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Experience Holy Week in Greece through the lens of food, faith, and living tradition during this intimate week with Kara Seymour of Pasta & Prayers, created for women.

Based at Odyssey Farm in Galatas, on the Peloponnese coast just across the water from Poros Island, the week unfolds between the slow rhythms of farm life, the nearby island village, and the sacred traditions of Orthodox Easter.

We’ll stay at the Odyssey Organic Farm & Eco Glamping explore the island of Poros, visit a local monastery, travel to Ancient Corinth, cook together, make handmade pasta, and experience traditional Greek Easter foods and customs along the way.

The week also leaves space to simply soak up the landscape, wander the waterfront, swim in the Mediterranean sea, explore the village, slow down at the farm, and experience the way faith, food, and community come together in this part of Greece.

From the candlelit Good Friday Epitaphios procession and the Midnight Resurrection Service, to a joyful Easter Sunday feast at the farm filled with food, music, and celebration, this is an opportunity to experience Holy Week not as a spectator, but from within a place where these traditions are still very much alive.

And because this trip is for women only, it's going to be a rich time of sisterhood: gathering around the fire, sharing our stories and testimonies, praying for one another, worshiping, laughing, (probably some crying too) and having the kinds of conversations that happen when women have the time and space to truly be together.

Sister, if you've been longing for a week to slow down, get away, deepen your walk with Jesus, experience a beautiful new culture, and share it all with a circle of women seeking the same things, come join us!

Kara Seymour

Kara is overjoyed to share her deep love and joyful obsession for making homemade pasta during this second annual sacred pilgrimage. In the summer of 2024, after completing a long water fast in preparation for her baptism, she felt led by the Holy Spirit to take her very first pasta making class (a beautiful God story for another time). She walked out of that class with a 55-pound bag of Italian flour, a hand-crank pasta machine, and a spark that quickly became a daily ritual. For nearly a year, she made pasta from scratch almost every single day.

Just weeks after learning to make pasta, Kara began hosting a weekly gathering called Pasta & Prayers, a rhythm that has continued faithfully for over two years now. Each week, women gather at her cozy 150 year old mountain cabin to feast, fellowship, worship, and pray, an experience that has woven together community, nourishment, and spiritual intimacy.

Kara also leads an online faith-based women’s community with hundreds of women from around the world, all seeking to grow deeper in their faith and experience the richness of true sisterhood. Within this community she teaches monthly pasta classes, leads regular fellowship calls and has recently begun inviting other community members to share their gifts and wisdom and lead their own classes and events.

Though Kara does not come from a professional culinary background, she was taught and inspired throughout her life by her Greek mother, whose exceptional cooking instilled in her a reverence for hospitality, flavor, and food made with love.

As a woman who is half Greek and visiting Greece now for the second time, Kara considers this pilgrimage during Holy Week, to be beyond a dream come true. The chance to stand on the soil of her ancestors, to teach the craft she loves, and to gather women around food and faith is a blessing she holds with deep gratitude and reverence.

Learn more about Kara

Katerina Sakelliou- Chef, Author, Wellness Educator

Katerina will be sharing her profound wisdom and love of greek food with us daily, whether teaching us some of her favorite dishes and/or simply serving us up a feast. Katerina is from Poros, Greece, and the owner of the Odyessy Farm. She grew up learning to cook in her family's restaurant, Spiros, following generations of culinary tradition. Since the mid-2000s, she has been teaching Greek cooking workshops at her bistro on Poros Island welcoming guests from around the world. Katerina's approach to cooking reflects her deep respect for family traditions, the environment, and the connection between food and culture. Her passion is rooted in a lifelong commitment to sharing the love of Greek cuisine.

Learn more about Katerina

Chef Jeremy Rock Smith is the founder of Rock Solid Living Retreats and has spent the past three years organizing and leading culinary & cultural immersions in Greece, Sardinia, and beyond.

While leading a group on Poros during the Holy Week in 2025, Jeremy experienced Good Friday on the island and was deeply moved by its traditions and sense of community. He left knowing it was something others needed to experience.

Through a mutual friend, Jeremy was introduced to Kara. The two connected immediately, became fast friends, and soon began imagining what a Holy Week pilgrimage could look like. Together, they created and co-led the first pilgrimage the following year.

This year, Kara will lead the pilgrimage while Jeremy is nearby, hosting another group on the island of Poros. He’ll be present on and off throughout the week, and both groups will come together to celebrate Easter on the farm.

Jeremy’s primary role will be as the trip organizer. He’ll be the point person for pre-registration questions, housing, arrival and departure planning, ferry connections, transfers, and the other travel details that help everyone get to Greece smoothly and safely and home again.

Once the retreat begins, he’ll continue overseeing the logistics alongside the local Odyssey team.

Learn more about Jeremy

• Shared meals

• Evening prayer, testimony and worship

• Lectures and hands-on cooking classes

• Excursions to monasteries, churches, beaches and holy sites

• Explore the history, rituals, and symbolism of Greek Holy Week and step into the kitchen to prepare traditional dishes tied to the season and its meaning.

• Travel to places where early Christianity took root, walk the grounds where saints and apostles once stood, and immerse yourself in the cultural and spiritual landscape of Greece.

• Close each day gathered around the table and in community, reflecting on the themes of Holy Week through conversation, prayer, and quiet contemplation.
  

• Whether you’re already firmly rooted in your faith or feel called to return to a life of devotion and spiritual meaning, this retreat offers a space to deepen and renew your relationship with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit.

• Women longing for fellowship with other sisters

• Anyone drawn to the sacred traditions of Greek Holy Week

• For those who feel a pull toward ancient ritual, symbolism, and the living traditions that have shaped Christianity for centuries.

• If you come alive through making and sharing meals, learning, experiencing new places, reflecting, and gathering with sisters.

Register early and save €400 per person on your Holy Week in Greece retreat. Early bird pricing is available for a limited time, and all listed package prices already reflect this savings.

With limited accommodations available, we encourage you to reserve your preferred lodging while the early bird offer is still in place.

What if I have questions about housing or don’t see my preferred lodging type?
If you don’t see the housing option you’re hoping for whether you’d like to share a room, switch from a double to a single (or vice versa), or you’re just not sure what to choose, please reach out directly. There may be additional availability, flexibility with room assignments, or the option to adjust a room from a double to a single.
You can contact Jeremy at: chefjrocksmith@gmail.com

How do I get to the farm?
Most guests fly into Athens International Airport (ATH). From there, it’s a smooth and scenic trip to the island of Poros—typically a combination of taxi or shuttle to the port, followed by a one-hour ferry ride. After registration, we’ll send step-by-step travel instructions, recommended airport transfer and port options, and tips for an easy arrival. We’ll guide you every step of the way.

Can dietary needs or allergies be accommodated?
Yes. The Mediterranean diet is naturally flexible and plant-forward, and we do our best to accommodate most dietary needs and allergies. We can easily accommodate gluten allergies, vegan, vegetarian, and other common dietary preferences. After registration, you’ll receive a form to share any restrictions or sensitivities so we can plan accordingly. If you have more complex needs, please reach out before booking—we’re happy to talk it through and make sure you feel supported and safe throughout the retreat.

Can I come alone?
Absolutely. Many participants travel solo, and the retreat community forms quickly. The experience is warm, welcoming, and deeply connective—you’ll feel at home right away.

Is there free time?
Yes. There will be time to rest, read, swim, journal, or simply enjoy the farm and coastline. You can be as active or as relaxed as you’d like—nothing is mandatory.

What if I have more questions?
Once you’re registered, you’ll receive detailed information covering everything you need—packing lists, how to prepare, recommended hotels in Athens if you’d like to arrive early, travel tips, and answers to common questions. And of course, if anything else comes up, you can reach out anytime. We’re here to help you every step of the way.

Cancellation by Participant:

• Full refund of deposit if requested in writing within 30 days of purchase.

• 119–90 days before start date: Deposit is non-refundable; 75% refund of all additional payments made.

• 89–60 days before start date: Deposit is non-refundable; 50% refund of all additional payments made.

• 59 days or less before start date: No refund.

Credit Card, Platform & Administrative Fees

All payments processed by credit card are subject to non-refundable third-party processing fees, platform fees, and a €50 administrative processing fee. In the event of any cancellation and refund, credit card processing fees, WeTravel platform fees, and the €50 administrative processing fee will be deducted from the refunded amount, regardless of the cancellation window. These fees are charged at the time of booking and cannot be recovered by the Organizer.

Missed Payments:

If any scheduled installment payment is missed, the Organizer reserves the right to cancel the booking. Any payments already made will be refunded according to the timeline above. Cancellation by Organizer If the Organizer cancels the retreat for reasons not related to force majeure, a full refund will be issued, including the deposit, within 30 days of notice.

Force Majeure:

The Organizer reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or modify the Retreat due to causes beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, acts of God, government restrictions, strikes, pandemics, or other circumstances making the Retreat impractical or unsafe. In such cases, refunds will be handled in accordance with the cancellation policy above, and participants are strongly encouraged to carry travel insurance.

Your home for the week will be Odyssey Eco Farm Glamping, a beautiful family-run organic farm set among olive, lemon, orange, pomegranate, and almond trees just across the water from the island of Poros.

The farm is a place to slow down and settle into the rhythms of Greek life. Days unfold among the olive groves, gardens, outdoor kitchen, pool, and nearby sea, with plenty of space to gather as a group or find a quiet corner of your own.

Accommodations range from beautifully appointed glamping tents to cottages, chalets, and bungalows, each offering its own experience of life on the farm. This isn’t simply where we’ll sleep during the week. The farm itself is very much a part of the experience.

Our journey begins with a 1:30 PM ferry departure from Piraeus, arriving on Poros around 2:30 PM. From the port, we’ll make our way to the farm, where a light mezze will be waiting as everyone settles into their accommodations and gets oriented.

That evening, we’ll gather for our welcome dinner before an introduction to Holy Week and the journey ahead, followed by an Opening Circle led by Kara.

After breakfast at the farm, we’ll head into Poros for a guided walking tour through the port and village, learning more about the island’s history, architecture, and culture.

We’ll enjoy lunch at a local taverna before returning to the farm for a guided walk through the property and surrounding landscape.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll head into the kitchen for our first hands-on cooking experience: a handmade pasta workshop with Kara alongside a Greek cooking session with Katerina.

After dinner, Kara will lead an evening of prayer, conversation, testimonies, and fellowship.

Following breakfast, we’ll visit a local Orthodox monastery for an opportunity to experience another side of Greece’s spiritual traditions and Holy Week observances.

We’ll return to the farm for lunch, followed by some free time to rest, wander the property, or simply enjoy a slower afternoon.

Later, we’ll come together again in the kitchen for another handmade pasta workshop with Kara and Greek cooking session with Katerina.

The evening will close with dinner and a Prayer Circle.

After breakfast, we’ll depart for Ancient Corinth for a full-day pilgrimage exploring one of the most significant places connected to the early Christian world and the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

We’ll spend the day visiting the ancient site and surrounding area, with lunch together at a local taverna in Corinth before continuing our pilgrimage and making our way back to the farm.

That evening, we’ll share dinner and come together for an evening Prayer Circle.

For those who would like to participate, there will also be an opportunity to attend a traditional Twelve Gospels Service as part of the Holy Thursday observances.

Good Friday begins slowly with breakfast at the farm before we spend the late morning and afternoon by the sea. We’ll enjoy a relaxed beach day together on Poros with a picnic lunch and time to swim, walk, rest, or simply take in the coastline.

After returning to the farm for a light early dinner, we’ll head into Poros for one of the most moving traditions of Greek Orthodox Holy Week: the candlelit Epitaphios Procession through the village.

Afterward, we’ll return to the farm and close the evening with prayer and reflection.

After breakfast, we’ll take part in a beloved Greek Easter tradition: dyeing eggs the deep red traditionally associated with Orthodox Easter.

The remainder of the day is intentionally left open, offering time for quiet devotion, rest, or exploring Poros on your own as the island prepares for Easter while also celebrating May Day, or Protomagia. Throughout Greece, May Day welcomes the arrival of spring with flowers and greenery, most notably the tradition of gathering wildflowers and weaving colorful wreaths to hang on doors and homes.

It’s a wonderful day to wander the village, take in the flowers and seasonal traditions, and experience Poros during this unique convergence of springtime and Holy Week.

We’ll gather for a simple evening meal before departing for Poros around 11:30 PM to attend the Midnight Resurrection Service.

At midnight, churches across Greece fill with candlelight as the Resurrection is proclaimed, bells ring, and fireworks light up the sky in celebration. Holy Week gives way to Easter Sunday in one of the most joyful and memorable traditions of the Greek Orthodox year.

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration.

After a relaxed breakfast and morning, we’ll come together for a traditional Greek Easter feast. Expect a long, joyful afternoon filled with food, music, dancing, conversation, and celebration—the way Easter has been shared among Greek families and communities for generations.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll come together for our Closing Circle before finishing our final full day with dinner at the farm.

After an unforgettable week together, we’ll say our goodbyes and depart the farm at 7:30 AM for the short taxi-boat ride to Poros.

Our ferry to Piraeus departs at approximately 8:05 AM, marking the end of our Holy Week journey together.

We’ve thoughtfully created this itinerary to give you a beautiful rhythm for our time together. At the same time, retreats have a way of unfolding uniquely, and we want to remain attentive to the needs of the group and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because of this, the schedule may shift slightly from time to time.

Greece also has its own natural rhythm shaped by the weather, the sea, and a more relaxed cultural pace. Because of this, certain activities or times may adjust organically and/or intentionally as we move through the week.

We value creating an experience that supports each person fully, and we appreciate your openness to any shifts that allow us to do so.