http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20202 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20202 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19999
A day out watching Hereford United is great fun for the whole family and certainly doesn't cost as much as Premiership teams.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19999 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18900 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18900 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18897 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18897 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18111 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18111 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17554 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17554 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17336
The Club of World Travellers is the coolest little place I've ever been. A 'secret' bar, it took us a while to find but it was worth it. Extensive cocktail list, good prices and weird decor all make it a place worth visiting.

For those into their history, how can anyone look past Tito's grave and museum? A definite must and, if you're into football as well, a mere 5-10 minute walk from both Red Star and Partisan Belgrade's ground (and the kindly staff even let you have a look around).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17336 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17293
We went there principally however to watch the World Cup amongst another passionate footballing people and the local Croatians did not disappoint. What made the holiday memorable however was the wonderful warmth and hospitality extended to us everywhere we went, not least when watching games in the tiny local bar on a beat-up TV in an alien language, and where £16 stood a round for most of the village on a packed Saturday night.

Were I not already committed to a holiday in Turkey next June I'd be looking to return to Vizinada or somewhere nearby to watch Euro 2008. I know I could expect great value and genuine friendliness along with the excitement of following a team with a real chance of victory. Since it was Croatia who sent England packing last month it might also soften the blow more than a little were Croatia to pull it off.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17293 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16938
They drive you to Tijuca Forest, a completely reforested area of Rio. There you will get to see all kinds of vegetation, some wildlife, and a waterfall. You can also make a light hike up to the top of Pedra Bonita, one of Rio’s nicest views. There you will enjoy a view of Rio few people have had the privilege to see, and watch the hanggliders and paragliders jumping off the ramp. And last but not least, the Brazil Expedition staff take you to great soccer games in Maracana, the bigger soccer stadium in the world.
They are very professional and language skilled.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16938 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13560
It is possible to play against or for league team Riga United.

If you are planning to move to Latvia to live and work, then you can join a Riga United training session and, who knows, you might be turning out for the red and white of United!

Alternatively, if you are interested in playing Riga United FC while on your holiday, then you just need to contact the club through their sponsor's website.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13560 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12962
Their infectious and heartfelt enthusiasm for their game will prime you to get caught up in the spirit of training sessions (and when possible, matches) of clubs big and small.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12962 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12346 Or - if you are a Red's fan, you can of course be right in the action by booking tickets to a match!
For a fun day out- VISIT OLD TRAFFORD!!!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12346 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11016
Age, race, sex and fashion sense matters not one bit. There are families, skinheads, anarchists, hippies, punks and office workers all there having an enjoyable time, win, lose or draw.

The vast quantities of beer consumed in the local bars pre-game only serves to make people more amicable. This is not a club to come to if you think going to a football match is all about you displaying your macho aggression.

A ticket for the terrace costs about 12 euros. As the Reeperbahn is just round the corner, why not pull yourself away from the strip clubs for a couple of hours, and let St Pauli fans show you a good time.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11016 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10824
We found our way to Le Stade in an uninspiring suburb. It was a comprehensive tour, taking in changing rooms, stands, pitch and presidential box and loads more. It felt like we got to look in every storeroom.

Most of it bored me silly but it was worth every minute to see the transformation in the boy. He was so appreciative that his uplifted mood lasted for the rest of the trip. That afternoon, he sat patiently watching his little brother playing for two hours and more in the childrens' playground in the Luxembourg Gardens. Later on we wandered round the local streets and found a great pizza restaurant. And so home to hotel, all of us content and well fed. It was a special day.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10824 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9958 www.aflhalloffame.com.au). One of the toughest sports in the world!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9646
Allegedly with the highest number of pubs per capita of any city district in Europe, Žižkov is a working-class area of Prague, a world away from the gaudy delights of Wenceslas Square. It is home to the television tower visible from all over the city, and can be reached by Metro to Florenc (line B & C) or by tram to Husinecká.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9646 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9366
We sat together anyway, like everyone else in the stand but there was a lot of confusion as to what to do. So make sure when you get your tickets that the seats are next to each other. Otherwise it was a top night.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9366 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9202
Corinthians, nicknamed 'Timao' were actually given to me by someone I chatted to about which team I was going to support. The conversation I had on arrival in Brazil for the first time in 1995 ran roughly as follows: "What's your team over here then?" "I don't know, not decided yet" "What do you mean?" "My team in England is Manchester City, and we only really have extreme success or failure - we won 4 major cups in 3 seasons in the late 60s/70s but we've been relegated loads of time and we know how to screw up a game we should have tied up - and the fans are 'muito fiel' (very loyal) I want to support a team like that here." The upshot was that the man basically told me that only Corinthians could fit the bill becuase their support is known as 'O Fiel' and because they too regularly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

I asked who their famous players were and he said Socrates, Rivelino and Casagrande. My dad used to gush about Socrates and that nailed it for me. As an English lad doing a year of his degree in Brazil it further enthused me that the club's home ground is the Parque Sao Jorge (Saint George Park). However, the club mainly plays home games at the Morumbi Stadium, home of one of their hated rivals, São Paulo (the other rival being Palmeiras, the former team of Roberto Carlos and, later, Luis Felipe Scolari).

It's said of Corinthians that where most football clubs are followed by their fans, Corinthians is a set of fans who happen to drag a football club in their wake. Their most controversial group of supporters, the organised supporters network 'Gavioes da Fiel' (Hawks of the Faithful) organise a massive carnival parade and if football were banned, then as long as there was anyone left in Brazil in the first place, the Gavioes would celebrate Corintianidade ('Corinthian-ness') with drums and dancing anyway. They also famously invade other clubs' grounds and make away games feel like home matches, as they did in the 70s with a legendary clash with Flamengo at the Maracana in the Rio-Sao Paulo Cup.

Brazilian club football has taken many batterings over the years with corruption and low attendances, but if you want a team that will never provide a dull moment, this is it. And their kit looks cool.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9202 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7726
And by sports, I mean sports. The Kezar is located across the street from Kezar Stadium, the former home of the city's five-time Super Bowl champion 49ers, now converted to a trim 10,000 seat athletics, football and soccer stadium. The atmosphere follows the same vein as the decor: distinctly 49ers-related, and NFL and college action packs the place to watch every game on its 24 TV screens. Similar crowds watch baseball, especially the Boston Red Sox, or ice hockey (an unusual interest of the owner - read more). March madness may bring the biggest crowds of all. If you want your American sport, the Kezar's the place to go.

But it's more than that.

The Kezar abuts the epicentre of the city's legendary Irish community (a community third only to New York and Boston) and there is a distinctly Irish undertone to the place, from the logo exhibiting Kezar Stadium's famous arch with a shamrock placed in it to the Irish bar staff and owner. Gaelic sports are in abundance here, and the bar is equally full for the Six Nations or Republic of Ireland internationals.

But while it's an Irish bar in America, it's not an “Irish” bar. Rather, it's a mishmash of European and American sensibilities. The Premiership and Champions League football attract huge crowds, mixing tourists, American fans, and expatriates. New Zealanders and Australians pack the pub for Tri-Nations rugby (shown live in the wee hours) and even Indians come for cricket. The World Cup saw the start of Kezar's newest demographic - Ukranian soccer fans.

Oh, the food's also top notch for a sports bar. You'll find your fish and chips, meat pies and your Irish fare, including shepherd's pie and the legendary Irish breakfasts munched on by hungry rugby and football fans, as well as American hamburgers and buffalo wings. But the owner's wife - a chef - adds some subtle touches in the form of salmon, penne pasta and excellent salads.

Beer flows freely here, with several varieties of American beers, English ales, and God's own Guinness.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7726