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The Olympics 2012

On the 27th July 2012 the UK will be opening its doors to thousands of athletes and spectators for the 2012 Olympic games.  The majority of the games will take place in London and here you will find all the information you could need to get to and between venues to enjoy the exciting events.

• Dates
• Accomodation
• London Venue Locations
• Getting to events in London
• Venues outside London
• Venues for Paralympics
• Things to do in the UK
• Other Uk Attractions

Dates

• The Olympic Games
  27th July - 12th August 2012.
• The Paralympic Games
  29th August - 9th September 2012

London 2012 Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are a traditional and prestigious sporting event which takes place every 4 years. Countries from around the world put forward their top athletes to compete in a range of sporting activities. The nations involved can bid to host the games in their country. This bidding process takes place many years in advance in order to ensure that there is enough time to complete all necessary plans. The final decision for the 2012 games, was made back in July 2005. Paris was narrowly out-voted by London to host the games by 54 votes to 50 in the final decision stage. Moscow, New York and Madrid were all eliminated in the first, second and third rounds prior to the final decision. Tony Blair, whilst he was still Prime Minister of the UK, called the win a "momentous day for Britain".

The London 2012 Olympic Games are currently expected to bring 205 nations together to compete in over 300 events all around the country making it the biggest sporting event to ever take place in Britain and quite possibly the whole world.

Previous London Olympics

This year the Olympic Games are returning to London for the first time since 1948 (see Olympics Timeline for more information on previous games). Prior to 1948 London also hosted the Games in 1908. These 1908 games were originally scheduled to take place in Rome but following the eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius in the years prior to this, it was decided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the games to London for the UK to be host of the Games for the first time.

There were fewer events in 1908 and the amount of nations and competitors involved was significantly lower. Back in 1896 (when the Olympics games were still newly re-founded) there were just 241 athletes participating from only 14 nations, these figures have now grown to over 10,000 competitors from more than 200 countries.

Although it was still a highly prestigious event, professional athletes were not allowed to compete back then as it was seen as an amateurs only competition. It was not until 1986 that the IOC decided that the Olympics should feature ‘all the world’s great male and female athletes’. After this date the professionals were allowed to compete in the games.

If you are planning on becoming a part of history in 2012 and attending the Olympic Games in the UK then we can help you plan your trip.

Olympic Accommodation

With demand expected to skyrocket as we get closer to the games you should ideally be looking to book sooner rather than later in order to get the best deal and avoid inflated prices. We do advise though that you wait until your tickets have been confirmed before doing so. Once you know what events you can then use the map below to view and book the specific hotels around the event your spectating.

We’ve teamed up with to bring you a selection of accommodation for the 2012 Olympics at the lowest prices available.

Your Olympic ticket also entitles you to travel free with London Transport which means better flexibility in your choice of accommodation, so although likely to be very busy over the Olympic period the price of traveling around London to the venues should not be a factor.

London Venue Locations

To find out what hotels are near the events select the hotel above and view it on the map.

Getting to the Olympic venues from Heathrow

For all of your transport options for travelling to and around London during the Olympics see Getting to London.

Olympic Taxi and Transfer

We have partnered with reliable companies who specifically focus on providing transport for the London 2012 Games:

A great way of getting to your destination from the airport is by using a taxi or transfer service. You can book transfers in advance so you can relax safe in the knowledge your transport is sorted.

The tube

One way of getting to and around London is by using the London Underground, also know as the Tube. This is a network of underground train routes that opearate throughout London. Although this is usually a quick and easy way to get to or around London, the tube stations near some events may be hugely cramped and busy. Therefore if you can walk or cycle to the events this would be best.

Coach

National Express operate coaches all over the UK which can often take you direct to your location. During the games National Express will be operating a service which will drop visitors rights outside the Olympic park. You can book same day return or single journey. The coach is usually the cheaper and more direct form of transport if you are travelling from locations outside of London.

Car Hire

Hiring a car can be a suitable option for getting you to or from London. You can pick up your vehicle from a local or airport branch and be mobile while you are in the UK.

Venues outside London

If you are planning on attending any of the events outside of London you may find the following guides useful:

• Dorset Events: Bristol Airport Guide or Cardiff Airport Guide
• Essex Events: Luton Airport Guide, Stansted Airport Guide or Gatwick Airport Guide
• Newcastle Events: Newcastle Airport Guide
• Manchester Events: Manchester Airport Guide
• Cardiff Events: Cardiff Airport Guide
• Glasgow Events: Glasgow Airport Guide
• Coventry Events: Birmingham Airport Guide or East Midlands Airport Guide
• Windsor Events: Gatwick Airport Guide

Paralympic Games Venues

LONDON

Olympic Park

Sports: Paralympic Swimming, Wheelchair basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Tennis, Paralympic Five-a-side football, Paralympic Seven-a-side, Paralympic Athletics, Paralympic track cycling, Goalball.

North Greenwich Arena

Sports: Wheelchair Basketball.

Greenwich Park

Sports: Paralympic Equestrain

ExCel

Sports: Paralympic Table Tennis,  Paralympic Judo, Wheelchair Fencing, Boccia, Powerlifting, Volleyball-Sitting.

The Royal Artillery Barracks

Sports: Paralympic Shooting, Paralympic Archery

DORSET

Weymouth and Portland

Sports: Paralympic Rowing

WINDSOR

Eton Dorney

Sports: Paralympic Rowing

Olympics Timeline:

Here is a timeline of what we think are interesting facts or statistics from previous Olympics Games dating as far back as Ancient Greece and covering every modern Games since (Athens 1986 - Beijing 2008):

Ancient Greece - The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honour of their gods. Records of the Olympic Games date back as far as 776 B.C in Ancient Greece (although many believe they had already been held for centuries before this).

A.D 394 - The Olympic Games were abolished by the Greek Emperor of the time, Theodosius, a Catholic Christian. This was because the Olympic Games were a tribute to the Greek God, Zeus which was not a Christian belief that Theodosius followed.

International Olympic Committee, 1894 - (Pierre) Baron de Coubertin was the sole founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Still known today as the father of the modern Olympic Games, without Coubertin the Olympics would have remained Ancient Greek history.

Athens, 1896 - The first modern Olympic Games. Just 14 countries were included, competing in 43 events. No women were permitted to compete and the games consisted of around 250 men.

Paris, 1900 - Woman were first allowed to compete in the Games. However they were limited to just three events; lawn tennis, golf and croquet. Croquet was only ever competed (at Olympic level) at the 1900 games along with a few more unusual events; motorcycle racing, ballooning, cricket and underwater swimming.

St. Louis, 1904 - A bit of a shambolic Olympic Games. Originally scheduled for Chicago however the organisers of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition did not want to accept another international event at the same time so they threatened to hold their own sporting events. Pierre de Coubertin eventually gave in and awarded the games to St. Louis. The games were still unsuccessful, nearly half the event included only American athletes and took four and a half months to complete.

1906, The Intercalated Games - The first, last and only ever Intercalated Games were held in Athens, Greece. Medals won here were never considered to be official by the IOC.

London, 1908 - Originally scheduled for Rome but following the eruptions of Mt Vesuvius in 1906 the games had to be moved. The length of the marathon was changed for this games from 25 miles to 26 miles and 385 yard. This was done so that the race could be witnessed by each of the royal members; The start was witnessed by Princess Mary at the Royal Nursery and it finished in front of the King (Edward VII) at the Royal Box. This distance (26 miles and 385 yards) was used universally for marathons from 1924 onwards.

Stockholm, 1912 - Woman compete in swimming events at the Olympics for the first time. Although, no American woman competed as America had banned its woman from any event which did not include a long skirt.

1916 Games Cancelled - The 1916 Olympic games were scheduled to be held in Berlin. However following the out break of World War I in 1914 these games were cancelled.

Antwerp, 1920 - The Olympic Flag and Olympic Oath was introduced in 1920, with all athletes, nations and officials reciting an oath of fair play. Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Turkey were all not invited having been on the wrong side of the 1st World War.

Paris, 1924 - Coubertin moved the games, originally planned for Amsterdam, to Paris his home city as he is soon to retire. Germany was still banned although the other four nations not included in 1920 were invited again. Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi won 5 gold medals in long distance running events.

Amsterdam, 1928 - Germany returned to the Olympic Games. The Olympic flame was first introduced. Woman were also now eligible for many more events including track & field (modern athletics). Finn Paavo Nurmi won another 3 gold medals.

FIFA, 1930 - The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) first introduced the World Cup tournament. Held in Montevideo, Uraguay. The hosts (Uraguay) won the first ever World Cup.

Los Angeles, 1932 - Following the introduction of the World Cup there was no football event in 1932. 'Flying Finn' Paavo Nurmi was barred from the LA games as he had claimed too much money in expenses prior to this.

Berlin, 1936 - The first Olympic torch relay from Olympia Greece was completed. The games were officially opened by Adolf Hitler who only allowed members of the 'Aryan race' compete for Germany. Jesse Owens a black American athlete won four gold medals (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and the long jump) somewhat ridiculing Hitler's claims of Aryan Superiority.

1940 and 1944 Games Cancelled - Both the 1940 and 1944 games were called off because of World War II. These games were supposed to be held in Helsinki (1940) and London (1944). Tokyo was originally planned to be host of the 1940 games before they were stripped of its host status after the Japanese government abandoned its support of the games.

London, 1948 - The first Olympic Games since the war, Germany and Japan were not invited. Because of the cancellation of the games in 1944, London were awarded host without election. There was a food shortage throughout Europe, each country was asked to bring food for their own athletes.

Helsinki, 1952 - Russian athletes competed for the first time in forty years, this time representing the Soviet Union. The U.S. narrowly top the medal count with 76 to the Soviets 71, this is the start of a very fierce competition between the two nations.

Melbourne, 1956 - Liechtenstein, Holland, Spain and Sweden all boycott the games in protest of the Soviet Unions invasion of Hungary. Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon also chose to not participate because of the Suez War. The People's Republic of China also refuse to participate in the game because of the inclusion of the Republic of China (Taiwan). East and West Germany are now represented by one combined team 'Germany'. The Soviets dominated the medal table with 98 medals, the Americans won just 78.

Rome, 1960 - The first games to be televised worldwide. 18 year old boxer Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammed Ali) won gold as the light heavyweight champion. A record number of 5,348 athletes competed from 83 different countries. This was also the year that the IOC first introduced the Paralympic Games for athletes with physical disabilities.

Tokyo, 1964 - Following the bombings that occurred during the war, Japan spent over £2,000,000,000 to rebuild Tokyo ready for the Games. Many Olympic and World records were broken and the games were considered a huge success. The U.S. and the U.S.S.R ended tied on the medal table at the end of the games. The Soviets won more medals overall but the Americans won more golds, leaving the two nations tied.

Mexico City, 1968 - These games were held at the highest ever altitude: 7,349 feet. The very thin air is bad for athletes competing in endurance events. However the thin air proved to be beneficial to short races and jumping events with many records getting smashed including the long jump which was beaten by over 20 inches by American Bob Beamon. The U.S. beat the U.S.S.R. by a considerable amount this time round, 107 medals (45 gold) to the Soviets 91 (29 gold).

Munich, 1972 - The Olympic Oath was taken by the first official (referee) of the games. American swimmer Mark Spitz won 7 gold medals, also setting seven world records along the way. These games however were eclipsed when members of a terrorist group 'Black September' kidnapped eleven Israeli athletes from the Olympic Village. After a failed rescue all the athletes and all but three of the terrorists were killed. After a day of mourning the Games continued. Although Mark Spitz leaves the country for his own safety, as he a Jew. The Soviets beat the U.S. in the medal table this time round, with 99 to their 94.

Montreal, 1976 - The first Olympic games to be held in Canada took place. The host was decided in 1970 and Canada were bidding against USA and Russia. The IOC did not want the games hosted in a controversial country for fears that it would jeopardise the games, as proven in later years; 1980 & 1984 when the games were boycotted by certain nations. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened these games.

Moscow, 1980 - The biggest Olympic boycott in the games history took place in 1980. 62 countries were involved in the boycott protesting against the Soviet's invasion of Afghanistan; USA, Germany, Japan and the UK were amongst those who refused to attend. USSR won 195 medals, an unbelievable achievement although some what tarnished by the many allegations that surrounded the games.

Los Angeles, 1984 - In retaliation to the boycott in Moscow, the Soviet Union boycotted these games. This boycott however consisted of only 13 other countries including; East Germany, Cuba, Czech and Hungary. Although security concerns where arisen at the time the games where unhampered by the boycott. Without the Soviets or East Germany competing the Americans won almost three times as many medals as their closest competitors.

Seoul, 1988 - There was no mass boycott for the first time since 1972. Although North Korea refused to participate as they were at war with the host country South Korea at the time. A few allied countries (Cuba, Ethiopia and Albania) also followed suit as a mark of solidarity. The U.S. came third in the overall medal count with 94. The Soviets and East Germany came first and second respectively with 132 and 102 medals.

Barcelona, 1992 - Every nation with an Olympic Committee competes in the games for the first time in decades. Even Cuba, North Korea and South Africa, who had been banned for over 30 years, competed. Germany was reunited as one, again. The Soviet Union had also broken up and formed the 'Unified Team' of former Soviet states. The Unified Team topped the medal table with 112 medals. The U.S came second with 108 and Germany third with 82.

Atlanta, 1996 - These games were also known as the Centennial Games, marking 100 years of the modern Olympic Games. Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic Torch at the opening ceremony, he was also presented with a replacement gold medal from his boxing victory in the 1960 games in Rome.

Sydney, 2000 - The USA topped the medal count with a total of 92 medals. Russia were a close second with 88. However, in 2007 American athlete Marion Jones (3 gold & 2 bronze) had her medals formally stripped by the IOC after she admitted to taking a banned substance (THG). Then in 2008 IOC also stripped USA from their 4x400m gold medals as the athletes also tested positive of banned drugs.

Athens, 2004 - The Olympics were greeted with the motto 'Welcome Home' as it was the first time since 1896 (or arguably 1906) that the Olympics were held in Greece. A new medal was introduced and used from then on, the new design featured the famous Greek Panathinako Stadium instead of the Roman Colosseum which had been used inaccurately for so many years.

Beijing, 2008 - There were 43 new world records and 132 Olympic records broken at these games. 86 different countries won at least one medal. The Chinese won the most gold with 51 out of a total 100 medals. USA won the most medals with 110. American swimmer Michael Phelps broke Mark Spitz's record for most gold medals at a single games with 8. Also, Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt became the 'worlds fastest man' by winning 3 gold medals and beating the world records in both 100m & 200m.

Other UK attractions

While you are in London for the Olympics you should consider visiting some of the spectacular London attractions.  There are plenty of things you can tick off your list of things to do while you are in London; from city tours, theatre shows, historic buildings and much more.

Historical Attractions

London is a bustling city with a truly fascinating history. To find out more about London’s history you must visit some of the Royal buildings to get a hands on history experience.

Buckingham Palace

For a truly Royal experience you should visit Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is located in the centre of London and is also a short walk from the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, 10 Downing Street and Piccadilly.  The building is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch.  You will recognise Buckingham Palace from the Royal Wedding reception on April 29th which was hosted by Her Majesty the Queen.  You could recreate the Royal couple’s journey from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace if you fancy a break from sport.

The state rooms of Buckingham palace are open to visitors during the months of July to September so you may be able to have a glimpse at Royal life.  You should also consider attending the changing of the guard.

Changing of the guard

You cannot visit London without viewing the changing of the guard which takes place at Buckingham Palace.  The ceremony takes place most days except holidays.  The official start time is usually 11.30am with the soldiers arriving from 11.15am accompanied by music.  The ceremony is half an hour and the routine is done with precision and grace.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is a large domineering tower centred inside a fortress that looks out over the river Thames.  It was built in the early 1080’s by William the Conqueror who built the the stone tower at the centre of his fortress.  The White Tower as it was known was built to threaten and subdue the residents of London to prevent them acting out crimes and also to deter foreign invaders.  Over the years the White Tower has been used as a prison and location for execution.  The last execution was in 1941 when the execution of a German called Josef Jakobs took place.  Today the Tower of London is a World Heritage Site attracting 2 million tourists each year.  You can visit the Tower of London today to find out more about it’s history and the gruesome acts which took place there.

London Sightseeing Tours

The best way to get to know the history of London and see it all is by a Sight Seeing Tour bus.  There are various tour operators providing tours on a bus but the most popular are as follows:

• The Original Tour
• City Sightseeing tour.
• Big Bus Tours
• London Duck Tours. This tour is a bit different as the vehicle travels on both road and water so you get a tour of London town and a tour of the River Thames.

All coaches include a guide to assist with any questions and a  commentary describing the history and events that have taken place in London.  You can usually choose your route and sometimes the language of the commentary.

Other Attractions

Madame Tussauds

At Madame Tussauds you can meet some fantastic characters including , the Queen, Lady Gaga, Robert Pattinson, David Beckham, Barack Obama and many more.

London Dungeon

The London Dungeon is not for the faint hearted.  Representing 1000 years of London’s gory history with 11 actor led shows and 2 scary rides be prepared for a fright.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park has over 350 acres of land, 4,000 trees and a lakes.  The large park is located right in the centre of London so is highly accessible.  The park is open from 5am - midnight every day.  During the Olympics Hyde Park is the venue for the Triathlon and the Marathon Swimming events.

The London Eye

The EDF Energy London Eye is a large ferris wheel situated on the other side of the Thames to Westminster and near London Waterloo Train station.  The London Eye reaches 135m in height and provides a view of London for 40km (25 miles).  On a clear day you can see as far as Windsor Castle.

Other UK Attractions

There is plenty to see outside of London so you should consider hiring a car. Hiring a car means you can venture out of London to visit the beautiful scenery and attractions the UK has to offer. For example you could visit the following:

• Windsor which is 25 miles (40 km) from London
• Oxford which is 59 miles (95 km) from London
• Cambridge which is 60 miles (97 km) from London
• Stonehenge which is 85 miles (137 km) from London
• Cardiff which is 150 miles (241 km) from London

Alternatively you could hire a car to get to some of the other venues outside of London.

Windsor

If you have time to venture outside of London you should consider visiting Windsor.  Windsor is a short journey in the car from London so it is worth hiring a car to get to Windsor and spending a couple of days there.  Windsor is the home of the Queen as she lives in Windsor Palace.  You can explore the grounds of Windsor and take in the history of the royal town.  It is here where Eton college is located and the college looks impressive.    Windsor Great park is also worth a visitand very pleasant location for a picnic in the park.

LEGOLAND Windsor

LEGOLAND Windsor is a fantastic place to take the children for a fun filled day of entertainment.  The park is aimed at children aged 3-12 but the fun doesn’t stop for adults. There are 55 LEGO themed rides at the park, a children's driving school and live shows.

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