Germans are more than a little fanatical about their national soccer team, and after three consecutive tournaments with victory remaining barely elusive, the nation is holding out hope that the team can bring home Germany’s fourth World Cup title—a significant win as the country’s first victory since reunification.

Berliners have spent the last month gathering at public viewing locations across the city to celebrate the tournament’s highs and lows together. If you’d like to join in the fun, here are a handful of the best locations for catching the game as well as recommendations for where you can pick up some affordable Germany fan gear to blend in seamlessly with the crowd.

But first, the facts: the 2014 World Cup final starts at 9 PM German time on Sunday, July 13. It will be broadcast live on free television (ARD); within Germany you can also view on ARD’s free World Cup livestream here.

German fans get into the spirit every time their team takes the field in the World Cup. Photo: freudenschnitzel

The Fan Mile

Offering the biggest crowd as well as the ultimate fanatical atmosphere, Berlin’s Fanmeile (Fan Mile) stretches 2 km along Straße des 17. Juni between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column. Due to its size, the Fan Mile is secured along its perimeter and visitors are subject to security searches and basic safety prohibitions (no glass bottles, alcoholic beverages, fireworks, weapons, or dogs allowed).
The Fan Mile has four entrances:

• Straße des 17. Juni, between Yitzhak-Rabin-Straße and Großer Stern

• Yitzhak-Rabin-Straße, at John-Foster Dulles Allee

• Brandenburg Gate 1: Ebertstraße from the direction of Dorotheenstraße, at Simsonweg

• Brandenburg Gate 2: Ebertstraße from the direction of Behrenstraße, at Ahornsteig

Despite accommodating over 100,000 people, the Fan Mile may fill up before the game, so it is important to show up early to clear security and ensure your space!

You will be exposed directly to the elements as well as standing for the entire game, so plan your attire accordingly. Pack a map, as it may be necessary to walk to a different (further) station due to crowd-related closures on your return journey. Food and drink are available for purchase along the Mile.

Pros: amazing atmosphere

Cons: standing, crowded, very loud, security checks, longer walk to/from public transit

The Fan Mile can be reached by foot from S-Brandenburger Tor, S-Potsdamer Platz, S-/U-Hauptbahnhof, S-Friedrichstrasse, S-Bellevue or U55-Bundestag.

The theaters at Haus der Kulturen der Welt will open up for the final. Photo: Sebastian N

Haus der Kulturen der Welt

Just a stone’s throw from the Fan Mile (and most certainly within hearing distance when goals are scored!) is Berlin’s “pregnant oyster,” the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), which has opened its auditorium doors for game viewing. Here there are no limitations on bringing in food or beverage, but food and drink are also available for purchase on site. Indoors, with ample seating. The crowd is interested and excited, but definitely more reserved in their exuberance (and slightly older) than the Fan Mile.

Pros: seating, indoors (in case of inclement weather) , BYOB

Cons: longer walk to/from public transit, more likely to fill up quickly

HKW can be reached by foot from S-Brandenburger Tor, S-/U-Hauptbahnhof, S-Bellevue, and U55-Bundestag.

Allermunde am Hauptbahnhof

If the Fan Mile and HKW are full, you can try your luck in front of Hauptbahnhof—there are 1,000 outdoor seats available for public viewing. From here, you can hear the roar of the Fan Mile without enduring the standing or the crowds!

Pros: seating, BYOB

Cons: closest to public transit, more likely to fill up quickly

Allermunde am Hauptbahnhof is located directly behind Berlin’s main train station.

If you’re looking to get away from the central action, try one of these options—one in the West, one in the East.

Mercedes Benz Headquarters on Salzufer

The Mercedes-Welt, located in Charlottenburg, has opened its atrium for World Cup viewing. Ample indoor seating and a 48 sqm screen (larger than many European apartments!) mean you should have a comfortable view of the game no matter where you find yourself seated!

Pros: seating, indoors, BYOB

Cons: more likely to fill up quickly

Mercedes-Welt is located near S-Tiergarten or U2-Ernst-Reuter-Platz

The WM-Wohnzimmer (aka World Cup Living Room) is a plush spot to catch the big game. Photo: Judith TB

World Cup Living Room in the Alte Försterei

The WM-Wohnzimmer (World Cup Living Room) is this year’s newest and perhaps most surprising public viewing venue. The Stadion in der Alten Försterei is the home field of one of Berlin’s local soccer teams, FC Union. During this year’s World Cup run, they took applications and parcelled out spaces for couch parking across the field, creating a giant living room atmosphere for watching broadcasts on their big screen. Don’t worry, however—even if you don’t have a couch, you are still welcome to sit in the field’s bleachers and watch the game. They open up seating on game days at 6 PM, and it’s certain to be full for the final match, so show up early to get a good seat. Security regulations are similar to the Fan Mile, but bringing your own food and beverages, unfortunately, is not allowed.

Pros: seating, unique atmosphere

Cons: distant location, must purchase all food and drink

The Stadion in der Alten Försterei is a 10-minute walk from S3-Köpenick station.

Where to Score Inexpensive German Fan Gear

You can pick up small fan articles in German colors—everything from goofy hats to temporary tattoos to black, red and gold leis, noisemakers, flags or glasses—at any of the city’s many Euroshops (the country’s Dollar Store equivalent). You can find the store nearest you by entering “Berlin” or your preferred German zip code here.

If you’re looking to invest in a quality DFB jersey (currently priced around 80 euros), you’ll find the best selection of official gear at department stores such as Karstadt or Galeria Kaufhof, both of which have set up special “Fan Shop” areas for soccer fans. You’ll find Kaufhof next to both Alexanderplatz or Ostbahnhof stations, or check here for one of its other three Berlin outlets; Karstadt has 13 locations across the city, and can be found, for example, on Kurfürstendamm or at Hermannplatz.

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Fiorentina’s fan base is still very proudly Florentine and is a constant topic of discussion in any coffee shop or bar of the city. Fiorentina’s team color is purple or “viola” and wearing it is the best way to display your team pride.

Here are some tips on making the best of your Sunday afternoon by heading to the stadium for some wholesome soccer and some less wholesome Florentine slang.

Choosing a game

Tickets for games are usually available about one week before the game. Games for the Italian League, called “Serie A,” are usually played on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m., although due to scheduling problems you’ll find the odd game on Saturday, Sunday, or even Wednesday nights. You can find the schedule here.

The best games are the ones with a heated crowd, so look out for games with noted rivals such as Juventus and Milan. However do stay away from games with notoriously dangerous fans such as Napoli and Roma.

Buying tickets

Tickets are sold in some Tabaccherie (tobacco shops), although it’s hard to tell which ones. Your best bets are either at the box office, which also sells tickets to major events and concerts, which you’ll find in Via Alamanni near the train station, or at the little sports bodega, Chiosco degli Sportivi, in a small piazza off of Piazza Repubblica (via degli Anselmi).

Note: You’ll need a valid ID to be purchase your ticket, as your name is printed directly on your ticket. It’s best to bring your passport, as a driver’s license or student ID is generally not accepted. You can also buy tickets online.

Ticket prices

Ticket price depends on the type of game (regular season, the special national competition Coppa Italia or Champions League/UEFA) and the area you sit in. Prices can range from €10 to €120, but most ticket prices will be in the €10 to €40 range.

If you care less about the view of the field and more about the crowd, sit in the “Curva Fiesole,” home to the loudest fans. Tickets here are usually really cheap, but sell out quickly and don’t respect the assigned seating.

If you’re more interested in the game itself, it’s best to sit as centrally as possible on the two sides of the stadium, either “Maratona” or “Tribuna.” If the weather looks like it’s going to be nasty, the Tribuna is mostly covered although seats here are more expensive. While other areas such as the “Ferrovia” or those marked “Parterre” are much cheaper, the views suffer and the crowds can be sparse leading to a less exciting experience.

Getting to the stadium

The stadium, Stadio Artemio Franchi, is located in the Campo di Marte area, in the city’s northeast. When there’s a game, it is best reached by bus. The numbers 7, 17, and 20 all go to the stadium and you can pick them up at either the train station or in Piazza San Marco.

The buses are easy to pick out as they are usually packed with purple-clad fans! Your ticket allows you free rides on any ATAF (Florence public transit) on the day of the game, so you don’t need to worry about bus tickets. The trip takes about 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. You’ll know where to get off the bus because the stadium will be in view and the fans will all get off as well! Head towards the stadium and check your ticket for which entrance gate (marked P#) to use.

Bring ID

You will have to present photo identification at the stadium, as well. Technically only a passport is a valid ID, but I’ve had luck getting in with only a driver’s license. You’ll also have to go through a security check, so be careful of what you bring with you.

Once inside, your seat is usually marked and there are plenty of staff who can direct you to the right area. Seats in the Curva Fiesole area, however, are first come, first serve, so make sure to get there kind of early for a decent seat.

Getting home

To get home at the end of the game, there are plenty of buses that leave from Via Sette Santi that go back to the city center. To get there from the main street around the stadium, turn onto Via Mameli (the street with Viola Point in the corner) and walk up two blocks.

The area outside the stadium is great for grabbing that bright purple scarf you’ll need to hold up along with the fans as well as for that last minute sausage, onion and pepper sandwich and cold beer.

Before you go

Enjoy the top rate players and maybe look them up beforehand so get a feel for the team and its capacities.

This year, for example, the team has a new coach and the players are getting injured, so the team isn’t at the top of the league, but the season just started. So go support the team, because it needs your help!

Enjoy this clip of the teams theme song. Now go cheer on the Fiorentina!

The post Forza Fiorentina! Getting tickets to a soccer game in Florence appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Italians eat, breathe and live soccer. There are radio and TV shows dedicated to it. There are even newspapers concerned solely with the subject. Not to mention, it’s the favorite topic for coffee talk at the local bar, where at the crack of dawn Italians engage in heated discussions about last night’s game.

Contrary to many sports in other countries, soccer season in Italy lasts a whopping 10 months each year. That’s a whole lot of calcio! Romans are especially passionate about soccer. In fact, Rome is host to not one, but two teams: A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio.

A.S. Roma

A.S. Roma, or simply “La Roma,” was founded in 1927. The team is also known as “i giallorossi,”’ named after its official colors (yellow and red). Its mascot is also the official symbol of Rome, the Lupa Capitolina, a she-wolf who nursed the founders of Rome Romulus and Remus back to life. The team’s club anthem and motto is “Roma, Roma, Roma” and “Grazie Roma” written by Roman singer Antonello Venditti. The giallorossi’s beloved team captain is the famous Francesco Totti, who (according to fans) is the next best things since slice bread.

Roma fans refer to themselves as “romanisti” or “i giallorossi.” While la Roma is traditionally one of the top teams in the Serie A league, the giallorossi are having a tough start to the season this year. Though it has one of the largest followings in Italy (after Juventus, Inter, AC Milan and Napoli), its current ranking is near the bottom.

Associazione Sportiva Roma (A.S. Roma)
Founded: 1927
Colors: Yellow and red
Emblem: She-wolf (the Capitoline wolf)
Coach: Claudio Ranieri
Website: www.asroma.it

S.S. Lazio

Rome’s other team, S.S. Lazio was founded in 1900. Its team colors are sky blue and white and its mascot is an eagle. While Rome technically has more fans within the city, “la Lazio,” as the team is also nicknamed, has more supporters in towns within the Lazio region (where Rome is also located). Lazio fans are referred to as “laziali” or “i biancocelesti.” Its captain is Tommaso Rocchi. Currently (October 2010), the team is ranked first in the Italian Serie A league.

Societa Sportiva Lazio (S.S. Lazio)
Founded: 1900
Colors: Sky blue and white
Emblem: Eagle
Coach: Edoardo Reja
Website: www.sslazio.it

Hometown rivals

The giallorossi share the Stadio Olimpico (the olympic stadium) with their arch rivals, the S.S. Lazio team. The Stadio Olimpico can hold up to 72,000 fans and is the second-largest stadium in Italy after Milan’s San Siro Stadium.

The hardcore Roma fans sit in the “Curva Sud,” whereas the die-hard Lazio fans sit in the “Curva Nord” whenever their team plays (during which things can get very rowdy). When both teams play each other at the Olimpico it’s called the “derby,” which is probably the most heated and anticipated game in Italy.

Where to buy tickets?

Tickets for both teams can be purchased from one of their official merchandising stores. Because of recent changes to safety laws at the stadium, each person must show their passport or ID when buying a ticket. Each ticket is printed individually with the purchaser’s name on it. Ticket prices vary, depending on the game, but usually run from €14-€100 each. (Interestingly, sometimes tickets for women are sold at a reduced rate.)

A.S. Roma merchandise stores:

Piazza Colonna, 360 (Prati/Vatican area)
Via Cola di Rienzo, 136/A (Centro Storico)

S.S. Lazio merchandise stores:

LAZIO STYLE 1900 ROMA
Via Guglielmo Calderini 66/C (Flaminio area)

Alternatively, tickets for S.S. Lazio can be purchased from any Lottomatica distributor, which are typically found in Tabacco (tabacchi) shops around Rome. Two locations are: Via M. Colonna, 37 (Prati/Vatican Area), and Via della Scrofa, 110 (Centro Storico).

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