On the Footsteps of Erotokritos and Aretousa is an experiential cultural walk through the historic center of Venetian Candia (modern Heraklion, Crete). The program invites students and family members to explore their cultural heritage and local history while learning through discovery, play, and sensory experience outside the classroom.
Through riddles, observation, and creative in-situ activities, participants connect literature, history, and place as they follow the romantic journey of Erotokritos and Aretousa — heroes of the 17th-century Cretan Renaissance poem by Vincenzo Cornaro.
Moving through key monuments such as the Koules Fortress, the Arsenals, St. Titus, the Loggia, St. Mark’s Basilica, and the Morosini and Bembo fountains, participants uncover clues that bring the story to life and symbolically unite the two lovers.
The program emphasizes exploration, teamwork, and imagination, transforming the city into an open-air classroom where culture, storytelling, and family learning meet.
