Guest Authors: TBA, plus Jonas Saul and Rania Stone!

Join us for our annual Reading Retreat, set for six enchanting nights in the stunning Greek village of Tolo. We’ve planned an amazing, fun-filled week that will make you never want to leave. Come for the stories, stay for the memories!

Lock your spot in now with no deposit!

Experience the splendor of Tolo, Greece, at The John & George Hotel for a full week of reading! We will also tour an ancient theater, visit several islands (Hydra and Spetses), and the gorgeous town of Nafplio, all for one low price!

Check out the PDF for a full briefing of what's to come!

Plus: Greek dance lessons for the whole group as an add-on!

Note: Plan to arrive in Athens a few days before taking the chartered bus to Tolo. We can stroll along Athens's shopping streets and enjoy Greek cuisine together over several days, then take the bus to Tolo.

Awards Night: We're giving away nine awards in the country where it all began: Greece!

Celebrating thriller writers, indie authors, and everyone writing about Greece who deserved recognition and never got it.

BOOKfest Greece is six days of reading, conversation, and Greece—followed by the night of the Homer Awards gala ceremony. It is not a conference. It is not a workshop. It is a week spent in one of the most beautiful corners of the Peloponnese, reading alongside published authors, walking through ancient theaters and Bronze Age tombs, exploring the islands, and ending with the most memorable evening in the literary calendar. The awards mean more when you have spent the week with the people who wrote the books.

The Awards That Were Always Missing

Every year, hundreds of books are published in English about Greece. Thrillers. Historical fiction. Romance. Literary fiction. Written by authors from around the world who have spent years researching Greece, traveling to Greece, and falling in love with Greece.

Not one major English-language award has ever had a category for them. Every significant prize is based in New York or London.

None of them in the Mediterranean. None of them has a category for the writer who set their thriller in Santorini, their historical novel in Byzantine Constantinople, or their literary fiction on a Greek island.

The Homer Awards were built to change that.

Jonas Saul, renowned as the bestselling author of the Sarah Roberts Series, has a literary impact that extends beyond the two million copies sold. With almost sixty novels under his belt, the bustling city of Los Angeles saw the fruition of numerous deals, including MadRiver Pictures’ optioning of his extensive forty-book Sarah Roberts Series, currently in development.

Rania Stone, born with the Aegean in her soul, splits her time between buzzing Athens in winter and the peaceful shores of Amorgos in summer. A storyteller at heart, she’s written six novels and twelve children’s books, including gripping thrillers that blend suspense with rich, atmospheric settings. With a degree in hotel management and a background in culinary arts, Rania has spent over twenty years as a business owner, gaining an insider’s perspective on the hospitality industry. Her expertise ensures that every retreat she curates is beautiful, well-organized, comfortable, and truly immersive.

Jury Members: (so far ...)

Andrew Gulli, owner and editor of The Strand Magazine.

Ashley Marie Coffey is an avid reader, educator, and world traveler. She has worked to promote literacy and a love of reading among students in three countries. She also serves as an administrator for the Psychological Thriller Readers Group, the largest reading-related group on Facebook. Ashley is honored to represent global mystery and thriller readers on the jury.

Maria A. Karamitsos is a journalist, author, poet, & PR pro. She’s the founder & former publisher/editor of WindyCity Greek magazine and former associate editor & senior writer for The Greek Star newspaper.

Maria also contributes to Greek City Times and TripFiction. Her work has been published in The Magic of Us-A Moms Who Write Poetry Anthology, The Pen Poetry Magazine, Voices of Hellenism Literary Journal, Highland Park Poetry, Recipes & Roots, GreekCircle magazine, The National Herald, GreekReporter, Harlots Sauce Radio, Women.Who.Write, KPHTH magazine, and more. Maria has contributed to two books: Greektown Chicago: Its History, Its Recipes, and The Chicago Area Ethnic Handbook. 
She’s currently editing her 1st novel.

More to come!

Stay updated through our Facebook group, Travel to Greece - Read, Write, and Holistic Adventures.

www.imaginegreeceretreats.com

Cancellation Policy: 

We offer a 100% refund for cancellations prior to July 1, 2027, roughly three months before the retreat begins. We must pay the hotel for your rooms by July 1st, so if you cancel after that date, we won't have the funds to issue a refund. Please purchase travel insurance.

Waiver of Liability

By participating in this retreat, I agree to release Imagine Greece Retreats (IGR), the retreat faculty, staff, and the associated hotel from any liability for injuries that may occur during the retreat. I understand that this release includes financial responsibility for any injuries incurred, even if due to negligence.

I acknowledge the inherent risks associated with activities such as yoga, meditation, sightseeing, and hiking. I voluntarily assume these risks and understand that I can withdraw from any activity if I feel uncomfortable at any time.

By joining this retreat, I forfeit the right to bring any claims against IGR, its faculty, or staff related to my participation. I understand that I am responsible for following all safety precautions provided in writing and verbally, and I will seek clarification whenever necessary.

In return, I will benefit from the activities and experiences offered during the retreat.