Football Road Trips: The Best Stadiums in The World

Getting a ticket to your favourite premier league club can be tricky these days. If you are not a season ticket holder or official member, your opportunities becomes somewhat limited. Even if you are lucky enough to buy one, the price can be rather off-putting.

This is part of the reason many people have taken to city breaks where they can fit in a match and see a beautiful city at the same time. In some cases, it’s much easier than trying to get tickets here in the UK.

So, we have looked at the 5 best stadiums you must visit on your football road trip. Will one of your favourites make the cut?

1.      The San Siro-Milan

The San Siro is where both AC Milan and Internazionale are based. Legends from across the globe have graced this hallowed turf that is housed within an iconic stadium structure known all over the world. It holds 80,000 and is one of the few stadiums that gives spectators a great vantage point wherever they are positioned.

The atmosphere at games can be intense with the ultras of either team arriving several hours early to ensure their banners and flags are positioned and ready for the game. Museum and stadium tours are available, which are well worth it to allow you the chance to soak up the history of two influential clubs of the world game.

Fly into Milan Linate airport to be close to the action and take your hire car down to the city centre.

2.     The Santiago Bernabeu-Madrid

Possibly the most famous club in the history of the game, Real Madrid plays their home games here, along with the Spanish national team. Steeped in history as well as glory, this stadium is a true icon of football. With a capacity a touch over 80,000, the Bernabeu has seen multiple trophies lifted and plenty of action since its inception in 1947.

Matchday can be almost surreal in the Bernabeu, especially when Barcelona or Atletico Madrid come to play. Without a spare seat in the house, the noise levels reach concert-like levels.

Another stadium with a great museum and stadium tour option, the Bernabeu gives you the chance to look at everything that puts Real Madrid on the map as the biggest team in the world.

To get to the Bernabeu, fly into Madrid-Barajas airport where you’ll find the stadium is just a 20 minute drive away.

3.     The Allianz Arena-Munich

Visually, there are not many that compare to this huge stadium. Home to both Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich, the stadium illuminates with the colour of whichever Munich-based team is playing at the time. This means the entire exterior is lit up red or blue, making for a stunning sight within the city.

Loved by fans for its proximity to the pitch, the atmosphere is ramped up thanks to this closer distance between players and supporters.

Having one of the world’s best teams (Bayern) play here and regularly host opposition such as Dortmund, Barcelona and PSG means that big games are never far away. The Bundesliga games themselves are also well worth watching, thanks to the legions of passionate fans that lovingly follow their teams across the country.

Fly to Munich airport to be closer to the action. The stadium is around 20 minutes away in your hire car.

4.     La Bombonera-Buenos Aires

Not for the faint-hearted, but worth a visit if you’re looking for pure excitement, passion, a little bit of fear and a football match all rolled into one.

The home of Boca Juniors, also known as the chocolate box, is a cauldron of activity. Match days are like a festival with flares, flags and fireworks all over the stadium. Videos circulating online show stands looking like they are on the verge of collapse, players climbing the pitch side fencing to celebrate with fans and an array of blue and yellow (Bocas colours) filling every space possible.

A game with River Plate is well worth the experience as it is the biggest game in South America by far. Tickets for the one will be harder to come by, so perhaps look for another match. Whichever game you see at la Bombonera, nothing will ever be the same for you at a football match.

5.     The Camp Nou-Barcelona

Almost like a holy grail for some, Camp Nou is home to Barcelona and is the pitch where Lionel Messi made many of his ground-breaking achievements happen. We didn’t want to stick with 2 stadiums in Spain, but so iconic are they both we couldn’t mention one without the other.

Able to hold close to 100,000 people, the stadium comes to life on matchday, especially when the world-famous El Classico against Real Madrid takes place.

An incredible museum adds to the allure of the stadium and its fascinating history. The incredible height of the stadium also allows for some stunning vantage points.

With plenty around the ground too, you can head for a meal pre- or post-game, savouring the experience for a little longer.

Other notable stadiums

A few didn’t make our list but are well worth a visit. If you can, head to:

• Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund
• Azteca, Mexico City
• Allianz Stadium, Turin
• Estadio Da Luz, Lisbon

Whether for a match day or just to marvel at the spectacle of a historic stadium, all of those featured hold a mystical allure for football fans. Pick one and make it a trip to remember.

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