Greece
Lakwn-Texnes
- 7 participants
- 1 group leader
- 1 facilitator
Erasmus+ Youth Exchange
Roots & Beats
From the edges of Europe to one common rhythm.
- Monemvasia, Laconia · Greece
- 20–30 October 2026
- 4 countries · 28 young people · 9 activity days
20 OctArrival
21–29 OctYouth Exchange
30 OctDeparture
01 · Overview
Project at a glance
Everything you need to know in one place.
28Young participants
4Group leaders
1Facilitator
9Activity days
9 days · 4 cultures · 4 musical roots · 1 shared European rhythm
02 · The place
Welcome to Monemvasia
A place shaped by stone, sea and stories.
Monemvasia is a fortified medieval town on the south-eastern edge of the Peloponnese, built against a rock in the sea and reached by a single causeway. For nine days in October it becomes the meeting point for young people from four parts of Europe.
Narrow stone streets, sea on every side and a community that has kept its own character for centuries. Here culture is not something displayed behind glass. It is still part of everyday life, which is exactly the ground this exchange needs.
03 · Your hosts
Roots & Beats is hosted by people who call Laconia home.
Lakwn-Texnes is a youth organisation from Laconia working with music, dance, the arts and local cultural heritage. Its work is built on the culture of this region and on giving young people a place inside it.
So when you land in Athens and travel south, you are not arriving at a venue. You are being welcomed into their home region.
Born in Laconia. Built around music, dance and culture.
04 · The group
The people behind the exchange
Meet the European team.
Bulgaria
Sportsroom
- 7 participants
- 1 group leader
Spain
ASEID
- 7 participants
- 1 group leader
Lithuania
Loud and Clear
- 7 participants
- 1 group leader
Four countries. Four cultural backgrounds. One shared group.
05 · The idea
Why Roots & Beats?
Four edges of Europe.
Different traditions.
One rhythm.
Geographical distance
Young people from different parts of Europe rarely get the chance to experience each other's local cultures directly, in the place where those cultures actually live.
Tradition connects people
Dance, music, food and local stories can become a common language between cultures and between generations, long before anyone shares a spoken language.
Europe beyond big cities
European cooperation and international opportunities should also reach young people and communities far from the major urban centres.
Tradition meets innovation
Traditional rhythms and cultural heritage can be the starting point for digital creativity, AI-assisted music and contemporary storytelling.
Our mission
To turn cultural roots into a shared European experience through music, dance, local stories and youth-led creation.
Connect
Strengthen European identity and intercultural understanding.
Preserve & Share
Experience cultural heritage as something living, not something that belongs only to the past.
Create
Combine traditional culture with contemporary digital and AI tools.
Participate
Give young people active roles, responsibilities and space to create.
Engage
Build a genuine connection between the international group and the local community of Monemvasia.
06 · The programme
What will we actually do?
Roots & Beats is not about watching culture from the outside. Participants will dance, create, interview, explore, perform and build the project results together.
01
Dance without borders
Four dance modules exploring traditional movement from each country, leading towards one shared intercultural choreography.
02
Four countries · four songs
Participants create four original tracks inspired by Greek, Bulgarian, Spanish and Lithuanian rhythms, combining cultural heritage with digital and AI-assisted creative tools.
03
Roots & Beats documentary
Participants become interviewers, filmmakers, storytellers and editors while documenting the exchange and the stories around it.
04
Monemvasia through local eyes
Meet local people, collect their stories and discover the traditions and cultural perspectives connected with the area.
05
Intercultural world café
Conversations around identity, diversity, solidarity, participation and what it means to belong to Europe.
06
Tastes of Europe
Food becomes part of the cultural exchange through recipes, traditions and stories from the participating countries.
07
Roots & Beats community event
A public celebration bringing participants and the local community together through music, dance, food and cultural sharing.
08
Scuba diving & port clean-up action
A complementary environmental and community action connecting active citizenship with care for the local coastline. The underwater part is carried out by appropriately qualified and authorised divers, while the whole group can take part in the port and coastal clean-up above water.
09
From experience to good practice
Participants help turn what they learn and create into the Roots & Beats Activity & Good Practices Guide.
The detailed day-by-day programme will be shared separately before the exchange.
07 · Where you sleep
Accommodation
Two places. One group experience.
Property 01
Green Apartments Monemvasia
Property 02
Cyrenia
The two accommodations are only a few minutes from each other in Monemvasia.
Meals
Eat local. Stay local.
All meals during Roots & Beats will be served at local restaurants in Monemvasia, giving participants the opportunity to experience traditional Greek and local cuisine as part of everyday life during the exchange.
- Traditional Greek cuisine
- Local dishes of Laconia
- Local culinary culture
Dietary requirements communicated in advance will be taken into consideration.
08 · Logistics
Travel to Monemvasia
One route, one group, one bus. Here is exactly how you get there and back.
Athens International Airport
Everyone lands here.
Meet the Roots & Beats team
The hosting team waits for you at the airport.
Private group bus
Arranged for the whole group.
Monemvasia
Your home for the next nine days.
Arrival
20 October 2026
Book your flight to Athens International Airport landing no later than:
15:00
The group meets at Athens International Airport and travels together to Monemvasia by private bus arranged for the project.
- Estimated arrival in Monemvasia
- 21:00–22:00
- Airport meeting point
- Arrivals hall, Exit 4
Departure
30 October 2026
Group departure from Monemvasia:
09:00
The bus brings the whole group back to Athens International Airport.
- Book your return flight from Athens
- after 15:00
Travel reimbursement
International travel is reimbursed up to the applicable Erasmus+ travel limit, subject to the travel conditions and submission of complete supporting documents. Please use economy and reasonable travel options.
Greece
Green Travel
€56per person
Bulgaria
Green Travel
€417per person
Spain
Standard Travel
€395per person
Lithuania
Standard Travel
€395per person
Spain & Lithuania, flying to Athens
Your €395 has to cover the whole journey, not only the flight.
- €315Flights, the amount to aim for
- €80Group bus Athens to Monemvasia and back, €40 each way, already paid by the organisers
- €395Approved travel limit
Book your flights at around €315 in total for both directions. You do not pay the €80 for the bus yourself: the organisers have already covered it, but it is deducted from each participant's travel budget, so your flights need to fit inside the remaining €315.
What you must keep
- E-tickets
- Invoices or booking confirmations
- Boarding passes for both directions
- Train tickets
- Bus tickets
- Relevant receipts
- Baggage receipts where applicable
Reimbursement is processed after the required travel documentation has been received and checked.
Want to stay a little longer?
Participants may arrive up to 2 days before or depart up to 2 days after the main programme dates, but only in agreement with the organisations.
- Extra accommodation, meals and personal expenses during those days are not covered by the hosting organisation.
- Participants staying additional days organise their own accommodation and personal arrangements.
- You must still be at Athens Airport on time for the scheduled group transfer to Monemvasia where applicable.
09 · Preparation
Before you pack
October in Monemvasia can still be sunny, but mornings and evenings may feel cooler or windy, and rain is possible. Pack in layers.
Clothing
- T-shirts and long sleeves
- Warm hoodie or sweater
- Windproof or waterproof jacket
- Comfortable everyday clothes
- Comfortable walking or sports shoes with good grip
Essentials
- Passport or national ID
- Personal medication
- Small day backpack
- Reusable water bottle
- Any personal essentials
Bring your culture
Bring something from home if it is practical to carry. It may become part of the intercultural activities.
- A traditional song
- A playlist
- A dance
- A recipe
- A small cultural object
- A flag
- Local snacks
For creative activities
- Laptop or tablet if you have one
- Headphones
- Musical instrument if practical
Useful, but not mandatory unless your organisation tells you otherwise.
Optional
- Swimsuit
Swimming in October depends entirely on weather and sea conditions.
Join Roots & Beats
Ready to join us in Monemvasia?
Apply to take part in Roots & Beats and become part of an international group bringing together young people from Greece, Bulgaria, Spain and Lithuania through culture, music, dance and shared experiences.
Monemvasia, Greece20–30 October 2026
Take a few minutes to tell us about yourself and why you would like to be part of the exchange.
- 01About You
- 02Motivation
- 03Your Situation
- 04Final Details
Application received
Thank you for applying to Roots & Beats.
Your application has been successfully submitted. Your sending organisation will review the applications and contact you regarding the next steps.
Application ID
RB-0000
Keep this reference for your records.
Back to the project10 · Questions
Frequently asked questions
Transportation to Monemvasia is arranged with a private bus rented for the group, travelling from Athens Airport directly to Monemvasia. For arrival on 20 October, please book flights that land in Athens no later than 15:00, so that we can depart together and reach the accommodation around 21:00–22:00. For departure on 30 October, please book flights that take off after 15:00, as we leave the accommodation at 09:00 and travel by bus to Athens Airport.
Accommodation, meals and the organised local and group transfers connected with the project are covered during the official programme. International travel is reimbursed up to the applicable Erasmus+ travel limit, subject to the project reimbursement rules and submission of the required documents.
Keep all relevant travel documents, including e-tickets, invoices or booking confirmations, boarding passes for both directions, bus or train tickets and relevant receipts. Keep baggage receipts where applicable. Reimbursement can only be processed once the required documentation has been received and checked.
Most programme days will include approximately three learning and activity blocks, breaks, meals and an evening reflection session. Some days may also include community activities, intercultural evenings, outdoor activities or special events. The detailed final activity programme will be shared separately.
Yes. Roots & Beats is an educational Erasmus+ Youth Exchange rather than a holiday programme. Participants are expected to take part actively in the programme and contribute to the group experience. Youthpass will be used to support reflection on the learning process.
Yes, additional travel days may be possible up to 2 days before and 2 days after the main programme dates, but only in agreement with the organisations. Extra accommodation, meals and personal expenses during those additional days are at the participant’s own expense.
Contact your group leader and the hosting team as soon as possible. More detailed emergency contact information and the exact airport meeting point will be shared before travelling.
Participants should coordinate their travel plans with their sending organisation before purchasing tickets. This helps ensure that the route, dates and costs comply with the project’s travel conditions.
No. Previous dance, music or creative experience is not required. Activities are designed so that participants can learn, experiment and contribute at their own level.
The working language of the exchange will be English. Perfect English is not required. The project is designed as an international learning environment where participants support one another.
Dietary requirements should be communicated to the organisers in advance so that they can be taken into consideration when meals are arranged.
Yes. Youthpass will be used during the exchange to help participants reflect on and recognise what they learn through the project.
A laptop or tablet may be useful for some digital, music or documentary activities, but participants should not assume that owning one is required unless their national organisation provides further instructions.
Yes. Wi-Fi is available both at the accommodation and at the venue where the activities take place.
11 · Support
Contact your team
For questions about participation, travel or documentation, your sending organisation should normally be your first point of contact.
Greece
Lakwn-Texnes
paraskeuopoulos
Bulgaria
Sportsroom
sportsroomsecretary
Spain
ASEID
aseidasociacion
Lithuania