We are opening up Milos House on the south west of Paros island for the late autumn season, from Tuesday October 29th through to Sunday December 1st. It's a great time to be on the island, the crowds have gone and the clocks go back at the end of October, but the temperate climate can often provide warm, sunny days of between 15 and 20 degrees. The Aegean is still reasonably warm at that time of year. It's also light until around 6-7pm.
There are three bedrooms, two doubles and twin and we invite you to come and live in residence for anything between a week and a month.
It’s not really a retreat as such, no fixed timetable, just take each day and each week as it comes depending on who comes and how they would like to spend their time.
Last November we offered a weekly event and social at the house, a session which might involve a total immersion ambient music set, music nights, family constellations, a Beacon lighting ceremony around the fire circle in the front garden.
An afternoon excursion to Antiparos may be possible...including one of my favourite local beaches
We already have a Family Constellations all-day event confirmed for Saturday November 2nd with Poppy Altmann. Read more here
If there is interest we are hoping to offer some input into what may evolve into the first Paros 'Home Cooking' Winter Festival from November 21st.
I am hoping to be around too for most of the month and I would be happy to lead some creative sessions, especially around writing and some excursions. We are also blessed to have a great yoga teacher in the island who does morning sessions three times a week.
Price-wise, I generally work on a ‘pay what you feel’ policy out of season. As a rough guide cheapest local rooms would probably be around €30-40 a night. Car or scooter hire is essential as the house is up on a steepish hill (hence the views) and can be obtained for about €20 a day.
I hope you can come. Let me know your dates asap as we have a fair amount of interest.
Keep it lit!
Pete x
We return with an autumn programme, starting with the Island Dreaming event, a week aimed at creatives and writers.
In the middle of October we branch out into new (and slightly 'niche') territory with the Empower & Surrender retreat at the house. Click here for details.
In November, we will have open house. It’s not really a retreat as such, more a holiday in a creative space, no fixed timetable, just take each week as it comes depending on who comes and what they fancy doing. Depending on who comes and how long they stay, you might offer some creative sessions. I will be interested in holding space for a writing circle and we might do some excursions.
We are also blessed to have a great yoga teacher in the island who does morning sessions three times a week.
Price-wise, we generally work on a ‘pay what you feel’ policy out of season. As a rough guide cheapest local rooms would probably be around €30-40 a night. Car hire is essential as the house is up on a steepish hill (hence the views) and can be obtained for about €20 a day.
You might want to check our Getting to Paros page (work in progress) and more about Milos House as well as arrival info.
Pete x
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Magic of Paros trip - June 12 - 17 2023
As the days become longer and our thoughts turn to summer sunshine and azure blue seas, we invite you to join us on this 5 night “Magic of Paros” Retreat @ Milos House, located near the picturesque fishing village of Alyki on the south coast of Paros, with breathtaking views of surrounding islands and 360º views of Paros and Antiparos, as well as some of the best sunsets to be seen from the island.
You might wish to start your trip with an overnight stay in Athens or even Mykonos, both being on the main air and ferry routes to Paros. The retreat starts as you arrive at Milos House on June 12th. You will be free to spend your time how you choose, chilling out in one of the hammocks, heading to one of the beautiful nearby beaches, joining a Chill out breath work, somatic and restorative yoga session with Karina, a Deep Listening session with Pete, Campfire conversation and a rooftop sunset DJ party. There will also be optional add on outings to nearby Zoumis Farm, the beautiful island of AntiParos and Despotiko, one of the finest uninhabited islands in the Aegean. We plan to eat out at typical Greek tavernas and also cook some meals together at the house; this will be very flexible so you can choose! If any of you would like to offer a class or treatment (eg photography, reiki) you are most welcome!
Milos House is bathed in sunlight most days and set in a beautiful west facing garden, with eating and sitting areas to take advantage of the views and sunsets, including terraces, as well as hammocks and an additional breakfast area with spectacular views inland over Kamari village and the south coast. You have the choice of a spacious King room (sleeping 2) or a twin room, with shared bathrooms on both floors. There is also the option of booking your own accommodation nearby in Alyki, just a 10 min drive away, so you can join in with any of the activities offered at the house as well as the optional tours.
This slide show / video will give an indication of the vibe...
Cost includes:
5 nights accommodation @ Milos House
2 Breathe & Chill evening sessions with Karina
Deep listening session with Pete
Campfire conversation
Rooftop Sunset DJ party
Twin room: £370 pp (based on 2 people sharing room)
Queen double: £360 pp (based on 2 ppl sharing room)
Queen double: £520 pp (based on 1 person)
Event without accommodation included £125
Cancellation charges apply
Cost does not include:
Transport (incl. optional car hire)
Food
Optional outings
We will offer advice and help on booking flights and boat transfers, car hire etc.
Your Hosts:
Karina Cox is a clinical aromatherapist with Traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis (TCM), as well as a Yoga Alliance Hatha yoga instructor, having since completed trainings with Sarah Powers on her Insight Yoga Training Programme (Yin yoga, Meridian theory & self inquiry) as well as Yoga & Somatic movement for Immune and Respiratory Health with Charlotte Watts at Yogacampus.
Karina’s focus these days is on providing a variety of online and in-person classes and workshops, helping others to restore balance physically emotionally/mentally and spiritually. Her other passions include breathwork, Reiki, sound healing, forest bathing and travel.
Social entrepreneur / activist Pete Lawrence is conceptualist and firestarter of the social network and community Campfire Convention. Prior to that, he is probably best known as the co-founder of The Big Chill, and originator of the 'boutique' festival experience. In the mid 80s Lawrence was recognised as a respected tastemaker with an unconventional flair when he discovered and spontaneously recorded US folk singer Michelle Shocked on a walkman around a Texas campfire for his fledgling Cooking Vinyl label. Writer, musician (Chilled By Nature), DJ and journalist, film-maker and podcaster
If you'd like to come please email karinacx@aol.com or pete@petelawrence.net
]]>Milos House (named after its neighbouring windmill) sits proudly on top of a hill just outside of the picturesque fishing village of Alyki on the south coast of Paros. It’s a real home from home, with views that will take your breath away and stay in your heart forever. The sunsets are some of the best you’ll see on the island. You can see many surrounding islands and 360º views of Paros and Antiparos.
Access to the house is through a tiny hamlet and the final ascent is pretty steep. Hiring a car is advisable to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings, although there are buses and you can walk to the nearest beach in 15 minutes. It is a 15 minute drive from the main port. The local village has plenty of excellent traditional tavernas, a few well stocked super markets, an ATM and a great bakery.
The house is very spacious, flooded with natural sunlight and set in a beautiful west facing garden which has eating and sitting areas to take advantage of the views and sunsets.
There are wonderful terraces both upstairs (some covered) and downstairs with access via the kitchen, and an additional breakfast area with spectacular views inland over Kamari village and the south coast. The garden has two hammocks.
Milos House sleeps 6 and comprises 3 bedrooms: one with king bed, one with a large double and a third with two single beds, one of which is on the ground floor. There are two bathrooms, both with baths and showers and again one on each floor. All rooms have ample cupboard storage facilities.
The downstairs living space is open plan, with a lovely open fire and the sunny kitchen invites you to cook and eat, either inside or out with two big tables which can sit between 6-8 people.
The house has an electric cooker, washing machine, dishwasher and drying area. There are plenty of towels, including those for the beach. There is a TV and BluRay player, Sonos system and very good wifi connectivity. With no neighbours nearby, it’s the perfect retreat and place to gather or to reflect, read and just be.
Having lived on the island for nearly 20 years we are well placed to advise you on what to do and see. The house will be cleaned prior to your stay and with agreement can be serviced during your stay. We can help find a local chef and / or food ' drink options for cooking in or eating out, as well as a recommended local islands boat trip.
The Sheep Shack (stone brick studio at rear) has recently been built and may be available for your stay if you need extra space for a couple or single (please enquire for separate rates). It is self contained, open plan, with two single mattresses side by side, full kitchen including cooker, washing machine and fridge / freezer, shower / wet room / water. It has two outside patios with sliding doors with view over windmill and sunsets, patio, one leisure table, one work table, coffee table and chairs. There is currently no permanent wifi in the studio as I take my 5G modem when I travel but good 4G/5G signal reception.
Check out our ideas for retreats
Available Areas:
Milos House - 2 double bedrooms, 1 twin bed room, sofas (if required) Total numbers - 7 (9 if sofas used)
The Sheep Shack - 2 single mattresses together or separate - Total numbers - 9 (11 if sofas used)
Two Bell Tents - to be added - 3 beds in each tbc - Total numbers - 15 (17 if sofas used)
Apothiki Studio - basic but room for mattress on floor - Total numbers - 13 (15 if sofas used)
One of our first long weekend retreats...
Starting in April 2023, we are offering the exclusive use of Milos House on the Cycladian island of Paros for spring and autumn seasons for up to 12 people over 6 full days and 7 nights.
Some examples of the sort of interests that we’d like to host
Milos House (named after its neighbouring windmill) sits proudly on top of a hill just outside of the picturesque fishing village of Alyki on the south coast of Paros. It’s a real home from home, with views that will take your breath away and stay in your heart forever. The sunsets are some of the best you’ll see on the island. You can see many surrounding islands and 360º views of Paros and Antiparos.
At its beating heart, our Island Dreaming sessions will have an ethos of openness, inclusion, co-creation and fun, as we tap the seam of the island’s cultural heritage over week-long journeys of personal and social awakening. With so much polarity in the world, many are feeling a strong sense that connection and community is the answer.
We aim to facilitate that connection and invitation for change through a fertile combination of experiential learning, nature connection, music, healthy eating, making, ritual, heart-centred business, eco-community and conscious social networking.