Lesbifriends have been invited to a long running women's festival in Greece!
First, who doesn't want to go to Greece?!?! Second, who doesn't want to be surrounded by women?!?!?! Skala is the home of the 24th annual women only festival hosting 600-800 people from all over the world.
Join 10+ queer POC as we embark on this journey full of culture, mythology, history, Mediterranean food, clear blue water, informative workshops, local music, and the best company ever.
We would love for you to join us in Greece for the International Eressos Womens Festival in Amazones Eco-Land, Lesvos so book your trip today!
Understand that Greece is a European country, and standards are not the same as the USA.
IT IS FOR YOU IF:
THIS TRIP IS NOT FOR YOU IF:
Please be ready to jump on the short flight to Lesbos by 16:45 which is 4:45pm on Sunday, Sept. 8th. We recommend you book your flight to Athens International Airport (ATH) as early as possible, arrival time should be as early as possible on Sunday, September 8, 2024. We will be providing instructions for you to book a flight from Athens to Lesbos (Mitilini Airport Odysseas Elytis (MJT)).
You will need to coordinate your return flight from Lesvos to Athens in order to arrive for your international flight two hours early. The taxi ride from where we will be in about an hour and a half, and they can leave very early in the morning if need be. The earliest you will be able to depart Athens International Airport (ATH) is 12:30 p.m. on Sept 16th. If you are not able to book a flight that leaves after 12:30pm you will need to stay in Athens overnight which is very common, and we will advise you further about that. Please share your flight itinerary with us as soon as you purchase your tickets so we can start coordinating ground transportation.
If you’d like to arrive early or spend time afterwards in Athens, stay longer on Lesbos, or need support with booking your flights please contact Lisa at Lesbifriends Travel and we’d be more than happy to assist you.
This is a trip that is the traveler’s pick. It allows the traveler to pick the activity level that they would like to do for that day. As you can see above, there will be many activities to choose from. You can chill on the beach all day if you wish or stay busy with festival and village activities. We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s desires and schedules!
Mesotopos Village Tour
Amazones Eco-Land Tour & party (lesbian owned retreat center)
Festival performances
Workshops
Bike riding*
Kayaking*
Paddleboarding*
Sailing*
Windsurfing*
Parasailing*
Swimming
Hiking
Tennis
Pickleball
*subject to an additional fee
Passport: Six months of remaining validity recommended and at least one blank page per stamp.
VISA: Not required for stays less than 90 days; visa required for all official and diplomatic passport holders.
Check if you need to update your passport, your expiration date needs to be more than 6 months from the date of the trip.
Sign up for State Department/Embassy alerts. Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
Missing a vacation is bad enough. Losing the money you paid for your vacation is even worse. Trip insurance is therefore highly recommended. Your premium is related to your trip cost, so you don’t have to worry about being over-insured. We want to make your travel experience seamless, so sign up and we will get a travel insurance policy for you or we can provide you with a no obligation quote. If you opt not to go with our preferred travel insurance provider, you are required to get your own and proof of insurance may be requested before the trip.
The national currency of Greece is the Euro. Most establishments in Greece accept credit/debit cards and do include bank fees and are subject to the current conversion rate which does not vary much. Please check with your bank ahead of time so there are no surprises. It is recommended to bring some euros along with you because withdrawing cash has a high fee associated with it
All payments to Lesbifriends Travel are non-refundable and non-transferable. This is because Lesbifriends Travel has contractual agreements with hotels, airlines, and other vendors that will not allow us to obtain any refunds. This way we can keep our package prices low and allow you to make monthly payments on your vacation.
When you sign up for a trip, you are automatically signed up for monthly payments and your confirmation email will clearly note your due dates and amount. We suggest you put this payment plan on your personal calendar.
A $75 late fee will be applied to all payments made after the 3-day grace period. Your trip is subject to cancellation after two missed payments.
9 Days 8 Nights in Aolean Village Resort or similar
Daily breakfast buffet and welcome and farewell dinners
from/to MJT to hotel and to activities mentioned in itinerary
All listed activities' entrance fees
Connect with amazing queer people of color
On-ground team to ensure you have an amazing time!
Your Flight from your Home country to Greece and your flight from Lesvos is not included but we can help you figure both out
This includes COVID Test(s) Fees
You are responsible for some lunches and dinners
Mandatory travel insurance is not included, however Basic coverage can be added on to your trip package or we can provide you with a quote for a different policy. Just add either when checking out
Additional tours and excursions not included in the itinerary
You are responsible for tips and gratuities to resort staff, on all meals (even ones included in the itinerary), to drivers, tour guides, etc.
After arriving in Athens, we make our way to Lesvos, an eastern Aegean island known for its serene scenery.
We will provide a transfer from the airport to Skala Eressos.
On the way, we will stop at the authentic ceramic village of Agiasos where we can roam the streets and view the locals works of art and unique architecture and grab a bite if we're hungry. This traditional village has narrow stone streets and picturesque lanes. Many of the houses have projecting upper floors known as “sachnosinia” with wooden balconies decorated with flower pots of begonias, carnations, geraniums and other ornamental plants with a rich cultural heritage and religious inhabitants. Its most important attraction is the Byzantine church of Panagia Agiasos (Saint Mary of Zion), built in 1170.
After our day of travel, we will arrive at the Aolean Village Resort Hotel to check in. Get settled in and then meet the group for an energetic Welcome Dinner complete with a meet and greet, icebreakers, and plenty of time after to explore with a new friend.
Wake up and enjoy a delicious Mediterranean buffet breakfast.
Then enjoy some relaxing free time in Skala before venturing out with the group.
Today we head to Mesotopos Village. There, we will have a walking tour of this small, authentic village which includes the women's co-op bakery, well-known all over Greece and famous for producing its traditional recipes. We will visit and sample products from a family owned cheese factory and spend a few minutes inside of the local church and small museum.
This will give you an excellent sense of life in a small village on the Isle of Lesvos.
Next, we will travel down the hill to Amazones Eco-Land, the lesbian-owned retreat center to tour the land and gardens, learn about its founding, vision and offerings and watch a bread making demonstration. Then, we can indulge in an organic home cooked meal together outdoors while taking in the beautiful view of Tavari, the seaside village below.
The best part of the day is to meet some of the very special locals who have so graciously welcomed the Amazones community to it and contribute in making this village self-sustaining and empowering of women.
We can also sample some homemade wine, ouzo and tsipouro for those that dare! We will end the day with local music and dancing.
Dimitra is an award-winning archeologist and is brilliant in other fields including somatic psychology, botany, language, history, culinary & all things Greek!
She will take us on a walking tour of the area, identifying plants & herbs that were used in ancient times along with the mythology that is connected to them.
Afterwards, you are in for a special, one-of-a-kind treat. She has brought along ancient, authentic meal recipes and is working alongside Hara's amazing chef, Dharma, to recreate them exactly as they were made way, way back when.
Not only will you get to enjoy this meal, but you will also get to hear stories and learn about food and elixirs while sampling them!
After another amazing breakfast, brace yourself because the festival begins today!!!
There will be around 700 women from all over the world converging in Skala and it can be easy to feel a bit lost in the crowd. There is a big advantage to being part of the Lesbifriends group, but you are also welcome to do things on your own. Everyone is welcoming and will embrace and invite you to join their groups if you ever find yourself alone and wanting company.
As a group, we will play games and activities to support these connections!
Today we will have a chance to walk around the entire village, so you know how to find whatever you are looking for. There will introductions made with the key founders/organizers of the festival, Joanna, Wendy and Liz.
We can then all have dinner together at Hara Beach Bar followed by our entire group going to the festival's opening night festivities TOGETHER which will surely be one of the trip's highlights!
The next few days will offer the same opportunities for activities and connections, however, no two days will be the same.
Start each morning off with an amazing Greek breakfast.
The festival offer a myriad of workshops and we will not know the exact schedule until closer to the date of the trip. Therefore, we want these next few days to be free flowing and less planned so people can do what they want and get their fill.
In addition to the workshops that are included in your overall trip as part of the festival pass, there will be optional activities and excursions that you can take advantage of for an additional fee. They include: bike riding, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, parasailing, swimming, hiking, playing tennis or pickleball or just being at the beach. You can do these on your own, with a Lesbifriend or a new acquaitance from Greece!
This trip may be life changing for you or it just may be an amazing experience. Either way, we know you are going to shed a tear as we depart this spectacular place and leave the remarkable people that you met on the journey. We will have a shared breakfast and say our farewells before heading home and back to reality. Boooo! But alas, we will certainly keep in touch and travel together soon.
