Itinerary: The Mountain Retreat (Domnista)

Location: Yliessa Boutique Hotel, Domnista Reading Retreat Itinerary

Please note: This is a sample schedule. The final itinerary may vary slightly depending on the weather and the group’s preference.

  • Collection from Athens Airport

    Arrival Day

    We collect you from Athens Airport and head north towards the mountains. The drive takes around four hours, and we break the journey at a seaside taverna — a proper sit-down dinner with the water in front of you, something good to eat, and no particular reason to rush.

    It's the best kind of introduction to Greek time. By the time we wind up into Dominista, the day has already given you something.

    Settling In

    Arriving in the evening, you'll meet your hosts and get a feel for the house and the week ahead. There are no formalities, no itineraries thrust at you, just a quiet welcome and the chance to find your feet.

    If the mood takes you, there's a nightcap waiting — something local, something unhurried, the kind of drink that belongs at the end of a long journey. Then we'd encourage an early night. Tomorrow is when it all properly begins.

  • Morning – Your First Proper Day

    9:00 AM – Breakfast at Yliessa.​

    After breakfast, we take you on a gentle wander through the property — the library stocked and ready, the lounges with their tucked-away corners, the terraces, and yes, both pools (we know).

    Then the morning is yours. This is a good moment to find your spot — the chair that will become yours by Thursday, the balcony you'll return to before dinner each evening, the particular patch of shade with the right light for reading. There's no wrong answer.

    Over coffee, we'll share a little of what the week holds — the conversations we'll have, the books at the centre of it all, and the people who'll guide them. Think of it less as a schedule and more as a sense of what's coming, offered lightly, without obligation.

    The week is generous with its pace. This morning sets the tone.

    1:00 PM – Lunch. Mediterranean dishes, locally sourced.​

    Afternoon – Free time to read, write, swim, rest, or wander the forested trails.​

    7:00 PM – White Elephant Book Swap & Drinks.​

    Bring a favourite book to share and discover a new one. Wine, appetisers, and conversation as the light fades over the mountains.​

    8:30 PM – Dinner at a nearby taverna

  • 8:00 AM – Optional Yoga
    Gentle if it suits—breathe in the morning.

    9:00 AM – Breakfast
    Simple, fresh, round the table.

    10:30 AM – Excursion
    Easy morning out together.

    1:00 PM – Lunch

    Afternoon – Free Time
    Your call: page, path, pause.

    7:00 PM – Book Club & Dinner
    Talk turns to books— your TBR grows as the wine flows along with the conversation,  in a magical mountain setting

    Exceptional food, wine, and bookish conversation in a magical seaside setting.

  • 9:00 AM – Breakfast

    11:00 AM – Author Talk
    Hear the author share their ideas, how they write, what comes next. Questions welcome.

    1:00 PM – Lunch

    Afternoon – Free Time
    Read, walk, write, swim, rest—it’s up to you.

    5:00 PM – Excursion
    An afternoon out.

    8:00 PM – Dinner at Local Taverna
    Local warmth, fabulous food.

    10:00 PM Onwards – Reading Under Stars
    Optional: stars above, book in hand.

  • 8:00 AM – Optional Yoga Session

    9:00 AM – Breakfast

    11:00 AM – Author’s talk.

    Listen to an author open up on their work – the ideas behind their books, their process, works in progress.

    1:00 PM – Lunch

    Afternoon – Free time

    6:30 PM – Book Signing and drinks

    Sunset drinks with authors.

    7:30 PM onwards – Authors’ Dinner.

    The week's heart: authors, us, locals round the table—questions fly, stories unfold, conversation stretches long into the evening

  • 9:00 AM – Breakfast

    10:30 AM – Lazy Morning reading, sunbathing or taking a final stroll

    1:00 PM – Lunch

    3:00 PM – Excursion to Karpenis.

    Expect stone-paved streets lined with family-run shops, a marble central square with its lion fountain, and some wonderful galleries and markets

    5:00 PM – Drive to beach side hotel and taverna on the way to Athens

    8:00 PM – Farewell Dinner

    Stories and goodbyes

  • 8.00 AM onwards – Breakfast available

    Morning – Transfers to airport.

  • Outdoor pool access invites cool swims amid mountain air

    Cosy Lounge

    Quiet reading nooks dot the gardens—perfect spots to settle with a book

    Private balconies open to sweeping mountain views

    Daily homemade breakfasts featuring fresh local produce

A black and white die showing the number five placed on a printed paper tablecloth with blue text, along with a clear shot glass of water and a metal bucket in the background.
A group of people sitting around a dining table enjoying drinks and conversation, with a woman standing and pouring a beverage. The setting appears to be a patio or outdoor dining area at night, with plants and a window in the background.
People dining outdoors under a large tree with green leaves, seated at wooden tables and chairs, with a relaxed atmosphere and a clear sky in the background.
People dining outdoors under shaded canopies, sitting at wooden tables and chairs, with a man relaxing on a bean bag near a tree and aloe plants in the foreground.
A person with curly red hair in a blue shirt reaching for a book on a white bookshelf filled with books, with a large decorative vase with flowers on top of the shelf.
Coastal cityscape with white buildings on a hillside, palm trees near the water, rocky shoreline, and waves crashing against rocks in the foreground.
A woman with red hair and sunglasses on her head is tasting something with a spoon while holding a smartphone, as a person hands her a dark bottle in an indoor setting with large windows and wooden trim.
A white Mediterranean-style building with a staircase, black railings, blue shutters, and potted plants. Bright pink and red flowering vines grow along the stairs.
A table with two pieces of cake, a white cup, and a small vase with pink flowers and greenery, with a bookshelf in the background.
A woman with red hair in a purple and pink checkered dress holding a small gift wrapped in white paper with curly writing and a red ribbon, standing at a table with more wrapped presents, inside a room with tables and chairs, overlooking a sunset by
A black round table with a potted plant, a glass bowl with flowers, two books, and a glass of water, set in front of a sheer window curtain with sunlight and shadow patterns.
A woman with long, curly red hair, wearing a blue sleeveless top, appears to be deep in thought or concerned while sitting outdoors.

Hesitating?

Life’s busy. There will always be a reason not to go.

But ask yourself this: when was the last time you spent a week doing exactly what you wanted to do?

The sun’s warm. The wine’s cold. What are you waiting for?

Find your Retreat
Find your Retreat

Arrive curious. Leave inspired.