SKYROS GREECE THAILAND CUBA CAMBODIA ISLE OF WIGHT and new this year VIETNAM

the joy of living

2011/2012

Skyros: ‘the first and still the best’ alternative holiday The Guardian

An impressive staff of eighty top notch tutors including this year actors/directors Steven Berkoff and Jason Connery, actress Annabelle Apsion, writers Lindsay Clarke, Michèle Roberts, Monique Roffey, Jennie Rooney and Robert Rowland Smith, comedians Logan Murray and Arthur Smith, filmmaker Julian Doyle, songwriters Dean Friedman, Susie Self and Sarah Warwick, pilates master Alan Herdman, psychotherapists Ari Badaines, Dina Glouberman and Malcolm Stern as well as many other distinguished professionals.

The benefits of a Skyros holiday last long after the suntan has faded. They include new friendships and relationships, new interests, a fresh outlook or even a whole new way forward. The sense of renewed confidence and excitement about life is palpable.

Skyros: ‘the first and still the best’. The Guardian

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Skyros...

...the holiday you can take home with you

O

ver the years as many as twenty thousand people have revelled in the Skyros spirit of adventure, creativity and joy. Many have explored new possibilities, pursued new ideas and unearthed talents they didn’t even suspect they possessed. Others have taken the opportunity to reassess their life, redefine their needs and re-set their priorities.

means freedom to be who we are, having friends who are there

Unlike a yoga retreat or a Spa, Skyros is not about one thing or another. It is about life itself - a life that makes sense in a world that makes sense. It is about doing rather than having, creating rather than consuming and belonging rather than retreating into the garden of your private world. It is about becoming rather than being.

best in ourselves ennobles life. Fulfilling our potential, likewise,

The world in which we live is obsessed with ‘more’ because what we have is never good enough. But ‘more’ in the Skyros context means something different from that which our materialistic, consumer culture provides. It means the fulfilment of our potentials as human beings rather than professionals and the pursuit of the best in all fields of human activity. It also

in both good times and bad, and a community in which we feel we belong. It means a beautiful life. Skyros is fun - it is after all a holiday, and we can always laugh at ourselves. But its vision re-opens the windows to the dream. Recapturing the early days of innocence and affirming what is asserts man’s power over his creations - the market, machines, technology, systems, ideologies or fundamentalist beliefs - and reclaims our future. Skyros has no gurus to preach the ‘truth’ and does not intend to provide answers. But it does question and challenge our culture’s assumptions and helps people to get in touch with their gut feelings and do what they need to do to lead a happy and fulfilling life. If this strikes a chord with you, then join us and experience the Skyros magic for yourself.

Yannis Andricopoulos

A Skyros holiday engages the individual in courses, activities and events that open the heart, expand the mind, recharge the body and uplift the spirit. Skyros, now in its 32nd year, offers over one hundred courses facilitated by a distinguished international staff. Courses are inspiring and entertaining. They are usually held outdoors in the beautiful landscape. The Skyros community - informal, friendly, relaxed, and yet vibrant - brings people together in a way daily life rarely does. Its safe and congenial atmosphere makes it possible for everyone to feel at home straightaway. Time Out summed up the Skyros experience as ‘the sheer, crazy overwhelming joy of letting go and feeling alive’. Elle magazine described it as ‘magically successful thanks to its unique alchemy of people, settings and ideals’. The benefits of a Skyros holiday last long after the suntan has faded. They include new friendships and relationships, new interests, a fresh outlook or even a whole new way forward. The sense of renewed confidence and excitement about life is palpable. Skyros is truly a unique holiday. Poet Hugo Williams described Skyros as the holiday ‘you can take home with you’. Skyros this year launches two new beach holiday destinations – in Cambodia and Vietnam. They are both blessed with sun-drenched beaches, crystal-clear waters, protected forests and the heritage of an ancient land. We hope you’ll enjoy exploring them with us. Skyros 9 Eastcliff Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA, UK Tel: +44 (0)1983 86 55 66. Fax: +44 (0)1983 86 55 37. Email: [email protected]. www.skyros.com

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Skyros

across three continents

Greece

Southeast Asia

ATSITSA BAY

CAMBODIA

Atsitsa, on the pine-forested seaside of Skyros island, is an adventure into the joys and pleasures of life. With a wide range of courses available, it’s an ideal place to try something new, learn new skills and discover hidden talents. Its large community is vibrant, fun and bursting with creativity – the perfect place to make friends for life. (pp 8 - 15)

Whether celebrating New Year on an unspoilt beach, trekking in the jungle or visiting the world-famous temples of Angkor Wat, get a glimpse of Cambodia the tourists seldom see. (pp 24 – 26)

THE SKYROS CENTRE The Skyros Centre, in picturesque Skyros Village, with panoramic views of mountains and the sea, is home to the Writers’ Lab and the Life Choices programme. Along with its indepth courses, participants can join the yoga and music & art courses whilst enjoying all the pleasures of a Greek island holiday. (pp 16 – 21) The Writers’ Lab Facilitated by top writers, the Lab is designed to help those who want to develop their writing skills. You are sure to emerge with pieces of work of which to feel proud. (pp 18 – 19) Life Choices The Skyros Centre offers an in-depth Life Choices programme which can inspire you to move from where you are to where you want to be. Make the day you join us the first of the rest of your life. (pp 20 - 21)

Cuba This is Skyros with a Latin vibe. Learn to salsa with the Latino experts or find inspiration for your writings in Havana’s rich culture. (pp 22 – 23)

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VIETNAM Experience the vibrant culture, outstanding scenery and tranquil beaches of this re-emerging country. Vietnam offers an unequalled travel experience. (pp 24 – 26) THAILAND A luxurious, relaxing holiday in an environmentally friendly 5-star resort with excellent courses, white sandy beaches and a fabulous spa. Don’t miss the optional elephant trekking and snorkelling trips. (pp 24 - 26)

Isle of Wight On the east coast of the IoW, just 2.5 hours from London, The Grange offers weekend courses, b&b and events. Reconnect here with your Skyros friends, breathe in the fresh sea air, take it easy and relax.

(pp 28 – 29)

The founders Skyros was established in 1979 by American psychologist Dr Dina Glouberman and Greek journalist Dr Yannis Andricopoulos. It was Europe’s first ever alternative holiday centre and remains the world leader – ‘the first and still the best’, according to The Guardian. Skyros pioneered the concept of educational holidays and the holistic approach to life within a community in exquisite locations. Yannis Andricopoulos, Ph.D, a former political journalist and editor of i-to-i magazine, is author of several books on 20th century Greek and European history. His trilogy - In Bed with Madness, The Greek Inheritance and The Future of the Past - is inspired by his involvement in both the truculent world of politics and the graceful, personal world of Skyros. Dina Glouberman, Ph.D, is the author of the acclaimed book The Joy of Burnout (4th edition), and the bestselling classic Life Choices, Life Changes (6th edition), both widely translated. She pioneered Imagework, the imagery-based approach to life change. A former university lecturer and psychotherapist, she runs training courses in imagework worldwide.

‘Let your hair down, take risks, expand horizons, go on a Skyros holiday.’

‘Skyros, the sophisticated urbanite’s retreat of choice.’

Mariella Frostrup - The Independent

Tom Fordyce - The Times

EARLY BIRD!

Receive £75 discount if you book and pay in full by the 10th of December for the March Cuba holiday, by the 18th of February for Greece, by the 12th of August for the November Cuba holiday and by the 16th of September 2011 for South East Asia (2011 –2012).

FRIENDS of SKYROS

Friends of Skyros (past participants) receive another discount of £75 per session. This is additional to the Early Bird.

EXTRA SESSIONS

Those who book more than one holiday this season after the expiry of the Early Bird are entitled to £100 off any additional session. No other discounts are applicable here.

Isle o f Wig ht

Cuba T hailand

Who goes to Skyros? Skyros attracts holiday-makers from all over the world. All ages are represented, from 5 to 85, but approximately 70 per cent of all participants are aged 30 – 50. During school holidays, families are also part of the mix in Atsitsa. Participants are overwhelmingly professionals – from teachers and nurses to IT experts, managers and entrepreneurs. A huge majority - over 80 per cent - report that the Skyros experience had a lasting positive effect on their lives. Even after they have said that Skyros was the ‘holiday of a lifetime’, nearly a third come back again and again.

Frequently asked questions Q. Is it OK to join a Skyros Holiday on my own? A. A  Skyros holiday is ideal for solo travellers although couples, friends and families are welcome too. Q. Will there be other people my age? A. T  he majority of participants are aged 30 to 50, but ages range from 5 to 85! Q. How easy or difficult is the travel? A. Book our transfer and let us take care of you. Q. W  hat is the difference between The Skyros Centre and Atsitsa Bay? A. A  tsitsa, surrounded by sea and pine forest, offers a wide choice of courses and simple but comfortable accommodation. The focus is its community life. The Skyros Centre, in Skyros village, offers in-depth courses and higher accommodation standards. Life there is merged with that of the village. Q. Is there a single room supplement? A. S  kyros offers solo travellers the opportunity to avoid single supplements by sharing twin accommodation with another person. Many of those who share end up close friends for life!

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Skyros Island

living in more than one century at once

Sung about by Homer and full of ancient memories, Skyros is a magical, ancient isle in the tranquil Aegean Sea. Its old village, with its narrow cobblestone streets, is graced with an unhurried intimacy and wholesome humanness long lost in contemporary big cities. The white cubic-style houses are shaded by grapevines waving gracefully in the glittering sunlight. In its square, the villagers, tempered by lingering memories of millennia, still seem to watch with curiosity the visitors from their future. Yet Skyros is a wonderful mixture of tradition and global trends. Doors are left unlocked, children play out until late and weddings and special events are celebrated by the entire community. On the other hand, young men drink whisky at cool, funky bars and young women are as fashion-conscious as their counterparts in London’s West End. The island lives in more than one century at once. The island’s long history goes far beyond the reach of memory. Recent archaeological finds at Palamari, near Atsitsa, have uncovered a well-fortified village dating back to the early Bronze Age (2800 BC). Artefacts from the site are on display at the local archaeological museum.

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Achilles, the hero of the Trojan war, spent his early years on the island, and Athenian hero Theseus, the man who slew the dreaded minotaur of Crete, died there. King Lycomedes’ palace on top of the village hill was built in pre-Homerian times, rebuilt by the Byzantines and then again by the Venetians. The Byzantine monastery of Saint George, built on the ruins of an ancient temple, is still intact. So are many old traditions, including the island’s mesmerising goat festival which, rooted in Olympian Greece, draws visitors from all over the world. Rupert Brooke, the English poet, is buried in a tranquil olive grove on the southern part of the island, that ‘corner of a foreign field that is forever England’.

‘The island is miraculously unspoilt. No large-scale tourism, no big hotels, a curving stretch of sandy beach that was virtually deserted… moreover, Skyros town has a centre and vivacity that seems to come from another century.’ Louise Doughty - The Daily Telegraph

Time difference

GMT + 2 hours.

Skyros’ local school, new medical equipment for its Health Centre, the refurbishment of its school theatre and the protection of its forest. Skyros also supports the welfare of the Skyrian horses, dogs and cats, work of the island’s folk dance society and the local children’s TaeKwon-Do group.

Language

Greek

Economic Responsibility

Currency

Euro

Temperature

24/31°C during daytime

Visa requirements

None for Europeans

Unlike so many multinational holiday companies, Skyros uses locally owned and maintained facilities with policies in place that favour local produce and services. Guests visiting shops, bars and tavernas offsite are, likewise, directly benefiting the local economy. Locals are employed wherever this is possible – on Salsa dancing trips to Cuba, for example, each participant is matched to a local dance partner specifically employed for the purpose.

Useful Information Flights Various inc. Aegean Airlines, BA, Easyjet, Olympic Flight time Approx 3 hours 35 minutes from London to Athens.

There are no direct flights to Skyros from the UK. Guests arrive in Athens, where they spend the night before embarking on their journey to the island. In Athens people have time to visit Plaka, the old part of Athens, or the fabulous new Acropolis museum. The varied journey through beautiful countryside and seas that follows gives people a chance to see more of Greece – it also enables them to forge their initial connections with other participants. This journey is, in any case, not just delightful but also necessary if you want to enjoy an unspoilt tourist destination – direct flights tend to ruin such beautiful destinations!

‘Fantastic breaks’ Suzy Bennett - The Daily Telegraph

The ethical dimension Skyros provides holistic holidays that emphasise being rather than having, doing rather than consuming, and cooperating rather than competing. The aim is to create an ethical mini-society which can inspire changes beneficial both to the individual and to the world in which we live. Social Responsibility In tune with this aim, Skyros encourages responsible integration with the local communities including the teaching of local history, culture and language or the sponsorship of events such as the Skyros mini-marathon. In Southeast Asia, guests are encouraged to give locals English lessons and we have local guides. In the same spirit, Skyros has contributed generously towards the purchase of computers for

Environmental responsibility Atsitsa is fully in tune with the natural environment. Motorised sea sports have never been introduced, kitchen and shower water is recycled, the showers are heated by solar panels and the external lighting is solar-powered. We are also working with the local authority to bring further recycling to the island – plastic, glass and aluminium. The resort in Koh Chang is one of the few in Thailand to win a Greenleaf award for being an environmentally friendly hotel. Among other things, it sponsors its own orchid garden to encourage rare breeds and has planted a special flower garden for the benefit of butterflies.

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Atsitsa Bay

community and individuality

R

ight by the sea and embraced by a magnificent pine forest, Atsitsa has a magical quality that enchants the senses and makes inroads to the heart. There is a feeling that you have just come back home – is it because people lived, and their civilisation thrived, in this area long before history began? Atsitsa’s main stone villa commands a supreme position in the bay. Its huts, in which most of the participants and staff choose to live, are situated in lush gardens and are shaded by pine and fruit trees. Atsitsa’s delightful community – 30 to 80 guests at a time – is friendly and bursting with life. In its ambience, people feel free to engage in new activities, stretch themselves beyond what they had thought possible, make new friends and enjoy life to the full. Courses are held outdoors on beautiful stone terraces, between the pine forest and the sea. People are free to do as much or as little as they want. There is always time to sunbathe, swim, walk in the pine forest and enjoy the tranquility of the bay. The evenings are taken up by parties, lively discussions and spontaneous, often hilarious events. Atsitsa’s unique atmosphere owes a great deal to its community structures pioneered

‘The courses are excellent but I soon realised that they are simply adjunct to a wonderfully relaxed holiday.’ Carmel Thomason - Manchester Evening News

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and practised over the years. These include demos (community affairs), œkos (home groups), co-listening (real communication) and light community work such as vegetable chopping and fruit picking. The beauty of Atsitsa is its simplicity, its intimate connection with nature and its timeless detachment from the outside world. The atmosphere of trust it generates enables everyone to open up, venture into uncharted waters and make connections rarely made in the outside world.

The Atsitsa Bay community Community is at the very heart of the Atsitsa Bay experience. The range and quality of the numerous courses, all run by excellent facilitators, make Atsitsa Bay an exceptional holiday destination. But Atsitsa Bay is far more than its courses. It’s a new world we all aspire to see. It’s the trust the members of its community naturally develop with each other, the ensuing emergence of one’s real self as opposed to a self distorted by necessities and burdens, and the powerful bonds forged between people that sometimes last for life.

‘I had anticipated that a New Age fog of earnest escapism might cloud the air. My scepticism was evaporated. They’ve got the balance right’. Sarah Kent - Time Out

In Atsitsa you can be completely at home: with yourself, with others, and with nature. You can play, experiment, sing, do things you haven’t done since childhood or just be silly. It’s a place to feel free. Hence people can go for the seemingly impossible and expand their limits to the limits of the sea. Truly amazing impromptu events emerge as a regular feature of the Atsitsa Bay programme: its legendary cabaret, the fancy dress parties, the midnight swims, the music and the singing, the Pea Fairs, the street theatre shows, the comedy improvisation events and so much more. Individuality in this environment, shaped only by the requirements of beauty, only blossoms. None of this would have come about without the Atsitsa Bay community spirit. Community is the quintessence of life, the earth in which the tree of our existence is rooted.

Each Atsitsa Bay holiday provides:•1  0 nights’ shared accommodation in charming twin-bedded huts set amongst pine trees and close to the sea (single huts & upgrades to house subject to availability) • Three delicious meals per day •U  p to 5 hours of courses, including yoga, from a choice of up to 16 different courses • A variety of evening activities & cafe-bar • Optional individual treatments payable on site

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Atsitsa Bay

in tune with nature

‘The most talked about holistic holiday destination in Europe, 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.’ Times Online

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Accommodation

Daily life

Atsitsa participants live simply and comfortably just moments from the sea. Some stay in the spacious stone villa and most in 2-person bamboo huts situated in the midst of lush gardens and shaded by pine and fruit trees. A limited number of single huts are available. Atsitsa has its own cafe-bar, an ideal place to sip cool drinks, watch the glorious sunsets over the sea and dance the night away.

Courses run for four days in both the first and the second half of the holiday. Some of them are four-day events and others just drop-ins. Participants can choose either or both. The day starts with early morning courses (up to one hour), followed by community events, mid-morning courses (two hours) and late afternoon courses (two hours). The actual programme is determined at the beginning of each session and participants sign up on the spot. On their free day participants can go for an organised event such as a boat trip, a visit to Skyros town with its enticing shops, tavernas, bars and clubs or tour the island. Alternatively, they can stay home and enjoy doing nothing.

Food Atsitsa has gained such an outstanding reputation for its cuisine in terms of both quality and quantity that some participants claim they return just for the food! The freshest ingredients are always used – locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables, natural yoghurt and cheeses, pulses and grains. Lunches tend to be vegetarian and Mediterranean in style. Meat or fish is served in the evenings and vegetarians are always catered for.

Nightlife Evening activities include spontaneous events such as parties, singing, games, talks, comedy shows or a swim by moonlight.

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Atsitsa Bay

a truly amazing programme • Holidays begin on the 1st, the 11th and the 21st of each month from June to mid-September • Fly in to Athens on the day before the 10-night break begins and fly home on the last day of the holiday • Courses and activities run for a total of eight days with a day’s break halfway through • Childcare is available during course time on the three August sessions (AT11, AT12 & AT13) • For further information on courses and facilitators please check our website www.skyros.com AT5: Wed 1 - Sat 11 June

£695

Courses & Activities: Comedy, Drawing, Dreams, Film Making, Flow Yoga, Improve your Memory, Laughter Yoga, Life Skills, Meditation, Mindful Living, Music, Painting, Restorative Yoga, Sailing, Singing, Walks, Windsurfing. Facilitators: Julian Doyle, Michael Eales (D), Mark Gunston, Laura Heininger, Sharon Mcdonald, Logan Murray, Jonathan Newey, Johanna Wood.

AT7: Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July

£745

Courses & Activities: Beginners’ Guitar, Charismatic Presence, Creativity, Dancing, Drawing, Dynamic Yoga, Jamming, Mandala making, Music-making, Outdoor Art, Sailing, Self-presentation, Singing, Stained Glass, T’ai Chi, Theatre, Walks, Windsurfing, Writing. Facilitators: Annabelle Apsion, Mark Gunston, Richard Layzell (D), Richard Lewis, Sharon Mcdonald, Stoney Parsons, Ilene Sawka, Kym Suttle.

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AT8: Fri 1 - Mon 11 July

£795

AT6: Sat 11 - Tues 21 June

£745

Courses & Activities: Beginners’ Guitar, Bodywork, Body Language, Comedy, Flirtshop, Flow Yoga, Games, Jamming, Meditation, Musicmaking, Painting, Photography, Restorative Yoga, Sailing, Singing, Storytelling, Walks, Weaving, Windsurfing. Facilitators: David Babsky, Alison Goldie, Mark Gunston, Laura Heininger, Richard Lewis, Sharon Mcdonald, Theresa Sundt, Silke Ziehl (D).

AT9: Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July

£845

Courses & Activities: Body Flow, Dance, Kundalini Yoga, Meditation & Chanting, Mosaics, Outdoor Art, Sacred Dance, Sailing, Short Film Making, Singing, Street Theatre, T’ai Chi, Theatre, Walks, Windsurfing, Yoga.

Courses & Activities: Art, Body Flow, Dance, Kundalini Yoga, Mandalas, Meditation, Mosaics, Music, Painting, Sailing, Singing, Sound Healing, Street Theatre, Theatre, T’ai Chi, Tantra, Walks, Windsurfing, Yoga.

Facilitators: Jason Connery, Richard Layzell (D), Sharon Mcdonald, Cathy Skora, Kym Suttle, Roz Wates, John Wigham, Helen Yeomans.

Facilitators: Dean Friedman, Martin and Hanna Jelfs, Richard Layzell (D), Sharon Mcdonald, Susie Self, Cathy Skora, Marina Sossi, Roz Wates, John Wigham.

‘In the evenings we got together in the bar to discuss our personal triumphs and insights with a renewed enthusiasm for life.’ Kerry Clark - Marie Claire

EARLY BIRD! - Receive £75 discount if you book and pay in full for an Atsitsa holiday by the 18th of February. FRIENDS of SKYROS - Friends of Skyros (past participants) receive another discount of £75 per session. This is additional to the Early Bird. EXTRA SESSIONS - Those who book more than one holiday this season after the expiry of the Early Bird are entitled to £100 off any additional session. No other discounts are applicable here.

AT10: Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July

£895

AT11: Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug

£945

Courses & Activities: Bridge, Dance, Drawing, 5 Rhythms Dance, Kum Nye, Life Skills, Meditation, Mindfulness, Sailing, Singing, Songwriting, Tantric Love, Theatre, Walks, Watercolour, Windsurfing, Yoga.

Courses & Activities: Bridge, Clowning, Drawing, 5 Rhythms Dance, Improvisation & Games, Life Skills, Meditation, Pilates, Sailing, Singing, Songwriting, Theatre, Walks, Watercolour, Windsurfing, Yoga.

Facilitators: Michael Gahagan, Mark Gunston, Jo Hardy, Martin & Hanna Jelfs, Sharon Mcdonald, Malcolm Stern (D), Marina Sossi, Sarah Warwick.

Facilitators: Kristin Fredricksson, Michael Gahagan, Mark Gunston, Alan Herdman, Sharon Mcdonald, Malcolm Stern (D), Sarah Warwick, Andreas Vetsch.

AT13: Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug

£895

Courses & Activities: Ceroc, Comedy Improvisation, Haiku Writing, Magic Tricks, Music & Singing, Outdoor Adventure, Painting & Drawing, Poetry, Sailing, Style & Image, Theatre, Walks, Windsurfing, Yoga. Facilitators: Andrea Gates, Mark Gunston, Sarah Livingstone, Sharon Mcdonald, Andrew Risner (D), Andreas Vetsch, Colin Williams, Berny Woodward.

AT14: Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept

£845

AT12: Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug

£895

Courses & Activities: Authentic Movement, Body-Mind Centering, Ceroc, Comedy Improvisation, Living Tantra, Magic Tricks, Mindfulness, Morning Pages, Positive Thinking, Sailing, Singing, Songwriting, Theatre, Walks, Watercolour, Windsurfing, Yoga, Facilitators: Jan Day, Mark Gunston, Jens Johannsen (D), Sarah Livingstone, Sharon Mcdonald, Andrew Risner, Andreas Vetsch, Sarah Warwick.

AT15: Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept

£795

Courses & Activities: Alexander Technique, Dance, Greek Dancing, Life Skills, Massage, Meditation, Painting, Raqs Sharqi, Sailing, Singing & Multi-instrumental Performance, Vision Board, Walks, Windsurfing, Working with Colour, Yoga.

Courses & Activities: Creativity, Dance, Life Skills, Living Wild, Massage, Meditation, Painting, Playing with Colour, Photography, Sailing, Salsa & Merengue, Sense Magic, Singing & Multi-instrumental Performance, Storytelling, Walks, Windsurfing, Yoga.

Facilitators: Siobhan Cox-Carlos, Ken Eyerman, Dina Glouberman (D), Mark Gunston, Judy Hammond, Sharon Mcdonald, Tom Morley, Lani O’Hanlon.

Facilitators: Ken Eyerman, Mark Gunston, John Harris, Sharon Mcdonald, Tom Morley, Lani O’Hanlon (D), Kel Portman, Chris Salisbury.

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Atsitsa Bay

the facilitators

Michael Gahagan

Jo Hardy

Michael’s art is exhibited in a number of galleries and presented in several books and magazines. He encourages people to develop their own art. (AT10 & 11)

Jo is an accredited 5 Rhythms teacher. She is also a psychotherapist and supervisor with many years of experience in a process oriented mindfulness-based approach. (AT10)

Andrea Gates

John Harris

Andrea has over 12 years experience in the image business. She will advise on colour and style, enabling people to highlight their individual personalities through what they wear. (AT13)

John, who has studied Systemic approaches since 2002, has furthered his studies at the CSISS in 2007-9. He also teaches Argentine Tango and Cuban Salsa and is a Hatha Yoga teacher. (AT15)

David Babsky

Dina Glouberman

Laura Heininger

David, formerly Technical Editor of Practical Photography magazine, has taught photography and moviemaking and will help participants improve their techniques. Bring your own camera. (AT6)

Dina, author of the classics The Joy of Burnout and Life Choices, Life Changes, has pioneered Imagework. Formerly a university lecturer and psychotherapist, she co-founded Skyros. (AT14)

Laura’s own teaching style has developed through an appreciation for the diversity of yoga styles, having studied Scaravelli, Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini and Restorative yoga. (AT5 & 6)

Siobhan Cox-Carlos

Alison Goldie

Martin & Hanna Jelfs

Siobhan has shown her artwork extensively throughout Ireland and North America. She has wide experience of teaching and facilitating art and creative workshops. (AT14)

Alison has been teaching improvisation, drama and comedy for over 20 years and is the founder of the Weird Sisters theatre company. She is also a TV presenter. (AT6)

Martin and Hanna are a couple who have been teaching intimacy and tantra courses for 15 years. Martin has been a psychotherapist for 25 years and Hanna has been practicing T’ai Chi for over twenty years. (AT9 & 10)

Jan Day

Mark Gunston

Jens Johannsen

Jan has been leading workshops on intimacy, relationships, sexuality and life vision since 1999 in Europe and Hawaii. She is a certified coach and Art of Being teacher. (AT12)

Mark has been teaching skiing and watersports for 30 years in Europe and the US. He has been teaching in Atsitsa since 1996. He is also a qualified Life Coach. (AT5 - 15)

Jens is a dancer and movement teacher/therapist from Germany. He has been exploring the relations of body and mind since 1978. He runs Body Mind Centering training worldwide. (AT12)

Annabelle Apsion Annabelle is best known for her role in the hit television series Shameless, as well as Soldier, Soldier, The Lakes, Midsomer Murders and Coronation Street. She has taught theatre, self-presentation and vocal work over the last 10 years and is also co-founder and practitioner of Rosen Method Bodywork in the UK. (AT7)

Michael Eales Michael, a group facilitator for 26 years, is one of the leading figures in Humanistic Psychology. He is the co-author of The Personal Management Handbook and The Coaching Cube. (AT5)

Ken Eyerman Ken, author of Massage, has taught yoga and bodywork for 30 years and directs his own training programme. He was named as one of London’s Evening Standard’s top three masseurs. (AT14 & 15)

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Richard Layzell

Jason Connery Jason, well known in England for his portrayal of Robin Hood in Robin of Sherwood, has appeared in many other films and television serials. In 2008 he made his directoral debut with the movie Pandemic that was followed by The Devil’s Tomb and this year the After Dark Originals. (AT8)

Richard is an award-winning artist, writer and teacher. His current exhibition, The Manifestation, (with Tania Koswycz) is touring the UK, and their dialogues, Cream Pages, has recently been published. (AT7 - 9)

Richard Lewis Richard is a musician, film maker and writer who has worked for many companies incl Microsoft, Skype & Oxford Univ Press. He believes everyone is creative. (AT6 & 7)

Kristin Fredricksson

Judy Hammond

Sarah Livingstone

Kristin is an award winning theatre maker, performer, director and Feldenkrais practitioner who teaches regularly at universities and drama schools in the UK and further afield. (AT11)

Judy has many years’ experience teaching Alexander Technique, Raqs Sharqi and Moving Mindfully. She has a theatre background as dancer, choreographer & director. (AT14)

Sarah is an established painter, printmaker, psychotherapist and university lecturer with a passion for working with individuals to expand their creative freedom. (AT12 & 13)

Sharon Mcdonald

Ilene Sawka

Sarah Warwick

Sharon, a science teacher for 20 years, has been sailing for thirteen years and has clocked up about 11,000 miles on Greater Manchester Challenge as a volunteer watchleader. (AT5 - AT15)

Originally from Chicago, Ilene has helped people to celebrate their creativity and perform at a level they would have previously thought impossible. She lives in Stockholm. (AT7)

Sarah is an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, performer and recording artist with 3 number one dance hits in the UK and the US. She also runs voice workshops. (AT10 - 12)

Tom Morley From playing kit drums with the band Scritti Politti in his 20’s, through songwriting in his 30’s, to studying psychology in his 40’s, Tom is now an expert at applying his knowledge to community needs. (AT14 & 15)

Jonathan Newey Jonathan Newey is an award winning artist with nearly 20 years as an art teacher in adult education. He comes from a long line of artists in his family and has experience in a wide range of mediums and subjects. (AT5)

Roz Wates

Logan Murray Logan is an accomplished stand-up comedian (performing at every major comedy club and festival in the UK), TV and radio writer, presenter, actor as well as stage-director and author. His book ‘Be a Great Stand Up’, currently tops the Amazon bestselling list and he is one of the best Comedy tutors in the country. (AT5)

Roz is a mosaic artist who works with a variety of styles and techniques and lectures and writes about mosaics. She works mainly on commission for private clients & public bodies. (AT8 - 9)

John Wigham A Skyros windsurfing instructor since 1994, John went on to introduce music, street theatre and general silliness into his repertoire. While not doing this, he’s a landscape architect based in Dubai. (AT8 & 9)

Lani O’Hanlon

Susie Self

Colin Williams

Lani, co-creator and author of Dancing the Rainbow, is a voice & movement artist, writer and holistic therapist with over 15 years experience as a director & teacher/ trainer. (AT14 & 15)

Susie, a singer/songwriter, performs at Covent Garden, Glyndebourne and co-starred with Jasper Carrot in the West End. She leads voice and sound healing retreats. Her latest album is Seachanges. (AT9)

Colin has long experience in the field of creative digital music-making and currently runs a recording studio in Bristol. In Skyros he will give participants the opportunity to create original pieces of music. (AT13)

Stoney Parsons

Cathy Skora

Johanna Wood

Stoney is a professional stained glass artist and a painter. Her glass work and paintings are all about colour. She enjoys teaching and her courses are practical, creative and fun! (AT7)

Cathy is founder and director of the US Folkloric Productions Dance Company and has been teaching and performing dance internationally for over 15 years. (AT8 & 9)

Johanna, a singer and choral director, plays piano, sax and accordion. Her Rock Choirs released a top 10 album in 2010. She runs harmony workshops at the Central School of Speech & Drama and in Kent. (AT5)

Marina Sossi

Berny Woodward

Marina, a yoga teacher, is an accomplished theatre director, writer and performer who has worked internationally with theatres, galleries, festivals, prisons, health and mental health groups. (AT9 & 10)

Berny holds the UK Mountain Instructors Certificate and has extensive experience having worked in the RAF as an Outdoor Adventure Instructor for over 20 years. He is also a self taught artist and poet. (AT13)

Julian Doyle Julian is one of the world’s most versatile film-makers. He has written, directed, photographed, edited and created special Fxs in feature films such as Terry Gilliam’s Timebandits. He edited Monty Python’s film Life of Brian, directed the Chemical Wedding and his latest book ‘The Life of Brian/Jesus’ is billed as ‘the book that will ruin Christmas!’ (AT5)

Malcolm Stern Malcolm is a group and individual psychotherapist, co-founder of Alternatives at St James Church, London. He recently co-presented Channel 4’s relationships series. (AT10 & 11)

Alan Herdman Alan set up Britain’s first-ever Pilates studio with actors, dancers and singers as his first clients. He has written several books including The Pilates Directory and Pilates: Creating the Body you Want. He runs a training course for Pilates instructors and teaches in dance schools and studios internationally. (AT11)

Kel Portman

Theresa Sundt

Kel, formerly a senior university lecturer, is an artist, photographer and printmaker. He is also an experienced RYA windsurfing instructor. (AT15)

Theresa is a professional artist and art teacher focusing on the therapeutic qualities of colour. Her book The Art of Colour Therapy has been translated in four languages. (AT6)

Andrew Risner

Kym Suttle

Helen Yeomans

Andrew, a professional speaker and change strategist, presents workshops and seminars throughout Europe. He has a backgound in business and stand-up comedy. (AT12 & 13)

Kym has been teaching yoga since 1996 and his style is influenced by his years as a dance/choreography teacher (he has an MA in Dance Studies & Choreography) and as an actor. (AT7 & 8)

Helen, an experienced singing teacher, choir director and composer based in Devon, England, directs her own performance choir, Glorious Chorus, for which she writes all the music. (AT8)

Chris Salisbury

Andreas Vetsch

Silke Ziehl

Chris is an outdoor instructor and storyteller with a background in the theatre, a training in therapy and a career in environmental education with the Devon Wildlife Trust and WildWise. (AT15)

Andreas is a former film and TV director, who teaches yoga in Zurich and leads workshops and retreats all over Europe. He has just toured Switzerland with a comedy show. (AT11 - 13)

Silke is a body psychotherapist specialising in training professionals. She is the founder of the Entelia Institute for Creative Bodywork in Munich and London, and a member of the Open Centre, London. (AT6)

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The Skyros Centre

creativity and wellness

T

he Skyros Centre, home of the Writers’ Lab and the Life Choices programme, nestles on the hillside at the edge of Skyros village. Built high up to evade the clutches of Mediterranean pirates, the village is accessible only by foot through narrow, cobblestoned streets. The long, sandy beach is a pleasant ten minute walk away. The Centre’s courtyard, shaded by fig and pomegranate trees, has a panoramic view of the valley and the Aegean. Its white walls are covered by bougainvilleas and grapevines. In this delightful environment people can enjoy the unalloyed beauty of Greece, engage in joyful activities and relish the company of new and often life-long connections. Stepping back from the stress of everyday life, they can also reach new insights, reconnect with the source of their creativity, and experience a wonderful sense of liberation. As one participant wrote, ‘Skyros is sunshine for the soul’. In the first half of the day, people can choose an in-depth course – either a Writers’ Lab or a Life Choices course. The course develops over nine days punctuated by a day’s break inbetween. Subject to space, participants can, if they wish, move to the other programme for the second half of the session. In the late afternoon, the Music & Arts programme is open to all without pre-booking on three days of each half of the holiday. After this people usually meet for dinner in the village. Whether one goes for stuffed tomatoes or grilled fish at a taverna by the sea, dinner is almost a spiritual experience. With the night always young, there may well be dancing until late or walking in the moonlight through the magical landscape.

‘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 - The Sunday Times

Accommodation Participants stay in rooms close to the Centre that combine modern comforts with a Skyrian ambience. Most are en-suite rooms or small apartments, and others are charming rooms within traditional houses. The styles vary but all have air conditioning, a fridge and a kettle as standard. Participants normally share a twin room. Some single rooms are available and bookable in advance at £245 per session in the low season and £295 in the high season (21 July - 31 August).

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are mainly vegetarian, with meat or fish served when there is dinner instead. Meals take place on the Centre’s terrace which affords a panoramic view towards the sea. Food is prepared by Vasso, about whom writer Michèle Roberts wrote, ‘Where is heaven? Here on earth, in Skyros, in Vasso’s kitchen’. In the evenings there are plenty of options to choose from in the village, from traditional tavernas to sophisticated restaurants serving modern Greek cuisine. Meals and snacks are available in the village and by the beach. (£10 – £30). Daily life A typical day begins with gentle yoga followed by breakfast. The main course, either the Writers’ Lab (WL) or Life Choices (LC), is held between 10.30am and 1.30pm. After lunch people can stroll down to the sea or have a siesta, which even Churchill recommended in his memoirs! Late afternoons, between 6pm and 8pm, are reserved for the Music & Arts events or occasional ‘Taste of Greece’ event including talks, Greek music and dance and visits to places of interest. Every session offers the traditional Skyros structures of demos (community affairs), co-listening (effective communication) and light community work such as vegetable chopping or watering the plants. Oneto-one massage treatments are available on site. Nightlife Skyros’ nightlife is relaxed yet has much to offer. The bars are open until the early hours and so are tavernas with delicious traditional food. Dance the night away in the village’s nightclubs.

Each Skyros Centre holiday provides:• 10 nights’ shared accommodation in an air-conditioned twin room (single upgrades available) • Half board

Food

• Up to 5 hours of courses, per weekday

The Centre offers half board (usually breakfast and lunch). Adapted from the villagers’ traditional diet, meals are based on fresh, natural and local ingredients. Lunches in the Centre

• Yoga every course day morning • Optional massage treatments available on site

The Programme at a glance Thurs 21 Apr - Sun 1 May

£795

Greek and Roman Easter

Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July

£895

Early Morning Yoga

Early Morning Yoga WL1 Spin Straw into Gold

Joyce Dunbar

LC1 Passion for Life

Frank Shapiro

MA1 Playing with Colour

Theresa Sundt (D)

Sun 1 - Wed 11 May

£745

Early Morning Yoga WL2 Get Going!

Michèle Roberts

LC2 Life Choices, Life Changes

Dina Glouberman (D)

MA2 Playing with Colour

Theresa Sundt

Wed 11 - Sat 21 May

£695

WL9 From Poetry to Prose

Robert Rowland Smith

LC9 The Courage to Change

Malcolm Stern (D)

MA9 Music & Singing

Sarah Warwick

Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July

£945

Early Morning Yoga WL10 Aspects of Novelwriting

Jennie Rooney

LC10 Choose Life at Any Risk

Ari Badaines (D)

MA10 Music & Painting

Susie Self

Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug

Early Morning Yoga

£995

WL3 The Craft of Fiction

Lindsay Clarke

Early Morning Yoga

LC3 Mastering Uncertainty

Michael Eales (D)

WL11 Writing From Life

Aminatta Forna

MA3 Free Your Creativity

Hazel Carey

LC11 Longings & Love

Ari Badaines (D)

MA11 Music & Painting

Susie Self

Sat 21 - Tues 31 May

£745

Early Morning Yoga WL4 A Life Full of Stories

Amanda Smyth (D)

LC4 Get Out Your Own Way

Catherine Thompson

MA4 Photography & Video

Julian Doyle

Wed 1 - Sat 11 June

£745

Early Morning Yoga WL5 A Story is a Story

Richard Beard

LC5 Seeing is Believing

Aaron Swartz

MA5 The Funny Side of Life

Alison Goldie (D)

Sat 11 - Tues 21 June

£795

Early Morning Yoga WL6 Your Writer’s Voice

Crysse Morrison

LC6 Attract Your Ideal Partner

Frank Shapiro (D)

MA6 Music & Singing

Johanna Wood

Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July

£795

Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug Early Morning Yoga WL12 The First Novel

Shelley Weiner

LC12 The Path of Happiness

Michael Eales (D)

MA12 Music Making

Colin Williams

WL7 True Stories

Helena Drysdale

LC7 Coming Alive

Claire Schrader

MA7 Playing with Colour

Theresa Sundt (D)

Fri 1 - Mon 11 July

£845

Early Morning Yoga WL8 The Art of Writing Fiction

Sam North

LC8 Allowing Love

Elizabeth Bunker

MA8 Mime & Improvisation

David Zucker (D)

WL : Writers’ Lab LC : Life Coaching MA : Music & Arts D : Director Sessions begin on the 1st, the 11th and the 21st of each month.

This popular programme is a counterpoint to the main morning courses, offering a creative space where participants from both in-depth courses, can learn and have fun together. Theresa Sundt offers a vibrant journey exploring colour as inspiration for artwork in Playing with Colour (MA1, MA2, MA7) Let your sense of wellbeing flourish with Hazel Carey’s Free Your Creativity workshops including song, dance and play. (MA3) Julian Doyle, of Monty Python fame, guides you in developing your photographic and directorial skills. Photography & Video (MA4) Improvise with Alison Goldie and explore The Funny Side of Life unblocking the imagination and even enjoy being silly. (MA5) Jo Wood will bring the evenings alive with Music and Singing. Jo says “if you can talk you can sing.” (MA6) Develop flexibility in dealing with the unexpected through Mime, Improvisation & Story Telling with David Zucker. (MA8) An exciting journey of vocal discoveries, Music & Singing with Sarah Warwick explores the amazing power of sound and song. (MA9) Susie Self will facilitate Music & Painting helping you to deepen self expression through voicework and painting. (MA10 & 11) Explore the ‘Art of Jamming’, building rhythms, melody and writing lyrics in Colin Williams’ Music Making course. (MA12)

£945

Vocalist Kate Daniels brings Jazz and Blues and Beyond. Find your rhythm and enjoy creating your own sound. (MA13)

WL13 Life Writing

Monique Roffey

LC13 Life Choices, Life Changes

Dina Glouberman (D)

Create your own Style and Image with Andrea Gates. Find styles that reflect you, your personality and body shape. (MA14)

MA13 Jazz, Blues & Beyond

Kate Daniels

Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug Early Morning Yoga

Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept

£895

Early Morning Yoga WL14 Life Fiction

Kevan Manwaring

LC14 Successful Living

Kate Daniels (D)

MA14 Style and Image

Andrea Gates

Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept

Early Morning Yoga

£945

Music & Arts Programme

£845

Early Morning Yoga WL15 So How D’you Get Your Ideas?

Louisa Young

LC15 Being Ourselves

Gaie Houston (D)

MA15 The Inner Artist

Siobhan Cox-Carlos

Wed 21 Sept - Sat 1 Oct

£795

Early Morning Yoga WL16 Creating Comedy

Arthur Smith

LC16 Be Your Own Best Coach

Jackee Holder

MA16 Dancing the Rainbow

Lani O’Hanlon (D)

For more information on courses and facilitators please check our website - www.skyros.com

Let your Inner Artist emerge with Siobhan Cox-Carlos and experiment with different media to express your creative side. (MA15) Try new ways of moving, replenish your energy and reconnect with the spontaneous you. Lani O’Hanlon, Dancing The Rainbow (MA16) You need to book either the Writers’ Lab or the Life Coaching programme. The early morning yoga courses and the late afternoon Music & Art courses are available in all sessions and open to all without pre-booking. Arrive in Athens the day before the holiday begins and departure on the last day. EARLY BIRD! - Receive £75 discount if you book and pay in full for a Skyros Centre holiday by 18th Feb. FRIENDS of SKYROS - (past participants) receive another discount of £75 per session. This is additional to the Early Bird. EXTRA SESSIONS - Those who book more than one holiday this season after the expiry of the Early Bird are entitled to £100 off any additional session. No other discounts are applicable here.

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Writer’s Lab

inspired by the gods of Greece

The Guardian named Skyros as Number 1 of ‘the world’s best five writing holidays’. The Guardian

T

he Writers’ Lab in Skyros island, Greece, offers writers, thinkers and dabblers the opportunity to learn from distinguished writers, share the joys and struggles of the creative process, discover their strengths and polish their skills. In an idyllic environment, far away from the demands and routines dictated by a busy life, course participants can navigate beyond old boundaries and emerge with pieces of writing of which to feel proud. Indeed, former Writers’ Lab participants such as Susan Elderkin, Crysse Morrison, Shani Solomons, Emma Darwin or Grace Wynne-Jones have gone on to publish books or to stage plays they started, developed or completed in Skyros. Courses are open to novices with a secret passion for writing as much as to writers who already have a book under their belt. The tutors enjoy helping people at any stage of development – so do come with work in progress or just an empty page. The Skyros Writers’ Lab has built up an excellent reputation over the years. Steven Berkoff, Rachel Billington, Margaret Drabble, Hanif Kureishi, D M Thomas, Sue Townsend, Marina Warner, Hugo Williams and many others, including Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners such as Hilary Mantel, James Kelman, Barry Unsworth, Bernice Rubens and Alison Lurie, have graced the centre with their presence over the years and given hundreds of people the benefit of their experience.

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WL1: Thurs 21 Apr - Sun 1 May

£795

Spin Straw into Gold

WL7: Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July

£795

True Stories

WL13: Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug

£945

Life Writing

Joyce Dunbar

Helena Drysdale

Monique Roffey

Joyce, author of over 80 books including a 12-step guide to writing, will teach you how to turn the stuff of life into well-crafted fiction with magic and meaning. Whether you want to write a novel, a memoir or a short story, this course is for you.

One of the best routes into writing is through true stories. Helena will explore real life experiences with you and the form of writing that stem from these – memoir, biography, fiction, poetry. She has published many novels inc Looking for George.

The course will look at what it means to write from your own life or the lives of those close to you. Monique teaches Creative Writing for English PEN, Arvon and Goldsmiths. Her latest novel is The White Woman on the Green Bicycle.

WL2: Sun 1 - Wed 11 May

£745

Get Going!

WL8: Fri 1 - Mon 11 July

£845

The Art of Writing Fiction

WL14: Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept

£895

Life Fiction

Michèle Roberts

Sam North

Kevan Manwaring

Michèle, former professor of Creative Writing at the UEA, uses exercises and games to explore a variety of forms and techniques. She is the author of many novels inc. the acclaimed Daughters of the House shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

The course will explore the largescale challenges of writing fiction. It will then narrow its focus to look at the creation of the ‘voice’ of a novel, and prose style. Sam has written eight novels and has received a Somerset Maugham Award.

We’ll explore autobiographical material and look at ideas, characters, dialogue, plot, themes, tone, points of view, beginnings, endings and more. Kevan writes fiction, nonfiction and poetry and teaches for the OU. He is a professional storyteller.

WL3: Wed 11 - Sat 21 May

£695

The Craft of Fiction

WL9: Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July

£895

From Poetry to Prose

WL15: Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept

£845

So Where D’you Get Your Ideas?

Lindsay Clarke

Robert Rowland Smith

Louisa Young

Whitbread Prize winner Lindsay will run exercises on openings, character development, dialogue, structure and setting, and on ways to stimulate the imagination. His latest of the seven novels he has written is the much praised The Water Theatre.

The course covers poetry, fiction and non-fiction, with a balance of theory and practice as well as advice on working with publishers and agents. Robert is a writer, journalist and teacher. He is a faculty member at The School of Life.

Where do you go to find your ideas, what you do with them, how do you put the right ones together, look after them so they will come to fruition, keep them coming or get rid of them? Louisa, a journalist for many years, has written 10 books, 3 of them novels.

WL4: Sat 21 - Tues 31 May

£745

A Life Full of Stories

WL10: Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July

£945

Aspects of Novel-writing

WL16: Wed 21 - Sat 1 Oct

£795

Creating Comedy

Amanda Smyth

Jennie Rooney

Arthur Smith

Develop tools to unlock your creative writing life while learning to mine your own experiences to produce meaningful works of fiction. Amanda’s Black Rock won the French First Novel Award in 2010 and was shortlisted for the prestigious Prix Femina.

Each day we will focus on a different aspect of novel-writing with practical exercises and experimentation. Jennie has published two novels, the first shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award. It was also a Richard and Judy Debut Book Club choice.

Arthur, a comedian, writer and broadcaster, wll help to bring out the funny in everybody. Whether you wish to write gags, sitcoms or plays, you will find something here to stimulate you. At the end, the group will present a comedy night to the other students.

WL5: Wed 1 - Sat 11 June

£745

True or False: A Story is a Story

WL11: Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug

£995

Writing From Life

Richard Beard

Aminatta Forna

When does non-fiction become creative? How does a writer make fiction read like real life? What skills apply to fiction and non-fiction alike? Richard is the author of four novels and three non-fiction books and director of The National Academy of Writing.

How can you capture your own life experiences and transform them into memoir, essay, travel writing or nature writing? Aminatta, a creative writing tutor and author of The Devil that Danced in the Water and other novels, will offer you all the help you need.

WL6: Sat 11 - Tues 21 June

£795

Your Writer’s Voice

WL12: Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug

‘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.’ Róisin Ingle - The Irish Times

£945

The First Novel

Crysse Morrison

Shelley Weiner

Working from memories and imagination, Crysse’s course will focus on finding ideas and exploring writing styles. Crysse, an experienced writing tutor, writes fiction, drama and performance poetry and has a regular column in Writing Magazine.

The course offers practical advice in a supportive environment. Characterisation, plot and setting are explored, with a focus on individual work. Shelley is a novelist, short-story writer and journalist who has established herself as an inspirational tutor.

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Life Choices

breaking old boundaries, winning new ground

O

ur choices go far beyond those of previous generations. Perhaps, we don’t necessarily expect to have a career for life or live in the country in which we were born, or even live with our partner till death do us part. Just as confusing are the values we choose to go for in an era in which anything is as good as anything else. Some choices are easy but others, particularly those forced upon us by circumstances, are not. Which way will you go in the area of relationships, values, career, health, sexuality or in dealing with all the current uncertainty and stress? How do you take care of all the necessities and at the same time grow and develop as a human being? Or what do you do if, despite everything, life is not bringing you the contentment you expect and you don’t know what will? Deciding on such issues is never quite straightforward. But the Life Choices programme of The Skyros Centre can help you to take stock, listen to the whispers of your soul and move on. Within its warm, relaxed environment, and with the help of world-class teachers and like-minded participants, you will be fully supported to find your way to a life that makes sense. The Centre itself doesn’t provide answers. It will, however, give you all the encouragement you need to leave behind limiting beliefs. The programme’s facilitators are known for their warmth and integrity as much as for their expertise. They are there to support, inspire and encourage participants to listen to their own inner voice and find their own path. They come from a range of traditions, from the motivational to the therapeutic, which is indicated in the course descriptions. Each ten-night holiday is split into two with four days of courses in each half and a day’s break in-between. The courses, enhanced by the informal atmosphere, the new friendships, and the magical qualities of village life, run for three hours per day in the mid-mornings. Why not dip your toes into the Life Choices programme and watch the sun rising from the Aegean on a really new day?

‘I felt 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 - Sunday Independent

‘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 since you were a kid.’ Paul Mansfield - The Sunday Telegraph

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LC1: Thurs 21 Apr - Sun 1 May

£795

Regain Your Passion for Life

LC7: Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July

£795

Coming Alive

LC13: Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug

£945

Life Choices, Life Changes

Frank Shapiro

Claire Schrader

Dina Glouberman

Life should be exciting. Having passion for what you enjoy in life is key to being happy, healthy and active. Bring back laughter, fun and a positive outlook. Frank is one of the leading motivators and has written about getting the most out of life.

Do you want to access all the power that lies within you and live in an inspiring and energising way, firing on all cylinders? Claire, an award winning playwright, drama therapist and performance artist, will be there to help you express the joy of being alive.

Author of the classics Life Choices, Life Changes and The Joy of Burnout, Dina will show you how to listen to your soul’s whispers, find your natural brilliance, overcome fears, solve problems, make wise choices - and go for it.

LC2: Sun 1 - Wed 11 May

£745

Life Choices, Life Changes

LC8: Fri 1 - Mon 11 July

£845

Allowing Love

LC14: Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept

£895

Steps to Successful Living

Dina Glouberman

Elizabeth Bunker

Kate Daniels

Author of the classics Life Choices, Life Changes and The Joy of Burnout, Dina will show you how to listen to your soul’s whispers, find your natural brilliance, overcome fears, solve problems, make wise choices - and go for it.

Come play, dance, sing, become more of who you truly are and explore the power of love to protect, hold, heal and transform. Elizabeth, an American meditation teacher and spiritual guide for 38 years, is also a dancer, singer and writer.

Develop skills, strategies and confidence to move your work, life and relationships towards your goals. Kate, a systemic psychotherapist at the Tavistock Clinic with a background in the corporate field, is also a jazz singer who performs her own songs.

LC3: Wed 11 - Sat 21 May

£695

Mastering Uncertainty

LC9: Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July

£895

The Courage to Change

Michael Eales

Malcolm Stern

Self-mastery helps to transform blocks and fears so we can learn to live with impermanence with more strength and resourcefulness, and face life with more confidence. Michael is one of the leading figures in Humanistic Psychology.

This workshop will use psychotherapy, dance and bodywork, sharing, ritual and healing to transform ourselves and liberate potential. Malcolm is a group and individual psychotherapist and co-founder of Alternatives at St James Church, London.

LC4: Sat 21 - Tues 31 May

£745

Get Out Your Own Way

LC10: Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July

£945

Choose Life at Any Risk

Catherine Thompson

Ari Badaines

Explore goal-setting, aligning values with goals, life-purpose and core strengths in order to take action to be at your best. Learn the tools you need. Catherine is a coach, columnist and has appeared on TV and radio.

Ari will use a variety of approaches, including some from psychodrama and gestalt therapy to gain new awareness and experience more satisfying ways of being. He runs courses worldwide and has been a Skyros facilitator since 1982.

LC5: Wed 1 - Sat 11 June

£745

Seeing Is Believing

£995

Love, Longings and Intimacy

Aaron Swartz

Our faces impact on the world, and the world reacts. But how do we present ourselves? Aaron, an inspirational actor, director and psychotherapist, will enable you to see yourself with the eyes of others and, if you need to, change.

LC6: Sat 11 - Tues 21 June

LC11: Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug

£795

Attract Your Ideal Partner

LC15: Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept

£845

Being Ourselves

Ari Badaines

Gaie Houston

Ari will look at the origins of unmet needs for love, acceptance and nurturing, the subsequent longings, and how to work through the blocks to a more satisfying way of relating. A Skyros facilitator since 1982 he is an American living in Australia.

This workshop will see why and how people limit themselves and then focus on expanding the participants’ potential to be more of themselves. A psychotherapist and playwright, Gaie has written eight books and loves learning through fun.

LC12: Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug

£945

The Path of Happiness

LC16: Wed 21 - Sat 1 Oct

£795

Be Your Own Best Coach

Frank Shapiro

Michael Eales

Jackee Holder

How do you do that? Frank, one of the country’s leading motivators, will look with you at what is attractive from the inside out and help you understand that by being your authentic self you will attract like-minded people and interesting situations like a magnet.

Humanistic Psychologist and writer Michael will focus on finding your sense of meaning and purpose, living in the here and now, developing emotional resilience and finding connection with others. All this and lots of fun, too!

A holistic introduction to Self-Coaching, the programme will include a range of dynamic coaching tools and techniques based on Jackee’s book of the same title. She has twenty years experience in leadership and organisational development.

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Skyros in Cuba

salsa, literature, culture and history

H

avana, a UNESCO World heritage site, is one of the oldest, grandest and safest cities in the Americas. It is also one of the loveliest. Its beguiling ice-cream coloured colonial buildings, the high concentration of museums and galleries, the stunning vibrancy of Cuban music and dance and the charismatic Habaneros give it a cultural punch well beyond its size and economic status. Add to all this the tropical climate and you have a potent cocktail. Havana is the perfect place to learn Cuba’s national dance – salsa. Our authentic Cuban style salsa classes are facilitated by a top Cuban dance tutor. Each participant has a local Cuban dance partner who will always be there to mentor each person’s progress and ensure a high quality learning experience. Likewise, the influence Cuban isolation has exerted on its people’s myths, fantasies and national psyche, makes the country a unique place for writers and artists. Great Cuban writers, from José Marti to Alèjo Carpentier and José Lezama Lima, and more famous non-Cuban ones, from Ernest Hemingway to Gabriel Garcia Márquez and from Jean Paul Sartre to Günter Grass, have found in Cuba a source of inspiration. Skyros will honour this tradition and, alongside salsa, it will also run a writers’ course with Amanda Smyth and later in the year with Steven Berkoff. Outside course hours, local guides will help people gain an insight into Cuban history and culture. The day is easy-going. It begins with some gentle yoga followed by a delicious breakfast, the community meeting and workshops led by Cubans on the history and culture of Cuba. Participants can stroll leisurely through the city, where they can get a glimpse of life without Mcdonald’s, and enjoy Havana’s rebel nature, which is a crucial part of its allure. The salsa and the writing courses are held in the late afternoon.

Evenings offer balmy weather and a chance to walk the many and varied shopping streets of La Habana Vieja, the old Havana, visit dazzling nightclubs and shows, and even dance salsa in the streets! The programme includes a half day Havana city tour and optional excursions to beaches, a traditional cigar factory and local beauty spots. Accommodation Skyros-in-Cuba uses the famous 5-star Habana Libre hotel. Centrally located in the district of Vedado, the hotel – in earlier times called the Hilton – passed through the revolution relatively unscathed. Fidel Castro liked it so much that he initially located his headquarters there. The magnificent mosaic wall, designed by Amelia Pelaez, mercifully survived the hotel’s renovations made at a later stage. The hotel offers breathtaking views of Havana, the sea and the Morro fortress. Conveniently located, it offers easy access to the eastern beaches. Its top floor is home to one of Havana’s night clubs hosting top Cuban bands nightly. Food You can eat well on simply prepared wholesome food. Cuba was a pioneer in the use of ecological farming. Seafood, particularly lobster, prawns and fresh tuna are of excellent quality. Vegetarianism is in its infancy but restaurants respond to requests.

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Daily life The day begins with a gentle yoga class followed by a delicious buffet breakfast served in the poolside restaurant. This is followed by a short get-together and then the session on Cuban history and culture often involving visits to places of interest. After lunch, participants can visit (by taxi) some of the beautiful beaches or shop in Old Havana. Courses are held between 5.00pm and 7.00pm (salsa) and 5.00pm and 8.00pm (writing) and evenings include visits to local salsa clubs, jazz venues, dance shows or the Cuban National Ballet and Opera. The Cubans, even when life comes with plenty of grit, gripes and its share of inequalities, have never lost their passion for partying. The night-life of their capital is legendary!

Useful Information Flights Virgin Atlantic (designated), BA, Cubana, Martinair, Air France, Iberia Flight time approx 9 hours 40 minutes from London to Havana (direct) Time difference

GMT - 5 hours

Language

Spanish

Currency Cuban Convertible Pesos (can be purchased at airport on arrival) Temperature

20/27°C during daytime

Visa requirements

 assports must be valid for 6 months after return date. Tourist P Visa card required prior to entry to Cuba (approx. £25 although free if flight booked through Holiday Place).

‘Dancing in the streets is optional.’ The Daily Mail

Sun 20 - Wed 30 March

£1095

Early Morning Yoga

John Harris

CS1 Cuban Salsa

Damarys Suarez

CW1 A Life Full of Stories

Amanda Smyth

Cuban History & Culture

Rita Ojeda

Sun 20 - Wed 30 November

£1095

Early Morning Yoga CS2 Cuban Salsa

Damarys Suarez

CW2 Creative Writing

Steven Berkoff

Cuban History & Culture

Rita Ojeda

Participants choose either of the two in-depth courses: salsa or writing. The early morning yoga class and the Cuban culture and history walks and talks are open to all.

Each Skyros in Cuba holiday provides:• 10 nights’ shared accommodation in a 5-star twin-room (single upgrades available) • Breakfast and two evening meals • Participation in the day’s courses and activities • Transfers (if on designated flight) from and to the airport, and • A half day Havana city tour

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Skyros in Southeast Asia

Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand

T

his region of Southeast Asia, also known as Indochina, contains cultures influenced by both India and China. It evokes images of rice fields, glittering temples, saffronrobed monks, untouched rural landscapes, idyllic beaches and the friendliness of local people. We are extending our range from Thailand and Angkor Wat in Cambodia to add a new Cambodian beach holiday and a new country destination, Vietnam. As these countries open up, now is the time to explore such beautiful and unspoilt areas. Skyros-in-Paradise, as many participants have called it, offers an unforgettable adventure in which one can make wonderful new friends, enjoy a different culture and be inspired. Cambodia As well as our Cambodia Adventure tour to the temples of Angkor Wat (see right) we are offering a beach holiday in Sihanoukville. The 4-star Sokha Beach Resort is Cambodian owned and set amongst acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with its own one mile pristine white sandy beach. The resort has two restaurants and three bars, swimming pool, tennis, gym and Spa, Sihanoukville is a place to unwind in a laid back atmosphere, enjoy ocean-fresh seafood and take in a snorkelling trip. Vietnam This is a country of outstanding natural beauty and vibrancy. Located on the idyllic Phu Quoc island just a one hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the 4-star Phu Quoc resort nestles among coconut groves and an abundance of lush tropical greenery on a private palm lined sandy beach. The resort has a swimming pool, restaurant and bars overlooking the sea. You can also see village life, visit local markets, or enjoy the Marine National Park. The perfect balance between adventure and relaxation. Thailand This holiday is hosted in the exclusive Aiyapura Resort & Spa on the magical island of Koh Chang, a Marine National Park 300km south-east of Bangkok. The 5-star resort, sited in a spectacular private bay, has a Green Leaf Award for environmental friendliness. Here you can delight in the Spa, sip cocktails and enjoy the world-renowned Thai cooking. Koh Chang is hassle free and White Sand Beach, 10 minutes away by courtesy coach, has lively restaurants, bars and dancing until the early hours.

‘The setting is exquisite and the spa is stunning. Anyone looking for a physical, mental or emotional clear-out will find the perfect crucible for just that.’ Marianne Macdonald - (London) Evening Standard

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Winter 2010/2011 SA1: Fri 14 Jan - Sun 23 Jan 2011

Courses

£1,245

Cambodia Adventure Temples & Jungles On the Exploration Path

Michael Eales

Photography & Writing

Julian Doyle

SA2: Tue 25 Jan - Sat 5 Feb 2011

£1,245

Thailand Beach Early Morning Yoga Life Choices

Dina Glouberman

Music & Songwriting

Richard Lewis

Winter 2011/2012 SA3: Thur 29 Dec ’11 - Sun 8 Jan ’12

£1,245

Early Morning Yoga Life Choices

Dina Glouberman

T’ai Chi, Art, Theatre

Richard Layzell

£1,195

Cambodia Adventure Temples & Jungles On the Exploration Path

Michael Eales

Your Writer’s Journey

Crysse Morrison

SA5: Sun 22 Jan - Wed 1 Feb 2012

Accommodation Participants share comfortable, superior airconditioned twin rooms with ensuite facilities and balconies. Single upgrades and deluxe rooms are available. The beach resorts offer excellent facilities including restaurants, spas, gyms, swimming pools and water sports. Food

Cambodia Beach - NEW

SA4: Tue 10 Jan - Thur 19 Jan 2012

Courses are informal and held on the beach, by the pool or in a private, air-conditioned group room. They run for eight days with a oneday break halfway through. Participants can choose up to two courses per day or take time out to make the most of their surroundings. The Skyros groups are warm and friendly. The holidays offer optional Spa treatments and local activities such as snorkelling off coral reefs and elephant trekking.

£1,095

Vietnam Beach - NEW

Southeast Asian cuisine has a worldwide reputation. Meals are flavourful and seasoned with lemongrass and basil and there is an emphasis on fresh seafood. Breakfast and lunch are provided at the resorts and take the form of sumptuous buffets with a huge range of options including vegetarian and more spicy food. There are always delicious options for vegetarians. Daily Life The day starts with gentle yoga and a swim in the pool or the sea. The main courses are held between 10.45 and 13.15 when people break for lunch. The afternoon is free to relax, engage in the full range of resort activities, enjoy the spa or take a trip into town. Late afternoon courses start at 17.30. There are a variety of excursions and evenings out where participants can explore the local environment.

Cambodia Adventure: Jungles and temples This is a 10-day overland tour to the worldrenowned ancient Khmer temples of Angkor Wat. The temples are among Southeast Asia’s historical and cultural highlights, listed in 1992 by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The 2011 tour includes one night on arrival in Bangkok at the 5-star Sofitel Silom, followed by three nights at the splendid Jungle Lodge in Khao Yai National Park before travelling on to Siem Reap for four nights at the 5-star Sokha Angkor Resort and a final night in Bangkok. The 2012 tour begins from Phnom Penh and includes one night at the 4-star Phnom Penh Hotel, followed by three nights in Battambang, an important area for wildlife conservation, before travelling on to Siem Reap for four nights at the Sokha Angkor Resort and back to Phnom Penh for the final night. Courses on both tours are held out and about in the jungle or amidst awe-inspiring temples. The tour includes a trip to Tonle Sap Great Lake, the Fine Art School and colourful local markets.

‘I returned rejuvenated, healthy and more positive, and with three new close friends.’ Tracey Jenning - Health and Fitness

Early Morning Yoga Passionate Living

Malcolm Stern

Music & Singing

Sarah Warwick

SA6: Sun 5 Feb - Wed 15 Feb 2012

£1,195

Thailand Beach Early Morning Yoga Choose Life At Any Risk

Ari Badaines

Life Writing

Monique Roffey

For more information on courses and facilitators please check our website - www.skyros.com

Each Skyros in Southeast Asia holiday provides:•S  hared accommodation in a superior twin room (single and deluxe upgrades available) • Half board •T  wo different weekday courses •E  arly morning yoga •O  ptional trips and spa treatments available

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Skyros in Southeast Asia

Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand

Useful Information Transfers The Cambodia Beach transfer begins at the 4-star Phnom Penh hotel. Phnom Penh is a vibrant city offering a mix of Khmer pagodas, French Colonial architecture and Asian shophouses. There will be time to visit the Royal Palace or the National Museum. The Thailand transfer offers two nights in the luxury 5-star Sofitel Silom hotel in Bangkok. In this fascinating city there will be an excursion to one of its cultural highlights and also a chance to experience the city’s colourful nightlife. For Vietnam you need to book a flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) plus a domestic flight to Phu Quoc. If it is easier to break your journey in Ho Chi Minh City, we can arrange overnight accommodation at the 5-star Sofitel Saigon Plaza within walking distance of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace. If required, Skyros can arrange extra days in Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok. Flights Book your own flights to the transfer destination. Direct and cheaper indirect options are available. Time difference

GMT + 7 hours.

Currency Currency Thai baht (in Thailand), US dollars (in Cambodia) and Vietnamese Dong (in Vietnam) Temperature

27/28°C during daytime

Visa requirements Passports must be valid for 6 months after return date and a free 30 day Visa is granted at the airport for Thailand. You need to purchase a Cambodian visa at the Cambodian border for 25 US dollars. A 30 day ‘Visa on Arrival’ for Vietnam can be applied for online.

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EARLY BIRD! - Receive £75 discount if you book and pay in full by the 16th of September for a holiday in Southeast Asia (2011-12). FRIENDS of SKYROS - (past participants) receive another discount of £75 per session. This is additional to the Early Bird. EXTRA SESSIONS - Those who book more than one holiday this season after the expiry of the Early Bird are entitled to £100 off any additional session. No other discounts are applicable here.

Skyros in the Press

the most talked about holistic holiday

The Observer: “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 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 them. The Stage 4 November 2010 The long, rich 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. I felt able to reflect on the previous months and years, undistracted by the clamour of workaday life. Arthur Smith Daily Telegraph 2 July 2010 Skyros is a place where at night you can dance and party on the beach, as only the Greeks know how, and still be awake to speak to the sunrise. Peter Owen Jones The Times 8 March 2010 Skyros: ‘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 Skyros: one the world’s 100 best summer holidays. Provide the punch line yourself after a week’s comedy-writing course. Stephen Bleach The Daily Telegraph 3 January 2010 Be More Creative. Stained glass and mosaicmaking are two of this summer’s creative courses offered by Skyros Holidays. The emphasis is on fun, and the aim to learn the skills and techniques needed to continue the craft once you return home. Sophie Butler Bella August 2009 Amazing things happen on Skyros – just ask the visitors who return again and again. The Daily Telegraph 31 May 2009 Well I’m back from the Greek island of Skyros and although I know it’s bad manners to wax lyrical about a trip away – it was lovely. The island is miraculously unspoilt. Louise Doughty (London) Evening Standard 16 Jan 2009 The setting (in Koh Chang island, Thailand) is exquisite and the spa is stunning. 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... Susan Valentine Manchester Evening News 10 January 2009 The courses are excellent but I soon realised that they are simply adjunct to a wonderfully relaxed holiday. Carmel Thomason 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. Amanda Riley-Jones Woman & Home November 2008 By the end of the trip (to Havana), no one wanted to leave and, eight months on, we’re all in touch. Red August 2008 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 Irish Times 7 June 2008 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. Róisín Ingle The Guardian 7 June 2008 The Guardian named Skyros as the No 1 of the World’s Five Best Writing Holidays. The Financial Times 10/11 May 2008 I have now been in Skyros five times...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 The Guardian Online 20 March 2008 Best alternative holiday: Skyros. The first and still the best. I haven’t met anyone who’s been there who didn’t love it. 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

The Independent 24 November 2007 There was a wide selection of courses to choose from... the [Dream] course was fascinating. David Robbins Times Online 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. 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 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 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. Sunday Tribune Ireland, July 2005 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’. Roberta Gray The Sunday Telegraph AUS 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 since you were a kid. Deb Hunt

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The Grange

Isle of Wight - home from home

T

he Grange, a beautiful Georgian country house, is in the charming old village of Shanklin on the east coast of the Isle of Wight. Nestled in greenery, it is very secluded. Yet it’s only moments from the picturesque thatched pubs and cosy tea rooms, the local train station, shops and restaurants and, best of all, the long sandy beach. Visitors can certainly take it easy here – relax, sleep deeply, enjoy a meandering walk down to the beach and breathe in the fresh sea air. To increase the feel-good factor, they can also book a massage and/or beauty treatments or opt for one-toone tuition in a subject of their choice. The Grange offers a wide variety of weekend courses with exceptional facilitators including award-winning authors, leading life coaches, outstanding singers and yoga teachers. Taking a short course at The Grange is a great way to try something different, meet interesting people and return home with newly discovered talents and possibilities!

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So close to London, The Grange can easily become a favourite destination for a short break or, even better, ‘home from home’ as many people have been pleased to discover. The Grange, which has been awarded the AA’s 4-star Guest Accommodation grading, has 16 bedrooms. Soothing and comfortable, each one is elegantly decorated in natural tones mirroring the surrounding environment. Power showers and complementary luxury toiletries ensure a good start to each day.

February 2011

September 2011

Friday 11 - Sunday 13 Valentine’s Flirtshop with Alison Goldie

Friday 16 - Sunday 18 Love Your Body & Life with Katrina Brunsden

Friday 18 - Sunday 20 Playing with Colour with Theresa Sundt

Friday 23 - Sunday 25 A Life Full of Stories with Amanda Smyth

Friday 25 - Sunday 27 Body Language with Silke Ziehl

October 2011

March 2011

Friday 30 Sept - Sunday 2 Oct Photography and Filming with Julian Doyle

Friday 4 - Sunday 6 Writing Fiction with Sam North

Friday 7 - Sunday 9 Yoga with Awareness with Ken Eyerman

Friday 11 - Sunday 13 Digital Photography with David Babsky

Friday 14 - Sunday 16 Moving Mindfully with Judy Hammond (women only)

Friday 18 - Sunday 20 Dreams & Dreaming with Michael Eales

Friday 21 - Sunday 23 Intuitive Baking with Alison Waldegrave

Friday 25 - Sunday 27 Drawing & Painting with Kel Portman

Friday 28 - Sunday 30 Kitchen Table Writer with Alice Jolly

April 2011 November 2011

Friday 1 - Sunday 3 The Power of your Voice with Sarah Warwick

Friday 4 - Sunday 6 Cuban Salsa with John Harris

Friday 8 - Sunday 10 Your Writer’s Voice with Crysse Morrison

Friday 11 - Sunday 13 Attract your Ideal Partner with Frank Shapiro

Friday 15 - Sunday 17 Yoga with Awareness with Ken Eyerman

Friday 18 - Sunday 20 Painting & Sketching with Michael Gahagan

Friday 22 - Monday 25 (Easter) Celebrate Spring with Alison Goldie & Andrew Risner

Friday 25 - Sunday 27 Writing from Life with Helena Drysdale

Friday 29 April - Mon 2 May (Bank Hol) Drawing from Nature with Sarah Livingstone

December 2011 May 2011

Saturday 24 - Tuesday 27 Christmas Celebration with Susie Self and Andrew Risner

Friday 6 - Sunday 8 Fiction Writing with Jennie Rooney

Friday 30 Dec - Monday 2 Jan 2012 Welcoming in the New Year with Malcolm Stern and Sarah Warwick

Friday 13 - Sunday 15 Passionate Living with Malcolm Stern (men only) Friday 20 - Sunday 22 Walk Tall, Feel Fabulous with Kate Daniels

For more information see www.thegrangebythesea.com or call The Grange on:01983 867 644

June 2011 Friday 3 - Sunday 5 Live Your Dream Life with Cate Mackenzie

Courses

Weekends

(20% discount for previous Grange/Skyros guests)

B&B (open all year round) (Rate per person sharing a twin or double bedroom per night)

Bank Holidays

£75

Low Season 5 Jan - 26 March 16 Oct - 22 Dec

£100

Mid Season

High Season

27 March - 26 May 27 May - 17 Sept 18 Sept - 15 Oct 23 Dec - 3 Jan 2012

Weekends Fri & Sat

£50

£54

£58

Weekdays Sun - Thurs

£44

£48

£52

Single room supplement £25 per night. To book phone 01983 867 644 or book online at www.thegrangebythesea.com. Christmas and New Year at The Grange are all-inclusive and cost £425. (10% off for previous Grange/Skyros guests)

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Travel Information 2011/2012

Note: For all destinations, book flights early for the best possible prices and timings

Greece Flights to Athens Take any flight to arrive in Athens the day before the Skyros holiday begins. Our courtesy bus will leave the Athens Airport Tourist Bus Park at 7pm and take you to the Titania Hotel for an overnight stay in central Athens. Reaching the Transfer Hotel If the 7pm courtesy bus to the Titania Hotel does not suit your time of arrival, take an airport taxi to the Titania Hotel to join the Transfer. Alternatively, take the new Metro to Syntagma and change once towards Omonia. Disembark at the first stop, Panepistimio, and take the 3-minute walk to the hotel. The Titania Hotel, Athens The Titania Hotel is located in the heart of Athens in Panepistimiou Avenue, between Syntagma and Omonia, the two main squares in Athens. A 4-star hotel with 5-star facilities (see www. titania.gr), the Titania features panoramic views over the city from the rooftop bar. Group Transfer to Skyros Island The return group transfer includes one night’s accommodation in a twin shared room at the Titania Hotel plus return coach and ferry to Skyros island. Single upgrades at the hotel are available at a supplement of £45. Group Transfer: £155 Domestic Flights to Skyros Island Athens–Skyros–Athens flights can be booked through the airline that operates them. However, at the time of going to press we are uncertain about the new flight arrangements. Try checking this year’s domestic flight provider online at www. skyexpress.gr.

Cuba Designated Flight to Havana Virgin Atlantic (phone Holiday Place on 020 7644 1700 or see www.virgin-atlantic.com) offer direct flights from Gatwick. Take this designated flight to enjoy a courtesy airport collection. Otherwise, please take a taxi to the Habana Libre Hotel (approx. £15).

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Southeast Asia Cambodia Adventure Book a flight to arrive on the first day of the holiday in either Bangkok for the 2011 holiday, or Phnom Penh for the 2012 holiday. Take an airport taxi (around £5) to either the 5-star Sofitel Silom Hotel in Bangkok or the 4-star Phnom Penh Hotel. This is the first night of your holiday. Fly home on the last day of the holiday. No transfer required. Thailand Beach holiday Book your return flight to arrive in Bangkok the day before the holiday begins and fly home the day after it ends. The return group transfer includes two nights accommodation in a twin shared room at the 5-star Sofitel Silom Hotel plus return coach and ferry to Koh Chang island. Single upgrades at the hotel are available at £55 per night. Group Transfer: £175 Cambodia Beach holiday Book your return flight to arrive in Phnom Penh the day before the holiday begins and fly home the day after it ends. The return group transfer includes two nights accommodation in a twin shared room at the 4-star Phnom Penh Hotel plus return coach to Sihanoukville. Single upgrades at the hotel are £55 per night. Group Transfer: £175 Vietnam Beach holiday Book your international flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and your onward domestic flight to the island of Phu Quoc so that you arrive on the first day of the holiday and depart on the last day. No transfer required.

Easy Booking

book online or by phone

Online: www.skyros.com By phone: 01983 86 55 66 (open weekdays 09.30 - 20.00, Saturdays 10.00 - 16.00, 24-hr answering service) Deposit: £50 7-day refund guarantee: if you cancel in writing within 7 days of booking, we will give you a full refund. Fees The Atsitsa Bay fees, as little as £69.50 per day (low season) and no more than £94.50 per day (high season) (before any discounts) cover the cost of shared accommodation, all meals and participation in all courses and activities. At the Skyros Centre, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, it’s half-board, and in Cuba, breakfast and two dinners. Travel expenses are not included. Children Children (age 5–15): 50 per cent of adult participant fees. Those aged 16 – 22 and full-time students receive 20% discount. Childcare during course time is available in the month of August in Atsitsa. Bursaries are available on request. Accommodation upgrades

regulations for package holidays.

Upgrades need to be booked in advance.

Disabilities

Atsitsa: £175 per session for a single hut and £75 per session for shared twin accommodation in the house. Single accommodation in the house is subject to availability.

The centres in Greece are not wheelchair accessible but we have catered for a variety of special requirements in the past. Please call the office to discuss your needs either in Greece or at our other locations.

The Skyros Centre: Single upgrades: £245 per session in the low season and £295 in the high season (21 July - 31 August). Cuba: Single upgrades: £295 per holiday. Southeast Asia: Singles upgrades: £475 per session (subject to availability). Deluxe upgrades available on request. Travel insurance You must have travel insurance. Skyros itself has IPP cover (International Passenger Protection insurance) in accordance with government

Cancellations If you cancel: (a) More than eight weeks before departure, the deposit is forfeited. (b) Less than eight weeks before departure, the following percentage of the total fee is retained or payable, even if the balance remains outstanding: 4 – 8 weeks: 40%; 2 - 4 weeks: 60%; 1 - 2 weeks: 75%; less than one week: 100% of the holiday and transfer fee retained or payable. In many cases, cancellation fees are covered by

insurance. Notification of the cancellation of the holiday must be given in writing to us and the flight company immediately - failure to do so may prejudice your entitlement to claim a refund. No refunds can be made once participants are in their place of destination. Disclaimer We believe all the information in our brochure is correct when we go to press. However, due to staff cancellations, bad weather, low bookings, mechanical faults, or other situations outside our control, some amenities or courses described may become temporarily or permanently unavailable. We reserve the right to make changes to our programme, courses or facilitators. We are not travel agents or flight carriers and therefore do not take responsibility for flight arrangements, delays or cancellations.

Photography: Our thanks to all those who sent in their holiday snaps for our use including: Ron Addelman, Mary Allen, Sarah Helena Barmer, Sue Bishop, Anne Blandford, Jinny Briant, Liz Clayfield, Gabrielle de Warderner, Paul Deane, Julian Doyle, Michael Frazer, Mark Gunston, Stephanie Hikes, Alison Jacobs, Yvette Jeal, Sally Jones, Jeff Laytham, Sarah Mandow, Kevan Manwaring, Paul McVay, Sharon Mcdonald, Sarah Middleton, Sheena Morgan, Crysse Morrison, Miriam O’Keeffe, Sue Overfield, Stoney Parsons, Kel Portman, Karin Reimondos, Jane Salvage, Richard Swarbrick, Paul Tate, Allegra Taylor, Sarah Taylor, David Tillett, Hazel Townesend, Andreas Vetsch, Liz Warren, Hoel Wenche, Victoria White, Tess Williams, John Wigham, Mary Jo Duffy and many others.

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SKYROS ‘The most talked about holistic holiday destination in Europe.’ Times Online

‘It’s a magical, healing place that brings out the best in people.’ Here’s Health

‘Magically successful thanks to its unique alchemy of people, setting and ideals.’ Elle

‘It was, quite honestly, the best holiday of my life. So for once, a brochure got it right.’ Sunday Independent

Skyros 9 Eastcliff Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA, UK Tel: +44 (0)1983 86 55 66. Fax: +44 (0)1983 86 55 37. Email: [email protected]. www.skyros.com