WELCOME RECEPTION & GALA DINNER
The Welcome Reception of the ESC General Assembly is covered by the registration fee and will be given the evening of Sunday 7th September 2008 in the area of the Creta Maris Conference Centre. All registered participants are welcomed.
The Gala Dinner will also be given in the area of the Creta Maris Conference Centre along the seashore. All registered participants are entitled to participate. A contribution of 20 € is required. The date of this event will be announced later.
PRE & POST CONFERENCE TOURS
PRE CONFERENCE TOUR: 05/09-07/09/08
SAMARIA GORGE
Day 1:
Arrival at Chania Airport/port and transfer to 3* hotel in area of Agia Marina (beach area) and just 8km from the centre of Chania . Free time.
Day 2:
Departure at approx 06.00 o’clock in the morning by bus. A stunning drive through the White Mountains to the Plateau of Omalos, which has the shape of an irregular circle and is surrounded by steep, awe-inspiring mountains. On the South part of the plateau you can see Xyloskala-wooden steps from where the descent begins towards the ravine of Samaria.
It is the biggest and most imposing ravine in Europe. It spreads 18 kilometers in length from the position Xyloskala and terminates at St. Roumeli in the Libyan Sea.
We will arrive at approx. 8 o’clock in the morning and begin the walk. Descending the 600 wooden steps you will be intrigued by the beauty and serenity of this massive gorge which is shadowed by the White Mountains.
The trail thins out to a mountain path winding through the gorge, where you can see the caves on the rugged mountain sides which once sheltered soldiers but which are now left to the rare Cretan goat "Kri-kri".
The wild and unspoilt scenery and flora that you will see along the way is unrivalled anywhere in Crete. Nearer the end of the gorge the mountainsides narrow to a mere width of 2m (the Iron Gates) before opening out to the coastal village of Agia Roumeli on the shores of the Libyan Sea. The small village is built on the ruins of ancient Tara.
Tara is mentioned by many ancient writers as a small but strong and independent town. There is time for lunch and a swim in the crystal clear water before the boat rides to the village of Sougia. Our bus will be waiting for us in order to transfer us back to our hotel.
Day 3:
Departure transfer to Heraklion
Price per Person in Single room : €242.00
Price per Person in Double room : €176.00
Above prices include :
- Transfer Chania Airport/Port – Hotel
- 2 Nights accommodation in a 3* Hotel in the area of Agia Marina including breakfast
- Coach Tour to Samaria Gorge (walk the gorge)
- English speaking escort
- Entrance fee to Samaria Gorge
- Boat fare from Agia Roumeli to Sougia
- Transfer Hotel – Hersonissos
kindly note that the above rate will apply if participation reaches the reservation minimum.
In the case where the pre tour has fewer participation, the rates will be subject to change
POST CONFERENCE TOUR 13/09/08 (1 Day)
FALASSARNA
Dr. Gerassimos Papadopoulos, LOC Chairman, will accompany you on this excursion. The departure from the conference venue/area in Hersonissos (Heraklion region in east-central Crete) will be early morning, where your will be transferred to Falassarna (the most western part of the Chania region in west Crete).
The drive is approximately 3½ - 4hrs in duration. Should you wish to participate in this excursion it would be best to arrange your departure from Chania Airport, as this is the closest Airport from Falassarna.
Please bear in mind that in order for you to take the excursion and depart from Chania on the same day, you will need to arrange your departure to be from Chania Airport and for it to be at very earliest, early evening.
Should you wish to depart Chania the day after or another time, we can arrange your accommodation at a 3* Hotel in the beach area of Agia Marina (8 km west of the centre of Chania and approx. 25km from the Airport of Chania).
The charge for the excursion will be €35.00 per Person
The charge for a Single Room will be € 65.00per Room per Night on BB basis. (Chania)
The charge for a Double Room will be €84.00 per Room per Night on BB basis. (Chania)
On this tour, we will admire the diverse magnificence of the archaic landscape, crystal clear waters, beautiful sandy stretches, and bright blue sky.
Falassarna is the western most village in Crete, approximately 20km from Kissamos. Although built next to the sea, just 300m away are the ancient ruins and excavations from the Hellenistic period, which can be visited.
Due to the land uplift, the once ancient port has now become a rich cultivated land, giving you the opportunity to also try the delights of traditional Cretan cuisine at the quaint taverns in this beautiful area.
Sudden uplift up to about 9m is very possibly related to the great earthquake of 21 July 365 which caused heavy destruction in Crete and produced a large tsunami that inundated coastal zones of the Mediterranean Sea. Another tsunami, which is possibly documented in Falassarna, occurred from another earthquake in 66AD.
Falassarna Meal: furthermore, during this visit you will have the opportunity to enjoy, traditional Greek and Cretan cuisine, as a late lunch/early dinner all while taking in the views from a quaint tavern by the sea. Kindly note that the charge for the meal is €35.00 per Person and does not include drinks, this is additional to the excursion charge.
EXCURSIONS DURING CONFERENCE
EXCURSION
AGIOS NIKOLAOS - afternoon of Wednesday 10/09/08
On this excursion we will have the opportunity to see Agios Nikoloas, the largest town of East Crete.
You will have free time to walk around the town, or to enjoy a coffee, perhaps a meal, or anything else that may interest you.
This half-day excursion is offered by the organizers.
KNOSSOS - (Date TBA)
No visitor to Crete should leave without a trip to the Palace of Knossos.
Excavated and reconstructed by Sir Arthur Evans in 1900, the Palace dates back as far as 2000 B.C.
It was the political, religious and economic centre of the glorious Minoan dynasty whilst the rest of Europe was still uncivilized.
The Palace was an intricate, multi-storied structure and it's labyrinth is said to be where Theseus slew the Minotaur.
Duration approx 08:30-16:00
Charge = €37.00 per Person, Entrance fee for Knossos €6.00 per Person – (additional).
THE HEART OF CRETE (Date TBA)
We start in the direction of Archanes located at the foot of Mount Youchtas. From Heraklion you can see that this mountain reminds of a man’s head: The head of sleeping Zeus! Archanes as well as Peza are surrounded by wine fields and are known worldwide for their production of wine. We will stop and see how they make local wine, with of course, a wine tasting session…
South of Archanes we find the ruins of Vathypetro, where an oil-press and a wine-press from the Minoan period were found, in almost perfect condition.
After Vathypetros we stop at Peza Union where you will see an every-day modern olive oil-press used to produce olive oil of the finest quality and a soap making factory, as well as a bottling company.
In Thrapsano we make our next stop to visit a pottery house which produces items using techniques handed down from father to son over hundreds of years. We then continue to a traditional monastery called Agaratho.In Myrthia,the birthplace of Nikos Kazantzakis, you will have the chance to taste traditional Greek cooking in a local Taverna!
Duration approx.08:00-16:30
Charge = €41.00 per Person (entrance fees and meals not included)
WEST CRETE (Date TBA)
Your chance to see West Crete should not be missed. Beautifully wild and rugged, the landscape is completely different to the east of the island. We take the coast road where the huge mountains slope right down into the sea and every turn offers another fantastic view.
In Rethymnon, with its Turkish minarets and Venetian fortress, you can see the pretty harbour and the little streets within the old city walls and a glorious sandy beach with its colourful promenade lined with cafe-bars and restaurants.
On to Chania, the former capital of Crete with a population of 60.000, and one of the favourite towns in Greece, we stop for lunch (not included) and the opportunity to shop in the leather market street or explore the fascinating narrow cobbled streets around the Venetian Harbour.
Also worth seeing is the bustling covered market, which is built in a cross shape, and is where local people come to do their shopping, and you also have the chance to visit the synagogue. On the way back to resorts we stop at the birthplace of EL GRECO Fodele village for a coffee between the big trees.
Duration approx. 08:00-19:00
Charge = €54.00 per Person – Entrance fee for Arkadi Monastery €4.00 per Person (additional), - food & beverages not included
SAMARIA GORGE (Date TBA)
No holiday in Crete is complete without a trip through the longest gorge in Europe, the Gorge of Samaria. We know that early mornings are not ones favorite but we highly recommend that you have the experience of walking the famous and beautiful Samaria Gorge, the longest in Europe.
Our first stop is in Rethymnon where we can have some breakfast. We then drive through the outskirts of Chania and head South to the Plateau of Omalos and the entrance of the gorge at Xiloskalo. You will need to wear athletic shoes to walk the gorge with its breathtaking and memorable views.
The walk will take around 5 hours until you reach the south coast of Crete, a small fishing village called Agia Roumeli where you can have a rest and some lunch before we take the boat to Chora Sfakion and drive back to our resorts.
Duration approx. 05:30-22:30
Charge = €58.00 per Person, Entrance Fee for Gorge €6,50 per Person, Boat Ticket € 6.50 per Person (entrance fee, boat fare, and food & beverages are not included and are additional)