your guidebook
There can be many considerations when coming on a retreat, particularly when it is on a remote island!
Here is some information on the island and a guide for your journey to arrive here. More will be added closer to the date of the retreat.
about the island.
Samothraki is a rural and remote Greek island of volcanic origin which is its uniqueness & beauty. It is a world away from the larger & more commercialised islands you might have visited in Greece. Full of centuries-old plane trees, olives trees, streams & pebbled beaches set against the rocky mountains filled with the scent of thyme and oregano, it offers a mystical and enigmatic atmosphere. This of course makes it the perfect place to retreat to but it also means life is simple here and so we are encouraged to let go of expectations which can come from how we are used to 'being' on the outside world. Things move slower and it has an imperfect charm which asks us to surrender.
travelling to the island.
You can only arrive via ferry, there is no airport on the island. The quickest route is via the ferry from the port town of Alexandropouli.
Flights: You can fly direct from Athens to Alexandroupouli and there are a couple of flights a day and it takes around 1 hr-1 hr 15 minutes. Flights are operated by Aegean or Sky Express. You can also fly into Thessaloniki and take the coach which is 4 hours direct. The timetable is found here.
A little tip: if you sit on the left side of the plane as you are flying to Alexandropouli, you will get the view of flying over the island & on the right side on the return flight.
Ferry: The timetable for June is here .The ferry direct from Alexandropouli to Samothraki takes 1hr 50 minutes. It is 9 euros per person (without a vehicle). You can take the ferry on Sunday 18th June at 16.00, arriving 17.50. We will start with a welcome dinner in the evening. The departure ferry on Saturday 24th June is at 17.30 from the island, arriving 19.20 in Alexandropouli. You will be able to leave your belongings in the Villa at the hotel until you leave.
alexandropouli.
Due to ferry & flight schedules, you may need to stay 1 night in Alexandropouli, the port town and gateway to the island. It is a small university city and the perfect place to pick up anything you may have forgotten before you leave the outside world behind...
There are many places to stay, here are some recommendations for different budgets:
All the hotels are in the centre and within close proximity to the port. Alexandropouli Airport is very small and easy to navigate. It is around 10-20 minutes drive from the centre.
There are many places to eat, some we love are:
transfers & car hire.
Transfers from the ferry to the hotel can be arranged. The hotel is a 10 minute drive from the port. You can also hire a car on the island which we can help arrange for you. The island is small - it takes 1 hour to drive around the ring road from one end to the other (you can't drive 360° around the island). As long as you keep to the main routes and don't go off-road, it's easy an easy island to navigate.
greek food & tavernas.
There are some wonderful local tavernas on the island serving fresh produce from the land. As it is a small island, there are less dietary specific options generally available. If you have any food intolerances, please do let us know in advance so we can be mindful of this when making recommendations of what dishes to eat. We will also have some meals at the hotel so can accommodate dietary requirements here.
holistic services.
There are several therapists and healers living on the island and more arrive for the summer season. Sessions can be booked for the evening or during any free time. Rose will have some availability for 1 on 1 sessions, please speak directly with her to discuss.
packing list.
coming soon!
