About Madrid

Madrid is located in the geographical centre of the Iberian peninsula at the crossroads between Europe, America and Africa with excellent connections by air with the main cities of the world. 

The city lies on a plateau, known as the Meseta, at an altitude of 640 meters above sea level. The climate of Madrid is characterized by warm dry summers and cold winters. 

Madrid has been the capital of Spain since 1562 and due to its economic, political and cultural influence Madrid is ranked as one of the major world cities. Today, Madrid blends perfectly the spirit of a modern and vibrant city with the legacy left by centuries of art and culture. 

The historical landmark of the city is The Royal Palace and Almudena's Cathedral. The three major art museums, the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen, form the Golden Triangle of Art. They are all within walking distance of each other and house the greatest art collection in the world. Madrid also has some 70 other museums, innumerable monuments and a wide and varied program of concerts, ballet and opera. Madrid has several nearby cities with a varied artistic and historical wealth. For example: El Escorial, Aranjuez, Toledo and Segovia.

The open and welcoming nature of Madrid makes hospitality a feature of the city. It offers a unique choice of entertainment through which the visitor can experience the vitality of the city. In Madrid shopping is fun and eating a pleasure. Enjoy the summer terraces, trendy bars and the nightlife of a city that seems never to sleep.

For more information about the city visit the website of the city of Madrid esmadrid.com. On this web site you will find What's on Madrid and a City Guide including, where to eat, tapas bars, nightlife (summer terraces), what to do with children, buildings & monuments, parks, ....

For additional information about Spain visit the official website for tourism spain.info

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Accommodation

With over 2000 hotels Madrid has accommodation to serve all needs and tastes. We have selected a few hotels near the conference venue but note that the conference organizers don't provide booking services. You should contact the hotel of your choice and do the booking yourself.

Some of these hotels are keeping a certain number of rooms for ITiCSE 2008 attendees at a special conference rate. To book these rooms mail to the contact address provided below indicating that you are attending ITiCSE 2008 before the deadline set by the hotel. After the deadline the rooms that have not been reserved will be made available trough the hotel web system at the hotel regular internet rate.

Hotels within walking distance to the conference venue: 

• Hotel Hesperia Madrid 5*, Paseo de la Castellana 57, 0.2 Km to conference venue.
• NH Zurbano 3*, c/ Zurbano 79-81, 0.3 km to conference venue.
  Conference rate: Double Room Single Use, Friday-Sunday €107, Monday-Thursday €145. Double Room, Friday-Sunday €119, Monday-Thursday €156. Breakfast included. 7% Tax not included. Number of rooms: 40.
  Contact: nhzurbano@nh-hotels.com. Reference number 54445231. Book before April 15.
• Hotel Occidental Miguel Angel 5* & Urban Spa, c/Miguel Angel 29-31, 0.4 Km to conference venue.
• Hotel Hesperia Emperatriz 4*, c/ Lopez de Hoyos 4, 0.5 km to conference venue.
  Conference rate: Double Room Single Use, €132; Double Room, €143.  Breakfast included. 7% Tax not included. Number of rooms: 50.
  Contact: reservas@hesperia-emperatriz.com. To the attention of Srta. Raquel. Book before April 15. This hotel is sold out of rooms at conference rates.
• NH Abascal 4*, c/José Abascal 47, 0.5 Km to conference venue.
  Conference rate: Double Room Single Use, Friday-Sunday €127, Monday-Thursday €178. Double Room, Friday-Sunday €147, Monday-Thursday €190. Breakfast included. 7% Tax not included. Number of rooms: 40.
  Contact: nhabascal@nh-abascal.com. Reference number 55048141. Book before April 15.
• Hotel Melia Galgos 4*S, c/ Claudio Coello 139, 0.7 km to conference venue.
  Conference rate: Double Room Single Use, Friday-Sunday €125, Monday-Thursday €167. Double Room, Friday-Sunday €125, Monday-Thursday €177. Breakfast included. 7% Tax not included. Number of Rooms: 30. 
  Contact: melia.galgos@solmelia.com. Book before May 15.

ITiCSE 2008 Roommate Database. Use this database to find a roommate and share hotel costs.

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Important Addresses

Conference Venue

Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales

• Location: c/ José Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 - Madrid, Spain. Next to the National Science Museum. Map
• Subway: Gregorio Marañón (0.3 km, Lines 7 and 10) and Nuevos Ministerios (0.8 km, Lines 6, 8 and 10).
• Bus: Lines 7, 12, 14, 27, 40, 45, 147, 150, 250 and Circular (circle)

Civic Reception (Monday June 30) 

Cecilio Rodriguez Gardens

• Location: Inside Retiro Park, at the Avda. Menendez Pelayo/Ibiza entrance. Map
• Subway: Ibiza (Line 9 ) and Retiro (main entrance to Retiro Park, Line 2).
• Bus: Line 61 (from conference hotels to Ibiza/Narvaez)

Conference Banquet (Tuesday July 1)

Pedro Larumbe Restaurant, Salones de La Redacción.

• Location: ABC Serrano shopping center, c/ Serrano 61, (parking access Castellana 34). Map
• Transport: Within walking distance from conference hotels and conference venue

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Excursions

Sunday, June 29

Royal Palace and Toledo

• Royal Palace: Built in the XVIII century upon the ancient Baroque Italian style Alcazar of the Hapsburgs. It is one of the beautiful and well preserved palaces in Europe. The Palace was the official residence of the Spanish Monarchy from 1761 to 1931. 
• Toledo: the beautiful imperial city-museum of Toledo is located  70 km away from Madrid. It is one of the oldest towns in Europe, called "city of the three cultures", since Christians, Muslims and Jews lived together. Its genuine Spanish buildings include almost all the periods in the history (Arab, Gothic, Mudejar, Renaissance and  Baroque style). Here lived the great painter El Greco in the XVI century.
• Lunch at Monterrey restaurant in the outskirts of Toledo.
• Excursion departs at 9 AM from the Conference venue. Duration 9 hours.
• Excursion cost: $135. Lunch without drinks included.

• El Escorial: Declared Human heritage, it is a symbol of the Spanish Power in the XVI century and commemorates the San Quentin Battle. It is also a mausoleum for Charles V.  The symmetry and balance of the construction according to the humanist Renaissance style made it considered the eight wonder of the world for a long time. 
• Segovia: The Roman empire left in Segovia the Aqueduct, which is 16 km long. It was the residence of some of the kings of Castile and preserves one of the most important medieval group of buildings in Spain. The cathedral is considered "the Lady of the Cathedrals" thanks to its elegance and the Alcazar is the most spectacular castle in the country. 
• Lunch at the El Cordero restaurant near the aqueduct.
• Excursion departs at 9 AM from the Conference venue. Duration 9 hours.
• Excursion cost: $110. Lunch without drinks included.

Wednesday, July 2

Panoramic Coach Tour of  Madrid and Prado Museum or Queen Sophia Museum 

• Madrid shows the onlooker multiple faces that history has left behind, such as its medieval origin as an Arab fortress characterized by its ancient buildings and the smell of its taverns. We'll drive through the Hapsburgs district characterized by Philip II and his Renaissance and Baroque style buildings like those in the Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa. We will visit the Madrid of the Bourbons and the complex town planning schemes of Charles III, the Royal Palace, Cibeles and Neptuno fountains and the Puerta de Alcalá. We will admire the works of José Bonaparte in the XIX century, such as the elegant Plaza de Oriente and the Prado Museum. We will discover contemporary Madrid with avenues such as Gran Vía, Castellana, the district of Salamanca, Plaza Castilla, Parque del Oeste, University Campus, commercial and financial zones of modern Madrid, the emblematic Las Ventas bullring and the Santiago Bernabeu Football Stadium.
• Guided visit tour to the museum of your choice: Prado Museum or Queen Sophia Museum.
• Tour departs at 4 PM from the Conference Venue. Duration 4 hours. 
• Excursion cost: $50. Select the excursion with the museum of your choice when you register.

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Transport

By Plane

All flights arrive at Madrid-Barajas Airport which is located within city limits 12 km from the city center. It has four terminals T1, T2, T3 and T4 (with its satellite terminal T4S). Iberia Airlines and the rest of airlines belonging to the One World Alliance, British Airways, American Airlines,....... use the new terminal T4-T4S. With very few exceptions the rest of international airlines use Terminal T1.

To reach downtown:

• By Subway (Metro): Take Line 8 to Nuevos Ministerios, estimated travel time is 14-17 minutes and ticket cost €1.There are two Airport Metro stations. One is located at terminal T2 and the other one at terminal T4. If you arrive to terminal T1 use the internal walkway to terminal T2. If you arrive to terminal T4S take the internal train connecting to T4 main building.
• By Bus (EMT): From terminal T4 use line 204 to Avenida de América, travel time 34 minutes, ticket cost €1. From terminals T1, T2 and T3 use line 200 to Avenida América, travel time 24 minutes.
• By Taxi: There are official taxi stands outside each terminal. Travel time to central Madrid may take between 20 and 30 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Cost over €30.

By Train

Trains in Spain are run by the state company RENFE. There are two main train stations in Madrid: Atocha (metro line 1) and Chamartín (metro line 10). Both stations are linked by commuter train lines.

Long distance international trains from Lisbon and Paris arrive at Chamartín station. Also trains from the north of Spain.

High-speed AVE trains to Cordoba-Seville (south) and Saragossa-Lleida-Tarragona-Barcelona (north-east) leave from Atocha station.

By Bus

Buses are generally the cheapest form of transport in Spain. The main bus station for international and long distance travel is Estación Sur de Autobuses (metro Méndez Alvaro).

Some bus companies use different stations. Continental Auto runs buses mainly to northern cities like Burgos, Bilbao, Santander,... from Intercambiador Avenida de América (metro Avenida América). 

See esmadrid.com for more specific details.

By Car

Laid out like the spokes of a wheel Madrid has 6 principal highways entering and leaving the city; the A1 to A6. They are connected by three beltways, the M30, M40 and M50, encircling Madrid.

• A1 (Burgos Highway) leads to Burgos, the Basque country and to France via Irun. Other highway connects Burgos to Santander and the ferries from Plymouth. 
• A2 (Barcelona Highway) connects Madrid to Barcelona and the Costa Brava, via Saragossa and Lleida. Also connects to Southern France via Portbou.
• A3 (Valencia Highway) leads to Valencia with connection to the Mediterranean costal area.
• A4 (Andalusia Highway)  is the route to the southern cities of Andalusia, Costa del Sol and the ferries to Morocco.
• A5 (Extremadura Highway) leads to the Extremadura region, Lisbon and southern Portugal. 
• A6 (Corunna Highway) connects Madrid to Galicia and northern Portugal.  It also connects Madrid to Asturias via Leon and to the provinces of Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, Valladolid and Zamora.

Around Madrid

Madrid has an extensive and efficient public transport system. Easy to use and with ample timetables it is the best choice for visitors to get around the city. 

• By Bus: Information about buses including maps and best paths can be obtained from EMT.
• By Subway: To travel by Metro download the Metro map.
• By Commuter Train: Download the commuter train map.
• By best combination:  Use the Transport Information System  from the Madrid Regional Consortium to plan using the best combination of all transport means.

Taxis in Madrid are white with a red diagonal lines across the front doors and are reasonably priced. You can hail them raising your hand at any point. A green light on the roof of the car indicates that the taxi is available. If you have mobility problems you can request a Eurotaxi. For more information about taxis visit esmadrid.com

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Visa Information

Spain eagerly welcomes visitors from overseas. Anyone wishing to travel to and enter Spain must have a valid passport and/or the appropriate Spanish Visa. Below are general guidelines and not definitive statements of the law. Since conditions may vary, we recommend that you contact your local Spanish Consulate or Embassy for more information on these requirements. More information including a list of Spanish consulates and embassies in your place of residence and other practical information can be found at www.spain.info.

European Union (EU) citizens

Citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein , Norway and Switzerland may enter Spain with a valid identification card (ID) or passport. Minors traveling with their ID card must have a document that shows parental authorization.

Non-European Union foreigners

Most non-EU foreigners need a Visa to enter the country. Citizens from the following countries may only require a valid passport to enter Spain if they are not staying longer than 90 days.

• A-B: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei
• C-G: Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala
• H-M: Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco
• N-R: Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Romania
• S-Z: San Marino, Singapore, The Vatican, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela

Citizens from any other country require a valid passport and must request a Visa from the Spanish Consulate of your country of residence. We suggest you apply for the Visa well in advance (two months prior to your departure) to ensure that details are confirmed prior to your departure for the Conference.

Please note that the Spanish authorities may request documents showing where you will stay, confirmation of an organized tour, return air tickets, tourist circuit or a personal invitation letter. You may also be asked to show proof of having enough financial resources to support yourself during your stay in Spain.

If traveling with a minor, you may be required to provide proof of your relationship and/or permission from the parent(s) or legal guardian not present.

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Last updated April 2008  

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 2007 Facultad de Informática, UPM