Greece Odyssey Retreat

“Of all peoples the Greeks have dreamt the dream of life best.” –Goethe

Voyage the local way into a simplified way of life, in the incredible light of Greece that clears all clutter away.

Reset, explore and revel with us in a setting of mythic beauty on our local-style retreat to the pristine island of Amorgos.

Slip barefoot out of the bounds of daily habit and back into your clarity.

Join us for genuine days of freedom and fun in the Greek light that shines right into your soul.

This year’s special “Explorer’s Edition” of this favorite retreat is dedicated to all I love most about Greece, especially: The absolutely unmatched feeling of freedom in simplicity.

You are likely to experience a deep sense of your own presence that will sustain you long after your time on retreat. Our practices and the special qualities of this island environment will help you to reclaim your attention and feel fully alive.

This journey is created for the traveler in you, for explorers who want to slowly immerse in the lesser-known hidden gems and connect with the local rhythm that it may enter your heart and enrich your soul.

Exquisite beaches, daily yoga and meditation, genuine local food and culture, marvelous views, special spots, hikes, swims and local-style living, will bathe your being in joy: the essence of Mediterranean summer.

Away from the bright lights and busy vibe of big hotels, this retreat is a return to the simple roots that ignited my life-long love affair with the Greek island way of life.
Expect sun-drenched nature, local-style savoring– and a minimum of anything that could get in the way of the light!

Imagine

A simple, all-white summer house, its soul alive with generations of family stories, set right on the beach with the waves, birds, wind and stars as neighbors.
Crisp white sheets line-dried in the sun, homemade Greek breakfasts on the shady terrace, daily yoga sessions on an open deck among the olive trees, the scent of salt on your skin, songs of cicadas and local musicians – and everywhere the blue, blue, blue, endlessly clear blue sea.

Open yourself to the day with yoga. Outings will be offered to hike, exploring the island’s ancient footpaths to hidden monasteries and traditional villages, and special swimming spots around the island. Or you may choose to simply relax on the terrace with book, or on our gorgeous beach. Some evenings we’ll enjoy dinner on our villa terrace by our in-house cook, Polyxeni, while other nights we’ll feast in local village tavernas filled with kefi, Greek for high-spirits.
Fall asleep to the gentle sound of waves lapping under the moonlight, right outside your window.

Maybe the writer Henry Miller put it best when he wrote this about Greece:

“In Greece one has the desire to bathe in the sky. You want to rid yourself of your clothes, take a running leap and vault into the blue.
You want to float in the air like an angel or lie on the grass rigid and enjoy the cataleptic trance.
Stone and sky, they marry here. It is the perpetual dawn of man’s awakening.”

A true, slow-travel adventure awaits you. Venture off the beaten track with us in the Cycladic archipelago to this rare, still-unspoiled island.
We’ll live in simplicity, Greek-summer style.

A pilgrimage into the light.

Greece has a special rejuvenating quality that can’t be described in words. The island of Amorgos especially has been known since antiquity as a place of healing.
The island is an exceptional place to refill your well, revive your inspiration, and restore balance to your whole being. The views are awe-inspiring, the energy is uplifting, and you’ll be warmly welcomed like family.

Let it be simple, rich, and full.

Our retreat is all about slow-travel local style

We’ll gather in Athens to discover this vibrant ancient city full of creative local vibe. We’ll stay one night in a comfortable, locally-owned 4*hotel on a quiet street. This great, local neighborhood by the Acropolis is full of cafes, boutiques, and good restaurants, with pedestrian streets leading to all the ancient sites.

We'll travel by ship together to our retreat island of Amorgos.

Watch the Aegean sea as islands with mythical names slip slowly past in the dazzling blue. Enjoy a toast with your new travel companions as you relax into your journey in old-school Greek-style. Cabin accommodations are included for your comfort on a very large and stable ship. We’ll be warmly received by our wonderful local hosts on arrival.

Our days on the island.

Enjoy your early morning coffee sitting quietly on the beach or a swim in the smooth dawn sea before yoga. The day officially begins with energizing morning yoga and meditation on our open-air deck in the olive grove. A rich, homemade Greek breakfast is served on our terrace after class.

Daily outings include hikes on ancient footpaths to traditional villages, hidden monasteries and sacred sites, a private excursion by boat to an uninhabited islet for snorkeling, swims at pristine and remote beaches, local culture, and the main village with its labyrinthine white streets, windmills and beautiful artisan’s boutiques.

On some afternoons we'll gather for a restorative yoga, or a yoga workshop to deepen practice.

You will have a deep and personal experience of this mythic land where the Homeric gods once walked the earth – and still do.

Enjoy:

• Yoga and meditation (1 to 2x daily)on the open-air deck in the olive grove overlooking the sea

• Beautiful, simple and comfortable accommodations in the only traditional Cycladic villa right on Levrossos beach with our own beach club , olive grove, and verandas with incredible views.      

• An overnight in Athens at an excellent hotel – discover Athens’ local side with us.

• Fresh, bountiful Greek farm-to-table meals (organic whenever possible).

• A foodie's delight: we'll explore the island’s vibrant food culture, eating out in creative, local restaurants around the island and learning from our in-house Greek cook. Polyxeni.

• Healing bodywork available by skilled local therapists.

• Discover Athens with a local-vibe, visiting the Acropolis temples, museum, and special local spots for cafes, dining, and local artisans/designers.

• Hikes and other daily outings to hidden beaches, villages, ancient monasteries, special sites.

• Pre-departure priming and guidance in the 'art of pilgrimage' - soulful travel and making your journey personally meaningful

• Meet local artisans and other colorful local people.

• Time to reconnect with yourself and the rhythms of nature.

• Rejuvenation, fun, and deep relaxation – Greek island style!

This is your retreat.

Feel free to participate as much or as little as you wish in all of the offerings.

Before you decide to join – Is this the right retreat for you?

1. Our island is off the beaten track. You must journey through the night by boat to arrive in the old-world, Greek way (albeit in your own comfortable, private cabin). If you are looking to check-off a bucket list, don’t expect anyone to have heard of where you’re going.

2. There is everything in terms of simple comforts and nature’s beauty; delicious meals, our own beach bar, cute little shops in the villages, and exquisite peace. But if you are looking for a glamorous hotel, room service, a party or shopping paradise – it’s the wrong place.

3. We’re not tour guides or travel agents, our retreats are not sightseeing tours. We share with you our favorite places both secret and more known, our local friends, and offer the best of the island’s abundant gifts, with a genuine Greek welcome from the heart.

4. We seek to give our best to each unique person who comes, and we hope the people who come to us will be open minded, accepting in diversity: ready to enjoy, let go, have fun, and be yourself.

The retreat is structured so you will have a wonderful experience with great ease.

The retreat fee includes:

• Daily yoga with Julia ( 1 - 2x/day ) all yoga-props provided

• 8-nights beautiful, comfortable accommodations. (One night in an excellent 4* hotel in Athens, 7 nights in Amorgos in a staffed traditional villa property right on the beach.

• All bountiful meals for the retreat: fresh and local, both by our in-house cook Polyxeni, and out in great village tavernas around the island. Homemade breakfasts on our terrace. (Except for 2 lunches out are on your own.)

• Superior-class boat tickets to Amorgos with private cabin accommodation 

• Transfer from Athens hotel to port

• Transfer from port to our retreat villa on Amorgos

• Our own private beach club (umbrellas, sun-beds, café-bar) on our beautiful, secluded beach.

• In Athens: Expertly-guided tours of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum with Kassandra, including guide, tickets and fees, plus local walks and special spots.

• Private boat trip in Amorgos to an uninhabited islet for snorkeling and exploring.

• Excursions: Hikes, traditional villages, monasteries, swims at hidden beaches, great artisan’s shops and boutiques in villages, cooking, including all transportation.

• Serendipitous participation in local opportunities

• Relaxation and fun, Greek-island style

• Guidance in planning your travel to/from Greece and to other islands

• Give-back: A contribution to our foundation Young Cultural Leaders with Spiritual Insight is also included in your fee.

The retreat fee does not include:

• Airfare to Athens

• Transfer from Athens airport to hotel

• Tips, alcohol, additional activities not listed

• Post-retreat travels (including ferry from Amorgos to your next destination)

Your Retreat Gives Back

Not just tourists…

Your participation includes a generous donation to our tiny-but-mighty non-profit foundation, supporting education in local culture and values: Young Cultural-Leaders With Spiritual Insight.

Since 2013 we’ve provided full financial support to youth education in North Bali so they may thrive and carry on their magnificent artistic and spiritual heritage.

Learn more about our foundation.

Pricing

The retreat fee starts at $3850 per person for a shared double room.

All levels of yoga experience* are welcome, and will be honored and provided for.

Our peaceful seaside setting is auspicious for deepening our yoga practice. On this healing island we will unroll our mats on a beautiful, open-air deck set among olive trees and lemon trees with views of the Aegean sea.
We will also have the opportunity to enjoy early-morning meditation sessions directly on the pristine beach in front of our villa.

Note: Yoga participation is optional and you may choose to attend classes according to your body’s needs.
*If you plan to participate in the yoga program, the time to begin is now. A minimum 3 months of regular yoga practice at any level is recommended.

What to expect

Morning sessions will invigorate, strengthen and energize with clear alignment instruction honoring the intelligence of your individual body and meeting you where you are. Cultivate focus, breath, awareness, presence and posture. The emphasis will be on moving with awareness and ease rather than performing poses. Have fun, create compassionate discipline, free up your body and mind from unconscious habits, stuck places and thoughts that create suffering, all the while getting stronger, more confident, more courageous to be your authentic self.

Expect the potency of traditional yoga infused with evolutions from biomechanics and functional movement that’s accessible and playfully challenging for most levels.

Late-afternoon sessions will be restorative and relaxing, and are offered to help you deepen your practice and balance the nervous system. You’ll learn simple, take-home practices that can reduce stress, to integrate into your life back home, including meditation.

Learn more about Julia’s yoga training and certifications.

      Begin in Athens, then retreat like a local to magical Amorgos island for a full week in a traditional Cycladic summerhouse on the beach.

Out of the ordinary: the island of Amorgos

Come home to the genuine traditional simplicity of a storied family summerhouse and its garden studios, right on a beautiful, secluded, Aegean beach.
Perched on a huge rock with gorgeous views, the house is five steps from the golden sand, and includes its own beach club with shade, sun-beds, organic gardens, and an open-air yoga pavilion in the olive grove overlooking the sea. Generations of a local island family have lived here and now great-granddaughter Elli welcomes us. Besides preparing our delicious homemade Greek breakfasts, you will be immersed in Greek life for a uniquely local experience of this special island, one that resembles Elli’s childhood memories. “We wish that you may feel the simplicity, pureness and solitude of Amorgos, that we believe constitute the island’s greatest beauty and traditions.” – Elli Boboli, owner.
Step off your terrace onto the pristine beach, with calm, crystal clear waters for blissful swimming.
All rooms have sea views, most have private bath (two villa-rooms share a bath). Simply but comfortably furnished in spare, traditional Cycladic style. Spacious terraces for sea and stargazing, and exquisite peace.

Room options and amenities detailed below in Retreat Details.

Dates to know

• The retreat begins in Athens at 4pm on Sunday, June 2 with a guided walking tour of the Ancient Acropolis and surrounding hills. Meet in hotel lobby.

• Please plan to arrive in Athens no later than 11 am on Sunday, June 2. but if possible, come at least a day earlier.

• We encourage you to arrive at least a day or two earlier in Athens to acclimate to the time zone but especially to enjoy more of the fascinating city of Athens!

• The retreat ends on Amorgos Island on Monday, June 10 morning.

• If you are going home right after the retreat, you will need to plan to stay the night in Athens on June 10, depending on boat/flight schedules to North America. Plan to fly home on June 11.

• If you are joining the Explorer’s Extension (highly recommended), plan to stay the night in Athens on June 13, fly home on June 14.

Travel planning assistance

• We will coordinate your return travel from Amorgos or the Iraklia Extension with you, to Athens or elsewhere, and are happy to offer guidance with all travel plans.

• Travel Insurance

• Please purchase travel insurance to protect your health and wellbeing as well as your retreat investment, from unforeseen circumstances before or during your retreat. Read here to learn more about travel insurance and options.

• We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance at the time you book your retreat.

• Suggested companies include: World Nomads, Generali, Allianz, and there are many other good options.

Further travel details will be sent after registration.

• We will provide you a steady diet of additional pre-departure information, including both art-of-slow-travel inspiration, and practical things to help you with each step of your trip

2024 Dates

June 2 - 10 main retreat
+ 3-night Explorer’s Extension to Iraklia (June 10 -13

Retreat is limited to 10 participants

Room Options and Amenities on Amorgos

On Amorgos, our retreat is hosted in a traditional Greek family summer villa-compound perched on a big rock overlooking the beach and the sea. Plus its studio-apartments in the garden and neighboring property.
The Main Villa has preserved its old-fashioned character and features stunning views from its spacious terraces shaded by a beautiful pine tree. Furnishings are simple but comfortable. There are beautiful sea views from each of its three bedrooms on the second floor. One bedroom has its own bath and balcony, the other two bedrooms share a bath. Stairs from the villa verandas lead directly onto the beach.
The studios Are lovely separate spaces spread throughout the garden directly in front of the sea, and two are on the next-door property. Each has a private bath, and terrace or balcony with beautiful sea view.

Villa rooms:

Simply furnished in traditional Cycladic island style. Villa rooms are located upstairs in the main house, with beautiful sea views, air-conditioning, free WiFi, hair dryer. Either a queen bed or two twin beds. Access to the fully-equipped Kitchen, Living Room with flat screen TV, Laundry, and spacious Verandas with incredible sea views. Daily cleaning.

Studios:
Are charming separate spaces located in front of the sea, one is directly on the beach! The studios can accommodate up to two people, and can be made up as one queen bed or two twin beds. Each has private bath, a small fridge, plus private terrace or balcony with a beautiful sea-view. There is also free wi-fi in the room, TV, air-con, hair dryer, kitchenette and safe. Daily cleaning.

Retreat Price

All prices are per person.

Villa Room with shared bath (two rooms share one bath) Queen or twin beds.
Double occupancy  – $3850
Single occupancy – $4150

Villa Room with private bath and balcony. Queen or twin beds.
Double occupancy – $4050
Single occupancy $4350

Separate Studios with private bath, sea-view balcony or veranda. Kitchenette. For one or two people. Queen or twin beds.

Double occupancy – $4050
Single occupancy – $4350

A $900 deposit is required to confirm your spot on the retreat.

The remaining balance is due by April 1 , 2024. (Special payment plans can be arranged.)

Ready to book your fabulous retreat to Greece?

What travelers are saying

“I have to say, this was the best trip I have ever been on, and the best-guided trip. I’m so happy that I could dive in and immerse myself into Greece with your presence and guidance. Truly memories I will cherish forever.”

–Kitty Thoresen, CA

“My first retreat with Julia was the most freeing experience of my life UNTIL the second. Amorgos! This trip was a life changer. I have no idea how Julia wraps yoga, serenity, adventure, spirituality, awe-inspiring sight-seeing and self-awakening into a week—but damn she does it well.“

-Chris-Ann Szep, MD

“I cannot begin to tell you how fabulous this trip/pilgrimage has been. Being with a fantastic group of women in such a gorgeous setting. I did not even imagine this trip would be all of the things and I can't even list them – spectacular, fun, therapeutic, freeing, beautiful, fulfilling... I am free! It has been a pleasure learning from you.”

-Eileen Zielinksi, PA

“I have been on many of Julia's retreats, some of them multiple times. The Greece retreat was like a drink of light for my soul, not to mention the amazing sea. Come along for the adventure! Julia's attention to every detail and to the quality of your experience will be impressive. Her passion for what she loves and the willingness and ability to share this with grace, delight and a bright spirit is truly inspiring and will create that truly unique experience. And I always know 
I'll be hanging out with really cool fellow travelers.”

-Juli Trout, CA

“The whole experience was so rich on so many levels, I can't begin to describe in words. This experience reconnected me with the sense of depth that I often lack in my everyday life at home – real connection, creativity, the deeper well from which I draw to nourish my life. Most people know Mykonos and Santorini as Greece, but this is wholly something else – especially with Julia’s inward guidance through the whole process and experience. I appreciated so much the level of depth that she brings – evident from the beginning with the whole preparation. How Julia prepares us to make travel like a pilgrimage. And I like it that we can go shopping, too and add that to the pleasures!

-Karen Bertrand, CA

“I feel restored, replenished, renewed. Each day, I could feel one or two more layers letting down. I feel refreshed.”

-Amy Garceau, IL