Last week we wrote an article about FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium. Curious about this article? You can find it here. This week the Santiago Bernabéu stadium is the central subject of our article. True football fans will certainly know the ins and outs of this stadium. Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, in short Bernabéu, is the stadium of Real Madrid, in ofcourse Madrid. In 2005 the last adjustments were made to the stadium and since then the stadium has a capacity of 81.044 spectators. On the 4th of January 1955 the stadium was given the current name in honor of club president Santiago Bernabéu. The stadium is one of Madrid’s most popular landmarks.
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.