How to get to SPARC
2015
SPARC 2015 will ttake place in Greece on the island
of Crete in the historical (El Greco was born here!) village of
Fodele
(about 30km west from Heraklion). The official SPARC 2015 hotel
is the Fodele
Beach hotel in Fodele.
How to get to Fodele Beach Hotel from the Heraklion
Airport:
- Directions
from the site of the hotel
- Bus - Cheapest
but need to go to Heraklion
Centra bus station. From there take the bus
with destination Rethymnon or Chania and ask to be dropped off
on the way at Fodele. Tentative information about the bus: Seems
to run every hour and cost about 2.70 euros.
At 14:00 leaving Heraklion this bus actually stops at the hotel
itself, while at other departing times it drops you off on the
highway next to the hotel (about 400m). Below is given a time-table
for transportation to and from Fodele. Please ask the reception
exactly where on the highway you have to stand.
- Car - (by private car or taxi - about 25 minutes
drive via the national high way)
- Rental: then its convenient to arrange for
pick up from airport and delivery on return again at airport.
Consult Google map below for driving directions.
- Taxi: 45 euros (from airport) or 40 euros
(from downtown Heraklion) total (luggage might be a few euros
extra!)
- SPECIAL TAXI DEAL: Cretetaxi
has given us a special offer for all SPARC 2015 participants:
The reduced and very competitive price of 33 euros
(this includes also the price for suitcases usually charged extra!)
for a taxi from either Kazantzakis airport or Heraklion sea port
to the Fodele Beach Hotel. The taxi can carry a maximum of 4 people
- thus for groups arriving at the same time this is a particularly
attractive offer! All you will need to do is contact Cretetaxi
by e-mail (info@cretetaxi.com or by mobile +30
6943213274, +30 6955399708) and give them your flight
specifics (arrival time, date and flight number) and they will
confirm your reservation by return e-mail and be waiting for you
(even if flight is delayed - they will check on this) at the airport
arrivals with a CRETETAXI.COM/SPARC WORKSHOP sign. Just look out
for them. Please note Cretetaxi works only by appointment/reservation
so send your request for the taxi at least 3 hours before flight
departure. Otherwise, normal taxis can always be found at the
airport at the going rate (about 40-45 euros per taxi per trip).
You can also make similar arrangements with Cretetaxi for the
same fare (33 euros) for the return trip Fodele - Heraklion (again
by reservation only).
SPARC 2015 Google maps with directions:
Heraklion can be accessed either by sea or by air.
The Nikos Kazantzakis international airport is within 15mins drive
from downtown Heraklion, the University of Crete and the Foundation
for Research - Hellas (FORTH) research center (which is 1km from
the University).
Travel to Crete
Air: Crete is accessed by air via 2 international
airports (in Heraklion and Chania) and a smaller airport at Sitia.
The Heraklion airport is the biggest on the island with many daily
flights from Athens (by Aegean and Olympic airlines) as well as direct
flights from many destinations within Europe. The latter is true mostly
during the tourist season which typically starts in mid April and
lasts to mid October. Cheap charter flights are also available during
this season.
Sea: Crete is accessed by sea via 3 ports
(in the cities of Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania). The Heraklion port
is the biggest on the island with daily links from Athens (by Minoan,
ANEK and Super Fast Ferries sea lines). Sea travel mostly happens
over night and cabins are usually booked for sleeping comfort. During
the full tourist season (July-August) there are also day trips. The
average length of the trip is about 6 hours depending on weather.
Deck tickets can be as low as 19 euros one way. The boats are large
and comfortable and can also transport cars (i.e. they are ferry boats).
Visitor useful information can also be found at
the UoC Physics Dept. web site
and also at the travel site of the XX ISIAC conference organized in Crete in 2007.
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