Location
L'Aquila
L'Aquila is a small town (67,000 inhabitants) about 100 km northeast of Rome, the capital town of Abruzzi and of the Province of L'Aquila. It is located in a valley surrounded by the highest mountains of the Apennines, the Gran Sasso and the Velino-Sirente. L'Aquila is the main historical and artistic centre of Abruzzi. There are several churches and monuments of historic and artistic value, the heritage of its rich medieval past, such as the Fountain of the Ninety-Nine Spouts, the massive 16th-century Spanish castle, the Basilica of St. Bernardine, and the Church of Saint Mary in Collemaggio, where Peter from Morrone was crowned Pope in 1294. Due to the altitude of 714 above sea level, the summer months are very pleasant in L'Aquila.
Venue
The Summer School will be held at the TILS Campus, located on a small hill a few kilometers away from the center of L'Aquila. The campus is known for its excellent working, living, and sports facilities. Sports facilities include 5 tennis courts, pool, gym, volleyball, basketball and soccer facilities, jogging trail, etc. all within the premises of 11000 square meters, and free of charge for the participants of the summer school. Students and lecturers will be accommodated in private rooms with standard hotel accommodation on campus, and they will stay on campus for one week. Hence, there will be lots of opportunities for interaction among the participants, both in and out the classrooms, during the meals, at the bar or at the pool table. Long after-the-lecture discussions are one of the major assets of this summer school.
How to reach L'Aquila
There will be two busses leaving from the Tiburtina bus terminal in Rome on Sunday July 15. There is a frequent direct train connection between Fiumicino airport and Tiburtina railway station. Tiburtina station is also on a subway line B that passes through downtown Rome. The busses will leave at 2 pm and 4 pm. In case you miss the bus, there is a regular high speed public bus service from the same bus station to the central bus station in L'Aquila (it takes 1 hour and 45 minutes, see arpaonline and costs €9.10 one way). From there you can easily reach the campus with a local bus or by taxi. More details will be given later. For people who cannot arrive on Sunday morning in Rome, it is better to fly into Rome on Saturday, and spend some time in Rome before taking the bus to L'Aquila. More details on affordable hotels in Rome will be given later.
Upon the closing of the summer school, on Saturday morning, there will be free busses bringing the participants to either the Fiumicino airport or downtown Rome (for those who want to spend some extra time visiting Rome).
