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Art retreats in Bleverde are a true creative and insightful experience, regular sold outs with frequent repeat participants.
Bleverde’s tranquil and picturesque location forms the ideal safe space to explore and express with art.
In Artful Retreats art making and sharing are powerful tools helping mental and overall wellbeing, both preventatively and therapeutically.
Our groups are small enough to allow individual guidance and big enough to stimulate the feeling of belonging and being supported.
Artful Retreats are based on art therapy principles and aim to help participants to freely express, live in the present moment and get on board of a unique creative journey of self-discovery.
There are no “rights or wrongs” in these guided art sessions.
No previous art skill is required and certainly no need to be an artist to participate.
Does the idea of exploring creativity, experiencing mindfulness with art making and freely expressing without judgment, sounds intriguing?
Please do not hesitate to contact us to receive the full program!
A wellness retreat in Crete’s green hills
Bleverde sits on a hillside above Gavalochori, in the green hill country of the Apokoronas. There is no through traffic, no resort strip and no passing crowd — the loudest thing most afternoons is the wind through the olive trees.
That is the whole reason retreats happen here. A group can take the entire estate: two houses, two pools, a studio, a library and a run of terraces at different heights, so people can be together when they want to be and genuinely alone when they don’t. The village and its tavernas are a ten-minute walk downhill.
What the estate offers a retreat
- Exclusive use: both villas, both private pools and the olive grove behind one gate
- Twelve beds across two houses, each with its own kitchen
- A studio and a library in Villa Elia
- Terraces at several levels for sessions outdoors
- A village ten minutes’ walk away, with tavernas, a bakery and a shop
Artful Retreats — art retreats in Crete
The guided art retreats held at Bleverde are run by Penelope, one of the two owners of the estate, under her own practice, Artful Retreats. Penelope is an accredited Art Psychotherapist, registered with ASCA and EFAT, who holds a Masters in Art Therapy from LaSalle University in Singapore and has more than a decade of experience leading groups across Europe. The programme, the dates, what is included and her full credentials are published on the Artful Retreats site rather than here.
Artful Retreats at a glance
- Guided art sessions based on art therapy principles
- Led by an accredited Art Psychotherapist, one of the estate’s owners
- Small groups, with individual guidance for everyone
- No experience needed, and materials are provided
- Nothing judged or graded, and nobody has to share work they would rather keep
- Dates and prices are on the Artful Retreats site
Host your own yoga or wellness retreat in Crete
If you lead retreats — art, writing, yoga, photography, a company offsite that wants to be somewhere real — the whole estate can be taken on exclusive use, subject to availability.
That gives you both houses, both private pools, the studio, the library and the terraces, with nobody else on site. Twelve people can sleep here across the two villas, each of which has its own fully equipped kitchen, so a group can eat together or separately without anyone having to negotiate a fridge.
Enquire about exclusive use
Running a yoga retreat in Crete: practical things to know
- The village is a walkable ten minutes down, and uphill on the way back, so a group without cars is workable but not effortless.
- Chania airport is forty-five minutes by car.
- Both houses have stairs between every floor and no lift.
- The estate is let by the week, with a minimum of seven nights. See the weekly rates and availability.
Villa Elia
Sleeps 6 · pool 8 × 4 m
The estate’s original stone house, restored from limestone quarried on the land. Two en-suite master bedrooms and a twin with its own bathroom, a curated library and a studio on the lower floor. It holds the cool through high summer. More about Villa Elia.
Villa Levanda
Sleeps 6 · pool 10 × 5 m
The contemporary house: three en-suite bedrooms and an 85 square metre open-plan living floor that works well as a group space when the weather turns. More about Villa Levanda.
Both houses are described in full on our Crete villas page, and the area around them in our guide to Gavalochori and the Apokoronas.
Do I need any art experience?
No. No previous art skill is required and there is no need to think of yourself as an artist. Every session is guided throughout and materials are provided.
What are the sessions like?
Guided, unhurried and shared. They are built around making something and then talking about it, rather than around producing a finished piece. There are no rights or wrongs, and nobody has to show work they would rather keep to themselves.
Who runs the retreats?
Penelope, one of the two owners of the estate, through her own practice, Artful Retreats. She is an accredited Art Psychotherapist registered with ASCA and EFAT, holds a Masters in Art Therapy from LaSalle University in Singapore, and has more than a decade of experience leading groups across Europe.
How big are the groups?
Small enough that everyone gets individual guidance, and big enough to create a sense of belonging and support.
Where do the retreats take place?
At Bleverde estate in Gavalochori, Chania, Crete — on the estate’s terraces, in the studio and in the gardens, ten minutes’ walk above the village. More on the village in our Gavalochori guide.
Can I run my own yoga or wellness retreat at Bleverde?
Yes, subject to availability. The whole estate can be taken on exclusive use — both villas, both pools, the studio and the library, with nobody else on site and twelve beds across the two houses. It suits a small yoga retreat in Crete, or a wellness, writing or art retreat. Email us with what your programme needs, and check the availability calendars for open weeks.
How many people can stay on the estate?
Twelve, across the two villas: six in Villa Elia and six in Villa Levanda. Each house has its own kitchen and its own pool. Compare Villa Elia and Villa Levanda.
How do I get the full programme and dates?
The programme, dates and prices are published on the Artful Retreats site. You are also welcome to email us and we will send them to you.
When is the best time for a retreat in Crete?
Spring and autumn. May, June, September and early October are warm without the heat of July and August, and the island is quieter. Our best time to visit Crete guide goes month by month.
How do we get there?
Chania airport is forty-five minutes by car and Heraklion is two hours. Groups almost always hire cars — the estate is uphill from the village and there is no practical bus service. Our guide to Chania airport transfers, car hire and getting to Gavalochori has more.
A retreat at Bleverde is a creative holiday. It is not medical or psychological treatment, it is not a substitute for care from your own doctor or therapist, and it is not suitable as crisis support.
Interested?
Whether you want to join one of our retreats or bring your own group to the estate, write to us and we will tell you honestly whether it fits.
Email us
See the villas