12 exceptional days in a paradise on earth: a unique course/festival, in Greece in the summer of 2011: dance, music, tradition, celebration…

Imagine, dream, come on a journey...
Imagine a Greek island set in an eternal archipelago, with its roots, its history, its memories and its timeless nature based in antiquity and mythology.

Imagine at the same time, an island that is festive, full of joy, bursting with life and extraordinarily hospitable.

Imagine a Greek island that is neither too large to remain on a human scale, nor too small to offer you richness, variety and the pleasure of making new discoveries every day.

Imagine an unspoilt island, which has preserved all of its tradition: music, dance, festivals, and the magic of every moment...

Imagine an island consisting of a succession of white walled villages, unchanged for centuries.
An island that is fertile and verdant, with more than 400 Byzantine churches, with windmills, Roman and ancient remains, towers and castles from the Venetian era, olive oil presses and donkey tracks winding over the hills…

Imagine extraordinarily beautiful music, with the sound of the violin and the lauoto surging like the waves of the Aegean Sea, warming your heart with the strength of a meltem wind.

Imagine splendid scenery, that will take your breath away: lush valleys of olive trees and vines, brown cliffs fringed with hidden creeks, small fishing ports teased by the sea breezes, sun-baked hills where the air is filled with the fragrant perfumes of Mediterranean plants and shady terraces lulled by gentle evening music..

Imagine a population of shepherds, peasant farmers, wine growers, herbalists and bee-keepers, who share their simple and wonderful daily life with you.

Imagine 12 days and 13 nights in summer, in this magical paradise on earth, this well kept secret, this garden untouched by time, set between sky, land and sea.

Imagine dance lessons in the villages, led by teachers from the island and in the company of the villagers, there with you, happy to welcome you and share their island with you.

Imagine breaks from these lessons where the islanders share their wine, their raki and homemade cheese with you, or the sun-gorged fruit from their orchards.

Imagine visiting a different village every day with a local guide, chancing upon forgotten crafts, a weaver's studio, an old ironsmith or a herbalist who shares the scents of the hillsides with you, a bakery with a wood fired oven, or a wonderful little church smelling of incense.

Imagine hotel 20 metres away from the sea: your hotel, with only the sound of the waves and the infinite blue of the Aegean, restoring your spirit, every morning and evening.

Imagine a lively, jovial and colourful dinner, in a different inn every evening, with superb home cooking, and an evening party with the musicians from the village, and dancing, dancing, dancing…

Imagine these magical, wonderful 12 days and 13 nights: more than a course, more than a seminar, more than a festival and much more than just a holiday: sharing an unforgettable and extraordinary experience with the islanders, the villagers, all the Greeks of the island…

For this island exists, and Kazantzakis, the greatest Greek writer of all time (Alexis Zorba, Letter to El Greco, etc) said and wrote about this island where he lived that it was a paradise on earth, THE Paradise on Earth.

This island where Zeus (Jupiter) grew up, before going to live on Mount Olympus.
This island where Dionysus (Bacchus) lived, the god of love, celebration and the headiness of life, love and wine…

This island, blest by the Gods, is waiting to welcome you with outstretched arms, hands and heart… with the glass of friendship: Naxos. Ya sou Naxo!

Come and sample this paradise, from 19th July to 1st August: the Nisiotis cultural association offers a unique course/festival, with the active participation of our Naxos friends, who will also be your friends: during a drink, a dance, a meal, a stroll, the summer and perhaps for the rest of your life.

For the island of your dreams, the island where every day brings new treasures, really exists: all you have to do is come and experience it, live it and share it with its inhabitants who are so close and so welcoming.

Here is the presentation of the 12 day course/festival:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MqrgoUhf1k

And here is a presentation of the island of Naxos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laCCbX_7dz4

A whole community is getting ready to organise and host this event, and to welcome you: dancers, teachers, musicians, inn keepers, hotel keepers, etc.
There is our friend Antonis, deputy mayor of Naxos and the Little Cyclades.
And Katerina, president of the cultural association of the villages of the island.
And then there is Apostolis, who has carried out unparalleled research into the music and dance of the 30 Cyclades islands.
Not forgetting, Christos, Dimitris, Gabrilis, Giorgos, Kostas, Manolis, Marina, Mihalis, Panayota, Stamatis, Stephanos, Vangelis, Zoï, and many others.

Our programme, your programme every day:
- A hearty buffet breakfast, with local produce. Greek yoghourt, honey from the nearby hills, spice cake straight out of the oven, feta cheese, fruit from the garden, herbal teas made from plants grown on the island, etc
- Dance lessons in the morning, with breaks to catch your breath
- Free time from 1pm to 4 pm for bathing, resting, walking, eating barbecued fish in the port, etc: a moment just for you, when you can take it easy.
- After that there is a guided tour of a village, a different one every day, and a dance lesson in the village.
- Every evening there is a group dinner based on the rich gastronomic traditions of the island: stuffed vegetables, golden gratins, grilled goat or lamb, herb infused ragouts and kebabs cooked over a wood fire...
- And then a party, with dance and music.

Philippos
Nisiotis Cultural Association

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