![\"Tokyo](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupjapan.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe biggest tournament of the beautiful game is upon us and, as the most watched sporting event on the planet, the world waits with bated breath\u2026well, 3.2 billion of us anyway. <\/p>\n
8 of the remarkable countries that Wendy Wu Tours visits might be taking to the pitch over the coming weeks but we\u2019ve decided to pit them against each other on the things that really count: culture, food and top sights. Let\u2019s face it, they are all going to be winners but indulge us, and try to appreciate the odd football pun dotted throughout; sorry about that.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s kick off\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Japan<\/a> has competed in 5 previous World Cups, proceeded into the Round of 16 twice and scored 14 goals in total. Japan co-hosted the 2002 tournament with South Korea.<\/p>\n Japan\u2019s culture is a unique blend of Buddhist and Shinto philosophies and a huge appetite for a popular culture that is known around the world. Nowhere else in the world can you easily hop from an age-old temple to a neon billboard-lit street and from a tea ceremony to a robot caf\u00e9 in a single day!<\/p>\n Japanese food focuses on presentation and seasonality, no wonder it has more Michelin stars than any other country! For an entirely Japanese culinary experience, it\u2019s got to be \u2018kaiseki\u2019, a traditional multi-course dinner showcasing a range of skills and techniques and arranged in incredibly artful ways. Maybe best to stick to sushi, ramen and katsu for your match snacks then\u2026<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got the picture-perfect Mt Fuji, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple) in Kyoto, the neon-bright lights of Tokyo and the hot spring bathing snow monkeys of Yudanaka \u2013 Japan has so much variety to keep you entertained!<\/p>\n South Korea has competed in 9 previous World Cups and came in 4th<\/sup> place in the Korea\/Japan 2002 tournament. In those appearances, they scored 31 goals in total, and co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with Japan.<\/p>\n Thoroughly modern but rooted in the ancient philosophy of Confucianism, South Korea has a rich, distinctive and vibrant culture. Age-old principles tackle how to conduct yourself and respecting your elders are still a central part of life, but it\u2019s all conducted in neon-lit metropolises to the sound of K-pop!<\/p>\n Until the rise of kimchi, South Korean food was undeservedly considered a generic Asian cuisine. Like most Asian cuisines, however, South Korean is about balanced, delicious foods, crafted from seasonal ingredients and presented with panache \u2013 try not to dribble over images of bibimbap and bulgogi!<\/p>\n It\u2019s probably fair to say that most people aren\u2019t on the ball about what there is to see and do in South Korea, apart from Seoul of course. Busan is a laidback coastal city, whilst Gyeongju is a veritable museum of place and there are some magnificent national parks, like Mount Seorak and Mount Gaya that need to be explored.<\/p>\n Brazil<\/a> has won the World Cup 5 times, the most of any country, and have scored 221 goals over 20 appearances. It has hosted the tournament twice, most recently in 2014. Brazil is the only team that has participated in every World Cup ever held.<\/p>\n Brazilian culture is all about living life to the max \u2013 just a few seconds of the world-famous Carnival can tell you that! Besides the Portuguese culture there is a melting pot of people who have contributed to Brazil\u2019s heritage, Africa and Japan to name a few, producing some joyful practices and traditions that include samba and capoeira. Football is also huge part of the national identity, so much so that Brazilians call their country \u2018o Pais do Futebol\u2019 (the country of football). If there is anywhere to watch football on your South America holidays<\/a>, it’s here!<\/p>\n Like its culture, Brazilian food is a delicious mix of influences from around the world. In such a large country, techniques and ingredients very significantly from region to region, and there are plenty of native foodstuffs you may never have come across, like manioc.<\/p>\n Rio de Janeiro, the Amazon jungle \u2013 Brazil has some big hitters on its top sights list. You can also try Salvador de Bahia for an alternative look at Brazilian urban life, and for incredible beaches, test out the sands of Buzios and Paraty.<\/p>\n Colombia<\/a> has appeared in 5 World Cups, reaching the quarter finals is 2014 and scoring a total of 26 goals. Colombia is yet to host the tournament.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no half-time measures with Colombian culture \u2013 it\u2019s big, brash and colourful in all the right ways! With music, art and dance at its heart, the blending of Spanish and native traditions, and later African ones, have made a culture you\u2019ll be hard pressed not to revel in.<\/p>\n A blending of indigenous, Hispanic, African, Arab and Asian influences have made one hell of a melting pot of tasty food! Although dishes vary from region to region, seafood and exotic plants make regular appearance across the pitch.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to resist the charms of the old town of Cartagena on Colombia\u2019s Caribbean coast, whilst the nearby Tayrona National Park covers your beautiful beaches and lush rainforest fix. For those after a buzz, the coffee triangle has plantations and lovely landscapes to explore and Bogota, the capital, is one super hip city.<\/p>\n Peru<\/a> has appeared in the World Cup 4 times and has scored 19 goals during its campaigns. In the 1970 tournament in Mexico, it reached 7th<\/sup> place. Peru has not hosted the World Cup.<\/p>\n Peru\u2019s culture is a rich blend of indigenous and Hispanic traditions. The Aymara and Quechua people, descendants of the Incas, have successful preserved their heritage and their languages; you\u2019ll spot them on the streets of Cusco and in the Sacred Valley wearing their striker-ing colourful, traditional garb.<\/p>\n A cuisine that\u2019s enjoyed a revival in the past decade, there is nothing foul about Peruvian food \u2013 in fact, it does fusion to perfection. With the indigenous people bringing corn, potatoes and chilli peppers and the Europeans bringing rice, wheat and beef, how could you have anything but deliciousness.<\/p>\n Machu Picchu is hands down at the top of the hotlist of Peru\u2019s sights, and who are we to resist a mountain top citadel? There\u2019s also Lake Titicaca, the magnificent city of Arequipa, the mysterious Nazca Lines and capital city Lima, South America\u2019s top foodie destination.<\/p>\n Argentina<\/a> has appeared in 16 World Cups, has won twice in 1978 and 1986, and been runner-up three times. They\u2019ve scored 131 goals in total and hosted the tournament once in 1978.<\/p>\n Argentina\u2019s culture is rooted in that of Europe, Spain and Italy particularly, but it\u2019s certainly got that Latin American twist! The Argentinians are a wonderfully friendly and passionate people; this passion being particularly evident when it comes to the Tango, and football of course.<\/p>\n Steak, red wine\u2026is there anything else to say? Actually, there is! There is a strong Italian influence in Argentinian food, so you\u2019ll never be short of pizza, pasta and gelato when travelling here, and desserts featuring dulce de leche should not be missed either. If you did happen to watch Argentina playing football over the next month, there\u2019s no better excuse for a glass of delicious Malbec.<\/p>\n As wonderful a city as Buenos Aires is, there is so much more to Argentina. From the otherworldly landscapes around Salta in the north, to the stark beauty of Patagonia in the south, you\u2019ve got a lake district, winelands and pampas in the midfield too!<\/p>\nCulture<\/em><\/h4>\n
Food<\/em><\/h4>\n
Top sights<\/em><\/h4>\n
SOUTH KOREA<\/h2>\n
![\"Old](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupkorea.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWorld Cup Facts<\/em><\/h4>\n
Culture<\/em><\/h4>\n
Food<\/em><\/h4>\n
Top Sights<\/em><\/h4>\n
BRAZIL<\/h2>\n
![\"Views](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupbrazil.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWorld Cup Facts<\/em><\/h4>\n
Culture<\/em><\/h4>\n
Food<\/em><\/h4>\n
Top Sights<\/em><\/h4>\n
COLOMBIA<\/h2>\n
![\"Views](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupcolombia.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWorld Cup Facts<\/em><\/h4>\n
Culture<\/em><\/h4>\n
Food<\/em><\/h4>\n
Top Sights<\/em><\/h4>\n
PERU<\/h2>\n
![\"Women](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupperu.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWorld Cup Facts<\/em><\/h4>\n
Culture<\/em><\/h4>\n
Food<\/em><\/h4>\n
Top Sights<\/em><\/h4>\n
ARGENTINA<\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupargentina.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWorld Cup Facts<\/em><\/h4>\n
Culture<\/em><\/h4>\n
Food<\/em><\/h4>\n
Top Sights<\/em><\/h4>\n
COSTA RICA<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcupcostarica.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWorld Cup Facts<\/em><\/h4>\n
![\"Caribbean](\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/worldcuppanama.jpg\")
<\/p>\n