, unprocessed and nourishing to support wellbeing and a lifelong practice. The center’s offerings are plant-based, and meals are primarily focused on local traditions and recipes. Brunch and dinner have been developed to ensure the right balance of grains, greens and proteins to promote energy and recovery. They are very fortunate to work with chefs who share this philosophy and bring passion and love to create healthy and delicious food. Everything offered is prepared on-site and sourced locally, using seasonal and organic ingredients (wherever possible). The center’s vegetable garden and fruit trees also provide during the season – figs, pomegranates, salads, zucchini, herbs, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.
Shala: The yoga room is a beautiful, light-filled space overlooking olive groves and the surrounding countryside. The Shala has been rebuilt to include a new wooden floor, windows, insulated roof and a pellet stove for the cooler winter months. It is fully equipped with blocks, bolsters, blankets, and yoga mats for up to 12 practicing students.
COST PER PERSON
Single: $2100,—
Double or Twin Room: $1650,—
INCLUDED:
6 nights/5 days at YogApuglia Retreat Center
Breakfast and dinner daily
Snacks, refreshments including teas, coffee, water, and fruit daily
Mysore style morning practices daily
Daily afternoon practices: expect a mix of technique/alignment workshops, chanting, breathing, silence/meditation practice, stories, music, etc.)
NOT INCLUDED:
airfare and transportation cost to/from retreat location (I am happy to assist booking transfers for you!)
cost for lunch, excursions, rental cars, alcohol, etc.
Registration & SIGN Up
Registration form + paid deposit are required to secure your spot.
Deposit: $650 (non-transferable and non-refundable)
Payments via Venmo, PayPal, or bank transfer are welcome.
Arrival / Departure Info
Check in: 15:00 (3 pm)
Check out: 11:00 (11 am)
The closest airport is Brindisi (BDS). But you can also fly into the bigger city of Bari (BRI). Conveniently, some major airlines now offer direct flights from the US to Bari.
Driving time to retreat center from Brindisi Airport is about 45 minutes; from Bari Airport it is 1h15.
You are welcome to fly into Rome and then take the high-speed train to Brindisi. The train ride takes approximately 5.5 hours. Schedules and tickets are available here.
Private transfers to YogApuglia from your arrival airport are available upon request. I am happy to help you with that.
Rental cars can be booked directly at the retreat center.
Things to do
According to National Geographic, “Puglia is the most beautiful region in the world”. YogApuglia is surrounded by beautiful countryside, olive trees, vineyards and home of the Trulli (round stone-built houses with cone-shaped roofs). If you fancy taking a break from lazing around by the pool or relaxing in the peaceful setting of our retreat centre, there are lots of great things to do in the nearby area.
Old Historical Towns
The main towns of the Itria Valley are Cisternino, Martina Franca, Alberobello (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Ostuni, and Locorotondo. These charming and beautiful old towns have remained virtually intact for centuries. Cisternino is less than a ten minute drive from our centre and was recently voted one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy. Among the narrow winding streets are some amazing restaurants, chocolate shops and “gelaterias” (vegan options are available!). The city of Lecce with it’s Baroque style buildings, cafés, bars and restaurants is a wonderful place to wander around.
Local Markets
Visiting the local street markets is a great way to get a taste of traditional life in Puglia. There are weekly markets nearby in Cisternino, Ostuni and Martina Franca selling local produce, seasonal vegetables, fruit, cheese, clothing, plants and various other bits and pieces.
Country Walks
There are some lovely walks in the surrounding area amongst the olive and almond groves. Less than 15 minutes walk away is the small village of Casalini with a superb pizzeria, bakery, and bar/cafe. A great place to get a feel for the local community going about their daily lives.
Beaches
The long mediterranean coastline of Puglia is home to some of the best beaches in Italy. Local’s favorites are:
- Polignano a Mare is a beautiful old town on the coast with a popular beach set in a cove
- Monopoli is another lovely old historical town on the coast just south of Polignano a Mare
- Torre Canne is a local beach side resort with sandy beaches, cafes and restaurants
- Lido Ottagono is a beach club in Savelletri, set on the rocky coast with crystal clear water for swimming
Olive Groves
A wonderful experience is to visit a local olive grove, walk amongst the ancient olive orchards, learn about the history of olive oil farming and taste the olive oil.
MEET BARBARA
Image M. Thurk
Originally from Austria, Barbara now splits her time between the United States and southern Europe, and has been a practitioner of yoga for over 20 years. Her main teacher is Annie Pace and she also received the official authorization to teach the Ashtanga Yoga method from Saraswathi Jois in Mysore, India.
Barbara loves music and chanting and has the great fortune to study these disciplines with her teachers in India. She is trained in classical Hindustani music, as well as mantra chanting. Furthermore, she continues to explore concepts of Hindu philosophy, Ayurveda and other aspects of Yogic studies with Dr. KLS Jois.
Barbara spent the winter of 2024/2025 in Puglia. Together with her husband and their pup, Jojo Rabbit, they explored the region extensively and fell in love with it. Through a direct recommendation, Barbara found YogApuglia and she knew immediately, that this center was the perfect fit for an Ashtanga week.
