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Bernabéu Stadium TourReal Madrid CFFrom: Madrid, Spain
In the world of
fútbol, Real Madrid CF
is Spain's counterpart to the New York Yankees. Real Madrid (Spanish for "Royal
Madrid") is a perennial first-division team of the
Spanish Professional Football League, with a
history dating back to March, 1902, when it was founded as the "Madrid Foot Ball
Club" with an English coach and uniforms modeled on those of the London
Corinthians.
Over the last century, Real Madrid has won 29 Spanish League
championships and nine European Cup/Champions League trophies, and it boasts of
being the only club to hold a permanent European Cup trophy after winning the
cup five consecutive times. Some sportswriters have called Real Madrid "the best football
team in the world," and whether or one accepts that judgment, it's hard not to
be impressed by the club's statistics--and by the chance to visit its
80,000-seat Estadió Santiago Bernabéu, which is open for self-guided
tours year-round. Your ticket includes a visit to the club's museum of photos,
trophies, and other club memorabilia.
When to visit: Bernabéu's opening hours vary with the
season--usually 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturday or 10:30 a.m.
to 6:30 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Some parts of the stadium are off-limits
on match days, so we'd suggest visiting on a day when no play is scheduled.
(Also, hours may be truncated when the stadium is undergoing repairs or
improvements.) Where to go: The stadium is on the Paseo de la
Castellana, north of Madrid's historic center. It's easy to reach by
Metro Line 10 (Santiago
Bernabéu station), by public bus, or on certain "hop on, hop off" sightseeing
buses. What you'll pay: Tour prices
vary by ticket type, but they aren't cheap. For current rates, or to reserve a
tour, visit Real Madrid's English-language
Stadium Tours
page. Next page: Bernabéu Stadium photos
About the author: Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation. After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post. For more information, see About Europe for Visitors, press clippings, and reader testimonials. |
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