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Sinner View member profile	May 31 2019, 08:50 PM Post #1
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 10 August 2010 Posts: 611 User: 11,640	As next year's contest will be in the Netherlands, my self and my mates are thinking about going over for some of the celebrations. Does anyone here have any advice from their own experience of going to the host city of previous competitions? When is it a good idea to start looking for accommodation? Should we book any events? Will there be plenty of unofficial stuff going on? Is it worth going over for the full week? Simon


J❄️hq View member profile	May 31 2019, 10:05 PM Post #2
my anxiety attacks Joined: 15 April 2009 Posts: 30,754 User: 8,674	I've been to the most recent two contests and gone for six nights each time (arriving the day before the first semi-final and flying back the evening after the final). I think it's definitely worth going over for the week to get the full experience and gives you time to do some sight-seeing in the host city or take day trips to nearby towns/cities if this is your thing (and you haven't already seen the entirety of Amsterdam, should it end up being the city). Committing to the week also allows you to get tickets to the semi-finals/rehearsals if you're not lucky enough to nab a final ticket but still want the experience of seeing some of the acts live or visiting the venue. Each host city sets up a 'Eurovillage' that is open to everyone during the week, this includes food stalls, places to buy merchandise, a stage where various performances take place and a screen to watch the live shows if you aren't going to the venue. It's a good place to chill and meet-up with other fans in the day. At night, there are a couple of official clubs called 'Euroclub' and 'Eurocafe' - these tend to be open to delegations, press or members of OGAE (the official fanclub - at about £17 a year I think it's well worth joining if you're invested in the contest), but there are likely to be other bars and clubs that dedicate themselves to Eurovision for the week. I was in Amsterdam for a weekend last month for 'Eurovision in Concert' and found two bars that were playing Eurovision! I wouldn't personally book any accommodation before a host city and dates are confirmed - if you book refundable rooms for multiple weeks/cities, this just helps to inflate the prices. But with how in demand I expect the 2020 contest to be, I would look at getting something booked as soon as city/dates are announced, which I expect will be late July or early August looking at the bidding process and back at the timeline for Lisbon and Vienna. The Netherlands has one of the biggest preview events every year and is a country that really embraces the contest, and with it being so long since they last hosted, I'm expecting them to go all out and it should be a brilliant atmosphere.


Silas View member profile	Jun 1 2019, 12:41 AM Post #3
Queen of Soon Joined: 24 May 2007 Posts: 74,056 User: 3,474	I went to Stockholm for 2016 and it was incredible. So expensive but absolutely worth it for the experience. We suffered a huge family loss a couple of weeks before Eurovision so it really was good for me to get away and focus my mind on something else entirely. I ended up with a ticket to both semi finals and the jury final, all three were great. They put on a show in the arena next door to Globen on the night of the final itself and I got a ticket to that which was so worth it. I got to see San Neilson perform ALL of her Melodifestivalen entries. Loreen performed as well. It was wonderful. I booked my flights with KLM pretty much within the hour of the host city being confirmed so my flight was at a standard price and got a great deal. My hotel was shit coz it was a hostel with shared rooms and shared bathrooms but i spend very very little time in it. If you're a Eurovision fan then i defo recommend going at least once and the Netherlands is so close.


Sinner View member profile	Jun 1 2019, 04:56 AM Post #4
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 10 August 2010 Posts: 611 User: 11,640	OMG Thanks guys. This is really great information on what we should do and when we should do it.


*Tim View member profile	Jun 1 2019, 04:47 PM Post #5
Bitch of t seet Joined: 2 April 2012 Posts: 27,395 User: 16,660	I'm going this year yas


LexC View member profile	Jun 1 2019, 08:05 PM Post #6
Attack Dog/Sass Queen Joined: 29 January 2008 Posts: 16,022 User: 5,342	I am hopefully going to be attending (most likely) Rotterdam 2020 and it’ll be possible to get there by train as well so that’s a plus for the environment and for my instincts as an overpacker!


BillyH View member profile	Jun 1 2019, 11:26 PM Post #7
BuzzJack Gold Member Joined: 10 July 2008 Posts: 2,146 User: 6,614	For Stockholm 2016 I overlanded it all the way from London, getting a coach to Rotterdam and then carrying onto Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Copenhagen and Malmo. It was fun seeing how each country was embracing Eurovision and hearing all the entries playing on local radio. All Eurovisions since I've had to stopover somewhere on the way as direct flights were too expensive, but it's given me good opportunities to see more places - Latvia for Kiev, Madrid and Porto for Lisbon, and Athens for Tel Aviv. Next year might be the first I'll be able to head straight there unless I include some time in France or Belgium!


Sinner View member profile	Aug 31 2019, 11:23 AM Post #8
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 10 August 2010 Posts: 611 User: 11,640	All booked - Tuesday to Monday. Yay!


Slick View member profile	Aug 31 2019, 11:45 AM Post #9
electric butterflies Pronouns: he/him Joined: 7 March 2006 Posts: 49,112 User: 70	I went to Copenhagen in 2014 and had an amazing time. We were there for 4/5 nights, got to see plenty of Copenhagen (and a bit of Malmo) and the Eurovision show itself was the best show I've ever been to. THE SCALE! Copenhagen was full of tourists from all over Europe and the atmosphere was full of love and community. Eurovision everywhere! All I would say to anybody planning to go is plan/book in plenty of time. Hotels and travel will get expensive!