The decision to make Poland a co-host of EURO 2012 was greeted with surprise both inside and outside Poland as well as by jubilation that Michel Platini and his UEFA committee had the foresight and courage to bring such a successful tournament here. Once the hangovers wore off however it became clear what a huge task the country had taken on. The country was already trying to repair the damage of 50 years of Communist rule and decades of under-investment. Progress was being made and EU entry 3 years previously promised huge inward investment via the EU’s Structural Funds. Poland was modernising already. The award of EURO 2012 meant that this process would have to be accelerated and a few new stadiums would have to be built while they were at it.

Despite getting off to a potentially disastrous start when UEFA threatened to suspend Poland and withdraw the tournament after the government of current Prime Minister Donald Tusk tried to impose change on the Polish FA (PZPN), disagreements were settled and work began in earnest. The task has been huge. Motorways have had to be built from scratch; an aged railway network and rolling stock needed to be modernised and the small issue of 3 brand new (and 1 modernised) stadia had to be addressed. While much has been achieved rumours continue to circulate that UEFA is not entirely satisfied with the progress that has been made so far. While Gdansk and Wroclaw’s completely new and Poznan’s expanded stadia are complete and have competitive matches played at them, the National Stadium in Warsaw, where the opening match will be played still does not have the necessary permissions to open with the first game pencilled in for February 2012 (the original completion date was June 30, 2011).

For fans looking to visit Poland for the tournament there is plenty to be excited about: the best summertime weather (temperatures in the 20s Celsius); prices for food and beer are a competitive steal when compared to western Europe; and the traditionally hospitable people of Poland are well prepared to show their hosting capabilities for Europe’s biggest football event.
While much of the news coming out of Poland is good at the moment – especially compared with other countries in the Eurozone - - there are still a number of issues the country has had to tackle. As you might imagine from a country of over 300,000 square kilometres that is attempting a complete overhaul of its dated infrastructure, there are plenty of issues that fans should be aware of in advance.

Getting here

While getting to Poland will be a far simpler affair than getting to Ukraine, navigating your travel to the country requires some forethought. For example, Ryanair does not fly to Warsaw from anywhere while until recently domestic flights in Poland could only be booked with LOT Polish Airlines and meant always being routed through its Warsaw hub. All things considered your best bet is to book flights to Poland well in advance. In addition to budget carrier Ryanair you will also find Wizzair, who serve all four Polish host cities from various cities around Europe. Poland’s national carrier, the aforementioned LOT, has a number of direct routes to Poland from major European cities and is also a member of Star Alliance, which adds to your potential flight options. We recommend looking at the game schedules and searching for flights between host cities for the easiest transport. Eurolot and OLT Express now also fly some domestic routes direct, with new routes being introduced all the time. Fans are advised to look at the various carriers in the coming months to book flights as a time-saving transport plan for getting between cities for the games.

Gdansk itself

Football fans fortunate enough to draw the Tri-Cities will get to experience three times the fun of any other location thanks to the cities’ sandy beaches on the Baltic, Sopot’s great nightlife and the longest wooden pier in Europe, and Gdansk’s stunning Old Town and impressive historical sites.

While all of Poland’s stadia are very impressive Gdansk’s, designed to look like a glowing piece of Baltic amber at night, is the jewel in the crown. The completely new 40,000-seater stadium named the PGE Arena Gdansk was finally handed over to the authorities in July 2011 ahead of an official opening game against the mighty Germans on September 6th which ended in a nail-biting 2-2 draw (the Poles have not beaten their neighbours in 14 attempts and were only foiled here when the Germans equalised with the last kick of the game).

With a football history that’s far from illustrious, Gdańsk was seen by many as something of a surprise inclusion among the host cities, yet this could well turn out to be the best stadium of the lot. Due to host three group games and a quarter final the PGE Arena has been built in the previously rundown Letnica district. ‘Wow’, was UEFA head Michel Platini’s first reaction on viewing the construction, and the 620 million złoty project is due to be the centre piece of the area’s full redevelopment. ‘I must praise the city president and all involved for an amazing project, not only of the stadium itself but also of the revitalisation of the neighbourhood,’ said Platini, ‘the tournament lasts only three weeks, but the infrastructure will serve for 40-50 years’.

The local residents are not the only ones to benefit from Poland’s selection as EURO 2012 host. Local club Lechia Gdansk have moved into the new stadium taking them from their run-down 12,000 stadium in ul. Tragutta to one of the continent’s most modern stadiums. The potential for football in this region, and for Lechia’s ability as a top division side to tap into this, has led many locals to predict a glowing future for the club.

You can check for yourself on www.en.euro.gdansk.gda.pl or on www.bieg2012.pl or better still take a trip out to the stadium to watch Lechia Gdansk play there once the season restarts after the winter break in February.

Getting around

Getting around the country to catch games at more than one of these stadiums during your stay in Poland may cause some problems. Major road and rail construction is ongoing, and we can confidently say all the work won’t be completed on time. Add to that the strange composition of the groups, with Wroclaw/Poznan and Warsaw/Gdansk far more natural partners in terms of infrastructure available and distances that will have to be covered than the actual groupings of Warsaw/Wroclaw and Poznan/Gdansk. Driving in Poland, while not completely discouraged, is not as straightforward as it is in most western European countries and travel times can be outlandish. Visitors are surprised to find there is no direct motorway between Poznan and Gdansk, for instance, and the 300km haul will take at minimum 4 hours despite a stretch of 100km on the new A1 dual carriageway. On the rails the Intercity train between Gdansk and Poznan currently takes 4-5 hours and more trains are expected to be laid on during the tournament.

Accommodation:

When hoping to ensure a comfortable and convenient night’s rest away from home, early booking is always recommended, but never more so than in this case. While the accommodation options available in every EURO 2012 host city have expanded dramatically since Poland won the right to host the tournament in 2007, many rooms, and indeed entire hotels, have already been reserved by UEFA and the ‘football family’ for the duration of the tournament, meaning availability is already limited. Those that book early will not only have the peace of mind of a confirmed crash-pad, but may also enjoy special discounts. While accommodation prices are generally affordable in comparison to western Europe, the high demand around match days will no doubt drive their value upwards. To combat a potential lack of availability there were whispers of bringing in some temporary sleep options (a proposal to moor a cruise liner on the Gdańsk waterfront was mooted), and camping accommodation will be increased, however for those that want the comfort of a conveniently-located bed, we can’t over-stress the importance of booking ahead. One tip may be to consider the ease of access to the city from the aforementioned A1 highway which makes places such as Torun (around 170km south of Gdansk) an attractive alternative. Many hotels seem to be restricting availability until Febuary 2012 when the deadline for confirming UEFA reservations passes. Hotels will then be both clearer on how rooms they really have available and prices will have been set.

The first thing to remember when you start typing into whichever search engine you use is that you are not only searching Gdansk hotels. The city is just one member of a Tri-city conurbation (known locally as Trojmiasto) which takes in Sopot and then Gdynia to the north along the coast. With the stadium towards the border with Sopot it can be just as quick to get to the ground from there and this is where repeat visitors often head for having spent much of their first journey riding backwards and forwards by taxi from Gdansk. The reason for that is that Sopot is Poland’s summer capital with long sandy beaches and the Tri-city’s best nightlife. With that in mind you might want to consider a couple of well-run and good value hotels in Sopot – Villa Sedan and Villa Aqua which are run by the same team. If you really want to live the life see if you can rent one of the few rooms UEFA haven’t bagged in the historic Sofitel Grand Sopot with its private beach. At the other of the price scale, though not lacking in charm or quality is the Siesta Hostel which comes with a wonderful shady garden – something that comes in very handy on a hot Polish afternoon or the very centrally located Central Hostel. In Gdansk itself you’ll find your recognised brands of Hilton, Radisson Blu, Novotel and Mercure (there is also a Sheraton in Sopot though the Republic of Ireland are booked in there) but if you’re on a budget search out the family run Amber hotel. It’s a short way outside the centre and if they can’t accommodate you the owner knows the telephone number of every one of the surrounding pensions. By the way. Don’t bother looking for rooms in the classy Dwor Oliwski. The German national side bagged that for the duration of the entire tournament some time ago.  Many industrious citizens in the Tri-Cities are offering their homes for rent during the tournament, an excellent option for families or groups who want more space and amenities like kitchens and parking. AccPol.pl acts as a go-between for homeowners and fans to set up contracts for such rentals; the website is in six languages and covers all four Polish host cities. And for the truly hardcore, our camping sections in Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot will help you find the perfect place to nail tent stakes directly into the ground for the chance to rough it during the best months to sleep outside in Poland.

Euro 2012 in Gdansk

Matches to be played in Gdansk (all kick offs CET)

Group C fixtures

Spain v Italy, Sunday June 10, 18:00
Spain v Republic of Ireland, Thursday June 14, 20:45
Croatia v Spain, Monday June 18, 20:45

Quarter-final

Winner Group B v Runner up Group A, Friday June 22, 20:45

The Gdansk Fan Zone

Originally pencilled in for the main square (Dlugi Targ) plans have been announced to move the fan zone to a field just outside of the old town to (I-3) Pl. Zebran Ludowych in anticipation of double the expected 15,000 fans wanting to use it. Close to the railway station, which is due to be connected to the stadium early next year, this will be as good a spot as any for ticketless fans to watch the match with the huge screens and live music that are planned.

An alternative to the official UEFA fan zone is the Carlsberg Fan Camp, which springs up in each host city and offers on-site camping, live broadcasts of the matches, a Sport Zone where you can act out your best football moves, an enormous Catering Zone filled with Polish and International dishes, and even a Relax Zone that simulates a sandy beach in the middle of the city. The best part: the Camp will be green (like the beer!) and have an Eco Zone devoted to running the event in an environmentally friendly way.