Yoga & Culture Retreat Turkey : Istanbul & Cappadocia
Yoga & Culture Retreat turkey
Istanbul & cappadocia
The Beauty Between Retreat
Istanbul is our muse. A city straddling continents and conversations—European elegance living its coolest life on the Asian shore. Think luminous mosques and modern galleries, hip coffee houses, boutique studios, the hush of a hammam, and the electricity of the Grand Bazaar. Days begin grounded with deep, soulful yoga; move into art, design, and slow wandering; and end at tables dressed in spice, meze, and excellent wine. It’s inspiration you can feel.
Then: Cappadocia. Two nights of otherworldly calm—cave suites, sculpted valleys, and a sunrise that lifts you by hot-air balloon over rippled stone. We’ll taste local wines, hike the Red Valley, and let the silence do what only silence can. This is a retreat for seekers of beauty, culture, and connection—crafted to move you and designed to bring you home.
About
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The Beauty Between Retreat
What to expect
Morning yoga that steadies the nervous system and opens the body
Curated art + design moments: galleries, ateliers, and hidden studios
Time for the ritual of hammam and the joy of long, leisurely meals
Cappadocia immersion: cave dwellings, local wine, Red Valley hike, sunrise balloons
Small group, high-touch hosting, boutique stays
Includes
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The Beauty Between Retreat
INCLUDES :
8 nights : 6 in Istanbul’s coolest neighborhood + 2 in a cave hotel in Cappadocia
Breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 4 dinners
High quality Yoga instruction for all levels
Traditional Turkish bath (hammam)
Classic City Sites walking tour of Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque with lunch
Bosphorus Boat cruise seeing the stunning city highlights from the water (with bubbles of course)
Traditional cooking class with local sisters exploring their foodie neighborhood and cooking in their home
Turkish Coffee & Fortune Telling workshop
Whirling Dervish workshop & Ceremony
Hot air balloon rides at sunrise with champagne and epic views
Private Wine Country Tour in Cappadocia with lunch
Hike in the Red Valley, Cappadocia
Free time to explore as you wish; shop the Grand Bazaar; climb the Galata tower; visit the Asian side; rest
Transit card for getting around the city
Airport transfers
Expert Y&AWW facilitator to guide you through your adventure
Gift bag from us to you
All local taxes & staff gratuities
What’s not included :
6 lunches, 4 dinners & alcoholic beverages beyond what is included
International flights
Travel & Trip Cancellation insurance
Medical insurance
YOUR DOMESTIC FLIGHT FROM IST TO NAV IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE.
We will advise which flight to purchase when you book the retreat. Approx cost 150-200usd
Itinerary
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The Beauty Between Retreat
ITINERARY :
DAY ONE
3:00pm Hotel check-in; arrive and settle
4:30-5:45pm Opening circle & grounding yoga practice
7:30pm Dinner together as a group
DAY TWO
Coffee & Tea in your room
7:30-9am Vinyasa Yoga Practice
9:15am Breakfast
11:30am-5pm Authentic Cooking Class and foodie walking tour w/ lunch
7-8:30pm Turkish Bath Experience
Dinner on your own
DAY THREE
Coffee & Tea in your room
7:30-8:45am Yoga & Sculpt Class
9am Breakfast
Full Day Classic City Sites adventure : Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque with lunch
Dinner together at a local classic
DAY FOUR
Coffee & Tea in your room
8:15-9:45am Yoga & Sculpt Class
10am Breakfast
Free time to explore, rest, shop; Climb the Galata tower; Lunch on your own
6-8pm Sunset Cruise along the Bosphorus
Dinner together with bubbles and views
DAY FIVE
Coffee & Tea in your room
7:30-9am Vinyasa Yoga Practice
9:30am Breakfast
1-3pm Turkish Coffee & Fortune Telling workshop
Lunch together at the most authentic spot
Free time to shop at the Grand Bazaar; relax; explore the neighborhood
Dinner on your own
DAY SIX
Coffee & Tea in your room
8:15-9:45am Yoga & Sculpt Class
10am Breakfast
Free time to take an artistic workshop; rest; spa services; Lunch on your own
5:30pm Whirling Dervish Workshop learning the spiritual practices & philosophies of Rumi
7pm Whirling Dervish Ceremony
Dinner on your own; Pack for travel tomorrow
DAY SEVEN
Morning flights to Cappadocia NAV from IST Airport
Arrive and drop bags at the hotel
Private tour through wine country with lunch
Dinner on your own at the hotel or in town
DAY EIGHT
4:30-9am Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Rides with champagne breakfast
Time to rest, relax, hike in the Red Valley
Lunch on your own
Optional hammam treatments; Ebru workshops; shopping
4-6pm Closing Circle & final Yoga practice
7pm Dinner together
DAY NINE :
Breakfast as you like
Departures on your own
*This itinerary is subject to adjustments, changes in times, locations, or activities as the retreat leaders and hosts see fit. Any change will be on par with our standards or an upgrade in services or location making for an even more amazing experience for the group and our guests. Thank you in advance for your flexibility and cooperation if any situation were to arise.
Stay
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The Beauty Between Retreat
ACCOMMODATIONS
Our hotel reprieve located on the European side of Istanbul’s most current neighborhood, Beyoğlu.
Our cave hotel in Cappadocia is stylish, comfortable and in a fantastic location!
Pricing
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The Beauty Between Retreat
pricing
King Accommodations
King bed with ensuite bathroom in both locations
8,395usd Private Room
7,495usd Shared Bed* per person
TWIN Accommodations
Two twin beds with ensuite bathroom in both locations
7,595usd per person*
*We will try to pair single travelers together looking to share a room. If we are not able to book a roommate for you, a private accommodation will be required.
We are not able to pair roommates sharing a bed. Roommates should book their accommodations together.
Reserve
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The Beauty Between Retreat
RESERVATIONS
MAKE YOUR DEPOSIT HERE :
Deposits of 1,000usd are due to secure your space in the retreat. Please check availability with us for accommodations before making your deposit.
Roommates should book together. If you would like to share a room and do not have a roommate we will provide one for you if possible. In the case that there is no one to share a room we ask that you take a private room instead.
Please use the form below to submit your deposit.
BALANCE PAYMENTS :
The balance of your retreat (minus your $1,000usd initial deposit*) is due 90 days prior to arrival. All details with instructions for settling up will be emailed to you three months prior to the retreat.
In addition to credit card payments we also accept wire transfers, Zelle and Bitcoin. Please inquire for more details.
POLICIES
CANCELLATION POLICY
All payments are 100% non refundable and non-transferable. We recommend that you buy Trip cancellation insurance immediately upon making your initial deposit to cover any travel hiccups or complications that may arise between now and the time of your retreat. No exceptions are possible so please cover your trip by connecting with an insurance company that offers the right policy for you. Agents are available online to help with your specific needs. Cover your retreat here!
CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY
The acceptance of a verbal or written confirmation from YOGA & ADVENTURES WORLDWIDE (Y&AWW) constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions listed herein. Participants are responsible to be adequately insured, therefore Traveler’s Insurance is strongly recommended*. Y&AWW and its staff assume no responsibility nor liability for any delay, loss, damage, injury or accident with regards to persons or property which may be caused by fault or negligence of any third party vendor. This includes hotels, transportation providers, and local operators participating in part for our services. Y&AWW shall be held harmless for any expense caused by injury or accident, to any participants as well as any loss or damage of personal items while on our tours. We reserve the right to make any changes to services and itineraries, with or without notice, which may become necessary.
Yoga & Adventures Worldwide, its affiliates, retreat facilitators, hotels, third party vendors, and tour providers, the ownership, or staff, of course, cannot be held responsible for events that are outside of our control. There are no refunds as per our cancellation policies. We highly recommend that all of our guests secure a quality travel insurance that will cover them for ANY event which may cause for a change of travel plans, or for ANY unfortunate event including but of course not limited to:
– Transportation delays, cancellations or changes due to strikes, labor disputes, or lockouts from airlines, boats, ferries or any type of transportation.
– Any inconvenience or complication caused by bad weather, storms, and hurricanes : a direct hit, near miss, or significant threat of a hurricane strike
– Government/political actions, events or situations; threats or acts of terrorism, acts of war or declared war.
– Personal health issues or personal situations in general which may affect travel plans
– Any loss, theft or damage of personal items at any stage of your trip
– Any accident causing injury during any stage of your trip
– Travel restrictions or illness associated with COVID-19.
All travelers may join our retreats “at your own risk”, but should continue to take precautions such as wearing masks in public, avoiding crowds, maintaining social distance and washing hands frequently. Any Covid testing will be determined by the countries through which the traveler must pass. All testing requirements are at the travelers expense and are not included in our packages. Please stay up to date with current travel related requirements.
We require that you are covered with medical insurance while on retreat. Please check your health insurance policy regarding treatment outside your home country in the rare case you would need care while away from home. Most policies have coverage for emergencies and we ask that you submit proof of this coverage when prompted. If you do not have a policy that covers travel medical, we recommend that you speak with an agent to see what is best for you. Insubuy has many options for coverage. Please consult with the agent to make sure the plan you choose covers medical care in the country you are visiting. We will ask for proof of medical insurance prior to the retreat.
By submitting payments toward your retreat you accept these Terms and Conditions.
If you have any questions regarding the details of this retreat please feel free to contact us to set up a call or to receive further info via email.
Travel Tips
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The Beauty Between Retreat
Travel Tips
Arriving into Istanbul :
We HIGHLY recommend arriving into Istanbul International Airport (IST).
We will coordinate rides arriving at similar times to share costs into the city where possible. Otherwise, we can plan a private ride for you. If you plan to arrive or depart outside of retreat dates you should coordinate your own transportation to and from your hotel with its concierge. Any arrivals and departures on retreat dates we will coordinate for you with others on similar flight itineraries.
Turkish Airlines is a very reputable airline and has many direct flights into IST.
Travel Basics :
Please plan to sleep well on the plane or arrive a day or two early in order to acclimate yourself to the change in time. If you will stay in Turkey for a few days upon arrival we recommend staying at our hotel if you’ll stay in Istanbul or if you’re up for the adventure, Cappadocia is a unique a gorgeous area of Turkey that is worth the travel.
Bring along your basic toiletries and medicine kit to keep yourself healthy and optimized while you are on retreat. We recommend having probiotics, vitamin C, pain medicine, antihistamines, band-aides, anti-biotic ointment, and the like all within reach just in case any of them become necessary.
The hotel provides bath products but it’s always nice to have what you are accustomed to using handy though this is at your discretion. Please consult with your airline on carry-on limits and make sure you pack what you place into your checked luggage with care to avoid spillage and explosions.
What to Bring & what to wear in Turkey :
We will be using yoga props at the local studio where we will practice during the retreat. Only if you enjoy using your own mat and props should you plan to bring them along.
Istanbul is a VERY modern Muslim city. You will find a pretty even mix amongst the locals of very traditional dress and typical European street clothes like in any major city in the world. As tourists, you can plan to dress as you would at home. For the whirling dervish ceremony modest dress is required. Weather should be quite lovely at this time of year but please check the forecast closer to dates to prepare your suitcase accordingly.
When entering the mosques you should have shoulders and collarbones covered.
When entering the hammams, towels will be provided for you and bathing suits are optional as there are separate rooms for men and women bathing together. Our experience will be quite interesting but please plan to bring/wear whatever you feel comfortable in inside the hammam. Keep in mind it is an exfoliation bath so the less you have on the better for the attendant. Most people find that a bathing suit bottom is enough but you are free to wear more or less of your bathing as your comfort level dictates. Keep in mind that no one is looking 😉 We will discuss more of this in the group email prior to the retreat.
Sunrise hot air balloon rides are chilly! It’s early and cold so bring a coat and scarf and warm layers to shed as the day goes on. Hiking in the sun will be comfortable and warm.
