A football trip to Madrid fills sports fans with excitement and trepidation in equal measure. It’s pleasurable because you get to experience Spain’s stunning capital city and visit some of Europe’s most acclaimed football stadiums. The scary part is knowing your team will have to compete against either Real Madrid, Europe’s most successful team, or Atletico Madrid, a renowned football powerhouse that has built its success on a resolute defence.
A host of smaller football teams also play in the Spanish capital. On top of the excellent football action, Madrid is a wonderful choice for a city break thanks to its ornate landmarks, delicious cuisine, and cutting-edge fashion. Come as a group and there’s plenty to do while the football fans attend the match.
The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is home to Real Madrid, Europe’s most successful football team. The players wear all-white uniforms, which results in their nickname “Los Blancos”. The club made history in 2014 when they won their 10th Champions League. The team is also famed for buying the world’s best players at extravagant fees, who in turn have high pressure to deliver stylish football on the pitch at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
It's possible to buy tickets for most Real Madrid games unless you want to watch the match against fierce rivals FC Barcelona – a match known as El Classico – when tickets are snapped up weeks ahead of the fixture. Built in 1947, the 81,000-seater stadium has an air of prestige throughout. This is best felt on a stadium tour, when you can visit the trophy room and player’s dressing rooms. To reach the stadium, take metro Line 10 to Santiago Bernabéu station.
Location: Av. de Concha Espina, 1, 28036 Madrid, Spain
Phone: +34 913 98 43 00
If you’re looking for a bar with a great atmosphere close to Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better place than El Refugio. This vibrant bar is well known to football fans, with friendly staff who are welcoming of away supporters. The beers are cheap and there’s a simple snack menu on offer. Another bar popular with visiting fans is the Irish Rover on Avenida de Brasil, just 1 block from the stadium.
If you’re looking for a meal before or after the game, head to Bar Orsay, which has a terrace area that’s a nice spot for watching the crowds as they head to the stadium. This popular bar-cum-restaurant is 2 minutes from the Santiago Bernabéu metro station on Calle del Doctor Fleming. Note that no alcohol is served in football stadiums in Madrid.
The Wanda Metropolitano Stadium is renowned across Europe as a challenging place for opposing teams to play football, thanks to the formidable defensive playing style of Atletico Madrid. The team, also known as Atléti, play in famed red-and-white stripes and have won every major honour except the Champions League – losing 3 times in the final.
The 67,000-capacity stadium was opened in 2017, with modern facilities throughout. For the best atmosphere, grab a seat in the middle tiers behind each goal. These are also the most expensive seats. For budget travellers, look for a ticket in the upper tiers. The Wanda Metropolitano Stadium is in Rosas, 11 km northeast of central Madrid. The best way to reach an Atléti match is to take the metro and alight at the Estadio Metropolitano station on Line 7.
Location: Av. de Luis Aragonés, 4, 28022 Madrid, Spain
Phone: +34 917 26 04 03
photo by Zarateman (CC0 1.0) modified
The area around the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium has only a few small bars, which generally lack the kind of atmosphere expected of football fans before a big match. If you are looking for somewhere serving tapas and cold beers, Bar La Previa 1903 is a decent neighbourhood bar that’s popular with visiting fans. Note that no alcohol is served in football stadiums in Madrid.
It’s far better to enjoy some food and drinks in the Centro area of Madrid. Top recommendations include James Joyce Irish Pub Madrid on C. de Alcalá, close to the Retiro metro station, and QW Madrid, which has plenty of big screens displaying a range of sports.
It’s pretty easy to find a sports shop selling Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid memorabilia. Real Madrid, in particular, has 6 separate official stores spread across the city. The largest of these is the Real Madrid store connected to Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The most convenient is found on Gran Vila, close to the metro station. For Atletico Madrid fans, you can find a large official store on Gran Vila, close to the Santo Domingo metro station.
For a wide range of sports goods and fashion, head to El Corte Inglés. This famous Spanish department store has several locations in Madrid and stocks jerseys of all the main Madrid teams.
photo by MoveinBlue (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
Centro is a city centre neighbourhood with excellent transport links across Madrid. If you're coming on a football trip, this makes a great base for getting to the game with a bit of sightseeing as well. Local landmarks include the historic Plaza Mayor and bustling Gran Vila.
If you’re on a budget, consider staying in the north of the city, in the Castilla neighbourhood. It’s close to both Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. You can find a wide range of budget accommodation, dining, and shopping options in this part of Madrid.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport sits 13 km northeast of the Puerta del Sol, the official centre of Madrid. It's the busiest airport in Spain and one of the largest airports in Europe. There are several transfer options to reach central Madrid. A taxi to the city centre takes around 20 minutes. Taxi ranks can be found just outside the 4 terminals.
The city's main transport hub is Madrid Atocha (Estación Madrid - Puerta de Atocha), located 1.4 km southeast of the city centre. The railway station has extensive travel links – you can get to your hotel by metro, bus, or taxi. It also connects Madrid to most major cities in Spain and to Marseille in France by high-speed train.
photo by Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
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