Football trip Madrid

Madrid is the capital of European club football, in numbers and in attitude. Real Madrid have won more European Cups than any other club, and everyone in the city knows it.

But the city has two faces. Atlético are the opposite: harder, more working-class, with a following that defines itself by not being Real. Anyone looking for the real football feeling of Madrid is often closer to it at Atlético than at the Bernabéu, where on a midweek evening a lot of the seats are taken by tourists.

The Bernabéu has been completely rebuilt in recent years. New facade, retractable roof, a pitch that can disappear underground. It is now as much an events venue as a football ground, and not every supporter sees that as an improvement.

Madrid itself is warm, late and loud. Dinner is at ten in the evening and it carries on for hours after that. For a football weekend that fits well: the match is often the start of the evening, not the end.

The stadiums

The Santiago Bernabéu sits on the Paseo de la Castellana, in the middle of the city, with its own metro stop outside the door. Since the rebuild it holds 78.297. The tour and museum can be booked separately and are among the best-visited attractions in Madrid; allow two hours.

The Estadio Metropolitano is in the east, on metro line 7. At 70.460 it is barely smaller, but it feels different: steeper, more enclosed and louder. Atlético moved here in 2017 from the old Vicente Calderón.

The Madrid derby between the two clubs is one of the fiercest in Europe and also the most expensive fixture of the season.

When is the best time to go?

La Liga runs from mid-August to the end of May. Kick-off times are late: nine in the evening is entirely normal, weekends included. That matters for your planning, because you need the night that follows.

Dates and times are set round by round and often only confirmed two to three weeks beforehand. Shorter notice than in England, so keep your trip flexible until then.

The best months are April, May, September and October. In July and August Madrid is baking hot and the league is largely shut down; in winter it is dry but cold in the evenings.

Practical

Madrid-Barajas is about half an hour from the centre on metro line 8. A taxi has a fixed fare into the city centre, which saves any discussion.

The most convenient places to stay are around Sol, Malasaña or Chamberí. From there you can reach both grounds by metro and walk to the restaurants and bars.

Allow for the Spanish rhythm of the day. Restaurants only really open around nine. If you want to eat before an evening match, find somewhere that serves throughout the day, or do it afterwards as the locals do.

Bring photo identification. With hospitality and with tickets issued in your name it is checked at the entrance.

Frequently asked questions about a football trip to Madrid