Ernst-Happel-Stad
Capacity: 50,000
Built: 1931 (Ren 2005)
Matches:
June 8: Aus v Cro
June 12: Aus v Pol
June 16: Aus v Ger
June 20: Win B v RU A
June 22: Win D v RU C
June 26: Semi-final 2
June 29: Final
Built in 1925, the Ernst-Happel Stadium was redeveloped in 1986 and again upgraded in 2005 to bring it up to modern standards.
Situated in the Prater area of the city between the Danube canal and the river itself, the stadium is home to Rapid Vienna and is named after the club's most famous player, who won seven league titles and 51 caps for Austria.
Ernst Happel went on to have an illustrious career as a coach, winning league titles in four countries, the European Cup with Feyenoord and Hamburg, and leading Holland to the World Cup final in 1978.
The City
Vienna, Austria's capital, is by some distance the biggest of the eight host cities.
Steeped in history, this is the place to come if you rank art and architecture and coffee and cake highest on your list of priorities.
Its stuffy image is well-deserved (the Vienna Boy's Choir has been booked to open the city's Fan Mile) but beyond the palaces and museums there is still plenty going on and with Austria playing their matches here, for two weeks at least, it should be a lively place.
Transport
Vienna is well served by public transport, with tube, tram and elevated train all operating on the same ticket system.
If you're going to be spending plenty of time here, it's worth checking out the travel pass options - for example it's possible to get a seven-day pass which could prove quite a saving, especially if you're staying a little way out of town. A new U-Bahn station has been opened at the Ernst-Happel-Stadium (take line U1 to Praterstern then either walk or take line U2 to the stadium), which can also be easily reached by over-crowded tram.
Your match ticket is valid for local transport on match days, otherwise get a ticket and remember to validate it.
What to Visit
The majority of Vienna's tourist attractions are clustered around the Fan Mile at Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square).
Here giant screens and sponsors' banners will obscure views of the Rathaus (Town Hall), the Neue Burg (New Fortress) and the Parlament (have a guess). In the heart of the city stands the impressive Stephansdom church while further afield, to the south, is the Schonbrunn Castle.
There are dozens of museums, again many of these are located in the vicinity of the Fan Mile, and numerous urban parks.
The biggest of these is the Stadtpark, a shortish walk east of the centre or a couple of stops on the U-Bahn from the Fan Mile.
Food & Drink
Expect to eat stodge. The Fan Mile promises "dishes such as Gulasch, Viennese Schnitzel and footballer's black pudding dumplings."
Sausage stalls abound - try the Kasekraner, sausages with cheese inside - and pudding fans will be in heaven with the infinite cake shops and bakeries selling superb Apfelstrudel.
The city's best bars can be found in the so-called Bermuda Dreiecke, a short walk from (and stagger to) Schwedenplatz on the U1 and U4 lines, or stretched out along the Gurtelring (head north from the Westbahnhof), which is as long as it is ugly.
For outdoor drinking in good weather, head for the Donauinsel, where you'll find a host of nightclubs, bars and restaurants.
Phrasebook
I'll have a cheesy sausage and bread.
Ich hatte gerne eine Kasekrainer mit Brot.
My suitcase didn't arrive! (For Terminal 5 passengers)
Mein Koffer ist nicht angekommen!
