Travel question: Will Euro 2020 provide a rare opportunity to explore Russia?

Q You wrote (at some length!) about the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and the way that travellers could take advantage of visa-free access to visit the country without all the red tape, even if they had no interest in football. I see that one of the venues for Euro 2020 is St Petersburg, and I wonder if this will present a similar opportunity for exploration under the cover of a football tournament?

Ian B

A Euro 2020 is very different from the usual competition between Europe’s footballing nations that takes place every four years. Normally the Uefa European Championship, as it is officially known, takes place in one or two countries (France 2016, Poland and Ukraine 2012 etc).

To celebrate 60 years since the first tournament, held in France in 1960, the matches are being played in a dozen different countries, each with one host city. Pride of place goes to England; both semi-finals and the final will be played at Wembley. Other venues among the “usual suspects” include the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, the Allianz Arena in Munich, Rome’s Stadio Olimpico and Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Yet two former Soviet cities are also hosting: Baku in Azerbaijan (where Arsenal and Chelsea are playing in tonight’s Europa Cup final at the Olympic Stadium) and the Krestovsky Stadium in St Petersburg.

The latter was also a venue for the World Cup last year – an event notable for Russia opening its doors to hundreds of thousands of fans. While I have not been able to find out exactly the deal that Uefa has struck with the Russian authorities about access for supporters, I am confident there will be some simple no-fuss alternative to the normal visa palaver. Don’t expect freedom to roam across Russia for weeks on end, as World Cup fans could, but since St Petersburg is the nation’s greatest city, that will do for me.

I recommend bidding for tickets as soon as they go on sale on 12 June 2019 (exactly a year before the tournament begins). As the draw take place on 30 November 2019, you won’t know who is playing. But if, like me, your main interest is in experiencing Russia, you won’t mind. Register your interest at uefa.com and then buy tickets “blind” for any or all of the three group matches and/or the quarter final. Prices start at a very reasonable €50 (£44). Then let events unfold.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder