asru2009

ABOUT THE AREA

http://www.suedtirol-it.com/merano-surroundings/merano.htm

MERANO

Merano is a town in the province of Bolzano, Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts it is located inside a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to 3,335m, at the entrance to the Passeier Valley, the Val Venosta and the Val d’Ultimo.
In the past the town has been a popular place of residence for several scientists and artists, who appreciated its mild climate.

HISTORY OF MERANO

The area was inhabited since the 3rd millenium BC, as showed by the presence of menhirs and other findings. The story of the city proper began in 15 BC when the Romans occupied the Adige valley founding a road station, Statio Maiensis. Merano was elevated to the status of a city during the 13th century. It was a capital of the County of Tyrol from 1418 to 1848.
After the county had been handed over to the Habsburg family in 1363 after the abdication of Countess Margarete Maultasch of Tyrol, in 1420 Friedrich IV moved the court to Innsbruck. Merano subsequently lost its predominant position and almost all its importance as an economic hub across the roads connecting Italy to Germany. The important mint was also moved to Hall in 1477.
The Tyrolean struggle for freedom of 1809 drew attention again to Merano. In that year, on the Küchelberg above the city, the Tyroleans eked out a victory against the French and Bavarians

THINGS TO DO IN MERANO

Merano is well worth visiting for its historic sights alone. There are castles, churches, museums and quaint corners waiting to be discovered. Highlights include the charming Art Nouveau Kurhaus and theatre, and the gardens of Trauttmansdorff, with the castle where Sissi stayed.troops.
After World War I, Merano became part of Italy with the rest of the province of Bolzano.
Merano has regained its name as a health spa and tourist centre in recent years. Its elegant buildings and beautiful gardens and parks – let alone the cutting edge 540,000 sq ft thermal park and vital center – help make the town truly unique in the whole Alpine region.

MERANO’S HISTORIC CENTRE: Discover the hidden delights and quaint corners in Merano’s historic centre. There is plenty of artistic and historic interest to see on a walk through the town.

THE MUSEUMS OF MERANO: The museums of Merano are veritable treasure chests, full of history and stories: they tell, amusingly, impressively or instructively, but always entertainingly, of the great past of the spa town and its surroundings…

CITY MUSEUM: The city museum primarily exhibits archaeological finds, sculptures and paintings of Tyrolean origin.

KUNST MERAN (MERAN ART): In a finely restored building in the Lauben (porticos), the Merano art society stages exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture and literature as well as offering a programme of events with guided tours, excursions, concerts and readings.

THE THERME MERANO: The splendid Therme Merano is the perfect place to try the very latest spa treatments, while you relax, and allow body and soul to regain their harmony.

FORTS AND CASTLES IN MERANO: Perpetuated in stone and rock, Merano’s forts and castles, perhaps more than any other places of interest, reveal to us the histories and fate of the city…

DIRECTIONS TO MERANO

At least one complimentary shuttle will be available from some nearby airports (Innsbruck, Bolzano, Verona, Milano Malpensa and Bergamo-Orio al Serio) on Sunday 13th.

We strongly recommend Verona International Airport as the most convenient and well supported by this shuttle service.

Innsbruck Airport is connected to Zurich, Frankfurt and Vienna International Airports.

Bolzano Airport is connected to Rome International Airport .

Milano Malpensa, Verona and Venezia Airports are connected to Rome, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, London and many other International Airports.

If you have already registered, you can use this survey to send us information about your flight, your ASRU ID number (received in the confirmation e-mail), and other information useful for us to provide you with a suitable transfer service to Merano.

If you need further information about this, please contact the ASRU organizing secretariat: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Or, if you need a personalized trip planning, please contact our agency partner: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Here you can find train timetable for Merano-Bolzano

VISA

If you are a non-EU citizen and you would like to know if you need a VISA to enter the country, please check the following link:

http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN

CURRENCY

The currency for Italy is EURO (€). You can purchase Euros at foreign exchange bureaus or banks.

Currency exchange counters at the international airports are usually open during normal office hours.
Find the current exchange rate for your home country's currency at: http://finance.yahoo.com/currency?u
International credit cards such as American Express, VISA and MasterCard are also accepted at these business stores.

ELECTRICITY

Electricity in Italy is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC).
For comparison, in the United States it is 110 volts, 60 cycle AC current.

CLIMATE

http://www.suedtirols-sueden.info/en/service/weather-forecast/weather-today.html

The climate in South Tyrol varies according to the conditions of the ground. The mountain valleys are dominated by alpine climate with much snow.
Valleys which open to the South, as for example the valleys of Adige and Isarco, list average European temperatures. The climate in these valleys is milder and more Mediterranean, because the mountains protect them against the cold north wind.

Seasonal Average Temperature Merano in December:

VENUE

The workshop will be held at the Kurhaus Theatre (http://www.kurhaus.it/kurhaus/indexi.shtml )

THE KURHAUS: The Kurhaus, a truly magnificent building, designed by Vienna architect Friedrich Ohmann in 1914 is the congress center where the “ASRU 2009 - Automatic Speech Recognition and Understanding Workshop” from 13 – 17 december 2009 takes place. The Kurhaus on the Passer Promenade is Merano’s most famous landmark, and one of the most beautiful public buildings south of the Alps. The Kursaal with its beautiful paintings, the Pavillon des Fleurs with its intimate elegance, the various conference and exhibition rooms, the modern technology and the in-house catering offer the ideal setting for the congress.



The banquet will be held in KATZENZUNGEN CASTLE