CHI 2008 will take place 5 April 2008 through 10 April 2008 in Florence, Italy.

We will jump start the conference with two days of workshops, the doctoral consortium, and a small subset of courses. Within these CHI venues, attendees will interact with friends and colleagues in an intimate academic setting. The main technical program begins on Monday and will run for four days again this year. Within this program, attendees can look forward to a myriad of presentations designed to convey new findings and methodologies, elicit interaction, and stir your creative juices. Numerous breaks and social activities are also planned in order to further promote the exchange of information and ideas within the CHI community.

We have secured special rates for CHI 2008 attendees at 22 hotels in the heart of Florence, all within walking distance of the Fortezza da Basso congress center. The hotels range from historic 4-star landmarks to modest 2-star lodging for students and travelers on a budget. All hotels are part of the CHI 2008 conference block; there is not a single headquarter hotel for CHI 2008.

To make your housing reservations and to view a map of hotel locations, visit: www.consultaumbria.com/chi2008

The deadline for hotel booking has been extended to March 28th, 2008!

CHI 2008 will take place at the historic Fortezza da Basso, a medieval outpost in the heart of Florence. Click here to learn more about this unique venue.

CHI 2008 post-congress tours have been cancelled due to the lack of interest If you have any questions regarding tours, please contact our tour provider, OIC Way (e-mail: v.torzuoli@oic.it, Ph. +39 055 5035203, Fax +39 055 5001912).

Florence (Firenze) is the regional capital of Tuscany, in the centre of Italy. Surrounded by hills of cypress trees, olive groves, and vineyards, Italy’s “City of Stone” is easy to adore, from its famous Tuscan wines to the gold buildings and terracotta roofs that dominate the city’s landscape. Florence is situated on the river Arno, which is spanned by the famous Ponte Vecchio, the only of Florence's bridges not destroyed during the Second World War.

A center of medieval European trade and finance, the city was long ruled by the Medici family and is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. In this fine tradition, Florence is famous for its magnificent art and architecture. While in town, visits to Galleria dell’ Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s statue of David, Gallerie degli Uffizi, and Brunelleschi's dome on the Duomo are mandatory. But there’s much more to do in Firenze, like hiking up to Piazza Michelangelo, exploring nearby villages, or bargain shopping at the famed leather market.

Florence has a warm temperate continental climate, with hot dry summers, and cool damp winters. CHI 2008 attendees can expect relatively pleasant temperatures ranging in the 50-60s Fahrenheit (10-20 degrees Celsius) during the conference.

For more information, see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence
wikitravel.org/en/Florence

Drop-In Child Care
We have located two child care centers that offer drop-in care services (called “baby parking” in Italy). Contact information and other details are below. IF you contact them, please mention that you were referred by OIC (Ms. Martina Fonicello) to get the special CHI 2008 rates.

IL CUBO MAGICO
Baby parking service hrs: from 3,30 PM to 7,30 PM
They accept children aged 1,5 up to 5 years old
The hourly cost is € 13,00. For 10 or more hrs parents can get discounts as follows:
10 hrs € 100,00
20 hrs € 160,00
30 hrs € 220,00
40 hrs € 270,00
Prices also include a snack, usually served at 4 PM
Contacts:
IL CUBO MAGICO S.R.L. - Baby Parking
Via del Madonnone, 19 int - 50136 Firenze
Ph. +39 055 67 13 77 - Fax +39 055 62 35 371
E-mail: info@cubomagico.it

LA VISPA TERESA
Baby parking service hrs: from 7,30 AM to 5,30 PM
And from 7,30 AM to 7,00 PM on Monday, Thursday and Friday
They accept children aged up to 3 years old
Contacts:
LA VISPA TERESA
Via Delle Campora , 66/A - 50125 Firenze
Ph/fax: +39 055 2321209
E-mail: ciagnani@libero.it

Nanny Referrals
Florence is an exciting destination, and we hope that many CHI 2008 participants may be bringing their families with them. In response to requests to offer a childcare program, CHI 2008 is pleased to provide the following list of conference hotels that offer private, in-room nanny service.

Please contact the individual hotel to inquire about nanny service.

This list has been furnished by Consulta Umbria, the CHI 2008 housing management bureau. Please note that CHI 2008 is not able to recommend these providers based on experience; this list is simply provided as a convenience to parents who may wish to make arrangements for childcare services while in Florence. CHI 2008 makes no claims regarding the services listed here. Parents are urged to address any questions or concerns directly with the individual hotel.

Other Resources
In the coming weeks, we also hope to provide a list of recommended activities suitable for children in Florence. Please check back for additional details.