Vipassana meditation usually involves 10 day courses of sitting in silence, slowly scanning all the sensations present in the body while listening to the mildly annoying voice of Goenke, an Indian meditation teacher who popularised Vipassana meditation around the world.
The courses are usually by donation, you sleep in a dormitory and sit in silence for 10 hours a day.
It’s not for everyone 🙂
Austria
Vipassana Austria
Located 1.5 kilometers outside Götzis, on the edge of a nature reserve above the Vorarlberg Rhine Valley, this seminar house features bright, open architecture. In Austria’s westernmost province, Vorarlberg, bordering Switzerland, Germany, and Liechtenstein, Götzis is easily accessible by train (direct connections to Vienna or Ulm) or car (A14). The house has 55 rooms with private bathrooms and can host up to 115 meditators.
Location: Naarntalstraße 2, 4324 Rechberg, Austria
Belgium
Dhamma Pajjota
The first Benelux Vipassana Centre, named Dhamma Pajjota by S.N. Goenka, was established in June 2000 in Dilsen-Stokkem, meaning “Light or Torch of Dhamma.” Situated in rural Belgian Limburg, near the borders of the Netherlands and Germany, it is dedicated to teaching Vipassana in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Courses are held year-round and offered in English/Dutch, English/French, or English/German. The center can accommodate about 110 students and is supported by old students who have completed a 10-day course. Accommodations consist of simple single, double, and triple rooms, most with attached bathrooms, as well as two rooms with disabled access. The 11-acre site features walking areas and a separate building for long-term servers and storage.
location: Driepaal 3, 3650 Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium
France
Dhamma Mahi
The French Vipassana Centre, Dhamma Mahi, is located 165 kilometers south of Paris on 100 acres of scenic land featuring woods and meadows. Established in 1988, it offers a peaceful atmosphere with expansive walking areas. The center has a meditation hall that accommodates up to 120 students and 30 servers, along with meditation cells for old students. The main building, designed in an “H” shape, separates men and women and includes dining rooms, a large kitchen, and accommodation for servers. In 2011 and 2012, four new buildings with 48 single rooms (each with attached bathrooms) were added, including rooms for disabled students. The center hosts regular 10-day courses in French, English, and occasionally Khmer, with audiotapes available in multiple languages for evening discourses.
Location: Lieu dit, 89350 Champignelles, France
Dhamma Nilaya
Dhamma Nilaya Meditation House is a center dedicated to the practice of Vipassana meditation, following the teachings of S.N. Goenka. Located in a serene environment, it offers one-day courses every other Sunday, which are specifically for old students—those who have completed at least one 10-day Vipassana course in the Goenka tradition. In addition to these regular sessions, Dhamma Nilaya sometimes organizes special courses for children, introducing them to the practice of mindfulness and meditation.
Location: 6 La Moinerie, 77120 Beautheil-Saints, France
Germany
Dhamma Dvāra
The Vipassana Centre in Triebel, located on a hilltop in Saxony near Hof and Plauen, offers stunning views over the forests and meadows of the Vogtland region, 500 meters above sea level. Its peaceful surroundings are perfect for serious meditation. Purchased in December 2000 and opened after renovations in 2002, the center accommodates up to 100 meditators and servers. Courses are held year-round, typically offering two 10-day courses per month. Managed by a non-profit Vipassana association, the center is run by volunteers who ensure regular courses and promote Vipassana to the public.
Location: Alte Str. 6, 08606 Triebel/Vogtl., Germany
UK
Dhamma Dīpa
The Vipassana meditation center in Herefordshire, known as Dhamma Dīpa (Island of Dhamma), is located in the peaceful Wye Valley between Hereford and Ross-on-Wye. Purchased in 1991, the site was originally a riding school and has been transformed into a full-fledged meditation center through the efforts of volunteers. Surrounded by rolling hills, rivers, and apple orchards, the rural setting provides an ideal environment for meditation. The center accommodates around 130 students, and courses are held year-round, attracting over 2,500 participants annually. It features a specially designed meditation hall with a capacity for 128 students.
Location: Pencoyd, Hereford HR2 8NG, United Kingdom
Dhamma Sukhakāri
Dhamma Sukhakāri, the UK’s second ten-day Vipassana center, is located at Walnut Tree Manor on ten acres of land in the Suffolk countryside near Haughley Green, a short distance from Stowmarket railway station. Walnut Tree Manor, a seventeenth-century farmhouse, has undergone significant modifications over the years, serving various purposes, including being home to Lady Eve Balfour and the Soil Association, a preparatory school, and a children’s activity center. The site includes the historic Manor House, a connected Coach House, a large accommodation block, a kitchen, dining rooms, a meditation hall, and outbuildings. Surrounded by fields and woodlands, the center offers ten-day courses for new and old students and three-day courses for old students.
Location: Walnut Tree Manor, Haughley Green, Stowmarket IP14 3RQ, United Kingdom
Dhamma Padhāna
Dhamma Padhāna is a Vipassana meditation center in Herefordshire, England, located next to Dhamma Dīpa. It was established specifically for long courses and offers advanced facilities for returning students seeking more intense meditation experiences. The name “Dhamma Padhāna” translates to “Foremost in Dhamma,” reflecting its focus on in-depth practice.
This European Long-Course Centre (ELCC) provides single en-suite accommodations with private meditation rooms designed to support individual practice. Although primarily focused on long courses, the center also offers shorter courses for old students and specialized courses for executives. It began offering courses in March 2010
Location: Pencoyd, St Owen’s Cross, Hereford HR2 8NG, United Kingdom
Italy
Dhamma Atala Vipassana Centre
Dhamma Atala Vipassana Centre, meaning “firm or steady in Dhamma,” is located in Lutirano near Marradi, in the province of Florence, though closer to Faenza. Nestled in the Apennines at 400m above sea level, the center is 35 km from Faenza and 75 km from Florence, accessible via the A14 and A1 highways. Surrounded by a peaceful, rural landscape, it provides an ideal environment for meditation. The meditation hall is housed in a wooden building dedicated solely to this practice. Visitors can arrange to visit the center outside of course times by contacting us in advance.
Location: Strada Provinciale 12 50034, Lutirano FI, Italy
Spain
Dhamma Neru
On the afternoon of June 22, 1999, the Spanish Vipassana Association purchased a property near Palautordera, about 35 miles northwest of Barcelona, to establish the first Vipassana center in Spain, named Dhamma Neru, meaning “Heavenly Mountain of Dhamma.” The main building is arranged around an open courtyard and sits on a 3.6-acre site filled with fruit and ornamental trees, surrounded by a high hedge. The nearest village, Santa Maria de Palautordera, is about 1 km away, with the Montseny mountain towering nearby. The center enjoys a mild, sometimes rainy climate at 1300 feet above sea level and 30 minutes from the Mediterranean. It currently accommodates 62 students, though the Dhamma Hall has a capacity for 80.
Location: Diseminat Quarter Sanata, 12, 08460 Santa Maria de Palautordera, Barcelona, Spain
Dhamma Sacca
In May 2015, the Spanish Vipassana Trust began constructing a new meditation center, with the first phase set for completion and courses starting in August 2016. The site, found after a search starting in 2009, is located in Candeleda, Ávila, about two hours from Madrid. Spanning 10 hectares of rural land, it is sheltered by the Sierra de Gredos mountains and offers stunning views of Pico Almanzor. Named Dhamma Sacca, meaning the Truth of Dhamma, the center will accommodate 120 students and 30 servers, with the proximity to Portugal allowing shared courses. The construction meets all environmental regulations, and the land has been replanted with native oaks, ash, and cork trees.
Location: CL-501, Km. 85, 6, 05480 Candeleda, Ávila, Spain
Switzerland
Dhamma Sumeru
Dhamma Sumeru, the first Swiss Vipassana Centre, means “heavenly mountain of the Dhamma” in Pali. Established in November 1999, it is located on Mont-Soleil (“Sunny Mountain”) in the Swiss Jura mountains, at an altitude of 3600 feet, surrounded by pastures, fields, and forests. Mont-Soleil, one of the sunniest spots in Switzerland, is near St. Imier, between Biel and La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Originally built in 1904 as a hotel, the building later became a children’s holiday camp before being purchased by the Swiss Vipassana Association in 1999. The property sits on two acres of land with tall trees, green pastures, and walking paths. Old students from three countries support the center, and Italian, German, French, and English courses are offered.
Location: Mont-Soleil 140, 2610 Saint-Imier, Switzerland
Sweden
Dhamma Sobhana
Dhamma Sobhana, the first Nordic Vipassana Centre, was established in February 2007 and means “Beauty of Dhamma.” Located in central Sweden between Stockholm and Gothenburg, near towns like Ödeshög and Vadstena, it sits in a peaceful countryside surrounded by forests and farmland. Close to Lake Vättern and Lake Tåkern, the center was previously a village school and youth hostel. It accommodates around 100 students per course, with courses offered bilingually in English and Swedish and occasionally in Danish, Norwegian, or Finnish. The non-profit Swedish Vipassana Foundation runs the center.
Location: Holmen 1, 599 93 Ödeshög, Sweden
Netherlands
Dhamma Taḷāka
Dhamma Taḷāka is located on the outskirts of Almere and is easily accessible by public transport. Direct trains run from various Dutch cities to Almere Centrum, from where multiple options are available to reach the center. Newcomers are advised to use Google Maps for reliable public transport directions. The center is operated by the Vipassana Stichting, a non-profit foundation managed by a Board of old-student volunteers, with oversight from an Advisory Council of Teachers. Various committees handle the center’s operations, and decisions are made by consensus. Board and committee meetings are open to all old students.
Location: Michauxpad 16, 1358 AE Almere, Netherlands
Poland
Dhamma Pallava
Sayagyi U Ba Khin, the teacher of S.N. Goenka, believed that a permanent meditation center was the best environment for deep meditation. He often urged Goenkaji, saying, “Have a center as quickly as possible!” In 2008, Vipassana practitioners in Poland found and purchased land after years of searching. S.N. Goenka named it Dhamma Pallava, meaning “sprout of Dhamma,” envisioning it would grow into a fully functioning center. Located in Dziadowice, Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, it offers a peaceful environment better suited for meditation than previous temporary locations.
The 10-hectare site consists of forests, meadows, and walking paths. It includes 10 buildings: a meditation hall for 110 people, two smaller halls, 66 individual meditation cells (under construction), accommodation for 110 students and 10 servers, a kitchen with two dining halls, and various utility rooms. The center also has a conference room, office space, and additional server rooms.
Dhamma Pallava is situated within reach of major cities: Łódź (95 km), Poznań (120 km), Wrocław (160 km), Warsaw (220 km), Katowice (250 km), Gdańsk (305 km), and Berlin (390 km).
Location: Dziadowice 3a, 62-709 Malanów, Poland
Russia
Dhamma Dullabha vipassana center
Dhamma Dullabha is the only permanent Vipassana meditation center in Russia. Demand for courses far exceeds the center’s capacity, with registrations filling up within minutes.
To reach the center by car, take Yegoryevskoye Highway, pass the turn to Orekhovo-Suyevo, and continue for 10 km. Then, turn towards Shatura, drive 20 km to Avsyutino village, and make a right turn to Roudnya. After 500 meters, turn right again to reach the camp.
By train, the journey from Kazansky Railway station to Avsyutino station takes about 2 hours, followed by a 15-20 minute walk to the camp.
Location: Avsyunino, Moscow Oblast, Russia, 142645
Lithuania
Dhamma Līḷhā
Lithuania has a dedicated Vipassana meditation center called Dhamma Līḷhā, located in the Varėna district, about 70 kilometers southwest of Vilnius. Established in 2022, this center offers 10-day courses, Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta courses, and shorter meditation sessions. It can accommodate up to 60 students and offers a peaceful setting in a rural area for meditation practice.
Courses are typically conducted in both Lithuanian and English. The center operates entirely on a donation basis, and neither the teachers nor the staff receive compensation, as it is run by volunteers committed to the teachings of S.N. Goenka. Students from neighboring countries such as Latvia and Estonia often attend courses here as well.
Location: Dhamma Lilha, Miguičionys 15, Alytaus apskritis, 65414 Varėnos r. sav., Lithuania