Preliminary information concerning excursions and companion social programme planned in conjunction eith ICALEPCS'99

Pre/Post Conference Tour to Tuscany A 3 or 4 days pre/post Conference tour to Tuscany will be organized according to the preferences received. Please, answer the relevant questions in the Pre-registration Form. Participants will visit Florence, the capital of Italian Renaissance and its beautiful monuments and the most important museums. The Tour will continue with a stop to San Giminiano and its towers, Pisa and the world famous Piazza dei Miracoli. Siena with its famous Piazza del Palio will also be visited. During these days participants will be offered the unique opportunity to taste both wines and food of one of the most interesting regions of Italy. Companions' Programme An attractive companions' programme will be organized, including tours and cultural activities like: Italian Art Lessons and related excursions: visit Miramare Castle, snow-white and surrounded by the sea, built between 1856 and 1860, the home to Maximilian of Hapsburg and Charlotte of Belgium. It subsequently became Amedeo of Aosta's residence. The park surrounding the castle is also wonderful, especially owing to the variety of trees that Maximilian himself chose and planted, which are now an invaluable heritage. See also Aquileia, which preserves many memories of its illustrious past. The imposing remains of the river port, the severe colonnade of the Forum, the remains of the luxurious noble residences and those of the public Baths leave no doubt as to the greatness and opulence of this old town of the Upper Adriatic, even after the destruction by Attila in 452. Excursion to the surrounding countryside: visit the Carso and its stark rocks, vegetation and Sumac leaves that provide an exciting view during autumn; also the "Grotta Gigante", one of Europe's largest caves, the central hall of which is so large it could contain St. Peter's Cathedral. Outside the cave there is a Speleological Museum of great interest. Italian cuisine lessons Tasting of local wines