Art Retreat with Saltie Sara: Greece's Saronic Islands
Where ancient waters meet modern creativity. And every island becomes a canvas.
A new kind of Greece
This summer, we're doing something special.
Sara Bartlett - known to her followers as Saltie Sara - is joining us for her first-ever small group sailing trip through Greece's Saronic Islands.
If you don't know Sara yet, here's what you need to know: she traded a converted school bus boutique for life on a sailboat. Now she creates eco-friendly art inspired by Caribbean adventures, turns thrifted finds into fashion, and shares the real side of boat life with 50K+ people who've watched her build something entirely her own.
She's authentic. She's talented. And she knows how to help you see a place - not just look at it.
Together, we've designed a week that blends sailing, art, and the kind of slow exploration the Saronic Islands were made for.
The Saronic difference
Forget Mykonos. Forget Santorini. Forget the Instagram hits.
The Saronic Islands are Greece's quieter side. The islands scattered between Athens and the Peloponnese where fishermen still outnumber tourists and taverna owners remember your name by day two.
Aegina. Ancient temples and pistachio groves.
Epidavros. Underwater ruins you can snorkel over.
Poros. Pine-covered hills and hidden beaches.
Hydra. No cars. No stress. Just cobbled streets and golden hour light.
Moni Island. Wild, uninhabited, yours for the afternoon.
Each one has its own personality. Each one offers something you can't find anywhere else.
What makes this different
You'll create, not just observe
This isn't passive sightseeing.
Watercolour sessions using actual sea water. Sketching coastal landscapes. Gyotaku fish printing (a Japanese technique using real fish and ink). Journaling prompts designed to help you process what you're seeing.
Sara provides all materials. You provide the willingness to try - even if you've convinced yourself you "can't draw."
(Spoiler: everyone can. They've just forgotten how.)
It's application-based
Sara is hand-selecting participants.
Not to be exclusive, but to ensure the group dynamic works. She wants people who value creativity, who are curious about art, who'll contribute positively to the energy.
This isn't first-come, first-served. It's carefully curated.
A week of art and islands
Day 1: Aegina → Epidavros Market visit. Sketch your haul. Cooking class. Sail to Epidavros. Snorkel over ancient ruins. Create watercolor art using sea water.
Day 2-3: Poros → Hydra Sail to Poros. Creative session onboard. Hike to ancient temples. Continue to Hydra. Gyotaku fish printing workshop. Afternoon exploring cobbled alleys and galleries.
Day 4: Hydra (at anchor) A stillness day. Morning movement on deck. Open studio time - sketch, paint, explore themes of myth and memory. Swim. Rest. Create. Dinner beneath stars.
Day 5-6: Moni Island Sail north. Fresh fish becomes your art subject. Anchor at Moni. Swimming, snorkeling, painting. Group creative circle. Sketchbook Show & Tell over dinner.
Day 7: Moni → Athens Final cruise across the Saronic Gulf. Stop at Dragonera Bay for one last swim. Mythology-themed feast (dress up encouraged). Toast to the week.
Day 8: Departure Final breakfast. Reflect. Journal. Part ways with your sketchbook full of memories.
What Sara brings
Sara isn't teaching you to paint like her.
She's creating space for you to discover how you want to create.
She's showing you that art doesn't require talent - it requires willingness. That the best souvenirs are the ones you make. That Greece's magic isn't just in the ruins and the views - it's in the moments between.
Over the week, she'll share the essence of sailboat living and art creation as you sail through some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful waters.
You'll leave with a sketchbook full of work. New skills. A different relationship with creativity. And probably a few new friends who get why you needed this.
The details
When: July 25 - August 1, 2026
Price: From £3,550pp (double occupancy), £6,750pp (single)
Boat: Premium catamaran with private en-suite cabins
What's included: Private chef, all meals and drinks, skipper, host, fuel, mooring, art supplies, curated experiences.
Ready to create?
This is Sara's first sailing trip with us.
And from what we know about her community - creative, intentional, drawn to the sea- it's going to be something special.
If you've been waiting for permission to slow down, to try something new, to explore Greece in a way that goes deeper than the postcard version - this is it.
✨ 8 spots left. Applications open.