The Organizing and Academic committees would like to give you a general outline of the activities that 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 25 June 2007.
You will be staying at the Theoxenia Hotel by the Messolonghi lagoonside, tel. 26310 28098, and at the Ionion Star Hotel on Lefkada tel.26450 24762, E-mail: info@ionionstar.gr

MONDAY 25 June 2007
17:00 Meet in the lobby of Theoxenia Hotel.
17:10 A short stroll at the historical centre of Messolonghi, with visits to the Municipal Gallery of History and Art, to the cathedral of Agios Spiridon (visited by Byron), to the House Museum of Spyridon and Charilaos Trikoupis, father (personal friend of Byron) and son, former Prime Ministers of Greece in the 19th century, and to Diexodos, Centre of Culture and Art, which is situated in an 18th century historic building.
20:30 Visit to an early 20th century stone house, welcome reception by the owners Mrs. Sonia Bombota and Mr. Nikos Yagiozis.

TUESDAY 26 June 2007
09.30 – 10.00 Registration at the administrative office of the Messolonghi Byron Society and its Byron Research Center in the Byron House. Welcome by the President of the Messolonghi Byron Society Mrs. Rodanthi-Rosa Florou, the Mayor of Messolonghi Mr. Yannis Anagnostopoulos, and the Director of International Relations Professor Peter Graham.
The first session of the Academic Programme, starts at 10:00 at the BYRON HOUSE and lasts until 12:30 – four lectures of 20 minutes with a short break in the middle for coffee.
13:00 Lunch at the restaurant of Theoxenia Hotel.

16:30 Departure from the Hotel by coach to visit the picturesque seaside village Krioneri (“cold water”) of Halkeia borough. Sailing by fishing boat to visit a very old medieval cave-church, Agios Nikolaos, clinging to the side of Mount Varassova. After the visit, free time for swimming at Krioneri beach, and an ouzo-meze reception, offered by Mr and Mrs Marcos Stefanatos at their “Pelada” by the sea side.
21:00 Departure from Krioneri to Theoxenia Hotel.

WEDNESDAY 27 June 2007
9:30-11:00 Second Session of three lectures.
11:00-11:30 Break for coffee.
11:30-13:00 Third Session of four lectures.
13:30 Lunch at Theoxenia Hotel.

17:00 Departure by coach for the town of Nafpaktos (Lepanto), which Byron wanted to liberate, visit to the Botzaris Mansion, welcome by Mr. Notis Botzaris. Afterwards, a tour guided by the archaeologist Ms. Tzina Papaioanou to the town and the Venetian Port [1704]. Both the tour and a snack are offered by the Mayor of Nafpaktos Mr. Thanassis Papathanassis.
20:30 Arrival at Theoxenia Hotel.

THURSDAY 28 June 2007
09:30-11:00 Fourth Session of three lectures.
11:00-11:30 Break for coffee.
11:30-13:00 Fifth Session of three lectures.
13:30 Lunch at Theoxenia Hotel.

17:30-19:00 Sixth Session of four lectures.
Night free, dinner on your own.

FRIDAY 29 June 2007
10:00 Wreath-laying ceremony at 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.
Visits to the Garden of the Heroes, a big memorial garden with Monuments, stretching alongside the defensive walls of Messolonghi, and to Panayia Finikias (the Chapel to the Virgin of the Palms where Byron used to ride from Messolonghi).
13:00 Lunch at the restaurant of the Advanced Technological Institution (T.E.I) offered by the President Mr. Leonidas Panagiotopoulos and the Vice President Mr. Vangelis Politis-Stergiou.

19:30 The Official Closing Ceremony is open to the public. The Keynote lecture will be delivered by the Right Honourable Robin Lord Byron, President of the London Byron Society, at the Prefecture’s Conference Center of Aitolia & Acarnania. The ceremony will end with a concert of cultivated music of the East Works by Romaic Composers of the Othoman Period, performed by the Department of Cultivated and Folk Music of the Epiros Polytechnic Institution.
21:00 Dinner and entertainment with traditional Greek dancing, offered by the Mayor of Messolonghi, Mr. Yannis Anagnostopoulos at the Plaza Restaurant.

SATURDAY 30 June 2007
09:30 Departure by coach for an excursion with overnight stay on the Ionian Island of Lefkada, passing by the west side of Aitoloakarnania County through valleys, mountains, historical towns, picturesque villages by the Ionian Sea, and the port of Astakos (Byron’s Dragamestre).
11:30 Arrival at Ionion Star Hotel on Lefkada.
12:45 Departure by coach for Agios Nikitas beach.
16:30 Departure by coach back to the hotel, time free for participants to visit the town of Lefkada and its beautiful sights. All meals in this excursion are on your own.

SUNDAY 1 July 2007
End of the conference.

Participants will need to arrange for their own way back to Athens or elsewhere. A bus leaves from Lefkada bus station to Athens-Kifissos central bus station at 7 am, 9.30 am, 12.30 pm, and 17.15 pm, every day except on Sundays. On Sunday the bus leaves at 9.30 am, 12.30 pm, 4.30 pm, and 5.15 pm. The trip takes about 5 hours. Anyone wishing to stay on at Lefkada for additional nights should book early, because this resort island is very popular in the summer.

Please Note the following:

• On arriving at Athens airport, you will need about 45 to 65 minutes [depends on the traffic] to get to Kifissos bus station, where you can catch a bus for Messolonghi. If you prefer a taxi from El. Venizelos Airport to Kifissos Station, the cost will be about 30 to 35 euros, but you must be very careful of the taxi drivers. Sometimes they attempt to charge more to tourists.
• The airport bus to Kifissos, X93, leaves every 35 minutes from just outside the airport exit door. The fare from the airport to Kifissos is about 3, 20 euros. You buy the ticket from the bus driver and then cancel it yourself in a machine there on the bus. For your information the website of the Urban Athens Transportation is: www.oasa.gr
• At Kifissos station you’ll buy your ticket at the front big hall at the desk which has a label “to Aitoloakarnania” [the name of the county]. Ask for the bus to Messolonghi. The bus from Kifissos station runs to the town square of Messolonghi. at 6 am, 07:45 am, 9 am, 10:30 am, 14:00 pm, 14:30 pm, 17:00 pm, 19:00 pm, 20:00 pm, and 21:30 pm. There are also buses destined for Agrinio but stopping at the outskirts of Messolonghi and leaving every hour. The Messolonghi bus stop on the National Road route is called “Agrilia-Diastavrosis”. The ticket at the bus station ticket office, costs about 19 euros one-way. The 3.30-hour bus trip from Athens follows a scenic route along the south coast of the Gulf of Corinth and Patras, through a mountainous Peloponesian landscape of olive and lemon trees, crossing back to the north coast by the new suspension bridge that connects Rio and Antirio. On arriving in Messolonghi, you’ll have a 5-minute taxi ride to the Theoxenia Hotel.
• The conference will end in Lefkada on Sunday morning July 1.
• 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
• Apart from the keynote event and the visit to Nafpaktos, dress throughout the conference is informal. Please come equipped with good trekking shoes for the hike up to Mount Varassova to Agios Nikolaos.
• In June the Greek weather is warm, so you can bring your swimsuit. A 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. There is a local bus to Tourlida as well.