Thirty important archaeological sites are connected around three main road axes of the country with the program of “Avenues of Culture”. The operating framework of the “Avenues of Culture” is defined by a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Association “Diazoma”, which was signed by the Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni and the President of “Diazoma” Stavros Benos. The program is part of the budgeted Recovery and Resilience Fund 30,000,000 euros, it is supported by the Management Directorate of the National Archives of Monuments of the Ministry of the Interior and has a completion time of 2025.

As Lina Mendoni stated, “As part of the holistic approach to our cultural heritage, we are creating an innovative program of Cultural Routes, which strengthens the traveler’s experience in our country, as it connects important archaeological sites, monuments and historical sites with three main road arteries of our country, Morea, Olympia and Ionia Odos. Our goal is to promote our cultural stock, to strengthen cultural tourism and to ensure the sustainable development of local communities. It is the first time that such a program has been developed on this scale, with the use of modern technology, available free of charge to all users and with a multitude of services, which, in a simple, understandable and attractive way, display all the information for each Cultural Route and the archaeological sites and monuments included in it. It should be noted that Cultural Routes do not simply connect places of cultural interest. Along the route external economies are developed which contribute to local and regional development. The purpose of the program is to strengthen the physical and digital accessibility of the spaces. The material for the documentation of the program is drawn from the “Archaeological Land Registry” of the Ministry of the Interior, with which the “Avenues of Culture” will naturally and organically interoperate. “Diazoma” provides voluntary services with the object of technical assistance in the field of program implementation. I thank Stavros Beno for the stable and efficient cooperation we have and for the “Avenues of Nature and Culture”, which unite cultural heritage with the sustainable development of local societies”.

Stavros Benos made the following statement: “The “Avenues of Nature and Culture” Program attempts to shape a new philosophy for the design and implementation of development programs in our country. This program was proposed by the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Association “DIAZOMA” and was included in the Recovery Fund in “Axis 4.6: Modernization and improvement of the resilience of the main sectors of the country’s economy (6/10)”, entitled “CULTURAL & NATURAL ROUTES” and a total budget of 30 million euros. Through this program and utilizing the dynamics of synergies, the highways become the “catalysts” for the access, promotion and permanent care of the monuments that surround them. 30 monuments in total located at a distance of 30 minutes from 3 main highways of our country, Olympia Road, Morea Highway and Ionia Road, will be upgraded with accessibility projects, but also with digital infrastructures that will optimize the work of the Ministry of Culture for the promotion and promotion of natural and cultural monuments. The “DIAZOMA” Association hopes that following this development, the highways will be able to contribute to highlighting the environmental and cultural stock of the areas they pass through, through actions of “adoption” and taking care of the monuments, as well as through their connection with the sustainability and sustainable development. In this way, the role of motorways is upgraded, so that beyond their basic mission, the transport of people and goods, they can also be avenues of “culture” and “ideas”.

The program, which provides for the upgrading of road connections of the individual spaces with the central road axes Moreas, Olympia Odos, Ionia Odos, – will be implemented by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport – is to be developed with the creation of a digital applications platform. The aim is to upgrade the presentation, visibility, and physical and digital accessibility of the spaces included in the program.

The “Avenues of Nature and Culture” program envisages the creation of an online platform and an application for mobile devices (phones and tablets), in which, apart from the monuments and the points of the route, the local products of the specific areas will be displayed. The platform will function as a free – shared repository of information about local agri-food, while both local producers and users will have free access.

Specifically, it is planned to provide, among others, the following services:

• Route view and individual monument points, with suggested routes and travel suggestions, interactive maps and travel options, concise but useful and understandable information about all the points of interest of the Route, the available benefits and services for special categories of tourism, the transportation service for visitors .
• Open Shelf of Local Products: The Platform will enable the posting and publication of local products by local producer with full details.
• Calendar of events: The Platform will make it possible to view a full and complete calendar (calendar) of cultural events and capture important dates related to the Route (e.g. entertainment events, celebrations and fairs, festivals, sports events).
• Guest suggestions: The online Platform will enable the production of personalized suggestions to the registered user based on the characteristics of his profile and the way of using the Platform and its services.
• Ability to plan a trip: The registered user will be able to write and manage his personal travel plan within the Platform.
• Chatbot application: The platform will support communication through chat and a specialized chatbot application, through which users will be able to receive immediate answers to their relevant questions in the languages ​​supported by the online Platform.

The “Avenues of Culture” include the following areas per road axis:

Moreas highway

1. Ancient Theater and Archaeological Site of Messina
2. Ancient Theater and Archaeological Site of Thuria
3. Kalamata (Archaeological Museum and monuments)
4. Sparta (Ancient Theater and Archaeological Museum)
5. Mystras
6. Megalopolis (Ancient Theater and Archaeological Site)
7. Tegea (Archaeological Site, Archaeological Museum, Temple of Alea Athena)
8. Mantineia (Archaeological Site and Ancient Theater)
9. Argos (Ancient Theatre, Larissa Castle, Byzantine Museum – Kapodistria Barracks)
10. Archaeological Site of Nemea
11. Archaeological Site of Mycenae
12. Nafplion (Fortress of Palamidi and Archaeological Museum)

Olympia Street

13. Archaeological Site of Elefsina
14. Ancient Corinth
15. Acrocorinth
16. Ancient Theater of Sikyona
17. Cogwheel Railway
18. Vouraikos Gorge
19. Patras (Archaeological Museum, Roman Conservatory, Voudenis Archaeological Site, etc.)
20. Wetland Kotychi – Strofilia
21. Ancient Elis (Archaeological Site and Museum)
22. Ancient Olympia
23. Chlemoutsi Castle

Ionia Street

24. Lagoon of Messolonghi (Tourlida)
25. Ancient Theater and Archaeological Site of Pleuronas
26. Ancient Theater and Archaeological Site of Oinados
27. Arta (“Small” Theater of Amvrakia, Castle, Bridge, Parigoritissa, etc.)
28. Nafpaktos (Limenas, Castle etc.)
29. Archaeological Site and Ancient Theater of Nikopolis
30. Archaeological Site and Ancient Theater of Kassopi