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My stay at La Casa Grande in Agios Ioannis was fantastic! The house is beautifully remodelled on the inside while keeping its original flavour on the outside. Nikos and Georgia diligently took care of my needs, so I could focus on writing. Immersing myself in the peaceful, relaxing rustic environment was a valuable experience for me.

I enjoyed hiking along farm roads and seeing sheep, goats, chickens, cats, and dogs. Sometimes, I could also see sheep across the street while working on the balcony. The healthy, locally sourced, homemade Mediterranean meal that was delivered once a day was always delicious and very high quality, and there was always an abundance of food in the house for snacking on. I was there in December, and plenty of wood was available to keep the cozy fireplace going. The luxurious bar soaps, laundry detergent, and softener are all homemade and organic.

If you want a nice place where you can focus on your writing, then I highly recommend this retreat!

Urania J. Fung is an English professor at Tarrant County College, TX since 2010.

Urania has hosted WORDfest (a festival of writer organizations around the Dallas/Fort Worth area) at TCC since 2017. She has also been a panelist at Polaris 24 and ArmadilloCons 34, 36, and 38.

Her short stories have been published in the fantasy anthologies Immersion (A Debate over the Hopping Undead), The Dragon & The Stars (The Right to Eat Decent Food) & Ages of Wonder (Mist Wraith).

Urania spent more than two weeks staying in La Casa Grande in December 2019. 

La Casa Grande is a wonderful Retreat and so conducive to creative endeavours. It is located next to the small hillside village of Agios Ioannis, Evia and within 15 minutes of the iconic seaside town of Aliveri, full of tavernas, cafes and supermarkets. But the key to this retreat is La Casa Grande itself.

The stone-built house with its patios and awnings is peaceful and has many nooks and crannies to work in. Yet, this lovingly refurbished house has all modern conveniences with a first class kitchen with a fast, secure and reliable broadband connection. There are numerous walks and strolls around the village some easy and others challenging.

Nikos manages the facility conscious of the needs of artists and writers and is readily available to assist and guide. The excellent logistics of the Retreat with ‘meet and greet’ at Athens Airport and the transfer at the end of the Retreat relieve the guest of worries or concerns. Nikos’s attention to detail and his practical approach is refreshing.

Above all else, La Casa Grande is a great place to work in and reflect. It’s very walls are lyrical and homely. After an all too brief sojourn, I can assuredly recommend La Casa Grande.

Once again Nikos and Georgia and families thank you for a wonderful visit and “I will be back”.

Frank Reidy is a former army commandant, defence and security analyst focusing on Middle East & East Africa, member of TG4 Board, researcher and of course writer. During his 25 years in the Defence Forces, he was stationed in the Curragh in Kildare as head of the Audio Visual Unit, where he lectured on Media Studies in the Military College. He spent periods in both the Middle East and in Rwanda. On his retirement, he spent some time working with RTÉ as a reporter and researcher. He returned to Rwanda in 2000, working for Refugee Trust International. He regularly returns to Africa, travelling and as a voluntary worker.

His first book, Ó Chósta go Cósta, which was published by Cló Iar-Chonnachta in 2009, is based on his travels in east Africa. Ó Chósta go Cósta won the prestigious the Irish language book of the year award – Gradam Uí Shiúilleabháin – in 2010. Frank was born in Sligo and he lives in Ros a’ Mhíl, Co Galway. He is a regular contributor to both Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4 on both defence and international issues.

Frank spent two weeks staying in La Casa Grande in October 2019.

I highly recommend the Artist Residency La Bodeguita in Dafni, Greece. I spent ten days there and got a lot of writing done. Can’t wait to be back to enjoy the uninterrupted time, the not-at-all touristy beach, the home-made meals, and last but not least the hospitality and friendship of my hosts.

Agnes Marton is a Hungarian-born poet, writer, librettist & Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (UK). Recent publications include her collection ‘Captain Fly’s Bucket List‘ and four chapbooks with Moria Books (USA).

She won the National Poetry Day Competition in the UK, and an anthology she edited (Estuary: A Confluence of Art and Poetry) won the Saboteur Award. Her work is widely anthologized, some examples are: ‘Alice – Ekphrasis at the British Library‘ & ‘Anthem: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen‘.

Agnes stayed in La Bodeguita in September 2019.