Life on retreat
The Amici guide to an Amici Padel Break
Good games, long lunches and people you’re glad you met. Here’s what an Amici break is all about.
At a glance
- An Amici break combines coaching and organised padel with time around the table and away from the court in Puglia.
- Beginners, regular players and solo travellers are welcome. Tell the team your playing level so they can help you choose a suitable trip.
- Accommodation, meals and drinks, padel and transfers are included; flights are separate. Check your chosen retreat for duration, room prices and activities.
You might be coming for more time on court. You might be looking for a holiday you can join on your own, or a few days away with friends that someone else has organised. An Amici padel break brings those things together: playing, learning and enjoying Puglia without spending your holiday filling a court or deciding where everyone should eat.
It is a holiday built around padel, not a test you have to pass. There is coaching to help you improve, organised play to put it into practice, and plenty to enjoy beyond the score. The people across the net become the people you sit beside at lunch.
From the court
A new player’s experience
Hear a new player talk about their experience on an Amici padel break in this one-minute interview.
Arrive, settle in, meet your people
Before you travel, agree your arrival arrangements with the team. Amici includes transfers from Brindisi or Bari airports, or Bari station, with the return journey included too. You book your flights separately; confirming the plan first means everyone knows where you need to be.
Your hotel is your base for the break, rather than another thing to research and book. Our starting point is your own room, with shared-room options available for couples and friends. Read the pricing for the retreat you choose and tell us who is coming.
Travelling solo is welcome. You do not need to arrive with a doubles partner or a ready-made group. Organised games and shared meals give you something to do together from the start, so meeting people does not depend on making small talk in a hotel lobby.
On court: learn something, then have a go
Expect a mix of coaching, social games and competitive play, with players matched by ability for coaching and competition. Beginners are welcome, as are more experienced players. Tell us honestly where you are with your game so we can help you choose a suitable retreat and understand what to expect.
For a new player, the appeal is the chance to get more comfortable: making contact, keeping a rally going and beginning to understand where to stand. For a regular player, it might be working on a particular shot or making better decisions during a point. You do not have to share the same goal as everyone else to enjoy the same trip.
Coaching gives you something to work on; games give you a reason to try it. Not every point will go to plan. That is part of the fun, especially when a scrappy rally ends with everyone laughing and immediately wanting another go.
What does a day actually look like?
There is no single timetable for every Amici break. Our example itinerary gives you the idea: breakfast, time on court, a proper lunch and a mix of further play, local experiences and time to recharge. Some days focus more on padel; others make room for a different side of Puglia.
A courtside Padellata lunch, with pasta prepared beside the action, is one example of how the playing and social parts can meet. Other published itinerary experiences include vineyard lunches and evenings out together. Check the specific trip rather than assuming every experience happens on every retreat.
There is also the hotel, the chance to put your feet up and, when timing and conditions allow, the coast. Departure days follow guests’ travel arrangements. We do our best to play on the day of departure but it really comes down to travel arrangements.
The holiday continues around the table
Food is part of the experience, not just fuel for the next match. Meals and drinks are included, so there is less time spent finding a restaurant for a group, comparing bills or wondering whether to join in.
Puglia gives you plenty to talk about on the plate as well as on court. Think local cooking, unhurried meals and the pleasure of trying something different. Menus vary, and this is not a promise of a particular dish at every sitting. Tell the team about allergies and dietary requirements before booking.
The social side is often simplest when it grows out of something shared. By dinner you have a rally to laugh about, a shot to ask someone about, or a rematch to arrange. You have already done the introductions without making a job of them.
Off court, together
Why it is such a good combination
Padel gives the day a shared purpose without needing to occupy every hour. You get the satisfaction of learning something and moving your body, then the pleasure of sitting down together afterwards. A good point can be memorable; so can the conversation that follows it.
Having the arrangements taken care of makes a difference too. You are not spending the evening finding three players for tomorrow or working out everyone’s transport. That leaves more attention for the game, the place and the people.
You can take your padel seriously without taking yourself too seriously. Come willing to have a go, encourage your partner and enjoy the moments between matches. The break is about more than leaving with a better backhand.
A few useful things before you come
Pack suitable court shoes, comfortable playing clothes, sun protection and whatever you like to wear away from court. Bring your racket if you have one you enjoy using. If you need to borrow equipment, ask before travelling rather than assuming a racket is included in the playing kit.
The published inclusions cover accommodation, organised padel and coaching, meals and drinks, court hire, balls, local transfers and Amici playing kit. Flights are separate. Durations and room prices vary, so the individual retreat page is the place to check the details.
If you are coming with a non-playing partner or planning a family trip, talk to us about the options. And if you are new to padel, say so. You do not need to pretend to be further along than you are to ask about joining.
Choose your dates, tell us about your playing experience and bring a willingness to meet people. We will help you work out the rest.
Based on Amici’s published retreat information. Dates, duration and activities vary by trip, and itineraries may change. Check your chosen retreat and discuss your playing level, travel plans and dietary requirements with the team before booking.
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