ECEC 2010, April 14-16, 2010, UPV Gandia, Gandia, Spain, Conference Venue

Gandia (the official name in Valencian), with population over 77,000, is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar, 65 km south of Valencia and 96 km north of Alicante.

It was an important cultural and commercial centre during the 15th and 16th centuries: in the 15th it had a university. It was home to several important poets including Ausiàs March, and produced the novelist Joanot Martorell, but it is perhaps best known for the Borgias, through their family title, the Dukes of Gandia.

Today, Gandia is one of the largest coastal towns and a thriving centre of commerce and tourism in the region. There are two main zones, Gandia City, which has all the historical monuments, commercial activity, and shopping, and Gandia beach, where apartments and summer residences used during the summer season are to be found. The bars and nightclubs are concentrated in the beach area. As is normal for Spain, nightlife does not begin until well after midnight. The beach and town are actually some 2 km apart which succeeds in separating summer tourism from day-to-day living.

With its long, wide, golden, sandy beaches Gandia is one of the major tourist destinations in Spain. Traditionally Gandia's tourism has a domestic base, with the majority coming from Madrid, although in recent years it has been an increasingly popular destination for international tourists, mainly French, German and British.

The most important monuments in Gandia are:

The old university of the Jesuits (1549-1767), which is also called "Los Escolapios". Since 1806 it has been a school and cloister of the holy order Escolapios. It was renovated in 1999 and is now a center of education and culture belonging to Gandia University. In front of the building are statues of the Borja (Borgia) family.

The Palacio Ducal, (L´Alqueria del Duc) which is the former palace of the Duke IV, San Francisco de Borja. The building was acquired by the Gandia city Hall in 1981. The palace offers different architectures (Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque) The building with its Golden Gallery and Crown Room can be visited.

El Torreón or The tower of the pine-tree is one of the last remains of the second city wall of Gandia. (17th century)

The Plaza Jaime I, which was built by one of the sons of San Francisco de Borja. One of its buildings has a beautiful mosaic facade

The Collegiate Church was built on an Arab Mosque by Alfonso the Elder in the 14th century. In 1499 it was honoured as a Collegiate Temple by Pope Alexander VI and until today is a prime example of gothic art in the area of La Safor. The Colegiata Church was declared a Historic Artistic Monument in 1931.

The Castle of Bairen overlooking Gandia is located 3km from the centre of Gandia and just oozes with tales. The fortress was remodeled less than a decade ago and has become a historic site not to be missed. More pictures can be downloaded here.

The ECEC'2010 Conference will be held at
UPV Gandia
Politécnica Superior de Gandia
Calle Pararaninfo, 1,
CP. 46730, Grao de Gandia (Valencia)
Tel: +34-962 849 300
Fax: +34-962 849 309
Email:fboronat@dcom.upv.es
Further information about UPV Gandia
can be found on the UPV Gandia page. Take care: The university campus is in Gandia Beach, so look for hotels in Gandia beach or Playa de Gandia. Gandia city is some km (5-6) away from the beach but there is a good bus transport system between them.

By Plane

You will arrive by plane either in Valencia at Valencia Manises Airport, which is located 8,5 km outside Valencia or at Alicante Airport to reach Gandia.

From the airport you can take a taxi, an aerobus, bus or metro to the train station of Valencia. You can get a Taxi to the train station (Estation Del Nord) for 15-20 Euro. Journey time is approximately 15-20 minutes. The airport now also has a metro station built in so that you can catch the metro direct to the Estation Del Nord from the airport. You can get the Bus to Valencia train station for 2.50 Euro.

From Alicante Airport it is better to hire a car as it is less than 80 km down the A7 toll road (highway) which is never too busy and the car will give you flexibility whilst you are in Gandia.

• Airport Manises Valencia
  Information service: Tel: 34 96 159 85 00

• IBERIA, International Airlines of Spain
  OFICINA IBERIA
  Carretera Aeropuerto
  46940 Manises (Valencia) Tel: 34.902 404 70
  Information Service Tel: 34 961 598 500
  Information and Reservations. Serviberia. Tel: 902 400 500
  Ticket Office in Valencia Centre. Tel: 34 963 52 75 52
  Ticket Office at the Airport. Tel: 34 961 59 88 09
  OFICINA IBERIA
  C/ La Paz 14
  46003 Valencia
  Tel: 34-963 527 552, 34-963 523 677
  Fax: 34-963 520 677

By Train

By Boat

The major company linking Valencia/Gandia to other seaports in the Mediterranean all year round is Trasmediterranea. You will find their Valencia information here:
Valencia Office
Est. Maretima. Muelle de Poniente
C.P. 46024
Fax: 963 164 855

By Bus

L´Urbá
L´Urbá is the urban bus with two different itineraries (red and yellow line).
Timetable: During the week and on Saturdays from 7:00 to 24:00
On Sundays and festivals from 9:00 to 24:00.

La Marina Gandiense
These busses connect the beach with the city (blue line). University students travel for free. (Special timetable for students)

There are bus stops of La Marina and L´Urbá at the entrance of the railway station. The stop at the Café Campus will be signposted, and RENFE matches the bus "The Navy Gandia.

The bus station is situated at the back of the railway station of Gandia. Busses connect Gandia with other Spanish cities. You can download the bus schedule here.

By Taxi

You will find the taxis opposite arrivals at the airport of Valencia
Price: from the airport to the city centre, approximately 14 Euro - 16 Euro
Radio Taxi Manises: 961 521 155
Radio Taxi Valencia: 963 703 333
Telephone Teletaxi: 963 571 313
Some useful phrases when using a cab.

By Car

Use the A-7 del mediterraneo A7 Mediterranean Motorway
Connection with the European expressway network. Connections with national highways: N-III, N-340, N-234, N-332 Autovia A-3 Madrid-Valencia. You can view the highway map here. To drive from Valencia to Gandia follow the N-332.

Travel Summary

Summarizing: metro from airport to estacion del norte (xativa street) and over ground train to Gandia. From Gandia a short bus ride 10 minutes to the sea front or get a taxi.
There are only 3 trains per day that arrive to the beach from Valencia. From Gandia train station there is a short bus ride 10 minutes to the university campus, every 15 minutes.