General Information

WELCOME TO RHODES
Rhodes (Rhodos or Rodos in Greek) is the  largest of  the  Dodecanese islands and one  of  the  largest in the Aegean Sea. With its  subtropical climate, Rhodes is known  as the  “the  island of  light”, with over   300 sunny days per  year.

Rhodes has known  many civilizations throughout its  2,400 years of  history, from  the  ancient Greeks and the Romans, followed by the  Byzantines, the  Knights of  St.  John, the  Ottomans and the  Italians. The construction of  the  ancient city of  Rhodes began in 408-407 BC. At that time Rhodes developed into  one  of the  most important maritime and commercial centres in the  Eastern Mediterranean.

Rhodes Town is today an  amalgam of  medieval and modern architecture. A stroll around the  Old Town of Rhodes immerses the  visitor into  a very special atmosphere, created by a fascinating diversity of  cultures from the  past with medieval fortress, narrow alleys, cobbled streets, minarets and old  houses with balconies. The  Medieval Town of  Rhodes, fortified by impressive walls,  is inscribed on the  UNESCO World  Heritage List since 1988.

Rhodes Town is the  financial and cultural centre of  the  Southeastern  Aegean Sea, and successfully combines a lively present with a rich  historical past. The  modern town, with luxurious hotels, broad avenues, shopping centres, blends in harmony with the  medieval part of  the  town.

Olive and citrus groves are  part of  the  landscape of  the  island in almost every  area, since much of  the  island is still  heavily  agricultural. Rhodes is also renowned for its  vast expanses of  sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, that marvel thousands of  visitors each year.

AIRPORT
The airport is located by the north coast of Rhodes Island, about 16km (10 miles) to the south west of Rhodes city, near the town of Paradhissi. The congress venue is located 15 minute away.

AIRPORT TRANSPORT
Public Transport
Bus: The airport bus stop is situated 300 metres to the left of door 1 from the terminal building, and buses go to Rhodes city as well as several other destinations in the area. Departures to Rhodes are quite frequent, but less so in the weekend..A one-way ticket costs approximately €2. Journey time is around 40 minutes. Bus times from the airport: 06.50, 09.45, 10.45, 13.40, 16.00, 16.40, 19.10, 19.50, 20.25, 20.50, 23.05. Further time tables can be obtained from the airport information desk.

Taxi
Taxis can be hailed from the taxi rank in front of the terminal. There are two zones on the island for taxi meters: Zone One is Rhodes Town and Zone Two (slightly higher) is everywhere else. Rates are a little higher between midnight and 6am.
Taxis tend not to use meters but prefer to use set fare rates. All drivers carry a booklet stating the current approved set fares. Request to see it if in doubt. A taxi fare from/to airport would be approximately €18.

BUSINESS HOURS
Banks are open from 8am to 2pm Monday to Thursday, and from 8am to 1.30pm Friday. Some banks are open between 3.30pm and 6.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 1.30pm Saturday.
Shops are open from 8am to 1.30pm and from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 8am to 2.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Department stores and supermarkets are open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, from 8am to at least 3pm on Saturday and are closed on Sunday.
Periptera (street kiosks) are open from early morning until late at night. They sell everything from bus tickets to basic products.
Currency
The Currency in Greece is the Euro (€)

CLIMATE
The  climate of  Rhodes is a mild  Mediterranean climate characterised by sunny and dry  summers and mild  winters. Refreshing breezes and winds during the  months of  June and July make the  temperatures more bearable.

COMMUNICATIONS
Internet access is readily available in hotels and internet centres and cafes located throughout Rhodes. An internet centre is located beside the Poster Area in the Congress Venue the “Marika Capsis 2000” Convention Centre. Delegates may also buy internet cards at the hotel reception, which can be used in the public areas for WiFi.
The international telephone code for Greece is 30. Public telephone boxes which are blue and found all over the island can be used either for local or for long distance calls. They all use phone cards, which can be purchased at just about every tourist shop. Telephone rates are reduced by 30% between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. for long distance calls.

CREDIT CARDS
All of the most popular credit, debit and charge cards (AMEX, Diners Club, Cirrus, Euro/Mastercard and VISA) can be used in banks and in ATM’s to withdraw money, and also in hotels, restaurant and shops for purchases (signs are displayed at the entrance of the shops and restaurants showing which cards are acceptable). There is an ATM located within the Capsis Hotel.

CURRENCY
The  currency in Greece is Euro  (€).

ELECTRICITY
The voltage in Greece is 220V (50Hz) and plugs are the two-pin continental European type.

LIABILITY AND INSURANCE
The congress organisers will not accept liability for personal injury or loss/damage to property/belongings of participants or accompanying persons, either before, during or following the congress, tours or their stay in Rhodes. It is therefore recommended that participants arrange their own personal health, accident and travel insurance.

TIME DIFFERENCE
Rhodes is in the Central European Time Zone (Greenwich Mean Time + 2 hour / U.S. Eastern Standard Time + 7 hours)

TRANSPORT
Taxi
There are two zones on the island for taxi meters: Zone One is Rhodes Town and Zone Two (slightly higher) is everywhere else. Rates are a little higher between midnight and 6am.
Taxis tend not to use meters but prefer to use set fare rates. All drivers carry a booklet stating the current approved set fares. Request to see it if in doubt. Sample fares: airport €18, Filerimos €15, Petaloudes €25, Ancient Kamiros €32, Lindos €38 and Monolithos €65. Taxi company contact phone numbers include 22410 64712, 22410 64734 and 22410 64778.

Bus
Rhodes Town has two island bus terminals, which service one half of the island each. From the east side bus terminal (Plateia Rimini) there are 18 buses daily to Faliraki (€1.80), 14 to Lindos (€4.70), three to Kolymbia (€2.40), nine to Gennadi (€4.40) via Lardos, and four to Psinthos (€1.90).
From the west side bus terminal , next to the New Market, there are buses every half-hour to Kalithea Thermi (€1.80, 15 minutes), 10 daily to Koskinou (€1.80, 20 minutes), five to Salakos (€3.60, one hour), two to Ancient Kamiros (€4.60, 55 minutes), one to Monolithos (€6, one hour 20 minutes) via Skala Kamirou (€4.60, one hour 10 minutes), and one to Embonas (€4.60, one hour 10 minutes). The EOT office gives out schedules.
Unlimited travel tickets are available for one/two/three days (€10/15/25).
Local buses around the city charge a flat €1. They depart from a stand on Mandraki Harbour.

VENUE
Please see the Venue section of the website

VISAS

Many  visitors to Greece will not  need to obtain a visa  for visits  to Greece of  up  to 90  days.

EU/EEA/EFTA passport holders travelling to Greece do not  require a visa  provided that the  passport is valid for the  intended period of  stay in Greece.

Provided that the  stay in Greece or Schengen area is for no more than 90  days, nationals of  the  following countries do not  require a visa  to enter or transit through Greece, as long  as the  passport is valid  for at least
3 months from  the  date of  return from  Greece:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile,  Costa Rica,  Croatia, El Salvador, Honduras, Hong  Kong (holders of  passports Hong  Kong Special Administrative Region), Israel, Japan, Macao (holders of  passports Regiao Administrativa Especial de  Macau), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, South Korea, San  Marino, Singapore, United States of  America, Uruguay, The  Vatican and Venezuela.

Citizens of  all countries not  mentioned above will need a visa  to enter Greece. Please contact the  Greek
Embassy or Consulate in your  country to obtain a visa.

Registered congress participants who require an  official  letter of  invitation in order to support a visa application should contact the  Congress Secretariat.