e2001 - Information

Venue eBusiness and eWork 2001 takes place - by kind permission of Telecom Italia - in the Future Centre, which is ideally situated near the Rialto Bridge in the centre of Venice. Within easy walking distance there are convenient traghetti (gondola ferries) and vaporetti (waterbuses), all the famous sites of Venice and comfortable hotels ranging from one to four stars. Venice has fascinated visitors for many centuries but even mass tourism has not tarnished its fairy-tale appearance against a breathtaking water setting. The charm of Venice is to be found in its renowned attractions but also in its quiet squares and small churches that can be found by chance or intelligent exploration. The city is in a lagoon and has 118 islands, 170 canals and over 400 bridges. The city's spirit may be summed up in its three most famous sons: Marco Polo, Antonio Vivaldi and Casanova. Venice's attractions are many and include Piazza San Marco, the Doge's Palace, the Basilica di San Marco, the art galleries (eg Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim collection) the large churches (eg Santa Giovanni e Paola and Santa Maria Gloriosa) the former schools (eg Scuola Grande di San Rocco and Scuola di An Giorgio degli Schiavoni) and the museums (eg Correr and Ca' d'Oro).

Security, Health and Safety There will be entrance security so please wear your name badge for all e-2001 activities, as it is your identification and your safeguard against unwelcome guests. Unfortunately, IT Conferences are a temptation to sneak thieves so bags, laptops and other valuables are vulnerable. The organisers cannot accept any responsibility for losses so please look after your personal property so that lost or missing items do not spoil your conference. The organisers cannot take responsibility for personal health and safety. Delegates should be covered by personal health insurance and take care not to venture into dangerous areas, which fortunately are rare in Venice.

Accommodation It is very important to book your hotel accommodation early. Venice boasts a selection of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels but October in Venice is still considered higg season and leaving it late may result in paying catastrophic prices and being accommodated outside Venice. You may look at the many Venice hotel websites or phone or e-mail the following agency and ask for a booking form:

Agenzia Bucintoro, San Marco 4267/C 30124 Venice. Tel. +39 041 5210632 Fax +39 041 5223306 e-mail: bucintoro.ve@libero.it Please quote e-2001 when you make your bookings UK delegates may prefer to contact 'The Magic of Italy', which can also arrange flights. Tel: + 44 8700 270500 Fax: + 44 2085412286 http://www.magictravelgroup.co.uk And a useful last minute booking office is: Associazione Veneziana Albergatori Cannaregio 3829 Venezia Tel. + 39 041 5228004 Fax + 39 041 5238032

Transportation How to get there by Plane Venice's Marco Polo is one of the main European airports. More than 1,000 scheduled flights a week link Venice to the main cities in Europe and in addition there are many charter flights to be found serving millions of tourists. Alternatively, you can fly into Treviso & Verona airports which offer flights from London Gatwick, Amsterdam, Frankfurt & Paris & upon arrival take a 45 minute bus ride trip to the bus station in Venice. There are direct scheduled flights to Venice from all the major Italian airports and in addition Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Basle, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Hanover, London (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead), Luxembourg, Madrid, Monaco, Moscow, Nice, Vienna and Zurich. The airport is 12 km from the Future Centre and there is regular bus service costing around Lit 5.000 (3 Euro) taking about one hour. Cheaper still, but stopping along the way is the public bus to Piazzale Roma (Venice's bus station) which departs every 30 minutes. The most dramatic entry from the airport into Venice is by boat. Departing at hourly or two-hourly intervals, the journey takes about 50 minutes and costs around L.15.000 (7 euro). A taxi from the airport to the Piazzale Roma takes 15 minutes & can cost up to Lit. 130.000 (67 Euro). It is recommended to check taxi prices in advance. How to get there by Road Venice is linked to the European motorway network. How to get there by Rail There are several daily trains to Florence and Rome and connections to other European railway networks. Venice's Santa Lucia railway station is fifteen minutes walk from the Future Centre or may be reached by waterbus or water-taxi. The vaporetto routes to remember are N° 1 (slow) and N° 82 (fast) down the Grand Canal and stopping at the main landing stages.