Judging by the wonderful weather, the beautiful landscape, the proximity to Athens, but, most of all, the excellent organizing guaranteed by the experienced staff and the state-of-the-art facilities of Porto Heli Conference Centre, many medical and pharmaceutical societies, unions and companies chose us for hosting their conferences or their meetings.

Every year Porto Heli Conference Centre is among the top venues for conference organizing. This year, there was an overall increase in relation to 2015, an increase that almost reached 20%!

Old collaborations were renewed, new deals were made, making Porto Heli a favorite sestination for companies and conference tourism professionals.

All of the above are, of course, a result of our specialization in this particular market sector. With flexibility, attention to detail, complete understanding of the needs of the organizers, excellent and immediate service, experienced staff and amazing facilities Porto Heli Conference Centre and Porto Heli itself can guarantee one unforgettable conference or corporate event.

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The medical profession is constantly on the move, it constantly progresses, it’s always at the forefront. The specialties are so many that in order for the interested partied to be informed on their particular field they need a central forum where they will receive all the necessary updates. Porto Heli Conference Centre can take care of that need!

And this is where the significance of medical conferences shows. New treatments and therapies, new techniques, even new diseases are presented during medical conferences to doctors and professionals in the field. If a doctor attends conferences concerning his or her own specialty, then it is almost certain that when the critical moment arrives he or she will know how to treat (or will know who can treat) even the rarest of diseases.

Medical conferences are not useful solely to inform. Researchers, the pioneers of the profession also have the opportunity to share their discoveries with the world. That’s how thousands of lives are saved. They can also organize workshops, where the participants can have hands-on experience, so their knowledge won’t only be theoretical.

Medical conferences also allow doctors to get to know each other, to build relationships. This makes it easier for them to share their experiences and their patients’ history (always anonymously) and all this is happening while having in mind what’s good for the patient.

Porto Heli Conference Centre has all the necessary facilities to organize successful medical conferences and every year a plethora of medical conferences is held. We are proud that we participate, by facilitating the pioneers of the profession, in the progress of medical science.

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AKS Hotels have the experience, the knowledge, the professionalism, the reliability and the equipment to organize any event, from the simplest to the most complex one. AKS Conference Centre at the heart of Porto Heli, one of the most beautiful towns of Argolida, welcomes important Greek, European and global conferences every year, while the facilities of AKS Porto Heli Hotel and AKS Hinitsa Bay Hotel can be used for all kinds of events and festivities.

We are especially proud because AKS Hotels managed to complete one of the largest and most demanding productions in Greek television: for five consecutive days, the morning entertainment show of ANTENNA TV, To Proino, with Giorgos Liagkas and Faii Skorda, was broadcast live from the pool of AKS Hinitsa Bay, in front of the amazing beach of Hinitsa. Dozens of people from the hotel and ANTENNA TV worked together and tirelessly so that everything will work perfectly and the viewers can enjoy six mornings of pure fun, singing, news and partying.

Behind the cameras, the AKS Hotels staff made sure that the people of the show can have all the technical support they needed, while each request and problem was met immediately and effectively. Our experience in organizing events and conferences helped us keep a discreet presence, so that in front of the cameras only the beauty of the renovated AKS Hinitsa Bay can be seen, as well as that of the green mountain and the crystal clear sea.

One event, make it eventful, then. AKS Hotels can make sure that the organizing of events and conferences can be done without a hitch. For years now, they have been tested in difficult situations and have passed with flying colors, with the highlight being a show that belongs to the demanding world of Greek show business. To Proino enchanted the viewers once more and this time it managed it with the help of AKS Hotels.

So, if you’re organizing a conference or an event, AKS Hotels are the right choice. They have proved it, after all, on live TV!

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Each archeological site holds some mysteries. And the farther in the past the traces of its origins are lost, the bigger these mysteries tend to be. We are not, of course, referring to alien civilizations, mythic titans, discords between the gods and heroes that go down to Hades. The mysteries in archeological sites are a bit simpler, but their significance is much bigger and its consequences are much more important for modern archeology, history and the knowledge we have of ancient Greeks. Near Porto Heli is Mycenae, one of the most important archeological sights in Greece, but also one that still hides a lot of secrets.

One of the most interesting mysteries in Mycenae is the fact that the time when it flourished doesn’t coincide with what the archeologists estimate is the date of the Trojan War, during which, according to tradition and Homer, Mycenae, with King Agamemnon, played a central part. However, if the Greek ships sailed to Troy around 1150 BC, then Mycenae, the center of the Greek civilization during the Bronze Age, as well as the rest of the kingdoms of the area, couldn’t have participated, since they were already in deep decline, if they hadn’t been destroyed.

Another mystery that surrounds Mycenae (and this time we’re talking about the city itself) is the origins, but also the range, of the people that inhabited it. Scientists are well aware that they belong to Greek tribes – this is also proven by their early Greek writing known as Linear B – even though they have no idea where they came from. What is indeed known, on the other hand, is that their influence reached the whole of the Mediterranean Sea, but also northern Europe. Findings are placing them even in the south of Britain. The people from Mycenae were, then, merchants and craftsmen, with significant wealth, as is shown by the large quantities of gold that have been discovered, mainly in artifacts, with first and foremost being the so called mask of Agamemnon (though it is disputed whether it really belonged to Agamemnon).

Mycenae flourished long before the Trojan War, since the most important findings belong to the times before the middle of the second millennium BC. We are referring to the Burial Cycles which are, along with the Mycenae palace, the most impressive ancient ruins.

A trip to Mycenae is not just a trip in space, but also in time. Using your imagination, you might have the chance to fill in the gaps that science has still not managed to fill.

AKS Conference Centre – Porto Heli Peloponnese

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Wide roads, plentiful signs, usually brown that indicates sights to see, pointing you to the right direction, official entry with a fee, ubiquitous employees always ready to help, and a small museum with the most interesting exhibits in the area. You won’t find all these in Troizina, one of the most beautiful archeological sites in Argolida, since it is isolated in the mountains and access to it is through narrow, not very well maintained streets.

So, why should you go to Troizina then, the home of Theseus? Why should you leave Porto Heli, head to Ermioni (even though you don’t have to pass through it, you can just go outside it), take the full of twists and turns country road to Galata, then head north until you find the turn to the village of Troizina and then ask for directions that will bring you to the archeological site?

The answer is both simple and easy: because Troizina is surrounded by amazing landscapes and the ancient ruins included in the site come from various eras, while at the same time the route itself is a small adventure. Also, the village of Troizina, a bit before the site itself, is beautiful and picturesque and it could be a sight on its own.

Don’t expect facilities and services, which you’ll find in other archeological sites in Argolida, like for example in Mycenae and Epidaurus. You’ll get to Troizina by car, which you’ll leave right outside the ancient ruins, at a small parking space that seems improvised. And then, you’ll enter through the gate and you’ll choose at leisure, since there are not many people there, what to look at more from the variety of the buildings you’ll find. Theseus’ Palace, the sanctum of Hippolytus as well as the paleochristian temple have a special place in our hearts, the latter being the only building that hasn’t collapsed totally and its walls are still partially standing.

What you should definitely do, however, is take a long look at the nature around you. Troizina is on a plateau on the slope of the mountain, next to gorges. There are trees everywhere around it, but also inside the archeological site, while nothing, apart from the signs, will make you believe that you’re in an organized site. On the contrary, Troizina will offer you a sense of exploration, especially because it is slightly more difficult to get there.

So, if you’re ever at Porto Heli for a conference or on vacation, then we suggest you put Troizina in your itinerary. The experience will be unique and it will stay with you for a lifetime.

AKS Conference Centre Peloponnese 

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Argolida and Porto Heli don’t have only large and impressive archeological sites that can justify a full day trip. They also have many smaller places and landscapes that wait to be discovered, especially if your schedule is full and your time limited. If you’re ever at the AKS Conference Centre for one of its functions, nothing will prevent you from making the best of the little free time you have and taking a short trip to an amazing place, where an ancient monastery can be found.

The Avgou Monastery is one of the gems of Argolida. It was built in the rock centuries ago and now stands proud and alone between the cliff and the torrent, the forest and the clean air of the countryside. The Avgo Mountain and the Rados river (or, otherwise, Sellas torrent) host a monastery that is now a part of the landscape, inextricably linked to the nature in the area.

It might be very close to Porto Heli – it won’t take long at all to get there – but it’s not close to the main roads and you may not even encounter signs pointing you to the monastery, if you’re just going from one town to the next. You have to get in between the mountains of Argolida. Luckily the roads are very good for the most part and just at the end of the route they’re a bit worse.

Don’t expect to attend mass at Avgoy Monastery. The convent, that has been standing in its place for about a thousand years, since its construction is estimaded around the eleventh century, that is in the Byzantine years, is not without monks or nuns. Of course, if you’re lucky, you may go to the monastery during the few days of the year when ceremonies are indeed held. Besides, this shows that the place is not abandoned and is one more valuable sight of the area.

You’ll go to Avgou Monastery mainly to see this marriage of human intervention and nature, which can be found like this mainly in the monasteries of Greece. Argolida has other beautiful monasteries as well, like the Aghioi Anargyroi Monastery in Ermioni, but the Avgou Monastery has something unique that can’t be found anywhere else.

The Avgoy Monastery may not be so famous as Mycenae or Epidaurus, but it can definitely satisfy different needs that the visitor of Porto Heli and Argolida might have. So, if you ever find yourselves in our part of the world, whether it is for a conference or on vacation, make sure to include the Avgou Monastery in your trip.

AKS Conference Centre Argolis – Peloponnese

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Tiryns is one of the most important archeological sites in Argolida, even though it is quite frequently overshadowed by Mycenae and Epidaurus that attract more visitors due to their historical value and their cultural significance. Tiryns, however, will satisfy everyone who wishes to make the trip, since they will not only see the layers of history imprinted on the ruins of a city that flourished for centuries, but also enjoy a breathtaking natural landscape that surrounds it.

If you’re at Porto Heli for a conference or on vacation, then you will have to head north, through the mountains of Argolida. Tiryns can be found between Nafplion and Argos, closer to the Argolic plains, which the visitor of the archeological site can admire from above. The site also overlooks the Argolic gulf with its crystal clear waters. It is not at all difficult to imagine the reasons Tiryns was built and flourished in that location.

Besides, it is rather possible that Tiryns is even mentioned in the Homeric epics, though it is very difficult to be certain due to the changes in place names. Pausanias, however, who visited it during the second century AD found it already in ruins. The area was always inhabited until the modern years, but it never acquired significance until Heinrich Schliemann revealed its older glory by bringing to light the acropolis and the cyclopean walls.

The archeologists have discovered evidence that show that the city was already inhabited in the neolithic period, but it flourished during the Mycenaean era, until its days of glory reached an end when Argos, the strongest power in the area, destroyed it. The formerly impressive palace can be found at Lower Acropolis, while at Upper Acropolis you will find the eastern gate.

The hill on which Tiryns is built is surrounded by walls that can be as thick as eight meters, and that’s where they get their name: cyclopean. They are a very difficult structure to build, along with the waterworks of the city.

Just like Mycenae, Tiryns hosts some beehive tombs that are located, as is natural, not in the Acropolis, but a bit farther away.

Tiryns may not be your first choice for a trip to an archeological site in Argolida. But if you have that itch to get to know the history of a place, then Tiryns can definitely satisfy you.

AKS Conference Centre  Peloponnese

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There are archeological sites shrouded in greater mysteries. There are archeological sites more majestic. There are archeological sites that have been photographed more. But there are no other archeological sites in Greece that can make the experience of visiting them resemble more the authentic experience of the ancient Greeks that used them.

If you ever come to Porto Heli on vacation or for a conference, then you will pass by Epidaurus, especially if you decide to come to this beautiful little town by car. Even if you don’t pass by Epidaurus and the amazing villages of Palaia Epidaurus and Nea Epidaurus, still the distance from Porto Heli is short and we would suggest a quick trip there, if your schedule allows.

There are numerous reasons to visit Epidaurus. The ancient theater is one of the best maintained sites in Europe and it is indeed impressive to listen even to the whispers of those who are on stage, while you are standing on the top levels. Surrounded by forests, built on the slope of a mountain and next to a building complex that also was very significant for ancient Greeks, the Epidaurus theater is a necessary addition to your schedule.

The other buildings belong to the Asklipieion, dedicated to the god of medicine. It’s a place that welcomed pilgrims from all over Greece, who came seeking relief from their health problems. Asklipieion is often overlooked by visitors or the latter don’t even know that it is next to Epidaurus until after they arrive; however, its historical value may be greater than that of the theater, given its function.

Today, however, it’s the theater that has a greater cultural value, since the visitors can attend performances there, usually ancient tragedies, but also concerts and other cultural events. The performances aren’t all that frequent, since it is necessary to keep the grounds in a good condition, but if you get the chance to attend one, then you should be prepared for a magical evening that will carry you all the way to antiquity.

Even for actors, especially Greeks, taking part in a theatrical performance in Epidaurus is a dream come true, equivalent, all things considered, to playing in Broadway in New York and West End in London.

Epidaurus is an archeological site that must not be missed. Even if it’s just for a visit or for a whole show, we definitely suggest that everyone who is at Porto Heli should make time to head there.

AKS Conference Centre Porto Heli

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It is a common secret that Mediterranean Europe produces some of the best wines in the world. The valleys of northern Italy, the plains of France, the sea beaten coasts of Portugal produce wine that connoisseurs all over the world enjoy. Greece also shares this reputation of producing good wine, but it is less developed, so it is not a leap of logic to claim that the whole of the Peloponnese, and Argolida itself, with its fertile grounds, its excellent climate and its agricultural economy are at the forefront of wine production in the country.

The most famous wines in the Peloponnese can probably be found in Nemea, which belongs to Corinth, and it’s no accident that whatever is produced there is of Protected Designation of Origin. Argolida is of course not left behind, especially since part of the vineyards in Argolida, those that are mainly found to the northwest of Argos, belong to the so called viticultural zone of Nemea and so the wines produced there can also take advantage of the Protected Designation of Origin.

The variety that stands out the most and is, of course, the trademark of the area is Aghiorgitiko, a red grape, rich in taste, that is the basis of many of the wines produced in Nemea and Argolida. One of the reasons is that the grape grows in the varied elevations of the region and so can give the local wine different qualities.

Of course, Aghiorgitiko is not the only grape that thrives in this particular region of the Peloponnese. The wine producers of Argolida have made sure to cultivate varieties suitable to the climate that also give delicious wines. In the vineyards, you can also find Asyrtiko, Roditis, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot and others. Furthermore, if you head south, towards our beloved Porto Heli, you’ll see where Rokaniaris is cultivated by producers in Kranidi, the main town of the area. Rokaniaris gives a white wine, that goes ideally together with the rich in fish Mediterranean diet, while its aromas will excite even the most demanding wine specialists.

If you’re ever at Porto Heli and Argolida for a conference or vacations, you’ll have the opportunity to taste different varieties of red and white wine produced in the area or even take a small wine-tasting tour that will bring you close to some of the most important wine producers in Greece. Perhaps the enjoyment of a beautiful place is enhanced if it’s accompanied by the enjoyment of the palate, like the one only good wine, wine from Argolida, can offer.

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A few kilometers to the north of Porto Heli there is the archeological site of Asklipieion in Epidaurus, one of the most important and popular destinations for those who travel through Greece. The informed visitor would know that the ancient theater, with its wonderful and famous acoustics, is just part of the site, which had many more functions that weren’t limited to the arts, but also involved sports, gods worship and, more importantly, the health of the human body.

The name alone should provide a hint to the visitor that it is a site mainly dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine in Ancient Greece. During those years the Asklipieion would accept pilgrims from all over Greece, who sought health and well-being in its baths, temples and sanctuaries. Also present were the worships of Apollo and Artemis.

The pilgrims would probably stay at Katagogio, the largest building of the Asklipieion that functioned as a hospice. It is a bit further away from the rest of the buildings of the complex, exactly because of its use.

The most ancient and, perhaps, important structure is the so-called “Building E”. It is the place of worship for Asclepius and dates back – at least the first phases of its construction – to the sixth century BC. In the later years the worship of Apollo was also established there, while the archeological investigation showed that there was a place in it for blood sacrifices (animals were slaughtered to gain favor with the gods). A plumbing system carried water inside the building in order to easily clean the space.

The site also hosts the Ceremonial Restaurant, whose various buildings saw different uses. The Propylo (entrance) became a Health Temple and the main building was probably a Gymnasium for the pilgrims to exercise, though latest research has shown that it was probably a restaurant for ceremonial meals. A conservatory was also built there, but much later.

The Stadium is especially impressive, the site were games were held. The visitor can easily discern the playing field and the stands of the stadium and get carried away to an era when ancient Greeks fought for the honor of their city and their gods.

It is a pity that the central temple, dedicated to Asclepius, is not standing in its place. But there are the remains of a smaller temple, dedicated to Artemis, that is combined with the baths of the site.

The theater might be an imposing presence and the reason most travelers visit the site, but its main function had always been therapeutic. It was, after all, the center that would accept those that were gravely ill, a point of reference for the whole of ancient Greece.

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