365 Media Group - Euro 2008 In association with Puma

The City

The most cosmopolitan of the Euro 2008 venues, Geneva also boasts a stunning lakeside location nestled below the Alps.

Over 40% of the city's population are foreign nationals and many work for major organisations such as the United Nations and the Red Cross.

Fans will be urged to explore the rich religious history in the Old Town and spend their euros in the expensive shopping district, where a classic Swiss watch is an almost essential purchase depending on your credit card limit.

The Stade de Geneve will stage three Group A games, but hosts Switzerland will not play here.

The ground is located in the south-west of the city, in an area known as La Praille. It was built in 2003 to replace the old Charmilles Stadium at a cost of over 35million pounds, although club-side residents Servette have not exactly prospered in their impressive surroundings as they continue to struggle in the Swiss second division.

The stadium has also hosted several international friendlies in recent years, including England's thrilling 3-2 win over Argentina in November 2005.

Being located in the far west of Switzerland, the road to the final in Vienna is a long one from Geneva - 625 miles, or a 10-hour drive.

Transport

Cointrin International Airport, just over three miles to the north of Geneva, boasts a superb shuttle train link with the city centre and is also a stop on the main Swiss and French rail networks. The train station is called Cornavin, and offers regular and sleeper services to a host of other major European cities including Barcelona, Rome and Prague.

The Stade de Geneve is located south-west of the city centre and for those who don't mind a trek, the organisers have created a 'Walk of Fans' which will take about 45 minutes to complete. Having crossed the Rhone river as it starts its flow from the lake, stop off at the Plaine de Plainpalais which is the site of Geneva's Fan Zone before heading over another river, the Arve. From here, you must negotiate the suburban streets before arriving at La Praille and the ground itself.

If you don't have time to walk (and don't forget your match ticket allows you free transport anyway), your best bet is a train ride from Cornavin to Lancy-Pont-Rouge, a local station just north of the ground, while if the tram is more your style, you'll want to hop on the number 13 or 14, alighting at Bachet.

What to Visit

There's really only one place to start when visiting Geneva and that's with the symbol of the city - the Jet d'Eau. Stand on the Pont du Mont Blanc, where Lake Geneva (or Lac Leman to the locals) empties into the Rhone, and marvel at one of the world's largest fountains. The Jet has been spouting since 1886 and currently propels 500 litres of water into the air per second, reaching a height of 140 metres. It is best viewed after sunset when multi-coloured lights create a stunning effect. Also worth a look on the lake will be the huge yacht regatta known as the Bol d'Or Mirabaud from June 13-15.

The United Nations' European headquarters are at the Palace of Nations in Ariana Park, north of the city. Originally built between 1929 and 1936 for the UN's failed predecessor, the League of Nations, the building now serves as an enormous conference centre for the 192 member states. Guided tours taking you through the Assembly Hall and the beautiful Council Chamber are available on weekdays at 10am and 2pm - just turn up 20 minutes early at the Avenue de la Paix entrance, but remember to take your passport as you'll be entering 'international territory'.

Opposite the UN entrance is the superb International Red Cross Museum, which charts the history of the humanitarian organisation founded by Henry Dunant in 1863.

In the Old Town, Geneva's religious past is the focus. Climb the steps of St Peter's Cathedral and savour the views from the north tower, and then visit the Reformation Wall to see the statues of former Geneva resident John Calvin and those who developed his Protestant theologies in the 16th century.

Meanwhile, three Euro 2008 teams will be training and recharging their batteries around the shores of Lake Geneva. The Turkey squad are staying at La Reserve Geneve in nearby Bellevue, and will train at the Colovray sports centre in Nyon, opposite UEFA headquarters. Meanwhile, the Netherlands camp is 30 miles north-east of Geneva at Lausanne's Beau Rivage Palace and they will train at the Stade Olympique Pontaise, while a little further east France can be found at Le Mirador Kempinski in Mont Pelerin, near Montreux, and will be holding open sessions at the Stade du Lussy in Chatel-Saint-Denis.

Food & Drink

Geneva's international flavour is reflected in the city's cuisine, with over 1000 restaurants offering food from across the world. However, it would be rude not to sample some of the traditional Swiss offerings first and the most well-known of these is fondue - the cheesy communal choice. Other Genevan specialities are cardoons (artichokes gratin), longeole (sausage with cabbage), fricasse de porc (pork boiled in red wine) and pieds de cochon (pig's feet). If you want something out of the lake itself, perch fillet and trout are worth looking out for on the fish menu.

The Cafe du Soleil, in the Petit-Saconnex area on the north of town, is always busy because it serves great Swiss fare at reasonable prices - a combination which can be hard to find in the face of such vast choice. Jeck's Place is a tasty Singaporean joint just east of Cornavin station, and for a late-night kebab that puts British efforts to shame, L'Istanbul is just round the corner.

Those in need of a beer should check out nearby brewery pub Les Brasseurs, where the five-pint towers would surely have been popular with England fans if only their team had qualified. Cafe Demi Lune is a cozy Mediterranean-style bar south of Place du Molard. A younger crowd stays up late for live music at L'Usine (Place des Volontaires), the Platinum club is the place to be seen on the opposite bank of the Rhone while Chat Noir in Carouge is a popular jazz and blues venue in the southern Carouge district.

Phrasebook

Pouvez-vous m'indiquer le chemin du Stade de Geneve? Je suis perdu!

Please could you show me the way to the stadium? I'm lost!

Mettez la dose, je bois pour oublier la defaite.

Make it a large one, I'm drowning my sorrows.