My Favorite Yoga Places in Portland, Maine

For me getting to a yoga class once or twice a week is critical to my physical and mental well-being. Yoga makes a huge difference in how quickly I recover from running and how I feel out on the roads. I've tried nearly every yoga studio in the greater Portland area, but these two are my favorites.

Breathing Room

This cozy, little spot is hands down my favorite. They offer a variety of vinyasa classes, from gentle flow to vigorous vinyasa, as well as restorative and yang/yin. The studio consists of a welcome area, one yoga studio, and a bathroom. The studio has a beautiful antique tiled ceiling and funky henna mural on the walls. I love looking at both when I am upside down. The only parking is on-street, but because it is SoPo there is plenty to go around. Every single one of their teachers is so welcoming that after just a class or two I felt like I was part of the BR family. I've found that nearly all of their classes have the perfect mix of challenge and ease that I look for in a yoga studio.

Lila East End Yoga

Lila is a beautiful studio in Portland's east end. There is a class for everyone at this studio. They make it easy for beginners to get familiar with yoga with their foundations classes, for intermediate yogis to grow their practice with the expanding class, and for advanced yogis to get a high level class with Asana junkies. It is also a small studio with an atrium, the studio, and a bathroom. The space feels historic, with an original brick wall and a wall of reclaimed brick. The parking is on street and can be a challenge at peak hours. Their teachers are all extremely knowledgeable. I found that their classes are more vigorous than at the Breathing Room.

What do you look for in a yoga studio?