YOUR GUIDE TO THE 36TH FEMS COUNCIL MEETING General Information Event: 36th FEMS Council meeting Dates: 10-12 September, 2009 Venue: Institute d’Estudis Catalans (IEC) C. del Carme, 47. 08001 Barcelona Telephone number: +34 932 701 620 Fax number: +34 932 701 180 Email address: informacio@iec.cat http://www.iec.cat/ The Institut d'Estudis Catalans (Institute for Catalan Studies, or IEC) is an academic institution which seeks to undertake research and study into "all elements of Catalan culture." The IEC is known principally for its work in standardizing the Catalan language. The Institute's current president is Salvador Giner, elected to the office for four years in June 2005. The IEC is based in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, and the second largest city in Spain. Enric Prat de la Riba, the first President of the Mancomunitat de Catalunya, is credited with founding the Institute in 1907. The IEC is just one of a number of cultural and scientific institutions created at that time to lend greater prestige to the Cata lan language and culture; others include the Biblioteca de Catalunya (Library of Catalonia), the Escola Industrial (Industrial School), the Escola Superior de Belles Arts (Higher School of Fine Arts) and the Escola del Treball (School of Labour), el Centre de Recerca Matemàtica. Prat de la Riba also created the Escola de l'Administració Local (School of Local Administration), in order to create a body of Catalan civil servants for the regional government.
About Barcelona Barcelona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. It is the eleventh-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the Euro pean Union after Paris, London, Ruhr Area, Madrid and Milan. It is located on the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs and is bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge (512 m/1,680 ft). Barcelona is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade. It is a major economic centre with one of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports. Barcelona International Airport is the second largest in Spain after the Madrid-Barajas Airport (handles about 30 million passengers per year). Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage. Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is well known in recent times for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The headquarters of the Unio for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona.
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nowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is well known in recent times for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The headquarters of the Unio for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the Catalan government, known as the Generalitat de Catalunya; o particular note are the executive branch, the parliament, and the Supreme Court of Catalonia. The city is also the capital of the Barcelonès comarca (shire).
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Climate in Barcelona Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, humid winters and warm, dry summers. August to November are the wettest months of the year. However, the annual weather pattern varies greatly from year to year.
Weather averages for Barcelona Month
Sep
Average high °C (°F)
25.5 (78)
Daily Mean °C (°F)
21.1 (70)
Average low °C (°F)
16.7 (62) 85
st months
Average low 째C (째F)
16.7 (62)
Precipitation mm (inches)
85 (3.35)
Avg. precipitation days
6
Source: World Meteorological Organization (UN)
Accommodations in Barcelona Here is a choice of hotels located near the IEC (there are many more): Hotel Le Meridien (5*) La Rambla 111 Barcelona Tel: 933 186 200 www.lemeridien.es From 280€ Distance to and from Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 0.4 km – about 4 minutes Walking directions to Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 1. Head southeast on Rambla dels Estudis toward Carrer del Pintor Fortuny (0.1 km) 2. Turn right at Carrer del Carme 3. Destination will be on the left Hotel Rivoli Ramblas (4*) Rambla 128 Barcelona Tel: 93 481 76 76 Fax: 93 317 50 53 reservas@rivolihotels.com www.hotelrivoliramblas.com From 160€ Distance to and from Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 0.8 km – about 9 minutes Walking directions to Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 1. Head northwest on Rambla dels Estudis toward Carrer de la Canuda (45m) 2. Continue on Rambla de Canaletes (0.1 km) 3. Make a U-turn at Carrer de Pelai (0.2 km) 4. Continue on Rambla dels Estudis (0.2 km) 5. Turn right at Carrer del Carme 6. Destination will be on the left Hotel Turin (3*) Pintor Fortuny 9 Barcelona Tel: 933 024 812 Fax: 933 021 005 reservas@hotelturin.com www.hotelturin.com From 106€ Distance to and from Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 0.3 km – about 3 minutes walk Walking directions to Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 1. Head southwest on Carrer del Pintor Fortuny toward Calle de Montjuïc del Carmen (0.2 km) 2. Turn left at Carrer dels Àngels (77 m) 3. Turn right at Carrer del Carmen 4. Destination will be on the left Residencia de Investigadores (Residence for researchers, CSIC) Hospital 64 08001 Barcelona Tel: 93 443 86 10 Fax: 93 442 82 02
Hospital 64 08001 Barcelona Tel: 93 443 86 10 Fax: 93 442 82 02 investigadors@resa.es http://www.resa.es/ From 68â‚Ź Distance to and from Institut d'Estudis Catalans:
0.2 km – about 2 minutes walk Walking directions to Institut d'Estudis Catalans: 1. Head east on Carrer de l'Hospital toward Carrer de les Egipcíaques (14 m) 2. Turn left at Carrer de les Egipcíaques (0.2 km) 3. Turn right at Carrer del Carme 4. Destination will be on the right If you wish to look for more hotels, you may also visit: http://www.barcelonahotels.es http://www.barcelonaturisme.com http://www.barcelona-on-line.es
Upon your arrival at the Barcelona airport… The journey time from the airport to the centre is between 20 to 30 minutes depending on the time of day however all means of transpor take more or less the same length of time. There are four main airport transport options to the city centre. All of them are a reliable, efficient and clean, and they all take more or less the same length of time. These options are: • Barcelona Airport Taxis • Aerobus - (Shuttle bus service) • Trains from Barcelona Airport to Barcelona center Car hire The metro DOES NOT RUN to and from the airport. You will have to use the RENFE train or one of the four means of Barcelona airport transport methods listed above to get to the city center and then change for the metro either at Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gracia stations. The metro runs directly from both of these stations. Barcelona Airport Taxis Tel: (0034) 93 303 3033 Travelling by Taxi is a low-cost and convenient way to get from the airport to the city centre, especially if you have a family or a lot of luggage. You will find a taxi rank outside any of the main terminal exists. Look for the sign pointing to the nearest taxi rank. The taxis operate al night and there are several hundreds of them so you don't have to worry about not being able to catch a cab. The journey to the city centre will take you between 20 to 30 minutes depending on road conditions. If you have special needs or need a cab specially adapted for disabled passengers call this number: (0034) 93 420 8088 Aerobus - Shuttle bus Tel: (0034) 93 415 6020 The aerobus service is a shuttle bus service that links Barcelona airport to the city centre. This service normally runs every 15 minutes within its fixed hours of operation. You can catch the Aerobus from outside all 3 airport terminals. The aerobus will then take you to the city center where you can alight either at Placa Espana or Placa de Catalunya (there are other stops but we recommend you refer to the official Aerobus website). From there you can catch the metro underground. Ticket Price 4.25 euros for a single and 7,30 Euros for a round trip. Tickets can only be purchased on the bus. You can save 20% on the ticket price with the Barcelona Card. RENFE Train Tel: (0034) 90 224 3402 (Int) Tel: (0034) 90 224 0202 The RENFE train service runs approximately every 30 minutes to and from Barcelona airport to the city centre. Travel time is approximately 25 minutes. You can catch the train from Clot, Passeig de Gracia, or Barcelona Sants (otherwise known as Sants Estacio). The name of the stop you want for the airport is Aeropuerto. If travelling from the airport to the city centre you can get off at Barcelona Sants Passeig de Gracia or Clot which are serviced by metr
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You can catch the train from Clot, Passeig de Gracia, or Barcelona Sants (otherwise known as Sants Estacio). The name of the stop you want for the airport is Aeropuerto. If travelling from the airport to the city centre, you can get off at Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gracia or Clot which are serviced by metr stops. From these stops, you can change for the Barcelona metro underground system to go to your final destination. If you have not bought a T10 ticket and just purchased a normal ticket, you will have to buy another ticket to change at Barcelona Sants If you have a T10 ticket you can change without paying an additional charge. The metro runs directly from Barcelona Sants station and from Passeig de Gracia.
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Locations to Purchase Your T10 ticket You can purchase a T10 ticket from any metro stop or at the entrance to the RENFE train platform at Barcelona Airport.
The Barcelona Card gives you free travel on the RENFE train from the airport to the city centre. Alternatively, you can have free travel on the RENFE train from the Airport to Barcelona city centre with the Barcelona Card. Barcelona Sants station is a major rail station that offers train connections to many other destinations outside Barcelona. The train will drop you off about 5 minutes walk from the airport main entrance. Much of your walk will be via a conveyor-assisted walkway which makes it quick and easy if you have luggage to carry. For an up to the minute train timetable, you may check the RENFE website. Please note that this section of the RENFE web site is currently only in Spanish. You can still get the timetable information however - here are the translations to the form so that you can submit your enquiry: Origen = Start station (therefore select Aeropuerto = Airport from the drop down menu) Destino = Destination station (for Barcelona city centre, select Barcelona Sants) Consulta por tipo del dia = select for type of day (It´s best to ignore this box and just select your chosen date in the box below.) Leave the next few boxes as they are then just click the Horarios button which means Timetable. You will then be presented with a results table showing you the departure times. Hora Salida means departure time. Hora llegada means arrival time. Ticket Price A single ticket to Sants Station costs 2.80 Euros. Alternatively, you can use the T10 Ticket for your journey to and from the airport to Sants Station. The T10 ticket can also be used for other journeys on the buses and metro. Car hire from Barcelona airport There are 4 companies that offer cheap car hire from the airport. Note that Barcelona Airport transport is excellent and you really shouldn't need car hire unless you have special needs. If you do wish to hire a car, here are the directions from Barcelona International Airport –Institut d'Estudis Catalans (distance: 15.2 km, duration: about 19 minutes) 1. Head northeast toward Carretera del Prat de Llobregat (24 m) 2. Slight right at Carretera del Prat de Llobregat (0.4 km) 3. Slight left toward C-32B/Carretera a l'Aeroport (0.8 km) 4. Slight right at C-32B/Carretera a l'Aeroport (1.0 km) 5. Merge onto Autovia de Castelldefels/C-31 via the ramp to Ronda Litoral/Barcelona 6. Continue to follow C-31 (3.2 km) 7. Take the ramp to Lleida/Ronda de Dalt/Girona/Tarragona (39 8. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Barcelona and merge onto Ronda del Litoral (7.0 km) 9. Take exit 21 toward la Rambla/Montjuïc (0.6 km) 10. Merge onto Passeig de Josep Carner (0.3 km) 11. At Plaça de la Carbonera, take the 4th exit onto Avinguda del Parallel heading to Avinguda Parallel/Plaça d'Espanya/Montjüic (0.7 km) 12. Turn right at Carrer Nou de la Rambla (0.3 km)
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In and around Barcelona There are five main ways to travel within the city: Metro (Subway or Underground) Barcelona has a clean, punctual, air-conditioned metro system that will take you to most of the major sites. The metro is especially useful in the summer when it can be quite hot to walk everywhere. Below is a copy of the Barcelona Metro map.
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Barcelona Taxis Tel: (0034) 93 225 0000, Tel: (0034) 93 433 1020 Tel: (0034) 93 357 7755, Tel: (0034) 93 300 2314 Tel: (0034) 93 300 1100, Tel: (0034) 93 303 3033 Tel: (0034) 93 284 8888, Tel: (0034) 93 330 0300 Tel: (0034) 93 339 9262 Taxis are an affordable alternative to public transport. A 15-minute journey will cost about 10 Euros. Licensed Taxis have to charge you the amount displayed on the meter. However if you are carrying extra luggage there may be a small surcharge. Rates will be displayed inside the cab. Tipping is welcomed but not required. If you wish to give a tip give 5 to 10% of the Taxi fare. Official Barcelona Taxis are yellow and black and a green illuminated light on the top of the Taxi indicates that it's available for hire. If you're attempting to get around in the very heart of the city a taxi may not be the best choice. Most of the city centre is pedestrian ized and the roads that go through the centre can be quite small and congested. In such circumstances you have two main options, the Barcelona transport system (metro and buses) or walking. Car hire in Barcelona Generally a car is only required if you have special needs or if you are going to make day trips out of the city centre. Otherwise you will find the public transport system is cheap, clean and efficient and all you need to effectively travel around the city centre centre Buses There's also a clean and efficient bus service that serves Barcelona centre. To get more information on this service visit any tourist information centre for further details. Or visit the official TMB website for more information. Walking Surprisingly Barcelona public transport system is not necessarily the best way to get around! Why.... because the city centre is not as big as you may think. The metro is excellent and you won't have to wait more than 5 minutes for a train. However, if you choose to walk you'll be surprised to discover that many sights in the city are a lot closer than you think. Walking also gives you the added benefit of taking in the breathtaking architecture. Pick up a street map and try getting around the city by foot for a while. You'll be surprised how quick and easy it is.
Good to know… Opening hours of shops Shops normally open at about 10:00 am and close around 8:30 pm, Monday-Saturday. Small shops still have a siesta in the afternoon from about 2:00 pm until 4:30 pm. All trades are allowed to open on 11 Sundays per year. Nevertheless most of the shops on Las Ramblas are opened throughout the week, seven days long. Shopping bus Barcelona offers a unique service: the TOMBUS, a bus that brings you directly to all interesting shopping areas. It departs every seven minutes at Plaça Catalunya and goes up Diagonal to Plaça Pius XII. The air-conditioned bus is very comfortable with armchairs, music, and magazines. Pay on board (1,25 Euro per ride) and jump off at any of the 28 stops! For further travel information, you may visit the following websites: http://www.aboutbarcelona.com/ http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/ http://www.barcelona.com/ http://www.justbarcelona.org/ http://www.bcn.es/english/ihome.htm
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