Santiago Bernabéu stadium; worth a visit

During your visit to Madrid it’s certainly worthwhile to also visit the stadium and buy tickets for a guided tour. A tour through the stadium starts with a panoramic view of the stadium from the roof. Then you visit the ‘Presidential Box’, the dressing rooms, the players’ tunnel, the benches and coaching area, the press room and of course the pitch itself. After having seen the pitch, you go to the exhibition of trophies and you’ll end the tour at the store with souvenirs.

The tour

Besides the fact that the tour goes through certain rooms, you can take a photo with your favorite Real Madrid player with a special photo montage. Through an audiovisual interactive journey you will be taken into the history, story, objects and trophies of Real Madrid CF. You can also experience the journey from Valdebebas to the stadium in a replica of the Real Madrid player bus. The stadium is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00 and on Sundays and public holidays from 10:30 to 6:30. On tour days the tour is open until 5 am before the kick-off (limited admission). A standard ticket costs €25 and for children from 4 to 18 years old €18. For more information about tickets and current opening hours, it is best to take a look at the official website of Real Madrid CF.

How to get to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium?

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is located in the center of Madrid on the Paseo de la Castellana, one of the most important streets of Madrid. The stadium is located about 4 kilometers north of the Plaza de Cibeles, where the Paseo de la Castellana comes from. It is at the same distance from Puerta del Sol, one of Madrid’s main squares. The stadium is best reached by metro line 10. Stop Santiago Bernabeu is right next to the stadium. From the center, line 10 can be taken from Plaza de España or Tribunales, but can be reached with a transfer (for example line 1 from Puerta del Sol or Atocha train station).

From Atocha, Paseo del Prado or Plaza de Cibeles you can also take bus 14 or 27 to go to the stadium. Take bus 14 in the direction of Avenida Pio XII. It passes the stadium on the Paseo La Habana. Take bus 27 in the direction of Plaza de Castilla and get off at Plaza Lima, right in front of the stadium. From the metro station Callao in the center you can take bus 147. Take the bus in the direction of Barrio del Pilar and get off at Plaza Lima. From Puerta del Sol you can take bus 150 in the direction of Colonia Virgen del Cortijo and again get off at Plaza Lima.

Food, drinks and sleeping near the Santiago Bernabéu stadium

The Bernabéu stadium is located on one of the main roads of Madrid, Paseo de la Castellana. The area around the stadium is a mix of mainly offices, shops and residential buildings, but there are plenty of bars and coffee shops where you can eat or drink something. La Esquina del Bernabéu is a shopping mall built right next to the stadium and offers a small dining area and a number of fast food restaurants. A bit further to the south is a branch of the department store chain El Corte Inglés. The number of bars and restaurants is increasing as you head south towards the center of Madrid. Most of Madrid’s nightlife is in the northern parts of the city center.

There are a few hotels near the Bernabeu. The Holiday Inn Madrid, AC Hotel Aitana and Rafaelhoteles Orense are the closest in the area. These hotels get good reviews but are also far from cheap so for the somewhat cheaper options there are some hotels that are further away such as the Espahotel Plaza Basílica, Hotel Gran Atlanta, Hostal Falfes, Hostal Los Ángeles and Sunotel Amaral. These hotels also get good reviews, they are all close to several metro stations and they are reasonably priced, between €50 and €100 per night. These hotels are also within a 20-minute walk from the Bernebéu.

A stadium tour through the Bernabeu is a fun experience, especially as a Real Madrid CF football fan. Maybe a little less if you are a fan of FC Barcelona but for that stadium we would like to refer you to our article about the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Just because the Bernabéu belongs to the most popular sights of Madrid you should already visit this stadium. 1.300.000 people went before you last year.

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What is Tour Me Out?

Tour Me Out is a travel company offering a range of unique, fun and informative experiences in Valencia, Barcelona, Benidorm and Madrid. They aim to give travellers the best experiences in their cities by offering activities unique to that city, season and people without breaking a student budget.

What makes Tour Me Out so Unique?

Tour Me Out are not just your everyday travel company; for example, they offer walking tours, yes, but not just your everyday ‘check out the La Sagrada Familia’ and move on… Tour Me Out focuses on showcasing the cities best attractions (of course), but also focus on giving insider tips, how to appreciate the unique architecture of your local buildings, and how history has evolved over time to make the city what it has become today.

Along with everyday walking tours, Tour Me Out also create personalised activities unique to a city and it’s local events and specialties. Want a local tapas tour? Get your tastebuds ready! Want to run with the bulls in July? They’ll take you! Want to get covered in tomato juices in La Tomatina? Get amongst the group! How about experiencing Fallas festival up close and personal? You got it. There is almost nothing they can’t help you experience – oh, and did I mention they won’t break your budget?

Why is Tour Me Out perfect for Students?

Tour Me Out is perfect for students not only because they offer cheap, awesome experiences that will have you looking at your city in a whole new light… They are also perfect for students because they only hire low budget, volunteer walking tour guides who have fallen in love with the cities themselves and decided to stay! Who else is better to give advice on keeping to a low budget while getting the most out of the city than someone who has been through the exact same experience?!

Seriously, check them out and you can be the judge for yourself!

This article is written by Bec Jenkins.

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Experience el clásico, the most important football match in Spain

Just before the preparations for Christmas were about to start last year, a special event took place in Spain: El Clásico. In other words, the clash between eternal rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. On Saturday December 3 the Camp Nou stadium was the theatre for this special match, which always ensures spectacle and nice goals. If you’re lucky and you are in Spain during the match, you can experience el clásico, and see how the Spaniards experience this match in their own way.

Although it was financially almost impossible to actual go to Barcelona and buy tickets, it was in Valencia a nice experience as well. The week before the match the shops will sell a lot of merchandise. It is difficult to estimate which of the two teams has the most support in this city.

When you don’t know where to watch El Clásico on match day itself, ask around. Many people from Valencia tell you that every random bar with a television screen would broadcast Barca-Real. And no Irish Pub of course, but rather a typical Spanish bar where the delicious jamones hang above you on the ceiling and the dobles stand next to you on the counter. A little bet with your friends and the game can begin!

It is better not make it that late the evening before. To get a good place to sit and watch the game in a bar you have to be on time. But do not expect that you can follow the football every single second. Bars will be filled with people and besides that Spaniards are known to be quite passionate during these kind of games.

Because FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are very big, in Valencia as well live a lot of supporters of both clubs. That’s why it is so special to witness that (youthful) fans can watch the match together. You can’t imagine that when for example Manchester United and Liverpool face each other. Nevertheless, one can see that more people cheer for the Catalans than the Madrilènes. This manifests itself in jubilation after the 1-0 scored by Suarez just after halftime. Moreover, it is advisable to go on the streets during halftime. You will notice that it is very quiet there and that’s how much the confrontation lives in the city! Eventually the rivalry is not too bad when Ramos scores the 1-1 just before the end of the game.  The people drink a beer together and cheers on the result.

Altogether it’s special to perceive how El Clásico is experienced in this country that is crazy for the football game.

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Where to go when you are only one day in Madrid

One day in Madrid, when you visit the capital of Spain you should visit these sights that will make your trip unforgettable!

Plaza mayor

The best-known square of the city. In the middle of the crowded city you find this open square. You will see the combination of history, architecture and street life.

Palacio Real

By an official or self-guided tour it is possible to visit over 50 rooms of this palace. The royal family lived here before but since they moved to another palace (Palacio de la Zarzuela) this palace is only used for royal ceremonies.

You like art?

Visit Museo del Prado. In this museum there are over 1500 paintings. If you like to see them all you will need a lot of time, or maybe more visits. It is one of the biggest art gallery in Europe

When you are impressed by all the art you saw in Museo del Prado, you can walk into Parque del Buen Retiro, which is around the corner. Stroll through this park and visit the crystal palace, which is made of glass and metal. Rent a boat at the lake which is typical experience. Relax and escape from the busy city centre.

Plaza de Santa Ana

This square, which is more quiet then plaza mayor, offers a lot of restaurants where you can have a delicious dinner. Plaza de Santa Ana is situated in the area Huertas, that has a lot of bars.

Another way to spend the evening is to have a drink in Malasaña, an area that is known to be filled with ‘Madrileño’s at night, having drinks in the bars. Also in daytime this area is nice to visit and has many vintage stores.

If you have some energy left, dance through the night at Teatro Kapital to finish your one day in Madrid experience. This 7-floor disco has different types of music where everyone is guaranteed for a long night to party.

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