location

Location
With its rich cultural heritage, impressive monuments, and charming natural landscape, the city of Athens is an ideal venue for a conference in August (photos). The conference (oral and poster sessions) will take place in the Emmantina Hotel (www.emmantina.gr), in Glyfada (a suburb of Athens), by the coast of the Saronic Gulf (click for bird’s eye view of the location by Google maps - please note, the nearby landing filed at the top belongs to the old airport which is not used anymore).


Accommodation
We recommend the participants to book their accommodation in one of the conference hotels, Emmantina (www.emmantina.gr) or the nearby Palmyra Beach (www.palmyra.gr) hotel, located in a quiet seaside location easily accessible from the bustling centre of Athens by bus and tram and from the Athens airport by bus. The following daily rates (including breakfast) have been agreed with the conference hotels for participants of Diffusion Fundamentals III:

Important note: Since July 20^to no more rooms are available in both hotels. We recommend to contact the Emmantina hotel by email or via the request form on the hotel website. The hotel will arrange a reservation for you in one of the A-class hotels nearby (e.g. Oasis or Best Western Four Seasons). Please don't forget to refer to the Diffusion Fundamentals III conference.

Access from Airport
Coming from the airport guests of the conference hotels may use the free airport pickup service. The hotel’s 13-seater mini bus is running every two hours from 9 a.m. till 7 p.m. (click to view Mini-Bus schedule). The mini bus departs at the parking area (Exit No 5 of arrival hall, to the right as you exit).
Guests are advised to contact the hotel to make seat booking arrangements well in advance. Shuttle service from the hotel to the airport is available from Monday to Friday at a charge of 9 Euros.

Alternatively you may use a taxi. The taxi fare is approximately 25 Euro plus a supplementary charge for every item of luggage. Taxis are available right outside the airport.

You may also use the public Express bus, number X96. The bus runs every 25 minutes, 24 hours a day. The bus terminal at the airport is close to Exit No 4 and 5 of the arrival hall. The fare is 3.20 Euro per person and tickets should be bought from the ticket office at the bus terminal or from the bus driver.

How to reach the different hotels via Express bus X96 from the airport:

EMMANTINA HOTEL (33, Possidonos Avenue, Glyfada, Athens): Get off at “Glyfada 4th Bus Stop”. The Emmantina Hotel is only 100 meters away from this bus stop.

PALMYRA BEACH HOTEL (70, Possidonos Avenue, Glyfada, Athens): Get off at “Glyfada 5th Bus Stop”. The Palmyra Beach Hotel is only 100 meters opposite from this bus stop. Please cross the road carefully. The cars do not give priority to pedestrians.

FOUR SEASONS (79, Possidonos Avenue, Glyfada, Athens): Get off at “Platia Katraki Bus Stop” (Pl. Glyfada). The Four Seasons Hotel is about 150 meters away from this bus stop.

OASIS HOTEL (27, Possidonos Avenue, Glyfada, Athens): Get off at “Glyfada 4th Bus Stop”. The Oasis Hotel is only 50 meters away from this bus stop.

See also the transport map; free maps of public transport can be picked up in the arrival area of the airport.
It usually takes 30 minutes to get to the hotel, by bus or taxi, depending on the traffic. The distance is 25 km.


Transfer from Four Seasons Hotel to Emmantina Hotel
There will be a bus transfer available between the Four Seasons Hotel and the conference location in the Emmantina Hotel:

Sunday 23/08/09
16:00 from Four Seasons to Emmantina
21:30 from Emmantina to Four Seasons

Monday 24/08/09
08:30 from Four Seasons to Emmantina

Tuesday 25/08/09
08:30 from Four Seasons to Emmantina
16:00 from Emmantina to Four Seasons
19:45 from Four Seasons to Emmantina

Wednesday 26/08/09
08:30 from Four Seasons to Emmantina


To Go Downtown
Athens has a well-developed public transport system. Many public buses run along the main road (Leoforos Possidonos) outside the hotels (usually every 15 minutes). The bus route A2 connects to Athens downtown. The bus to the port of Pireaus is marked A1.
For bus tickets contact the front desk of the hotel or buy the your ticket at one of the little ticket booths usually near a bus stop or at some of the peripteros (those kiosks that sell everything). When you get on the bus you have to validate your ticket in a little machine which stamps it.
Many additional details (e.g. maps at "Service Info" menu, tram lines) can be found on the public transport website www.oasa.gr.

Taxis You can either flag down taxis on the main street in front of the hotel or request one at the hotel front desk. Taxis are readily available. The fare to Athens is approximately 10 Euro. For scheduled taxi appointments there is an extra charge of 2.20 Euro. From midnight to 5 a.m. double fares are charged.


Useful Links
The following websites provide some further details on Athens, its history, archaeological sites, restaurants ...

• www.athensguide.com (Athens survival guide; city map, introduction, museums, restaurants etc.)
• www.culture.gr (cultural details)
• Athens at Wikipedia
• Greek Language (some useful phrases)
• Weather in Athens

Organizing Committee Athens: Nick Kanellopoulos, George Papadopoulos, George Romanos, Doros Theodorou

Organizing Committee Leipzig: Christian Chmelik, Tomas Binder

Email: info@diffusion-fundamentals.org