Local map with Conference venue, Seminário de Vilar and Ipanema Hotel (airbus stop).
The organization has made block reservations in
Casa Diocesana de Vilar (Seminário de Vilar)
Rua Arcediago van Zeller, 50
4050-621 Porto
Phone: +351-22-6056000
Fax: +351-22-6056001
Single room: 41 EURO
Double room: 62 EURO
(This residence is within walking distance to Palácio de Cristal)
The conference will take place at Biblioteca Almeida Garret, a library located in the gardens of the Palácio de Cristal exhibition center. A map of the center of Oporto, including conference location and hotel Casa de Vilar, can be found here. The São Bento train station and Avenida dos Aliados are at the right-side of grid G2 (station is marked with #6, at the bottom-right). The Palácio de Cristal is the big red dot at the center of grid F2. Biblioteca Almeida Garret is the building marked as #41 on the map, also in grid F2. Hotel Casa de Vilar is just across the street from the Biblioteca, in Rua de Vilar. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site. The map 'search' feature will locate a street for you, and give you a detailed map of its whereabouts. The Palácio de Cristal is located at Rua D. Manuel II (enter 'Manuel II' as query).
There will be a conference fee of 100 EURO for those who register before April 15. Late registrations will have an additional fee of 50 EURO. All fees are to be payed upon arrival. The fee will also include the participation in the social events.
To reach your hotel coming from the airport, you can either take a taxi (fares: 15-20 EURO) or use the 'Aerobus' bus service. The 'Aerobus' will take you from the airport down to Oporto and will stop at several hotels. If it doesn't stop near your hotel, exit at the last bus stop, Avenida dos Aliados, and take a taxi. You can buy your ticket inside the bus (cost: 2,60 EURO). 'Aerobus' tickets can also be reserved by phone +351 22 5071054. Trips back to the airport start at Avenida dos Aliados. More information about the 'Aerobus' can be found at the Oporto public transportation network site STCP (in Portuguese only). Information about Oporto airport can be found here. A map of the center of Oporto, including conference location and hotel Casa de Vilar, can be found here. The Avenida dos Aliados is at the right-side of grid G2. The Palácio de Cristal is the big red dot at the center of grid F2. Biblioteca Almeida Garret is the building marked as #41 on the map, also in grid F2. Hotel Casa de Vilar is just across the street from the Biblioteca, in Rua de Vilar. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site.
Upon arrival at Lisbon airport, the best way to continue your trip to Oporto is by train. Take a taxi from the airport to station 'Lisboa Oriente' (fares: 5-7 EURO). During daytime, trains depart from 'Lisboa Oriente' to Oporto approximately every hour. You can check train schedules here (English information available). The trip to Oporto takes about 3 hours. The end point is 'Campanhã' station, in the East of Oporto. To reach the Palácio de Cristal you can take either a taxi or bus 35 and exit at bus stop 'Palácio'. Information on bus 35, including its course map, can be found here. You can also take a train connection from 'Campanhã' to the more central 'São Bento' station (your Lisbon-Oporto ticket is valid for this connection) and take a taxi to Palácio de Cristal. A map of the center of Oporto can be found here. Train station 'São Bento' is at the bottom-right of grid G2, marked with #6. The conference location is in the center of grid F2, marked with #41. Hotel Casa de Vilar is in Rua de Vilar, just across the street from the conference location. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site.
Should you arrive at the Lisbon train stations 'Santa Apolónia' or 'Oriente', you can continue your trip to Oporto by train. During daytime, trains depart from 'Santa Apolónia' and 'Oriente' to Oporto approximately every hour. You can check train schedules here (English information available). The trip to Oporto takes about 3 hours. The endpoint is 'Campanhã' station, in the East of Oporto. To reach the Palácio de Cristal you can take either a taxi or bus 35 and exit at bus stop 'Palácio'. Information on bus 35, including its course map, can be found here (in Portuguese only). You can also take a train connection from 'Campanhã' to the more central 'São Bento' station (your Lisbon-Oporto ticket is valid for this connection) and take a taxi to Palácio de Cristal. A map of the center of Oporto can be found here. Train station 'São Bento' is at the bottom-right of grid G2, marked with #6. The conference location is in the center of grid F2, marked with #41. Hotel Casa de Vilar is in Rua de Vilar, just across the street from the conference location. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site.
Upon arrival at Vigo airport, you should take a taxi to the Vigo train station. The train service Vigo-Oporto runs twice a day. You can consult its schedule here (English information available). Information on Vigo airport can be found here (in Spanish only). The train will stop at 'Campanhã' station (East of Oporto), and will terminate its run at 'São Bento' station (center of Oporto). From 'Campanhã' you can take either a taxi or bus 35 and exit at stop 'Palácio'. Information on bus line 35, including its course map, can be found here (in Portuguese only). From 'São Bento' you can take a taxi. A map of the center of Oporto can be found here. Train station 'São Bento' is at the bottom-right of grid G2, marked with #6. The conference location is in the center of grid F2, marked with #41. Hotel Casa de Vilar is in Rua de Vilar, just across the street from the conference location. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site.
Upon arrival at Faro airport, take a taxi to Faro train station. There is a direct train from Faro to Oporto that runs once a day. Here is its schedule (English information available). It is also possible to go first to Lisbon, and there take a connection to Oporto. Here is the Faro-Lisbon schedule. You should get out at the last stop, 'Lisboa Oriente'. Connections to Oporto run approximately every hour, during daytime. Schedules can be checked here. The trip to Oporto takes about 3 hours. The end point is 'Campanhã' station, in the East of Oporto. To reach the Palácio de Cristal you can take either a taxi or bus 35 and exit at bus stop 'Palácio'. Information on bus 35, including its course map, can be found here (in Portuguese only). You can also take a train connection from 'Campanhã' to the more central 'São Bento' station (your Lisbon-Oporto ticket is valid for this connection) and take a taxi to Palácio de Cristal. A map of the center of Oporto can be found here. Train station 'São Bento' is at the bottom-right of grid G2, marked with #6. The conference location is in the center of grid F2, marked with #41. Hotel Casa de Vilar is in Rua de Vilar, just across the street from the conference location. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site.
After arriving at Madrid airport you will need to go to the 'Chamartín' train station. You can do this the easy way and take a taxi or you can try your luck with the subway: take line 8 and exit at 'Mar de Cristal', then take line 4 and exit at 'Avenida de América', now take line 7 and exit at 'Gregório Marañón', and finally take line 10 and exit at 'Chamartín'. If all goes well, you should now be at the correct train station. Unfortunately, there is no direct train service to Oporto, so you will need to go to Lisbon instead. There is only one service Madrid-Lisbon a day, and this is the night train at 10:45 pm (check schedule here). Upon arrival in Lisbon, you can exit either at station 'Oriente' or 'Santa Apolónia' and take a train to Oporto. During daytime, these run approximately every hour and take about 3 hours to get to Oporto. Here is the schedule. Important note: the Madrid-Lisbon train also stops at station 'Entroncamento'. You can exit there and take a train to Oporto. This will save you about two hours travelling. The end point of the train to Oporto is station 'Campanhã', in the East of Oporto. From 'Campanhã' you can take either a taxi or bus 35 and exit at stop 'Palácio'. Information on bus 35, including its course map, can be found here (in Portuguese only). You can also take a train connection from 'Campanhã' to the more central 'São Bento' station (your Lisbon-Oporto ticket is valid for this connection). A map of the center of Oporto can be found here. Train station 'São Bento' is at the bottom-right of grid G2, marked with #6. The conference location is in the center of grid F2, marked with #41. Hotel Casa de Vilar is in Rua de Vilar, just across the street from the conference location. An interactive and more detailed map of Oporto can be found at the right-hand-side icon frame of this site.
From the EU and from the USA visas are not required. USA participants may wish to visit the USA Department of State for more info on Portugal. For other nationalities, we recommend to contact the local Portuguese embassy. A comprehensive list of embassies can be found here. Visas are normally required to enter the EU for travellers coming from countries listed here.
The STCP site has all the infomation about the Oporto bus network, including maps. Unfortunately, so far this information is only available in Portuguese. Should it be necessary, we will update this page with English information on relevant buses and other means of reaching the conference place.
The local currency in Europe is the EURO. The rate to the US dollar is approximately USD$ 1.25 = EURO 1. For an up-to-date conversion, you can visit the currency converter.
In case of emergency you may contact some of the organizers at 91-653-0032 or 96-333-7940. Please keep in mind these are personal cell phones, so use these numbers wisely.
The weather in Oporto at this time of the year is extremely pleasant. The highs during the day are around 25 C (80 F), with a fresh breeze from the ocean. At night it is useful to have a light sweater. Humidity is overall quite low. You can find daily local weather information at the following website.
For general correspondence prior to the conference, please refer to the contact address on the home page. Upon arrival at the conference there will be a telephone contact if necessary.
