How to get there
We are aware that travelling to the venue might be considered as not that convenient, but it’s worth the effort…
Arrival Day is Monday 24 August – the programme starts that day at around 17:00 with a keynote lecture by Shawn Burgess from Dallas on Metabolic Mechanisms. End of TOPIM is Friday 28 August after lunch.
By plane to Florence or Pisa
Florence is about 80 km from Siena and Pisa 120 km. The Certosa is located 8 km outside of Siena. Whether you arrive at Florence or Pisa airport, the most comfortable way to get to the venue is by car but arrival by public transportation is also possible.
Carpooling/Ride Sharing
+++ for registered participants only +++
To support environmental sustainability, reduce costs, and make travel more convenient, we provide an easy-to-use online platform for all participants to coordinate carpooling to and from the airports.
The page is password protected, all registered participants have received the password by email. If you have not received it, just drop an email to office@e-smi.eu.
Public Transportation
It is also possible to travel to Siena by public transport from Florence or Pisa airport.
Option a) by train: you must first go from the airport to the main train station in the city centre (Florence and Pisa).
Option b) by bus: busses run from both airports to Siena.
A bus runs also from Siena railway station to the Certosa di Pontignano (stop Pontignano). This service is not offered that frequently though – check here for timetable and tickets autolinee toscano…
Pro-tip: Check the connections with Flixbus – you might be surprised…
Private (Group) Transfer
There are also certain companies that offer private (group) transfers from the airports to the venue, but costs for a transfer from Florence are about 300€+ for six people in a minvan.
The Venue
The ancient Certosa di Pontignano is just a few kilometres from Siena situated on a hill overlooking the city and Tuscany. The Certosa di Pontignano dates back to 1343 and has the traditional appearance of Carthusian monasteries. In 1703, the “Chapel of St Agnes” was built inside the Certosa, which is known throughout the world as a miniature version of the Sistine Chapel.
It is the congress centre for the University of Siena. The ancient monastery was extended in the 1950s to include a student dormitory.
Location
Venue- Certosa di Pontignano,
- Località Pontignano, 5
- 53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga, Siena Italy