How to Make the Most of Your Barcelona Soccer Trip
What to Do in Barcelona Before, During, and After a Match
In Barcelona, soccer pervades every part of life. FC Barcelona is a legendary soccer team, but they also represent the soul of the city. Known locally as the Blaugrana, their slogan is, “more than a club”. This is at least partially thanks to the role Camp Nou played during the harsh rule of fascist dictator General Franco in the mid-20th century. These days, Barcelona has grown into one of the world's few ‘super clubs’, with a stadium to match. Around 100,000 eager fans attend games at Camp Nou, and the atmosphere is electric.
However, they’re not the only club in town, as RCD Espanyol also represent the Catalan capital and add to the vociferous soccer frenzy you’ll find on a matchday in Barcelona. If you’re making a trip to Barcelona to watch soccer, we’ve compiled all the information you need.
Watching FC Barcelona is really something that should be on your to-do list when visiting Barcelona. With the Spanish soccer season running from August to May each year and lots of games kicking off at 8 pm, you’re in with a good chance of catching a home game at night while you’re here.
With a capacity of over 99,000, the Nou Camp is the biggest stadium in Europe and is a sight to behold in itself. However, when all those seats are filled for a night of soccer, the atmosphere is so electrifying you need to experience it to believe it. For the best atmosphere, look for tickets in the Gol Norte or Gol Sur stands, located behind the goals. For the best views, try to grab a ticket in the first stand of the Tribuna. If you're not in town when there's a match taking place, you can take a tour of Camp Nou stadium and take a peek into the trophy room. To reach Camp Nou, take the Metro to Les Corts station.
RCDE Stadium, also known as Cornella-el-Prat Stadium, is home to RCD Espanyol. It’s a modern, purpose-built stadium that opened in 2009 in the south of Barcelona. All 4 stands have great views of the pitch with neighborhoods for halftime refreshments. The atmosphere for RCD Espanyol games is often better than at city rival FC Barcelona because there are more die-hard fans here and fewer tourists. For families, the Family Stand allows children under 6 years of age in for free.
To reach the stadium, take the Metro to Cornellà Center station. It’s an easy, 15-minute walk to the stadium. There’s also a shopping mall directly next door – Centro Comercial Splau – which is handy if you’re traveling as a large group with different interests.
Location: Av. del Baix Llobregat, 100, 08940 Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
Where to shop for football-related jerseys and memorabilia?
Shoppers
El Corte Inglés is the largest department store in Barcelona, offering 8 floors of goods, from homeware to fashion. If you’re looking for soccer jerseys, flags or other memorabilia, you’ll find plenty of options here for all La Liga clubs.
If you’re looking for Barca or Espanyol items specifically, check out the club shops connected to the respective soccer stadiums. Or, in FC Barcelona’s case, you can head to one of 11 branded Nike stores for your pick of limited edition soccer gear.
It’s not hard to find a bar to watch live soccer in Barcelona – literally, hundreds of venues throughout the city will have the match on TVs. But if you’re looking for somewhere with an atmosphere close to Camp Nou, Futballárium Barcelona on Carrer de Benavent is a great option. It’s a friendly pub that’s open to all nationalities and serves tasty food. The alternate is to stay in the center of Barcelona, around Las Ramblas, before the game and head to the tourist-friendly Irish pubs like Flaherty’s or The Wild Rover.
If you’re looking for an authentic feed before the match, head to Mà de Morter in Les Corts to enjoy Catalonian homecooked dishes that are also great value. Note that you can’t buy alcohol inside the Camp Nou, so plan accordingly.
Best bars close to RCDE Stadium
Where to go drinking before an RCD Espanyol match?
Food
Nightlife
RCD Espanyol play their home games in the south of Barcelona, close to the airport, in the Cornellà de Llobregat neighbourhood. One of the best bars for soccer fans heading to Cornella-el-Prat Stadium is Bar Nou Somni, on the corner of Carretera del Prat. It’s a stone’s throw from the stadium and welcomes all nationalities.
For families looking for some food and beverages before a match at Cornella-el-Prat Stadium, choose one of the open-air restaurants in the Splau shopping mall complex. Note that no alcohol is served inside the grounds at Cornella-el-Prat Stadium.
The best place to enjoy a game of soccer on the beach in Barcelona is at Playa de Bogatell. This manmade beach was created for the 1992 Olympic Games and was specially designed for beach sports. On weekends especially, you’ll find several games of beach soccer going on and you’re free to watch or even join in the action. It’s a friendly, cosmopolitan atmosphere with people of multiple nationalities all joining in to play together. There are also volleyball courts and ping-pong tables.
If you would prefer to watch the action with a cool drink, head to Vai Moana Barcelona, a beach bar that has a large terrace with views of the beach. To reach Playa de Bogatell, take the Metro to Ciutadella Vila Olímpica station and walk along the coast to the beach.
Are you planning on sightseeing or are you focused only on soccer?
If you’re coming to Barcelona on a soccer trip and wondering where to stay, you should first consider how you plan to spend your time. If you want to combine a live soccer match with some sightseeing, it’s best to stay in the city centre, close to the main transportation hubs. Your best bet as a first-timer is probably La Rambla. This thriving tourist hub runs from the Plaça de Catalunyato Port Vell (the Old Harbor) and is surrounded by famous landmarks and attractions.
If you’re purely focused on watching a match at Camp Nou, Les Corts is the neighbourhood for you. This quiet area of the city is really famous for one thing: being home to the world-famous soccer club, FC Barcelona. Sitting west of the Eixample, Les Corts is easily accessible from both Plaça del Centro and Les Corts metro stops. The name 'Les Corts' comes from the original stadium the club used until they moved to the Camp Nou stadium in 1957.
Getting in and out of Barcelona on a soccer trip
Factual travel information
Barcelona-El Prat Airport sits 12 km south of central Barcelona. It’s one of the busiest airports in Spain. You can get to the city by train, bus or taxi cab in around 30 minutes.
Barcelona Sants is the primary train station in Barcelona. It’s located just west of the city centre. It links Barcelona to Madrid and most major cities in Spain by high-speed train. Here, you’ll find 2 metro lines (L3 and L5), buses, and taxi cabs to get to your hotel.
Paul Smith |Compulsive Traveler
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