Many passionate football fans enjoy the thrill of watching matches live in stadiums. Some go a step further and go on stadium tours. These can be a dream come true for many football enthusiasts who crave an up-close and personal experience with their beloved sport. From walking the hallowed halls of legendary stadiums to learning intriguing facts about their construction and design, stadium tours provide an insider’s perspective that goes beyond what meets the eye on match day. These give you a unique chance to see the venue when it’s nearly empty and discover interesting facts about it.
Camp Nou – FC Barcelona
Camp Nou was constructed in 1957 and has been the home of FC Barcelona ever since. It has an operational capacity of 99,354. The stadium offers several extra experiences, including tours of the grounds. Guided tours usually last around two hours and are available year-round, though November to April is the best time to visit. Camp Nou is currently the third-largest football stadium in the world, so going on a tour would be quite the experience.
Santiago Bernabéu – Real Madrid
This is another Spanish football stadium. It has a maximum capacity of 81,044 and has been open since 1947. Guided tours of the stadium take approximately one hour and are available to book every day except 25 December and 1 January. Go on one and you’ll learn about the rich and fascinating history of the venue and how it’s become one of the best in the world today.
Johan Cruyff ArenA – Ajax Amsterdam
The Johan Cruyff ArenA is the largest football stadium in the Netherlands. It was constructed between 1993 and 1996 and has a capacity of 55,865 for football matches; for music concerts, however, it can hold as many as 71,000 people. Guided tours of the stadium last approximately 75 minutes and are available to book every day of the year. It’s a must-do experience for all Ajax Amsterdam fans as it gives you an insight into the club itself, as well as the history of the stadium.
Estádio da Luz – S.L. Benfica
This football stadium is located in the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon. It has a capacity of 64,642, making it the largest stadium in the country, and opened in 2003, replacing an older stadium that had the same name. Tours are available every day except Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and match days. It should take roughly 45 minutes to complete a stadium tour.
Allianz Arena – Bayern Munich
Located in Munich, the Allianz Arena has a capacity of 70,000 for international matches and a greater capacity of 75,000 for domestic games. It opened back in 2005 and is the first stadium ever to have a full colour-changing exterior. Guided tours of the stadium are available daily and take about an hour. The only days you can’t book them on are Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
San Siro – AC Milan
The San Siro Stadium is in Milan and is home to two of Italy’s most successful football clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan. The stadium officially opened in 1926. Having a capacity of 35,000 spectators, since then it now has a capacity of over 75,000. Bookings are not required but can be made online, the tours can last approximately 30-40 minutes. The stadium also has a museum which is on 7 days per week from 9.30am to 5pm. In the tour visitors can go through the stands, dressing rooms, press conference rooms, and VIP areas.
Conclusion
Going on a tour of a football stadium gives you an immersive, memorable experience. It allows visitors to appreciate the sheer size of the venue, soak up the electric atmosphere, and feel the excitement that fills the air during a match. For football fans, these tours can be an unforgettable and memorable experience particularly because they see the stadium in real life and not just on the television. This is not just the case for sports, other instances where people prefer live experiences include live acting performances, or live online games like Lightning Roulette live, and of course live music at concerts. If you’ve been debating on going on a stadium tour, hopefully this article has answered your questions. Alternatively, if you have decided you’re going but are not entirely sure which stadium tour to take use one of the above to help make that decision!
