United's European tour kicks off this weekend and whether you are planning to make the trip to the continent or not, our guide will keep you in the know...

First up will be Hungary, where the pre-season action kicks off with a fixture against sister club, Ferencvaros, next Monday at 7pm, local time.

Ferencvaros

About...
Budapest - the home of Ferencvaros - is the first stop and is, of course, the capital of Hungary. It is also the country's biggest city and has more than £1.5m inhabitants. The famous river Danube runs through the city, which is also known as 'Pearl of the Danube'. Budapest is world-famous for it's stunning riverside views of Parliament and St Stephen's Basilica.

Where to stay...
Accommodation shouldn't be too hard to find, despite it being summer season. Boutique hotel Zara is picturesque in the middle of the city, whilst major chains such as Ibis and Novotel are present.

Getting around...
The city has a reliable public transport system and tickets and travel cards can be obtained at the major bus, train or metro stations. It is advised to book with reputable taxi fims such as City Taxis (+3612111111) or Taxi 2000 (+3512000000) rather than hailing a cab at excessive prices.

To see...
For those wanting to view Budapest's architectural beauty, a boat trip up the Danube is the best bet, whilst the city also boasts the Palace of Fine Art and statues of famous Hungarian kings at Heroes' Square. There is also the House of Terror Museum which charts the country's history under fascist and communist dictatorships in the 20th century.

Entertainment...
Becketts Irish Bar and Scottish pub Kaledonia both offer Sky Sports, whilst there are plenty of outdoor clubs for drinking and dancing.

Did you know...
Budapest derives its name from the two areas either side of the Danube river, called Buda and Pest which were merged in the late 19th century. Ferencvaros have won the Hungarian League 28 times and the Cup 20 times - both more than any other club.

The opposition...
Ferencvaros, nicknamed Fradi, are the most famous Hungarian club, but have suffered financially in recent years and currently play in the NB II - the country's second tier. They were winners of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1965 and former players include Zoltan Gera and Krisztian Timar, whilst ex-Blade Bobby Davison is the current manager.

Tickets...
Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office at Bramall Lane, priced at £6 or at the Albert Stadium before kick-off.

Then it is off to Belgium, where United take on KVK Tienen, a second division club in their homeland. The action, on Wednesday, kicks off at 7.30pm.

Tienen

About...
Tienen is known as the Sugar Town in the heart of Belgium. It is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It lies 30 miles to the east of Brussels and has a population of just over 30,000.

Where to stay...
The Alpha Hotel is the main hotel in Tienen, whilst Leuven, just 15 miles away, is Belgium's biggest university city and boasts many hotels.

Getting around...
Tienen can easily be accessed via the E40 motorway (exit 25). It is on the main railway link between Brussels and Liege, whilst regular bus services provide access in, out and around the city.

To see...
Tienen has the second largest market square in Belgium and it is partly laid out over a drained pool. The Sugar Museum is also popular and a tour takes 90 minutes and costs just five euros per person.

Entertainment...
Tienen, of course, has local bars, whilst Leuven is just 15 miles away and is the home to Stella Artois, whose brewery and main offices dominate the north-eastern part of the town.

Did you know...
Tienen is well-known for it's summer rock festival, Suikerrock (Sugar rock), which is held on the last weekend in July. KVK Tienen - in a former guise of RC Tirlemont (Tirlemont is French for Tienen) - have only reached the Belgian top division once, back in the 1930s, and were relegated after one season.

The opposition...
The club was formed in 1921 and has gone through name changes and mergers before KVK Tienen stuck in 1999, when they took their place in the Belgian Second Division. They were relegated in 2004 but won their place back in the second tier in 2006. Their Bergestadion ground has a capacity of 7,100.

Tickets...
Tickets are sale from the Blades Box Office now priced £12 (seating) and £8 (standing) or alternatively, fans can pay on the turnstiles at the Bergestadion.

A short trip across the border to Netherlands will end the tour. The Blades face Helmond Sport - another second tier club - on Saturday at 5pm.

Helmond

About...
The city of Helmond, towards the south of the Netherlands, has 90,000 residents and is one of the biggest cities in North Brabant. It has an illustrious past based on the textile and metal industries and now possesses highly-rated residential areas and architecture. The city is situated just ten miles to the east of Eindhoven.

Where to stay...
The Golden Tulip West-Ende and St Lambert hotels are situated in Helmond, whilst many more places to stay can be found in Eindhoven.

Getting around...
Both Eindhoven and Helmond have extensive urban bus networks that connect outlying districts and nearby villages with the city centres. Regional buses run between villages, and also connect Eindhoven and Helmond. Big companies like Philips and ASML offer private bus services. The region also has a comprehensive train timetable to various locations.

To see...
The centre of Helmond has a castle, built in the 14th century, that has it's own medieval moat and museum. There are also extensive hiking and walking routes.

Entertainment...
There are numerous bars, cafes and restaurants in and around the city centre.

Did you know...
Helmond is the birth place of famous Dutch international twins Rene and Willy van de Kerkhof and Aston Villa defender Wilfred Bouma. Helmond Sport were managed last season by Jan Poortvliet, who has since left the club and joined Southampton.

The opposition...
Helmond Sport finished seventh in the Dutch second division last season and will be hoping to push for promotion to the 'Eredivisie'. In 1985 they reached the KNVB Dutch Cup but were beaten by a late FC Utrecht goal. The club was formed in 1967 and the ground, Stadion De Braak, has a capacity of 4,100.

Tickets...
Tickets are sale from the Blades Box Office now priced £5.50 or alternatively, fans can pay on the turnstiles at the Stadion De Braak.