8 Day "Unplugged Dance" Somatics, Mindful movement & Wellness Retreat in Lefkada, Greece
Paleochori, Νεοχώρι Λευκάδας, Lefkada, Ελλάδα
Up to 26 in group
August 4 - September 1, 2024
Retreat Highlights
- Carefully selected workshops led by international dance and somatic experts.
- Gain tools regarding movement and awareness that can benefit and improve your dance practice and everyday life.
- Experience an overall sense of well-being, calmness, joy, and consciousness due to a more comprehensive use of ourselves.
- Observe and undo harmful movement habits, updating and enhancing full and singular attention to the environment.
- Enjoy your body and movement through dance methods beyond the pursuit of perfect form, serving a liberating process of acceptance and joy.
- Delve into Experiential Anatomy (Body-Mind Centering®), Experiential Embryology, Somatic Movement, Relational Mindfulness, Performance methods, Fine & Visual Arts (drawing, photography & video), as well as improvisation & creative writing.
- Sharpen your critical skills and get in touch with your own creative tools within a safe, non-judgmental learning space and community.
- Enjoy amazing vegetarian and organic meals.
- Go Glamping with our new canvas bell tents.
- Engage in activities that take place in natural settings - hiking, swimming in the sea or waterfall, meditating in the woods, or simply delighting in the starry sky.
- Experience cultural and folklore events in the village.
About this Retreat
Graduate of National School of Dance (2014), dancer, choreographer and curator in the field of dance research and education. He curated Platform for the performing arts Meta (2015-2019), meetings for artistic research and creation (2018-2019) and co-curated festival Lycabettus (2020-2021). For the past seven years collective initiatives have been a main source of interest, reflection and a place to be. His personal artistic research raises questions regarding identity and creates practices that provoke the relation between the public and the private space. Since 2018 he has showcased two series of works, The Selfy Series and Regulatory Bodies, both partly founded by the Greek Ministry of Arts. Since 2009 he has been a yoga instructor and currently he has been giving classes mainly outdoors throughout the year.
Kyveli Kouvatsi (born in Lefkada, Greece 1996) is facilitating, researching and curating in the field of dance, based half year in Lefkada and half in Athens. She has graduated from National School of Dance (2021), and she is finishing her studies in School of Drama – Faculty of Fine Arts – Auth.
Her main interest revolves around educational processes and ways of holding the space for people to explore & flourish through the dance experience.
Since 2017 she has been teaching dance classes for children in dance schools and summer camps. Her lessons focus on the experience of dance, the development of children’s creativity within non-judgmental contexts, the cultivation of body awareness and the relationship with rhythm and the environment.
Since 2020 she has been researching, developing and sharing the practices Losing Ground (partnering) and Bloom Inside | sensorial explorations | reflective dances | creative practices (improvisation and mindful movement).
For the last two years, she has been working as an organization, communication and promotion manager in dance schools, artistic educational programs and productions in the field of dance.
She is the co-founder and co-curator of the international dance platform Unplugged Dance and of the venue Paleochori, in Neochori, Lefkada.
Marina Tsartsara is a Dance and Visual Artist & educator (MSc), a Body-Mind Centering® Teacher in the official Body-Mind Centering® trainings in the UK, Spain & Greece. She is also the Administrative Director of the Greek BMC® program ISTOS. Since 2014 she has been researching and developing 'Somatic Art Practice', an transdisciplinary practice that interlaces somatics and artmaking via the two branches of Mindfulness & Drawing and BMC® & Visual Artmaking. Her BA (Hons) and MSc studies are on 'Dance & Visual Art' and 'Screendance' (Videodance). Her MPhil is on Performance Autoethnography researching on the subject of the personal experience of genetic/chronic physical illness via dance and visual arts (Medical Humanities). She is a Somatic Therapist, Mindfulness teacher and a Hakomi student. Main influences in her teaching come from dear teachers like: Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Curious, Charlie Morrissey, Julyen Hamilton, Deborah Hay, Miranda Tufnell, Rosemary Butcher, Kirstie Simson, Liz Aggiss among others. https://www.somaticwellbeing.info/
Vanessa is a dance and multidisciplinary artist from Sicily, based in Leeds, UK. She is a choreographer, performer, teacher, mentor, coach and curator. She is a certified Life Coach and Somatic Stress Release™ practitioner, focusing on holistic well-being, body-mind integration, authenticity and creativity, to support people to develop greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, body-mid ease, confidence and creative thinking that aligns with their inner values and needs. She embeds these practices into her creative work as well as offering them as one to one sessions in addition to her teaching and mentoring work.
Her work is grounded in ecological and social questions, which she explores through somatic and improvisational movement approaches, site-responsiveness, social-engagement, ecology, and cross-disciplinarity.
Vanessa graduated from the MA Creative Practice-Dance Professional Pathway, at Trinity Laban in London. She regularly teaches release based contemporary dance, experiential anatomy, improvisation, Contact Improvisation, outdoors and site-based creative practices across Europe, for wider communities, professional dancers and universities including: Leeds Beckett University, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Trinity Laban. Her teaching is grounded in inclusive practice and a curiosity about how the body transforms as a result of imagination, shifts of perception, attentional dynamics and relational engagement with others and the environment.
Rafaela Sahyoun is a Latin American from São Paulo, working in the field of arts as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. She spirals through these roles within the ever-evolving landscape of performative practices, community, and context. She dedicates herself to artistic and pedagogical projects that unfold and shape-shift continuously through ongoing research and shared practices. Actively collaborating with artists, researchers, students, and art institutions in Brazil and abroad, she has a strong inclination towards hybrid formats of multicultural collaborations in dialogues with multidisciplinary disciplines. As an educator, she cultivates her movement practice "The Body The Player The Journey" in diverse contexts, such as universities, higher education dance and theater schools, undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and both dance and theater companies. Her most recent choreographic work, "Fôlego" (2022), was commissioned by São Paulo City Ballet (Balé da Cidade de São Paulo, BCSP) in partnership with São Paulo Cultural Center (Centro Cultural de São Paulo, CCSP) and had its 2023 season at São Paulo Municipal Theater (Theatro Municipal de São Paulo).
Since 2005 Anna Konjetzky creates dance performances and dance installations in which choreographic thinking is a practice of reflection and transformation and is imbedded in a socio-political context, which can be found not just in the topic and aesthetics she works with but also in the settings and formats she creates for her choreographies, her artistic research and in the facilitation of exchange platforms, collaborative researches, shared trainings.... Anna Konjetzky’s works happen physically, aesthetically and politically within a queer-feminist discourse – she sees her work always as a proposition for a dialogue. Her work has been shown for example at Spielart, Dance, Tanzwerkstatt Munich, Cofestival Ljubljana, Tanztage Potsdam, Grand théâtre national Luxembouerg, Festival Danse Balsa Marni Bruxelles, Sommerszene Salzburg,Tempo festival Rio di Janeiro... in Krakow, Warsaw, Nürnberg, Kampala, Nairobi, Hanoi, Istanbul, Gent, Shanghai, Brazil, South Africa... She also creates for established dance companies such as Staatstheater Saarbrücken or Staatstheater Braunschweig. She teaches regularly at several universities, and creates pieces with the students: for example MDT dance university Amsterdam, ZZT cologne, Sead Salzburg, Beaux-arts Bruxelles. She received several prizes and scholarships, including her work for youth, ’running’ which was one of the three finalists for German Theatre Prize FAUST 2018 and the dance-scholarship of the city of Munich in 2011. In 2009 she won the competition ‚operare’ of the Contemporary Opera Berlin, during the festival euro-scene Leipzig 2009, 2014 she received the „Förderpreis Tanz“ from the city of Munich. Her dance-installation „Abdrücke“ was invited in 2012 to the Tanzplattform Germany where 15 of the top productions from Germany are shown every two years. She is third time recipient of three-year funding from the city of Munich, producing regularly new works and researching as the company Anna Konjetzky & Co and conducting three year research project Nomadic Academy (https://nomadic-ak.com) through the support of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund.
Sahra Huby works as a freelance dancer. She studied dance and movement in her home city, Brussels. She learned physical theater at the school “Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Lassaad”, and pursued a contemporary dance training at the Etage Berlin.
Since 2006, she works with many different dancemakers around Europe, (like Ismael Ivo, Jo Fabian, Heike Hennig, Sebastian Hirn, Theatre Fragile, CADAM, Annette Geller, Ilona Paszty, Eleni Kamma...) Her artistic pathway is very interlinked with the german choreographer Anna Konjetzky in Munich. With her, she created many dance pieces, including a number of solos such as chipping, über die wut, move more morph it...touring nationally and internationally, but she also works on many others but collaborates also on many different levels, as member of the Nomadic Academy, and in diverse research and exchange formats where dance is not only happening on stage, but is used as a langage to communicate with others, to investigate topics, and to enter in dialogue with other artists and audience. An own hybrid format is her long-term performance project in private apartments called "Dance Kitchen“ (started in 2016). Not only dance, but also drawing is an important part of her artistic work. Lately she has created a lot of stop motions movies, and started the research project “Cartographies”, (supported by the kulturreferat des Stadt München and the stipendia Bayern inovativ), using drawins and mapping to question the representation and perception of the human body.
Antoinette Helbing (she/her) is a German dance artist and member of the artist-run platform Dance CooperativE in Copenhagen (DK).
She divides her time between creating choreographic works, guest performing in dance works by others, a broad teaching practice, motherhood (two kids 10 & 8) and her practice within the Feldenkrais method.
Her choreographic work is driven by her wish to create art that evokes the viewer's sense of belonging, of togetherness and empathy - seeing those attributes as patches for the holes in the world’s community.
Our endlessly self-centered way of life is threatening both ecosystems and humanity.
Societies are increasingly categorizing and exclusive while our physical closeness with each other reduces. And yet we are bodies - ripe, receptive, vulnerable and demanding.
Despite the influence of the digital world it reduces our ability to sense ourselves and others.
What does it mean to exist as a body in our modern world?
As a reminder that we, beyond our Instagram handles, are actual living and breathing beings, Antoinette creates experiences within and across bodies.
Working towards connection, she addresses the empathic through multi-sensory experiences.
Confronting with the sensual force of the moment, she makes the audience aware of themselves by their own sensual experience of themselves as spectators. She wishes to use her research within sensorial transference to transfer the performers’ sensations directly into the audience's body. In this bodily translation, she sees the potential to fantasize, to sense and to think from another body's perspective.
Her works can often be placed in borderline situations: fluctuating betweens dance, installation, concert and film. They might unfold in several versions that apply the artistic research in different formats - making it possible for all her works to be performed outside of the theater space.
With a simple touring setup and the flexibility to perform in a great variety of spaces she continuously expands her artistic research by performing her works.
Penelope Morout is a graduate of the National School of Dance (Athens) and the National Technical University of Athens – School of Architecture, with a Master’s degree in Theatre Practices from ArtEZ University of the Arts (NL).
She is an interdisciplinary dance artist interested in creating hybrid projects through the fusion of various mediums.
As a dancer & performer, she has performed at the Kalamata International Dance Festival, at Athens and Epidaurus Festival, at Teatro de la Danza Guillermina Bravo CDMX and since 2018 she has been working with theatre companies as a director/choreographer/scenographer.
As a filmmaker, she has collaborated with TANZAHOi International Screendance Festival Hamburg and has participated in exhibitions and various video dance & dance animation festivals around the world (Italy, Brazil, France, Greece, Indonesia).
Over the years, she has evolved the “Sculpting Body-Images” workshop, which she shares around the world (PERA GAU School of Performing Arts Cyprus, Munus Encuentro Mexico, Nunart Guinardó Barcelona, The School of Disobedience Budapest, Murate Art District Florence). Within 2023, she has created original group pieces in collaboration with Area Espai de Dansa i Creació Barcelona, MUDA Dance Center Ghent and Škola suvremenog plesa Ane Maletić Zagreb. She consistently trains and gets inspired by “Fighting Monkey Practice” (founded by Linda Kapetanea and Jozef Frucek), which she has been teaching since 2021 at the Kalamata International Dance Festival in Greece for participants over 50 years old. In 2021, Penelope Morout founded CROSS IMPACT Co, and, ever since, is actively creating her own work.
Both her previous performance THE BOX || That Dead Space Between Us, as well as her new one EMOTIONAL DOGS have been funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. For the latter, she has gained additional support from X-Church (Gainsborough, UK), El Sortidor (Barcelona, ES) and the Murate Art District (Florence, ΙΤ).
Carlos Osatinsky and Fernando Nicolás Pelliccioli are contemporary dancers, performers, choreographers, explorers, and facilitators of movement.
They met in 1996 studying dance at the Taller de Danza Contemporánea of the San Martín Theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Fernando has been a member of the Contemporary Ballet of the San Martín Theatre. Carlos from the Tucumán Contemporary Dance Group.
Both have collaborated in Argentina with various choreographers from the independent scene, including Beatriz Lábatte, Miguel Robles, Margarita Bali and Susana Tambutti.
Seeking to expand their experiences, in 2000 they traveled to Europe, creating their base in the city of Berlin, Germany.
They do not define themselves as a “dance company”, “group” or “collective” but as singular beings who share visions, connect in needs and discrepancies, exchange roles, move and exploring interests in the artistic field and through their passage on the world.
Their common work is permanently mobilized by research into different interactive modes of relationship between performers, performance and spectators.
Under the title espaciopropio.augenblick, they teach classes and workshops where they share and develop the conceptual and material axes explored in their work.
They are motivated to discover tools that facilitate and support creative and vital processes based on the body's own experience.
They have been invited as Guest Professors at the School of Dance of the Korea National University of Arts, in Seoul, South Korea; have guided laboratories for c.e.m. (center in movement, Lisbon), in F.A.C.E. (Buenos Aires) and Ushuaia (Argentina).
They have taught classes, workshops, laboratories and intensive seminars at various festivals and sites in Argentina and Europe.
They continually collaborate with Jonathan Martineau in Spain on his Butosofia research and together they have created the annual retreat for the exploration of the body in nature “The Body in its World” which has already been held for seven editions.
Details of this retreat
An immersive journey of dance exploration on the famous Greek Lefkada island, designed by somatic & dance experts for those who draw inspiration from nature and want to re-explore the body in a healing & creative way supported by a vivid community!
You can take your time to relax and energize your body while connecting with others, in a peaceful place with rich flora and impressive views!
Whether you are looking for
•a place to immerse yourself in a transformative journey of self-discovery through dance
•a postgraduate training on contemporary approaches to dance as a practice of embodiment
•or just for a safe place to unplug from city life and to connect with nature, yourself, and others, this program is for you !
With this package you can choose to attend one of the following dates: (Please mention your selected weeks in the registration form that you will find in your confirmation email, after completing your booking.)
Week 1 | 04 – 11 August, 2024 | Sculpting Body-Images with Penelope Morout & Laughter Somatics with Antoinette Helbing
The opening week of this summer program is an exhilarating blend of dynamic dance improvisation, focusing on physical movement, and laughter as a forceful and intimate exploration into the art of letting go. If you're seeking ways to creatively channel your energy, daringly challenge your movement abilities as an empowering practice, and wish to encounter yourself through the unexpected realms of laughter, this week is tailor-made for you!
Week 2 | 11 – 18 August, 2024 | The Body The Player The Journey with Rafaela Sahyoun & espaciopropio.augenblick with Fernando Nicolás Pelliccioli & Carlos Osatinsky
The second week is dedicated to playfulness, interconnected movement, and anatomical integration. Delve into biotensegrity principles, engage in games and improvisation, and rediscover your body through tools inspired by Alexander and Klein Technique™.
A transformative week to expand your expressive capacities through the body and to nurture collective exploration.
Week 3 | 18 – 25 August, 2024 | Somatic Art® Practice: Roots with Marina Tsartsara & In Context, in Resonance, in Play with Anna Konjetzky & Sahra Huby
These two workshops invite us to consider ourselves as part of a broader ecosystem, where we are interdependent with other humans and species.
Discover the unique approach of experiential anatomy through Body-Mind Centering® and Somatic Art® and explore the endless ways we interconnect with each other through playful scores. An invitation to revisit 'yourself" through unfamiliar pathways and in the company of others.
Week 4 | 25 August – 01 September, 2024 | Resilient Rivers with Vanessa Grasse & Losing Ground™ with Yorgos Sioras Deligiannis & Kyveli Kouvatsi
The last week of Unplugged Dance is dedicated to slowness, from offering more agency to our nervous system, to sensing Otherness through a tangible approach. Learning from and for the world of fluids, nurturing ecological ways of being in relation and practicing co-movement while listening with your skin what exists beyond it. If you are seeking a gentle, systematic, and informative approach that bridges self-research with partnering work, you shouldn't miss this week.
About the hosts
About your hosts
This is the vision and creation of Kyveli and Giorgos, two dance artists and educators from Greece who envisioned a wooded piece of land as a meeting place for moving and sensing experiences. The concept arose from a deep need to reconnect with nature and to meet a community of similar interests and quests. The idea was conceived in October 2021 when there was nothing but trees on the land and by the summer of 2022, a camp was ready, and the first season became a reality!
Accommodation
The remote site of the venue offers only the sounds of nature, while the surrounding mountains provide uniform evening shadows. The land is cleaned and leveled, with a number of retaining walls more than a hundred years old that have been recently restored. Entering the venue, you’ll find specially designed shaded areas for placing tents and for resting in the shadow under the trees, with swings and hammocks. Walking uphill, you will find the main feature that stands out on the land: a large wooden patio of 100 square meters, surrounded by trees and facing the sea, where our activities take place.
We offer options of staying in comfy waterproof canvas bell tents, shared or private, including bed linens and towels.
Included in the price:
2 6-day workshops (36 hours),
2 full meals and 1 light meal per day (on arrival Sunday welcome dinner is included | on departure Sunday breakfast is included)
7 nights accommodation in single or shared bell tent
Contact us for any questions at unpluggeddance@gmail.com
*Few spots left and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
You can take your time to relax and energize your body while connecting with others, in a peaceful place with rich flora and impressive views!
Whether you are looking for
•a place to immerse yourself in a transformative journey of self-discovery through dance
•a postgraduate training on contemporary approaches to dance as a practice of embodiment
•or just for a safe place to unplug from city life and to connect with nature, yourself, and others, this program is for you !
With this package you can choose to attend one of the following dates: (Please mention your selected weeks in the registration form that you will find in your confirmation email, after completing your booking.)
Week 1 | 04 – 11 August, 2024 | Sculpting Body-Images with Penelope Morout & Laughter Somatics with Antoinette Helbing
The opening week of this summer program is an exhilarating blend of dynamic dance improvisation, focusing on physical movement, and laughter as a forceful and intimate exploration into the art of letting go. If you're seeking ways to creatively channel your energy, daringly challenge your movement abilities as an empowering practice, and wish to encounter yourself through the unexpected realms of laughter, this week is tailor-made for you!
Week 2 | 11 – 18 August, 2024 | The Body The Player The Journey with Rafaela Sahyoun & espaciopropio.augenblick with Fernando Nicolás Pelliccioli & Carlos Osatinsky
The second week is dedicated to playfulness, interconnected movement, and anatomical integration. Delve into biotensegrity principles, engage in games and improvisation, and rediscover your body through tools inspired by Alexander and Klein Technique™.
A transformative week to expand your expressive capacities through the body and to nurture collective exploration.
Week 3 | 18 – 25 August, 2024 | Somatic Art® Practice: Roots with Marina Tsartsara & In Context, in Resonance, in Play with Anna Konjetzky & Sahra Huby
These two workshops invite us to consider ourselves as part of a broader ecosystem, where we are interdependent with other humans and species.
Discover the unique approach of experiential anatomy through Body-Mind Centering® and Somatic Art® and explore the endless ways we interconnect with each other through playful scores. An invitation to revisit 'yourself" through unfamiliar pathways and in the company of others.
Week 4 | 25 August – 01 September, 2024 | Resilient Rivers with Vanessa Grasse & Losing Ground™ with Yorgos Sioras Deligiannis & Kyveli Kouvatsi
The last week of Unplugged Dance is dedicated to slowness, from offering more agency to our nervous system, to sensing Otherness through a tangible approach. Learning from and for the world of fluids, nurturing ecological ways of being in relation and practicing co-movement while listening with your skin what exists beyond it. If you are seeking a gentle, systematic, and informative approach that bridges self-research with partnering work, you shouldn't miss this week.
About the hosts
About your hosts
This is the vision and creation of Kyveli and Giorgos, two dance artists and educators from Greece who envisioned a wooded piece of land as a meeting place for moving and sensing experiences. The concept arose from a deep need to reconnect with nature and to meet a community of similar interests and quests. The idea was conceived in October 2021 when there was nothing but trees on the land and by the summer of 2022, a camp was ready, and the first season became a reality!
Accommodation
The remote site of the venue offers only the sounds of nature, while the surrounding mountains provide uniform evening shadows. The land is cleaned and leveled, with a number of retaining walls more than a hundred years old that have been recently restored. Entering the venue, you’ll find specially designed shaded areas for placing tents and for resting in the shadow under the trees, with swings and hammocks. Walking uphill, you will find the main feature that stands out on the land: a large wooden patio of 100 square meters, surrounded by trees and facing the sea, where our activities take place.
We offer options of staying in comfy waterproof canvas bell tents, shared or private, including bed linens and towels.
Included in the price:
2 6-day workshops (36 hours),
2 full meals and 1 light meal per day (on arrival Sunday welcome dinner is included | on departure Sunday breakfast is included)
7 nights accommodation in single or shared bell tent
Contact us for any questions at unpluggeddance@gmail.com
*Few spots left and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Schedule
the exact dates are depending on your choice
Arrival Sunday
-Arrival Sunday-
Check-in 16.00 pm-18.00 pm
Welcome dinner 20.00 pm - 21.00 pm
-Monday to Saturday | Different workshops will be given each week-
07:00-10:00 Workshop A
10:30-11:30 Brunch
11:30-16:30 Free time & Light lunch
16:30-19:30 Workshop B
20:00-21:00 Dinner
-Departure Sunday, including only breakfast-
Check out until 08.30 am
09:00-10:00 breakfast at the village
Arrival Sunday
-Arrival Sunday-
Check-in 16.00 pm-18.00 pm
Welcome dinner 20.00 pm - 21.00 pm
-Monday to Saturday | Different workshops will be given each week-
07:00-10:00 Workshop A
10:30-11:30 Brunch
11:30-16:30 Free time & Light lunch
16:30-19:30 Workshop B
20:00-21:00 Dinner
-Departure Sunday, including only breakfast-
Check out until 08.30 am
09:00-10:00 breakfast at the village
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Paleochori, Paleochori, Νεοχώρι Λευκάδας, Lefkada, Ελλάδα
Directions
Lefkada is a Greek island in the Ionian sea located on the West Coast of Greece, connected to the mainland with a bridge. It is famous worldwide for its stunningly beautiful beaches with transparent, turquoise waters, combined with the rich flora covering the mainland.
You can find below some useful information on how you can get to the island of Lefkada.
HOW TO GET TO NEOCHORI
1. The nearest airport to Lefkada is that of Preveza-Aktion (PVK), approximately 25 minutes away by car.
1A. As soon as you get to the airport, you can get a taxi all the way to Neochori village (taxi fare is about 70 euros). In this case we can help you by calling one on request at least 72 hours earlier.
1B. Another option is to take a taxi from the airport to Lefkada city (40 euros), and from there, take the bus from the Bus Terminal Ktel Lefkadas, and take the departure to Nidri. The ticket price is between 1,60 euros to 3,40 euros. Since you reach Nidri town, you can get a taxi from there to Neochori (15 euros). There is a taxi station near the bus station, or we can help you by calling one on request at least 72 hours earlier. In this case the whole distance will cost about 60 euros.
1C. You can take a bus from the airport to Lefkada city (3 euros), then take another departure to Nidri (1,60-3,40 euros) and from there a taxi to Neochori (15 euros). The total cost in this case is about 22 euros. There is a taxi station near the bus station, or we can help you by calling one on request at least 72 hours earlier. Here you can find the departures from Airport to Lefkada https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/en/routes/airport-preveza/ and here from Lefkada to Nidri https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/en/routes/local/
2. In case you prefer to arrive at Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) you can take a bus from Athens Long Distance Bus Terminal ‘KTEL’. The distance is 340 km by bus, almost 5 hours including the 20′ break along the road. From the Airport take the city bus (X93) or a taxi to the Athens Long Distance Bus Terminal ‘KTEL’ (Address: Kifissou st. 100, Tel: +30 210 5124910-11 , website: https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/athens/ ) from where buses depart to Lefkada. The one way ticket price is 34 euros.
As soon as you arrive in Lefkada city, you can choose between taking a taxi all the way to Neochori (taxi fare is about 40 euros), or taking the bus to Nidri and from there taxi to Neochori (as mentioned above).
Bus terminal website: https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/athens/
Other airports close to Lefkada are Zakynthos airport (ZTH) and Kefalonia airport (EFL). If these seem more convenient for your trip, please let us know so we can help you with more information.
FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE VENUE
As soon as our guests arrive in Neochori village a member of our team welcomes them! They wait in Foodpath, a beautiful yard of our partner where the kitchen is, have some lemonade while waiting for all the participants to arrive. Then our member guides them to the venue which is a 20′ walk. We can provide some help with luggages, however we definitely suggest you to avoid bringing a suitcase, but to prefer a backpack that you are able to carry instead! Remember, you are in nature, and most routes in the village are rocky!
You will be in the venue around 18.00-18.30 and then we have welcome dinner at 20.00.
In case you arrive at Lefkada earlier we suggest taking a bus/taxi to Nidri, spend some time there at the beach, buy anything you need cause there are no shops here in Neochori and then take another taxi in order to be here between 16.00-18.00.
*Please have in mind that finding a taxi during August in Lefkada is difficult as it is high season! When you are aware of how you will travel and when exactly you will arrive, please let us know so we can get you in contact with other participants and we can help you with booking a taxi in advance from airport, Lefkada or Nidri, at least 72 hours earlier. Usually during a week or two before your arrival we create a whats app group so you can communicate regarding arriving to Neochori from Preveza or Lefkada.
DRIVING TO LEFKADA:
Lefkada may be an island but it is connected to the mainland by a 50 meters floating bridge. So it is easy to reach the island just by driving, through the Greek National Road 42 which is a highway in northwestern Aetolia-Acarnania that links the town of Lefkada with the Greek National Road 5 (Antirrio – Arta – Ioannina) in Amfilochia, passing through the town of Vonitsa.
The first town you reach by entering the island is Lefkada city, the capital and main town of the island of Lefkada, located in its northern and northeastern part.
From there, you can easily find the village which is located above Nidri (east side), after the village of Paleokatouna (Agios Christophoros in maps). The duration is approximately 25-30 minutes away from the town.
In case you use gps, we highly recommend to set Ag.Christophoros (Paleokatouna) as a destination ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/5GJqUoHPQhnT5c839 ), instead of Neochori, as Gps usually suggests a wrong way to Neochori!
If you arrive at Paleokatouna then you can very easily find Neochori just by continuing driving uphill. There is only one main road, and there are also signs.
You can find below some useful information on how you can get to the island of Lefkada.
HOW TO GET TO NEOCHORI
1. The nearest airport to Lefkada is that of Preveza-Aktion (PVK), approximately 25 minutes away by car.
1A. As soon as you get to the airport, you can get a taxi all the way to Neochori village (taxi fare is about 70 euros). In this case we can help you by calling one on request at least 72 hours earlier.
1B. Another option is to take a taxi from the airport to Lefkada city (40 euros), and from there, take the bus from the Bus Terminal Ktel Lefkadas, and take the departure to Nidri. The ticket price is between 1,60 euros to 3,40 euros. Since you reach Nidri town, you can get a taxi from there to Neochori (15 euros). There is a taxi station near the bus station, or we can help you by calling one on request at least 72 hours earlier. In this case the whole distance will cost about 60 euros.
1C. You can take a bus from the airport to Lefkada city (3 euros), then take another departure to Nidri (1,60-3,40 euros) and from there a taxi to Neochori (15 euros). The total cost in this case is about 22 euros. There is a taxi station near the bus station, or we can help you by calling one on request at least 72 hours earlier. Here you can find the departures from Airport to Lefkada https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/en/routes/airport-preveza/ and here from Lefkada to Nidri https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/en/routes/local/
2. In case you prefer to arrive at Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) you can take a bus from Athens Long Distance Bus Terminal ‘KTEL’. The distance is 340 km by bus, almost 5 hours including the 20′ break along the road. From the Airport take the city bus (X93) or a taxi to the Athens Long Distance Bus Terminal ‘KTEL’ (Address: Kifissou st. 100, Tel: +30 210 5124910-11 , website: https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/athens/ ) from where buses depart to Lefkada. The one way ticket price is 34 euros.
As soon as you arrive in Lefkada city, you can choose between taking a taxi all the way to Neochori (taxi fare is about 40 euros), or taking the bus to Nidri and from there taxi to Neochori (as mentioned above).
Bus terminal website: https://ktel-lefkadas.gr/athens/
Other airports close to Lefkada are Zakynthos airport (ZTH) and Kefalonia airport (EFL). If these seem more convenient for your trip, please let us know so we can help you with more information.
FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE VENUE
As soon as our guests arrive in Neochori village a member of our team welcomes them! They wait in Foodpath, a beautiful yard of our partner where the kitchen is, have some lemonade while waiting for all the participants to arrive. Then our member guides them to the venue which is a 20′ walk. We can provide some help with luggages, however we definitely suggest you to avoid bringing a suitcase, but to prefer a backpack that you are able to carry instead! Remember, you are in nature, and most routes in the village are rocky!
You will be in the venue around 18.00-18.30 and then we have welcome dinner at 20.00.
In case you arrive at Lefkada earlier we suggest taking a bus/taxi to Nidri, spend some time there at the beach, buy anything you need cause there are no shops here in Neochori and then take another taxi in order to be here between 16.00-18.00.
*Please have in mind that finding a taxi during August in Lefkada is difficult as it is high season! When you are aware of how you will travel and when exactly you will arrive, please let us know so we can get you in contact with other participants and we can help you with booking a taxi in advance from airport, Lefkada or Nidri, at least 72 hours earlier. Usually during a week or two before your arrival we create a whats app group so you can communicate regarding arriving to Neochori from Preveza or Lefkada.
DRIVING TO LEFKADA:
Lefkada may be an island but it is connected to the mainland by a 50 meters floating bridge. So it is easy to reach the island just by driving, through the Greek National Road 42 which is a highway in northwestern Aetolia-Acarnania that links the town of Lefkada with the Greek National Road 5 (Antirrio – Arta – Ioannina) in Amfilochia, passing through the town of Vonitsa.
The first town you reach by entering the island is Lefkada city, the capital and main town of the island of Lefkada, located in its northern and northeastern part.
From there, you can easily find the village which is located above Nidri (east side), after the village of Paleokatouna (Agios Christophoros in maps). The duration is approximately 25-30 minutes away from the town.
In case you use gps, we highly recommend to set Ag.Christophoros (Paleokatouna) as a destination ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/5GJqUoHPQhnT5c839 ), instead of Neochori, as Gps usually suggests a wrong way to Neochori!
If you arrive at Paleokatouna then you can very easily find Neochori just by continuing driving uphill. There is only one main road, and there are also signs.
Accommodation
- Single 4m bell tent - Shared 5m bell tent for 3 people - Shared 4m bell tent for 2 people Our bell tents are manufactured using the finest 285gsm cotton canvas which are fully waterproof. Mosquito mesh doors, windows and air vents ensure you can allow a breeze within the tent but keep the unwanted visitors out. The service includes bed linens, as well as body and face towel. Guests will have access to communal outdoor showers and WC facilities.
Shared 5m bell tent for three people (price per person)
Shared 4m bell tent for two people (price per person)
Single 4m bell tent
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Remote site surrounded by mountains offering only the sounds of nature
Specially designed shaded areas for resting with swings and hammocks
An open air platform of 100 sqm with PVC flooring and a breathtaking view, adequately shaded
A dining area where we have our meals, beverages, rest, chat, or just enjoy the peaceful view
3 toilets & 2 outdoor showers with hot & cold water during the day/lukewarm water after sunset
Power & Wifi connection available for 2 hours per day
Specially designed shaded areas for resting with swings and hammocks
An open air platform of 100 sqm with PVC flooring and a breathtaking view, adequately shaded
A dining area where we have our meals, beverages, rest, chat, or just enjoy the peaceful view
3 toilets & 2 outdoor showers with hot & cold water during the day/lukewarm water after sunset
Power & Wifi connection available for 2 hours per day
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
The meals are plant-based, with fresh, local, organic products. The food offered in our programs is taken care of by Foodpath. In case of intolerance or allergy please let us know.
What's Included
- Accommodation in the campsite in comfy bell tents, shared or single
- 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals -2 full & 1 light- organic, vegetarian with vegan options
- Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day
- Specialized workshops
- Wifi connection for 2 hours per day -there is signal to use your data whenever you need
- Pre and post retreat support from our team
- Group excursions/activities
What's Not Included
- Airport transfer
- Visa fee
- Travel insurance
- Flights costs