Berlin

The Games

Tue 13 June (2000): Brazil v Croatia (Gp F)

Thu 15 June (2000): Sweden v Paraguay (Gp B)

Tue 20 June (1500): Ecuador v Germany (Gp A)

Fri 23 June (1500): Ukraine v Tunisia (Gp H)

Fri 30 June (1600): Quarter-final

Sun 9 July (1900): Final

What's the vibe? Germany's HQ of cool. The cosmopolitan metropolis is a magnet for creative types and does everything with flair, from the trendy squatters' bars to the clean and efficient U-Bahn. Expect progressive art and architecture, cutting-edge fashion and an eclectic nightlife.

Catch the match: Selected games will be broadcast at the historic Brandenburg Gate, once a symbol of the city's division but now a popular tourist attraction.

Miss the match: You could spend the entire four-week tournament in Berlin, watch no football and still not run out of things to do. There's the mile-long East Side Gallery commemorating the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie with its engaging museum chronicling the brave attempts of GDR citizens to flee to the West, Norman Foster's redesign of the Reichstag, and the Friedrichshain district - home of the szene (scene) for young Berliners. Visitors searching for a more serene experience could hire a self-drive cruiseboat to see the sights from the network of canals.

Halftime snacks: Moroccan restaurants are in vogue, while good sushi, French, Turkish and Indian food is widely available. Don't leave without sampling the classic Berlin Currywurst - a German sausage smothered in a spicy sauce.