At a Glance
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Mani Peninsula, Southern Greece
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Intimate small group: 5-6 guests
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Hands-on vegan Greek home cooking
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Swimming, village walks, and unstructured rest
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Stay in a traditional Mani stone tower house
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September 4–10, 2026
Application-based to keep the group calm, compatible, and easeful.
An Invitation to Live at Village Pace
This is a week lived differently.
Not rushed. Not optimized. Not filled for the sake of being full.
You’ll spend your days cooking, swimming, walking, resting, and sharing meals. All this within the natural rhythms of a Greek village. Food is central, but so is everything around it: the land it comes from, the time it’s given, and the way it’s shared.
This retreat offers a chance to experience Greece from the inside and to feel how that way of living stays with you.
The Arc of the Week
Over the course of the week, the body begins to sync with place.
At first, you arrive carrying your usual pace. By Saturday, the senses wake up through market colors, salt in the air, olive oil on your hands. Sunday opens something deeper: time stretches, the sea steadies you, and nothing is asked of you.
As the days continue, cooking becomes second nature, movement softens, and meals no longer feel like tasks. The rhythm of Greece, which is shaped by the land, sea, and season, it all begins to feel familiar.
You don’t leave with a checklist completed.
You leave having lived differently, even briefly...knowing how to return to that rhythm at home.
Meet Your Host
I’m Christina Gdisis, founder of Conscious Vegan Kitchen - a chef and facilitator rooted in Greek ancestral food wisdom and seasonal living.
I was raised on stories from olive groves and village kitchens, passed down through my Greek immigrant family. I fell in love with Mani not because it dazzles, but because it holds. It holds its stone towers, quiet villages, dramatic coastline, and pace that gently insists you slow down.
This retreat is an extension of my work and lived experience: helping people return to their kitchens, their bodies, and a rhythm that actually feels sustainable.
Who This Retreat Is For
This retreat is for you if you’re craving:
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A slower, more grounded experience of Greece
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Cooking skills that feel intuitive and repeatable
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Time that isn’t packed, optimized, or performative
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Space to rest without needing to justify it
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A deeper relationship with food, land, and daily rhythm
You don’t need to be an experienced cook.
You do need curiosity, presence, and a willingness to slow down.
The kinds of moments we'll make space for
Sample Itinerary
(A True Rhythm, Not a Rigid Schedule)
Friday / Arrival & Grounding
Arrival via Kalamata shuttle · settling into the tower house · welcome dinner · opening circle
Saturday / Market Day & Mezze
Farmers market · mezze workshop · shared lunch · siesta · optional village walk
Sunday / Sea, Slowness & Family Pace
Leisurely breakfast · swimming in Limeni · long unstructured time · simple home dinner
Monday / Olive Oil & Ladera
Olive farm visit · tasting · ladera cooking workshop · shared dinner
Tuesday / Towers, Paths & Aspasia
Tower villages · coastal walk · picnic · celebratory taverna dinner
Wednesday / Integration & Hosting
Village salad workshop · final shared lunch · closing circle · sunset farewell meal
Thursday / Departure
Light breakfast · shuttle to Kalamata Airport
Why Mani?
Mani is known for its stone tower villages, fiercely independent history, and elemental landscape.
This is not resort Greece. That's what makes this so unique and special.
It’s dramatic, quiet, and deeply rooted. It shapes how we cook, move, and rest.
Gentle FAQ (First-Time Retreat Guests Welcome)
I’ve never done a retreat before. Will this feel overwhelming?
No. This retreat is intentionally small and gently paced. There’s structure where it’s helpful and space where it matters.
Do I have to participate in everything?
No. Everything is an invitation. Rest and opting out are fully respected.
I’m not confident in the kitchen - is that okay?
Absolutely. This is everyday Greek home cooking. You’ll chop, taste, cook, and eat together, all guided step by step, without pressure.
What if I’m coming alone?
Many guests do. The small group size makes it easy to feel at ease without forced socializing.
Is this a yoga or wellness retreat?
No formal yoga schedule. This is a cooking and living retreat, with gentle movement woven naturally through walking, swimming, and daily life.
The Home Base
We’ll stay in a 200 year old traditional Mani stone tower house... simple, grounding, and designed for quiet living.
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Courtyard for shared meals and evenings
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Shared and private spaces for rest
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Close to villages, coastlines, and walking paths
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A home that supports both solitude and connection
The shared courtyard of our Mani stone house. It's a place for morning tea, shared meals, and slow afternoons between cooking, swimming, and village life.
The traditional stone tower house where we stay during the retreat, surrounded by olive trees and shaped by the history and rhythms of the Mani region.
A bathroom within the retreat house, clean and functional, supporting comfort.
The shared courtyard of our Mani stone house. It's a place for morning tea, shared meals, and slow afternoons between cooking, swimming, and village life.
Dates, Group Size & Food
Dates
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September 4–10, 2026
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Friday arrival · Thursday departure
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5 full days together
Group Size
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5–6 guests
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This retreat is intentionally small to allow for ease, personal attention, and a calm group dynamic. No one gets lost in the crowd.
Food
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All meals are vegan, inspired by traditional Greek home cooking and seasonal availability.
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We cook and eat the way food is shared in Greek households. It's simple, generous, and grounded. Dietary needs are collected in advance and accommodated with care.
Arrival & Departure
Guests arrive and depart via a coordinated shuttle to and from Kalamata Airport. Detailed travel guidance is shared well in advance so you don’t have to figure this out alone.
What Happens Next
This retreat is launching very soon!
The dates, location, and overall rhythm are now set. Details like pricing, room options, and final logistics are being shaped with care, so that what’s offered feels aligned, supportive, and true to the experience you’ve just read about.
If this week in Mani resonates, the best next step is simply to stay close as it unfolds.
By joining the waitlist, you’ll:
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Receive first access when applications officially open
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Be the first to see (early bird) pricing and room options
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Get practical details around travel and preparation
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Be invited into a small Q&A or written update before launch
There’s no commitment at this stage. This is just an opportunity to stay connected.
If you feel drawn to this retreat, I’d love to hold a place for you on the waitlist.
Joining the waitlist means you’ll be the first to receive updates as details are finalized, and you’ll be invited to apply before this is shared publicly.
→ Join the Waitlist
This is not a commitment to attend. It's simply a way to stay informed and close to the process.