Visa
If you need a visa, see http://www.esteri.it/visti/ (in several languages).
You must enquire immediately with the Italian authorities in your country about the list of documents needed.
How to reach Erice?
Erice may be reached by air, by train, by car or by bus.
Arriving participants will be met at Palermo/Trapani airports and taken to Erice by car/minibus/bus free of charge, on June 14th, 2010 only.
1. BY AIR: Palermo "Punta Raisi" airport - named "Falcone & Borsellino" - and Trapani "Birgi" airport (see section iv. below) are at a distance of sixty minutes and twenty-five minutes by road respectively, from Erice.
2. BY TRAIN: from Rome to Palermo (to Trapani there is one direct train daily). It takes twelve to sixteen hours, depending on type of train; then train to Trapani ( via Milo !! ). However, regular intercity buses leave Palermo railstation to Trapani railstation and take less than two hours but at the additional price of 8 Euro. For news on these buses phone 091(Palermo)-6167919. In Trapani take an AST bus to Erice. For a train connection Palermo Station to Airport, see point 3. in Smooth Arrival.
3. BY CAR :
i. Roma-Naples-Salerno toll motorway (18 to 28 Euro ), 250 km plus
Salerno-Villa San Giovanni free motorway, about 500 km plus
Villa San Giovanni-Messina car ferry, frequency 30 mins, takes 30 mins plus
Messina-Palermo 237 km (free motorway, an improvemnt since the map visible in the document "Where is Erice" was added to the web) plus
Palermo-Erice, 96 km ( free motorway to Trapani, exit Valderice) + 12 km climbing up road to Erice.
ii. The daily overnight ferry Naples-Palermo takes 10 hrs, plus Palermo-Erice (see above). Departure from both ends at about 20:00. Information by the Tirrenia Company Via Bissolati 41, Rome, tel 06 4742041 or Stazione Marittima, Molo Angioino, Naples tel 081 7201111 or Via Roma 385, Palermo ph 091-6021111 or 602 1235.
iii. The recent Catamarano ferry operated by SNAV (Via Giordano Bruno 84, tel +39 081 761 2348, fax 761 2141) is more expensive (about 50 Euro per person) but covers the distance Naples-Palermo in 4.5 hours : departures daily from Naples at 17:30, from Palermo at 9:00. Suspended in winter, it will start again next April. Phone at Palermo is 091 616 8525 or c/o travel agent Barbaro 091 333333. See also www.snav.it. Ferry from Naples to Palermo also from www.tirrenia.it or phone +39 081 8449297
iv. From Genova and Rome(summer, only) the daily ferry to Palermo takes 20 and 12 hours respectively. Information by Grandi Navi Veloci Co.(Gruppo Grimaldi), Via Fieschi 17, 16121 Genova, tel 010 589331, fax 010 55 09 225: booking solely through travel agent or in person (click also on www.gnv.it or better on www1.gnv.it/). The Palermo office is in Calata Marinai d'Italia, 90133 Palermo tel 091 58 74 04, fax 091 61 10 088.
4. BY BUS : from Rome city (piazza Tiburtina, connected by bus to Stazione Termini rail station) to Palermo (and even Trapani) city centre, Piazza Politeama, the bus takes 12 hours. Departure is at 21:30 from Rome and 18:30 from Palermo. The price for a return ticket, valid 7 days, is about 62 Euro ( one way 32 Euro) and can be purchased at the Segesta Office, Via Guido Mazzoni 32, near Piazza Tiburtina, Roma. Information can be obtained in Rome, tel 06 44245905 or in Palermo, tel 091 300556. The Segesta Company ( phone +39 091 616-7919 and 621-5250 , fax 616-9039, for information best +39 091 342525) runs buses from Belgium, Germany and Switzerland to Catania (easily bound to Palermo by SAIS buses) and back three times a week.
