EDEN 2010 JOINING INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO REACH THE CONFERENCE VENUE The Conference Venue Location The Vera Campus site is located to the north of the city of Valencia. Building “Nexus” can be easily reached from the Avenida de los Naranjos, close to the station Tarongers. See interactive location map: http://www.upv.es/plano/plano_upvi.html . Centro de Formación Permanente Universidad Politécnica de Valencia Building “Nexus” Camino de Vera, s/n 46022 Valencia (España) Tel. +34 963 877 751 / Fax. +34 963 877 759 e-mail: [email protected] For more information please visit: http://www.upv.es/organizacion/como-llegar-upv/campus-vera/index-en.html, http://www.cfp.upv.es From main Hotels By airplane HOTEL Barceló: 3,5 km (7 min. by taxi) HOTEL Solvasa Olympia 9,5 km (15 min. by taxi) HOTEL VillaCarlos: 2,5 km (7min. by taxi) Hotel NH Ciudad de Valencia: 3 km (7 min. by taxi) Galileo Galilei Residence: 1 km (11 min. on foot, 2 min. by taxi) Airport Information Service: Phone +34 961 598 500 Web-site: www.aena.es Distance from the airport to the city centre: 8 Km. Approx. cost Airport-Valencia city centre taxi: 20 Euros. Underground: Line 5 Airport/Torrent Avinguda- Neptú. Every 10-20 minutes approx. Line 3 Airport/Palmaret- Rafelbunyol. Every 10-20 minutes approx. Train ESTACIÓ DEL NORD (NORTE TRAIN STATION) C/ Játiva, 24-46007 Valencia Tel.: 34 902 24 02 02 www.renfe.es 1 Metro The Metro Network in Valencia is excellent, but not too helpful for small scale travel. It does not go anywhere in the centre, for example (that has to do with the consistency of the soil in the centre), and it tends to skip other important destinations, such as Canovas and the City of Arts and Sciences. So it is most useful when you need to cover a long distance. In particular, it is the best way to get to the beach. The metro will also get you to many destinations around Valencia, beyond the city limits. The metro costs 1.20€ fixed fee, to any destination within the city limits. The metro also goes way beyond Valencia, at an extra charge. Public transport Anywhere within the centre of Valencia it is actually easier and faster to walk. But beyond the centre - here are some options: Bus Valencia has a great bus network and it is the preferred way of getting around. The tickets are 1.25€ and you can buy travel cards for a number of trips that will work out cheaper the more you buy. Tobacco shops and kiosks normally sell tickets. You can view the map of the routes on the EMT Website. Each bus stop also has convenient diagrams of the routes from that location. You can also pick up a free map of the routes from any Tourist Office: http://www.valenciavalencia.com/services-invalencia/tourist-offices.htm. http://www.metrovalencia.es/page.php Taxi http://www.emtvalencia.es/portal/Main Radio Taxi Manises (tel: +34 96 152 1155), Radio Taxi Valencia (tel: +34 96 370 3333) and Teletaxi (tel: +34 96 357 1313) are the main providers. The prices are around: 20 Euros between the airport and the city centre. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Registration desk Conference Dinner and EDEN Dancing The registration desk will be located in the Foyer of the building Nexus on the ground floor. The registration desk will open on Wednesday 9 June at 15.00h. Delegates are advised to register and pick up their Conference Bag before the Welcome Reception in order to avoid the crowds and to enjoy the welcome. Registration desk service hours: Wednesday June 9th from 15.00 to 19.00 Thursday June 10th from 9.00 to 18.00 Friday June 11th from 9.00 to 18.00 Saturday June 12th from 9.30 to 14.30 Friday, 11 June. For delegates who have booked for the event. Tickets will be handed over upon registration. The dinner will be organised on 11 June in the famous "Les Graelles”, in the center of the city, near "Jardin del Turia". Address: Calle del Arquitecto Mora, 2, 46010 Valencia, Spain Tel: 963 604 700 Lunch / Coffee Breaks Lunches and coffees are included in the registration fee for all registered participants. They are served only for registered delegates. Conference Programme Detailed Conference Programme can be downloaded from the EDEN web-site: http://www.edenonline.org/contents/conferences/annual/Valencia/progra mme_valencia.pdf Services available in the Conference Venue At the conference venue Wifi access will be available. It is requested by the UPV IT services for security reasons that delegates send their Passport/ID card number to the EDEN Conference Secretariat ([email protected]) Would this data not be available, WiFi access may not be ensured by the university services.We regret that such WiFi registration on site may not be possible. The Welcome Reception Wednesday 9 June, the Welcome Reception will take place at 19.00h at the conference venue. 2 Madrid. Pay phones are either blue or green and accept either coins or phone cards, which are sold at post offices, tobacco shops and newsagents. Mobile phone operators provide thorough GSM 900/1800 coverage throughout the country. Email and Internet access is available at Internet cafes in most towns and resorts. Insurance / Liability Neither the organizer nor the congress office can be held liable for loss, injury or damage to any person or property or for any additional expenditure incurred due to changes, whatever the causes. Participants are advised to make their own arrangements for health and travel insurance. Name Badges Tipping All participants receive name badges at the registration desk and are kindly asked to wear their name badge for admission to the official scientific programme and social programme. Hotel and restaurant bills usually include service charges, but additional tips are welcomed for services rendered. In established restaurants tips of about 10% are expected. Drivers of metered taxis expect small tips and it is customary to tip usually 5-10% for most services, including guides. Climate Summers in Valencia are hot, but not unbearable. June sees Valencia with an average daily temperature of 22 ºC. Emergency situations Valencia, like many Mediterranean coastal cities, is cooled down by the local sea breeze with starts blowing at about midday and begins to calm by 4pm. The Mediterranean Sea during summer has an average water temperature of above and over 20 ºC. General Emergency 112 (multilingual) Police 091 Fire Brigade 080 Medical emergency 061 Safety Instructions Generally safety is not too much of a problem for tourists in Spain. Most visits to Spain are trouble-free, except for street crime, which is common in the big cities; travellers are advised to take precautions to avoid theft of passports, credit cards, travel documents and money. Be wary of strangers offering or asking for help of any kind, as it is often a distraction for accomplices. Time Zone Local time in June is GMT +1. Opening Hours Shop opening hours are usually Monday to Saturday 10.00-13.30 and 16.00-19.00/20.00. Shopping centres open throughout the siesta and a few shops, notably El Corte Inglés, stay open later (until 22.00). Local Customs Banking Services Standard banking hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30-9:00 in the morning until 2:00-2:30 in the afternoon. Some banks also extend hours once a week and/or are open on Saturdays from 9:00-13:00. Note: In the summer months (June-August) most banks tend to shorten their opening hours. Smoking in public places is banned and stiff fines will be imposed for smoking in areas such as enclosed public spaces, areas where food is prepared and sold, public transport, designated areas of bars and restaurants, and any places that cater for children. Currency Exchange The Mercado Central is not to be missed though Calle Colón is the place for international and Spanish brand name shops such as El Corte Inglés, Zara and Mango, plus lots of more expensive designer names. Off Calle Colón, look in at the beautiful Mercado de Colón, built in moderniste style in 1914, housing a small selection of boutique shops. In the Old Town you can find small individual quirky shops such as El Atril at Plaza Merced, stocking giant (original) bullfighting posters dating back to the early 1800s, amongst a whole treasure trove of genuine local, Spanish and international ephemera. Lladró porcelain is made on the outskirts of Valencia at Taverna Blanques where there is an exhibition centre and museum. There is also a huge collection in the flagship store in the city centre on Calle Poeta Querol. Plaza Redonda is the site of a popular open-air flea market on Sunday morning. Shopping Spain's official currency is the Euro (EUR). Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change and major hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops. ATMs are widespread and are generally the cheapest and most convenient method of obtaining money. Electricity Electrical current is 220 or 225 volts, 50Hz. Europeanstyle two-pin plugs are standard. Telephones The international outgoing code is code (e.g. 0044 codes are in use, access code for Spain is +34. The 00 followed by the relevant country for the United Kingdom). City/area e.g. (0)93 for Barcelona and (0)91 for 3 CULTURE HINT La región de Valencia The beaches of the Region of Valencia are undoubtedly some of the best in Spain, with hundreds of kilometres of Mediterranean coastline to be enjoyed. Not only are the beaches wonderful but the community is also an excellent area for water sports and sailing. It has one of the best regatta venues in Europe and is one of the most active and important harbours of the Mediterranean. The City of Valencia Valencia, situated in the Mediterranean coast of eastern Spain, is the capital city of the autonomous region Comunidad Valenciana. For several centuries it was the capital city of the Kingdom of Valencia, part of the confederation of kingdoms of the Spanish Crown. Currently, it has around 650,000 inhabitants. There are two public universities: the Universidad de Valencia, founded in 1499, with a generalist approach, and the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, focused on technical studies (although including the old Fine Arts School of Valencia). In addition, there are two new, small private universities. Not many cities are capable of so harmoniously combining a fine array of sights from the distant past with innovative, "avant-garde" constructions now being erected. Valencia, whose founding dates go back to 138 BC, is one of these fortunate few. From the remains of the Roman forum located in today's "Plaza de la Virgen" - part of the Roman city of Valencia - to the emblematic City of the Arts and Sciences, this town has transformed its physiognomy over the years while preserving its monuments from the past. Sightseeing hints in Valencia From space age architecture to baroque barrios, Valencia is an intriguing mix of new and old. The former is largely the work of local boy-made-good Santiago Calatrava who designed the city's Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC). It is what you might imagine from an Expo 2020, featuring five huge intriguing futuristic building complexes, with the space in between softened by tall palms and pale blue reflection pools. The Museo de las Ciencias houses a hands-on science museum; L'Oceanografic is Spain's answer to Sea World; L'Hemisferic features an IMAX cinema, laserium and planetarium; L'Ombracle is a conservatory with palms and plants; and the Palau de les Arts' stunning architecture draws comparisons with the Sydney Opera House. Down at the port David Chipperfield's cubist America's Cup Pavilion has also gained rave reviews. The Centro Histórico (or Ciutat Vella), still largely confined by the city walls, contains a number of beautiful buildings, from the gothic to the modernista (Spain's art nouveau) period. The atmospheric alleyways of the Barrio del Carmen is where the city's young and trendy now hang out, frequenting the burgeoning collection of cool shops, galleries, bars and, of course, indulging in ‘la marcha' - the city's renowned nightlife. Gastronomy Sun and oranges, delicious seafood, vegetables and very good wines... those are catchwords characterising one of the finest cuisines of Spain. Also rice which is produced here in large quantities is a protagonist in many typical dishes. The Valencianos understood to combine those ingredients to perfect masterpieces, Paella Valenciana being the most famous example. Useful links: http://www.cfp.upv.es www.aena.es www.renfe.es http://www.emtvalencia.es/portal/Main http://www.metrovalencia.es/page.php http://www.worldtravelguide.net/city/129/city_guide/Europe/Valencia.html http://www.wordtravels.com/Cities/Spain/Valencia/Overview We wish you a pleasant journey and look forward to seeing you in Valencia and sharing the pleasure of a successful and memorable event. 4