STEAM, archery, creative moments, walks in nature and wellness
Spring has arrived and nature is reborn, just like Vamvakou – a small village spread out on the slopes of the Laconian Mount Parnon inviting you all year round to enjoy the mountainous landscape every season. Participating in original and fun activities every month, we become part of the village’s revival! This March enjoy STEAM programs, archery, creative moments, walks in nature and wellness – experiences planned with pure passion, all implemented by Vamvakou Revival as part of the Vamvakou Revival initiative, thanks to an exclusive grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
Technology and STEAM programs are not what one would expect experiencing when visiting a mountainous village. However, those who have visited Vamvakou know well that innovation flourishes at an altitude of 900m, at the V.Lab (Vamvakou Technology Lab fully powered by SNF). On International Women’s Day, an original lab is dedicated to women of science and Rosalind Franklin (8 Mar)! On the same day, robotics is combined with 3D printing (8 Mar) in a program simplifying the latest technological practices through stimulating activities, while Oculus Quest 2 devices become the means to practice amusingly at virtual reality applications (9 Mar).
Despite the chilly weather, you already listen to, observe or feel the first signs of spring by organizing exhilarating excursions or activities in nature! Can you imagine what it’s like to be an archer in the heart of the forest? Archery games (16 Mar) will introduce you –safely, above all– to the art of targeting, against the backdrop of the school’s mountainous landscape. Marked trails around Vamvakou await even more visitors to discover the beauties of awakening nature. Every month hiking and cycling excursions led by experienced mountain guides, ideal for all levels of hikers or cyclists, are organized. This March, we hike through the forest to the cave monastery of Agia Kyriaki (8 Mar) and the hidden site of “Loggous” (22 Mar). And if you prefer uphill, downhill and dirt roads on two wheels, both mountain bike rides (15 & 29 Mar) on HAIBIKE-assisted electric bikes are bound to thrill you. On Saturday afternoons (8, 15, 22 & 29 Mar), massage sessions complement your wellness experience in the mountains.
Spring’s first month stimulates creativity in young and old alike! Natural clay, one of the first materials man used, turns into a means of expression and clay play stories (22 Mar) offer us the opportunity to discover clay, playing with all our senses. The fun continues at a… different school (23 Mar), where traditional lessons turn into carefreeness, freedom in nature and joy, employing games, paints of all kinds, soil, balls, ping pong, and much more! And if you enjoy making crafts, they are not to be missed this month! Join us in creating glowing lanterns (29 Mar) and making our very own musical instruments in a luthier’s workshop (30 Mar), discovering sound and the structural elements of music.
Wear your “martaki”, spring’s white-red bracelet, so as not to get burned by the sun rays coming out and… see you on the mountain!
