Geneva
Official UEFA football Euro 2008 website -
Geneva
Matches - Saturday 7 June, 20.45 - Group A : Portugal v Turkey Wednesday 11 June, 18.00 - Group A : Portugal v Czech Republic Sunday 15 June, 20.45 - Group A : Turkey v Czech Republic
Tickets - Fair play if you've managed to bag yourself a ticket via the official UEFA ticketing website. For the rest of us it'll be the usual hanging around train stations, haggling with touts for overpriced, unwanted corporate cast-offs. The main train station is called Cornavin and is located on the north side of the river. Keep an eye out for scousers in tracksuits. Stadium - Straight out of the Riverside/Pride Park/Walkers Stadium flatpack manual of stadia design, the 30,000 capacity Stade de Geneve is located two miles south of the city centre in La Praille, wedged between a shopping centre, an industrial estate, a railway and a motorway. The easiest way to reach it from town is by taking Tram 12 or 13 or bus Route D. You might want to head to nearby Carouge for a drink beforehand (see Nightlife). Ultra Culture - Servette are town's premier club, currently residing in the Swiss second division. Although crowds rarely get much above 2,000 for home games, they do have an enthusiastic ultra group known as the Hell's Eagles.
THE CITY
Overview - Set in beautiful surroundings on the shores of Lake Geneva, French-speaking Geneva is a classy, affluent city with a large international population and elegant Old Town. Whilst not as dynamic as Zurich, the city does boast some top shopping opportunities and, if you know where to look for it, some buzzing nightlife. Airport & Transfers - Cointrin Airport - 2.5 miles north-west of the city, linked by regular trains to Cornavin Station, or buses 10 and 23. Taxi's CHF30-45. Nightlife - The Old Town is home to a decent number of bars, but those in the know head instead to the buzzing southern suburb of Carouge - the "Greenwich Village" of Geneva no less - for after-hours kicks. Carouge is also close to the stadium, making it an ideal place to hole up in. Shopping - Carouge is also home to some good independent clothes shops. This is an affluent city and the shopping in the city centre reflects this, with many designer stores found in the parallel streets of Rue du Rhone and Rue du Marche, between the old town and the lake. Cross the river to the north and hunt out secondhand retro gear in Rue des Paquis.
Further reading -
The Rough Guide to Switzerland - Edition 3
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