We are now in a busy period where clubs, schools and universities are looking at their sports tour options for next year, which means the demand for European sports tours from March to May are at their highest. Whilst some of our groups travel by coach or flights we thought we'd look at some of our most popular tour destinations in Europe and also a different way of getting there! The Eurostar is a convenient way to get right to the heart of Brussels, Lille, Paris and onwards to Amsterdam and a whole host of other European sports tour destinations.
Flying or coach travel are not the only ways to go on tour with Tours4. The Eurostar is often forgotten, but it is quick, comfortable and a surprisingly affordable way to travel and ideal for groups travelling to some of our more popular sports tour destinations. This includes Lille, Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Paris.
The Eurostar journey time is now only 2 hours and 35 minutes from London St. Pancras to the Gare du Nord in Paris. Remember this is city centre to city centre. Compare this travelling by coach and ferry or by plane which involves an hour or so journey to Heathrow or Gatwick, a 2 hour check in, waiting in crowded lounges, extensive security checks, flight time, baggage collection and another hour coach to your accommodation.
Tours4 can offer excellent group rates if booked ahead and we will advise on the best dates to travel. Some of our more popular destinations are highlighted below.
France
Eurostar offers regular direct train services to/from Lille (Lille Flandres station) and Paris. Some services stop at Calais. For other destinations you will need to change to a different train to complete your journey.
Tours4 can organise sports tours to Lille, particularly senior or junior rugby tours. Your accommodation will give easy access to the city centre and fixtures are always within a short drive of the city.
Paris - said to be the most romantic city in the world...and certainly one of the most beautiful is simply a brilliant rugby destination. Most first time visitors will be surprised at how many images of the city they have absorbed already - Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and of course the Sacré Coeur. The Eiffel Tower may have been seen as an eyesore when it was first built but today it is an icon for the city. You will have the opportunity to gaze across the landscape from the third level of the tower and take in the stunning views of the city.
Paris was of course the throbbing heart of the last Rugby World Cup, the city staged South Africa’s final victory against the English in October 2007. Thousands of supporters from all corners of the globe, including our own Tour Manager, Sean Bishop, amalgamated in the city to experience a special atmosphere in Paris. The only thing that would have made it better would have been an English win!
In Paris there are numerous options for sports tours, including football, rugby, hockey and basketball. Why not travel over a Six Nations weekend in February or March and watch France play at the Stade de France. At Tours4, we have access to international tickets so can include this as part of your tour package. Accommodation options include 2 and 3* hotels in the centre of Paris. All our hotels are group friendly and are chosen with sports groups in mind.
Belgium
Eurostar offers regular direct train services to/from Brussels from London and the fastest trains to Brussels take 1 hour 50 minutes. You can use your ticket to travel by train to/from any Belgian station at no extra cost. For example, you can continue your journey to Bruges (known also as Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp or Liege.
Belgium is stuck with a reputation for being dull, but any tourist having visited will know this is far from the truth. Belgium is in fact lively, attractive and fashionable, and enjoys a strong historical and cultural heritage. We have two great destinations where we can offer football and rugby tours.
Brussels, the Belgian capital city boasts some excellent architecture, superb restaurants and busy cafés, as well as plenty of bars and pubs serving the broad range of strong Belgian beers. Brussels is one of the closest tour destinations to the UK for rugby and football. Most of the nightlife is focused around the Grand Place and Rue de la Bourse with some great restaurants, and bars just off the main square. Everything you could want from a sports tour is contained within the walls of the city.
Antwerp is an old port town with a great nightlife, ideal for a lively senior or university sports teams. The city centre is fairly small with the Grote Markt packed full of pubs including a great Irish bar 'The Irish Times'. This was particularly popular with Guinness Rugby Club who toured with us to Antwerp in 2010.
The city is approximately 35 miles north of the historic city of Brussels and also close to the Dutch border, meaning you can play your pre-arranged fixtures in either country. Antwerp boasts over 2,000 pubs, cafés, jazz bars and a whole host of night-clubs. The Belgians are also famous for their relaxed culture and hospitality. There is so much sightseeing to do, you will never be bored throughout your stay, why not explore some of the many squares and mazed streets of the Old Quarter or maybe check out the dozens of diamond shops which are what the city is most famous for.
Belgium is also home to an impressive number of tournaments over April and May every year, all offered by us here at Tours4. This includes:
Netherlands.jpg)
Eurostar has decided to increase the range of its services to some other major cities in Europe and soon you will be able to get direct services from London to Amsterdam.
Holland is easy and cheap to get to, there is barely a language barrier and once you’re there it’s a sports tour paradise.
Amsterdam is by far the most famous destination for any kind of tourist in Holland but at Tours 4 we can successfully combine the sporting side of your tour with the social side and there is no better destination for the seriously social teams from most sports.
Holland also has some good beaches, well accessed from Noordwijk, where many of our groups stay, particularly during Easter when the Hilversum Festival is held. Noordwijk is one of our more popular tours for youth teams but there is no reason why adults shouldn't enjoy the huge beaches, quaint town centre and the nightlife here. The pace of life here is much slower than in Amsterdam or Rotterdam but the sports facilities are second to none and we can offer a great range of accommodation options to suit all teams including hostels, hotels and a range of accommodation close to the beaches. Noordwijk offers easy access to the Hague and Amsterdam so why not combine your tour with a day trip to 'the Dam'.
Rotterdam, like Amsterdam is a bustling port city and the second city of Holland, easily accessible by train from Amsterdam. It's a good alternative and offers something different on your sports tour if you've already 'done' Amsterdam or just want a great city touring experience. There is so much to see and do for football, rugby, hockey and cricket teams.
If you are interested in touring one of these popular European destinations by Eurostar, coach travel or by air, please contact Tours4 for a tailored quote. Call us on 0800 043 3887 or email us on info@tours4.com
Eurostar offers regular direct train services to/from Lille (Lille Flandres station) and Paris. Some services stop at Calais. For other destinations you will need to change to a different train to complete your journey.
Lille is only 1 hour and 25 minutes away and is one of the major Eurostar destinations. Lille is the third largest city in France and is often ignored by sports teams. It has a strong Belgian influence, excellent museums, a great mix of bars, restaurants, clubs and the world renowned Grande Braderie (Europe's biggest flea market). Situated within 1 hour 30 minutes from Calais, your team could be staying in the wonderful City of Lille in next to no time.
Tours4 can organise sports tours to Lille, particularly senior or junior rugby tours. Your accommodation will give easy access to the city centre and fixtures are always within a short drive of the city.
Paris - said to be the most romantic city in the world...and certainly one of the most beautiful is simply a brilliant rugby destination. Most first time visitors will be surprised at how many images of the city they have absorbed already - Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and of course the Sacré Coeur. The Eiffel Tower may have been seen as an eyesore when it was first built but today it is an icon for the city. You will have the opportunity to gaze across the landscape from the third level of the tower and take in the stunning views of the city.
Paris was of course the throbbing heart of the last Rugby World Cup, the city staged South Africa’s final victory against the English in October 2007. Thousands of supporters from all corners of the globe, including our own Tour Manager, Sean Bishop, amalgamated in the city to experience a special atmosphere in Paris. The only thing that would have made it better would have been an English win!
In Paris there are numerous options for sports tours, including football, rugby, hockey and basketball. Why not travel over a Six Nations weekend in February or March and watch France play at the Stade de France. At Tours4, we have access to international tickets so can include this as part of your tour package. Accommodation options include 2 and 3* hotels in the centre of Paris. All our hotels are group friendly and are chosen with sports groups in mind. Belgium
Eurostar offers regular direct train services to/from Brussels from London and the fastest trains to Brussels take 1 hour 50 minutes. You can use your ticket to travel by train to/from any Belgian station at no extra cost. For example, you can continue your journey to Bruges (known also as Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp or Liege.
Belgium is stuck with a reputation for being dull, but any tourist having visited will know this is far from the truth. Belgium is in fact lively, attractive and fashionable, and enjoys a strong historical and cultural heritage. We have two great destinations where we can offer football and rugby tours.
Brussels, the Belgian capital city boasts some excellent architecture, superb restaurants and busy cafés, as well as plenty of bars and pubs serving the broad range of strong Belgian beers. Brussels is one of the closest tour destinations to the UK for rugby and football. Most of the nightlife is focused around the Grand Place and Rue de la Bourse with some great restaurants, and bars just off the main square. Everything you could want from a sports tour is contained within the walls of the city.
Antwerp is an old port town with a great nightlife, ideal for a lively senior or university sports teams. The city centre is fairly small with the Grote Markt packed full of pubs including a great Irish bar 'The Irish Times'. This was particularly popular with Guinness Rugby Club who toured with us to Antwerp in 2010.
The city is approximately 35 miles north of the historic city of Brussels and also close to the Dutch border, meaning you can play your pre-arranged fixtures in either country. Antwerp boasts over 2,000 pubs, cafés, jazz bars and a whole host of night-clubs. The Belgians are also famous for their relaxed culture and hospitality. There is so much sightseeing to do, you will never be bored throughout your stay, why not explore some of the many squares and mazed streets of the Old Quarter or maybe check out the dozens of diamond shops which are what the city is most famous for.
Belgium is also home to an impressive number of tournaments over April and May every year, all offered by us here at Tours4. This includes:
- Colts Rugby - Gent Easter Rugby Tournament - Easter 2011
- Senior Rugby Mens - Gent Easter Rugby Tournament - Easter 2011
- Senior Rugby Womens - Gent Easter Rugby Tournament - Easter 2011
- Senior Rugby Mens (10s) - Wakke Memorial Rugby Tournament - May 2011
- Senior Rugby Womens (10s) - Wakke Memorial Rugby Tournament - May 2011
- Senior Rugby Mens - Flanders Open Tens Rugby Tournament - May 2011
- Senior Rugby Womens - Flanders Open Tens Rugby Tournament - May 2011
- Junior Football - Hageland Cup Youth Football Tournament, Aarschot - May 2011
Netherlands
.jpg)
Eurostar has decided to increase the range of its services to some other major cities in Europe and soon you will be able to get direct services from London to Amsterdam.
Holland is easy and cheap to get to, there is barely a language barrier and once you’re there it’s a sports tour paradise.
Amsterdam is by far the most famous destination for any kind of tourist in Holland but at Tours 4 we can successfully combine the sporting side of your tour with the social side and there is no better destination for the seriously social teams from most sports.
Holland also has some good beaches, well accessed from Noordwijk, where many of our groups stay, particularly during Easter when the Hilversum Festival is held. Noordwijk is one of our more popular tours for youth teams but there is no reason why adults shouldn't enjoy the huge beaches, quaint town centre and the nightlife here. The pace of life here is much slower than in Amsterdam or Rotterdam but the sports facilities are second to none and we can offer a great range of accommodation options to suit all teams including hostels, hotels and a range of accommodation close to the beaches. Noordwijk offers easy access to the Hague and Amsterdam so why not combine your tour with a day trip to 'the Dam'.Rotterdam, like Amsterdam is a bustling port city and the second city of Holland, easily accessible by train from Amsterdam. It's a good alternative and offers something different on your sports tour if you've already 'done' Amsterdam or just want a great city touring experience. There is so much to see and do for football, rugby, hockey and cricket teams.
If you are interested in touring one of these popular European destinations by Eurostar, coach travel or by air, please contact Tours4 for a tailored quote. Call us on 0800 043 3887 or email us on info@tours4.com
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