HAMBURG
Don't let the cool blue eyes and upturned collars of Germany's second-largest city and media capital fool you. Hamburg's moneyed set may subsidize a lavish array of Michelin-starred restaurants and sumptuous hotels, but it is the gritty, somewhat seedy districts of St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn that still show visitors a rollicking good time.
GAMES: An intriguing match up is in store when Argentina plays Ivory Coast on June 10. Scalpers won't be earning much, though, when Ecuador plays Costa Rica on June 15 or when Saudi Arabia takes on Ukraine on June 19. But expect prices to jump when two of Europe's leading teams, the Czech Republic and Italy, clash on June 22. There will be a quarterfinal on June 30.
PHOTOS: AGENCIES
HOTELS: A growing tourist spot, Hamburg has new design hotels, old guest houses and everything between. Last-minute travelers can call the city's tourist office (49-403-005-1500, or visit www.hamburg-tourism.de) or show up at the welcome center in front of the city hall. For less bustle, drive an hour north to Luebeck on the Baltic coast (hotel hotline: 49-180-588-2233; www.luebeck-tourism.de).
NO TICKET? An 80-square-meter screen will be set up in Heiligengeistfeld, a giant field next to Germany's favorite underdog team, St. Pauli. The site, which will have a food court resembling the city's famous fish market, is within stumbling distance of the Reeperbahn.
DOWNTIME: Hamburgers love their show tunes. Among the musicals you can sing along with between matches are Dirty Dancing, Mamma Mia! and The Lion King.
HANOVER
An unassuming city in northern Germany, Hanover has rebranded itself as a convention and trade-show destination. But this centuries-old city does offer top museums like the Sprengel, a clean pedestrian-only central area and, for those headed to the games, a shiny new canopy over the 44,650 seats of the AWD arena.
GAMES: Highly ranked Italy will make its debut against first-time cup contender Ghana on June 12, followed by a possible upset when seeded Mexico faces Angola on June 16. The only day game here is a toss-up between Costa Rica and Poland on June 20. South Korea, the 2002 host, will try to maintain its momentum when it faces Switzerland on June 23. A second-round game is scheduled on June 27.
HOTELS: Thanks to a bevy of trade shows, Hanover has an unusually high number of hotels, 92 in all, so securing a room should be a cinch. The easiest way to book is through Hanover's hotel hotline (49-511-123-45555, www.hannover-tourism.de).
NO TICKET? Make for Waterlooplatz, a vast square with a 42m-high column commemorating the battle at Waterloo. With room for 17,000 fans, Waterlooplatz will have a 60-square-meter screen, a concert stage and an army of local food and beer stands.
DORTMUND
Dortmund has completely transformed itself from a coal and steel town, into one of Germany's leading green metropolises and high-tech hubs. Situated in the Ruhr area, an industrial landscape tangled with autobahns, the city has set aside nearly half its land for forests, recre-ational waterfronts and open spaces like Westfalenpark.
GAMES: Cultures -- and playing styles -- collide when Sweden plays Trinidad and Tobago on June 10, and Switzerland takes on Togo on June 19. Few are wagering against Brazil in its game with Japan on June 22. But all bets are off when Germany takes on neighboring Poland on June 14. A second-round match takes place on June 27 and a semifinal on July 4.
HOTELS: Call it the world's biggest dorm: 3,952 bunk beds in a convention hall next to Westphalia stadium (49-231-120-4357, www.fancampdortmund.de). For 35 euros a night, fans will get a no-frills berth, communal bathrooms and place to store their bags. For more conventional lodging, call Dortmund's hotel hotline (49-231-189-99111, www.worldcup2006.dortmund.de).
NO TICKET? Games will be shown on a giant screen in Friedensplatz and Westfalenhalle Arenas 1-3a.
DOWNTIME: After touring the Dortmund Brewery Museum (Steigerstrasse 14; 49-231-840-0200; www.museendortmund.de/brauereimuseum), you'll understand why Germans are outraged over being forced to drink Budweiser at the cup.
GELSENKIRCHEN
An old mining town with a personality to match, Gelsenkirchen's top attraction is a hole in the ground (no joke: it's a defunct quarry called the Halde Rungenberg). Despite a passionate fan base and a great 53,000-seat stadium (Arena Veltins), this is a tough venue for visitors to get excited about.
GAMES: It starts with what is likely to be a snoozer, Poland vs. Ecuador on June 9, then jumps to a solid contest when the US makes its debut against the Czech Republic on June 12. Argentina, a perennial favorite, could face a struggle against Serbia and Montenegro on June 16. Mexico vs. Portugal on June 21 should be a hot ticket as well. A quarterfinal takes place on July 1.
HOTELS: Though you may still be able to book a room at the Maritim, arguably the city's best hotel (Am Stadtgarten 1; 49-209-176-0; www.maritim.de), with few places to stay in Gelsenkirchen, the tourist office (49-209-147-4022, www.gelsenkirchen.de) is likely to direct you to nearby Dortmund or Duesseldorf. A less glamorous option is the bedroom community of Bochum, where the new Courtyard by Marriot (Klinikstrasse 43-45; 49-234-6100; www.marriott.de) has double rooms starting about 89 euros.
NO TICKET? Gluckaufkampfbahn stadium will have room for about 20,000 people to watch games on a 60-square-meter video wall. There will be concession stands.
DOWNTIME: There's that ditch, but a better bet is the Gelsenkirchen zoo, which has an aquarium, water park and animal preserve (Bleckstrasse 47; 49-209-954-50; www.tiergaerten.de/gelsenkirchen-zoo.html; admission is 9 euros).
COLOGNE
Cologne may be among Germany's oldest cities, but it's also among the most youthful and open-minded, thanks to its university and immigrant and gay scene. And despite ultramodern landmarks by Renzo Piano and others, the skyline is still defined by the famous Gothic cathedral, which many believe was briefly the world's tallest building.
GAMES: Three African teams will play in the first round at RheinEnergie Stadion: Angola vs. Portugal on June 11; Ghana vs. the Czech Republic on June 17; and Togo vs. France on June 23. The big crowd-pleaser, however, should be Sweden vs. England, on June 20. A second-round game is on June 26.
HOTELS: If you're willing to pay sky-high rates, rooms may still available in the city center, even at coveted spots like the new 262-room InterContinental Koeln (Pipinstrasse 1; 49-221-280-60; www.koeln.intercontinental.com), where double rooms start around 290 euros). Otherwise, call the city's hotel hotline (49-221-221-30400, www.koeln.de/tourismus) or try Duesseldorf (25 minutes away by train) or Bonn (20 minutes).
NO TICKET? Fans will be congregating at two outdoor sites: Cathedral and Heumarkt Squares, where large video screens will compete with nearby pubs.
BARS: No wonder this city likes to party: Half the households in Cologne are single. Head to the stylish and lively bars in the Friesen Quarter. The prized spot will be a deck chair on the sand-filled terrace at Aquarium (Friesenwall 116; 49-221-221-30400), a Brazilian-owned bar. Cologne has the largest Brazilian population in Germany, so you better not be rooting for Croatia there.
FRANKFURT
Frankfurt, Germany 's financial capital, will try to shake off its stiff banker reputation during the cup matches with rowdy parties, festivals and bold public art. Starting on Saturday for three nights, 40 powerful projectors will superimpose abstract shapes and soccer images across the facades of skyscrapers. (Best place to watch: the historic neighborhood of Sachsenhausen along the Main River.)
GAMES: The new Commerzbank Arena will have two highly awaited matches: England vs. Paraguay on June 10, and Argentina vs. the Netherlands on June 21. Portugal-Iran on June 17 is likely to be a lopsided affair, but South Korea-Togo on June 13 could be an entertaining match. There's a quarterfinal on July 1.
HOTELS: Frankfurt added some 10 new hotels last year, including a futuristic Radisson SAS, but rooms are in short supply in the city center. Call the city's tourism hotline (49-69-212-308-08, www.frankfurt-tourismus.de); if need be, ask about the smaller hotels in the villagelike area of Taunus or the old-fashioned town of Wiesbaden.
NO TICKET? Games will be shown on an enormous LED screen floating on the Main River, so pack a picnic and find a spot along the waterfront parks between the Eiserner Steg and the Ignatz-Bubis bridges. Two stages for cabaret and bands will keep the action going during the half.
DOWNTIME: The undisputed King of Techno, Sven Vath, recently opened Cocoon, a supper club where diners recline on beds while nibbling diver sea scallops. (Carl-Benz-Strasse 21; 49-699-002-00; www.cocoonclub.net).
KAISERSLAUTERN
If you're not familiar with German soccer, you might wonder why this small, forested town is a host city. The reason is the venerable Fritz Walter Stadion, built in the 1920s and completely retrofitted for the cup. In fact, if you look south from nearly any point in the city, you can't help but see the boxy stadium. The city also has a huge US military base. Expect service members to pack the Fritz Walter.
GAMES: Sadly, there are few compelling match ups, save Italy vs. the US on June 17. In other first-round matches, Australia plays Japan on June 12, Paraguay opposes Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 and Saudi Arabia takes on Spain on June 23. A second-round match is on June 26.
HOTELS: The smallest of the host cities, Kaiserslautern has a serious hotel shortage. The best bet in town is the Hotel Barbarossahof (Eselfuerth 10; 49-63-141-440; www.barbarossahof.com), where a double is about 85 to 100 euros. If that's sold out, try the city's novel bed exchange, available online at www.kaiserslautern.de/wm2006. Otherwise, head to the nearby cities of Mannheim, Trier or Saarbruecken.
NO TICKET? Stiftsplatz and Barbarossastrasse Square will have viewing parties with a giant screen and laser shows.
BARS: Most bars are attached to hotels, though the Irish House in the city's old center (Eselsfuerth 11; 49-631-406-80;www.irishhouse.de) is likely to be host to a lot of Australians on June 12.
MUNICH
Munich has come a long way in shedding its stodgy, hard-drinking image. The city, the safe, green and wealthy capital of Bavaria, is now ranked by Germans as the most desirable place to live, a standing reinforced by the new, doughnut-shaped Allianz Arena -- perhaps the World Cup's most-talked about piece of architecture.
GAMES: The 2006 World Cup kicks off in Munich with Germany vs. Costa Rica on June 9. One of the least tantalizing matches, Tunisia vs. Saudi Arabia on June 14, will be followed by an interesting coupling, Brazil vs. Australia on June 18. The Ivory Coast takes on Serbia and Montenegro on June 21. The second round also starts there on June 24, and a semifinal is on July 5.
HOTELS: Most hotels are clustered near the hauptbanhof, or main train station. Among the best is the InterCity (Bayerstrasse 10; 49-89-444-440; www.inter-cityhotel.de), with rooms starting around 90 euros a night. If that's sold out, Munich has a hotel booking service (49-89-233-96555, www.muenchen.de). Shut out in Munich? Try nearby Salzburg, just over the border in Austria.
NO TICKET? Go to the Olympiastadion. Built for the 1972 Games, this fabulous open-air arena seats 20,000 and will feature a giant video screen, live concerts and soccer forums.
DOWNTIME: A naturist at heart? The Schoenfeldwiese, a meadow in the center of the sprawling Englischer Garden, is the place for you. It is reserved for nude sunbathing, and will be packed with all manner of humanity.
NUREMBERG
Nuremberg has a mixed reputation. Once known for its Renaissance arts and sciences, the city was, of course, where the Nazi war crime trials took place. Still, Nuremberg will surprise visitors with its architectural beauty (turrets and stained glass galore) and delicious bratwurst.
GAMES: Frankenstadion is host to Mexico's opener against Iran on June 11. Possible upsets here include the match between England and Trinidad and Tobago on June 15 and Japan against Croatia on June 18. In a likely sudden-death match, the US will face Ghana on June 22. A second-round game is on June 25.
HOTELS: In town? Don't bother. Rooms have been sold out since last year. Hotels in nearby Erlangen and Fuerth may still have vacancies. Or try the Nuremberg tourist office 49-911-23-3-6131, www.nuernberg.de) for cancel-lations. If that fails, contact the FIFA booking service, but don't get your hopes up. This is one of the toughest cities to get a room in.
NO TICKET? The Volksfestplatz, on the city's southern edge, is the designated viewing area for fans without tickets and will feature big-screen TV's and Franconian-style beers. It is right next to the Frankenstadion, so expect more foot traffic than in the other viewing areas.
DOWNTIME: The riveting and horrifying Dokumentation Reichsparteitagsgelande (Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds) was the site of the huge Nazi rallies (Bayernstrasse 110; 49-911-231-5666; www.museen.nuernberg.de; admission 5 euros). It should not be missed.
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