Accommodations and information
Accommodation (arrival: July 25, departure: July 31) of participants is organized by the Ettore Majorana Foundation either in their premises or in local hotels on the basis of the information provided by the organizers and by participants in their Travel Form. Notes about special needs and requests should be addressed to the organizers. In case of large participation, students may be requested to share the room with another student. They may indicate in the Travel Form the name of another participant, with whom they would wish to share the room in case of need.
Accompanying persons. Rooms in Erice are limited. For this reason persons accompanying accepted applicants are in general considered as regular participants with the same benefits and duties: they are requested to pay a fee of 100 Euros/day and to have the EMCSC badge. Please indicate the name(s) of the accompanying person(s) in the Travel Form. Special cases (persons accompanying senior participants, children, accompanying nurse, etc.) and requests should be indicated in the Travel Form and communicated to the organizers.
Technical facilities. Moderate photocopying is free. A limited number of PC’s and internet terminals are available to participants at San Rocco (room of the 16th Century Madonna). Wireless connection is available in many areas of the Centre. The EMCSC is equipped with power-point facilities as well as all traditional projectors.
Restaurants. At the restaurants associated with EMSCS meals are free – you just have to show your badge and sign a list provided by the restaurant. Beverages, and meals not included in the EMCSC menu, are extras and must be paid for. The choice among the associated restaurants is absolutely free. Thus, if you have special food requirements (vegetarian, kosher, etc.) you should negotiate directly with the restaurant (the EMSCS secretary will be glad to offer his assistance). Coffee, tea, sandwiches, fresh fruits, mineral water and Sicilian sweets are freely available 24 hours in the San Rocco coffee area and in the coffee-break area at San Domenico.
Breakfast is served at the San Rocco coffee area to all participants accommodated in the EMCSC premises, whereas participants in hotels may have their breakfast there or at San Rocco.
Banking. A bank service (Banco di Sicilia) is available for cash, money transfer and exchange operations, in a two-minute walk from EMCSC (please, show your EMCSC badge at the bank counter to avoid bureaucracy).
Arrival day and get-together. Don't miss the after-dinner get-together at 9.30 p.m. on the arrival day at the Marsala Room in San Rocco. You should do your best to reach Erice before 5. p.m. in order to have enough time to adjust to the environment and to have a quiet dinner. No problem, however, if you cannot reach Erice before late at night: somebody will be waiting for you at the arrival place anyway.
Participants from remote areas may request to arrive one day earlier or/and leave one day later, with no extra-charge, provided rooms are available in Erice.
Smoking is forbidden inside all the facilities of the EMCSC (San Rocco, San Domenico, San Francesco), including residential rooms. In Italy smoking is also forbidden in restaurants, unless equipped with special smoking rooms. Restaurants in Erice are all non-smoking.
Dress. Erice is at about 800 m above sea level, on top of a mountain next to the sea. Even in the summer evenings in Erice may be chilly and, occasionally, foggy and/or windy. Don't forget to bring a good pull-over. Lecture rooms are inside old buildings and are agreeably fresh. On the other hand, archeological sites as well as the beach can be blisteringly hot. Therefore please be prepared and don't forget good walking shoes (to walk on the stones of the archeological sites as well as on the rough pavement of Erice streets), swimsuits (beach towels are provided by the EMCSC), sun-glasses and sunscreen, a good hat, etc. No formal dress is required in any event, banquet included.
Excursion. On Wednesday July 28, there will be an excursion to the archeological site at Selinunte (departure at 14:00, arrival in Selinunte at 15:30, 2.5 hour visit), followed by swimming at the beach at Marinella at 18:00 and a dinner in the restaurant nearby at 20:00 (departure back to Erice at 22:00, arrival in Erice as 23:30).
Local transportation. A funicular railway, Funivia, connects Erice with the town of Trapani at the bottom of the hill.
Trapani-Erice bus schedules can be found here.
The Centre can offer advice and assistance with local car rentals.
Shopping. Celebrated wines, cookies, ceramics, coral jewels and other Erice souvenirs may be purchased in some (not all) shops with a 10% discount (just show the EMCSC badge).
Music. EMCSC facilities host two old pianos. Participants playing portable instruments are encouraged to bring them along. Classic or folk music sessions are often organized in San Rocco, especially after some glasses of Marsala (free supply). All evening parties in the piano room must end at midnight.
EMCSC Personnel. The EMCSC relies on its local staff, not great in number but efficient, ready to tackle all difficult problems which may arise (travel ticket & reservation changes, PC facilities, visa, medical care, police, etc.). The reference person for local issues during the meeting is Mr. Pino Aceto. For all technicalities concerning the course there is a School Secretariat office at San Rocco next to the Marsala Room.
Working environment. For better or for worse, EMCSC is not Club Med. Outside of the planned excursion , a reasonably long afternoon break will be scheduled to allow for contacts and discussions in the inspiring environment of Erice. The School discourages trips to the beach during the full working days and should not be requested to organize additional excursions; its success relies on the full attendance of all participants at all sessions.
Contact: ShellEffects@usc.edu