About the Excursion

The excursion to Methana is an optional activity organized for the participants of the SEGH conference.
Please know that for this excursion while places are limited and will be handled on a first come, first serve basis, there is a minimum attendance requirement of 25 persons.

The cost of participation is 165,00 € per person and includes:

• All necessary transportation from and to Athens
• Dinner on July 5^th, 2023
• Accommodation for one night in a double/twin room with shared occupancy.

For persons who would prefer single occupancy, there is a 30,00 € supplement.
Persons interested in booking a place for this excursion, can do so through the official conference registration form.

*Please know that the final number of participants could affect the final cost per person.

Excursion Itinerary

Wednesday, 5^th of July 2023
At around 16:00 participants will be transferred from the conference venue to Methana with a stop on the way in or near Nea Epidaurus for a short break.


If time allows for it, there will be a small detour at the small Ancient theatre. From there, participants have a great view of the fault escarpment defining the southern boundary of the Saronic Gulf.

Evening and sea-side dinner will be held in Methana town, followed by an overnight stay in one of the hotels on the seafront of Methana town.


Thursday, 6^th of July 2023
Participants will start the day at around 08:00 with a morning guided excursion to geologically interesting points (basement contact, various lava and tephra deposits), the prehistoric
Acropolis of Methana, the hot springs and active volcano (optional hike of 30-45 minutes, suitable for those reasonably fit only).

At around 11:30 participants will have two and half hours of free time with options to go swimming at nearby beaches (5-15 mins on foot), have coffee, lunch etc.

At 14:00 all participants will depart from Methana and transferred to Athens airport by 17:00 or to Athens centre (Syntagma Square) at 17:45.

About Methana

The Methana peninsula is a mostly volcanic peninsula on the Peloponnese opposite Aegina Island in the Saronic Gulf of Greece. The largest part of Methana is formed by overlapping lava domes from an active volcanic system that marks the western end of the Aegean volcanic arc. Methana is famous for its hot springs and thermal baths, hence its name.
An eruption in 238 BC built a lava dome on the northern tip of the peninsula and was described by Greek and Roman historians (e.g. Pausanias). Its complex volcanic system features a highly active hydrothermal system feeding numerous hot springs and fumaroles, developed along the main fault lines that also defined some of the ascent routes of magmas in the past.


Methana represents a great natural resource to study the formation, differentiation and ascent of mixed magmas of various, mostly acidic compositions forming lava domes in a complex tectonic setting at the margin of a subduction zone. Also, the shallow (<20 m) underwater hot springs, releasing hydrothermal fluid rich in carbon dioxide, makes Methana an interesting study area for the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems. Environmental stressors induced by human activity are also present due to proximity to the mainland and the sixth busiest port of Europe (Piraeus), presence of fish farms etc. The area played an important role as a spa destination in the 19th and 20th century. After a gradual decline in popularity since the 1980s, and the closure of the main thermal baths, it is now slowly being rediscovered as an attractive tourist destination within easy reach of Athens. The field trip will provide the opportunity to discuss environmental issues of the area while enjoying the volcanic scenery over the blue Aegean Sea.