Only an hour from Athens you find Karystos, the next larger town. From there it is about 15 minutes to the small mountain village Mekounida – with the beautiful Villa Kasteli, where we will be staying. Lovingly furnished and with a stunning botanical garden, which offers flora and fauna all year round. There is a private pool with an adjoining natural stone pergola and a spacious fitness room aka yoga shala. The villa is only for us during the retreat and we are allowed to use everything as we wish. There are numerous spots to discover on the premises. From the covered terrace we have a breathtaking panoramic view of mountains, the Aegean Sea and a Venetian castle ruin. Here you can enjoy dinner with a wonderful view of the valley of Karystos. The double rooms each have their own renovated bathroom with shower and toilet. Hand and beach towels are provided. The room can of course be shared with a friend, but if you’re traveling alone, don’t worry, I’ve only had good experiences with it myself and it’s particularly important to me that you feel the same way. We’ll do our best to match you with someone we know you get along with based on your registration forms! We end up spending most of our time together and outside anyway and by the end of the week we are all besties anyway. We also get our money’s worth in culinary terms. Greek locally made yoghurt, porridge with superfood toppings and eggs for breakfast and our private chef will whip up healthy, delicious Instagram style dishes for us every day. Everything regional and seasonal. Surrounded by olive, pomegranate and fig trees, the small village of Mekounida where Villa Kasteli is located just feels quaint and authentic. You cannot describe the special atmosphere until you’ve experienced it yourself. As one of our last retreat guests said “Whenever we come back from an outing where we’ve seen so many beautiful things, I think it’s still most beautiful back at home – here at Villa Kasteli”.