More Life Adventures, Plaka, Crete

More Life Adventures creates fitness and wellness retreats for busy professionals looking to recharge through training, nature and connection. Located in Plaka, near Elounda on the Greek island of Crete, the retreat environment combines functional training with hiking, open-water swimming, recovery and time outdoors.

At the centre of the experience is Plaka Strength — an open-air weightlifting and functional fitness space designed to let guests train while surrounded by the landscape. Set at the foot of the mountain, the vision was to create an outdoor training environment with minimal obstruction, preserving the views while giving guests access to equipment that matched or exceeded what they were used to in high-end functional fitness gyms.

The space is used daily during retreats, often once or twice a day, by guests who are typically busy, high-achieving professionals aged 35–55. Many travel alone or with a friend or partner, looking for a setting where they can train, reset and reconnect.

Building a gym in this location came with specific demands. Plaka Strength is effectively on the beach, exposed to humidity, salty air, high winds and changing temperatures. The outdoor setup needed equipment that could withstand the environment, which made galvanised metalwork and outdoor-appropriate surfaces essential.

Eleiko was chosen for both the quality of the training experience and the ability to meet the requirements of the site. After training at WIT Fitness in London, where the Eleiko rig and flooring left a strong impression, the More Life Adventures team connected with Eleiko and later visited the factory in Sweden before finalising the first order.

“We wanted guests to train immersed in nature, with the mountain and sea as part of the experience, but the environment here is demanding. We are exposed to humidity, salty air and high winds, so the equipment needed to be made for outdoor use without compromising the quality of training. Eleiko was able to meet those requirements, and the barbells, plates and galvanised rig have held up incredibly well over the years.”

— Stella Kamba, Owner, More Life Adventures

The facility is equipped with Eleiko’s new outdoor strength equipment, including a 10m freestanding galvanised Prestera rig to complement an existing 7.2-metre Eleiko rig from 2019, XF bumpers and barbells. The setup supports coached sessions, group training and independent workouts, giving guests the tools for weightlifting, functional fitness and strength work in an outdoor retreat environment.

Despite the challenging coastal conditions, the equipment has continued to perform with very little wear and tear over the years. The quality of the barbells, plates and galvanised rig has helped Plaka Strength create a durable, premium training space that feels connected to the surroundings without compromising on performance.

Rather than operating as a traditional commercial gym, Plaka Strength is a dedicated strength environment within a wider retreat experience. It shows how Eleiko outdoor equipment can help create a training space that is both functional and inspiring — built for serious training, shaped by nature and designed for long-term use.