Singing Ourselves Home
with Sophia Efthimiou
4-10 September 2023
Find your voice with 5 days of soul-singing in the heart of Puglia, Italy
Puglia, Italy
04 - 10 September 2023
Starting from £675
Soothe the soul and elevate the spirits
Villa Sant’ Annina is delighted to be collaborating with the wonderful Sophia Efthimiou on a singing holiday in September 2023.
Sophia is a beautiful soul with a unique ability to bring people together through the medium of song. She creates welcoming and joyful spaces for harmony singing, with equal encouragement for new and experienced singers alike. Her playful teaching style helps students relax and feel into the depth of the music, creating deep, connected experiences for all involved.
Harmony singing does not require you to sight-read music but instead allows you to revel in the natural rhythm and flow of the songs.
With a truly global repertoire of music to draw on, Sophia will bring songs from different cultures and traditions. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with a diverse and very fresh sound.
So what can you expect on a singing holiday? In Sophia's own words,
"Singing holidays are a wonderful opportunity to deepen our relationship with our voice. Away from our regular schedules and habits, with all the practicalities of life taken care of, we can sink more deeply into the present moment, where creativity arises. With less for our minds to think about, we drop into our bodies where our voices are free to explore and express…”
You’ll be singing 2-3 hours per day in the beautiful, natural surroundings of Puglia, Italy. Villa Sant’ Annina is a unique holiday home based up in the foothills of the Valle d’Itria, near the charming, medieval town of Cisternino.
The villa sits behind forested hills which overlook the southern Adriatic sea. It is a private space with its own extensive grounds, swimming pool and tennis court.
It’s a mixture of the ancient and modern with a charming, conical-shaped trullo and connected lamia alongside modern conveniences. The house itself is split into four apartments, with three, Melograno (pomegranate), Mandarino (mandarin) and Limone (lemon) available to guests. Each apartment has its own bathroom, kitchen and living space.
The nature of the private apartments means that friends who wish to share a space together can book a whole apartment. Double rooms are available for couples or single occupancy. Twin rooms will always be shared with another person. Guests will be allocated rooms on a first-come-first-served basis.
This is a holiday after all, so there will be plenty of time for rest and relaxation. Enjoy spectacular views and even better sunsets from the rooftop terrace or cool off with a soak in the large, kidney-shaped pool.
The extensive grounds are a joy to explore with ancient olive trees, abundant fig trees and blooming, white-blossoming almond trees amongst the charming drystone walls and fields of wildflowers. It’s the perfect place to find your voice and sing with joy.
There will be two optional yoga classes with the wonderful Marilena Marici of Shri Yoga, as well as three optional activity afternoons, during your stay. The latter will be a chance to sample the joys of Puglia - its food, its people and its natural beauty.
Sample la dolce vita - the sweet life
A home away from home
Begin each day at your own pace before the morning's singing session starts around 10 am. You should expect to sing for around 2 hours with a comfort break halfway through.
Each day there is time after lunch to rest during the afternoon's siesta. In Italy, this is typically between 1 pm - 4 pm as this is the hottest time of day. However, this is simply free time for guests to use how they wish. You could enjoy a swim, work on your tan, or organise a knockabout on the tennis court.
On three afternoons, there are optional visits to the beautiful local towns and countryside. On two days there is an evening singing session (1 hour long) alongside the morning singing session.
Melograno
Double Room 1
Solo: £895 per person
Couple: £745 per person
Melograno
Twin Room 1
Shared: £675 per person
Mandarino
Double Room 1
Solo: £895 per person
Couple: £750 per person
Melograno
Twin Room 2
Shared: £675 per person
Mandarino
Double Room 2
Solo: £895 per person
Couple: £750 per person
Limone
Double Room 1
N.B Limone's bedrooms have an adjoining corridor.
Solo: £835 per person
Couple: £715 per person
Limone
Double Room 2
N.B Limone's bedrooms have an adjoining corridor.
Solo: £835 per person
Couple: £715 per person
What's included?
Singing with Sophia: Expect to sing a lot! There will be a mixture of group harmony singing and workshop-style classes with Sophia. The sessions are spread across x5 morning sessions (2 hours each) and x2 evening sessions (1 hour each).
Accommodation: Your choice of room is included in the price.
Meals: The menu for the holiday is vegetarian. There will be fresh, seasonal dishes using ingredients from Pulgia's local markets. Puglia is known as the 'garden of Italy' so guests can expect a wide variety of incredible fruits, vegetables and grains.
Breakfast is self-catered by guests in each apartment but an assortment of breakfast items will be available in your kitchen. Lunch is provided every day. Dinner is provided 4 out of 5 days.
There will be two optional dinners out at local restaurants. These are at the guest's own expense.
Airport transfers: There are two airport transfers available from Bari airport only. This will cover the majority of guests' arrival times. There are typically two midday flights arriving from London airports each day.
Yoga and activities: There are two optional morning yoga classes and three optional afternoon activities. Taxis for the activities are included in your booking.
What's not included?
Flights: You will need to book your own return flights to Bari airport.
Restaurant meals: There are two optional evening meals at local restaurants. All food and drink will be at the guests' own expense.
Travel insurance: Please remember to buy your own travel insurance, and supply a copy of this when requested.
Booking information
To book your place, please complete the form at the bottom of this page. We will then send you details to pay the deposit of £300. Your place is confirmed upon payment of the deposit. The remaining payment will be invoiced eight weeks before the holiday.
N.B This singing holiday will require a minimum of 8 bookings to go ahead. This will be confirmed as soon as possible, but no later than the 8th May 2023. Please wait to book your flights until this point.
Rooms will be allocated on a first-come first served basis. We will do our best to give you your first choice.
N.B Due to the nature of singing in a group setting, this holiday is open to people who are currently or have previously sung with Sophia, either in a choir or workshop setting or are familiar with group harmony singing.