CLAY, SEA & SOUL
SAMOS, GREECE
8-12 JULY 2027, SAMOS, GREECE
Five days on a Greek island to make with your hands, swim in the Aegean, eat slowly, and leave a little more connected to yourself.
OUR HOSTS: LOUTSA SAMOS
A little piece of Samos between the mountains and the sea.
Loutsa is a small nature stay tucked into the landscape of Samos, within walking distance of the mountain village of Vourliotes.
There are olive trees, an old farmhouse being brought back to life, outdoor spaces, long tables and the kind of surroundings that make you want to leave your phone somewhere inside and stay outside a little longer.
It's a place to live a little slower for a few days.
JOIN THE WAITLIST
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JOIN THE WAITLIST 🌀
GREEK CULINARY EXPERIENCE
Food is a big part of how we experience Samos.
Throughout the retreat, we’ll eat slowly and locally - from long breakfasts at Loutsa to a picnic at the studio, lunch at a village taverna, fresh fish by the sea and dinners shared under the olive trees.
We’ll meet local producers, taste Samos through its culinary scene and wine, and spend an afternoon cooking together with Guus, using seasonal ingredients and simple Greek flavours.
We will gather around the table, learn from the people and place around us, and enjoy food the way it is meant to be enjoyed here: generously, slowly and together.
CLAY EXPERIENCE
Clay is where Gigi Room begins, and it runs quietly through the week. In Burgio — a Sicilian town that has shaped terracotta for five hundred years — we spend a morning in the workshop, making with our hands in a place where the craft has never stopped.
Alongside it, Gizem holds space for clay through the trip: slow, tactile, no experience needed. This isn't about perfection. It's about the particular quiet of shaping something yourself, in a landscape that has been making beautiful things for centuries. Your pieces are fired in Sicilian clay and sent home to you.
STAY
We'll stay all four nights at Loutsa, surrounded by olive trees and the mountains of Samos.
The atmosphere is intimate, natural and intentionally simple — a place where the outdoors becomes part of everyday life.
Loutsa is within walking distance of Vourliotes, a mountain village where we begin our hike and where you can get a glimpse of a slower side of the island.
Back at the house, there is space to rest, read, sit outside, have a glass of wine or simply do nothing.
MEET THE HOST
Gizem Sirmali - Gigi Room Ceramics
Gizem is a ceramic artist, storyteller, and the creative behind Gigi Room Ceramics. She blends slow craft, soulful gatherings, and creative expression into experiences that nourish both hands and hearts. Between shaping clay and hosting her clay-and-everything pop-ups, the vision for this retreat was born. Her work is about more than ceramics, it’s about connection, gentle rituals, and spaces where people can come back to themselves.
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4 nights at Loutsa Samos, including breakfast each morning
5 x Daily breakfast with local and seasonal ingredients
4 x Daily lunch (picnic-style, in the olive grove or at local tavernas)
Daily dinner by Chef Guus
Welcome walk and olive grove tour
Welcome dinner under the olive trees at Loutsa
A day of guided clay session, including all materials
Your ceramic pieces fired after the retreat and shipped to you
Guided hike from Vourliotes to Manolates
Foraging experience & herbal tea along the way
Visit to a local beekeeper & honey tasting
Kostaki Winery tour & wine tasting
Beachside lunch at a local fish taverna
Swimming & beach experiences throughout the retreat
Hands-on cooking experience with chef Guus
Opening and closing circles
All guided experiences and hosting throughout the retreat
Flights, transfers to and from Samos, personal expenses and anything not specifically mentioned above are not included.
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Day 1 — Arrival & First Swim
Arrival into Samos and transfer to Loutsa. Time to settle into the house and your room. In the afternoon, we’ll head down to the sea for our first swim in the Aegean. Welcome dinner under the olive trees, followed by an opening circle.Day 2 — Clay & Sea
A slow breakfast at Loutsa before heading down to the studio. A full day of hand-building with clay, with a picnic lunch among the work. On the way back, we’ll stop at the beach for an afternoon swim. Back at Loutsa for a slow evening and dinner together.Day 3 — Mountains, Honey & Wine
An early morning guided hike from Vourliotes to Manolates, walking through the Samos mountains with some foraging and herbal tea along the way. Lunch at a local taverna in the village, followed by time to rest or swim. In the afternoon, a visit to a local beekeeper and honey tasting, then on to Kostaki Winery for a tour and tasting. Dinner back at Loutsa.Day 4 — Sea, Fish & Fire
A slow morning before heading down to one of Samos’ harbour villages. Lunch at a local fish taverna by the sea, followed by an afternoon swim and time to wander at your own pace. In the evening, we’ll cook together with Guus before gathering around the table for our final dinner and a closing table ritual.Day 5 — Slow Morning & Departure
A slow breakfast at Loutsa, one last moment to enjoy the mountains and the house, followed by our closing circle and goodbyes.This is a sample rhythm — some details may shift with weather, local conditions and the flow of the group.
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Choose a Retreat
Browse our upcoming events to find the one that feels right for you. We host events year-round in all different locations and climates.Book Your Spot
Sign up and pay all required fees to reserve your spot.Review the Welcome Packet
After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know: detailed schedules, packing list recommendations, add-ons to consider, and more.Book Your Travel
We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from the event as soon as possible, to ensure you can arrive without any complications or delays.Get Packed & Join Us
Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for your new adventure. -
Do I need experience in ceramics or cooking?
Not at all! The retreat is open to all levels. Whether you're new to clay or cooking, or returning with experience, you'll be gently guided through each session in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere.
Will I take my ceramic pieces home?
Yes! Your pieces will be bisque fired after the retreat and shipped to you. This process takes time, so please allow 4–6 weeks for delivery. Shipping is included.
What language is the retreat in?
The retreat is hosted in English, with German support available if needed.
How do I get to the venue?
You can reach Samos either by flight or ferry.
The easiest option is to fly into Samos Airport (SMI). You can also travel by ferry from Türkiye, with regular connections from the Turkish coast to Samos during the summer season.
Once you arrive on the island, we’ll arrange your transfer to Loutsa, so you won’t have to figure out the journey to the house on your own.
Before the retreat, you’ll receive a detailed Welcome Packet with recommended travel routes, ferry information, arrival times and everything you need to know about getting to Loutsa.
Need help planning your journey? Just ask.
Is this retreat only for women?
Nope! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join!
This retreat is open to all genders. If you feel drawn to creativity, movement, nature, and slow, meaningful connection: you belong here.
What’s the cancellation policy?
If you are unable to attend the retreat, please inform us as early as possible. The €500 deposit is non-refundable unless you (or we) find a replacement participant.
The remaining hotel payment can be canceled free of charge up to 60 days before the start of the retreat. If cancellation occurs within four weeks of arrival, we will try to rebook the room. If this is not possible, 80% of the room price will be charged.Please make sure you have travel insurance in case any unforeseen circumstances occur that might affect your travel plans.
JOIN THE WAITLIST
🌀
JOIN THE WAITLIST 🌀
This retreat is about stepping away from your usual rhythm for a few days.
About waking up among olive trees. Getting your hands dirty with clay. Swimming in the Aegean. Walking through the mountains. Tasting honey from a local beekeeper. Drinking wine as the sun goes down. Eating around a table with people who were strangers a few days ago. And having enough space between all of it to simply be.
Just five days in Samos - making, moving, tasting, swimming, talking, resting.
COME MEET US BY THE SEA.
This is a week of curated, hands-on experiences, the kind you can't book alone, the kind that only open up when someone opens their door for you. Every day holds something to make, something to taste, something to feel: a cooking class, a wine tasting, a morning of clay, a farm, a long lunch that turns into an afternoon.
