International Workshop on Satellite and Space Communications (IWSSC 2009)
10th-11th September 2009, Siena-Tuscany, Italy
for info, email to: iswcs09@dii.unisi.it
This workshop will be co-located with ISWCS 2009; for more details please visit the ISWCS 2009 Web page at the URL: http://www.iswcs.org/iswcs2009/
Turist Information
City of Siena
Siena, world renown for its wines and its Palio, is located in Tuscany on via Cassia (the via Francigena, used by medieval pilgrims travelling from France to Rome) between Pisa, Florence and Arezzo in the very heart of the Chianti area, the famous red wine.
Siena is known worldwide for its semi-annual horse race, the Palio, held on July the 2nd and August the 16th. Each of the city's "contrade", or neighborhoods, compete in a bare-backed race in honor or the Madonna. Il Campo, the main square, serves as the racetrack, with sand and walls placed around its perimeter. As you'll discover soon, Siena is small but hilly. Places that just look few hundred meters away may let you feel like hiking (of course in a suggestive scenario where Middle Age meets countryside and 20th Century).
More details on Siena and weather conditions can be found at the following Web site: http://www.comune.siena.it/
Engineering faculty
Via Roma, 56 53100 Siena - Italy
Tel: + 39 0577 234 629 - Fax: + 39 0577 233 609 - Homepage
The Faculty of engineering is located in the south of Siena in an old building known as San Niccolò, near the medieval gate of Porta Romana. The building, which formerly housed a psychiatric hospital, has recently been completely renovated by the University of Siena and currently hosts the Faculty of engineering and the Department of Communication Sciences (which belongs to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities). The Faculty of engineering covers an area of about 3.000 sqm, and has about 80 offices and 20 laboratories.
How to reach Siena
To reach Siena you have to take the flight to Rome or (better) to Florence and Pisa.
Solutions from Florence
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By bus from Florence
When you arrive at the Florence airport you have to take the shuttle "Volainbus" that leaves in the street just at the exit of the airport (in front of the arrival lounge) More details at the ATAF website. Departures are every 30 minutes (e.g., 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30....) from 6:00 to 23:30. Tickets are available on board € 4,50. With the shuttle you have to arrive to the central railway station of Florence: "Firenze S. Maria Novella". In front of this station there is the bus terminus of the "SITA" Company that links Florence and Siena. Such bus terminus is shared by two companies that jointly guarantee the service: "TRAIN" and "SITA". There are frequent buses from morning to evening (every about 40 minutes). In order to select the best buses, please consider those with the label "SIENA RAPIDA" that takes maximum 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Siena (please avoid the buses labeled as "SIENA DIRETTA"). For more details on bus schedule, please visit the TRAIN Web site. When you arrive in Siena you have to reach the last stop, that is the bus terminus in "Piazza Gramsci" (i.e., Gramsci square). Such stop is very close to the center (5 minutes walking to "Il Campo" square). Taxi details can be found on the Web or by phone, number +39 0577 4922..
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By car from Florence
Rent a car at the Florence airport. From the Florence Airport you directly take highway A11 (direction to Pisa). In a short time you find the indication for highway A1 and the Siena indication. You leave A1 almost soon at Firenze Certosa. From here you take the highway that links Florence to Siena (1 hour travel at 90 km/h). When you arrive at Siena you can exit at "Siena Nord" or "Siena Ovest". The trip totally lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.
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By train from Florence
Please note that the train is not the most efficient solution to reach Siena (even if possible from Florence). We do advice to use the bus which drives you directly to the center of the city and in less time.
Solutions from Rome
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By bus from Rome
Siena is also linked with Rome through the "SENA" bus line. These buses leave from the square in front of the Roma Tiburtina railway station in Rome. To reach Tiburtina from the station there is a train every 30 minutes from the airport, the ticket costs less than 6 euros. The trip to Siena from such station lasts about 3 hours and brings you directly to Siena's center, the ticket costs 20 euros.
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By train from Rome
Please note that the train is not the most efficient solution to reach Siena (even if possible from Rome). We do advice to use the bus which drives you directly to the center of the city and in less time.
Solutions from Pisa
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By bus from Pisa
TRAIN S.p.a. connects Pisa Airport to Siena, daily. To/From the Airport, main bus stops on way are: Pisa Airport - Siena (P. Gramsci). You can buy tickets from the information office in the passenger terminal. Check TRAIN home page if there is a bus closed to your arrival time
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By train from Pisa
Pisa Airport and Firenze SMN railway station are connected by six trains a day. The Pisa-Florence line also connects Pontedera and Empoli. You can change train in Empoli and then come to Siena.
