Members of the media were taken on a whistle-stop tour of England's European Championship base.

A functional training base, albeit with a pitch that needs to be drastically improved, with nearby gym and swimming facilities is approximately 20 minutes away from the five star Hotel Stary, in the middle of the city, where the Three Lions will call home.

It is part of the 'holistic' approach to next summer's tournament in Poland and Ukraine, in stark contrast to the isolationism of Rustenburg, where England were based for last year's World Cup.

However, it also brings reminders of the media feeding frenzy in Baden-Baden, where the well dressed wives and girlfriends of England's star names paraded in their expensive clothes every day, almost sharing top billing with their spouses.

Fabio Capello has never given the impression of being a man who would be took keen to embrace that approach.

And the FA confirmed there will be no official WAGS party in Krakow.

In any case, in a city with a population of one million, the FA feel those who do travel will blend in.

"We can all refer back to 2006," said Club England managing director Adrian Bevington.

"I would like to think we are not walking back into another situation of that nature.

"We are in a bigger city. Krakow is very different to Baden-Baden in size. There are numerous hotels. There are a thousand cafes and bars and plenty of space for players to intermingle."

And England won't be on their own either.

Holland, whose city centre location in South Africa was cited as one of the reasons they performed so well, have already confirmed they will be staying in Krakow, whilst there is also a chance Italy will end up there as well.

It is one of the reasons England will be training at the 6,500-capacity home to Hutnik Krakow, rather than the city's far more famous Wisla outfit, 13 times winners of the Polish league.

Whilst Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere, Wayne Rooney and company might be a bit sniffy about the pitch, it is secluded, or at least it will be in summer when the leaves are back on the trees that surround the stadium.

And they can have few complaints at their £200-a-night hotel, which would double in price if anyone fancied one of the luxury suites, and cost even more for the single 'presidential' room, that could cover an entire floor if utilised fully.

During down time after training, the players will be encouraged to explore their surroundings.

A trip to the Auschwitz concentration camp will be organised, along with other areas of natural significance.

Players will be encouraged to wear non-branded clothing during down time in the afternoons to make themselves less visible if they want to go outside their hotel.

If they want to stay in, they could explore a massage room constructed of bricks made out of salt.

And whilst all the mini bars will be emptied, should Capello allow some alcohol to be consumed, all the players are rich enough to order a bottle of Chateau Laffite Rothschild '91, at around £900 the most expensive on the menu.

At first glance, there are a couple of bars very close to the hotel, and the bus from the airport sped past a water park.

However, there was no obvious sign of anywhere offering bungee jumping or dwarf throwing, which got the England rugby players into such trouble.

And anyone wanting to leap into the water off a ferry like Manu Tuilagi would have to look pretty hard.

"We are not considering a code of conduct," said Bevington.

"It hasn't been something that we have felt the need to look at. I don't think we are looking at players going about on an evening.

"We are talking about what they do on their down time during an afternoon.

"Often the debate that has been had is that they have been in hotels during the afternoons."

Although none of the players have been out to Krakow, a delegation has met with senior FA figures and expressed broad support for the plans.

And Bevington insisted the intention is not for players to emerge accompanied by a phalanx of security men.

"From a security point of view, you always have to assess it at the time," he said.

"I am not the security expert to tell you how it is going to work.

"But I don't envisage a blanket of security around just because we are going to give the players some free time."