‘Zurich is yoga heaven’
Yoga has become a global business in the 21st century, and 70 yoga studios have taken root in the city of Zurich alone. Florina Vilciu has compiled a guide to all of the options available, but not only that: the 30-year-old has committed herself to personally trying out all of the classes and reporting back on them in her blog.
You want to visit all of the yoga studios in the city of Zurich. How many do you still have left to go?
Since I started my project in October 2018, I have practised yoga in 27 studios. Considering there are currently over 70 in the city, I still have quite a few left. The guide is complete and is being updated regularly, but I haven’t yet been to all of them myself.
Why is it important for you to visit them personally?
It’s one thing to present a complete overview of all the studios in the city, but I want to complement the guide with blog posts and photos. I talk with the instructors and pass on my personal insights. Yoga is incredibly varied. Those who are just starting out can quickly lose an overall view.
I would also say that in the lifestyle studios, it’s mostly that bit more luxurious and you practise in much larger groups, so if you want to be seen and to meet new people, you’ll be in good hands.
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Do you categorise the studios?
That’s quite difficult as there are different styles and philosophies. But I do try to classify them in my guide. It’s also hard when there are small, very informal places with only one or two yogis, all the way up to the large lifestyle studios, as I call them. The large studios do a lot of advertising and appear higher up in Google searches.
Are there also differences in price?
In the big studios, you’ll pay up to 40 CHF an hour, in the smaller ones the prices usually start at 25 CHF. I would also say that in the lifestyle studios, it’s mostly that bit more luxurious and you practise in much larger groups, so if you want to be seen and to meet new people, you’ll be in good hands. Expats are some of the greatest advocates of these larger studios. For beginners, I would recommend a more personal approach, where the instructor has more time and can accommodate individual requirements. But really, yoga novices can start off in any studio.
Florina auf Instagram
Is the yoga offering in Zurich more appealing than in other cities?
Zurich is yoga heaven (laughs)! There is something for everyone and at least one studio in every district. With 14 studios, people living in the 4th district have the biggest choice, whereas there’s only one studio in the 10th district. Just so you know, I don’t cover the private classes in my blog. So for example, if someone offers classes at their home, I don’t include them in the guide.
What would you like to achieve with your yoga guide?
I work full time as a project manager at a large bank, so the guide is only a hobby, even if it is a time-consuming one. I often find myself sitting at the computer until late in the evening. I would like to expand the guide and make it more visually appealing and user friendly. The demand is there. I also offer added value: I have only become aware of some studios through personal contacts.
Have you already found your favourite studio?
I’m not giving that one away (laughs). No, on a serious note: of course I have preferences but basically I want to broaden my horizons and become familiar with different yoga styles and classes. That’s how the idea for the guide came about. For me, yoga is a body-conscious method of relaxation, less so a spiritual experience. And I like meeting new people: yogis are usually fascinating people who live a conscious life. That gives me enough material for my blog.
