Kardamyli Festival 2024
Tickets go on sale 9am Friday 1st March
“An extraordinary setting, the most engaged and eclectic audience, delicious food, sunshine – everything an ancient Greek or indeed a modern anyone could want – my favourite festival.” — Rory Stewart
Kardamyli is the Peloponnese’s most beautiful seaside village and was the home of Patrick and Joan Leigh Fermor. What better place to stage a festival devoted to all that’s best in the worlds of literature, history and culture?
With just 370 attendees, this is an unmissable chance to join some of the world’s top thinkers within the spectacular seaside charm of Kardamyli in the Greek Peloponnese.
This year’s festival will run from Thursday 3rd to Monday 7th October. As always, it will begin with a 6pm sunset drinks party at the Leigh Fermor house to welcome you all.
Tickets cost £750 per person and we expect them to sell fast. The finished programme will be posted on the Festival Website, https://kardamylifestival.com, on April 1st.
Greece
Bettany Hughes will talk about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World while Emily Wilson tells of the equal wonder of Homer’s Iliad. Ex-Foreign Minister, Culture Minister and Mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyianni will discuss with Kirsty Lang Greece’s extraordinary voyage from financial crisis to European success story and Victoria Hislop will reflect on how modern Greek history has provided rich material for her best-selling novels.
Democracy
Jonathan Freedland and Sarah Churchwell will discuss how America’s paralysing divides have made this election the most important in its history while Misha Glenny wonders how Western democracy will survive the global lurch towards authoritarianism.
Geo-politics
Cathy Ashton will consider how Europe must adapt to a more dangerous, febrile world of AGI and authoritarianism while Jade McGlynn shows how Putin has used Russia’s past to justify his version of its present. Jeremy Bowen, meanwhile, tells of how the past has shaped today’s Middle East and brought forth the horror of Gaza.
Other worlds
What do other nations’ gardens say about their national characters, asks Tim Richardson while Merlin Sheldrake celebrates the entangled life of fungi and mycelium beneath our feet. Tom Mustill will show how AGI has brought contact with the non-human tantalisingly close and will put the haunting music of whales to the music of Vahakn Matossian in the same evening extravaganza that wowed the delegates at Cop 28. And, as if that isn’t enough, Ann Wroe will ‘Speak Well of the Dead’- as she has over the past 20 years as The Economist’s brilliant obituarist- with the help of Georgia Heneage, who writes obituaries for the Times.
Literary Lunch
On the Monday, Josh Barley will host lunch in Old Kardamyli, during which he’ll speak of ‘The Mani: its History, Feuds, Folklore and Song’. Afterwards, (with those that wish) he’ll stroll the short distance up to Kardamyli Castle.
Other Amusement
As always, included in your ticket will be Thursday evening’s party at the Leigh Fermor house and Sunday night’s gala dinner on the village quay when Ian Hislop will host a speaker game beneath the stars.
“For people who love books, history, sunshine and good company, this is a literary festival not to be missed.” — Anne Applebaum
“A magical festival in a glorious setting – like stepping into another world, filled with colours, ideas and joy.” — Peter Frankopan
