Morocco, at Christmas
5 day yoga retreat
Do you have something so sacred that you don’t want to share it with anyone? A secret place you want to keep just for yourself.
Essaouira sits quietly on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, shaped by wind, light, and a slower sense of time. I arrived in the evening via Marrakech airport, followed by a long drive towards the ocean, the landscape gradually softening as we moved closer to the coast. By the time I reached my final destination near Essaouira, La Vida Surf, a yoga retreat set within a villa that feels both open and deeply rooted in its surroundings, was only partially revealed - the place barely visible, the space lit softly by stars. The sky was full of them. I remember whispering to myself: this is magical.
2,5 hours drive from Marrakech city
Yoga retreat home
Next morning, I woke early, driven by quiet curiosity - or perhaps the pursuit of Wi-Fi. I wanted to see what this place looked like in daylight, to understand what had felt so special the night before. And there it was: calm, grounded, effortlessly beautiful.
La Vida Surf Villa
It’s Christmas. From the 22nd to the 27th December, the villa becomes home to a small group of women, each arriving with her own story. Morning begin with breakfast, then comes the first yoga practice of the day. Two hours of movement under an open sky, the sun fully present, warming skin and softening everything it touches. Afterwards, we head out for a hike, just enough to understand the land, just enough to feel connected to where we are.
Chef’s kiss breakfast & yoga practice
We find ourselves welcomed into the home of our caretaker, Ayoub. His mother prepares lunch for us - a meal that feels deeply personal and unhurried. It ends, as it always does here, with mint tea. In Morocco, the longer the pour, the greater the respect shown to the guest. Watching the tea arc slowly from glass to glass feels ceremonial, a quiet expression of hospitality.
Ayoub’s home
Evenings return us to stillness - yoga as the light fades, dinner, and a Christmas film. Nothing extravagant. Nothing forced. Just presence, warmth, and the quiet feeling of being exactly where you’re meant to be.
Evening yoga practice and a movie night
The Holiday
As the days pass, we grow closer - the women staying in the villa slowly becoming something like a family, if only for now. On Christmas Eve, the villa fills with life. A Moroccan cooking masterclass, live music from a (very) local band ;), and dancing late into the night, moving until our feet can’t anymore.
Tajin masterclass, local band music night & secret Santa
Christmas Day arrives, and with it, the sun. We gather around a long table for what feels like the most beautiful breakfast, unhurried and shared. The day invites reflection and free time - a pause - before returning to the mat for our evening yoga practice. The evening ends with a generous dinner and simple games, laughter carrying us through the night.
Our time together is almost over. On the last full day, we travel to Essaouira - a coffee stop, a fish burger by the sea, small souvenirs tucked into bags. We wander past familiar scenes, places once used to film Game of Thrones, now quiet, sunlit, and entirely our own.
Coffee shop Bonzo & Fishburger for fishburger!
Essaouira
On the final morning yoga, we sit together in a circle for a moment to acknowledge what this place has quietly given us. Then it’s time to leave. Bags packed, hugs held a second longer than expected. The villa empties, the road appears again, and Morocco begins to feel like something already remembered rather than something still happening.
Some places stay with you not because they ask you to change, but because they allow you to be still. This was one of them.