The Guides’ School of Greece is a three and a half years university state Institution authorized and run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece. Its purpose is to teach and prepare the future official licensed Guides of Greece for practicing their profession, which is to present and represent their country worldwide.
The courses of the school include 28 different subjects/lessons, the main being History (Ancient, Byzantine and Modern), Archaeology (Prehistoric, Classical, Byzantine and Post Byzantine) and History of Arts. The 25 secondary lessons varry and include from History of the ancient theater and architecture, Mythology, History of the ancient Greek literature, Geology, Geography and Ethnology down to Economics, Psychology, First aid and Orthophony.
Having to pass some of Greece’ most difficult university entry, semester and exit exams and of course after being tested in languages, one graduates after three and a half years of study, as an official licensed Guide and that authorizes one to work as a Guide all over Greece.
All official licensed Guides of Greece graduates from the Guides’ School of Greece should wear on them their official badge when guiding.The official Guides’ badge has a photo of the guide, the name of the guide written in Greek and Latin/English, the languages that she/he is allowed to guide on and her/his code number. It necessarily also carries the stamp of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Anyone not having that badge is NOT an official licensed Tour Guide and must NOT be trusted.
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Spirit Field
We invite you to explore several spiritual sites, varying from Prehistoric Sanctuaries, and Minoan Cave-Temples, to Greco-Roman Shrines, Byzantine Churches and modern Orthodox Temples. You will experience an approach on the ancient and modern ritual practices of Crete, researching the path and connections from prehistoric to historic religions, rituals and religious forms in the art.
The Prehistoric Worshipping of the “Great Mother”
Our private tours take place in the most astonishing prehistoric peak sanctuaries, cave-temples, shrines and worshipping settlements constructed on strong energy fields. Researching the worshipping of the Minoan “Great Mother” Goddess, you will be visiting areas of a unique natural beauty and huge historic importance.
What can those sites tell us about the people of that era? What can their Art tell us about them and their ritual? What are the connections of Crete and other prehistoric areas worldwide?
Examples of such unique areas of visit are the Cave of Eilithyia, the peak sanctuary of Anemospilia, the sacred chasm – peak sanctuary of Juchtas Hill, the peak sanctuary of Petsofas, Karfi late Minoan settlement, Idaion and Diktaion Andron and so many others.
Anemospilia Peak Sanctuary
Anemospilia Peak Sanctuary
Diktaion Andron
Diktaion Andron
Eilithyia Cave
Eilithyia Cave
Eilithyia Cave
Eilithyia Cave
Idaion Andron
Juktas Peak Sanctuary
Tylissos Minoan Shrine
Karfi Minoan Settlement
Phourni Minoan Cemetery
Ancient Greek and Greco-Roman Temples
You will explore the connections with the prehistoric past and the transformation of the previous Prehellenic/Pregreek religion and ritual into the one of the Olympian Pantheon. Is the Prehellenic myth and practice still alive in there? And in which form? What can be said about its “development”? What are the aspects of the “new” Gods in each case?
Examples of such sites are the ancient Greek city of Latos, the ancient early Greek city of Aptera, the ancient Greek city of Eleuhterna or Apollonia, the Roman city of Gortys, the Grecoroman city of Lappa and a number of others.
Ancient Praisos
Ancient Aptera
Ancient Lapa
Ancient Gortys
Ancient Lapa
Ancient Gortys
Ancient Eleutherna
Ancient Eleutherna
Byzantine Monasteries
We offer private tours in some of the oldest (14th-17th century) and most authentic Byzantine monasteries of the island penetrating into the byzantine iconography and its symbolism.
You will find out all about the development of the form in the Art of the Byzantine era, the meaning and symbolism of the iconographical circle in each church and the new society circumstances that lead to the specific depiction of the Divine in the form that you see it. How different is the Christian religion from the previous Cults of Greece? In which points do we have the entry of new elements in the cultic life and in which points Christianity steps on the previous historic path? What happens to the ritual practice?
Such unique areas of visit are the Byzantine Monastery of Kera Kardiotisa, the post Byzantine Monastery of Preveli, the Arcadi Monastery, the monastery of Vrondissi, the monastery of Valsamonero, the Byzantine Monastey of Kera at Kritsa, the monastery of Toplou and an enormous number of others.
Arkadi Monastery
Arkadi Monastery
Ag. Triada Tzangarolon
Agia Triada Monastery
Panagia Kera Monastery
Preveli Monastery
Toplou Monastery
Valsamonero Monastery
Vrontisi Monastery
Vrontisis Monastery
19th-20th century Orthodox Churches
The churches of today, Christianity today and the survival of the Byzantine principals in Iconography, Art, Architecture and Cultic life of modern Greece.
How close are the people of today to the church and how much alive are the thrills and legends bound up with miraculous icons and visions of Saints in the people’s hearts? What are the ritual practice principals in the church today and how close to the old tradition they remain? How strongly does the ritual practice appeal to the people’s faith and understanding of the Divine? How often do we see old and modern orthodox churches constructed upon ancient ritual sites?
Examples of the continuity of the old principals of cult into the cultic life of Crete today, are the Convent of Kaliviani Monastery, the church of Agios Myron, the Convent of Savathiana, the Convent of Pantanassa, the cave-churches of Agiofarago, the church of St. Thomas near Sissi, the church of Ag Antonios in Patsos and a big number of other unique churches.
