|
The CIOSTA
2017 Conference will be held at
University of Palermo
Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences
Viale delle Scienze Ed 4, 90128 Palermo - Italy
A suitable
Google Maps link zooming on the conference location is here.
Italy is an excellent destination
for international meetings. In Sicily, the island in the center of the
Mediterranean area, you will find the regional capital Palermo, very rich
in history and culture, with a population of approximately 800,000 inhabitants.
The area has been under numerous dominators over the centuries, including
Roman, Carthaginian, Byzantine, Greek, Arab, Norman, Swabian and Spanish
masters.
Due to this past, to the cultural exchange that for millennia took place
in the area, the city is still an exotic mixture of many cultures. Many
of the monuments still exist giving the city somewhat unique appearance.
The old town of Palermo is one of the largest in Europe, full of references
to the past. Palermo reflects the diverse history of the region in that
the city contains many masterpieces from different periods, including
romanesque, gothic, renaissance and baroque architecture as well as examples
of modern art. The city also hosts its rich vegetation of palm trees,
prickly pears, bananas, lemon trees and so on.
The abundance of exotic species was also noticed by the world-famous German
writer Goethe who in April 1787 visited the newly opened botanical gardens,
describing them as "the most beautiful place on earth".
Something more about Palermo, the capital city of Sicily
Built and grown over the course of centuries, Palermo conveys a range
of diverse cultures and traditions, from the Fenicians to the Romans,
Arabs, Normans and Spanish-French people, until the recent unification
within the Italian kingdom.
At walking distance from the conference you will find the most famous
cultural and architectural attractions of the city. Among the others,
the beautiful churches of Magione, Casa Professa, La Martorana, S. Giuseppe
dei Teatini, San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Royal Palace and its Cappella
Palatina and the Cathedral, an extraordinary (and enormous) feast of geometric
patterns, ziggurat crenulations, majolica cupolas and blind arches.
The Botanical Garden is one of the largest and most ancient botanical
gardens in Europe, reserving very rare tropical species in open field
cultivation or greenhouse.
Moving from the city center to the more recent quarters of Palermo, in
via Ruggero Settimo and via Libertà, you will encounter very interesting
shopping areas enriched by the presence of the two main city theatres,
Politeama Garibaldi and Massimo, the largest opera theater in Italy and
one of the largest in Europe. Built between 1875 and 1891, it can accommodate
more than 1,380 spectators. The opera was designed and supervised by the
great Italian architect Giovan Battista Filippo Basile. It is considered
one of the most famous operas in Italy.
Walking within the narrow and characteristic streets of the city center
you will also be able to smell and taste the flavours of Palermo street
food: "pani 'ca meusa" and "panelle" (bread with fried
spleen or chickpeas slices), "stigliola" (grilled meat), arancine
(rice balls), "sfincione" (typical Palermo's pizza) particularly
abundant in the historical markets of the city.
Colorful and picturesque, you will find small open shops selling food
with their array of multicolored awnings, their brightly painted stalls
decked with assortments of fruit, vegetables or fish, lit with bare light-bulbs.
To get the real soul of Palermo, take a walk at its markets. You will
stroll through Ballarò market to reach Professa square with the
baroque Casa Professa del Gesù church. The 'Vucciria' market is
certainly Palermo's most famous, always bustling with colour and noise
(which possibly gave rise to its name). Eventually, just beyond Massimo
theatre you will find the Capo market, the most famous for the variety
of spices and aromas.
In the very close neighborhoods of Palermo, the small village of Monreale
hosts the Cathedral, a unique architectural jewel, built according to
the Bizantine style and astonishingly enriched with golden mosaics, representing
the main episodes of the Holy Bible.
General Information
AC Voltage
and Plugs
AC power is 220 Volts, 50Hz. Plugs have three round pins in-line (the
central is ground and may be missing sometimes).
Schuko (German-style) plugs are also used but somewhat less popular.
Most of the power sockets at the conference will be able to accommodate
Italian and Schuko plugs.
Currency, Language
The local currency is the Euro (the symbol is € ; 1 Euro ~= 1.15
US Dollars).
It comes in coins (1-2-5-10-20-50 cents, 1-2 Euros) and notes (5-10-20-50
and, less common, 100-200-500).
The local language is of course Italian.
Banks, Credit Cards and
ATM
Banks are typically open 8.30-13.00 and 14.40-16.10.
Most of them also have ATM machines ("bancomat"), which are
open 24/7 and take most credit cards.
Weather
The expected climate in mid June is from mild to hot, with maximum temperatures
in the 24 - 28 °C range and minimum in the 14 - 20 °C range.
|
