"World Cup 2006 Germany - will europe be packed?
Oct 5th, 2004, 02:35 PM
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"World Cup 2006 Germany - will europe be packed?
Our family will be planning a trip for Europe in May 2006. I know it's a long way off, but I realized that the next world cup will be in Germany from June 2006-July 2006.
Although we won't be going to Germany, we will be going to London, Paris, Rome, and possibly Vienna. I know football is huge in Europe, and the fans tend to get a little crazy and even violent.
I was wondering if we should reschedule our trip to another time of the year if there are going to be tourists everywhere that summer. Summer is already a busy season for Europe, but do you think the other countries (not Germany) will be ultra-crowded because of the World Cup?
Or do you think it will be the exact opposite, and the surrounding countries will have a normal tourist season, and only Germany will be packed with tourists?
Although we won't be going to Germany, we will be going to London, Paris, Rome, and possibly Vienna. I know football is huge in Europe, and the fans tend to get a little crazy and even violent.
I was wondering if we should reschedule our trip to another time of the year if there are going to be tourists everywhere that summer. Summer is already a busy season for Europe, but do you think the other countries (not Germany) will be ultra-crowded because of the World Cup?
Or do you think it will be the exact opposite, and the surrounding countries will have a normal tourist season, and only Germany will be packed with tourists?
Oct 5th, 2004, 04:59 PM
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Frankly, I wouldn't give it a thought, based on 2 experiences. We found very cheap tix to fly into Paris in 98, and arrived the day the W cup started in France. We thought we'd be in a real mess. Our plan was to spend two night in Paris and then head south. We weren't try to see, or to avoid, the "cup". We did pay a bit more for a room in Paris for those first 2 nights, and there were some "excited" fans wearing flags of their countries when we were riding the Metro, but it really had NO bearing on us.
In '02, we traveled thru Germany while the cup was being played (Was it in Korea that year?). Again....NO problem. Actually, it was very neat, seeing the locals getting really jazzed up while their country was playing on TV. A bistro would be playing it on TV, and folks would be crowding around the outside, watching and cheering. It was great, and no hassle.
Hope that helps.
EK
PS...where will you be traveling??? I was living there in Germany last summer. I loved it (but would probably prefer to live in Italy).
In '02, we traveled thru Germany while the cup was being played (Was it in Korea that year?). Again....NO problem. Actually, it was very neat, seeing the locals getting really jazzed up while their country was playing on TV. A bistro would be playing it on TV, and folks would be crowding around the outside, watching and cheering. It was great, and no hassle.
Hope that helps.
EK
PS...where will you be traveling??? I was living there in Germany last summer. I loved it (but would probably prefer to live in Italy).
Oct 5th, 2004, 05:09 PM
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ekellyga,
Thanks for the reply. We are traveling to Paris, London, Rome, Vienna. I too was in Europe in '02 during the World Cup, and loved the excitment in the air. But, one night in London, we were on the metro at around 10pm, and the locals had been drinking since noon after a win against argentina. Since we were two single girls on our own, that tube ride was a bit scary with all the drunk footballers in the tube.
This was one of my reasons for posting my question in the first place. Will other areas of Europe be going crazy with the World Cup being in Germany? I love the excitment, but would hate being there if we have to be careful about how the fans can get out of hand.
Thanks for the reply. We are traveling to Paris, London, Rome, Vienna. I too was in Europe in '02 during the World Cup, and loved the excitment in the air. But, one night in London, we were on the metro at around 10pm, and the locals had been drinking since noon after a win against argentina. Since we were two single girls on our own, that tube ride was a bit scary with all the drunk footballers in the tube.
This was one of my reasons for posting my question in the first place. Will other areas of Europe be going crazy with the World Cup being in Germany? I love the excitment, but would hate being there if we have to be careful about how the fans can get out of hand.
Oct 5th, 2004, 07:20 PM
#5
It seems every time we go to Europe, the World Cup is in progress. So we decided to give in and actually go to Germany in 2006 for the World Cup. In 1998, we arrived in Cannes, I think it was the 11th or 12th of July, when the French won the World Cup. What fun!!! The streets along the main boulevard were crazy happy -- no violence, just a lot of very elated people with faces painted red, white & blue. The Champs Elysee in Paris was wall to wall people having a great time. The French revelry is like a Dodger Fan (vs. a Mets Fan) -- just joyous (and perhaps a little surprised) to be the winning team.
In '94, celebrations were occurring all over Europe. We were in Luzern when the Italians won a game, and there was lots of revelry even there, with fans lining the street, and driving cars with big Italian flags waving.
No, I wouldn't reschedule the trip. It just adds a little party atmosphere to the trip.
In '94, celebrations were occurring all over Europe. We were in Luzern when the Italians won a game, and there was lots of revelry even there, with fans lining the street, and driving cars with big Italian flags waving.
No, I wouldn't reschedule the trip. It just adds a little party atmosphere to the trip.
Oct 5th, 2004, 09:05 PM
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Europe is packed all the time. Virtually all the world's football supporters are European, and the next World Cup isn't going to create an influx of Chinese.
You've already experienced the worst that can happen - being stuck on the tube with a buch of drunks after an England-Argentina match. You might, if you choose your time and location carefully, find yourself close to a similar group of drunks (the Dutch get pretty excited about matches against Germany, for example, and Romania-Hungary matches can get lethal)
But what happened to you in the tube?
So why should it be different this time?
You've already experienced the worst that can happen - being stuck on the tube with a buch of drunks after an England-Argentina match. You might, if you choose your time and location carefully, find yourself close to a similar group of drunks (the Dutch get pretty excited about matches against Germany, for example, and Romania-Hungary matches can get lethal)
But what happened to you in the tube?
So why should it be different this time?
Oct 6th, 2004, 01:37 AM
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I was in Germany for the World Cup in 1974 and while reports are true about people going bananas while watching the games on public TV's, I don't think that overall there is much more traffic around other than in those cities which have game venues.
June is still a relatively quiet month anyway, at least until school holidays start.
As for countries like france etc you won't even know the Cup is on.
Harzer
June is still a relatively quiet month anyway, at least until school holidays start.
As for countries like france etc you won't even know the Cup is on.
Harzer
Oct 6th, 2004, 02:58 AM
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There's no particular reason why anywhere outside the cities in Germany where matches are being played would be any more crowded than usual.
In any case, we don't yet know which countries, other than Germany, will be playing in the finals, so we don't know which other countries in Europe will have an interest in what goes on in Germany.
Even if we could be sure that England, Italy and Austria will be playing (by no means certain), the chances of there being any noticeable effect on daily life in London, Rome or Vienna are slight. It's possible that for key matches (and we won't know which those are until the competition is actually under way, day by day) the streets might go quiet as people stay at home to watch on TV, or there might be crowds on some streets or spilling out of some bars as their team wins or loses. Wholly unpredictable, and highly unlikely to affect your plans.
In any case, we don't yet know which countries, other than Germany, will be playing in the finals, so we don't know which other countries in Europe will have an interest in what goes on in Germany.
Even if we could be sure that England, Italy and Austria will be playing (by no means certain), the chances of there being any noticeable effect on daily life in London, Rome or Vienna are slight. It's possible that for key matches (and we won't know which those are until the competition is actually under way, day by day) the streets might go quiet as people stay at home to watch on TV, or there might be crowds on some streets or spilling out of some bars as their team wins or loses. Wholly unpredictable, and highly unlikely to affect your plans.
Oct 6th, 2004, 03:35 AM
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flanneruk : "Virtually all the world's football supporters are European" ?? Ever heard of Brazil ? (and indeed the rest of South America.)
Anna : many pubs in the UK (especially if any of the home nations qualify, but even if not) will have big screen TVs showing matches; and regrettably for a football-hater like me, since Germany is only one hour ahead of us, this will impinge on the evenings.
(The World Cup in Japan & Korea was much better - with matches on at 6am & lunchtime here, I hardly noticed it at all !)
I can't speak definitively for the other countries you're visiting but I'm sure the same will apply at least to Rome, when Italy are playing.
I was in Italy during the 1998 World Cup and managed to avoid it except for 1) when Italy won a match, the streets of Rome were suddenly filled with horn-blaring cars & scooters full of excited flag-waving supporters (no trouble that I saw, though); and 2) when my hotel bar in Capri was taken over for showing a match on TV - I thought I'd timed it right so I'd descend for my aperitif after it was all over, but unfortunately the match overran due to going to a penalty shoot-out
Anna : many pubs in the UK (especially if any of the home nations qualify, but even if not) will have big screen TVs showing matches; and regrettably for a football-hater like me, since Germany is only one hour ahead of us, this will impinge on the evenings.
(The World Cup in Japan & Korea was much better - with matches on at 6am & lunchtime here, I hardly noticed it at all !)
I can't speak definitively for the other countries you're visiting but I'm sure the same will apply at least to Rome, when Italy are playing.
I was in Italy during the 1998 World Cup and managed to avoid it except for 1) when Italy won a match, the streets of Rome were suddenly filled with horn-blaring cars & scooters full of excited flag-waving supporters (no trouble that I saw, though); and 2) when my hotel bar in Capri was taken over for showing a match on TV - I thought I'd timed it right so I'd descend for my aperitif after it was all over, but unfortunately the match overran due to going to a penalty shoot-out
Oct 6th, 2004, 03:50 AM
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Hang on hang on, am I the only one who read that Anna wants to go to Europe in May, whereas the World Cup is in June-July? The dates don't even coincide!
Anna. No, Europe won't be anymore crowded than it normally is. May is not really considered to be summer. You're not going to Germany and not during the world cup. End of story.
(PS. you happened to be in London during one of the most momentous results for England in years, so surely you can allow a few of us to have a few drinks?)
Anna. No, Europe won't be anymore crowded than it normally is. May is not really considered to be summer. You're not going to Germany and not during the world cup. End of story.
(PS. you happened to be in London during one of the most momentous results for England in years, so surely you can allow a few of us to have a few drinks?)
Oct 6th, 2004, 05:31 AM
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Right, well, in the event that Anna is taking such a fabulously long break..
LONDON: expect little St George cross flags flying from every taxi, shop window and people's chests throughout the tournament. Expect deserted streets and packed pubs during games involving England, and if you don't fancy joining the drunken excited hordes then go to a museum. No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
PARIS: even though they have a great team, the French actually aren't nearly as passionate about football as the English, and they wouldn't dream or ruining btheir pristine clothes and image of cool by getting drunk or overexcited. The game will be in some bars - why not join in? No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
Rome: the italians LOVE their football, but don't like getting drunk. Surprisingly, they are more restrained watching football than the English - I was in Sicily during the European championships, and the English (few in number) easily won the cheering competition. No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
Vienna: well there's no gaurantee they'll actually qualify for the world cup but if they do, expect as above only less so. No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
LONDON: expect little St George cross flags flying from every taxi, shop window and people's chests throughout the tournament. Expect deserted streets and packed pubs during games involving England, and if you don't fancy joining the drunken excited hordes then go to a museum. No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
PARIS: even though they have a great team, the French actually aren't nearly as passionate about football as the English, and they wouldn't dream or ruining btheir pristine clothes and image of cool by getting drunk or overexcited. The game will be in some bars - why not join in? No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
Rome: the italians LOVE their football, but don't like getting drunk. Surprisingly, they are more restrained watching football than the English - I was in Sicily during the European championships, and the English (few in number) easily won the cheering competition. No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
Vienna: well there's no gaurantee they'll actually qualify for the world cup but if they do, expect as above only less so. No additional football tourists - they'll be in Germany.
Oct 6th, 2004, 03:22 PM
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Kate,
Your right - our trip is scheduled for May, but more towards the ending. We are going to spend a month in Europe, so our stay would be until the middle of June.
You're right about the England/Argentina match - wasn't it the first English win in 40 years? We loved that everyone was so excited about the match(score boards in storefront windows, bulletin boards of the match scores in the tube), but since this was our first trip to Europe, we didn't now what to expect.
We had heard that some footballers get violent, and being on the tube at 10pm with a bunch of drunk footballers, was very scary. Nothing happened, but we were happy to get off the tube at our stop.
I never realized that the English would be more into partying than the Italians. But, we were in Florence during a crucial match, in which Italy lost, and they seemed to take the lost pretty well. My sister and I were just happy that we were in London when they won - don't know what the fans would have been like if they lost against Argentina.
Your right - our trip is scheduled for May, but more towards the ending. We are going to spend a month in Europe, so our stay would be until the middle of June.
You're right about the England/Argentina match - wasn't it the first English win in 40 years? We loved that everyone was so excited about the match(score boards in storefront windows, bulletin boards of the match scores in the tube), but since this was our first trip to Europe, we didn't now what to expect.
We had heard that some footballers get violent, and being on the tube at 10pm with a bunch of drunk footballers, was very scary. Nothing happened, but we were happy to get off the tube at our stop.
I never realized that the English would be more into partying than the Italians. But, we were in Florence during a crucial match, in which Italy lost, and they seemed to take the lost pretty well. My sister and I were just happy that we were in London when they won - don't know what the fans would have been like if they lost against Argentina.
Oct 7th, 2004, 08:54 AM
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Anna, I assume you were on a tube with drunk football fans, weren't you, rather than the actual footballers ? 
British footballers are more likely to be drunkenly driving their Ferraris and killing people.
British footballers are more likely to be drunkenly driving their Ferraris and killing people.
