Stadium: Letzigrund
Capacity: 30,000
Built: 2007
Matches:
9th June: Romania v France
13th June: Italy v Romania
17th June: France v Italy
Home to FC Zurich and the 'Weltklasse' athletics meeting, the Letzigrund was first opened in 1925 but underwent renovation four times before being demolished in 2006.
Just 12 months later, the new 30,000-seat arena was ready for action and was reopened in time for the 2007 Weltklasse meeting.
The playing surface is below street level and the curving stands are shallow so the stadium makes little visual impact on its surroundings.
The City
Zurich
Switzerland's largest city, Zurich is located at the north-western end of the Zürichsee, set against the distant backdrop of the Alps.
It can be pricey, with up-market restaurants and some of Europe's most expensive shopping, but it's a pleasant enough place to spend some time, especially in the summer when there is ample opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.
A little over an hour from the Swiss capital Berne and from the host city of Basel, Zurich is also within striking distance of Geneva (3 hours) and Innsbruck (4 hours).
The city was recently declared to have the 'best quality of life' in the world, presumably for those that can afford it - take a walk down Bahnhofstrasse and check out the price tags.
Within an hour of Zurich you can visit the Rhein Falls, some fabulous walking country, the many museums of Winterthur and the appealing old town of Luzern.
Three group matches will be staged at the redeveloped Letzigrund stadium.
Transport
The city authorities are working hard to encourage visitors to leave their cars in the designated car parks and use the widespread shuttle bus service to get to the stadium and around the city centre.
Once in Zurich, you'll find a wealth of transport options (trains, trams and buses) all covered by the same ticketing system, which also allows you access to the "river buses" operating on the Zurichsee.
Mind you, you could throw a blanket on the area around the main station, Fan Zone and old town, so you might just opt to use your legs once you've made the journey into town.
Extra trains have been added to the regular schedule linking Zurich to Berne, Basel and Geneva, while it's a four-hour hop over the Austrian Tirol to Innsbruck.
Paris, Milan, Salzburg and Munich can also be reached within five hours by train from here.
What to Visit
From the top of the impressive, twin-towered Grossmunster you get a great panorama of the city centre, the Limmat river and the Zurichsee, plus the peaks of the Alps beyond.
Head east from the Grossmunster for the bars of Niederdorfstrasse in the old town, or west for the Fan Zone at Sechselauternplatz, on the corner of the lake.
In summertime, the Zurichsee is likely to be central to any visit - tourist boats cruise around the lake through June and July, or you can hire a rowing boat and take to the waters under your own steam.
The banks of the Zürichsee are the ideal place to find some peace and quiet just a short stroll from the city centre, or you can get out of town and up into the mountains in no time.
Nearby Luzern, an hour away on the train, is well worth a visit. It's a small place, dominated by the picturesque Vierwaldstattersee (Lake Lucerne to you and me) and the mountains which tower above it.
Luzern's old town is a delight, with the highlight being the 14th century Kapellbrucke, a wooden bridge which crosses the tip of the lake.
Food & Drink
Eating out can be an expensive business in Zurich, especially if you're fond of having wine to accompany your meal.
But there are plenty of cheaper options, starting inevitably with sausages - you won't have to search very hard to find them.
There are a couple of Bierhalle which give you the option of combining cheap beer with hearty local dinners but for something quick and affordable try the self-service restaurants which can be found in most big supermarkets. They're generally of a better standard than what you might be used to in your local town centre.
'Local' specialities include the cheesy dishes Raclette and Fondue, although these are more typical of the Swiss countryside than of Zurich itself.
Head for the cafes and bars around the Zurichsee or along the Limmat river which divides the city centre for a cool beer outdoors.
Phrasebook
How do I get to the city centre from here?
Wie komme ich von hier ins Stadtzentrum?
Where can I get a (travel) ticket?
Wo bekomme ich einen Fahrschein?
