The congress is being held in central Lisbon at the VIP Grand Hotel and Spa. The hotel is a well located and a short cab or metro ride from the famous Praca Marques de Pombal and Avenida da Liberdade.

About Lisbon

Boasting springtime temperatures during the winter and cool summers freshened by a breeze blowing in from the Atlantic, Lisbon, on the southwestern coast of Portugal, is a fascinating and impressively diverse city.

The capital of Portugal since its conquest by the Moors in 1147, Lisbon is a legendary city boasting more than 20 centuries of history. The Alfama is one of the oldest quarters in Lisbon. Since it largely survived the earthquake of 1755, this area still retains much of its original layout and character.

Adjacent to the Alfama are the old quarters of Castelo and Mouraria, on the western and northern slopes of the hill which is crowned by the famous St. George's Castle. Every year in June, the streets of all three quarters come alive with the celebrations of the feast days of popular saints. The Graça quarter and the churches of São Vicente de Fora and Santa Engrácia are within easy walking distance of these three quarters.

Spreading along the right bank of the river Tagus and the Baixa district, you will find the 18th century area of Rossio. To the west lie the Bairro Alto and Madragoa neighbourhoods, with their unique streets, and to the west is Belém where the famous Tower of Belém (the sentinel over the Tagus River that protects the entrance into Lisbon), and the Jerónimos Monastery (masterpieces of Manueline architecture and included on UNESCO's International Heritage list) can be found.

Radiant skies brighten this monumental city, with its typical tile-covered building facades and narrow medieval streets, where you can hear the fado music being played and sung at night. Lisbon is however also the stage for popular festivities, a place for excellent shopping, exciting nightlife, and interesting museums; a place from where motorways branch-off in different directions.

Sintra, with its lush wooded heights and verdant charms is just a short train or car journey away from Lisbon. Visitors are invited to take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, and gaze at the marvelous manor houses, located within the grounds of century old farms.

Sintra is also home to the UNESCO world heritage site “Pena Palace”, built by Fernando Cobourg Gothas on the ruins of a monastery from the 16th century

Further afield from Lisbon, lies the impressive Mafra Convent, the cosmopolitan seaside resorts on the way to Cascais, the verdant Serra da Arrábida, picturesque Sesimbra, the Sado estuary and the aristocratic farmhouses of Azeitão. To the south lie the ochre and blue unspoiled beaches of Alentejo which face the vast Atlantic horizon.