See Europe at its rowdiest on a tour of the world’s best soccer matches.

by Mark Kirby

If there’s one thing Europeans take more seriously than food and wine, it’s soccer. Every April and May, the major leagues create a transnational epidemic of football madness. This year also has the once-every-four Euro 2012, bringing a whole new level to the frenzy. The top matches across the continent are a veritable European vacation: from Poland to Ukraine, Spain, Germany, and England. What’s more, rooting beside Brits, Spaniards, Germans, and Italians makes for an authentic European experience. Here’s a guide to the best matches and other things to do while you’re there.

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EURO 2012
Take a weeklong romp through Poland and Ukraine while watching European national teams go head-to-head.
If financial turmoil hasn’t broken apart the European Union by June, the Euro 2012 tournament might just do it first. This mini–World Cup, hosted by Poland and Ukraine, will feature matches in the two capitals, Warsaw and Kiev, as well as in the newly swanky port city of Gdansk. You’ll have to buy your tickets for the matches individually. Brokers such as Livefootballtickets.com or Gotickets.com have them for sale, but be prepared to pay a steep price (on average: $400 each).

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Warsaw
Poland vs. Greece, National Stadium, 6/8/12
Poland is favored in this curtain-raising match, but don’t count Greece out: In 2004, Greece upset Portugal and won the tournament.
Explore: See post-Soviet Poland in the Praga neighborhood, where boutiques and bars fill old warehouses.
Stay:  Le Regina, an upscale hotel in Old Town, ­Warsaw’s still-intact medieval heart.
Food & Drink: At U Kucharzy, traditional Polish food is prepared right in front of you — think Polish Benihana.

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Gdansk
Spain vs. Italy, PGE Arena, 6/10/12
Spain, the 2010 World Cup winner, plays a flowing, ­attacking variety of soccer; Italy, which won the cup in ’06, is famous for defense. This clash of styles will be one of the best matches of the tournament.
Explore: Spend a day at Sopot, Poland’s own (­believe it or not) Caribbean-like stretch of white sand.
Stay: Holland House hotel, whose Dutch townhouse style speaks to Gdansk’s past as a trading center.
Food & Drink: Gdanska Restaurant serves hearty Polish fare in grand, baroque dining rooms that have hosted presidents, bishops, and other luminaries.

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Kiev
England vs. Sweden, Olympic Stadium, 6/15/12
Much to the anguish of the nation, the English team ­rarely lives up to its devotees’ high expectations. Still, the country boasts one rowdy, entertaining group of fans.
Explore: Visit the Caves Monastery, an Eastern Orthodox church that stands on a labyrinth of catacombs.
Stay: The new Sheraton Olympiysky Hotel opens its doors this June and sits right next to the stadium.
Food & Drink: Kiev has an endless supply of over-the-top nightclubs. Try Tsar Project, inside a subterranean cistern, and the ’60s throwback Babyface.

For more of the world’s best soccer matches, click here.

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