Filenews 14 December 2025 - by Dora Christodoulou
The four museums that have been created in recent years in Akamas communities are slowly gaining both European recognition and significant visitors. This was also demonstrated at the recent Conference of the European Cultural Tourism Network, held in Romania, where the four museums of the peninsula won the first prize, standing out among 54 entries from 15 countries.
The theme of this year's event was: "Visitor Experiences and Authenticity for Sustainable, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism Destinations". The conference was organized by the European Cultural Tourism Network in collaboration with the European Travel Commission, NECSTouR and Europa Nostra.
The jury praised the proposal for excellence in the revitalization of the museums of the Laona Plateau, highlighting practices of participatory, authentic and sustainable cultural tourism. The successful model applied to the operation of the four museums and which is now recognized as a European good practice of cultural revitalization received a high rating.
The main elements that contributed to the award, according to the committee's reasoning, were the integration of museums and their cultural resources into a single regional experience, the common promotional identity and the experiential experiences offered to visitors. Actions include guided tours, workshops, and educational exchanges, enhanced by digital tools and supported by improved accessibility through organized tours.
Awarded museums are:
- the Akamas Museum of Rural Life in Drousia,
- the Regional Information Centre for Birds and Flora in Kathikas,
- the Geology and Paleontology Information Center in Arodes
- the Turtle Museum in Ineia.
