Military Tourism is an emerging field of thematic forms of tourism, focusing on the promotion of military history and collective memory. Through visits to historical sites, museums, battlefields, military monuments and cemeteries, the visitor comes into contact with critical moments of the past that shaped national identity.

The War Museum, since 1975, plays a leading role in the preservation, promotion and enhancement of cultural heritage as it operates as:

• Ark of military heritage, maintaining a large collection of relics, which are valuable documents of Greek history.
• A centre of study and education, as it has a specialized photographic and film archive, as well as a rich library, all of which together support research and education.
• Cultural Heritage Network, through its branches in various cities of Greece, thus promoting the preservation of military history at local and national level.

Military tourism, integrated in the broader development planning of tourism in the country, is a particularly dynamic sector of tourism, contributing decisively to the economic development of the country, as well as to the promotion of the rich military history and the preservation of national memory.

In the context of this effort, the War Museum was designated as the “Coordinating and Implementing Agency”, with the Memorandum of Cooperation for the development of Military Tourism, which was signed by the Ministries of National Defence, Culture and Tourism on 31 May 2021. At the same time, the War Museum cooperates with the Joint Coordinating Committee for Military Tourism, which was established by a Joint Ministerial Decision in 2024 and is responsible for monitoring and coordinating the actions and activities arising from the above Memorandum.

Through this cooperation, all stakeholders aim and work systematically to achieve the following:

• More comprehensive recording and promotion of historical sites and places, as well as the creation of thematic routes linking battlefields, historical fortifications and monuments.
• Protection and documentation through the conservation of movable and immovable monuments, but also the use of modern technologies for the digital recording and promotion of cultural heritage.
• Education and awareness raising, both for stakeholders and the general public, to highlight the contribution of military tourism to the protection of military heritage.
• Creating a sustainable tourism product that combines military history, culture and nature while respecting and protecting cultural heritage.
• National and international promotion and cooperation through participation in exhibitions and conferences and the development of partnerships with multiple stakeholders.

Through this action, military history does not remain just an aspect of the past, but becomes a living tool for understanding, education and tourism development. In this way, Military Tourism highlights Greece’s unique identity and contributes to the global effort to protect and preserve cultural heritage.

Indicatively, you can visit our website https://militarytourism.warmuseum.gr/en, where selected thematic routes of military tourism are presented. These routes link historical sites and artefacts, highlighting the richness of the military heritage through a network of places of memory, addressed to the general public as well as to researchers, educators and cultural tourism specialists.

According to the official website of the Lighthouse Service, the lighthouses are under the jurisdiction of the Naval Lighthouse Service.

They are governed by regulations relating to military installations and other specific regulations relating to the safety of navigation. Several of the stone lighthouses have been classified as modern monuments by the competent authorities of the Ministry of Culture.

Visiting a stone lighthouse in the Greek territory is possible only after a special permit has been granted to the visitors concerned.