Living the
Arcadian Ideal

A journey into Arcadia’s fir-covered mountains, shaped by forest paths, cold rivers and food from the land

Elemental living
Into the wild
Slow living
MANNA Arcadia
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Overview

For centuries, Arcadia has inspired an idea of the good life: one lived close to nature, shaped by the land and changing seasons. High in its fir-covered mountains, MANNA occupies a former sanatorium built in 1929, when people came here for clean air, rest and seclusion. Almost a century later, it becomes the starting point for a four-day journey into the wild heart of Arcadia, guided by the people who know its forests, food and traditions intimately.

Manna Arcadia
Forest walks
Cook with chefs
Truffle hunting
Botanicals making
Wild swimming
Spa rituals
A Signature Journey
From £0
Tailored to you
No two journeys are exactly the same. Every experience is adapted around your interests, preferred pace, group size and travel dates.
Start your journey
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Arrival
Leave the world behind

At MANNA, your first connection with the forest begins with a spa treatment inspired by Anna Mela, the woman who first made this mountain a place of retreat. A warm towel scented with fir wraps around your feet as a cool stone from the Arcadian mountains rests in your hands, followed by a deeply relaxing massage and warm, cocooning body wrap. Emerge slowly. Step into the sauna among the trees, sink into the cave pool or find a fireside corner and do very little at all.

Discovery
Beneath the firs

As morning light filters through the firs, set out with a local mountain guide and Bianca, a Lagotto Romagnolo trained to find wild truffles beneath the forest floor. Follow the Mylaon River through the trees as your guide introduces the mushrooms, herbs and seasonal life of the forest, while Bianca picks up the scent. Follow her lead when she finds something, then finish the walk with a delicious tasting of fresh truffle.

Taste
Arcadia in the kitchen

Step behind the scenes of MANNA’s restaurant for private time with the chef. Discover the wild mushrooms found across this part of Arcadia through one of the hotel’s signature dishes, mushroom kritharoto. Learn about the different varieties and how they’re used, then pick up a knife and cook together. Gather around the stove as the dish slowly comes together, before taking a seat to enjoy what you’ve made.

Botanical
The mountain, bottled

At a small agro-tourism farm in the Arcadian mountains, spend time with a local herbalist discovering the plants that grow here and the uses passed down with them. Gather seasonal herbs and watch as they are distilled, learning how their natural oils are extracted before taking part in preparing an essential oil of your own: the scent of the Arcadian mountains captured in a bottle to take home with you.

Together
Around the Arcadian table

At Arcadiani, a mountain farm devoted to preserving the food traditions of Arcadia, gather what’s ready from the garden before joining a local mother in the outdoor kitchen. Knead bread, prepare vegetables and tend the wood-fired oven, then sit down together over the lunch you’ve helped prepare. The conversation, stories and time around the table are as much a part of the experience as the cooking itself.

Immerse
Into the gorge

Your journey closes with a day in the Lousios Gorge. Follow an old path with your guide through the forest, across the river and up towards the monasteries of Philosophou and Prodromou, the latter clinging almost impossibly to the rock face. Step inside for centuries-old frescoes and a traditional welcome from the monks, then continue towards the river. After hours on foot, peel off your walking boots and slip into one of the clear, cold pools of the Lousios. Few things feel better than mountain water on tired legs.

Return
Fire and rest

Between adventures, MANNA draws you back to the mountain sanctuary: a sauna among the firs, a swim in the cave pool, long dinners and fireside corners. These unhurried hours become part of the journey too, a counterpoint to days spent out on foot. There’s a particular pleasure in coming in from the wild, tired, hungry and ready for dinner.

Reflect

For centuries, the Arcadian Ideal has imagined a good life shaped by nature, simplicity and the pleasures of the everyday. After a few days living closer to the land, it’s easy to understand its enduring pull. Perhaps Arcadia was never really about imagining a perfect life. Perhaps its appeal lies in something much simpler: keeping the things that make life feel naturally good close at hand.

On the journey
Signature moments, curated around you

Every experience is thoughtfully shaped around your interests, pace and the season, while staying true to the spirit of the journey.

  • MANNA forest-inspired spa treatments
  • Wild truffle hunting with Bianca
  • Private cooking with MANNA’s chef
  • Mountain herbs & essential oil distillation
  • Bread making with a local mother
  • Lunch around the Arcadian table
  • Lousios Gorge & rock monasteries
  • Cold-water river swim
  • MANNA forest sanctuary stay
  • Private local guides & hosts
Where you'll stay
MANNA, Arcadia

Hidden among the fir forests of Mount Mainalon at 1,200 metres, MANNA is a beautifully restored 1920s sanatorium with just 32 rooms. Local limestone, warm woods, high ceilings and forest-facing windows retain the character of the original building, while fireplaces and deeply comfortable interiors make it a welcome place to come back to after a day outside. The surrounding mountains remain present everywhere, from the food on the table to the views through the windows.

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