Galaxidi: The journey begins when you stop rushing past

In two weeks, our retreat will take us to Galaxidi. On the occasion of the “MAZI sti GIORTI” festival, we seized the opportunity to visit this beautiful place — a town just a few hours from Athens that feels like it holds the essence of an island and the history of another time.

And yet, how many times have we visited towns and villages in Greece without truly seeing them? How often have we passed through with the familiarity of “I know this,” just as we often do with ourselves? Last year, I saw French tourists outside the museum in Chalkida, carefully checking the opening hours. I, who have walked past it hundreds of times, had never stepped inside. I felt ashamed.

This retreat in Galaxidi is a chance to pause. To observe. To learn.

A hidden gem of history and seamanship

Galaxidi was once a major naval hub, with a fleet that dominated the Aegean and reached the Mediterranean. Even before the Revolution of 1821, the people of Galaxidi owned ships and maintained trade relations with the West. That’s why their houses resemble island mansions, with neoclassical touches and quiet elegance.

Places worth visiting:
    •    The Nautical and Historical Museum, with maps, naval instruments, and evidence of the town’s heroic past.
    •    The Church of Saint Nicholas, with its impressive wooden iconostasis and sea view.
    •    A walk along the harbor and through the narrow streets, filled with images of another era.
    •    The scent of the sea, not a backdrop but a main character in this peaceful, almost contemplative town.

A place to rediscover — and be rediscovered

Our retreat is an invitation: to move, to breathe, to reconnect with our bodies and ourselves. But it is also something more. It’s a chance to look at the place that welcomes us with fresh eyes. Not as passersby, but as travelers. Like the foreign tourists who appreciate what we’ve forgotten to notice.

Let’s enter the museum. Let’s ask an old local woman about her story. Let’s get a little lost in the alleys. Let’s listen.

Because every place — like every body — has something to tell us. We just need to be present.

Spots still available!

Our retreat in Galaxidi will take place from May 16 to 18, including Pilates practices, breathwork,participation in the 5km route, either walking or running, to explore the narrow streets of the town, and space for genuine connection — with ourselves and the place.

For more information and registration, check the detailed post in our Events section: