The name Real Madrid alone tends to leave you in awe. It's the name of the biggest club in the world. A home game of Los Merengues is like going to a royal ceremony in one of the most beautiful football temples there is, the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
To be honest, when we heard that they were going to redevelop Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, we were worried. Hopefully, they won't change such a magical stadium that much. For a year and a half, they played their home matches on the training ground. They have now returned to Castellana and we're glad to say that Bernabéu still has got a lot of charm. We can only hope it stays like this because it would be a real crime to kill the vibe of this legendary theatre. The ground has been Real Madrid's home for more than 100 years. In the early days a certain Santiago Bernabéu played up front, the later chairman who the stadium was named after.
You won't find more critical fans in the entire world. When the Galacticos haven't produced an opening goal within the first twenty minutes, the first whistles can be heard from the stands and after two losses the manager has got to go. They are not very sympathetic, but the crowd has proven over the years that they recognise beauty when they see it, even when it comes from the opponent. Louis van Gaal's Ajax received a standing ovation from the entire Bernabéu, and even Ronaldinho and Messi were massively applauded when they showed their magic in Madrid, even though they were playing for arch-rivals FC Barcelona.
If you could only visit one football museum in the world, choose Real Madrid's museum. The most decorated football club in the world has won so many prizes that their collection barely fits. Seeing so many Champions League trophies in a row alone is worth a visit, but on top of that, you also get a full stadium tour when visiting the museum.
Mesón Txistu is 'the' football restaurant in Madrid. For decades, players and managers of Real Madrid have been coming to the restaurant at the Plaza Ángel Carbajo, a 10-minute walk from Bernabéu. The pictures on the wall are proof of all the famous players that had dinner here. Even the Spanish national team celebrated their World Cup victory of 2010 at Mesón Txistu.
The Plaza Cibeles is the place where Real Madrid always celebrates their titles, in the city centre of Madrid. Traditionally, the club's captain puts a scarf around the neck of the goddess in the fountain, cheered by thousands of fans.
Not far from Madrid's airport is Valdebebas, Real Madrid's area with its training ground and the youth academy. Here you'll find Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano, the home ground of Real Madrid Castilla, the U23-team of the club. During Bernabéu's renovations, the first team played here too, since there weren't any spectators allowed because of COVID-19.
Even at the biggest club in the world, it's not that hard to get your hands on tickets. You can simply buy them on the club's official website. If you're lucky you might even be able to buy tickets for El Clásico, but they won't be cheap.
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is on Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's busiest roads. When you go to a home game, it's recommended not to go there by car due to the limited parking space. It's best to take the metro: Metro line 10 stops at station Santiago Bernabéu, right in front of the stadium.
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