by ayjaydee »
25 Jul 2014 08:43
I've been fortunate enough to go to 2 Euro's Italy 90 and Portugal 04.
It is easy to avoid the "no surrender" mob if you have your wits about you. It is not difficult to see potential trouble from the make up of a bar's clientele. If it starts getting too boisterous move on. If possible stay outside the immediate areas and travel into the games, much more relaxing.
In 2004 I stayed on the coast in Cascais, an hour on the train to Lisbon. All manner of nationalities were staying there, town square was rammed every night without the hint of any trouble.
One of the bars seemed to act as an unofficial ticket exchange, people had all manner of tickets for random games and not too overpriced.
If you don't get tickets for a particular game my suggestion would be to go to the stadium early find a route to a bar that will be showing the game, go back to the stadium to give yourself enough time to check the touts and get back to the bar by kick off if you are unsuccessful. The nearer kick off the cheaper the tickets become. I managed to get a ticket for the Portugal Holland semi for face value about 5 mins before kick off.
Apply for non England tickets if there are any other games where you end up. I met some great German lads when I went to one of their games (got introduced to the joys of Jaegermeister shots)
I have great memories of both trips so if you get the chance go.