The Organizing and Academic committees would like to give you a general outline of the activities which include the Academic Programme (student papers and lectures by professors) and the Social Activities (receptions, excursions, visits to historic sites, entertainment).
We reserve the right to make changes, if necessary, and will have a final Programme handed to you on 16 May 2004.
You will be staying at the AMALIA HOTEL, 10, Amalias Avenue, Syntagma Square Tel. 210 3237301 fax 210 3223872, and at the Theoxenia Hotel by the Messolonghi Lagoonside, tel. 26310 28098.

SUNDAY 16 May 2004
16:30 Meeting place the lobby of Amalia Hotel.
17:00 The British Ambassador Sir David Madden will offer an afternoon tea at his residence.

After the tea we’ll have a visit to the historic area of Plaka under the Acropolis. Night free, dinner on your own.

MONDAY 17 May 2004
09:00 Visit to the National and Historical Museum of Athens to see the Byron Collection at the Philhellenic Department.
10:30 Visit to the Acropolis guided by an archaeologist. Lunch on your own.
13:00 Departure from Athens to Messolonghi via Corinth Canal.

17:30 Arrival at Messolonghi.
20:30 Dinner reception at the Theoxenia hotel offered by the Messolonghi Byron Society.

TUESDAY 18 May 2004
09.30 – 10.00 Registration at the administrative office of the Messolonghi Byron Society and its Byron Research Center at its new location in the BYRON HOUSE, offered by the Municipality of Messolonghi. Welcome by the President of the Messolonghi Byron Society, the Deputy Prefect Mr. Nikos Mourkousis and the chairman of the Municipal Committee of Culture D.E.P.A.M., Mr Nasos Gouvas. The first session of the Academic Programme, starts at 10:00 at the BYRON HOUSE and lasts until 11:30 – four lectures of 20 min with a short break.
12:00-13:00 Second session of two lectures.
13:30 Lunch at the restaurant of Theoxenia Hotel.

17:00-17:30 Coffee at the Byron House.
17:30-19:30 Third session of four lectures. Dinner on your own and later at 21:00 at the TEI Campus the “BLUE WIRE” rock band will give a concert for all students, offered by the TEI.

WEDNESDAY 19 May 2004
8:30 Departure by coach for an excursion to Ancient Olympia, lunch on your own.

17:30 Arrival at Messolonghi time free to rest until 20:00.
20:00 At the central square of Messolonghi, we’ll join in a festival of Ethnic Dances performed by groups of students of eight universities of Greece who are coming to Messolonghi invited by the TEI [Advanced Educational Technological Institution of Messolonghi] to honour the Byron students. Organized by the TEI and the Municipality of Messolonghi. Conference.
22:00 Reception offered by the TEI.

THURSDAY 20 May 2004
09:00-10:30 Fourth Session of three lectures.
10:45 Visit to the Office of the Governor, Mr Dimitris Stamatis. Visits to Tourlida, to Panayia Finikias (the Chapel to the Virgin of the Palms where Byron used to ride from Messolonghi), and to Ancient Plevron: Named after the mythical hero Plevron son of Etolos and brother of Kalydon, Plevron actually consists of two Homeric towns 5 km north-west of Messolonghi.
13:30 Lunch at the restaurant of Theoxenia hotel.

17:00, Departure from the Hotel by coach to visit the picturesque seaside village Krioneri (“cold water”) of Halkeia borough. Welcome by the Mayor Mr Nikos Stamboulopoulos and tour of the area. Sailing by fishing boat to visit a very old medieval church, Agios Nikolaos, clinging to the Mount of Varassova. Dinner is offered by the Mayor and the Town Council of Halkeia.
21:30 Arrival at Theoxenia hotel.

FRIDAY 21 May 2004
09:30 Visits to the Cathedral of Agios Spyridon (visited by Byron), to the House-Museum of the Greek national-poet Kostis Palamas, to the House-Museum of the two Prime ministers of Greece (father and son) Spiros and Charilaos Trikoupis, Visit to the site where Byron breathed his last in April 1824 and where the University of Athens dedicated a memorial column to Byron to commemorate the centennial of his death, to the Roman Baths ancient site, and to Saint Simeon monastery built in the 18th century on the slopes of Mount Arakinthos.
13:00 Lunch offered by the president of Advanced Technological Institution (T.E.I), Mr Leonidas Panagiotopoulos.

17:00 Fifth session of three lectures, throught 18:30 with a break for coffee.
19:00-20:30 Sixth Session of three lectures.
21:00 Reception offered by the Board of T.E.D.K of Aitoloakarnania and the President Mr. Thymios Sokos

SATURDAY 22 May 2004
10:00 Wreath-laying ceremony in the Garden of the Heroes, a big memorial garden stretching alongside the defensive walls of Messolonghi.
10.30 -11:30 Visit to the Municipal Museum of History and Art (Municipal Gallery) of Messolonghi, with a welcome by the Mayor of Messolonghi Mr Giorgos Prevezanos.
11:30 An athletic event, organized by the TEI, at the central square of the town.
13:30 Lunch offered by the Governor of Aitoloakarnania County, Mr Dimitris Stamatis, at the Radiomegaro Restaurant.

19:00-20:30 The Official Closing Ceremony is open to the public. The Keynote Lecture will be delivered by Professor Bernard Beatty, of the University of Liverpool and Editor of the Byron Journal, at the Trikoupi Municipal Cultural Center. Its title is,”Byron and the Olympic Spirit”. Mrs. Katerina P. Panagopoulos, the Greek National Ambassador to the European Council for Sport, Tolerance and Fair Play will deliver the lecture, “Fair Play: An Alternative Culture for a Borderless World of Today”. The ceremony will end with a concert of Greek traditional music, by a student group from the Advanced Educational Technological Institution of Epirus. Offered by both Institutions in Messolonghi and in Epirus.
21:00 Dinner offered by the Mayor of Messolonghi, at the Plaza Restaurant.

SUNDAY 23 May 2004
10:00 Departure by coach for a tour to the west side of Aitoloakarnania County through valleys, mountains, towns and picturesque villages. We’ll have a visit and lunch at Palairos located by the Ionian sea offered by the Mayor of Kecropia borough, Mr Spyros Aheimastos. On our way back to Messolonghi we’ll travel on the west coast of the county facing the ionian sea and the islands of Lefkada and Kefalonia, then via Astakos (Byron’s Dragameste) we’ll reach the historic village of Katochi to visit the Ancient Theatre of Oiniades, to walk along the waterfront of the mythic river Acheloos and to visit the maker of beautiful Greek ethnic costumes, Mr. Nikos Plakidas, at his workshop. Dinner and entertainment by the “Plucked Orchestra” (mandolins) directed by Mr Spyros Holevas, offered by the Mayor of Oiniades Mr. Gerassimos Nestoratos.

MONDAY 24 May 2004
End of the Conference, participants must find their own way to Athens. There is a Bus Station at Messolonghi.

Please Note the following:

• If you are arriving at Venizelos airport, a taxi to the hotel should cost about 25 euros. If you prefer to take public transport, take the E95 of bus line that leaves every 20 minutes from the Exit gate #5 of the Arrivals, outside the airport and ask the driver to stop at the Syntagma Square bus stop (this bus stop is just across the road of the front door of Amalia Hotel). The ticket costs 2,90 euros. A second choice is to take the bus E94 that leaves outside of the same gate of arrivals #5, and goes to the bus stop that is next to the metro station of Ethnikis Amynas. At this point, take the metro to the Syntagma Square station. The combined bus and metro fare is 2,90 euros. (The Syntagma Square metro station is about 150 metres far from the hotel).
• The transportation in Athens by Metro will be on your account (ticket price 0,75 euro)
• On Saturday, May 22 Professors of English and English majors of Athens University come and join the conference until Sunday 23.
• Participants should gather and board the coach at least 15 minutes before departure for any destination.
• Soft drinks and sweets will be provided during all breaks.
• Both hotels offer complimentary breakfasts, and all lunches appointed at Theoxenia hotel are offered by the Messolonghi Byron Society.
• In May the weather in Greece is warm, so you can bring your swimsuit. The lagoonside beach is adjacent to the Theoxenia Hotel, and Tourlida beach on the Gulf of Patras is a five-minute taxi ride from the hotel.