As experts in corporate event trucking, we at Stagefreight have seen a wide assortment of conferences and corporate events. But one thing that’s often overlooked is the venues themselves.
There’s all kinds of weird and wonderful places to hold an event, and it’s that we’ll be shining the spotlight on in this article.
Milano Convention Centre
If you need a larger-scale event, this Italian venue might be what you’re looking for. The Milano Convention Centre was opened in 2002, but doubled in size three years later. At maximum capacity it can hold 18,000 people, with up to 4,000 in a single room. According to the official website, it’s the largest congress centre in Europe.
If you’re looking for a great exhibition space, Milano can oblige. The exhibitions halls have 54,000 square metres of exhibition space, or turned into additional plenary rooms as required. Conference rooms boast a full range of technologies including video projection, sound systems, WiFi and translator booths. There’s also parking for over 1,000 cars, direct access to Milan’s subway and even a heliport!
The Royal Armouries Museum
Located in the heart of Leeds, the Royal Armouries Museum tells the story of weapons and armour from antiquity to the present day. Their collection includes 500,000 documents and more than 70,000 items, which visitors can enjoy over five floors. Highlights include Henry VIII’s horned helmet, elephant armour from the 1600s and a rapier that’s more than 3,500 years old.
It’s known as an essential historical and educational resource, but it’s also an amazing conference venue. Choose from 11 different spaces: at full capacity the largest venue, New Dock Hall, can hold 1,500 people. Upcoming conferences discuss topics like the oldest surviving fight book, and the changing roles arms and armour play in our society. In recent months it’s even hosted celebrities like Vinnie Jones and Robert De Niro, making this one of Yorkshire’s most remarkable venues.
Austria Centre Vienna
What’s most impressive about this venue is its sheer sense of scale! The Austria Centre Vienna is the country’s biggest conference centre. It can hold up to 20,000 delegates at once, with 24 lecture rooms, 180 meeting rooms and 22,000 square metres of exhibition space. The centre also boasts state-of-the-art technical equipment, with LED lighting, swivel spotlights and much more.
Thanks to its central location, Austria Centre Vienna is surrounded by contemporary architecture and is next door to the Vienna International Centre, which holds offices for the United Nations. If you’re in Austria, this is the place to be for big decisions of any stripe. Click here for more details.
The Eden Project
This eco-friendly tourist attraction is located in Cornwall, and recreates natural environments from around the world. The Rainforest Biome is one of its star attractions, approximating forests from Southeast Asia, West Africa and Tropical South America. Visitors can also enjoy outdoor biomes, sculptures and more hands-on attractions.
Since opening in 2001, The Eden Project has hosted many different conferences and business events. As well as the chance to wander around some natural wonders, you’ll have access to AV equipment, an in-house AV technician and branded goods for attendees to take away. Learn more about this one-of-a-kind venue here.
The Palais des Congrès
This French venue is located just a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Suitable for business events and exhibitions, as well as live entertainment, it boasts three levels and 19,000 square metres of exhibition space.
The Grand Amphithéâtre alone can hold more than 3,700 visitors, with a range of smaller rooms also available. When you’re ready to unwind, dive into the various eateries and cocktail bars!
You can even enlist the venue’s event planning team if you have a smaller event you want to pull off.
Salzburg Congress
This conference centre is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg—better known as the home of Mozart and The Sound of Music. Visitors to the city will be surrounded by lush greenery, beautiful architecture and awe-inspiring mountain ranges.
The Salzburg Congress itself sits very close to the iconic Mirabell Palace, and has plenty to offer any visiting professional.
First opened in 2001, the venue has 15 conference rooms, exhibition areas across three floors, suites, office space and plenty of natural daylight. There’s also plenty of equipment available, including furniture, IT infrastructure and even interpreting services. When you’re done with the day’s events, the centre’s hotel service makes finding a room as easy as possible!
Madame Tussauds
Founded in 1835, Madame Tussauds is a legendary museum of waxwork figures. It expertly recreates celebrities and pop culture icons; everyone from Prince Harry to Luke Skywalker can be found inside. There’s also more animated attractions; learn about London’s history in the Spirit of London ride, or get up close and personal with a Xenomorph in the Alien: Escape experience.
If you’ve got work to do, the museum can be used for evening conferences instead. It has fifty years’ experience of hosting parties and events, and up to 1,000 people can attend an event at once. Professionals can enjoy exclusive use of the museum, a red carpet reception, plasma screens and event staffing as needed.
Learn more about the museum here, and learn more about business events here.
Grafenegg Castle
Feel like a king (or queen) as you conduct business in this grand Austrian castle! With a variety of architectural styles, Grafenegg Castle boasts a soaring tower, intricate facades, and beautiful castle grounds. Its outbuildings, which were added over the centuries, offer many different possibilities from weddings to trade fairs.
There are several different venues to choose from; the Auditorium boasts excellent acoustics, space for conferences and lectures, several smaller rooms and a 1,300 person capacity.
The Wolkenturm is an open-air arena that can seat over 1,600 people, with indoor video transmission available in case of bad weather.
Finish off your event at the former Riding School, which can accommodate a variety of dining options and VIP occasions! For a truly glamorous reception, you can even have musicians trumpet from the castle’s turrets.
Hesperia Barcelona Tower
Located in Barcelona, the Hesperia Tower Hotel is one of the tallest buildings in the city. It opened back in 2006, and is famous for its distinctive ‘UFO’ restaurant on the roof. As well as a place to stay the night, it’s a popular conference centre; 13 meeting rooms are available on the premises, as well as an auditorium for 480 people. There’s also free WiFi throughout the hotel, ensuring you’ll never be out of touch with your business contacts.
This venue is an excellent choice for smaller-scale, more intimate business meetings.
Congress Centre Rosengarten
Most conference centres are hotbeds of conversation, but music doesn’t typically come up much!
Germany’s Conference Center Rosengarten—located in Mannheim—does things a little differently; first built in 1900 with a beautiful art nouveau facade, it hosts everything from business events to pop concerts. The venue has over 40 halls with space for more than 9,000 guests.
There is also 8,000 square metres of exhibition space, meaning there’s dozens of possibilities.
Square Brussels Convention Centre
Sat in the heart of Europe, this Belgian conference centre has plenty going for it. Its five auditoriums can host conferences of all shapes and sizes; whether you need space for a hundred or over two thousand, the Square can oblige.
There’s also a variety of grand halls suitable for meetings or exhibitions, smaller multipurpose rooms, studios and catering areas, with additional equipment like drapery, electrical connections and translation booths available.
Add in the rich cultural offerings on Brussels’ doorstep, and this is an excellent venue for any business event!
The Convention Centre Dublin
Winner of over 40 awards, the Convention Centre Dublin sits in Ireland’s capital city. It first opened in 2010, and has hosted over 1,500 events in the eight years since! The centre can host events of any size, from small, simple boardrooms to massive, 2000-capacity auditoriums. Exhibitors can also take advantage of everything from stand catering to technical equipment.
The convention centre has also been recognised as the first convention centre to be carbon neutral constructed, and is committed to long-term sustainability.
Zappeion Exhibition Hall
Looking to surround yourself with history? This Greek venue—located in Athens—is a wonderful choice. Constructed in the 1880s for the Olympic Games, the Zappeion Hall is now a top-rate business centre. Visitors are greeted by the classic Greek columns, while inside are 4,000 luxurious square metres for exhibitions and conferences.
The central atrium is probably of special interest. Spread over more than 980 square metres, it’s perfect for conferences, concerts, cocktail parties and even sit-down dinners. Smaller rooms are available with conference tables, microphones, headsets and space for 80 people. There are even video facilities and translation booths if you really want to wow your guests.
The Zappeion itself is also close to many legendary landmarks including the Acropolis, the National Garden, the Roman Cistern and several museums.
Expect any business trip here to include plenty of unscheduled detours…
Kongress Palais Kassel
Located in central Germany, in the city of Kassel, the Kongress Palais Kassel mixes classic design with modern amenities. The venue boasts 8,500 square metres of space, divided across theatres, classrooms and banquet areas. You can even use the entrance area as an amphitheatre, which connects perfectly to the surrounding garden landscape. There’s even a hotel directly connected to the building, which provided over 150 beds and even additional conference space. And with the InterCity train station nearby, all of Europe is within easy reach.
Canary Islands Convention Centre
Classed as Spain’s most Southern region, the Canary Islands act as a bridge between Europe, Africa and America.
It’s also home to the Canary Islands Convention Centre, a truly stunning location for any conference.
The convention centre has 25 meeting rooms and space for 4,600 attendees, while the venue can reconfigure other spaces to suit the needs of the event. The highlight, though, is the Symphony Hall, which has a 100m² window that provides stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Businesses interested in holding an event here can take advantage of a range of services like stand setup, technical support, security, catering and even flower decoration.
The venue also features state-of-the-art technology such as modern audiovisual equipment, CCTV and simultaneous translation services.
Learn more about this wonderful venue here.
Whatever shape or size your conference or corporate event takes, there’s an amazing venue for it.
And when you need help to get there, look no further than the experts of corporate event trucking for the UK, Europe and more.
Our driver will become part of your team and help you with build and setup, taking on any task big or small. We’ll also handle all the required documentation, keeping any planning headaches to a minimum.
Wherever you want to hold your conference, Stagefreight is on hand to help.
While most of our transport is to Europe, we’ve gone much further afield. Our drivers have planned routes to Dubai, Africa and even the Arctic Circle.
Find out all about our services here.
And if you’re ready to get your corporate event on the road, call us on 0113 797 898 today.