Camp Nou, Barcelona
Two days in and Barcelona has already taken my heart. It’s such a cool, diverse city with such an incredibly vibrant and colourful culture. The colours of Parc Guell and the rainbow arrays of La Boqueria are testament to the spirit that runs through Barcelona. We still had more to explore, so it was time to make our last day count. Our first stop was to go and see the acclaimed Camp Nou, the home stadium of FC Barcelona.
Arriving at Camp Nou, Barcelona
I’ve never been a huge football fan, but Camp Nou is a major attraction within Barcelona that we were keen to explore. We’d also heard all about the sheer size of the home of FC Barcelona, and were curious. We therefore set off in search of the stadium on the outskirts of the city.
Upon arrival at Camp Nou, you’re taken through huge posters and TV screens of the soccer god himself, Messi. Here, you’ll also encounter trophies and famous football boots. You’re then treated to a view of the impressive stadium itself.
Camp Nou is the second largest football stadium in the world with a capacity of nearly 100,000 fans. No photo can possibly do it justice. The Camp Nou tour is now the most popular of all tours in Barcelona. Even if there isn’t a game on, it’s essentially a shrine to football. More than a stadium in fact; mes que un club.
Barcelona FC Camp Nou Tour
Once you’ve had a glimpse of the stadium, you can then follow the Camp Nou tour. You begin by walking through the journalists’ seats in the crowd, where you can really imagine the excitement and energy of this space during an important match. A self-guided tour, you can move through the museum at your own pace. There’s also plenty of information provided on boards along your way around the museum.
The next stop is the press room, which seats around 120 journalists. This is where press conferences happen before and after FC Barcelona matches. You even get to walk through the visiting team’s changing room. I was pretty surprised at how basic they were, with a small communal hot tub and massage tables. Apparently within FC Barcelona’s changing rooms, there’s a meeting room, a spa, a treatment room, and even a pharmacy.
You’ll also come across a Barcelona FC chapel, which came into play in 1958. It was even blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1982, and gives players a last minute chance to say a prayer before a big game.
The next portion of the museum is an exciting one – the players’ tunnel to the pitch. You can envisage them running up to the pitch to roaring fans before a big game.
You also get to see various seating arrangements. Try out the luxurious leather seats the coach and teams will sit on during a game. You’ll also pass by the Presidents box, where you’ll witness the best views of the pitch.
If you fancy it, you can queue for your very own picture with the Joan Gamper trophy with a background of the stadium. The entire stadium tour and museum can take a couple of hours to get around. You might even want to bring some drinks and snacks for energy while you enjoy the FC Barcelona experience.
That’s my guide to Barcelona’s legendary Camp Nou stadium, the home of FC Barcelona. Have you had a tour? What did you think?
