COST Office Avenue Louise 149 1050 Brussels, Belgium t: +32 (0)2 533 3800 f: +32 (0)2 533 3890 [email protected]

www.cost.eu COST Action TD1105 European Network on New Sensing Technologies for Air- Pollution Control and Environmental Sustainability- EuNetAir

8th Management Committee and Working Groups Meeting , , 16 - 18 December 2015

Fifth Scientific Meeting

organized by Institute of Electronics & National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology hosted at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Conference Hall, 11 November Street, 1 Sofia, Bulgaria, 16 - 18 December 2015

Workshop Venue:

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Conference Hall, 11 November Street, 1 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Local organizers:

Prof. DrSc Dimiter SYRAKOV - National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology Prof. DrSc Ivan NEDKOV - Institute of Electronics Emilia HRISTOSKOVA - Central Office of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Tel.: +359 888 926313 - Tel.: +359 887 430271 - Tel.: +359 887 950676 Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

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Meeting and Travel Information COST Action TD1105 European Network on New Sensing Technologies for Air- Pollution Control and Environmental Sustainability- EuNetAir

Management Committee and Working Groups Meeting Sofia, Bulgaria, 16 - 18 December 2015

Scientific Meeting organized by Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Electronics

Workshop Venue: Central Office of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Conference Hall 11 November Street, 1 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria, 16 - 18 December 2015

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Local organizers: Institute of Electronics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Prof. DrSc Ivan NEDKOV - Institute of Electronics Prof. DrSc Dimiter SYRAKOV - National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology Emilia HRISTOSKOVA - Central Office of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Tel.: +359 887 430271 - Tel.: +359 888 926 313 - Tel.: +359 887 950676 Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

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Practical Information

Welcome to SOFIA

Sofia is a city of many colours. Green in the summer and the spring, white in the winter, and all sorts of red, brown and yellow in the autumn, it always offers something new, refreshing and unexpected to its visitors and keeps them entertained throughout the whole year. Its rich political, cultural and religious past is reflected through its monuments, buildings, museums, galleries, theatres, and temples. The big boulevards, the small alleys, the restaurants, the cafes, and the bars speak for its present. Its parks, mineral springs and Mount demonstrate its natural grandeur. All this makes Sofia a must-visit destination. Population is 1.5 millions. The town preserves his multinational character (see the Figure).

Different religions are the richness of the town (Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, Judaic etc.)

History Sofia was originally a Thracian settlement called Serdica, or Sardica, possibly named after the Celtic tribe Serdi. For a short period during the 4th century BC, the city was ruled by Philip of Macedon and his son Alexander the Great. Around BC 29, Serdica was conquered by the Romans. It became a municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117) and was renamed Ulpia Serdica. It seems that the first written mention of Serdica was made by Ptolemy (around 100 AD). For Constantine the Great it was 'Sardica mea Roma est' (Serdica is my Rome). In 343 AD, the Council of Sardica was held in the city, in a church located where the current 6th century Church of Saint Sophia was later built. The city was destroyed in the 447 invasion of the Huns. It was rebuilt by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. First conquest of Bulgarian is about 681 AD. During the reign of Justinian it flourished, being surrounded with great fortress walls whose remnants can still be seen today. In 1382, Sofia was seized by the Ottoman Empire in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars after a long siege. Around 1393 it became the seat of newly established Sanjak of Sofia. Sofia was taken by Russian forces on January 4, 1878, during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78, and became the capital of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria in 1879, which became the last Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1908.

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Sofia - Culture, Arts and entertainment

Old architecture

Teathers and new buildings

Streets - Sofia is the cultural centre rich of vitality

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Climate

Sofia has a humid continental climate with an average annual temperature of 10.6 °C (51.1 °F). Winters are cold and snowy. In the coldest days temperatures can drop as low as −15 °C (5 °F), most notably in January. Summers are warm and sunny. In summer, the city generally remains slightly cooler than other parts of Bulgaria, due to its higher altitude. However, the city is also subjected to heat waves with high temperatures reaching or exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) in the hottest days, particularly in June, July and August.

The mountain is the loved place for the citizens

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Recommended Hotels for the meeting

Radisson Blu Grand Hotel, Sofia

Location Located in Narodno Sabranie Square (just opposite the Main Office of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, where is the Conference Hall), this unique hotel in Sofia is surrounded by cultural attractions and transport options, including the metro system to the Sofia International Airport (station “”). The hotel's landmark building opens out to the vibrant yellow pavement of the square, where smart travellers can easily traverse the area and access an array of trendy shops, chic boutiques and delectable eateries. It offers free Wi-Fi and free indoor parking.

4, Narodno Sabranie Square P.O. Box 549 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Web: [email protected] Preferential prices 90 Euro till 01 November 2015

Grand Hotel - Sofia

Location Set a 10-minute walk from the Conference Hall and metro station, the 5-star Grand Hotel - Sofia is located right in the heart of Sofia, overlooking the City Garden and the Royal Palace. It offers large rooms, free Wi-Fi and free indoor parking.

1, Gourko, Str. 1000 Sofia Bulgaria

Web:

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Preferential prices 80 Euro till 01 November 2015

Holiday Inn - Sofia

Location The hotel is located at one of the most modern and safe locations of the city. The Subway station “Business Park Sofia” is 100 m from the Hotel. Metro have a direct train to the (10 min) and to the city centre (20 min). Metro station "Sofia University" is just opposite to the Conference Hall.

111 Alexander Malinov Boulevard, 1766 Sofia

Web: www.holidayinn.com Preferential prices 70 Euro till 01 November 2015

Transport The convenient public transport which links the Sofia-airport with the Centre is the Metropolitan of Sofia (tickets price in one direction is 0.5 Euro).

Metro webpage: http://www.metropolitan.bg/en/

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Maps of Sofia and Metro

Map to reach Bulgarian Academy of Science, Conference Hall, Metro station “Sofia University”, Radison Blu Grand Hotel and Grand Hotel - Sofia.

COST Office Avenue Louise 149 1050 Brussels, Belgium t: +32 (0)2 533 3800 f: +32 (0)2 533 3890 [email protected]

www.cost.eu BAS Central Office Conference Hall Grand Hotel - Sofia

Radisson Blu Grand Hotel

“Sofia University” Metro station

EuNetAir webpage: www.cost.eunetair.it

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