Short answer: yes, the Canary Islands have plenty of yoga and wellness retreats, and the island you pick shapes the week more than almost anything else. Tenerife has by far the widest choice. Fuerteventura is the place for surf and yoga, with nearly everything clustered in the north. Lanzarote leans towards surf camps and fitness, Gran Canaria mixes rural houses with city-beach yoga, and La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro suit anyone who wants real quiet. Most week-long retreats cost between €875 and €1,550 per person, and the best months for UK travellers run from October to April.
This guide compares the seven islands as retreat destinations, with examples of established venues that have dates published for winter 2026/27, typical prices, how to get there from the UK and what to check before you pay a deposit.
Table of Contents
- The Canary Islands for a retreat: island by island at a glance
- Which island suits your retreat?
- Tenerife: the widest choice
- Fuerteventura: surf, yoga and Pilates in the north
- Lanzarote: surf camps and fitness
- Gran Canaria: rural houses and city-beach yoga
- La Gomera: the quiet option with a long history
- La Palma and El Hierro: for detox and dark skies
- How much does a yoga retreat in the Canary Islands cost?
- When is the best time for a retreat in the Canary Islands?
- How to choose the right retreat
- Before you book: work out what you want from it
- Travelling responsibly in the Canary Islands in 2026
- Yoga retreats in the Canary Islands: FAQs
- Are there any yoga retreats in the Canary Islands?
- How much does a yoga retreat in the Canary Islands cost?
- Which Canary Island is best for a yoga retreat?
- What is the best time of year for a retreat in the Canary Islands?
- Why are the Canary Islands on the no travel list for 2026?
- What is the 90-day rule in the Canary Islands?
The Canary Islands for a retreat: island by island at a glance
| Island | Typical retreats | Best for | Getting there from the UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | Yoga and hiking, mindfulness, women-only weeks, plant-based retreats in rural fincas | First-timers who want choice | Direct to Tenerife South, about 4h30 from London |
| Fuerteventura | Surf and yoga, yoga with Pilates, small holistic houses, almost all in the north | Active retreats and solo travellers | Direct to Fuerteventura, about 4h15 |
| Lanzarote | Surf and yoga camps in Famara, villa retreats, sports-resort fitness weeks | Budget surf and yoga, fitness | Direct to Lanzarote, about 4h05 to 4h15 |
| Gran Canaria | Rural house retreats inland, city and beach yoga in Las Palmas, wellness hotels | Combining a retreat with a city or hotel stay | Direct to Gran Canaria, about 4h15 to 4h30 |
| La Gomera | Long-running seminar centres, boat-access finca, one-to-one retreats | Slow weeks, forest walks, quiet | Fly to Tenerife South, then a 50-minute ferry |
| La Palma | Detox and raw-food programmes, stargazing | Detox and dark skies | Limited direct flights; most connect via Tenerife North |
| El Hierro | Occasional guest-led retreats and a spa hotel | Switching off completely | Flight from Tenerife North or a ferry of about 2h30 |
Flight times are averages for London departures; our guide to the flight time from the UK to Tenerife has the figures for regional airports.
Which island suits your retreat?
Tenerife: the widest choice
Tenerife has more retreats than any other island: BookRetreats listed 38 yoga retreats on the island alone when we checked in October 2026. The styles differ as much as the landscapes. Mandala de Masca sits on private land in the Masca valley inside Teno Rural Park and runs six-night yoga retreats with plant-based food, an alcohol-free house and a hike in the Teno hills. Its winter 2026/27 editions start at €1,195 per person in a women-only dorm and €1,495 in a shared twin, including meals, yoga and shared transfers from Tenerife South.
Bliss Yoga Retreats in Buzanada, a quiet village near Los Cristianos, takes a more relaxed line, with wine at dinner and group excursions to the beach and to Teide. In Arico, in the south-east, InnerTruth Academy runs seven-night yoga and mindfulness retreats at a renovated country house from €1,245 per person in a shared double. Hikers should look for weeks with guided walks built in, such as the yoga and hiking editions Wanderlust Yoga Retreats runs at Mandala de Masca this winter. Retreats on the north side of the island are also within reach of the laurel forest in the Anaga Mountains.
If your retreat includes a hike on Teide, book ahead. Since January 2026, everyone needs a permit for the summit trail (Telesforo Bravo), and visitors who do not live on Tenerife pay €15 for it and €6 to €10 for the Montaña Blanca route. Our Teide National Park guide covers the rest of the park.
Fuerteventura: surf, yoga and Pilates in the north
Almost every established retreat on Fuerteventura is in the north, in the municipality of La Oliva, between Corralejo, Lajares and El Cotillo. Azulfit in the village of Villaverde has run yoga and Pilates weeks for nearly two decades, with more than 20 hours of classes a week and vegetarian food, from around €910 a week in a shared room. In Lajares, 7LemonsHouse adds breathwork, ice baths, a wood-fired sauna and sound healing to its yoga weeks. Surf’n’Yoga Fuerteventura, between El Cotillo and Lajares, charges from €1,355 for a seven-night yoga package in a women’s dorm and from €1,480 for surf and yoga.
The south has fewer dedicated retreats. Costa Calma works better for a self-made wellness week of long beach walks and calm lagoon swims. Inland, the Montaña de Tindaya was a sacred mountain for the Majos, the island’s first inhabitants, and carries more than 300 engravings of feet. Climbing it without authorisation from the Cabildo de Fuerteventura is prohibited, so admire it from the base or from the village of Tindaya.
Lanzarote: surf camps and fitness
Lanzarote has a thinner retreat scene than its neighbours, and a cheaper one. BookRetreats listed only five yoga retreats on the island in October 2026, most of them surf and yoga camps in Caleta de Famara, where Lanzasurf, founded as a surf club in 2006, combines surf lessons with yoga. Accommodation there is usually self-catering. In winter, villa retreats in Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise fill the gap with yoga and meditation weeks over Christmas and New Year, plus Pilates and walking weeks.
For a fitness-led break, Club La Santa on the north-west coast has been a sports resort since 1983, with three 50-metre pools and yoga, breathing and meditation classes in its all-sports-inclusive programme. The whole island has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1993.
Gran Canaria: rural houses and city-beach yoga
Gran Canaria has fewer dedicated retreat venues than you might expect from the second most populous island, but the ones it has are distinctive. La Tejana is a century-old rural house in El Palmar near Teror, inside Doramas Rural Park, running yoga, meditation and walking weeks for small groups. In Las Palmas, See Yoga runs flexible yoga holidays from a studio by Las Canteras beach, so you can mix classes with a city break. Casa León Royal Retreat, an adults-only hotel in the hills above Maspalomas, offers a daily programme of yoga, meditation and tai chi without the structure of a retreat.
The interior is where the island’s spiritual history sits. Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. The site spans Artenara, Tejeda, Agaete and Gáldar, and includes cave temples and the Roque Bentayga. Roque Nublo, in the same mountain landscape, is a popular walk, and some retreats build an excursion to it into the week.
La Gomera: the quiet option with a long history
La Gomera has been drawing alternative travellers to Valle Gran Rey since the 1970s, and in winter the sunset at La Calera is still marked with drums. Finca Argayall, a community and seminar centre by the sea in Valle Gran Rey founded in 1986, hosts week-long retreats led by visiting teachers, from yoga and breathwork to conscious dance and silent retreats, with vegetarian buffet meals. Finca El Cabrito, near San Sebastián, can only be reached by boat and runs seminar weeks from its own organic farm; full board in winter 2026/27 starts at €124 per person per night, with a one-week minimum. Many of its programmes are in German, so check the language before you book.
Forest walks in Garajonay National Park are often part of the programme. There are no direct flights from the UK: fly to Tenerife South and take the ferry from Los Cristianos to San Sebastián de La Gomera, which takes about 50 minutes with Fred. Olsen Express or Baleària.
La Palma and El Hierro: for detox and dark skies
La Palma suits a detox week. Vidyamor in Tijarafe runs eight-day cleansing programmes with raw vegan food and yoga in a valley garden. The island has been a Starlight Reserve since 2012, so clear nights come as standard, and the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory sits at 2,396 metres. Direct flights from the UK are limited, and Jet2 ends its Manchester service at the end of October 2026, so most visitors connect through Tenerife North.
El Hierro, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2000, has very few dedicated retreats. Expect occasional guest-led weeks, such as an Ayurveda and yoga retreat for women in the El Golfo valley in March 2027, or book into the spa hotel at Pozo de la Salud in Sabinosa and build your own quiet week.
How much does a yoga retreat in the Canary Islands cost?
Most week-long yoga retreats on the islands cost between €875 and €1,550 per person, according to BookRetreats, which lists more than 100 yoga retreats across the Canaries. Four- and five-day retreats typically run from €500 to €700. That usually covers accommodation, two or three meals a day and all classes, but not flights.
| Retreat | Island | Length | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azulfit, Villaverde | Fuerteventura | 7 nights | About €910, shared room |
| Mandala de Masca, Masca valley | Tenerife | 6 nights | €1,195 dorm, €1,495 shared twin |
| InnerTruth Academy, Arico | Tenerife | 7 nights | €1,245, shared double |
| Surf’n’Yoga Fuerteventura, El Roque | Fuerteventura | 7 nights | €1,355, women’s dorm |
| Finca El Cabrito | La Gomera | From 7 nights | €124 a night, full board |
Check what the price leaves out. Airport transfers are often extra, single rooms can cost several hundred euros more than a shared room, and on La Gomera and El Hierro you need to add the ferry. Most operators price in euros, so the sterling cost moves with the exchange rate.
When is the best time for a retreat in the Canary Islands?
October to April is the main retreat season, and it is when the islands make most sense for UK travellers. Daytime highs in December and January sit around 21 to 23°C, warm enough for outdoor yoga in the morning sun but cool enough for long walks. Christmas and New Year have their own dedicated retreats on Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, and single rooms can sell out early. Summer brings highs of around 29 to 30°C in August, and some venues run smaller groups between May and August. Our Tenerife weather guide has the month-by-month figures, and our piece on winter in the Canary Islands explains why the off-season works so well.
How to choose the right retreat
Two retreats on the same island can feel completely different. Before you book, check:
- Style and intensity. Two gentle classes a day suit a reset; three sessions plus hikes, surf or Pilates suit someone who wants an active week.
- Group size. Options range from one-to-one weeks to groups of around 20, and smaller groups get more attention from the teacher.
- Food and house rules. Plant-based menus are common. Some houses are alcohol-free and serve coffee only at breakfast, while others pour wine at dinner.
- Location and transport. Rural fincas usually need a transfer or a hire car, and Finca El Cabrito on La Gomera needs a boat.
- Language. Many La Gomera seminars are run in German, so confirm that sessions are in English.
- Who else goes. Many guests travel alone. If that is you, our guide to solo travel in the Canary Islands has more ideas.
Before you book: work out what you want from it
A retreat works best when you know why you are going. Most people arrive with something on their mind: a career decision, the end of a relationship, a sense of running on empty for too long. A week of writing down what keeps coming up, before you even pack, makes it easier to choose the right style of retreat and to use the quiet time well once you are there.
Some people like to talk it through with someone first. That might be a friend or a coach, or, for those drawn to tarot or astrology, one of the Nebula spiritual advisors, who offer readings online by chat, so you can do it from home in the weeks before you fly. Treat a reading as a way to sharpen your questions, not as a substitute for the time away.
A retreat is not therapy either. If you are dealing with burnout, anxiety or grief, speak to your GP or a qualified therapist before you go, and ask the retreat whether its teachers are trained to support you.
Travelling responsibly in the Canary Islands in 2026
Fodor’s Travel put the Canary Islands on its “No List” for both 2025 and 2026, pointing to pressure on housing from holiday rentals, a water emergency on Tenerife and strain on roads and sewage systems. Fodor’s itself says the list is not a boycott. Tens of thousands of residents marched against mass tourism in April 2024 and again in May 2025, and protests in 2026 have focused more on housing and new development.
A retreat can be one of the lower-impact ways to visit. Small, locally run houses spread visitors away from the big resorts, so favour them where you can. Go easy on water, travel in the shoulder months if your dates are flexible and respect the rules at protected sites such as Tindaya and the Teide summit trail.
Yoga retreats in the Canary Islands: FAQs
Are there any yoga retreats in the Canary Islands?
Yes. BookRetreats lists more than 100 yoga retreats across the islands, and Tenerife alone had 38 in October 2026. Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Gomera and La Palma all have established venues, while El Hierro mainly hosts occasional guest-led retreats.
How much does a yoga retreat in the Canary Islands cost?
Most week-long yoga retreats cost between €875 and €1,550 per person including accommodation, meals and classes, and four- to five-day retreats cost around €500 to €700. Flights, transfers and single-room supplements are usually extra.
Which Canary Island is best for a yoga retreat?
Tenerife is best for choice, with the most retreats and the most direct UK flights. Fuerteventura is best for combining surf and yoga, and La Gomera is best if you want a slow, quiet week with forest walks.
What is the best time of year for a retreat in the Canary Islands?
October to April. Daytime highs stay around 21 to 23°C in midwinter, which suits outdoor yoga and walking, and most retreats publish their fullest programmes for these months.
Why are the Canary Islands on the no travel list for 2026?
Fodor’s Travel included the Canary Islands in its No List for 2026, as it did for 2025, because of pressure from mass tourism on housing, water and infrastructure. Fodor’s says the list is not a boycott, and choosing small, locally run retreats is one way to visit more lightly.
What is the 90-day rule in the Canary Islands?
The Canary Islands are part of Spain and the Schengen area, so UK passport holders can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and time spent in other Schengen countries counts towards the limit. You may be asked to register fingerprints and a photo under the EU Entry/Exit System on your first visit. ETIAS, the planned €20 EU travel authorisation, had not started at the time of writing.
