Mysore Sintra, offers a calm and welcoming atmosphere, allowing you to feel truly at home from the moment you arrive.
Located in Fontanelas, a beautiful village by the ocean.
the building used to be a Public Primary school, and it still has that feeling. During the morning the Sun shines through the windows warming up the room.
Francisco (Xico) Rodrigues has been dedicated to the practice and teaching of yoga for over 20 years. Originally from Sintra, he was introduced to yoga at the age of 14 by his mother, while his father shaped his connection to adventure and sport. From an early age, he walked a rare path — balancing discipline and inner work through yoga with the intensity of physical challenge and exploration.
He is among the very few teachers in Portugal who have lived in India and committed themselves fully to daily study with some of the most respected masters of our time. He was authorized by the KPJAYI / SKPJ Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India, in 2008. Along his path, he also practiced and studied with senior teachers such as Rolf Naujokat and Tim Miller, deepening his understanding of yoga.
Over the years, Xico has moved beyond fixed systems and rigid traditions. He no longer teaches Ashtanga Yoga. Instead, he has developed his own method — more complete, more grounded, and deeply connected to real life. His approach focuses on building a strong, healthy, and resilient body, while keeping the practice simple, honest, and free from attachment to any yoga school or group.
Xico is a demanding teacher. His work is rooted in discipline, consistency, and truth. He believes in the real healing power of yoga, not as an idea, but as something that comes through committed, regular practice. He values students who are willing to show up, take responsibility, and stay dedicated over time.
In a world where yoga is often shaped by trends and branding, he remains independent, grounded, and authentic. He has never followed the commercialization of modern yoga. Few have sacrificed as much in pursuit of a deeper and more honest understanding of the practice.
His teaching is shaped by experience — not theory. He has studied breathing techniques in both India and Portugal, explored movement with world-renowned teacher Ido Portal, and taught thousands of students in Portugal and internationally, including the USA, Poland, Croatia, Germany, and beyond.
