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 18 May 2008.
You will be staying at the Theoxenia Hotel by the Messolonghi lagoonside, tel.26310 28098, and at the Strada Marina Hotel on Zakynthos, tel. 26950 42761.

SUNDAY 18 May 2008
18:30 Meet in the lobby of Theoxenia Hotel.
19:30 The Official Opening Ceremony is open to the public. The Keynote lecture will be delivered by Professor Timothy Webb of Bristol University U.K., at the Trikoupi Municipal Cultural Center. The ceremony will end with a theatrical event of Music on Lyrics by the Poet Laureate D. Solomos “The Free Besieged”, performed by students and directed by teachers of the 2nd Lyceum of Messolonghi.
21:00 Dinner and entertainment with Greek traditional dancing, offered by the Mayor of Messolonghi, Mr. Yannis Anagnostopoulos at the Radio Station Restaurant.

MONDAY 19 May 2008
09:30 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 Deputy Mayor Mrs. Irene Karatsora, and the Director of International Relations Professor Peter Graham.
The first and second Sessions of the Academic Programme, start at 10:00 at the BYRON HOUSE and last until 12:30 – 6 lectures of 20 minutes with a short break in the middle for coffee.
13:30 Lunch at the restaurant of Theoxenia Hotel.

18:00 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 Modern Art Gallery, “Christos & Sofia Moschadreou”, and to Diexodos Centre of Culture and Art, which is situated in an 18th century historic building.
20:30 Dinner at the restaurant of Theoxenia Hotel.

TUESDAY 20 May 2008
09:30 Wreath-laying ceremony at the site where Byron breathed his last on 19 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 many Monuments, stretching alongside the defensive walls of Messolonghi, to the ancient Roman Baths site, and to the studio of the distinguished Messolonghiot painter-engraver Apostolos Koustas to see his special technique.
13:30 Lunch at the restaurant of Theoxenia Hotel.

17:30-19:30 Third Session of four lectures, with a short break in the middle.
19:30 Departure by coach from Byron House to the new resort “Elaionas”, near the Varassova mountain for dinner.

WEDNESDAY 21 May 2008
09:30 Departure by coach for a visit to Panayia Finikias (the Chapel to the Virgin of the Palms where Byron used to ride from Messolonghi), and then to Thermo the ancient capital of Aitolia 620 b.c, on the slopes of Panaitolikos mountain over looking the Trichonida lake. We’ll visit the Temple of Thermios Apollo, the agora, and other Archaeological and Byzantine sites.
13:30 Lunch is offered by our host the Mayor of Thermo Mr. Theodoros Porfyris.

16:30 Arrival at Theoxenia Hotel, the rest of the day is free for the participants.

THURSDAY 22 May 2008
10:00-12:00 Fourth Session of 4 lectures, with a short break in the middle.
13:30 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.

18:00-20:00 Fifth Session of 3 lectures.
20:30 Dinner at Theoxenia Hotel

FRIDAY 23 May 2008
09:30 Departure by coach from Theoxenia Hotel to the Ionian Island of Zakynthos through regions of the Peloponnesus.
13:30 Departure from Kyllini port by ferry boat to Zakynthos.
14:45 Arrival at Zakynthos and then at Strada Marina Hotel located by the port side.

18:00 Meet in the lobby of Strada Marina Hotel for a stroll to the historic centre and Venetian Castle. In Zakynthos everything is steeped in nostalgia, with a note of romanticism. The island’s picturesque squares, the long coast road, the Strata Marina, old Rougas Square, and the modern Alexandrou Roma Street, are all reminiscent of times past.

SATURDAY 24 May 2008
09:30 -16:30 A day-long excursion to explore the Island and its picturesque villages and sites The rest of the day is free for the participants.

SUNDAY 25 May 2008
End of the conference.

Participants will need to arrange for their own way back to Athens or elsewhere. A bus leaves from Zakynthos bus station [tel. +3026950 42656] to Athens-Kifissos central bus station at 5 am, 7.30 am, 11.00 am, 14.30 pm, and 18.45pm. The trip takes about 6 hours, including the ferryboat time, and costs 30 euros. Anyone wishing to stay on at Zakynthos for additional nights should book early, because this resort island is very popular.

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.
• 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.