Empiria Group To Launch Phos: A New Experiential Platform In The Cyclades Centered On Culture, Place And Well-being
Chapter One Unfolds at Parīlio October 2-4, 2026 in Paros with a Program of Sound Healing, Cycladic Craft Workshops and Conversations with Greek Cultural Voices
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 and Greek cultural heritage. Taking its name from the Greek word for light, PHOS unfolds as a recurring series of place-rooted retreats developed in partnership with Design Hotels and in collaboration with retreat facilitators Travelgems, the leading wellness retreat company in Europe. The platform draws on the idea that ancient Greek wisdom and the traditions of the Cyclades still offer valuable lessons for modern wellbeing, exploring light as awareness, stillness, and emotional clarity. PHOS’ inaugural chapter will land in Parīlio, a Member of Design Hotels, in Paros this October 2-4, 2026, with future chapters and collaborations being hosted across the group’s properties.
“PHOS reflects something we have always believed at Empiria Group: that the places we choose, and the way we experience them have the power to change how we feel,” says Kalia Konstantinidou, Group Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Empiria Group. “In Greece, light has shaped civilization for thousands of years. It has influenced daily life, inspired philosophers and artists, informed architecture, and truly has created a culture centered on gathering, conversation and life lived outdoors. PHOS is our way of translating that into a contemporary platform where culture, place and well-being come together.”
Located just outside Naoussa, Parīlio has, since opening in 2019, become one of Empiria Group’s signature properties. Inspired by the landscape of Paros, the hotel with its 46 suites and villas draws 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, the 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 close connection to the culture, social life and rhythms of the island, Parīlio provides the natural setting for the inaugural chapter of PHOS.
PHOS unfolds as a recurring series of place-rooted retreats developed in partnership with Design Hotels and in collaboration with retreat facilitators Travelgems. Image credit: Empiria Group
Chapter One: Parilio, Paros, 2–4 October 2026
Through a program built on the pillars of Light, Presence and Connections, the inaugural three-day retreat brings together movement, cultural immersion, creative expression, gastronomy, and shared rituals through experiences designed to awaken the senses and foster a deeper connection to place. Participants will take part in sound healing, morning breathwork, and gratitude circles, as well as discussions with Greek cultural voices such as Evangelos Michelis and Themis Pavlis on the influence of Ancient Greece on creativity, ethics, architecture, and design. The retreat will also weave in interactive activities, including textile and craft workshops with Alexandra Diona, sound healing sessions with Nikolas Unalome, and dance movement sessions with Themis Pavlis, inspired by Cycladic craftsmanship. Community dinners continue the Greek tradition of gathering around the table for storytelling and conversation.
For culturally curious, design-aware global travelers and entrepreneurs seeking more than traditional wellness retreats, PHOS offers immersive, place-rooted experiences delivered through the lens of Empiria Group’s hospitality philosophy and sense of understated luxury.
Rates for PHOS Chapter One start at €1,400 per person (double occupancy; €2,500 single occupancy), inclusive of two-night accommodation at Parīlio, daily breakfast and dinner, and full access to the retreat program. Guests can also extend the experience with a five-night package pairing PHOS with the Soulful Love Retreat (29 September – 2 October), a pre-retreat focused on mindfulness, movement, and intention-setting.
PHOS’ inaugural chapter will land in Parīlio, a Member of Design Hotels,
in Paros this October 2-4, 2026. Image credit: Empiria Group
For more information about PHOS, please visit empiriagroup.gr/phos and to make a reservation, visit pariliohotelparos.com and follow @pariliohotel on Instagram.