2026
Immersed in the unspoiled beauty of the minor Greek islands, you'll encounter a slower pace of life and a hidden world where you'll learn to live like the Greeks who never seem to grow old and who always have time for a conversation.
This eight-day journey explores the art of uncomplicated living through contrast and intention. Shaped by the island' understanding that slowing down does not mean doing less, but seeing more clearly, this retreat steps away from the pace of modern life in favor of an older, more attentive way of traveling. You will spend time on Naxos and Santorini—two islands with very different relationships to time, visibility, and change—each revealing a distinct face of the Cyclades.
On Naxos, daily life still moves with the land, the seasons, and the sea. On Santorini, you will look beyond the spectacle to the deeper layers of history, labor, and endurance beneath its famous surface. Through visits with weavers, cooking alongside farmers, sailing on traditional fishing boats, learning herbal remedies, and sharing music and dance with locals, you’ll encounter island life as it is lived rather than displayed. This journey invites you to step away from a fast-paced, digital world where everything looks the same. Instead, you’ll experience the handmade, walk through monasteries, rest on open shores, share local wine, and meet people who value resilience, interdependence, and generosity—those who know that the most precious things are not what we acquire, but what we share.
"One more time taking off in the air, down from the White Rock
into the dark waves do I dive
Let me stop here. Let me, too, look at nature awhile.
The brilliant blue of the morning sea, of the cloudless sky,
the yellow shore; all lovely,
all bathed in light."
–Saffo
Welcome to my island. I’m Vassiliki, a licensed guide shaped by a lifetime between Athens and Naxos. I grew up among wind, stone, and stories—walking the land where nature, forgotten ruins, and living customs breathe together. From early on, I felt called to give voice to this place and its many layers of time. My path began at the Venetian Museum and the Castle of Naxos and grew through years of studying history, mythology, architecture, geology, and cultural heritage. Since 2006, I have guided visitors not simply through sites, but through a lived understanding of the Cycladic islands—how people shape the land, and how the land, in turn, shapes us. What draws me still is the unbroken thread between ancient practice and present life, the earth-centered rhythm that endures here. Walk with me through Naxos as it remembers itself: its struggles and continuities, its rituals and quiet treasures, its flavors, landscapes, and enduring truths.
On this cycladic journey you'll see how the cycladic islands are connected and protected by the sea. Navigation thrived on these islands between Naxos and Amorgos because the sea is always calm. The sea is a horizon that fosters curiosity but also teaches patience.
It reveals a deep connection to mother earth. The figure of the woman is the one that dominates, not sailors. This is because motherhood protects the family when the men are gone. The knowledge of astronomy is based on the moon which is connected to the fertility of women and calendars the order of the seasons and year.
Your analog escape will begin on the island of Naxos. Dominated by sea, sun, wind, and mountains, you'll have your first encounter with the island beauty of the poet Sappho where "love for the sun has a share in brilliance and beauty."
At 4:00 pm you'll meet your Alithea guide and Naxos local for an orientation to your next week of analog travel and the in-person approach that still thrives in small island communities. This evening we'll dine while overlooking the sea, enjoying the Greek tradition of philoxenia, the love of strangers, while making new friends of our own.
After breakfast in your hotel, you'll drive to the center of the island for your first full day dedicated to learning to live like a local Naxian. Today's first lesson will introduce the importance of agriculture and seasonal festivals for the development of community and sharing knowledge. As you visit the ancient temple of Demeter, you'll begin to see that the story of Greece illustrates the development of humanity and the birth of Western Civilization through community, shared belief, and rootedness in nature.
Your next stop, in the village of Chalki, will take time for conversation with a traditional weaver, honey farmer, and a visit to the local church where you'll see the importance of religion and nature in maintaining the bonds that connect one generation to another.
After lunch in Chalki and an opportunity to try the Naxian classic dessert, galaktoboureko, you'll take a stroll through some of the oldest olive groves in the world before returning to your hotel for a free evening or a swim in the sea.
After breakfast this morning, you'll return to the island's center where the rhythms of life are still deeply connected to the landscape of nature. Not greatly changed from the days when Homer's Odyssey was written and goats roamed the hillsides of Greece, you'll spend the day experiencing philoxenia, the Greek culture of hospitality and 'love of guests' while your host, a local goat farmer, introduces his farm and explains the making of cheese.
After your introduction to the farm, the rest of your morning will be dedicated to learning a few Mediterranean recipes with ingredients grown from the surrounding gardens followed by enjoying the lunch that you have prepared.
This morning after breakfast we'll take a walking tour of the Chora. Continuously inhabited for more than five thousand years, Naxos was the capital of the Aegean in ancient times. Whether walking alongside the seashore filled with pottery shards, strolling through the Venetian Castle and medieval town, or ascending to the gate of the temple of Apollo, we’ll begin our immersive journey through the traditions and culture that make the Greek islands unique.
After a free afternoon, we will regroup this evening, after our walking tour, we’ll conclude with a dinner overlooking the sea.
This morning, you'll check out from your seaside hotel to sail the waters where the earliest Greek sailors developed the art of navigation. Traveling by traditional fishing boat, come prepared for a day of swimming, exploring coves reachable only by boat, cooking and chatting with the boat captain, and experiencing the Greek sea as a horizon that fosters curiosity and connects one small world to another.
In the early evening, you'll return to Naxos for a free evening.
After a free morning, we’ll arrive in Santorini. Famous for its beauty even in ancient times, the Phoenicians who settled here in the thirteenth century B.C. called the island Kallisti, ‘the most beautiful’. Created by the volcanic craters that gave way to its existence, the Caldera of Santorini is unique in the Aegean.
We’ll arrive around need and meet our local guide directly. Together we’ll explore the archeological site of Akrotiri. Like a Greek Pompeii, this city was destroyed when the volcano erupted in the sixteenth century B.C. and is a window in time to observe the daily lives of bronze-age Greeks
For lunch this afternoon we’ll enjoy a tasting of its world-famous wines paired with a light Greek lunch that create a sommelier’s journey through the ages.
And after checking into our hotel, we’ll be free for the evening to stroll through Oia and conclude with a spectacular view of the sunset over the Caldera.
After breakfast in our hotel, we'll be free this morning to hike the path towards Fira or to relax and explore the cobbled streets and classic views of Oia.
We will regroup in the early afternoon and head to the port to embark on a spectacular sailboat cruise around the island. During our last evening together we'll sail through the caldera and have dinner on board while observing the sunset and sea of the Greek mariners.
Walking: moderate
Breakfast is included this day but there are no planned activities. Catch a boat to Crete, Folegandros and other easily reachable Greek islands or head to the airport to connect to your next destination or to fly home. Your Alithea guide will be available to help with travel plans throughout breakfast.
With a deep passion for travel, health, and wellness, April has dedicated her career to helping others live vibrant, balanced lives. She spent 22 years in corporate America—15 of those in senior leadership roles, where she led high-performing teams for a large organization. While she thrived in the corporate world, she ultimately felt called to pursue a career that aligned with her passion for health and well-being.
In 2017, April earned her Health Coaching certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, setting the foundation for her journey in fitness and holistic well-being. She went on to open her first fitness business in 2018, an indoor cycling studio, and later expanded into Pilates, where she is currently completing her instructor certification. Through her studies and personal practice, April has developed a deep appreciation for the mind-body benefits of Pilates, recognizing its ability to enhance strength, mobility, and overall well-being. She believes Pilates is a powerful tool for creating strength, reducing pain, and building resilience at any stage of life.
An avid traveler, April has explored 21 countries, embracing the transformative power of new experiences, movement, and mindful living. She is passionate about combining travel with wellness, creating opportunities for others to move, explore, and reconnect with themselves in meaningful ways.
For further questions don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.
For further questions don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.
