Skyros: The holiday you can take home with you

Author James Kelman, a Booker Prize winner, Mark Lawrenson, the former Liverpool footballer, Malcolm Stern, the co-presenter of Channel 4’s relationship series, Toyah Willcox, the singer and actress, and Michael Stone, a former UN director of operations in major conflict areas, are just a few of the 75 top class professionals who will join Skyros, a world leader in alternative holidays, this coming year.

Skyros’ 2008 programme offers holiday courses in some of the most beautiful spots of the world – in Greece, Thailand, Cambodia and Cuba. Courses are inspiring and entertaining. They help people to open their heart, expand the mind, recharge the body and uplift the spirit. The programme is coordinated by Yannis Andricopoulos, a former journalist and author of several books on 20th century history and of a trilogy – In Bed with Madness, The Greek Inheritance and The Future of the Past – which is to be published by Imprint Academic in March 2008.

Skyros Island, Greece

The Writers’ Lab in Skyros island, Greece, will be facilitated by Booker Prize winner James Kelman and many other excellent writers who have been shortlisted for the same Prize - Romesh Gudenekera, Andrew Miller, Christopher Hope and Michele Roberts. Several other popular writers such as Rachel Cusk and Crysse Morrison plus the poet Alan Jenkins, an editor of The Times Literary Supplement, will also run writing courses.

Skyros’ Life Coaching programme, again in Skyros island, is to be run by leading figures of the personal development movement. Dina Glouberman, co-founder of Skyros and author of the best-selling Life Choices, Life Changes and The Joy of Burnout, Ari Badaines, a leading American psychologist, Kate Daniels, a consultant at the Tavistock Centre, Paul Barber, professor at Middlesex university, Malcolm Stern, co-presenter of Channel 4’s relationship series, and several other leading life coaches are among the distinguished 2008 Skyros staff.

Still in Skyros island, the Atsitsa Bay Centre offers a truly fantastic programme facilitated by some of the world’s best tutors. Sarah Warwick, a recording artist with 3 number one dance hits in the UK and the US, Tom Toomey, a musician who has graced the albums and stages of several luminaries, Michael Stone, a former UN director of operations in major conflict areas, Ken Eyerman, named by London’s Evening Stadard as one of the capital’s three top masseurs, Silke Ziehl, director of the Munich-based Entelia Institute, Richard Layzel, an award-winning artist, Julie McNamara, an award-winning playwright and performer, Susie Self, an opera singer, composer and painter, Judy Hammond, probably the UK’s best Alexander Technique practitioner, and Andreas Vetch, a top Swiss yoga teacher, are only a few of the truly excellent Atsitsa Bay teachers’ team.

In Atsitsa Bay Alison Goldie, a performer with vast experience in stand-up comedy, will further offer again her popular ‘Flirtshop’ course, Steve King, an American psychotherapist, musician and writer, will run his ‘Speaking of Sex’ course, and Martin and Hanna Jelfs, teachers of tantra courses for 10 years, will offer an ‘Energy of Love’ course that is expected to attract a lot of attention. All teachers are known for their warmth and integrity as much as for their expertise

The Atsitsa Bay programme offers such a wealth of choice that participants are able to choose between twenty different courses a day. Courses range from yoga, sailing and windsurfing to dance, music & singing, mosaics, ceramics, watercolour or comedy improvisation. Even trapeze is available.

Skyros-in-Thailand

Earlier, in January and February 2008, Skyros-in-Thailand and then Cambodia continues its programme facilitated by American yoga guru David Moreno and singer, songwriter and author Chloe Goodchild among others. This is a luxury holiday in spectacular locations. In March Skyros-in-Cuba will offer a programme focusing on salsa, the Cuban national dance - participants will be given their own dance partner to monitor their progress.

The benefits of a Skyros holiday last long after the suntan has faded. They include new friendships and relationships, new interests, a fresh outlook or a new sense of direction, and a renewed confidence and excitement about life.

Poet Hugo Williams described Skyros as the holiday ‘you can take home with you’.

To see the brochure, visit Holidaywizard.co.uk.