London 2012 : Venues

If you were lucky enough to get one of the 8.8 million tickets for the Games then it's likely you'll be watching at least some of the events at the newly constructed Olympic Park in Stratford.

The 2.5-square-kilometer site will be home to nine of the sporting venues used at the London Games and will house a number of key events including the athletics, diving, swimming, modern pentathlon, basketball, hockey, track cycling and water polo.

More on CNNGo: Insider Guide -- Best of London

Olympic Stadium

The jewel in the crown of the Olympic Park is the 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.

It cost £500 million (US$773 million) to build, will host both the opening (July 27) and closing (August 12) ceremonies and will be the place to see a certain Usain Bolt no doubt winning the 100 and 200 meters while at the same time texting his mum and doing that pointy finger thing.

Getting there

Two London Underground stations provide access to the Olympic Park: Stratford on the Jubilee and Central lines, which run into London Bridge and Liverpool Street respectively; and West Ham on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, which both run into Victoria.

Be warned: West Ham station is approximately 15 minutes' walk from the entrance to the Olympic Park.

Three National Rail stations also service the Olympic Park: Stratford, with direct trains from London and East Anglia; Stratford International, with direct train services from London, Ebbsfleet and Kent; and West Ham with direct trains from London and Essex.

Other venues

The other venues being used for the Games are something of a who’s who of London landmarks.

Lord’s Cricket Ground will house the archery (nearest Tube: St John’s Wood and Regent’s Park).

Wimbledon will be home to the tennis (nearest Tube: Southfields).

Earls Court will be used for the volleyball (nearest Tube: Earls Court).

And the O2 Arena will be used for the gymnastics, trampolining and basketball (nearest Tube: North Greenwich).

Horse Guards Parade, meanwhile, will witness the eagerly anticipated beach volleyball (nearest Tube: Westminster).

Hyde Park will be home to the triathlon (nearest Tube: Hyde Park Corner).

Wembley Stadium will host the football final (nearest Tube: Wembley Park).

And the ExCeL Centre will be used for the boxing, fencing, judo and table tennis (nearest Tube: Canning Town).

Source : edition.cnn.com/TRAVEL/