Entry Formalities
Do not forget your passport. All citizens from countries outside the European Union might also need a valid visa.
Please consult the Italian Consulate or Embassy in your home Country for details on entry regulations.
Insurance
The University of Palermo will not accept responsibility for individual medical, travel or personal insurance. All participants are strongly advised to take out all necessary insurances on their own before travelling to the Conference
Emergency telephone numbers (free calls)
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112: the European emergency number, reachable from fixed and mobile phones
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118: Ambulance/ Emergency
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Currency & Banking
The EURO is the only accepted currency in Italy
It is possible to pay with credit cards and debit cards in most shops, restaurants, museums, etc.
Bank services are available at the airport, throughout the city of Palermo, and close to the conference venue. You will find Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) throughout the city of Palermo.
Shopping
Most shops in Palermo are open from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 19:30 , Monday to Saturday. Supermarkets are usually open from 8:00 to 20:00 and shopping centres from 10:00 to 20:00, Monday to Saturday. Most shops are closed on Sundays. Petrol stations are generally closed on Sundays. Traditional bakeries will usually open in the morning on Sundays to sell fresh rolls and bread.
Time Zone
Italy is on Central European Time, i.e. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) plus 1 hour.
Weather
The weather in Palermo in October is usually quite mild (18-20°). However, it can also already include wet and windy spells of bad weather! So we suggest you bring along a coat and do not forget an umbrella – even if you might not need it.
Tipping
Service is always included in bars and restaurants throughout Italy, but tips are welcome.
Language
The official language of the conference is English. Staff at hotels, most shops, and restaurants in Palermo speak English.
Eating Out
Food in Sicily is quite an experience, due to the various influences on Sicilian cooking, starting with the Ancient Greeks and the Romans, followed by the Arabs, Normans, French and Spanish and ending with the Swiss at the beginning of the 19th century . Most restaurants in Palermo offer typical Sicilian food, rich in vegetables, fish and various kinds of meat, alongside “continental” food. The rest of Italy is seen as “il continente” in Sicily.
Sicily is known in particular for its Sicilian pastry, coming both from the Arab-Mediterranean tradition (“cannolo”, “cassata”, sfince”), and from French and Swiss traditions.
You can find also many ethnic and fusion restaurants.