For those readers who haven’t spent all their money on a month-long stay in Brazil or who have oodles left to spare, Veronica Stivala looks up some other sporting destinations that are worth paying a visit.

Great ride
What: Tour de France
Where: UK, France, Belgium and Spain
When: July 5-July 27

In spite of its name, the world’s most high-profile bicycle race began in Yorkshire, England, last week: the first British Grand Depart since 2007.

This year in its 101th edition, the tour will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,664 kilometres before the cyclists finally pedal down the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Before crossing the finishing line of the fifth stage in Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, the riders will have covered 15.4 kilometres of cobbled-stone sectors that are on the course of the Queen of Classics race every spring.

Why not catch the cyclists en route and make a holiday out of it? Today, cyclists are in Mulhouse, Gérardmer, which is closely linked to the Tour de l’Avenir that has stopped there five times.

The town boasts three theatre companies, a music hall, a performing arts centre, an institute for mountain promotion and a Tower Observatory in Mérelle.

For those who need more than a day’s notice to plan a trip, why not try Nîmes in Tallard, the leading town for wine in the Hautes-Alpes, Périgueux in Bergerac that boasts beautiful cave paintings, wine and jazz, or Paris itself for later stages of the race.

www.letour.com

Hole in one
What: British Open
Where: Liverpool, UK
When: July 17-20

Held in July each year, the British Open is the oldest of the four major golf tournaments, dating back to the 1860s and is the only major held outside the US.

It comes after the Masters Tournament in the state of Georgia in April, the US Open at various US locations in June and is followed by August’s PGA championship again in various locations across the US.

The 143rd Open Tourna-ment will be held at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside.

Built in 1869, on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, Hoylake is the oldest of all the English seaside courses with the exception of West-ward Ho! in Devon, which was established just a few years earlier.

If you plan to attend you’ll need to think about your attire: the Royal Liverpool site states that on the course conventional golf wear is required and shirts should be tucked in.

“Shorts should be tailored, knee length for gentlemen and can be worn with white sports socks.”

Golf wear can be worn in the clubhouse until 6pm, but shorts should not be worn upstairs at any time.

“Thereafter, jacket and tie (or equivalent dress for ladies) are required.”

Denim jeans, training shoes and round-neck T-shirts are frowned upon. You may wish to start saving for clothes as well as flights and accommodation…

www.theopen.com

Nice tae meet ye!
What: Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
Where: Glasgow, Scotland
When: July 23-August 3

This summer’s Commonwealth Games will be the largest multi-sport event ever held in Scotland.

The atmosphere in the already vibrant city will be upped a notch as thousands of elite athletes from 71 nations, friendly volunteers and excited spectators come together for this incredible festival of sport and culture.

Featuring 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 250 medal events on show, the games will play host to 4,500 athletes and sell a million tickets to spectators from around the world.

The games will be held in 14 venues, one of which is the fantastic 6,500-bed athletes’ village sprawling 35 hectares, which will become 700 future homes when the games are over.

Visitors to Scotland during the event can also take advantage of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme, which extends beyond the city and across the country.

Spanning theatre, dance, music, visual arts comedy, multi-media and outdoor spectacles, the programme will showcase everything Scotland has to offer, from breathtaking scenery, warm hospitality and mouth-watering food and drink, to exciting activities, a dramatic history and a vibrant contemporary culture.

www.glasgow2014.com

Happy games
What: Gay Games
When: August 9 -16
Where: Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, US

The Gay Games are held every four years and, despite its name, are open to all who wish to participate, without regard to sexual orientation.

Launched in 1982, the games invite participation from everybody, regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status.

With more than 35 sports (from darts to triathlon, bowling to softball) and two cultural events (band and chorus), this year’s ninth edition will feature something for everybody.

Sports are not the only attraction and the games include community and cultural events including a 10-hour dance party to mark the start as well as entertainment by an eclectic line-up of national and international performers.

This includes fan favorites from the US reality TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, a hip hop artist who recently became the first gay rapper to appear on a network late-night show, a local artist with an international following, and up-and-coming indie musicians getting major attention from US media.

www.gg9cle.com

Young Olympians
What: Summer Youth Olympic Games
Where: Nanjing, China
When: August 16 -28

The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games will encompass all 28 Olympic sports and will see the best young athletes from around the world compete at the highest level.

Off the competition fields, an integrated culture and education programme will focus on discussions about education, Olympic values, social challenge, and cultural diversity. The YOG aims to spread the Olympic spirit and encourage sports participation.

Just like the main games, the Youth Olympic Games are held every four years. The first summer edition was held in Singapore in 2010, and the first winter edition was held in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012.

More than 250,000 tickets have already been sold, so if you choose to join, there should be a great crowd to cheer on the 15- to 18-year-old competitors.

www.nanjing2014.org

Great serve
What: US Open
Where: New York, USA
When: August 25-September 8

A trip to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center’s magnificent Arthur Ashe Stadium promises to be a tennis fan’s experience of a lifetime.

Take a exciting weekend tennis trip to New York City or immerse yourself in a week of tournament play that will thrill even the heartiest, most intense aficionado.

Officially called the United States Open Tennis Tournament, the US Open is the fourth and final event of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments after the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. Played at Flushing Meadows, the tournament is held in August and September each year.

The championships began with men’s singles and men’s doubles in 1881, added women’s singles in 1887, women’s doubles in 1889 and mixed doubles in 1892.

Since that time many great champions have been crowned, from Bill Tilden and Helen Wills Moody to Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

In addition to watching some of the best tennis in the world, visitors to the US Open can ex­perience some tasty dishes at restaurants such as Mojito, a Cuban-inspired restaurant and bar and Champions Bar and Grill, a classic American steakhouse, without forgetting the Grey Goose Bar that features the Grey Goose Honey Deuce, the US Open signature cocktail.

www.usopen.org