Empiria Group Unveils the Full Programme for PHOS, a New Experiential Platform Centred on Culture, Place and Wellbeing
Empiria Group, the privately owned hospitality group operating luxury boutique hotels and villas across Greece, introduces PHOS — Presence Heals Our Senses — a new experiential platform shaped by Cycladic light, Greek cultural intelligence and meaningful human connection this fall.
Taking its name from the Greek word for light, PHOS unfolds as a recurring series of place-rooted experiences created by Empiria Group, in partnership with Design Hotels and under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation. Each programme is curated by Travelgems, one of Europe’s leading wellness retreat companies.
Drawing on the belief that ancient Greek wisdom and the traditions of the Cyclades continue to offer valuable lessons for contemporary life, PHOS explores light not simply as something we see, but as awareness, stillness, alignment and emotional clarity.
“PHOS expresses something we at Empiria Group have always believed: that the places we choose, and the way we experience them, have the power to meaningfully change how we feel,” says Kalia Konstantinidou, Group Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Empiria Group. “It has shaped daily life for thousands of years, inspired philosophers and artists, influenced architecture, and cultivated a culture built on gathering, conversation and life lived outdoors. PHOS is our way of translating that heritage into a contemporary platform where culture, place and wellbeing meet.”
The inaugural chapter will take place at Parīlio, a Member of Design Hotels, in Paros, Greece from 2–4 October 2026. Future chapters will unfold across additional Empiria Group destinations, each interpreted through the culture, landscape and rhythm of its setting.
Located just outside Naoussa, Parīlio has been a landmark hotel for Empiria Group since it opened in 2019. Inspired by the landscape of Paros, the hotel’s 46 suites and villas draw on the island’s distinctive architectural language through natural materials, sculptural forms and understated interiors that feel both contemporary and unmistakably Cycladic. Named after parelion, a rare optical phenomenon associated with light, the hotel reflects the exceptional quality of Cycladic light that shapes every aspect of the guest experience. Together with its relaxed atmosphere and connection to the culture, social life and rhythms of the island, Parīlio provides a natural setting for the inaugural chapter of PHOS.
Chapter One: Parīlio, Paros, 2–4 October 2026
Built around the pillars of Light, Presence and Connection, the inaugural three-day experience brings together movement, cultural immersion, creative expression, gastronomy and shared rituals designed to awaken the senses and deepen participants’ connection to place.
Globally recognised fitness trainer, mental-health advocate and motivational speaker Kelsey Wells will lead Strength & Presence, a mindful, strength-based movement experience combining a mat workout with intention-setting, mindfulness and gratitude practices. The session reflects Wells’ transformative Redefine Fitness philosophy, through which she encourages a global community of more than five million people to embrace movement as a powerful tool for the mind, body and soul.
The wider programme brings together an international collective of wellness practitioners, artists, cultural figures and hospitality voices: Niki Smirni, mindfulness expert and founder of Travelgems, will guide gratitude practices and shared moments of reflection; Sukkhadas, certified Wim Hof Method instructor and breathing expert, will lead morning breathwork sessions designed to cultivate energy, awareness and balance; Nikolaos Unalome, spiritual sound healer and energy practitioner, will create an immersive sound-healing experience encouraging relaxation, presence and sensory awareness; Themistoklis Pavlis, professional dancer, educator and movement director, will lead Aegean Fluidity Movement, a session inspired by the rhythms and movement of ancient Greek dances; Dr. Evy Papadopoulou, Curator of Antiquities at the Museum of Cycladic Art, Dr. Polina Sapouna Ellis, archaeologist and jewellery designer, and Director of Business Development and Community Engagement at Design Hotels Wojciech Oglaza, will come together for The Art of Living Well, a cultural conversation examining how ancient Greek wisdom can continue to inform the ways we create, live and connect today; and Eirini Xanthioti, textile artist and founder of Studio Araneida in Chania, will lead a Cycladic-Inspired Embroidery Workshop, inviting participants to create their own Cycladic-inspired embroidered pieces while connecting traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.
The journey begins with an opening ceremony, intention-setting and sound healing, followed by a community dinner inspired by the Greek tradition of gathering around the table.
The second day moves from morning breathwork and mindful strength training into cultural conversation, creative practice and optional experiences exploring the island’s landscape and flavours. These include a Paros Farming Community wine-and-cheese experience and Cycladic Eyes, a guided Polaroid walk through Naoussa that invites participants to capture the island through their own perspective. The day concludes with movement and dancing and a second community dinner centred on storytelling, conversation and connection.
On the final morning, a gratitude circle, breathwork and an integrative closing workshop will help participants reflect on the experience and translate its insights into meaningful daily practices.
For culturally curious, design-aware global travellers and entrepreneurs seeking more than a traditional wellness retreat, PHOS offers an immersive and place-rooted journey delivered through the lens of Empiria Group’s hospitality philosophy and understated approach to luxury.
The PHOS experience starts from:
- €1,400 per person, based on double occupancy
- €2,500 per person, based on single occupancy
The experience includes two nights’ accommodation at Parīlio, daily breakfast, all community dinners and full access to PHOS sessions and workshops. For those wishing to extend their stay, a five-night package combining PHOS with the Soulful Love Retreat (29 September – 2 October) is also available — a preparatory retreat dedicated to mindfulness, movement and intention-setting.
To reserve the PHOS experience, visit Parīlio’s booking page and follow @pariliohotel on Instagram.