All Scotland fans must know about Euros cities Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart

HEADING to Germany for Euro 2024? The country is hosting the footie finals in 10 cities from the capital Berlin, to Düsseldorf and Leipzig.

The three destinations of most interest to the Tartan Army are: Munich where we take on Germany on June 14; Cologne for the game against the Swiss on June 19 and Stuttgart where we face Hungary in the final match of the group stages on June 23.

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And one thing’s for sure — it will be the ultimate summer football fiesta. Even if you haven’t secured a ticket for the games, don’t worry, all the Euro 2024 cities will have FREE access to fan parks with big screens and plenty of fun.

So, here’s our essential guide to each of the cities, so you can make the most of your time before, during and after the big matches.

MUNICH: Against hosts Germany, June 14

IF you’ve not booked your flight to Munich get on it quick as prices are rising. But you could still bag a bargain. Lufthansa and easyJet have seats on flights from Edinburgh on match day with prices from £309.

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When it comes to where to stay, take your pick from B&Bs, Inns to 5* hotels. According to SeatPick — a football and music ticket selling online giant — there are over 300 hotels within 20km of the Allianz Arena, with an average three-night stay costing £445.

A cheap option, at 30 euros a night, is The Tent, close to the city centre. It has a cafeteria and beer garden — but is only for guests aged under 30.

Unsurprisingly for a country big on beer there are 677 pubs within the city limits and a pint will set you back €4.40 on average.

Try the world’s biggest outdoor pub, the 240-year-old Hirschgarten, which seats 8,000 drinkers on over 1,000 long benches, or the oldest beer garden, the Augustiner-Keller, which has over 100 trees and a play area.

Don’t miss a trip to the top of the Olympic TV tower with incredible panoramic views all the way to the Alps, then wander to the free BMW World museum. FYI, on Sundays admission to every museum and gallery costs just €1.

For breakfast you can’t beat Café Glockenspiel on Marienplatz, where you can enjoy Munich’s best view of the Glockenspiel with its 43 bells and dancing figures, while The Restaurant Deutsche Eiche is one of the most popular eateries.

Munich will cater for ticket-less fans at the Olympiapark München Fan Zone while those with a ticket get FREE use of public transport in the 48 hours around matches.

A three-day Munich City pass, with all-inclusive transport and free admission to 45 attractions, costs €79. See munich.travel/en.

COLOGNE: Facing Switzerland, June 19

STEVE Clarke’s men will take on Switzerland in Cologne on June 19 and there are direct flights to the city from both Edinburgh and Glasgow with Lufthansa, Eurowings and Ryanair.

You can also get there by on a DFDS ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam and drive three hours or jump on the train.

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There are 162 hotels within 20km of the RheineEnergie Arena, where the big match takes place, with an average three-night stay costing £447.

The Hyatt Regency Cologne, on the banks of the Rhine, is a popular spot with its Legends Bar where the walls are lined with photos of musical icons. Doubles are from £134.

Meanwhile, Ruby Ella, a design hotel in Hohenzollernring — the entertainment district — has doubles from £82 a night.
The city is not short of a drinking place or two.

In fact there 618 pubs in Cologne with a pint averaging out at €4.90. Kolsch is a beer brewed in Cologne and you can sample it at Kolsches Brauhaus.

Meanwhile Früh am Dom is a huge beer hall near the Unesco-listed cathedral — the Kölner Dom. Here you can tuck into hearty pub grub including local delicacies like Halve Hahn, thick slices of Gouda cheese served with raw onion, butter and bread.

Sweet-toothed fans MUST visit Schokoladenmuseum, a temple to the art of chocolate-making where you will learn about the 5,000-year-old history of the sweet sensation and create your own bespoke chocolate bar.

If you are there with the family, head to Phantasialand, a popular theme park just outside the city.

The city is walkable, but there’s trams, buses or the underground network for getting further afield.

Buy a KolnCard (€9 for 24 hours) which also gives you 50 per cent off several attractions.

STUTTGART: Final game vs Hungary, June 23

THERE are no direct flights to Stuttgart, where Scotland take on Hungary on June 23, but you can get there via many cities like Zurich and Paris.

SeatPick found around 100 plus hotels within 20km of the Mercedes-Benz stadium costing an average of £433 for three nights.

For a cheaper option you can pitch a tent at Camping Cannstatter WasenSmack for 7 euros while the five-star Hotel Am Schlossgarten, in the heart of the city, has rooms offering panoramic views with prices from €136.

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The city has the dearest pint averaging at €5.20 euros in its 410 pubs and it also has an established wine history, with the region prod-ucing crisp, dry white, like Riesling.

Weinstuben or wine bars are Stuttgart’s unique drinking dens. If you’re lucky you can try Besenwirtschaften, temporary wine-bars that appear in the front rooms of people’s houses to serve the season’s vintage with home-cooking.

Foodies will love its specialities like Gaisburger Marsch, a beef stew served with potatoes, onions and noodles. Or spaetzle — which translates to little sparrows — a dish of tiny noodles and ravioli-style parcels of beef and spinach.

For cheap eats try buttered pretzels or a kebab at a Turkish food stand for about €1. Tobi’s on Bolzstrasse is famous for its fast food, with homemade fries a best seller.

Known as “Germany’s biggest small town,” Stuttgart is best known for its car industry — being home to both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Petrolheads can get revved up at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, where the famed Carl Benz invention from 1886 is celebrated.

The StuttCard, for €22, allows use of all public transport for three days, as well as discounts on attractions.