IEEE MEMS 2009 Conference - 25-29 January, 2009


		About Sorrento Where is Sorrento? Local Attactions Around Sorrento Sorrento Fondazione Sorrento Tourism Naples Tourism Pompeii Archeological Society		Marina Puolo This small seaside village of about 150 inhabitants can be reached by following the road from Capo di Sorrento west and taking the path next to the Hotel Denia. A pleasant quarter of an hour descent through lemon groves takes you down to the water's edge. Marina Puolo occupies the small bay between Capo di Sorrento and Capo di Massa, with the houses built right on the beach. Born as village of fishermen, it is today an appreciated tourist resort, small but independent, equipped with lodgings, restaurants, bars and bathing establishments. The port of the bay still hosts some fishing boats, but the main economic activity is tourism. Sorrento Cape Also reachable by bus, Capo di Sorrento is the limestone promontory that closes on the West the bay of Sorrento, which has in the inner side the volcanic cliffs falling sheer on the sea. The road which leads to Capo di Sorrento is pleasantly panoramic, but to arrive to the cape you have to take a pedestrian street which starts from the car road to Massa Lubrense. The street, paved with stones, goes down to the sea among terraces cultivated with olive and orange trees, ivy-covered walls, and, in the last stretch, the gaze can sweep over the lovely scenery of the bay in front of Sorrento up to the Vesuvius on the opposite side. On the tip of the cape lie the remains of the famous Roman villa by Pollius Felix, belonging to the early imperial age, when the Roman aristocracy elected the Gulf of Naples as preferred destination for their vacations, building many rich villas all over the coast. Nearby Attractions Pompeii, Herculaneum, Paestum, Amalfi, Ravello, Capri, Ischia, Caserta, and Naples, are easily reachable by car, by public bus, or by train (where cities are served). Ferry boats and hydrofoils also provide services to Naples, Amalfi, Positano, Capri, and Ischia. Amalfi Amalfi is the main town of the Amalfi coast, Costiera Amalfitana, one of the most breathtaking coastlines in Europe. At the mouth of Valle dei Mulini (Mills' Valley), Amalfi overlooks the sea with its characteristic set of white houses on the rocks, narrow streets among arches, ancient towers to guard the town. The architectural value of its monuments, the beauty of the landscape and of the seaside has earned Amalfi its singular reputation and a place among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The imposing cathedral of Sant'Andrea (open 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 16:30) was built in the 10th and 11th centuries, in an Arabian-Norman style. The campanile and the convent of the Capuccini also represent the artistic movement prevailing in Southern Italy at the time of the Normans, with its tendency to blend the Byzantine style with the forms and sharp lines of the northern architecture. Capri A dream island off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples. It has been a resort since the time of the Roman Republic. In the 1950s, Capri became a popular destination for the international jet set, a popularity that remains to this day. The central piazzetta of Capri, Piazza Unmberto I, though preserving its modest village architecture, is lined with luxury boutiques and expensive restaurants. Features of the island are the Marina Piccola (Small Harbor), the Belvedere of Tragara, which is a high panoramic promenade lined with villas, the limestone masses that stand out of the sea (the Faraglioni), the village of Anacapri, the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), and the ruins of the Imperial Roman villas. Although Capri is an easy day trip from Sorrento, please keep in mind that many restaurants and hotels close in the winter. Caserta The capital of the province of Caserta, in the Campania region, is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range. The city is best known for the Palace of Caserta. The Palace of Caserta, or Reggia di Caserta, is a former royal residence in Caserta, constructed for the Bourbon kings of Naples and designed by the Dutch architect Luigi Vanvitelli as a Versailles-like residence. It was the largest palace and probably the largest building erected in Europe in the eighteenth century. In it, you can find more than 1,200 rooms decorated in various styles. In 1996, the Palace of Caserta was listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. It has been the set for famous movies, the first three episodes of Star Wars and St. Peter's cathedral in Mission Impossible III. The park is 2 miles long and contains a waterfall and the intricate English Garden (Giardino Inglese). Admission is €6. The palazzo is open Monday-Saturday, 8:30 to 15:40. Herculaneum Herculaneum is one of Italy's most impressive archaeological sites. It is located in Ercolano, a small town in the region of Campania. Like Pompeii, Herculaneum was lost in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius beginning in AD 79. However, Herculaneum was completely buried by a river of volcanic mud, whereas Pompeii was showered with ash and burning fragments of pumice stone. Centuries passed before the rediscovery of the Herculaneum, in 1709. Admission is €10. A €18 ticket allowing entrance to other archaeological sites, including Pompeii, is also available. The site is open 8:30 to 17:00. Ischia A volcanic island, the largest in the Tyrrhenian Sea, located at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. Considered by many to be the most beautiful island in the bay of Naples, it is almost entirely mountainous, with the highest peak being volcanic Mount Epomeo at 788 meters: the volcano was active in Classical times. Ischia was one of the first Greek colonies in the 8th century. It was later occupied, at different intervals, by Spain, France, and England. It currently has a population of over 60,000 people. Ischia Porto is the name of the main comune of the island. The impressive 15th century Aragonese castle in its harbor is one of the main attractions (admission is €8, open 9:30 to 19:00). There is also a Funicular to the top of Montagnone (Big Mountain), where you will find a lookout terrace from which you can look over the whole centre of Ischia Porto, with Procida and the Phlaegrean Fields on the background. Visitors to Ischia can enjoy the fruits of the island's natural volcanic activity: its thermal hot springs and its volcanic mud. Naples Naples is the capital city of the Campania region and the Province of Naples. Its metropolitan area is the second most populated in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. Given its size and history, the city has much to offer. Highlights include Centro Storico (historical district), Chiesa del Gèsu Nuovo (one of the city's greatest examples of Renaissance architecture), Castel Nuovo (castle built in 1279-1281), Galleria Umberto I (a stunning 1900 shopping center), Museo Archeologico Nazionale (archaeological museum), and Castel Sant'Elmo (a star-shaped castle). An interesting tour to take is Napoli Sotterrana, which takes you 40 meters below the city to explore the network of passages and caves. The tour costs €9,30; for further details, visit www.napolisotterrana.org. Naples is also famous for its pizza. Da Michele, founded in 1870 and located on Via Cesare Sersale1, is the most famous pizzeria. Paestum Here, three ancient Greek temples stand in fields of red poppies. The temples are among the best-preserved Greek monuments outside of Greece, dating to 450 B.C. Paestum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A combined entrance ticket (€6,50) allows access to the temples and the museum. Hours of operation are 9:00 to 16:00, Monday to Saturday. The site also opens on Sundays, from 9:00 to 13:00. Pompeii Along with Herculaneum (its sister city), Pompeii was destroyed during a catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius, spanning two days on 24 August 79 AD. The volcano collapsed higher roof-lines and buried Pompeii under many meters of ash and pumice. The city was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1748. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, it is Italy's most popular tourist attraction, the most important classical archeological site in Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission is €10. A €18 ticket allowing entrance to other archaeological sites, including Herculaneum, is also available. The site is open 8:30 to 17:00. Positano The "Gem of the Divine Coast", Positano is a small town located at the southern foot of Monti Lattari (Milkmen Mountains), on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana). The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. The Moorish style houses, anchored onto the mountain, are painted in brilliant colors, giving the impression of a precious stone with thousand facets that cause multicolor reflections, earning the town its "Gem" label. Ravello A town and commune situated 45-minutes away, above the Amalfi Coast, in the province of Salerno. It has approximately 2,500 inhabitants. The town has served historically as a destination for artists, musicians, and writers, including Richard Wagner, M.C. Escher, Giovanni Boccaccio, Virginia Woolf, Gore Vidal, and Sara Teasdale. It is now a popular tourist destination; the views are spectacular. Among its main sites are the 11th century church of San Giovanni del Toro (Saint John of the Bull; open 8:30 to 13:00, 15:00 to 20:00), and Villa Rufolo (1270), built on a ledge and home to several popes, Charles I of Anjou, and Richard Wagner. Entrance to the villa's enchanting overhanging gardens costs €5 (9:00 to 18:00).