The host countries

Amsterdam provides one of the spectacular Euro 2000 locations

Some 1.2m people are expected to visit the Low Countries for the European Championships.

The tournament stages 31 matches, 15 of which will be played in Belgium and 16 in The Netherlands.

And while football will of course be at the top of every supporter's agenda, any visit also offers the chance to check out a host of cultural and leisure activities.

Time between the games can easily be whiled away by a trip to one of a multitude of museums, parks and other places of interest.

Alongside the usual attractions a selection of parades, festivals, traditional markets and sports events during the tournament will be staged by the eight host cities.

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Belgium

Situated directly south of The Netherlands and to the south-east of England, Belgium is within easy access from all parts of Europe.

Brussels the capital of Belgium

Roughly eight times smaller than the United Kingdom, the land known for beer, chocolate and gastronomy is one of the smallest, but most densely populated countries, of the European Union.

Belgium was actually part of the Netherlands until 1830 and Dutch - in its Flemish dialect - remains one of the spoken languages.

Two distinct communities can be recognised in Belgium; the generally more prosperous Flemish in the north, and the French-speaking Walloons of the south.

The capital of Belgium is Brussels - or, in French, Bruxelles.

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The Netherlands

Just over five-and-a-half times smaller than the UK, the Netherlands, also known as Holland, is one of the world's most densely populated countries.

The Atomium provides bird's eye views of Brussels

Although the seat of government is The Hague, the capital is the canal-dominated city of Amsterdam, known for its tulips in spring.

Once belonging to Spain, the country of clogs, windmills and cheese became independent in 1579.

For outdoors enthusiasts, Holland is an ideal destination, with thousands of kilometres of cycle paths and a host of hiking facilities.

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The host cities

The eight cities hosting Euro 2000 fixtures are: Brussels, Bruges, Liège, Charleroi, Amsterdam, Arnhem, Eindhoven and Rotterdam.

Some of the cities have ancient centres which are perfect for those keen to immerse themselves in European culture and history.

And for a month all of them will be transformed into international footballing centres, where the continent's diverse fan-base will converge to witness Europe's premier competition.