Travel Information
Official Travel Agency
BCD Travel has been appointed as the official travel agency of the Conference. When you have completed the Accommodation Reservation Form (doc), please send it by fax to BCD Travel c/º Ms. Carmen Albert, who is the contact person for the Joint ESREL 2008 & 17th SRA-Europe Conference, or by e-mail (carmen.albert@bcdtravel.es).
Request for further information regarding the Hotel or any queries regarding your hotel reservation should be addressed directly to BCD Travel.
Hotel Reservation
All Hotel reservations should be sent directly to the Official Travel Agency, for the attention of Ms. Carmen Albert (carmen.albert@bcdtravel.es).
Tourist Programme (Pre or Post Conference)
There is a large choice of tours available to interested parties by contacting the official Travel Agency of the Conference.
Tours include city tours taking in the many historical sites in and around Valencia.
 Venue Location
The Conference will be held at the Campus de Vera of the "Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, UPV", in the buildings 6G, 7B and 7E. Campus de Vera is located to the north of the city of Valencia, and it is surrounded by farmland. Approximately 60 buildings make up a well-organized complex around the Agora, heart of the university life. Up to 108.000 m2 of green areas house an open air sculpture museum.
For a more detailed location of the conference venue see:
- Valencia's interactive map
- UPV's interactive map
- Valencia tourist guide
- Official tourism site of the Region of Valencia
How to Get There
Excellent links provide easy access to and around the Land of Valencia. There are two international airports (Valencia and Alicante) and three maritime passenger terminals (Valencia, Dénia and Alicante). The AP-7 Mediterranean motorway runs north to south providing easy connections to Catalonia and France, and there are good road connections to the rest of Spain: the A-3 motorway to Madrid, the A-23 Valencia-Zaragoza and the A-31 dual carriageway from Alicante to Madrid. Rail connections are also extensive.
The City
The city of Valencia is the capital of the “Comunidad Valenciana” and the province of Valencia. It is located in the middle-east of Spain, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The city is considered the third largest city of the Spanish State, according to its population rate, 1.500.000 inhabitants.
The province of Valencia has an area of approximately 10,807 km². Inland, you can find mountainous areas whilst on the coast the land is completely flat, and has many beaches as well as a big lake called “La Albufera”.
Valencia is a Mediterranean city that invites one and all to enjoy its diversity and unforgettable charisma. It is a city of contrasts, proud of its illustrious, deep rooted history whilst being at the cutting edge of all the latest social and technological developments. It is city open to all, accessible to everyone, it is a city which can be enjoyed by all residents and visitors alike.
Valencia is a city for encounters and contrasts. The legacy left by the cultures and civilisations which have reached these shores in the past still remains alive in the city's monuments and streets, not to mention in its people's hearts.
Business and trade coexist with leisure and culture. Valencia is a city that never sleeps. It has a rich cultural life with festivals, concerts, shows and exhibitions all year round.
A city like this can be enjoyed with all five senses. Dialogues flow smoothly, ideas float back and forth easily, lines of communication are always open and people feel at their ease. Valencia invites you to indulge your passion for the art of encounters.
The City of Arts and Sciences
 The City of Arts and Sciences , 21st century emblem of the Valencian Community, is designated as a fun a leisure space aiming to influence the scientific, technical, educational and leisure, tourist, economical and commercial urban fields. It is a unique place in the world to enjoy yourself with Art, Science and Nature.
The City of Arts and Sciences is situated next to the old bed of the river Turia, in the area between the Saler highway and the Moreras road; with a surface of 350.000 m². It has four great areas: the Art Palace, a plurifunctional building for the development of cultural activities of all kinds; L’Hemisfèric, Cinema-Planetarium with the latest technological systems; the Science Museum, that will house exhibitions of subjects related to science and leading technology; and the Universal Oceanographic Park, a big urban park with two aims: first, intended for promenade and relax, and second, for leisure and fun with the diffusion of underwater principal aspects.
The Beaches
In the Valencian Region there are 485 kilometres of coastline. Beaches of all kinds can be found from very long straight beaches to those in small coves or inlets. The sand is fine and golden and, on some beaches you can find fine, clean gravel. All beaches have a splendid climate and light.
In the north of the port of Valencia are the beaches of “Levante”, “Arenas” and “Malvarosa”, the closest ones to the city, and the easiest to get by public transport. Typical restaurants can be found here, where you can taste exquisite Valencian dishes.
In the south of the city, there is the beach of “Pinedo”. About eight kilometres away is the beach of “El Saler”, which is situated in an area of great ecological interest, with the “Albufera lake”, extensive pine trees, and one of the most prestigious golf courses in the country.
All along the coast of Valencia you can find beaches distinguished by the blue flag of the European Union, thus showing their cleanliness and quality of services.
Local Festivities
Valencian people are outgoing, generous and love street parties. The basic ingredients of Valencian parties and festivals are light, gunpowder, fireworks, parades, music, etc.
Fallas is our Valencian main festival. It takes place once a year from the 12th to the 19th of March. There is a rich explosion of colours, noise and gunpowder smell. Artistic monuments called Fallas, plenty of colours and satire, are all around the city. Music and people dressed with typical costumes parade through the streets. Magnificent fireworks, together with “Mascletás” (daytime fireworks displays) and the flowers' gift to the Virgen de los Desamparados are important events. Hot chocolate with “buñuelos” (a typical kind of cake) are typical of this festival. On the 19th of March, all the fallas are burnt, and the experience is unforgettable.
The Weather
Valencia enjoys a mild temperate Mediterranean climate. The average annual temperature is 17ºC with warm summers and very mild winters, rarely below 10ºC. There is only light rainfall mainly in autumn and the beginning of spring.
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