Room to think. Freedom to write. A place to be.

Breathing Space

a retreat for writers

September 12-26, 2016

Writers need room to think, and it's hard to find any wide-open space these days. We crave a place where we can let go of all the confusing mental clutter, and just be still. Just be. 

How else will we hear the sweet, inviting whispers of our Muses? 

This retreat is largely unstructured, allowing you plenty of free time to do your own thing while eliminating the worries of navigating a new culture and language on your own. We will be a small team of 6-12. Bring existing work or start something new. Writing prompts will be provided if you wish them. 

We'll escort you from the busy streets of Athens to a peaceful, unspoiled seaside village in the southern Peloponnese where you can slow down and immerse in Greek village life, relax, and reset the balance in your life.

In the village you will be free to explore and take things at your own pace. The extended stay in one location allows you enough time to truly experience the culture, and you are very much encouraged to live as a temporary resident of the village. Engage with your surroundings and visit the local grocery store, become a regular at a cafe, taste local foods, meet local people, wander stone paths, visit the ruins of the Old Town, browse shops, swim, snorkel, hike. Untether your thoughts and free your mind.

 The village offers something to inspire every muse: warm sea, peaceful hills, abandoned ruins, welcoming locals, gorgeous vistas, quiet cafes, secret treasures and best of all, the freedom to 'just be.'

A day-trip will take you deeper into the heart of the Mani to uncover different aspects of its stark beauty and unique history. You will leave relaxed and renewed, with new experiences to draw upon in your creative endeavours.

This fully escorted retreat includes

• 14 nights' accommodation (double occupancy) 
• Private transfer from airport to hotel
• Room to think, write, experience and just be
• Breakfasts in Athens
• Entry to the Acropolis
• Entry to the Acropolis Museum
• Entry to the Ancient Roman Agora
• Dinner-and-live-music evening in Athens
• Transportation from Athens to our traditional village in the Peloponnese
• Guided tour of old Kardamyli
• Escorted hike to the mountain village of St. Sophia
• Day trip deeper into the Mani to visit the cathedral-like caves of Diros
• Entry to Diros caves and Diros museum
  
• Insider insight into Greek village life
• One-on-one writing coaching sessions
  
• Wine tasting featuring specialty Greek wines
  
• Transportation back to Athens
  
  

Payment details:

Retreat Dates: September 12 - 26, 2016

Registration deadline: March 15, 2016

Deposit required at time of registration: 750 CAD

Our groups are very small and intimate, and because spots are so limited, we recommend you register early to guarantee your space on the retreat. 

Contact us for more info or to register. We'd love to hear from you!

What people are saying 

Transformative.
"You don't realize how much this retreat will affect you. This trip has changed me from the inside out. It fed my soul, and still gave me time to write. I recommend this retreat to anyone who needs time and inspiration to write."  Stephanie Werner-Jane

This is travelling at a deep level.
"Kardamyli is a peaceful, tranquil place to be and write. This is travelling at a deep level, and Suzanne does an amazing job of making the experience worry free. Everything was perfect! Suzanne, thank you so much--the entire retreat has been amazing and life changing." Angela Kublik

No better place.

"If you feel you are at a crossroads, there is no better place to dream and think and plan what you are hoping for your life.“  Sara Coumantarakis 

Exactly what I needed.

"The retreat provided exactly what I needed at this point of my writing life: a place to reconnect with nature, real people, and my journal. There was time of solitude and time of sharing. A perfect balance needed to feed the creative muse. I highly recommend this retreat to writers and lovers of all things beautiful.  It becomes so simple to let go of responsibility and make space for creativity.

Thank you, Suzanne, for finding Kardamyli and your genuine desire to want to share its beauty and simplicity with other like-hearted souls. I will forever be thankful.”  Judy Walker

It's magical.

"There's a certain kind of magic that happens when you get to step out of your fast-paced and complicated day-to-day life and experience a totally different cultural reality. Thank you for making that magic possible for me -- it continues to colour my notion of what's truly important, and what's not. And it continues to spur my inner muse."   Anita Purcell

It's worry-free.

"This was the only time I have been on a constructed tour, and I was a bit hesitant about that, but it wasn't as rigid as I had feared. Once you got to a place you could go your own way. There was all the freedom you could want to do your own thing, plus there was the safety of the group--knowing there was someone nearby if you had a question or problem, or wanted company for dinner. It was great not needing to worry because everything was taken care of. 

I absolutely recommend Suzanne's retreats. Her sheer enthusiasm for Greece is contagious! She gets people to look at things through her excited eye. Her knowledge of the history, culture and the setting she has chosen leaves you feeling you have seen inside the authentic Greece."  Lesley

It's wonderful!

"Thank you for all you have done for us to make this trip so special for each person here. All your time, consideration, love, hard work and planning has been wonderful."  Shairl Honey