ISSI 2007 - Madrid. General info

LOCATION OF THE CONFERENCE

Serrano, 117
28006 Madrid - Spain
Website:http://www.csic.es

The CSIC main campus is located in one of the most important and commercial streets of Madrid, in the Embassies' quarter, not far from the downtown, ten minutes walking from the Paseo de la Castellana, 30 minutes by Metro from Puerta del Sol (downtown centre) and half an hour by taxi from Madrid- Barajas International Airport. It hosts the three halls (Central, Rocasolano and Optics) where the conference will take place and the historic buildings of the famous RESIDENCIA DE ESTUDIANTES where lunch will be served.

Access:

From/to the airport: Barajas international airport consists of two different sets of buildings:

Terminal 1, 2 and 3 are together and used by all the companies not belonging to the OneWorld consortium flying both national and international flights. They are close to the city (15 km = 9 miles) and they have direct metro and bus conexion with the downtown. As the distance is shorter, taxi fares are unexpensive (20-25 euros to/from downtown),

Bus
Line 200. Avenida de América – Airport – Avenida de América. Red EMT buses. 5:20 to 23:30, every ten-fifteen minutes
Single ticket, 1 €; metrobús (ten journeys), 6.40 €. This travel card can also be used on the underground network. Children under four go free.

Metro (Underground)
Line 8. Nuevos Ministerios-Aeropuerto Terminal 1 2 3-Nuevos Ministerios. 6.05 a 2.00 am.
single: 2 €; Children under four are free of charge.

Taxi
To hail a taxi you must go to the taxi ranks. Please ignore any offers for taxi services inside the terminals. Check that the taxi puts the meter on at the beginning of the journey (flag down). Journeys with origin and destination to the airport, there is an extra charge of 4.20 €, so the total amount is the meter amount plus the extras. Baggages do not pay extra!. Ask for a receipt just in case you wish to make a complaint.

Terminal 4 is almost a different airport, served by the Spanish main airline Iberia and other member of the OneWorld consortium. It is a large, modern and beautiful building and now it is served by metro. As it is located farther taxis are more expensives (30-35 Euros). Both sets of terminals are conected by bus (no walking is possible). Please, take into account that Terminal 4S is part of Terminal 4: It is used for international flights mainly outside Europe. It is connected with the main building with a small train, so you need a lot of time for transfers (at least 30 minutes).

Bus
Line 204. Avenida de América – Airport Terminal 4– Avenida de América. Red EMT buses. 5:20 to 23:30, every ten-fifteen minutes
Single ticket, 1 €; metrobús (ten journeys), 6.40 €. This travel card can also be used on the underground network. Children under four go free

Metro (Underground)
Line 8. Nuevos Ministerios-Aeropuerto Terminal 4-Nuevos Ministerios. 6.05 a 2.00 am.
single: 2 €; Children under four are free of charge.

From/to the downtown:

There are TWO metro stations (Republica Argentina and Nuevos Ministerios) close to the CSIC main campus, but the best option is the Republica Argentina station of the line 6 (also known as Circular o Grey line). Nuevos Ministerios (lines 8 and 10) is not an option if you have to carry heavy bags.

By bus the following lines stop in the nearby of the CSIC: 16, 19, 51 (Serrano Street) and Circular, C1, C2, 7 in the nearby Republica Argentina Square. Important: If you are moving from downtwon the busses stop at Velazquez Street that is parallel to Serrrano Street.

Residencia de Estudiantes

RESIDENCIA is both a hotel and a cultural and research center located behind CSIC main building (See map), with two possible ways to go in: Through the main CSIC gate (recommended, through Serrano 117 and then to Residencia) or through Calle Pinar (not for late night arrivals).

Phone: (+34) 91 561 32 00

Public transport

Buses and metro have combined fares:

1,00 € for a MetroMadrid single trip (Fare zone A)
1,50 € for a combinated Metro single ticket (Fare zones B1, B2, B3)
6,40 € for ten-trip ticket (Metrobus). Ten-trip tickets are also valid on the buses.

Routes and maps for buses and metro

Taxis can be hailed by simply waving your hand. They are also available by phone: Radio taxi: + 34 91 447 51 80 / + 34 91 405 55 00 / + 34 91 445 90 08

Conference hotels
Three conference hotels of good standard, all located close to the CSIC Central Campus and not far from city centre.

Climate
In the month of June the weather in Madrid could be very hot. Most buildings and public facilities are air conditioned. Rain is infrequent but there are occasional summer storms.

Time Zone
Spanish peninsular time is Central European Time (CET) or GMT + 1 h

Tax
A value-added tax (VAT) is levied on most goods and services at a standard
rate of 16% (6% on books) and is included in all retail prices. Citizens from outside the EU can claim the VAT refund at the airport. It is a cumbersome procedure interesting only for expensive items.

Electricity
Spain has 50 Mhz, 220 volt current. Plug sockets are European continental standard (two rounded pins).

Currency
Euro (=100 cents). You can change your currency in the airport or in any bank (including the very popular savings banks called CajaMadrid or La Caixa), but the best change is to obtain directly money from the automatic tellers. 1 Euro is about 1,3+ US dollar or 0,6+ UK pound, but check a currency converter for the last update.

Credit Cards
All international credit cards such as Visa, Eurocard/Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club are widely accepted at all major hotels, stores, restaurants but not on taxis. You may be requested to show your passport as identification.

Visas
Spain is a member of the EU and a signatory of the Schengen treaty, so ID card could be enough for most EU citizens, but nevertheless, a valid passport will be required to enter the country in other cases. Please check individual requirements with regard to visas.

Culture and Museums

Madrid is one of the major capitals of the arts. Its galleries and museums are among the finest in the world. It is necessary to set aside a significant amount of time if you want to capture the full flavour of what Madrid has to offer.

If you are unable to stop over for very long, you will almost certainly find that you have more than enough to keep you busy in Madrid's three most important museums along the “Walk of the Art”: Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia Museum .
These three museums are located near the city centre, all within walking distance of one another, forming what is known as the 'golden triangle'. Although it is possible to visit all three museums in a single day, those who try will no doubt end their tour with sore feet. For art lovers, a single visit to any of these three will certainly be insufficient.

Madrid is also a lively metropolis with many pubs, cafés, discotheques and nightclubs open late into the night, where you could discover for example flamenco dancing.

Gastronomy

Since Philip II made Madrid the capital of Spain, numerous recipes and culinary influences from all the regions of the country have been incorporated into its cuisine, so that it is practically impossible to say which dishes are original and which are imported. Today Madrid offers a more Spanish than regional type of cooking.

Typical dishes are mainly hotpots, such as the well-known Cocido Madrileño with chick-peas. Among regional specialities the delicious asparagus from Aranjuez and the very typical Sopa de Ajo - a soup made of garlic- are delicious.

There are many dishes of lamb and veal, although surprisingly considering its geographic location, Madrid is a real paradise for the lovers of all kinds of fish. It has the second biggest fish market in the world (after Tokyo), and in shops as well as in many restaurants you will find a wide selection of fish of extraordinary quality.

Ideally suited to this kind of meal are the young and aromatic wines of the region, Vinos de Madrid. To round off your dinner in a very typical way, try a glass of Anisado de Chinchón -anisette schnapps.

In addition to these specialities, “tapas“ are a venerable gastronomic tradition. Served as appetizers with wine or beer, these savoury titbits (such as Serrano ham, tortilla de patata..) are a distinctive feature in many bars and restaurants throughout the city.

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Other cities

Distance between Madrid and main Spanish cities:

Toledo: 71km, Segovia: 87km, Salamanca: 200km, Valencia: 352km, Granada: 423km, Córdoba: 394km, Sevilla: 462km, Barcelona: 621km