Europe’s Summer for Sports Fans: the Olympics and Euro Football

The Olympic torch has arrived in France, en route to the Games, less than three months away. The once-every-four-year sports extravaganza is not the only international sporting event in Europe in the summer of 2024: the European Football Championships will dominate life in 10 German cities in the weeks leading up to the Olympics in next-door France.

And it’s not too late for you to be in the stands for these high-profile, high-octane international events. Tickets are still available - and with expert advice from a travel advisor, you’ll be able to navigate the best options for getting in and out, where to stay at the best value for your budget, as well as getting around between venues, and of course, enjoying the lifestyle of these European destinations.

Here’s what you need to know to go.

It only takes place every four years, so sports fans don’t want to miss getting in on Olympic Summer Games spirit. Especially when the Games take place in one of the world’s most beloved destinations.

It’s been a century since the City of Light last hosted the Olympics, and they are pulling out all the stops to host the event that will have the whole world watching Paris July – September for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

15 million visitors are expected, and iconic Paris landmarks will be transformed into competition sites. There will be skateboarding, BMX and basketball at Place de la Concorde, fencing and taekwondo at the Grand Palais, cycling and archery at Les Invalides, judo and wrestling at Champ de Mars, and beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower (pictured, top).

Bridges and banks along the Seine are the extraordinary venue for a one-of-a-kind river-based Opening Ceremony.

Not all the action is in the city itself. The city of Nice on France’s Cote d’Azur on the Mediterranean will host the Olympic football tournament; Colombes in Paris’ suburbs is where field hockey takes place, with equestrian events in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles (pictured, below).

Most popular tourist areas such as Montmartre, the Left Bank (Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Montparnasse, Luxembourg, Latin Quarter…), the Marais, Opéra, and all the East of Paris will not be affected by the preparation of the Games. Seine river cruises will operate as usual up to July 19. All attractions, museums and monuments will be open as usual, according to French tourism authorities.

Public transportation will be modified by the Games, but remains the best way to get around Paris and between French cities.

Over 250,000 new tickets for events were released on April 17 on the official ticketing website tickets.paris2024.org.It’s the last ticket release before the Games begin, and tickets are still available.

According to Games officials, half of the new tickets are on sale for €100 or less, which includes almost 20,000 tickets priced at €24, while sports previously advertised as sold out are once again available.

Hotels and packages are also still available at just under three months out from the Opening Ceremonies on the Seine.

For fans of ‘football,’ as the world outside of North America calls soccer, the European Football Championship is a highlight on the sports calendar.

In 2024, 3-time Euro champion Germany is the host country, with the 24 teams that have reached the finals competing over a month-long summer tournament in 10 German cities around the country:

·Berlin (pictured)

·Munich

·Stuttgart

·Gelsenkirchen

·Cologne

·Hamburg

·Dortmund

·Dusseldorf

·Frankfurt

·Leipzig

Each of these football hubs will host a weeks-long party that includes fan centers, arts and cultural events for the public – and of course, stadium games where passions will run high. Expect fans from all over Europe in team jerseys scarves and colors, with club chants and anthems ringing off the rafters in the stadiums and at the celebrations in the football bars.

The biggest parties will be surrounding the opening game on June 14 in the 66,000 fan Munich Football Arena - and of course, the final, scheduled for July 14 at the 71,000 fan Olympiastadion Berlin.

Every Euro 2024 host city will have dedicated fan zones, where, even if you don’t have tickets to the game inside the stadium, you can join other fans watching games on viewing installations and absorbing the incredible atmosphere. Here’s an event guide for each host city, with more info being released regularly in the final run-up to the tournament.

Whether you wouldlike to include Euro 2024 as part of a trip to Germany, or want to make a dedicated trip to immerse yourself in European football’s biggest month, you’ll want to experience the different host city’s character, history, cuisine and lifestyle.

It’s also easy to travel between host cities by public transport. Germany has extended its incredible experiment in inexpensive public transport. The Germany-Train-Ticket for a month of travel on public transport is only €49, to help encourage locals and visitors to take the train rather than drive.

Plus, EURO 2024 ticket holders will have access to discounted national and international train tickets, as well as a 36 Hour Travel Pass for public transport at no extra cost.