Summer of Love

7th June – 13th June 2026 | Domnista, Greece 
With Bestselling Authors Karen Swan and Emma Cowell
Reserve your place
Reserve your place

Some stories are written on the page.

Others are written in the mountains.

We venture off the tourist trail to Domnista, a quiet village nestled in the pine-clad peaks of central Greece. No polished postcards here—just still forests, crisp mountain air, and villages where time flows with the rhythm of easy conversation.

Clear space in your mind. Walk a mountain path, breathe deeply, turn pages undisturbed. Whether you seek focus as a writer or simple escape as a reader, we have discovered the perfect spot.

Your Sanctuary

Yliessa Guesthouse

You will be staying at Yliessa, a luxury Swiss-style chalet perched 1,000 metres high on the southern slopes of the Pindos mountains.

The Experience

View Full Itinerary
View Full Itinerary

The Vibe

Imagine alpine cool blended with Greek warmth. Local stone and timber shape our home here—it stands private, grounded, utterly peaceful. We craft spacious, comfortable rooms for deep rest.

Every window opens to forest or valley views. Mornings greet you with mountain vistas and fresh coffee. Days unfold by the outdoor pool, pages turning in the garden, feet on ancient village paths.

Evenings draw us to the bar for local tsipouro and homemade liqueurs. Dinners follow—our chalet chef cooks, or we head to the local taverna.

The Good Life

  • The Food:
    This is an all-inclusive experience. We start with a welcome lunch at a local taverna and finish with a farewell feast. Expect hearty, local mountain cuisine and excellent wine with every group meal.

  • The Disconnection:
    Domnista invites you to unplug completely. You shape your own days—no fixed agenda, just space for what calls you.​

  • Culture (Optional):
    Curious for more? Join optional outings: the Resistance Museum, stunning Panta Vrehi Gorge, Monastery of Prousos, or an evening in Karpenisi for shopping and dining.

Literary Indulgence

  • The White Elephant Book Swap:
    The rules are simple: bring a book you love, wrap it up, and swap it for a mystery read.

  • Genre Book Clubs:
    A chance to deep-dive into the books you love with people who get it.

  • Double the Insight:
    With two bestselling authors hosting, you get twice the stories. Karen Swan and Emma Cowell will be joining us for dinners, drinks, and relaxed Q&A sessions. Hear how they craft their world-renowned novels, from the first spark of an idea to the final draft.

Meet The Icons

Karen Swan

Karen is a Sunday Times top-three bestselling author who writes two books a year—one for summer, one for winter. From the sun-drenched The Greek Escape to the cosy Christmas at Tiffany’s, her novels are famous for their evocative settings and complex love stories.

She sees travel as essential research, and her books have taken readers from the fjords of Scandinavia to the cobbled streets of Paris.
She joins us to share how she turns a location
into a character and keeps her readers hooked year after year.

Emma Cowell

Emma lives between Cornwall and Greece and is the bestselling author of One Last Letter from Greece, The House in the Olive Grove, The Island Love Song, and Under the Lemon Tree.

A former actress and BBC presenter, storytelling has always been at the heart of her life. She is a keen linguist (though she claims her Greek is still limited to tavernas and bakeries), a former Cornish angling record holder, and a devotee of reformer Pilates. She joins us to share her love for the country that inspires her writing and to discuss the craft of creating sweeping, emotional narratives.

Secure Your Spot

Solo Occupancy
£1500

Reserve your place with a non-refundable deposit.
Final payment due 30 days before your retreat.

Pay by card at checkout, or use Klarna to spread the cost interest-free.

Full terms and conditions

Summer of Love - Solo Occupancy Summer of Love - Solo Occupancy Summer of Love - Solo Occupancy
Summer of Love - Solo Occupancy
from £150.00

Summer of Love

7th June – 13th June 2026 | Domnista, Greece

Shared Occupancy
£2400 (£1200 pp)

Reserve your place with a non-refundable deposit.
Final payment due 30 days before your retreat.

Pay by card at checkout, or use Klarna to spread the cost interest-free.

Full terms and conditions

Summer of Love - Shared Occupancy Summer of Love - Shared Occupancy Summer of Love - Shared Occupancy
Summer of Love - Shared Occupancy
from £240.00

Summer of Love

7th June – 13th June 2026 | Domnista, Greece

A cozy living room with wooden log walls and ceiling, featuring a chandelier, window with purple and yellow curtains, a sofa, two armchairs with red pillows, a wooden coffee table, decorative vases, wine bottles on a rack, and a bar area.
A cozy log cabin bedroom with wooden log walls and ceiling, a bed with red and green floral bedding, two red pillows, a nightstand with a lamp, a window with red and cream curtains, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Cozy log cabin restaurant dining area with wooden log walls, white tables, and chairs, decorated with potted plants and floral centerpieces, illuminated by warm lighting and chandeliers.
A hotel room with two single beds, each with white bedding and a pillow, and a small wooden nightstand in between. Towels are neatly rolled and placed at the foot of each bed. A window with sheer curtains lets in natural light and shows a view of tre
Cozy bedroom with wooden log walls, a white bed with beige pillows, a nightstand with a lamp, and ceiling chandelier lighting.
Two single beds in a log cabin bedroom with wooden walls and ceiling, each bed covered with a dark quilt, with folded towels on top, and a window with floral curtains.
A bedroom in a log cabin featuring two single beds with graybedspreads and pillows, one with green and striped pillow, an air conditioner under a window with a striped curtain, and a wooden nightstand, illuminated by a chandelier with three bulbs.
A cozy bedroom with wooden log walls, a large bed with floral bedsheets, striped pillows, and towel swans. There is a window with floral curtains, a nightstand with a lamp, and an air conditioning unit.
A cozy bedroom with wooden log walls, a bed with a quilted blanket and green pillows, a small bedside table with a lamp, a chest of drawers, a chair, and curtains covering a window, all in a rustic cabin style.

Details

    • A pre-retreat online meeting for all participants (last-minute questions welcome)

    • A goody bag full of traditional greek products

    • 6 nights at Yliessa Guesthouse

    • Daily homemade breakfast

    • Group meals with wine and soft drinks

    • All workshops, excursions and events

    • Airport/Ferry transfers on Naxos

    • Visas, flights and ferry tickets (we can help you plan this!).

    • Travel insurance (essential).

    • Extra drinks outside of scheduled meals.

  • You fly to Athens Airport. We’ll handle it from there. Our private bus will pick you up and take you on a beautiful drive into the mountains, stopping for a seaside meal along the way.

  • Absolutely. Most of our guests travel solo. The atmosphere is warm, inclusive, and unpretentious. By the first evening, you’ll be among friends.

Aerial view of a house with a tiled roof amidst greenery, with a backyard pool and surrounding trees, in a rural area with hilly terrain.
A large wooden log house with a tiled roof in a forested area, featuring a front porch with a railing, some people gathered on it, and a garden with trees and a stone wall in the yard, with a swimming pool and lounge chairs visible in the background.
Aerial view of a house with a tiled roof, surrounded by trees. There is a driveway with parked cars and a swimming pool with a hot tub nearby in the backyard.
A mountainous landscape with lush green forests, a few buildings with red roofs at the bottom, and a clear blue sky above.
Aerial view of a large house with a brown tiled roof, surrounded by green trees, a garden, and a small pond with a pool nearby.
Aerial view of a house with a tiled roof, surrounded by trees, with a paved driveway leading to a swimming pool and a small hot tub on a patio, and a garden with crops nearby.
A peaceful pond surrounded by green trees and grassy areas, with a clear blue sky and scattered white clouds reflected in the water.
A dense forest of pine trees extends up a hillside with a clear blue sky overhead and a small town visible in the distance.
A mountain cabin with a tiled roof, sitting in a forested area, near a swimming pool with lounge chairs and outdoor seating, surrounded by trees and greenery.
A serene mountain resort with a swimming pool, surrounded by wooden chalets and lush green trees, set against a backdrop of forested mountains at dusk.
A large wooden house on a hillside surrounded by dense green trees, with a stone foundation, exterior staircase, and a deck area with umbrellas.
A rustic log cabin with string lights near the entrance, a patio area with potted plants, and a view of a swimming pool and trees in the background during dusk

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?

Book your place now
Book your place now

Arrive curious. Leave inspired.