During
the days we must stay at home without matches to watch, let us start an
online-travel to go into the most beautiful stadiums in the world and
their charming cities. So, our first station, is Camp Nou, and
Barcelona.
Stadium Tour
Camp
Nou is without doubt one of the most symbolic and most visited sites in
all of Barcelona. Though Catalonia’s biggest city certainly isn’t short
of tourist and cultural charms to enjoy, inevitably, Barcelona and
football are two words that just go hand in hand, not only for football
fans, but in the minds of everyone lucky enough to visit the city.
Barcelona
is as much a part of Camp Nou as the stadium is a part of Barcelona’s
rich and varied history. The ties are so great that the culés’ home
ground has become one of the city’s biggest tourist icons and a must-see
attraction for every visitor.
Camp
Nou opened on September 24th 1957, the Dia de la Mercè, patron saint of
Barcelona, in a ceremony that was attended by dignitaries of the Franco
regime and a crowd of more than 90,000 people.
A
friendly match was played against Warsaw, the first Barça line-up ever
to appear at the Camp Nou included: Ramallets, Olivella, Brugué,
Segarra, Vergés, Gensana, Basora, Villaverde, Martínez, Kubala and
Tejada. The match finished with a score of 4-2 in favour of the Catalan
side.
The
planned capacity of the stadium was 150,000 which was duly abandoned
and a 93,053 accommodating stadium was built. In 1982, the stadium’s
capacity was increased by 22,150.
Camp Nou currently has a capacity for 99,354 spectators, making it Europe’s largest stadium, and it is also one of the few 5-star UEFA rated stadiums.
In
2007, the FC Barcelona board under Joan Laporta commissioned designs
for a renovation of the stadium by architect Norman Foster, which were
later abandoned by successor Sandro Rosell in 2010.
In
January 2014, Barcelona’s board of directors under Josep Maria Bartomeu
rejected the option of building a new stadium and will instead remodel
the Camp Nou to bring the capacity up to 105,000.
The project is expected to cost around €600m with work beginning in 2017 with a completion date of early 2021.
Camp
Nou is like a temple to the Cules from all over the world. They dream
to at least witness one match sitting among other fellow Cules.
People
with different background, from entirely different cultures and
traditions with a similar identity of being a Barça fan. The anthem
being sung. sharing the joy and the moment to feel the blood rush when
the team they love win in front of their eyes.
Camp Nou Experience
The
Camp Nou Experience is one of the most visited attractions in
Catalonia. The tour is ‘self-guided’, you’ll visit all the main points
of interest within the stadium, including the changing rooms, the tunnel
to the pitch, the press room, the president’s box and the press boxes.
Changing rooms of the home team.
Players’ tunnel to the pitch.
Barcelona press room. This area seats 120 journalists.
Press boxes. These 29 cabins sit 35 metres above the playing field. They are where the commentators broadcast from a match.
Barcelona Museum.
The
Museum is split into three segments: The historic, beginning with
Barça’s birth in 1899 and it’s a chronological journey. This one is the
main and largest part of the museum, and you also can appreciate the
trophy cabinet with the club’s main achievements.
Then
you will find a ‘Football art’ collection section of Football Club
Barcelona Museum, with memorabilia and artworks, like a Miro’s
lithography made by the artist in honour of Barcelona FC. And the last
one is a Temporary Exhibition; this part of the museum continuously
changes.
And the new multimedia facilities!
The
charms and presence of Camp Nou go much further beyond the pitch
itself. The stadium’s surrounding streets are a great example of the
club’s very essence, which transcends the limits of Camp Nou.
Hundreds
of restaurants, bars, shops and traditional kiosks fill the stadium’s
surrounding streets where you can continue the football party for as
long as you want.
Hotel capacity in the area has also been
bolstered by the magic of Camp Nou, and many fans choose to stay near
the stadium to experience even more of the exciting atmosphere on match
days, or perhaps to pay a visit to the stadium and the Barça Museum,
open all year round.
Barcelona City Tour
The Catalonian capital is one of the best places to bask in the Iberian sun, don’t miss that.
Go on a Gaudi Trail
Many
of Antoni Gaudi’s buildings are now ticketed and come with a full tour.
However, Gaudi doesn’t just display his magic in the interior of the
building. You can walk around the neighborhood appreciating the exterior
of the likes of Casa Batllo and Casa Mila for free.
However, if you have interest, you should most definitely step inside his buildings. They are magical!
Revel in the street art of Barcelona
The
artistic inclination of Barcelona is extraordinary. Apart from
breathtaking architecture, the city also features some of the best
street arts in Europe. Worth the mention are the Peix at Carrer de Ramon
and El Gato del Raval at Rambla del Raval.
There’s no leaving Barcelona without some Flamenco
Small
bars around Barcelona provide some of the best entertainment in the
city. If you wish to experience Flamenco, skip the ones advertised at
Las Ramblas and retire to a bar that where you can see this beautiful
dance form unfold. Here are a few tips you’d like to know before heading
for a flamenco show in Barcelona.
Let’s try the seafood
As
is to be expected on the Mediterranean, there are plenty of excellent
seafood restaurants in Barcelona, which serve a range of local classics –
such as paella con mariscos – and traditional dishes, including
lobster, oysters, mussels and clams.
In
particular, there are two seafood icons of the city, 7 Portes and
Botafumeiro, which Beyoncé visited in early 2019. Luckily, you can
sample a lot of seafood without breaking the bank by visiting tapas bars
across the city.
Hike to Bunkers del Carmel
If
you don’t mind a hike, you could climb to Bunkers del Carmel. This is a
point from where the entire city of Barcelona is visible with the sea
in the backdrop. The bunker was once used for defense purposes due to
its strategic position.
Have a drink with the legends at Bar Marsella
Barcelona
has been a cultural melting pot for quite a while. Numerous icons from
various fields of art were known to frequent Barcelona. Bar Marsella is a
long-standing institution in the city and was visited by the likes of
Salvador Dali and Ernest Hemingway.
Visiting this bar might get you close to these respected figures in history.
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