Gdansk Awaits Euro 2012

The historic city of Gdansk may be known for the Lenin shipyards and the birthplace of Solidarity, but soon it will be put firmly on the footballing map of Europe. As part of the winning joint bid by Poland and Ukraine, Gdansk is set to play a major role in Euro 2012. Group matches and a quarter final are planned for a new 40,000 seater stadium, to be named the Baltic arena. Other Polish cities to be honoured with hosting matches are Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw, while four Ukrainian cities, Dniepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kiev and Lviv, will also play host to one of football's major events. Krakow and Chorzow will have to play a waiting game as they have been placed on the reserve list.

Celebrations at the decision centered on one of Gdansk's famous monuments, the Golden Gate, with fireworks and a concert held as part of the festivities. Gdansk's mayor, Pawel Adamowicz, could not hide his delight at the news, stating that 'this is one of the most important moments for Gdansk for many, many years'.

Gdansk, a charming seaside city, will certainly be a popular destination for everyone. Not only will the men feel at home with the football, Polish beer and Gdansk's own specialty, Goldwasser, to entertain them. But there's plenty of more ladylike pasttimes for the girls to indulge in such as shopping for amber at the many jewellery stores on the medieval streets of Gdansk, or sunbathing on the long stretches of sandy beaches in Sopot.

Look out Euro 2012, a special welcome awaits all who visit Gdansk!