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AREADNE 2020 Research in Encoding And Decoding of Neural Ensembles Nomikos Conference Centre Santorini, Greece 16-20 June 2020 |
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Practical Information
Santorini is an island in the Aegean Sea, one of the Greek Cycladic Islands. Google Maps nicely shows Santorini (zoom in and out to understand where the island is in the Aegean sea, and its position relative to Athens). The island has two names, Santorini and Thira (TH'EE-ra, sounding very much like the English word theory); both names are in common use.
Firá (fee-RAH, subtly different from the island name) is the capital town
of the island, perched atop the edge of the caldera cliff formed in
part by the
volcanic eruption ca 1600 BC. Adjacent to Firá is the town of Firostefani
(fee-roh-ste-FAH-nee). The Nomikos Centre is in Firá, toward the
northern edge of
town, near Firostefani. The view of the caldera from Firá and Firostefani
is majestic. In these towns you will find all kinds of shops from tourist
traps to banks, public phones, jewelers, travel agencies, pharmacies,
internet cafes, restaurants, bars, discos, etc.
Kamari (ka-MAH-ree) is a small town located on an impressive beach on the outer edge of the island on the east. It offers tavernas, beach bars, cafes, and a diving center. Above Kamari is the archaeological site of Ancient Thera, and nearby are the active excavations at Akrotiri. A visit to one of these two archeological sites is scheduled for conference attendees.
Oia (EE-ah) is located on the northwestern end of the island at the edge of the caldera cliff. Oia (again, EE-ah) is famous for its romantic sunsets. Many fancy shops, cafes and restaurants can be found there. While there are many hotels in Oia, we do not recommend staying there as it is a 10 km drive from Firá along a narrow winding road, and it is not unusual for the trip to take 45 minutes when there is traffic. Why is it prounced EE-ah? In Greek, the two letter combination of omicron-iota is pronounced like a long E, as in the first syllable of οικονομία, the Greek word for economy.
What to Bring
You will be visiting a Greek island, so in addition to the conference, that means sun, sand, excellent food, and nightlife! We recommend bringing suntan lotion, a bathing suit, flip-flops, a beach towel, sunglasses, loose-fitting light colored clothing, and a hat. If you want to take a swim in the sulfur springs by the volcano (we don't recommend it), bring an old bathing suit as the minerals can cause the cloth to discolor. If you want to visit the volcano, bring sturdy walking or hiking shoes as well. Don't forget your camera and supplies like extra memory cards and batteries, and the charger!
The typical weather in late June is dry, clear, and warm (80 F / 26 C; 50% humidity; 10 mph / 15 kph breeze). The moon will be new at the end of the 2020 conference, so star gazing should be excellent. Current and historical weather for Santorini can be found at The Weather Underground, and Weather2. As of 2:00 EET on January 1, 1970, the conditions are 0 F / -17 C (current observation Powered by Dark Sky).
Renting a Vehicle
There are many hotels within walking distance of the Nomikos Conference Centre, so renting a motorized vehicle is not required to attend AREADNE 2020.
If you are planning on renting a two-wheeled scooter or a motorcycle, you must have a proper motorcycle license. Four-wheeled vehicles (ATV style) are widely available for those without motorcycle licenses. Helmets are mandatory by law.
Money, Electrical Power and Internet Access
The unit of currency in Greece is the euro (EUR). While a growing number
of shops accept credit cards, the Greek island economies are still largely
cash based. There are ATMs at many banks in Firá, including at the
main square. If your bank has a daily limit on ATM withdrawls, please bear
in mind that the last day of the conference falls on the weekend, and
weekend days (Friday-Sunday or Saturday-Monday) are
considered a single day for ATM access by some institutions, so plan accordingly.
Electrical power is 220 Volts at 50 Hz using standard European plugs (most commonly like this or like this). Most laptop, tablet and phone chargers are designed for global use, thus only require a small plug adapter and not a transformer (more info here from the US perspective).
While there are inexpensive internet cafes available in Firá and elsewhere on the island, and many hotels now offer wireless service, the conference will be providing only limited connectivity, and none in the main hall. This is a conscious decision to encourage attendees to participate in the conference rather than being distracted by email and the web. The response from previous attendees on this policy has been overwhelmingly positive. Please bear in mind that normal internet connections in the Greek islands are comparatively slow and can be somewhat unreliable. The island has experienced days-long interruptions in connectivity during previous conferences.
Mobile Phones
Greece has an extensive mobile phone network. Pay-as-you-go SIMs are available from many vendors throughout the country, and top-up cards are available at nearly every kiosk.
For US attendees with GSM/3G/4G phones, if you wish to use your mobile phone and home phone number, you will first need to verify that yours is an international or world phone. Then you will need to contact your service provider before departing the US to enable international roaming. Be sure to inquire about rates while abroad as there are often substantial surcharges! If you wish instead to get a local pay-as-you-go SIM, you will need to unlock your phone. Please contact your service provider for information on doing that. Allow a few weeks for either of these two changes. Also, if you have a 3G or 4G device (iPhone, Galaxy, Kindle, etc.) be particularly careful to understand the roaming and data costs associated with travel abroad.
More information about GSM/3G/4G phones in general is available at The Travel Insider, and about Greek mobile phones in specific at Living in Greece and Greek Landscapes. While GSM coverage is quite good throughout Greece, 3G/4G coverage remains spotty on the islands. A summary of Greek mobile coverage can be found for each of the major companies at Mobile World Live.
Day Care Facilities
Many hotels in Firá and Firostefani have day care services as part of their offerings. A web search for Santorini childcare will bring up a large list of hotel search engines. Please verify by telephone with hotels prior to making reservations that they do indeed have child care available.
Handicapped Access
As a rule, Firá can be difficult-to-challenging to navigate by wheelchair. Most of the pathways are cobblestone, and steps or substantial surface irregularities are frequent. The Nomikos Conference facility is wheelchair accessible from the road entrance away from the caldera, but the bathrooms are not accessible. Please inquire directly with hotels to assess how accessible they are. Also send email to the conference organizers at info@areadne.org to inquire about details.
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