Stadium: Tivoli Neu
Capacity: 30,000
Built: 2000 (exp 2007)
Matches:
10th June: Spain v Russia
14th June: Sweden v Spain
18th June: Russia v Sweden
The original Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck was located on the other side of the river Sill, but it was demolished in 2004.
At that time, the Tivoli Neu had been in operation for four years as a 17,400-capacity venue, and was increased to 30,000 in time for Euro 2008.
The club side who plays here have a complicated history and have been known as FC Wacker Innsbruck since 2007. Wacker consider themselves to be the 'spiritual continuation' of FC Tirol Innsbruck, but cannot claim the latter's honours after they went bankrupt in 2002.
The City
Austria's only previous experience of hosting major international sporting events came in 1964 and 1976, when on both occasions Innsbruck was the venue for the Winter Olympics.
If you prefer sight-seeing to skiing, scratch beneath the surface of the 'Golden Roof' - Innsbruck's must-see historical location - and you'll also find a selection of medieval castles and palaces to visit.
The western city is used to handling tourists which should make for a friendly atmosphere ahead of the three Group D games at the Stadion Tivoli NEU, located less than two miles from the centre.
Transport
Innsbruck
Those jetting into Innsbruck Airport will only have a short journey east into the city centre, but the main arrival point for most fans will be the Hauptbanhof which is located on the Sudtiroler Platz.
The trip west across the border by train to Zurich takes approximately four hours, while Vienna to the east is five hours away.
From Innsbruck's main station, if you're heading to the Fan Zone at Bergisel on the south side of town it's a 20-minute stroll or alternatively a brief hop on the No 1 tram to Stubaitalbahnhof.
It takes only 15 minutes to get to the Tivoli Neu stadium from the heart of town - just head south and east to Olympiastrasse.
In any case, it'll be almost impossible to get lost as Innsbruck officials have put up 280 signposts, which should make sense to all nationalities, around the city.
What to Visit
No visit to Innsbruck is complete without a glimpse of the 'Goldenes Dachl', a three-story balcony topped with over 2,600 gold-plated copper tiles which dates from the early 16th century. It was constructed on the side of the 'Neuhof' building at the heart of the Old Town as a royal box for Maximilian I, the 19th Holy Roman Emperor, who established his court here. The Habsburg king's cenotaph at the Hofkirche is guarded by 28 bronze statues, one of whom is the legendary King Arthur.
The Hofburg palace, St Jakob cathedral and the Ferdinandeum museum and art gallery are the main cultural hotspots, while to the east, the town of Wattens is home to Crystal Worlds, an unusual and popular modern art exhibition space owned by the luxury crystal glass manufacturers Swarovski.
Sports fans may prefer a trip south of town to visit the Bergisel ski jump - used in Innsbruck's Winter Olympics - for an impressive view of the whole city. This area will also be the location for Innsbruck's official Fan Zone, and festival 'highlights' include performances by Swedish techno-country rockers Rednex and Bradford's finest Smokie.
For those with a football fix to satisfy during the daytime, the Czech Republic squad will be staying at the Dorint Sofitel hotel in nearby Seefeld and training at the local sports centre, while Spain are based south-west of Innsbruck in Neustift - their base is the Milderer Hof and they plan to hold one public training session every day at the Kampl Sportplatz.
Food & Drink
Soup isn't that popular at the height of summer but make an exception for Knodelsuppen - you can never have too many dumplings when touring round Austria after all. Tyrolean cuisine is rustic and appetising, particularly Grostl (fried chunks of meat and potatoes), but Innsbruck doesn't really seem to celebrate it - if anything, the city's getting overrun with international restaurants. Nevertheless, the Stiftskeller and also Ottoburg, both located south-west of the Hofgarten pack, offer traditional menus at competitive prices.
Wherever you've chosen to eat, you'll be wanting a drink afterwards and fortunately Innsbruck boasts some great brewpubs and bars, so you really can't go wrong. Kick off the evening among the student crowd in Zappa on Rechengasse, near the river Inn, before heading towards the main street of Maria Theresien Strasse for a pint of Wieselburger Spezial at the Theresienbrau. There's a convivial atmosphere at Cafe Toscana close to the Rathaus while the Hofgarten Cafe is the place to see or be seen.
Music venue The Weekender Club on Tschamlerstrasse is getting into the spirit of the tournament with a Swedish theme during June - we reckon you can expect to hear more of The Hives than Abba. The rowdy Mause Falle nightclub is just down the street and the Couch Club on Anichstrasse is marginally more relaxed, but if you'd prefer to just sit and chat about the football into the early hours, try Limerick Bill's - a cosy Irish pub with several rooms, back at the top of Maria Theresien Strasse.
Phrasebook
The bill please
Ich mochte bitte bezahlen
Is there a tourist information around here?
Gibt es hier eine Touristeninformation?
