IAML EUROPEAN CHAPTER MEETING 18 to 22 April 2012 CRETE, GREECE The Greek island of Crete in the South of the Mediterranean sea lies at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. It was the cradle of the Minoan civilisation (c. 2,700 1,420 BC), the first civilisation to emerge in what is now Europe. The Minoan city states of the Iron Age were submerged into the Roman Empire which was in turn succeeded by rulers from Arabia, Byzantium, Venice and the Ottoman Empire, all of which have left their mark. It is the largest island in the Greek archipelago and has only been part of Greece since 1913. We will be going to the North Eastern part of the island, near the beautifully situated town of Agios Nikolaos which has its origins in middle Minoan times (2100-1550 BC) and is now a hugely popular, cosmopolitan and lively tourist resort. The town is built around a picturesque harbour and an internal lake against the backdrop of characteristically mountainous Cretan landscape. It reputedly has some of the best shopping in the whole of Greece. Less than an hour s drive from Heraklion Airport, the Elounda Beach and Elounda Bay Palace Hotels are situated next to each other on the coast 5 minutes to the north of Agios Nikolaos, close to the traditional fishing village of Elounda. Set in more than 40 acres of fabulous gardens with views over Mirabello ( beautiful view ) Bay, the hotels both feature in the US Leading Hotels of the World. Although architecturally a shrine to the early 1980s, they are beautifully decorated and extremely comfortable. The great advantage with being able to use both hotels (which are under the same ownership and part of the same complex) is that there is accommodation to suit all pockets. PAGE 1
The meeting falls in the week following Greek Easter. Although the weather can be changeable even towards the end of April, this will be one of the most beautiful times of the year with the abundant spring flowers, for which Crete is justly famous, in full bloom. The hills and villages around this part of Crete are enchanting and offer a window into another world not visible in much of the rest of Europe. There will be an opportunity to visit one of the great archaeological sites of the world, Knossos, an hour from the hotel in Heraklion; there will be trips into the mountains to visit the ancient and lively village of Kritsa, the Greek ruins at Lato from the 7 th century BC, the 13 th century Byzantine church of Panayia Kera and a boat trip along the coast to include a tour of the island of Spinalonga, once a Venetian stronghold and latterly a leper colony. This whole area is beautiful, relaxing and fascinating. The food is superb and the hotels are among the very best in Greece. PAGE 2
Wednesday 18 April 2012 10:00 to 18:00 Registration. This will be in the reception area of the Elounda Beach Hotel. We have decided not to organise a specific trip for this afternoon as there will be plenty of opportunities for trips during the rest of the week and many Fellows and guests will probably not arrive until the afternoon. Most people will wish to fly to Athens and then take one of the very frequent short flights from Athens to Heraklion, although some places outside Greece have flights directly to Heraklion. Taxis can be arranged in advance or on arrival. For further details of travel please click on www.iaml.org/cms_media/files/iaml_crete_how_to_get_there.pdf. We intend to lay on a coach from Heraklion airport to the hotels if enough people plan to arrive at the same time, probably 15:00-15:30. For those who arrive at the hotel in good time, a trip into Agios Nikolaos, only 5-10 minutes away by taxi, would be a great thing to do before the welcome reception. There is also a lot to do at the hotel itself. It is highly unlikely to be warm enough to swim in the sea but the gardens are really beautiful, with many ancient olive trees and lovely views to the sea. 18.30 to 20.00 Welcome Reception at the Elounda Beach Hotel sponsored by The European Lawyer Reference Series (Thomson Reuters) to include the launch of their publication International Family Law Jurisdictional Comparisons The exact venue will depend upon the weather but the plan is to have the welcome reception outside in the lovely garden of the Dionyssos Restaurant which is part of the Elounda Beach Hotel. 20.15 Pre-paid dinner at Kafenion Restaurant Garden, the Elounda Beach hotel This is adjacent to the Dionyssos garden. The buffet-style dinner consisting of a wide variety of Greek dishes will essentially run on from the welcome reception. For those who do not wish to come to this dinner there are other options in the hotel or they may wish to go to Elounda or Agios Nikolaos, but it is hoped that as many people as possible will join in. PAGE 3
Thursday 19 April 9:00 to 16.30 Education Programme Many fellows have suggested that they should have slightly more rather than less education and we have therefore decided to set aside the whole of Thursday for the education programme. The programme will be put together by Helen Ward, Fredric Renström and Johan Sarvik and promises to be innovative, engaging and highly relevant. Lunch will be provided at the Ariadne Restaurant situated at the Elounda Bay Palace Hotel for those delegates attending the education programme. Please note that the education programme will be in the Zeus conference hall, which is part of the Elounda Bay Palace Hotel, approximately ten minutes walk from the reception area of the Elounda Beach Hotel. There are plenty of golf buggies for those who do not wish to walk, but bear the distances in mind when planning your day. 9.30 15.30 Guests Tour of Pania Kera, Lato and Kritsa with lunch (Please note: this is the only tour of the day as the fellows and lawyer guests will be in the education programme for the whole day; guests are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to visit the region.) Guests will be taken by coach to the beautiful and tiny mainly 13 th century church of Panagia Kera, complete with its famous Byzantine frescoes; from there they will visit the fascinating 7 th century BC Greek site of the city of Lato, well preserved and in a commanding hilltop position; the coach will then go to the ancient village of Kritsa where there will be an opportunity to explore the charming shops and galleries before lunch in a taverna. PAGE 4
18:00 to 19:00 Happy Hour at the Elounda Beach Hotel sponsored by Collaborative Family Law This will be in the Kafenion garden, weather permitting, and will be an opportunity to share some wine and conversation before going for dinner. 19:30 First Timers dinner. This pre-paid dinner is for fellows attending their first meeting, their partners and IAML European Chapter officials. It will be at Pelagos restaurant in Agios Nikolaos. Everybody else has a free evening so be adventurous. A list of local restaurants will be provided closer to the time. Friday 20 April 9:00 to 12:00 Education Programme Guests: The guests will be free to take advantage of the hotel facilities and/or visit one of the nearby sites. 12.30 18.00 Visit to Knossos for delegates and guests Knossos is about a 1 hour and 15 minutes drive from the hotel and this trip will include a box lunch. Knossos is a somewhat controversial site. It is renowned as being the palace of King Minos, in Greek mythology one of the three offspring of Zeus and Europa. Central to the story was the Minotaur (half man, half bull) PAGE 5
incarcerated in the king s labyrinth, eventually killed by Theseus with the help of King Minos daughter Ariadne. The excavation and restoration of the palace of Knossos was carried out mainly at the beginning of the 20 th century by Sir Arthur Evans, an Englishman who chose to rebuild parts of the palace and whose views about the likely form of the original architecture are still disputed. The old part of the palace dates from 1800 BC. It is one of the great archaeological sites of the world and is a must see for anyone visiting Crete for the first time. 19:00 Optional Dinner by the sea This will be in the village of Plaka, a small coastal village opposite the Island of Spinalonga, about 15 minutes from the hotel. There are two adjacent family-run restaurants on the edge of the water which will accommodate us (Captain Nikolas and Giorgio s) with an opportunity to have a brief walk around the coast and the shops of the village beforehand. Saturday 21 April 9:30 to 10:45 Education Programme 10:45 to 11:30 Annual General Meeting PAGE 6
12:30 to 16:00 Boat trip and Spinalonga Island The boat will leave from the Elounda Beach hotel and take us along the coast. After a light lunch on board, the boat will drop us on Spinalonga Island. This Island, just a few kilometres north along the coast from the hotel, has become extremely well known thanks to the novel The Island by English writer Victoria Hislop. This island was once attached to the mainland but the Venetians, who occupied it for some centuries, dug away the land in between and late in the 16 th century built a large fortification making the island one of the most important fortresses in the Mediterranean basin. The Venetians managed to hold on to the island even after the rest of Crete fell to the Ottomans in the Cretan war of 1645 to 1669, although ultimately the Ottomans gained control in 1715. From 1903 to 1957 the island was used as a Leper Colony and this is the period covered in Victoria Hislop s novel. It was one of the last active Leper Colonies in Europe. It is now uninhabited but has become an extremely popular tourist attraction and the abandoned buildings create an extraordinary and unforgettable atmosphere. 18.30 President s Reception and Dinner at the Elounda Beach and Elounda Bay Palace Hotels The pre-dinner drinks will take place, weather permitting, at the wonderful jetty bar almost entirely surrounded by water in the grounds of the hotel. There will be a 15 minute walk from there to the Thalassa restaurant where the dinner should take place at the water s edge (weather permitting). For those who do not wish to walk that distance, golf buggies will be available. If the weather is too wet or cold, the dinner will be PAGE 7
in the main Elounda Beach restaurant area within the hotel overlooking the gardens and the pool. Sunday 22 April Post Conference Trip to Hania We may be organising a post-meeting trip to Hania (Chania) in Western Crete if there is sufficient interest. Hania is a stunning ancient city and the trip would include a city tour and a tour of the surrounding area. This will involve a four hour journey by coach with 3 nights in the romantic Casa Delfino Hotel http://www.casadelfino.com/default.aspx?lang=en. Hania has an international airport and there would be the option of returning home from that airport either via Athens or by Easyjet via London rather than from Heraklion which is about a 3 hour drive. The proposed trip would involve and include the following: Sunday 22 April The coach would leave the Elounda Beach Hotel at 12 noon. There would be a stop in a restaurant for lunch on the way. Delegates and guests would be free for dinner on the first evening and able to explore the harbour close to the hotel. Monday 23 April 10:30. Leisurely tour of Hania taking in the main sights of the old town and to include lunch in a local restaurant. 18:00. Possible short boat trip with drinks to explore the beautiful coastlines depending on numbers 19:00. Free for dinner Tuesday 24 April 10:30. Tour of the surrounding countryside and villages with guide and local lunch. 19:00. Dinner together in Hania Old Town. Wednesday 25 April Morning: Travel to Hania airport (Transport to Heraklion airport can also be arranged). The hotel rooms cost around 200 for a double room including breakfast. PAGE 8
The total cost, not including the hotel, would be around 350-400 per person. This will only work if there are a minimum of say 15 people, although a number have already indicated a wish to build this into their itinerary. Please let Joanna Yiannitsarou know if you are interested Joanna.Yiannitsarou@charlesrussell.co.uk. PAGE 9