PRESS
'To read Skyros press coverage is to choke on cliched words like 'life changing', 'transforming'. Yet at the end of two weeks, Skyros has been all of these.' Kate Rew, The Observer
Skyros has been the subject of numerous features in the British and foreign press over the years. The very short extracts on this page represent only a tiny sample of the vast publicity given to an organisation, which does not even have a PR department.
Good Housekeeping - June 2024
The best solo travel destinations.
For the original Shirley Valentine experience, look no further than Greece and its beautiful islands. If you're looking to explore your creative side, check out learning holidays company 'Skyros'. Staying in a rustic eco-lodge, this week-long holiday on Skyros, in the southern Sporades, includes creative writing sessions, stand-up comedy workshops and relaxing yoga classes.' Tracey Davies
Platinum Magazine - July 2024
A holistic holiday in the sun. One of my favourite holiday memories is an activity holiday on the Greek island of Skyros. I saw a picture of a spectacular blue sea and two women sitting at a table. It intrigued us and, sharing a sense of adventure, we booked a week at Atsitsa Bay. We didn't regret it. The setting is stunning and it is very much a relaxed community feel. We've had several reunions with people we met there, and enjoy reminiscing about magical Skyros. Gillian Fullarton
CNN - 21 February 2023
Skyros is one of the 10 best European holiday resorts. 'Once there, there are secluded beaches to explore, a Byzantine castle towering over the main town and sea, and even an ancient breed of miniature horse, the Skyrian horse. The island is a work of art'. But more than that, the CNN channel, which has viewers in over 212 countries and territories tells us, Skyros island is enriched with its ‘sophisticated, alternative tourism’, ie The Skyros holidays. The island's residents, it adds, 'preserve the authenticity of their place’ and ‘do not succumb to the massive and the trivial'. It is 'a supremely peaceful place.' Terry Ward
The Guardian - 20 January 2023
10 of the best health and wellness retreats in Europe for 2023
Island idyll, Greece. On the Aegean island of the same name, Skyros holidays offers a range of courses to heal and inspire, from writing and art to yoga and kayaking at two locations: Skyros Centre in the village (May-July) and coastal Atsitsa Bay (July-September). All sessions are led by experienced facilitators, the community environment is supportive and food is veggie and tasty. Families are welcome during school holidays. Caroline Sylger Jones
The Telegraph - 14 April 2022
The holistic haven: Skyros. Skyros, the wild Sporades archipelago’s southernmost gem, where British poet Robert Brook (author of The Soldier sonnet) lies buried and where legend says Theseus (he of the Minotaur) was hurled from a cliff by lairy king Lycomedes, is best known for its alternative vibe; yoga and wellness retreats are ten-a-penny. But there is more besides, from its unique breed of Skyrian ponies and pretty pine-studded landscapes, to the capital Chora spilling like white lava over a cliff topped by a biscuit-coloured Byzantine castle. Heidi Fuller-Love
The Telegraph - November 2022
Discover the off-season wellness retreat.
[..] as the weather cools [...] Skyros, the learning holidays experts, decamp to their UK HQ, The Grange by the Sea, a handsome Georgian country house in Shanklin. 'We switch-it up during the low season from one week and two-week wellbeing holidays on the Greek island of Skyros to creative weekend retreats on the Isle of Wight'. Sarah Baxter
iNews - October 2022
Mindfulness seekers, Isle of Wight.
Proof that a creative environment is conducive to forging lifelong friendships, this collection of well-being breaks is designed to help participants unwind and socialise. Based at The Grange by the Sea, a Georgian country house with sprawling lawns a short stroll from Shanklin’s sandy beach, the breaks focus on mindfulness. Workshops range from fiction writing to yoga and colour therapy. Accommodation is in twin rooms, with sharers matched by interests and hobbies ahead of departure. Sarah Marshall
The Guardian - September 2022
Learning Holidays in Europe: Humorous Writing in Greece.
The greatest revelation is that I enjoy performing, even though public speaking usually scares me. I find making people laugh brings me the joy I was seeking and I revel in the audience interaction. Which is how I came to be oversharing on that moonlit stage, safe in the knowledge that I’m among friends, my body and soul uplifted by the holiday. I’m returning to Skyros this September to try my hand at standup – and that I find truly astonishing. Deborah Gray
Red Magazine - May 2021
Bring home more than a tan on these 10 learning holidays. The Writers' Lab on Skyros, Greece, offers you the opportunity to learn creative writing from guest tutors - past authors include Hanif Kureishi, Sue Townsend, Marina Warner and Margaret Drabble. Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners, including Hilary Mantel, James Kelman and Alison Lurie, have also visited this beautiful retreat, which is as far as can be from the demands of everyday life.
The Telegraph - 10 April 2021
The 50 greatest British weekend breaks for 2021 Become a Master, Isle of Wight.
Take a weekend to gather your thoughts at The Grange by the Sea, a Georgian country house that hosts a range of creative workshops year-round. Over the May Bank Holiday, choose between masterclasses on fiction writing or life coaching.
The Telegraph - 26 February 2021
Which is the perfect Greek island? Best for the mind: Skyros
Travel writer Sophie Butler recommends Atsitsa Bay which offers yoga, life-coaching, music, sketching, painting, singing, dancing and other activities guaranteed to soothe your lockdown-addled mind.
Sunday Times - 10 January 2021
The best holidays for nourishing the body and soul
An easy place to start is mindfulness - practising being aware of your thoughts in the moment. Michael Eales ...runs this week-long retreat in a pretty bougainvillaea-draped village on the island of Skyros.
The Guardian - 10 January 2021
15 wellbeing retreats and detox breaks - for better days ahead
The Grange, in the seaside town of Shanklin, is the HQ of holistic holiday company Skyros. You can expect a friendly group atmosphere and tasty food and drink sourced as locally as possible.
The Guardian - 5 September 2020
One of the UK's 10 best outdoor well-being retreats.
This is the first year in more than four decades that Skyros Holidays has been unable to run creative retreats in Greece. On the upside, it has expanded its UK retreats, which are based at a country house in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. There are two retreats a week covering a range of skills from watercolour painting to comedy writing to singing.
The Metro - 27 February 2020
Nirvana on the cheap — soulful breaks that won’t break the bank. Need a little sunshine? Make a beeline for Atsitsa Bay on the Greek island of Skyros, where you’ll find a number of wellness weeks.
The Guardian - 19 January 2020
10 of the best UK spas and well-being holidays. Mindfulness or wilderness, Isle of Wight. Stay close to the beach at The Grange by the Sea, a Georgian country house in pretty Shanklin on a well-being weekend with Skyros Holidays. There are several new options for 2020. Wilderness Wellbeing Walks (6-8 March), led by Julia Gillick, promises to ignite a deeper connection with nature with guided hikes plus discussions exploring physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Or opt for an Art and Mindfulness break with artist Ignacio Lalanne (23-25 October), which delves into the therapeutic qualities of creating art and being in the present moment – no experience required.
Culture Trip - 8 October 2021
Looking for a trip built on wellbeing, creativity and shared experiences? Check out the Skyros Centre, a retreat that encourages you to try new things, live out your hobbies and enjoy relaxation with fellow creatives. It offers writing, art, wellbeing and yoga classes, all in a beautiful island setting.storic, literary and mythical sites, and you’ve found a small Greek island with big secrets ready to be uncovered. Kim Gregory
Sally Akins - December 2019
"Maybe your goal for 2020 is to work on self-care and personal development. If so, there are some great courses available from Skyros… explore your potential and learn new skills, as well as relax and enjoy time with like-minded people."
Travel With Kat - September 2019
Spending a week starting each day with a yoga lesson before breakfast, swimming and snorkelling in the bay, interspersed with kayaking, singing, painting or even abseiling with a group of like-minded people, I couldn’t imagine a more rejuvenating holiday. Kathryn Burrington
I News - August 2019
You can try everything from yoga and dance to creative writing and stand-up comedy
The Silver Travel Advisor - 20 August 2019
For the active, yoga, kayaking and abseiling were on offer with experienced instructors. For the cerebral, two separate creative writing courses led by experienced published authors. For the artistic, a painting course; for the musical, a singing course along with ukulele strumming on the beach each morning. And for those wanting a journey of self-discovery, clowning and mindfulness were the natural choices…I’ve returned from Skyros with new friends, and new skills, raring to write a novel and determined to practice daily mindfulness. Skyros, I’ll be back. Debbie Marshall
The Times - 29 June 2019
In Skyros, you can do everything from yoga, singing, dancing and writing, to abseiling, kayaking and windsurfing. Holidays from now until September 22 start at £745 per adult, based on twin-share accommodation, full board, and all activities. Take the children and you will get a 50 per cent discount on the adult price, which means once you add on the cost of flights to Athens (at present £233 with Wizz Air from Luton), a family of four pays just over £3,000.
The Telegraph - 17 June 2019
Best for alternatives: Skyros. Telegraph Travel’s Sophie Butler recommends Atsitsa Bay, which offers yoga, sailing, life-coaching, music, sketching, painting, singing, dancing and various drop-in activities.
The Telegraph - 28 May 2019
Get creative in Greece: Previous artistic experience isn’t essential on a summer course at the Skyros Centre on the Greek island of Skyros. The course is led by Ignacio Lalanne, who trained at London’s Central Saint Martins Art and Design College and is also a mindfulness teacher. Through painting and drawing, he encourages participants to relax their minds and to focus on the present. Daily yoga, music and singing sessions are also on offer. Nick Trend
Woman & Home - 20 February 2019
Escape to an island with the Skyros retreats on the Isle of Wight. Located at The Grange B&B in delightful Shanklin, weekends include yoga, writing, life coaching, art, music and more. You can do as much or as little as you like, and there’s plenty of opportunity to take in the island’s natural beauty. Lottie Gross
The Times - 26 January 2019
The best activity holidays for 2019. Now in its 41st year, the holiday company Skyros is going strong with activity breaks on the Isle of Wight and its original home, the Greek island of Skyros, where it runs two alternative holiday centres. Get active with a range of courses that include yoga, writing, singing, abseiling and windsurfing. Breaks can be at the Skyros Centre in the cobblestoned Old Town or by the sea in Atsitsa Bay, or guests can blend the two. James Ellis
I News - December 2018
Solo travellers who fancy a bit of self-improvement should head to the Isle of Wight, and a four-day break at The Grange By The Sea in Shanklin. By day you’ll have singing, improv and life-coaching lessons; by night, there’s karaoke and a New Year’s Eve disco. The majority of participants are solo travellers. Julia Buckley
Greece Is - December 2018
You can customise your retreat by picking from a variety of activities. Founder Yannis Andricopoulos says he was inspired by the ancient Greeks and their holistic beliefs. Wellness seekers can choose between two locations on the island: the villa and huts at Atsitsa Bay or the facility on the outskirts of the main town.
Claremont Courier - November 2018
I have spent many lovely weeks over nine years enjoying visiting the two centres for personal development—one in the village and one in the countryside on the sea. Jan Wheatcroft
Campfire Convention - September 2018
Atsitsa creates its community identity by attention to diverse individual needs and a lot of meetings. There are morning demos daily for the whole group, then œkos (small group sharing) and paired co-listening to go deeper... and there are interest group meetings which all come together on the last night in a cabaret so glorious you can hardly believe that five days ago these people were still trying to remember each others' names. Crysse Morrison
The Telegraph - 1 September 2018
September is a great month to travel - here's where to go
Our favourites include Skyros, in the pine-fringed Sporades...
Queen of Retreats - August 2018
The camaraderie and supportive community is the reason there is a 70% return rate. The participants came from all walks of life (and continents), and included a newly qualified Cambridge University PhD, an author, a nursery teacher as well as a Jungian analyst, a paediatrician and marketers from the National Trust and a London law firm. The variety of ages, ranging from the mid-20s to 60 plus, and the mind-opening variety of life experiences made the conversations lively and the interactions interesting. Atsitsa Bay is the sort of holiday you come home feeling it’s never too late to start anything new. Niki Natarajan
Jewish Chronicle - 5 August 2018
The best solo travel holidays…Write your own novel on a creative writing break in Greece with Skyros. Cathy Winston
Psychologies Magazine - June 2018
Editor, Suzy interviews writing facilitator, Monique Roffey.
Psychologies Magazine - June 2018
Editor, Suzy interviews co-founder, Dina Glouberman.
The Times - 2 June 2018
Set on the island of Skyros, these immersive holistic holidays give you the chance to do what you need, whether it’s creative, sporty, healing or fun, and are popular with people from all ages and walks of life. Find inspiration with a range of courses at the Skyros Centre in town or at Atsitsa Bay, near the beach. Whether you’re a seasoned self-improver or new to retreats, the facilitators make it fun, and there’s time to relax.
I News - 10 March 2018
A stone villa pitched between pine forests and sparkling sea on the tranquil island of Skyros provides the setting for a number of creative retreats. There are comedy-improv workshops (which a then-unknown Jimmy Carr attended), yoga, art, photography and watersports. Writing courses include biographies, comedy, finding your voice, short fiction and more. Sophie Lam
Greece Is - 13 February 2018
At Skyros' two truly holistic retreats (at Atsitsa Bay and the island’s main village) you can design a retreat that suits you by picking from a plethora of activities: yoga, windsurfing, reflexology, abseiling, massage, music, psychotherapy, dance, comedy and tai chi. It’s a mix that (helps) to connect with your inner self while also having fun. It’s also a great place to meet new people from all over Europe (about a third of the participants are from the UK). Paulina Kapsali & Pavlos Zafiropoulos
Greece Is - 19 January 2018
Yannis Andricopoulos had the ancient Greeks in mind when he founded the Centre. Inspired by how “the whole for the Greeks was more than the sum of its parts,” he created a centre where participants get to nurture body, mind and spirit. The island of Skyros in the Sporades offers beautiful surroundings for your tailored retreat. Paulina Kapsali
Sunday Times Travel - January 2018
I came away inspired, fired up about my premise, and armed with Diane's tricks to get the creative juices flowing. Lucy Thackray
The Telegraph - 7 January 2018
19 Best Greek Islands - Skyros: Best for Alternatives
The Guardian - 11 December 2017
Know someone who’s itching to do something new? Skyros specialises in learning holidays and covers a wide range of skills, from art to singing, writing to windsurfing. Its main centre is on the Greek island of Skyros but it also runs courses on the Isle of Wight. Isabel Choat
The Telegraph - 19 June 2017
The 30 greatest yoga holidays on the planet. From July to September these one or two-week sunny holistic holidays offer a daily hatha yoga practice alongside myriad other activities at two locations. Choose the Skyros Centre for writing, well-being, music and the arts; or the beachside Atsitsa Bay for sporty options such as windsurfing and salsa dancing, or theatrical arts such as screenwriting and comedy improvisation.
Arthritis Digest - Issue 2 2017
The Grange, in the old village of Shanklin on the south coast of the Isle of Wight: this gorgeous secluded Georgian country house is nestled in greenery and offers a fantastic programme of writing courses with the help of award-winning authors. Charlotte Bush
The Telegraph - 3 May 2017
Skyros is a hotspot for holistic holidays. Telegraph Travel's Sophie Butler recommends Atsitsa Bay, which offers yoga, sailing, life-coaching, music, sketching, painting, dancing and various drop-in activities.
The Globe and Mail (Canada) - 12 November 2017
The long list of instructors includes bestselling U.K. author Lisa O'Donnell (The Death of Bees; Closed Doors), and Jane Harris, whose first novel, The Observations, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. All classes take place outdoors, in literal writing circles held in gardens and fruit-tree orchards – Atsitsa Bay is nestled between the ocean and a vast pine forest. "The writing courses offered here are like the island itself – full of light and shade, stimulating and strong on surprises," says BAFTA-winning screenwriter and author Steve Attridge, who is one of the instructors. The solitude to write and create, combined with the variety of activities available once the three-hours-a-day courses are finished, plus the strong sense of community fostered here keeps participants coming back year after year. Bruno Latzelsperger
The Telegraph - 3 January 2017
Mix music, singing, dance, yoga, art, writing, windsurfing and more. Skyros offers solo travellers of any age the chance to do something a little bit different in the sunshine before retiring to an eco bamboo hut and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. Caroline Sylger Jones
The Telegraph - 5 September 2016
Jimmy Carr was inspired to give up his job with Shell and become a comedian after a holiday with Skyros, and the company’s weekend breaks at their British HQ on the Isle of Wight are likely to inspire others too. Held at The Grange, a Georgian b&b with lovely sea views and a large garden, the year-round choice of two-night writing courses, yoga, photography, dance and well-being escapes are great for solo travellers or friends looking for a weekend break with a difference.
The Telegraph - September 2016
The best body and soul holidays in Britain: Best Holistic Retreat (The Grange).
DK Travel - September 2016
Best art escapes in Europe.
Asahi Weekly, Japan – 18 September 2016
Skyros [island] is a special holiday destination. There are no nightclubs, no topless bathing and virtually no crime. The population of 3,000 prides itself on the safety of the island. Before plunging into the sea, I leave my bag on the beach with my iPhone and some money inside it. Nearby, young people are playing volleyball and children are splashing about on the shore. I emerge from my swim to find the bag untouched. I marvel at this. The same thing happens every day. ‘Skyros has a close community’, says Dimitri, a young man in his thirties. ‘People are very protective of their way of life. Friendship and trust are important aspects of life here’.
Spirit and Destiny - August 2016
'I found true love' after years of putting up emotional barriers, Sally Brockway learnt how to open her heart to love on the Greek island of Skyros.
Independent Ireland - 31 July 2016
It's a great holiday for what I call 'singular togetherness': solo travellers who want to share their experiences with other, independently-minded people. There's a big emphasis on community, which makes it easy for even the shyest to meet others. Deirdre Mullins
The Telegraph - 1 July 2016
A life-changing visit to inspirational Skyros: De-stress? Inner calm? Skyros can do it in spades. I was at a crucial crossroads with my marriage in shreds and a decision to make as to whether I scooped up my young son and dogs and went back to my home in South Africa. I signed up for a week's writing course on Skyros, needing sun, sea and inspiration. During this week we soaked up the views of the wine-dark sea from the vine-covered terraces (and the produce from the vines), over-indulged in seafood ad salads and laughed as only one can if one is relaxed and happy. The magic of Skyros worked. That was 18 years ago and we have been happily married for the past 17. Jackie Pilkington
The Times - 23 April 2016
Overlooking Atsitsa Bay on the eponymous Greek island, Skyros is one of the original detox destinations. There’s little to no phone signal no wi-fi and no TV — and accommodation is in rustic bamboo huts in a pine forest. Stays include three courses a day, including yoga, art, writing, music, dance, abseiling, windsurfing and comedy. James Ellis
The Globe and Mail - March 2016
The solitude to write and create, combined with the variety of activities available once the three-hours-a-day courses are finished, plus the strong sense of community fostered here keeps participants coming back year after year.
HISKIND - March 2016
For the most energetic holiday to burn off the many creme eggs (also, us again), a Skyros retreat starts the day with early morning yoga, mid-morning dance or trapeze course, before heading off for an afternoon of windsurfing lesson. Dean Eastmond
Metropolitan Life - March 2016
It's an ideal place to try something new.
The Times - 6 February 2016
Greece’s ‘Best Special Interest’ holiday: Atsitsa Bay, by the sea, backed by a lush pine forest. Stay in relaxed huts around a stone villa for courses – from yoga and novel writing to screenwriting and salsa – held on stone terraces among fruit and olive trees.
AOL Travel - February 2016
Quirky Valentines Breaks - Brush up your flirting skills at a Valentine's Flirtshop organised by Skyros.
Aquarius - January 2016
Not only do I feel stronger, but I have also made friends for life. The group is fantastic, and I’ve shared many lovely times with them. While I’m still not 100 per cent certain about what I want, I’m no longer overwhelmed by the future. Writing for seven days was a transformative experience; it gave me a much-needed focus, as well as a platform on which to share my life experiences. Andry Anastasiou
The Independent - 20 January 2016
Holidays that hone new skills in workshops from yoga, painting and creative writing to windsurfing, comedy and more are a big draw for single travellers. Classes mostly take place outdoors on terraces overlooking the sea, with participants enjoying the flexibility to do as much or as little as they please.
The Jewish Chronicle - 1 January 2016
The cabaret-cum-variety show was tremendous fun. There were beautiful harmonies by the singing group, comedy sketches, poetry and trapeze. Sharron Livingston
The Irish Examiner - 2 January 2016
“Everybody who comes back from a Skyros holiday recommends others to go,” wrote Maeve Binchy, almost 30 years before, and the most commonly-used description in online reviews is ‘life-changing’. Hailed as ‘the best alternative holiday’, the Skyros ethos is one of personal growth and development with a diverse group of people, of all ages and professions incl lawyers, academics, teachers, photographers, psychoanalysts, psychologists, a yoga teacher, a theatre company director, an entrepreneur, a blogger, and a former glossy magazine editor. They are married, divorced, widowed, in love and successfully single. Claire Doney
Scribble, Snap, Travel - October 2015
Something amazing happened that first night in Skyros. I found myself enjoying the company of every person I spoke to. There was no forced small talk. There were no fake niceties. Everyone was genuine and authentic, and I realised that I’m actually not as socially awkward as I thought I am! Hand on my heart, those were two of the most magical weeks of my life. Andrea Anastasiou
The Travel Magazine - 28 September 2015
There were several classes [in Atsitsa] with incredible teachers on offer – all specialists in their field. David Bourn’s classes were often hilarious and I couldn’t remember a time when I laughed so much. The cabaret-cum-variety show was tremendous fun and nearly everyone contributed something. There were beautiful harmonies by the singing group (curated by singer/songwriter Abbie Lathe), comedy sketches, pieces of writing inspired by attendees of the writing class given by novelist Amanda Smyth of Black Rock fame (the book she penned), poetry and of course, trapeze. It was truly uplifting to see how much could be achieved in just a few days. Sharron Livingston
A Lady of Leisure - July 2015
Skyros is unlike any other holiday and it is perfect if you want to reassess your life, find out where you’re going, find your life goals, deal with problems or take stock. However, it works equally well if all you want to do is lie on a beach with a book. Sarah Bridge
Red Magazine - July 2015
Whatever the cause of your turmoil, stop trying to squash it with work and use your holiday to unpack it. I recommend the Skyros Life Choices programme. Philippa Perry, Red Magazine's agony aunt.
Your Hols - June 2015
Tony Hawks is about to teach comedy classes on Greece’s Skyros island. The author will be a guest lecturer in Skyros Holidays’ new programme for this summer with two week-long Humorous Writing courses in September.
Huffington Post - June 2015
Skyros' personal development breaks could quite literally change your life. Cathy Winston
The Good Web Guide - 8 May 2015
Number One of the Best Sites for Unique Holidays. Really creative dynamic holidays are on offer at Skyros. Over the years Skyros has built up a reputation as the number one provider of alternative holidays and for good reason.
Daily Express - May 2015
Broaden your horizons: Pick up a skill on holiday. James Litson includes Skyros Holidays as a holiday destination to pick up a skill. James says, 'The Skyros Centre, on sleepy skyros (one of the Sporades islands) hosts a Writers' Lab each summer to encourage hidden talents. The one or two-week programme includes morning classes (held outsides, with inspiring countryside and sea views) and free afternoons for relaxing or scribbling your thoughts'.
Telegraph Travel - February 2015
Skyros, the most remote and undeveloped of the Sporades Islands, is a hotspot for holistic holidays. Telegraph Travel's Sophie Butler recommends Atsitsa Bay, which offers yoga, sailing, life-coaching, music, sketching, painting, singing, dancing and various drop-in activities.
The Mirror - December 2014
If the course of true love hasn't run smoothly for you, sign up for a crash course in dating on the Isle of Wight. Life coach Alison Goldie will cover subjects such as how you sabotage yourself and how to make the best of your assets on a fun and informative course. It is held at The Grange by the Sea, a four-star country house listed in the AA's Best British B&B guide.
Prima Magazine - July 2014
Head to the beautiful Greek island of Skyros for a holiday that combines soulful activities with the chance to meet interesting people from all walks of life. Solo travellers come to unearth talents they didn't know they had, as well as reset their priorities through yoga, art, music, windsurfing, comedy-improvisation and life-coaching courses.
Spirit & Destiny Magazine - March 2013
Stick in a rut? Then hop on a plane to the Greek island of Skyros and Choose Life At Any Risk. That's the name of a course designed to help people who are stuck in some area of their life, whether it's their relationship, spirituality, job or self-limiting beliefs. Helen Saunders
The Irish Examiner - March 2013
When it comes to unusual activities, holistic holiday giants Skyros offers a veritable bounty, from jewellery design and windsurfing to massage and songwriting. Tanya Sweeney
The Good Web Guide - March 2013
Skyros are top of the list when it comes to booking an alternative break with some serious life-affirming elements. Goethe said; ‘Whatever you dream, or dream you can, begin it now. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.' And this might as well have been the Skyros tagline because at this company it's all about finally realising that long-held dream; whether you're a writer with a book just bursting to get out, an artist, or a yoga fanatic, there will be the perfect holiday - to make you feel like you've really ticked one of your life ambitions off your list.
Psychologies Magazine - March 2013
Spending a week upping your emotional intelligence on the Greek island of Skyros could launch a life-long journey into greater self-discovery.
The Guardian Online - 7 January 2013
Tone up and broaden your mind while you tan on a 10-day Thailand trip from holistic holiday specialist Skyros.
The Telegraph - 26 July 2012
The best arts and crafts holidays. For creative courses abroad, consider one of the centres offered by Skyros. Perhaps most suitable is the Atsitsa Bay centre on the Greek island of Skyros, where over a 10-day stay you can try yoga, sailing, life-coaching, music, sketching, painting, singing, dancing and various drop-in activities. Sophie Butler
Travel Escapes & Great Days Out – 26 May 2012
At the cutting edge of contemporary holiday concepts, Skyros is the perfect holiday resort for the discerning traveller. Its benefits include new friendships and relationship-ps, new skills and interests, a fresh outlook on life or even a whole new way forward.
Financial Review, Australia - 18 May 2012
The salsa course (in Cuba) is more than just a dancefest. As well as regular two-hour dance classes, students are educated about Cuban history and culture and enjoy a range of excursions, from visits to museums and cigar factories to evenings in jazz and – of course – salsa clubs. Ute Junker
Aquarius magazine, UAE - 1 March 2012
The Rise of the Hobby Holiday. The ‘fly and flop’ holiday is so passé…These days smart women are taking edu-vacations, where learning – not lounging – is the name of the game. (The editor of the magazine gives Skyros as the epitome of this approach with particular emphasis on) the well-renowned Writers’ Lab on Skyros island. Kate Birch
The Irish Times - 25 February 2012
Our lives are ‘always on’, but sometimes you want to just stop, get off the superhighway and breathe, times you need to say ‘stop, I’m getting off’ and find some ‘me time’. Skyros, a retreat to stop and think, meditate or just let your mind wander, is one of the first alternative holidays to promote the ethos of personal growth, creativity and self-discovery. Joan Scales
The Age, Melbourne - 25 February 2012
I feel sure a spot of inner exploration amid this magical setting (in Cambodia) is on its way courtesy of the alternative holiday company Skyros, for whom ‘ life-changing' and ‘transforming’ are common testimonials from its clients. But, as it transpires in this instance, the most important thing is the outward journey around a country of fascinating contrasts amid the remnants of one of the greatest empires ever seen. Kate Edgley
The Guardian - 27 January 2012
A spot of inner exploration amid this magical setting (Cambodia) was, I felt sure, on its way, from alternative holiday champions Skyros for whom ‘life-changing” and “transforming’ are common testimonials. (But), as it transpired, the most important thing was the outward journey, around a country of fascinating contrasts amid the remnants of one of the greatest empires the world has ever known. Kate Edgley
The Times - 7 January 2012
20 great breaks for Body & Soul. These alternative holidays inspired Jimmy Carr to give up his job with Shell and get into comedy. Those looking for lasting change should book a Life Choices Programme at The Skyros Centre. Courses are taught by tutors incl Dina Glouberman, Skyros co-founder, psychotherapist Kate Daniels, who runs ‘Walk Tall and Feel Fabulous’, and Ari Badaines, whose course focuses on relationships. Caroline Sylger
The Times - 31 December 2011
[The Skyros writing course] matched the standard of any college course I’ve known. But what impressed me most was something more subtle, profound, and long-lasting – the ethos of valuing both community and individuality, a way of being together that was inclusive, supportive and creative. I realised that my life was still wide open, crammed with as many opportunities as I wanted to envisage. That’s why I say, without a trace of irony and with huge gratitude, that my holiday on Skyros changed my life. Crysse Morrison
The Guardian Online - 14 October 2011
Where better to learn salsa than the home of the dance? Classes are led by Damarys Suarez who's not just a brilliant teacher she's also an expert, with a master's degree in Afro-Cuban dance from Havana University. Got two left feet? The same trip also offers a creative writing option, led by playwright, director and actor Steven Berkoff. Isabel Choat
The Glasgow Evening Times - 3 September 2011
I was a little sceptical about spending 10 days with strangers in Atsitsa Bay, but I was lured in. Downsides are hard to find... It was challenging and transformational but, more than that, it is an experience I will never forget. Nicole Waring
The Guardian - 7 May 2011
Learn to write with Steven Berkoff or Arthur Smith. Skyros has previously run writing trips by such literary luminaries as Hanif Kureishi, Margaret Drabble or Hilary Mantel.
The Sunday Times - 23 January 2011
Skyros is one of the world's best holidays. How do the people at Skyros do it? Creative writing courses on this pretty little island have been taught by a roster of big names including Margaret Drabble, Hanif Kureishi and Sue Townsend.
The Stage - 4 November 2010
I am not the first to remark on how liberating this can be. I felt able to take a deep breath and reflect on the previous months and years, undistracted by the clamour of workday life. The long history of ancient Greece felt alive around me and this, along with the stories of my students, encouraged me to take a longer, more measured view of things. Arthur Smith
Daily Telegraph - 2 July 2010
Celebrity Dream Homes: My perfect spot would be the Greek island of Skyros, where the poet Rupert Brooke died. It's a place where at night you can dance and party on the beach, as only Greeks know-how, and still be awake to speak to the sunrise. The smell of warm pine trees, the sunlight on the sea: very different from the place I've just been living. Peter Owen Jones
The Guardian - 19 April 2010
Novelist Barbara Rees (who died in 2010) visited the Skyros Holistic Retreat Centre in Greece regularly for years. Between 1969 and 1978 she published six novels, including Diminishing Circles and Harriet Dark. She was described at the time as a ‘young writer of extraordinary gifts’.
Manchester Evening News - 18 April 2010
Everything written about Skyros paints a picture of a paradise. You cannot be a journalist without becoming incredibly questioning about life. That said, a lot of the superlatives [about Skyros] were written by journalists, possibly far more cynical than me. The courses are excellent but I soon realised that they are simply adjunct to a wonderfully relaxed holiday. I'm not always good at staying in touch once I get back into my every day, but there are some people I met in Skyros who have already found a place in my heart - you know who you are. Carmel Thomason
The Times - 8 March 2010
Skyros Centre: 'the sophisticated urbanite's retreat of choice.' Tom Fordyce
The Irish Times - 6 March 2010
It seems that, whatever way you sample Skyros, it has a huge impact, which is why people keep returning year after year. Ailbhe Brilley
The Sunday Times - 10 January 2010
The 100 best summer holidays for 2010 Hear the one about the grumpy old man on the Greek island. Provide the punch line yourself after a week’s comedy-writing course taught by Balham’s favourite misanthrope, Arthur Smith. Or try a fortnight’s fiction course with James Scudamore — if the name’s familiar, it’s because it was in the frame for the 2009 Man Booker prize. Stephen Bleach
Daily Telegraph - 3 January 2010
Be More Creative. Stained glass and mosaic-making are two of this summer's creative courses offered by Skyros Holidays. The emphasis is on fun, and the aim is to learn the skills and techniques needed to continue the craft once you return home. Sophie Butler
The Guardian Online - December 2009
[The Grange, Isle of Wight] A stylish well-being retreat that won't break the bank'. Caroline Sylger Jones
Bella - August 2009
Change your life in Greece. Amazing things happen on Skyros - just ask the visitor who returns again and again. To see what the fuss is about, try one of the island's many courses. They range from singing to comedy improvisation. If you like a challenge, go for the Life Choices programme, which helps you rethink your career, health and relationships.
Telegraph Online - April 2009
Skyros is one of the prettiest of all Greek islands.
Evening Standard Magazine - 16 January 2009
Billed as ‘a community and singles’ holiday, this fortnight's break in Koh Chang island, Thailand, bookended by a night at the luxurious Sofitel Silom in Bangkok, is for anyone: from Christmas-stressed wives who want to hit a luxurious spa, to holiday-makers with a yen to learn Thai massage or improve their singing, those who want to detox in colonial-style comfort and anyone with a personal issue to resolve (psychotherapist, author and Channel 4 presenter Malcolm Stern runs daily three-hour personal development sessions). The setting is exquisite with 639 square kilometres of virgin rainforest and white sandy beaches, and the spa is stunning, boasting smooth, glossy teak floors lit by tiny jewel-coloured candles and scented with orange oil. The Thai massage in a candlelit room teases out knots you didn’t know you had. There’s everything from aloe and lavender body wraps to facial and milk and floral baths. Anyone looking for a physical, mental or emotional clear-out will find the perfect crucible for just that. Marianne Macdonald
The Lady - January 2009
There is a magical quality about Atsitsa that is evident as soon as we approach the bay... There is a surprising selection of courses to choose from, encompassing physical and sports activities to mind-focusing and even soul-searching courses. Susan Valentine
Spirit & Destiny - January 2009
A friend had raved about Skyros' alternative, holistic holidays, with their courses run by top-notch tutors in a friendly community atmosphere. As some luxury and pampering were in order, too, I chose a holiday at a five-star hotel on the Thai island of Koh Chang. With a range of self-development, creative and holistic courses to choose from, I reckoned I'd rather learn Pilates in an open-air pavilion with sea views than down at my local grim gym. Amanda Riley-Jones
Body & Soul escapes (published by Footprint), December 2008 - Caroline Sylger Jones
Skyros, Greece. Before I went, people said to me 'Things happen on Skyros'. I felt that you couldn't go somewhere with that kind of expectation but, emotionally and spiritually, the impact of the holiday was enormous. It was inspiring. Surprising. More than I could have expected. Against the odds - namely my own cynicism, doubts and reserve - I gained an insight into myself and the way I want to live my life. Back in the real world, this sort of thing gets lost all too easily under everyday stresses and other people's expectations, but having had that clarity once, I knew I could have it again: I knew I had it in me. What you give to the holiday, you get out. It's as simple as that, so pour your heart into it. Olivia Mackinder
Body & Soul escapes, Britain & Ireland (published by Footprint) - December 2008
The Grange, Isle of Wight. An elegant 19th-century country house, set down a quiet lane with sea views, it's a luxurious setting for a year-round offering of creative and personal development breaks... The 17 elegant bedrooms are decked out in calming shades with splashes of colour, good linens and contemporary art. Caroline Sylger Jones
Woman & Home - November 2008
It felt brave, going on a salsa dancing holiday to Cuba on my own, but as soon as I checked into the iconic Habana Libre Hotel, once Fidel Castro's headquarters following the revolution in 1959, it felt thrilling too. When I met the rest of the group for mojitos in the 1950s-style hotel bar on the first evening, I was soon enjoying myself. By the end of the trip, no one wanted to leave. And, eight months on, we're all in touch, passionate about salsa and still going to classes in the UK.
Spirit & Destiny - November 2008
By the end of the week, we're all firm friends and swap numbers, promising to keep in touch. One thing's for sure - dancing salsa will never be the same in England, and after the last of many mojitos on our final night, we all agree that the only thing to do is come back.
Financial Times - 11 October 2008
The courses I chose on Skyros were foot reflexology and Commedia dell'Arte acting. This might seem a peculiar combination but both were inspired choices. In particular, the reflexology course, which took place on a series of mornings in an outdoor clearing, surrounded by pine trees high above the bay of Atsitsa, was something I would not have missed for anything. Harry Eyres
Red - August 2008
‘By 2004, I had been a TV producer for seven years, working on chat shows like Richard & Judy and Paul O’Grady. It was fun at first but, as I approached 30, I was getting increasingly disillusioned. .. That summer I went on a Skyros holiday in Greece... At Skyros, there’s a you-can-do-anything atmosphere. I sat looking at the sun, glinting off the sea, and it was the most beautiful place. I realised psychology was what I wanted to do. Within six months of the holiday, I’d quit my job and was starting clinical psychology training... I now realise that helping people is what I always wanted to do. I didn’t really know who I was until I went on that holiday. If I hadn’t gone I’d still be a TV producer’. Jennie Dempster
The Daily Telegraph - 5 July 2008
Fantastic Breaks... Suzy Bennett takes her pick of the best: the Skyros holistic retreat, on the Greek island of the same name, runs courses in yoga, meditation, writing and life-coaching as well as more active pursuits such as sailing, belly dancing and trapeze.
The Irish Times - Dublin Saturday 7 June 2008
There’s a joke, as old as the hills, about two journalists who meet in a pub. One says: ‘I'm writing a novel.’ The other replies: ‘Neither am I.’ Recognising myself in this lame gag for more years than I care to remember, I booked a place on a writer's course on the small Greek island of Skyros. Reader, I had high hopes. These morphed into my wildest of dreams when I learned that our tutor was the Sri Lankan writer Romesh Gunesekera, author of several gorgeous novels, including the Booker-nominated Reef. I'm not saying I expected to come home with the makings of a top literary prize in my newly purchased stash of hardback notebooks. But I will confess to daydreaming, just a teeny bit, that the extra tuition under blue skies could elevate me to Enright-style acclaim.....
[Roisín went to Skyros and] by the end of the week I had loosened up in the workshop and even produced a couple of pieces I could be proud of. Not so proud that I would rehash them here, you understand, but quietly pleased. Under Gunesekera's supportive eye we invented words, practised writing dialogue and listened in wonder to the stories that unfolded. I learned that you get can get a lot written in five- or even two-minute bursts and that my daily protestation ‘I just don't have enough time to write’ might not be strictly true. So am I writing a novel? The answer is still no. But after a week on Skyros, I may be inching ever closer to making a start.
The Guardian - Saturday 7 June 2008
The Guardian named Skyros as the No 1 of the World's Five Best Writing Holidays. Christopher Hope and Rachel Cusk among others, it said, will be providing 'inspiration for aspiring writers.
The Financial Times - 10/11 May 2008
I have now been to Skyros five times... Each visit is coloured by the memories of previous visits so that my time on Skyros is a weave of past and present. Here is the pine-backed beach where Patricia and Pippa and Kate and I, after a hot, four-hour walk across the island, threw off our clothes and ran yelling into the water. Here is the bench where Ian and I sat at dawn and watched a fat orange sun hoist itself out of the ocean, a fishing boat motoring towards it as if dispatched by some primitive king to find out what it was made of. Here is the precipitous path that my up-for-anything 91-year-old student Hugh braved so that he too could swim off the nude beach... Skyros has taught me that travel is like love: as you get older, the appeal of newness wears thin. There is something richer, more layered, and ultimately more beautiful, about knowledge acquired over time. Susan Elderkin
Health & Fitness - May 2008
Salsa classes by day, hot Havana clubs by night - all you need for an authentic Cuban holiday. The moment I hear about Skyros Cuba, a new holiday where you learn to salsa in Havana - I just have to go. After 10 fantastic days, we're all sad at the thought of going home. The only consolation is we're taking back wonderful memories and some great new salsa moves.
Spirit & Destiny - April 2008
Unleash your sensual potential on a tantalizing new holiday on the Greek island of Skyros.
Guardian Online - 20 March 2008
Best new age holiday: Skyros
The first and still the best. I haven't met anyone who's been there who didn't love it.
Observer Online - 9 March 2008
Skyros Holidays offers a life-coaching programme that can be tailored to specific needs, which can include improving personal relationships. Situated on the sleepy Greek island of Skyros, the holidays aim to provide a relaxing environment with good food, comfortable accommodation and gentle workshops, yoga classes and discussions to help each guest reach a better understanding of what motivates them and what they are striving for.
The Daily Mail - 12 January 2008
Dancers with two left feet should head to the Havana Libre Hotel in Cuba... Come Dancing wannabes can practise their moves with their own local dance partner and soothe aching muscles with an early-morning yoga session. You'll have plenty of time to visit the beach and explore the old town. Dancing in the street is optional. Take home the ability to dance in public without embarrassment.
The Sunday Times - 6 January 2008
I have had one life-changing holiday - on the Greek island of Skyros... I had just given up my job with Shell. I wasn't quite sure what to do with my life, so I enrolled on a creative-writing course and learnt how to do massage, in the hope that something would occur to me. People kept saying that I was really funny, and ought to be a comedian, so I thought I'd give it a go. Jimmy Carr
TimesOnline - 30 December 2007
Always good to learn something on a holiday. Surfing, painting, tantric sex... Tantric sex? Yes, it's a thoroughly educational course on the Greek island of Skyros, where intimacy experts Martin and Hanna Jeffs will spend a solid fortnight in August leading workshops titled The Energy of Love.
The Independent - 24 November 2007
There was a wide selection of courses to choose from... the [Dream Workshop] course was fascinating. David Robbins
The Times - 25 July 2007
(Skyros-in-Cambodia) One of the 'top Five Adventure Retreats'. Caroline Sylger Jones
The Telegraph - 25 June 2007
Atsitsa Bay is best for activity-based courses while Skyros Village specialises in life coaching and writing. Sophie Butler
TimesOnline - 19 June 2007
The most talked about holistic holiday experience destination in Europe since it was founded in 1979, Skyros offers a multi-layered holiday experience which, at its most gentle, means relaxation, socialising and great food and, at its most profound, the confidence and insight to change your life. Caroline Sylger Jones
The Birmingham Post - 17 March 2007
I was stunned when I saw them. They (the Atsitsa group) looked transformed. A week earlier these had been pasty, stressed faces and bodies, yet they now looked rejuvenated. And it wasn’t just the tan. Of course, our Skyros Centre group was the same, but we hadn’t noticed it among ourselves. Clive Leighton
Jewish Chronicle - 2 March 2007
Skyros is different because it is opening up participants to possibilities. What you take back from this island is more than you get from a typical holiday. Sharon Garfinkel
Daily Express - 5 September 2006
After a week on the island of Skyros, I feel fitter, calmer and braver than I have for a long time. It felt as though we were close to nature and, as time went on, close to each other. Rachel Baird
The Guardian - 15 April 2006
Skyros is inspirational in itself and even Adrian Mole enjoyed a writing course there.
Evening Standard - April 2006
Ken Eyerman is a bit of a legend; he's been pummelling dancers into shape for 25 years. I came away knowing my body much better - and feeling I'd seen an expert.
Greece Magazine - February 2006
Tonight there’s a full moon and we’re planning celebrations - healing in the magic circle, a late-night walk to the threshing field, and a skinny-dipping party...I’ll join the chill-out dancers on the bar terrace. Crysse Morrison
Wave Magazine - November/December 2005
Stressed out by Christmas? Make tracks for the exclusive Skyros resort in Thailand. White beaches, world-renowned cuisine and life-changing courses await...
Elle - September 2005
Abandoning every last vestige of dignity, I find myself humming to this group of strangers. Later on, I look in the mirror and decide my eyes are beautiful. Something has definitely shifted in the way I see myself.
New Statesman - 22 August 2005
Vasso made wonderful traditional stews: peas and carrots; butter beans; potato, tomato and onion; spinach with chickpeas. The spinach, called Horta, was stronger-tasting than ours. We ate it cold, hot, layered inside pastries, in omelettes. Vasso made excellent taramasalata and hummus. Her robust salads mixed tomatoes with cubed feta and cucumber chunks. Asked to provide green salad, she brought in wild rocket. For breakfast, she gave us porridge, muesli, yoghurt, fruit salad and custard-filled pastries. The spiritual athletes wolfed the lot. Michèle Roberts
Greece Magazine - July/August 2005
A landscape of stunning blue skies and seas, with whitewashed chapels and gnarled olive trees, can't fail to inspire the most jaded mind. Crysse Morrison
Sunday Tribune Dublin - 10 July 2005
The courses are only one part of the many elements that make up the Skyros experience - for an experience is definitely what it is... Returning home after a week on Skyros was like waking up from a dream: when friends asked how it was, it was hard to think of anything more specific to say than an expansive 'Wonderful'... I would have been brokenhearted to leave had I not known that I had made good friends that I would keep in touch with. Roberta Gray
The Observer - 19 June 2005
To read Skyros press coverage is to choke on cliche: words like 'life-changing', 'transforming'. Yet at the end of two weeks, Skyros has been all these things. Kate Rew
TLS - June 2005
Welcome to the world of honouring, empowerment, openness, issues, respect and concern. Hugo Williams
Insight - March 2005
Skyros Holidays offers the definitive holistic holiday experience... You'll go home with new skills, new experiences and renewed enthusiasm. Naomi Zwei
The Observer - 20 March 2005
Skyros, The doyenne of alternative holidays. Gemma Bowes
E.S. Magazine - 18 March 2005
You can take a writing course, something much more wild and wacky which will change your life, or just relax. Andrew Davies
The Guardian - 13 February 2005
People have been heading to the Greek island of Skyros - home of the original holistic holiday - in search of sunshine and self-improvement for 25 years. Now the Skyros experience will be available closer to home with a new centre on the Isle of Wight. Linsey McNeill
Big Issue - February 2005
When you're chained to your desk on a Monday, today's stressed rat racer knows there is more to time off than a re-creation of life in London. Bel Jacobs
Independent - 25 September 2004
Currently, there are two market leaders in the creative-writing sector. Well into its 35th year, the Arvon Foundation boasts Ted Hughes as its earliest patron. The same goes for the Skyros Centre in Greece, which has been running its writers' courses for 14 years and boasts tutors such as Margaret Drabble, Sue Townsend and Steven Berkoff.
Health and Fitness - September 2004
Atsitsa is probably the perfect holiday. It's hard to think how two weeks could be better spent... It's hard to put into words such a profoundly intense holiday. The joy of getting to know people whose ages and backgrounds were totally irrelevant, combined with the excitement of achieving goals and breaking old perceptions, made the experience all the more special... Everyone brings back their personal memories of Atsitsa. I'd never laughed so much or enjoyed such a range of emotions - all in the space of a fortnight. With such a great bunch of caring, supportive people. I returned rejuvenated, healthy, and more positive and with three new close friends. Tracey Jennings
Here’s Health – July 2004
Skyros is much more than a holiday. Most people return home with new friends, interests, insights, skills and a renewed enthusiasm for life.
Yoga Magazine - July 2004
One of the key attractions is the sheer scale and variety of what is on offer. There is an embarrassment of riches on the timetable and a wealth of talent among both teaching and permanent staff. .. Most people don't know why they have come to the Aleppo pines of Greece to start or further their journey. But where could be better than a land rich in story and history, gods and goddesses, a land that understands life in a way now lost to most of us. Simon Heathcote
The Independent – 21 June 2004
Skyros was the first holistic holiday centre. It now runs over 200 courses, including yoga, writing, meditation, voicework, salsa, personal development, dance, sailing and art. What started as a fringe movement of personal well-being has become much more mainstream. Harriet Griffey
Here's Health Magazine - 2004
Skyros Holistic Holidays voted as Highly Commended by Here's Health Best Holistic Break in the Natural Health Awards 2004
Time Out - 5 May 2004
Despite initial reservations, I found myself relaxing in the warmth and camaraderie of the group. I talked for England, laughed, danced Zorba-like on the terrace as the sun set, reflected on life and the universe, boogied the night away in the local Music Bar and drank too much retsina. I didn't touch a newspaper or look at a TV, and London felt a million miles away. By the end of a fortnight, I came back inspired to find local singing classes and with a resolution to stick with my creative writing. Not exactly a dramatic transformation, but a great way to recharge. I even got a tan. Rebecca Taylor
Nursing Standard – May 2004
Skyros has given me many gifts. I particularly value the freedom to move between solitude and sociability, and the safe space to express and work through pain as well as receive love and support from people I have barely met. Jane Salvage
The Times - 24 April 2004
My final performance. An ambitious solo. The participants look on. Even those willing me to fail must at least appear supportive. During The Wind Beneath my Wings, I soar to the snowy peaks of a previously unscaled vocal range. Greg wipes a tear, or possibly some dust, from his eye. “You are now,” he says, before the assembled group, “a trainable tenor.” Mentally, I polish my first gold disc. My voice healed, I fly home, singing to myself. Damian Barr
Writers’ Forum – April 2004
Skyros challenges perceptions and helps unlock creativity and ideas. All courses are led by well-known experts in their field. They offer fun and fulfilment as well as an escape from stress and a chance to meet like-minded people. Max Johnson
Sunday Telegraph Sydney - March 2004
The games people play on the Greek island of Skyros have nothing to do with fitness, stamina or winning medals. Instead, they're all about conquering your fears, freeing your spirit and having the sort of fun you probably haven't had since you were a small kid. Deb Hunt
The Guardian - 5 December 2003
Skyros is mainly a place for singles. Its very laid-back atmosphere puts you in a very relaxed state that makes you feel much better about yourself than you do at home and easier to meet each other. It's the ideal place to put your flirting skills into action. Peta Heskell
Travel Insights - 2003
Skyros is an alternative holiday centre. At its core is the idea of expanding our horizons as well as our minds, and liberating our creative, childlike spirits. a Skyros experience has more lasting power than your average vacation. It can change people in ways that last well beyond the tan. And, as long as Skyros holidays exist, none of us needs ever again to feel terror at the prospect of a solo vacation. Debbra Mikaelsen
Health & Fitness – September 2003
I’d never laughed so much or enjoyed such a range of emotions – all in the space of a fortnight – with such a great bunch of caring, supportive people. I returned rejuvenated, healthy and more positive, and with three new close friends. Tracey Jennings
Woman and Home - September 2003
We got on the ferry as total strangers and came off it after two hours as firm friends... What could be more rewarding than spending your holiday in a beautiful place and returning with a new skill?... It was a magical fortnight. I felt absolutely liberated. Diana Jones
Time Out – 18 - 25 June 2003
If you want to come back from a holiday with more than just a tan, a Skyros holiday fits the bill. Based in two idyllic locations in Greece, the emphasis is on expanding the mind via a number of courses on offer and treating the body and soul at the same time.
Top Sante - June 2003
I felt inspired and optimistic about the future and what I could make of it. I relaxed, had fun and learnt new skills. Best of all was the simple realisation that I had it in me to feel good about myself. Leah Hellen
InStyle - January 2003
I felt relaxed immediately, walking onto the balcony of the centre, lit by candles, nestled in the hill-top village of Skyros, I did think 'this is heaven'. Gaynor Faye
Woman - Autumn 2002
The most wonderful legacy is the memory of having laughed more in two weeks than I can remember since childhood. Tracey Pocock
The Weekend Australian - 28 September 2002
An environment that is supportive, social and, most important, a bloody good laugh. Jane Cornwell
The Observer - 25 August 2002
Going on the holiday gave me the confidence to make some decisions. When I got back I moved jobs, moved flat and got my motorbike licence. But the most rewarding aspect was the friends I made. Judith Linder
The Daily Express - 27 June 2002
On this idyllic island, my life changed forever. Gaby Ochsenbein
Here's Health - March 2002
You make friends for life. John Hargreaves
Sacred Space Journal - Spring 2002
A beautiful opportunity to rethink your life, discover your own truth and determine what really matters to you. Jane Salvage
The Independent
Let your hair down, take risks, expand your horizons, go on a Skyros holistic holiday. Mariella Frostrup
The Guardian - 20 October 2001Skyros holidays are among the very few that an intelligent single person can thoroughly enjoy without either feeling out of place or compelled to play the mating game. A few romances did develop, but Atsitsa's great achievement lies in its ability to create a climate that makes possible a meeting of minds in which the barriers of age and gender dissolve and people experience that rarest of treats - simply being valued for who they really are, with no strings attached. Moyra Bremner
The Guardian - 10 May 2001
I can't recommend the holidays enough - they revitalised my approach to life. Zoe Badcock
Independent - 29 September 2000
To mark National Poetry Day the Arts Council of England is currently running a promotion of Contemporary Poetry in selected bookshops that features books by 10 of the finest British poets writing today. But there's a further cause for poetic celebration. Independent readers can win a holiday and writing course on the Greek island of Skyros next spring. Skyros, Europe's first alternative holiday centre and world leader in the field, offers the winner a prize of two weeks' holiday.
The Irish Times Dublin - 22 July 2000
Half an hour later, my budding authors were in business, perspiring but eager. They had written pages. It was all fresh and good and entertaining. Clare Boylan
House & Garden - July 2000
We were led through a forest of lush tropical plants to the air-conditioned wooden bungalows that would be home for the next two weeks... I danced and hugged and sobbed and laughed like a schoolgirl. By the end of the week, I was hooked. Vanessa Nicolson
Junior – December 1999
The staff quickly revealed themselves to be very gifted, charismatic and witty group who gave of themselves well beyond the call of duty. The food was delicious local cuisine, both veggie and non. On the last morning of our trip, as the ferry pulled away from Skyros and as we looked back at the island and sang Amazing Grace, many shed a few tears. Heloise Bergman
The Irish Times – 27 November 1999
Lesley Garner of The Sunday Telegraph summed up Skyros like this: ‘People go to Club Med to forget themselves – here they hope to find themselves’. I want to join Skyros in all their events and activities. Joan Scales
Marie Claire - November 1999
In the evenings, we got together in the bar to discuss our personal triumphs and insights with a renewed enthusiasm for life. Kerry Clark
Sunday Express - 25 April 1999
A relaxed and genuine atmosphere of mutual encouragement, laughter and learning which provides a haven for creativity and self-awareness. Jane Warren
Harpers & Queen – April 1999
If you think you really have a great novel inside you, you can find out in Skyros in the company of authors such as Sue Townsend, Rachel Billington or Hanif Kureishi.
Dateline Magazine - April 1999
I rediscovered the fun-loving, caring and most of all uncynical side of myself. Natascha Mirosch
Time Out 31 - March 1999
I had anticipated that a new-age fog of earnest escapism might cloud the air. My scepticism evaporated. They've got the balance right. A healthy realism prevails. Sarah Kent
Sunday Independent Dublin - 10 January 1999
Quite honestly, the best holiday of my life...I feel I made bonds that will last a lifetime because the friendships were based on getting to know the real me and vice versa. Anne Roper
Red - January 1999
Moonlight swims and impromptu discos. Melissa de Villiers
Evening Standard - 23 October 1998
A sense of community, a chance to try new activities... freedom from the tyranny of the business meeting, the mobile phone and the business plan. Lesley Garner
The Guardian - 26 September 1998
I immediately fell in love with the place as everybody does... I kept thinking, 'I am an actor in A Midsummer Night's Dream; this is Arcadia, I want to live like this forever'. Sue Townsend
Cosmopolitan - August 1998
'I want to marry you', he said. I think I screamed. My heart felt so huge I thought it might burst. We had a service on the (Atsitsa) beach and another when we returned to Britain, and we now have two children'. Noelle Adcock-McElya
Independent - 9 May 1998
Though well supplied with bars and tavernas, the island is delightfully untouristy. A cluster of cube-like white houses with wooden balconies that blaze with bougainvillaea and geraniums, the town struggles over a hillside beneath the remains of an old fort. Most of its flagstone alleys are too narrow and steep for any traffic other than pedestrians and donkeys. An inspiring setting. This year’s teachers include Andrew Davies, Rachel Billington, Nell Dunn, D M Thomas and Sue Townsend. John Harrison
Financial Times – 9 May 1998
The island is beautiful and unspoilt but there seems to be some other Skyrian magic at work which inspires people to reveal what they are most vulnerable about and turn the experience into a healing one. Angela Wigglesworth
The Daily Mail - 9 May 1998
We swam and sunbathed... with dolphins leaping and diving off the bow. At the end of two weeks, our group was as close as many friends become in a lifetime. Paul Mansfield
Health & Fitness - April 1998
The blossoming creativity is truly awe-inspiring. But it's only during the holiday climax, the famous Atsitsa cabaret, that we realise just how far we've come. Mary Comber
Oldie - November 1997
And so we went round, eating the baklava, drinking the wine and deciding life wasn't so bad after all when you were a writer on a Greek island. Nell Dunn
Sainsbury’s The Magazine – April 1997
We made each other laugh and, once again, I was thrilled with the standard of writing people were able to achieve with only a little encouragement and a very short deadline. Sue Townsend
The Age, Sydney - 30 December 1996
What did I gain from Skyros? A better understanding of myself and a sense of being fully alive. Add to that new friendships, laughter and excellent food and drink. My tan was just a bonus. Paul Mansfield
Writers’ Monthly – December 1996
Skyros does have a very surprising effect on its visitors, an effect that I would have rolled my eyes at had I been told beforehand. It could be the people, it could be the ethos of the centre, but more than likely it is the fact that you cannot escape the indulgence that in this holiday your personal needs and wants come first. Alan Williams
The Sunday Telegraph – 18 February 1996
The truth was that Skyros had begun to feel at home. A solid camaraderie and trust had sprung up in the group. Skyros lets you drop the usual social roles (or masks) and replace them with a sense of freedom: the simple but profound freedom of never having to say anything you do not mean. At the end of the two weeks, we were as close as many friends become in a lifetime. Paul Manfield
The Guardian - 20 January 1996
'I'd like to appreciate everyone who supported me last night after my second bottle of retsina.' As the laughter dies down, I realise we're here to enjoy ourselves. David Newnham
The Observer - 5 November 1995
Even Hugo Williams, the licensed sceptic of Skyros, says: 'The whole thing is a lesson in uncynicism'. Janet Watts
Daily Mirror - 23 July 1994
The island is virtually untouched by tourism. Alison Field
Here's Health - May 1994
Atsitsa is a magical, healing place that brings out the best in people... Atsitsa attracts some of the world's best teachers. Janet Barcroft
The Times - 16 April 1994
As evening fell, we reached the bay of Atsitsa, where the sun shed an iridescent pink sheen over Homer's wine-dark sea, creating one of those moments so stunningly beautiful that you cannot bear for it to end... Intellectual rigour, spiritual encounters and good old-fashioned rioting in the evening. Angela Neustatter
TLS - 29 October 1993
Holidays you can take home with you. Hugo Williams
ITV: First Tuesday - 7 September 1993
It's almost like living your life in a fortnight.
The Independent on - Sunday 15 August 1993
I found it awesome discussing my creative attempts with a celebrated novelist (Bernice Rubens) who has more than 30 books to her credit. But as I became enthusiastic about my work so did she, and shyness evaporated in a spirited exchange. Probably the most important thing she gave me was the confidence to continue. We have all taken the workshop seriously enough to produce something of our own, and I did enjoy a memorable holiday in a special place with an agreeable bunch of people, some of whom have become good friends. Nicole Swengley
BBC2: Travel Show - 5 August 1993
Skyros is a great place to meet people and the food is always delicious. Matthew Collins
The Independent - 10 July 1993
The barriers were down, and the daily massages and hugs were de rigueur. At last, we were a little community. Naturally, not many wanted to go home. Rose Rouse
Sueddeutsche Zeitung Dienstag - 16 March 1993
Und so ergibt sich die gelungene Verbindung von Entspannung und Austausch: Das Skyros-Erlebnis lebt aus der Verquickung zwischen aeusserer und innerer Waerme, eben zwischen Sonne und Seelenleben. Kaevan Gazdar
Translation: And so the result is a successful combination of relaxation and exchange. The Skyros experience lives from the interlacing between outer and inner heat, just between sun and soul life. Kaevan Gazdar
Green Magazine - February 1993
Atsitsa makes you feel more aware of yourself, the elements, and above all, other people. Alistair Townley
The Sunday Telegraph - 2 January 1993
People go to Club Med to forget themselves. At Atsitsa they hope to find themselves, or at least some interesting, new and undiscovered bit. Lesley Garner
The Vegetarian - September 1992
Whatever you come expecting to find, you're sure to go home a different person. The change may be subtle, but it's there. Tina Courtney
BBC Radio Four: Breakway - 21 September 1991
It's lovely to see people just stretching a little bit beyond what they thought they could do, watching them pop open like flowers.
The Sunday Telegraph - 26 May 1991
The Centre excites an inordinate amount of interest: voyeuristic speculation from the uninitiated ... and delighted acclaim from those who have stayed there. A choicer spot in which to spend a fortnight discovering one’s inner self is hard to imagine. Alice Hart-Davis
Evening Standard - 4 June 1990
Participants opened up and there was a feeling of hilarity and physical well-being: a friendly, supportive and optimistic atmosphere among the guests, many from stressful jobs. Caroline Phillips
Elle - October 1989
Combine the ease of a holiday with the discipline of a health farm, and return home rejuvenated (from one) of the world's best health spas and resorts... Atsitsa is the perfect alternative holiday for single people who want to try something adventurous in a safe (no keys, no heckling), warm and therapeutic environment. Magically successful thanks to its unique alchemy of people, settings and ideals. Elissa Van Poznak
City Limits - 10 August 1989
Hitting the tiny, unspoilt island of Skyros feels like walking into a dream world. (The island) was voted by Which? magazine as one of the top nine Greek islands for its village life and its greenery. After a few days on Skyros, a sense of fun (almost gross irresponsibility) overwhelmed me. That delightful sensation of the timeless descended and I scribbled ‘Tuesday doesn't exist’ on the notice board. And indeed time did seem to speed up and slow down at the same time with days and nights blurring into an emotionally exhilarating sweep. My fears of entering a kind of spiritual Club Mediterranée had been utterly defied. It was more of a good laugh than worthy of New Age. Norma Cohen
Daily Mirror - 10 August 1989
‘Well recommended’. Linda Duff
The Observer - 23 July 1989
An unspoken philosophy prevails at Atsitsa that anyone can do anything, and that age is irrelevant. I found myself sitting next to the ‘hooligans‘ so designated (by me) because of their iconoclasm about Atsitsa’s more spiritual offerings. If Atsista was a pious place, the hooligans would have been miserable. But it wasn’t. Barbara Gunnell
BBC2 Travel Show - 22 June 1989
This amazing place, Atsitsa, has really fascinated me. It relaxes your whole mind, body and spirit. It is the perfect place for a proper holiday. Matthew Collins
Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine - July 1989
Almost everyone opened up, there was a palpable feeling of joy, hilarity, and physical well-being and a real sense of growth, actual and potential. Some said it was their best holiday ever; several were on their second or even fourth visit. Anne Karpf
AFTONBLADET Stockholm - 26 February 1989
Pa Atsitsa prövas käleken. Maurice, en äldre man klart medveten om sin negativism och som vi andra undvek om det gick, sa plötsligt en dag: Jag är sá positiv sá jag undgar vad som págaár. En fránskild man som först bara ville vara ifred sa efter fem dagar att han kände sig fylid, kroppen var int längre ett tomt hál. En tredje man berättade ed lysande ögon att han vágade prata med främlingar. Veckan innan skulle han aldrig gátt fram till mig. Människor som inte kunde simma och aldrig hört talas om yoga sam efter tre dagar och utförde avancerade yogaöynigar. Män i 60-ársáldern lärde sig windsurfa. Margareta Wasterstram
The Times Educational Supplement - 22 January 1988
I would say that never have I come back from holiday feeling so refreshed and invigorated. 'Civilisation' will never look quite the same. Anne-Marie Conway
Athens News Agency - 10 November 1987
The usual antagonism of modern living has given way to cooperation. People at Atsitsa are attuned to one another; there’s a caring, supportive atmosphere and lots of spontaneous hugging. It's alternative living - i.e. living differently from the stress-filled life that most people experience every day. It's living based on human values – values that our society should consider all-important but seldom does.
Time Out - 20 August 1986
Comments from participants run into superlatives - ‘liberation, rejuvenation, bliss in massive doses’ - but for many, it is the sense of trying and achieving something you’ve never done before that tops the cake... The memory of that fortnight sends ripples through our notions of 'real' life. Hetty Einzig
Fitness - August 1986
The natural setting was spectacularly beautiful. Bare hills and pine forested alleys rolled down to rocky coves, white beaches fringed the clean clear sea, and as I looked down, I could see the brightly coloured fish, shells, and an octopus deep down below me ... There was an air of ancient peacefulness everywhere. To my surprise, there wasn’t a lot of that holiday phenomenon of pairing off that can often happen. I think there was too much to be got from joining in tog.
The Irish Times Dublin 2 August 1986
The place has the most amazing write-ups from people who never expected to like the experience at all. In fact, some journalists who went to write mocking send-up pieces returned sheepishly to praise the place to the skies. Everybody who comes back from a holiday there recommends others to go. Maeve Binchy
The Sunday Times 27 July 1986
The beautiful Skyros Centre offers an adventure in health and fitness as well as meals without meat. Andrew Singer
EL PAIS Madrid 23 March 1986
Los programas veraniegos que se organizan en Londres reúnen participantes de todas partes del mundo. Por lo general son gente de éxito on contentos con sus carreras profesionales y que sin embargo gozan de esa sana insatisfacción que incita a investigar, curiosear y experimentar si el éxito, el fracaso, las relaciones en familia, o los hobbies, son todo lo que da de si el juego de la vida. Adela Medrano
Working Woman March 1986
Even my short visit made me feel better – stretched and exhilarated as if my body had been restrung and with it, my mind was brought back into tune. Carolyn Faulder
Here’s Health February 1986
The Skyros experience brings you closer to it all – to emotion, feeling, hurt and happiness and the ragbag of riches we carry around inside ourselves. If it helps to make everything clearer and put us more in charge, it can’t be bad. And the sun keeps on shining over the Aegean! Cheryl Isaacson
Fitness July 1985
Simply the best holiday I ever had - it worked on every level.
Gail Tressider, FITNESS publisher
Vogue May 1985
I felt alive and inspired, did some acting for the first time in many years, tried out a little gentle psychotherapy and learned to windsurf. I ate well, got fitter...went brown, slept deeply, laughed more than I had in ages and felt great. Deborah Hutton
The Guardian 20 March 1985
For me, there was not just the delight of the island but the chance to learn from the mirror others offered me and to try out bits of myself I'd forgotten were there. Ann Shearer
de Volkskrant, Amsterdam, 22 January 1985
De mensen de hierop afkomen gaan niet zozeer gebukt onder de problemen, maar willen een wending ann hun leven geven. Ze hebben er behoefte aan bewust in het leven te staan. Je moet wel een beetje avontuurlijk ingesteld zijn om dit te willen doen. Jaap Huisman
Yoga Today January 1985
What my inner self has taken from the whole experience is a sense of going beyond boundaries and realising that sport and community are also a path of yoga. Tony Crisp
The Newsletter of the Open University Psychological Society December 1984
I am very glad I shared the Magic of Skyros with those who formed the community. If you are thinking of going - do it. I am sure it’s a decision you will never regret. Ray Ball
Harpers & Queen June 1984
The quality of the teaching staff is very high and the aims of the centre are not only valuable but also very much part of the ancient Greek idea of wholeness on which holistic health is based. Leslie Kenton
The Guardian 31 March 1984
The system is supportive, friendly and highly professional. Dina Glouberman, who worked at Brandeis under Marcuse, is a London-based psychotherapist and a senior lecturer at Kingston Poly. Each year she pulls together an impressive team which includes star shrinks from the States and Europe. John Torode
Time Out 6-12 October 1983
The one question friends have asked since I got back is ‘What type of people go to a centre like Skyros – are they crazy?’ Let me, therefore, introduce the members of my group. Elsa was a committed socialist living within a politically motivated community in Denmark, Thomas an engineer from Sweden, and Martine a biology teacher in France. Sid was a doctor practising both orthodox and homoeopathic medicine in London, Christe a medical assistant in Innsbruck, Hannes a psychiatrist in Zurich and Rosemary a language teacher in Basel. And no, no one was crazy, but we all shared a common need – the need to grow, to confront oneself deeply and honestly, find our inner selves and resources, uncover the games we play with ourselves and others, the different roles, unidentified fears, anger ... But it wasn’t all painful encounters with long-buried feelings. The only nightlife on offer was the Disco on the Rocks high above the beach, well away from the village. There we grappled with Greek dancing, ordered margaritas, were served tequila sunrises, and consumed copious quantities of ouzo. Later we’d pile back to the cave on the beach, light candles, banter, laugh and drink more wine. That’s the other side of the Skyros experience – the sheer, crazy, overwhelming joy of letting go and feeling alive. It’s a time of change and a time for growth. A twilight time of self-recognition, of saying goodbye to tired games one has played out for the last time. It’s a reformation, but a transformation. Olivia Maxwell
The Irish Times Dublin 11 June 1982
The people were greatly reassuring, the atmosphere enormously supportive, and the actual holiday aspect of it was immensely rewarding. I have to say that there is no other way to describe it than to admit that it changed my life. Fergus Lalor
The New York Times
Once a year, the shade of Dionysus rises like a breath of ancient madness over the milk-white homes and rugged hills of this stone-crusted Aegean Isle.
Great Escapes
I felt inspired and optimistic... I relaxed, had fun and learnt new skills.
