First, welcome, soon, to the secret jewel of the Mediterranean. Learning about Panarea is like a golden ticket to a magical island - and to be here on retreat with amazing new friends should feel deeply uplifting, inspiring, transformative - and fun! Here are some tips for enjoying our time together:

Suggested Packing List

• Bring comfortable clothing for daytime meditation sessions & exploring our magical island

  • It will be warm but with an ocean breeze - loose-fitting clothing will serve you best

  • Please bring hiking clothes and sneakers or hiking shoes if you want to join a hike!

  • For most meditation sessions, a bathing suit & cover up or shorts and t-shirt are great

  • We’ll start our morning sessions at 11am, so you may be coming from yoga or swimming or wandering; and after our sessions one day we’ll head to the boat (with optional swimming and snorkeling), and another day we’ll head to hiking, so we’ll dress for this during the sessions

• Comfortable shoes because Panarea is picturesque cobblestone streets (people do not wear fancy shoes)

• Cash! If you like having cash for tips or your morning espresso at the harbor, please bring it with you - Panarea has ATMs but they are not always reliable (pretty much every place takes credit cards for payments though)

• Bathing suit and cover up (maybe 2 :))

• Mask & snorkel (we will have opportunities to snorkel each day, and the snorkeling is great 🐠, so this is highly recommended if you enjoy snorkeling or want to learn!)

• Optional but fun: if you have print shirts or pants, or print skirts or dresses, bring them! The grand dame of the Aeolian Islands was Mama Raya, and she brought print fabrics from Bali which many in Panarea wear in the evening (there are Raya fabric stores all over the island :)). Bring a light sweater or jacket for the evening and prepare to enjoy walking around at night taking in the quiet luxury of the island.

• Earplugs in case there is music at night (Panarea is quiet daytime, but people do dance at night!)

• Bring changes of clothes, because you may swim in the ocean before or after sessions; then in the early evening, we will change for aperativo at the Raya terrace and then dinner afterward. Meditation sessions will be casual, but in the evening many in Panarea wear nice pants and shirts or summer dresses. Some of our afternoon sessions we will come dressed for aperativo and dinner, so you’re welcome to bring ‘nice clothes’ if you like to get dressed up (up to you!).

Here are some examples of Raya / Panarea fabrics you’ll see people wearing. But you can also, of course, wear whatever you’d like!

Schedule

We will be based at the spectacular La Piazza overlooking Panarea’s harbor and clear blue waters.

The day will include guided walking and sitting meditations & positive psychology and awareness exercises led by The Path founder Dina Kaplan, mindful (optional) swims and snorkels; a boat ride to private beaches; an optional hike and sunset swim, and organized lunches, dinners & optional aperitivos (no alcohol required; Dina will enjoy seltzer!).

Tuesday

6pm Opening meditation, introductions & intention-setting
8pm Sunset aperitivo at the famous Raya terrace overlooking the harbor
9pm Dinner at da Paolina (the local favorite)
10:15pm (Optional) Walk to secret meditation place on the island for short closing meditation under the stars (or dancing; we’ll decide at dinner :))

Wednesday

9:15am (Optional) Silent meditation at a tiny non-denominational church nearby (Dina’s favorite place to meditate in the world)
9:40am (Optional) Mindful swim & snorkel
10:00am Breakfast
11:00am-1:00pm Morning meditation session
1:00pm Lunch
3:00-5:00pm Afternoon meditation session (come ready to hike and swim after the session)

5:00pm (Optional) Mindful hike to beach + mindful swim
8:00pm Aperitivo
9:00pm Dinner at La Piazza
10:30pm (Optional) Post-dinner meditation overlooking the harbor under the stars
10:45pm (Optional) Rooftop gathering + dancing

Thursday

9:15am (Optional) Silent meditation at a tiny church nearby (non-denominational)
10:00am Breakfast
11:00am-1:00pm Morning meditation session (come readying for boating and optional swimming and snorkeling after lunch)
1:00pm Lunch to go at gourmet supermarket
1:30pm - 4pm Private boat tour of the island, including option to swim and snorkel in secluded beaches around Panarea
6:00-8:00pm Afternoon meditation session (come dressed for aperativo)
8:00pm Aperitivo
9pm Dinner at beloved restaurant

Friday
9:30am Breakfast
10:30am-11:30am Morning meditation session and closing
11:30-1:00pm (Optional) Group activity
1:30pm (Optional) Farewell lunch

Travel Information

• If you enjoy ferry rides, you can take a direct ferry from Naples to Panarea:

  • SNAV 2:30pm (5 hours 5 min)

  • Siremar 8pm (11 hours 35 min - many people love waking up in the islands!)

• Or Fly to Catania - many European cities have direct flights.

  • If you can’t decide where to fly from, Rome has a lot of flights to Catania. If you are arriving day of, please make sure you land in Catania in time to make the last 4:30pm ferry. If you can come two days early, you can fly or train to Calabria (airport: Lamezia Terme) and head to the nearby Vibo Valentia port. Two hour direct ferries leave from here every Thursday and Sunday!

• Dina goes to Panarea each summer and suggests:

  • 1. Fly to Catania - many European cities have direct flights.

  • An alternate option if you can arrive early is to ferry as late as 7pm to the wonderful nearby island Vulcano or as late as 7:30pm to gorgeous Salina and spend time here en route to Panarea. Great hotels in Vulcano are the Eros (where Dina just spent a week!) or Theravasia if you want to splurge (it’s gorgeous). Great hotels in Salina are Punta Scario (where Dina just spent 10 days!) or Principe di Salina or Signum (with a Michelin-star restaurant) or L’Ariana or if you really want to splurge, Capofaro (you’re welcome :)).

  • 2. Bus, taxi, shuttle or helicopter from Catania airport to Milazzo (or helicopter directly to Panarea).

  • a) Taxi. You can taxi from the Catania Airport to Milazzo which is very simple & a beautiful drive (you’ll pass by Taormina!). We have a partnership with Francesco Maisano Taxi - they are super reliable & will do the trip for 150 EUR. You can send them a WhatsApp note at: +39.347.189.3440.

  • b) Buses leave at the following times: 9am, 10am, 11am, 12:30pm, 1:45pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 7pm and 9pm. The bus costs 13 Euros. Click here for the Giunta bus schedule. The ticket booth is directly outside the airport (follow the signs for autobus), on the right, and it’s easy to buy tickets just before. You MUST buy a ticket before boarding. Italians love tickets and won’t sell them on buses, only in advance.

  • c) Shuttles leave at the following times: 9:30am, 11:30am, 2pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm, 9:15pm and 11:20pm. The company is Alibrando and the price is 25 Euros; click here for more info and to book a shuttle. Look for the Alibrando logo shirt. If you can’t find the shuttle driver at baggage claim, call them at +0909288585 - if your phone doesn’t work just ask anyone at the airport to call for you (people are friendly - most are heading on vacation, and anyone working at the airport will know the Alibrando drivers in bright shirts!). You MUST book these 24 hours in advance.

If you can’t find the shuttle driver at baggage claim, just call them at 0909288585, and if your phone doesn’t work for any reason just ask anyone at the airport to call for you or point you to the Alibrando person with the logo above on their shirt (people are friendly at this airport - most people are heading to vacations, and anyone working at the airport will know the Alibrando drivers in their brightly-colored shirts!).

d) You can also take a helicopter directly to Panarea! You can book it here.

Almost there!

3. Ferry to Panarea (yay). You’ll take a Liberty or Siremar ferry. Please purchase the ferry ticket in advance.

Click here to book a ferry. Or go direct to Liberty (which has the most options) here. (17-29 Euros)

Ferries leave Milazzo at the following times: 6:00am, 7:00am, 8:00am, 9:40am, 1:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm, and 4:30pm. The last ferry leaves Milazzo at 4:30pm, so make sure you get to Milazzo in time to make this if you arrive day of. You will only need 10 minutes from your taxi / bus / shuttle arrival to board the ferry, or if you purchased your ticket in advance you’ll only need around 3 minutes. All transportation drop-offs are right next to the ferry terminal.

Note: Reminder that you can also come one day early and spend the night on Salina or Vulcano (they are both lovely, and the last ferry to Vulcano leaves Milazzo at 7:10pm and Salina at 7:30pm! You’ll then take a short ferry to Panarea in the morning).

You will then arrive in Panarea, a magical island with no cars - only cobblestone pathways, wonderful restaurants and crystal clear water. And us!

Tips from Dina

If you overnight in Rome:

• Boutique Hotel Campo di Fiori (mention Dina’s name if you book) - medium to high range, & Dina's home away from home

• Villa San Pio - in a beautiful quiet area of Rome with birds chirping all around (say you are "booking as a friend of Dina Kaplan from St. Stephen's) - very affordable

• Hotel Sant' Anselmo - in same area as San Pio - (say you are "booking as a friend of Dina Kaplan from St. Stephen's) - slightly higher end, both are reasonably priced and lovely - say the same as above