Immerse yourself in culture and sport in Coventry

With plenty of football to watch and other grand attractions to see, there’s something in Coventry for everyone

Coventry’s in the heart of the West Midlands, and is one of the largest cities in the region with a population of just over 300,000.

The amount of visitors to the area is expected to swell due to Coventry’s involvement with the football heats that are taking place around the country. One of the main motivations for this was to ensure that all of the leading urban areas in the UK are involved in celebrating football – our national sport.

There’s plenty to note about Coventry. For example, have you ever heard of twin cities? If so, you might be interested to learn that it was Coventry that formed the first partnership with another location internationally. During World War II, the city became associated with the Russian city of Volvograd, and now has ties with well over 25 other cities around the world. If this doesn’t make Coventry a more appropriate location for Olympic sport during the 2012 event, what will?

How much football is going to take place in Coventry?

In addition to Newcastle, Glasgow and Cardiff, Coventry is going to be sharing some of the responsibilities for hosting football matches during the 2012 Games.

The City of Coventry Stadium has 32,609 seats up for grabs, and there are going to be women’s matches as well as men’s tournaments that consistent mostly of players under the age of 23. The official launch of the football event is on the 25th of July until the 11th of August, with the qualifiers starting 48 hours before the official opening ceremony commemorates the launch of the 2012 football tournament.

In total, by visiting Coventry, you will be able to enjoy 12 live games, in addition to watching other events that are going to be broadcast on a large screen at the Coventry Transport Museum. This way, if you’re not too keen on travelling in and out of London, you will still be able to enjoy a celebratory atmosphere as you watch an array of events from the Games’ main venue in Newham. The climax of the football fun in Coventry will be the game where the leading women’s teams will fight it out for the bronze medal.

Best UK 2012 holiday accommodation

Recommended things to do in Coventry

There are plenty of exciting venues to visit during your time in Coventry, including the city’s cathedral which is one of the newest in the world.

While staying here, you will also have access to stunning Warwickshire, and between these two locations there is an array of award-winning restaurants and scenic canal routes to explore.

The architecture is just one of the things that are steeped in history, with the Warwick Castle just one of the extravagant buildings to visit. Indeed, some of the hotels and accommodation available for you to stay in is graded, allowing you to step back in time.

From nature reserves opened by David Attenborough to art trails with work by over 30 leading artists, there is so much to experience in Coventry. As mentioned earlier, the Coventry Transport Museum is going to be one of the designated ‘Live Sites’ for the 2012 Games, but there are other fascinating exhibits to visit here, including vehicles that have broken records for land speed. When combined with the rare motorbikes, cycles, detailed replicas and stories of how the Industrial Revolution shaped today’s transport industry, it would be wasteful not to explore the resources that this attraction has to offer.

Speaking of transport, how to get from A to B...

If you are relying on public transport in order to get to Coventry, you won’t be disappointed by the array of trains at your disposal. During weekdays, connections to London Euston are every 20 minutes, and this allows you to commute to Newham in order to see other sports take place in just over an hour.

Alternatively, if you live near Birmingham New Street or Manchester Piccadilly, the high-speed train routes to Coventry only take half an hour and two hours respectively.

Once you have used National Rail for long-distance journeys, or after relying on the motorway network to get to your destination, bus lines to Leamington Spa and other towns will almost guarantee that you can get dropped to the door of your chosen accommodation via public transport.

Coventry is a great place to consider if you want to enjoy a ‘staycation’ in summer 2012. A co-host of the Olympic Games, your visit will be one to cherish forever.