Erice may be reached by Air, by Train/Ferry or by Road.
A. AIR: Palermo is the nearest airport, and there are many flights from Rome to Palermo, plus a few from Milan and other international locations. Check with a travel agent. The Centre bus will be available at Palermo airport on the day of your arrival, until 17:00, to drive you to Erice. (Do NOT fly into Catania, as transport from there cannot be provided.)
At the airport, there is a new modern building housing both arrivals and departures. There is both a domestic flight baggage claim area and an adjacent area where there is another carousel for international baggage. (Generally, the customs agents will accept a claim “nothing to declare.”) From this area, arriving passengers leave, with their baggage, to the arrivals area where the Erice driver will be found, holding a sign for the Centre or for the Course. He will have a list of those that he is supposed to meet (which is why it is IMPORTANT to let us know your exact arrival information). Identify yourself to him and follow his instructions. Erice is about 1.5 hours drive from Palermo.
B. TRAIN/FERRY: via Milan-Rome, you can reach Trapani directly. From Trapani, to reach Erice comfortably, a taxi is suggested. Confirm the price before taking the taxi. There are also buses every half hour. Alternatively, take the train to Palermo arriving in the morning. There is also a ferry from Genoa or Naples to Palermo. If you arrive by train or ferry, you may still utilize the Centre’s transport. From the train station in Palermo there is a bus operated by a company, “Prestia e Commandè” which serves the airport at Pta. Raisa. A rail service from the train station to the airport has been recently introduced. From the docks, take a taxi either to the train station to catch the airport bus, or to the airport directly. The bus leaves the train station about every half hour, but schedules are subject to change. There is an alternative for those that want it. There are buses from the Palermo train station to Trapani (which is very close to Erice), and frequent buses from Trapani up to Erice. Consult the schedules at the station.
C. ROAD: There are two possibilities:
1) Drive along the Autostrada del Sole via Milan-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples-Villa San Giovanni (Reggio Calabria); then take a ferry boat from Villa San Giovanni to Messina and drive to Erice (359 km from Messina).
2) Take the ferry-boat either from Genoa or Naples to Palermo, and then drive on to Erice (100 km from Palermo). The places on the ferry-boat must be booked in advance.
D. TRANSPORT TO ERICE
Participants must communicate their arrival and departure times and flight numbers well in advance of their arrival to the course organizers via the indico registration form.
On arrival day, transportation from Palermo airport to Erice will be provided by the Ettore Majorana Centre. Participants arriving at Palermo airport should look for the Ettore Majorana meeting point inside the terminal at the arrival gate where the Ettore Majorana Centre driver will be waiting. On the official day of departure, transport to Palermo airport will be provided by the Centre.
DO NOT PANIC: If after arriving at Palermo airport and waiting a reasonable time you do not find anyone associated with the centre please do not panic. Telephone (you will need to buy a phone card or ask at the tourist bureau for help) the centre (0923 869133 or 0923 869068) and inform them that you are waiting.
E. VISAS and ENTRY DOCUMENTS
For some participants, an Italian Visa will be required. Please check early to see if you need a Visa. In the last two years Visa requirements have become more severe and time consuming. Don’t wait until the last moment. Start Early!
It is the responsibility of each participant to arrange Visas, insurance, and entry documents. The organizers can not do this for you.
We will supply an official Letter of Invitation to whomever requires one.
In previous courses, several participants did not arrive due to insufficient time to obtain a Visa. Don’t let this happen to you!
