12 football stadium tours to consider in Europe

The renovated Santiago Bernabéu, one of Europe's major football stadium tour destinations — The best stadium tours reveal how a ground works; the best football trips add a live match.Source: MottaW · CC BY 4.0

A good stadium tour can take you behind the scenes into areas that are not normally open to spectators. A great one changes how you understand the ground when it is full. The difference is not the size of the trophy cabinet: it is access, storytelling and whether the stadium still feels connected to the club around it.

This is an editorial selection of twelve tour ideas, not a tested quality ranking or a guarantee of access. Compare the current itinerary, accessibility information and booking conditions for your exact day. Fixtures, concerts and building work can affect the route.

Twelve tour ideas at a glance

Number	Stadium	Theme	What to check
1	Santiago Bernabéu	Scale, architecture and modern presentation	The route can change with events
2	Anfield	Club history	Check the available date and time before booking
3	San Siro	Shared-stadium history and old-school character	Matchday and redevelopment context can change
4	Signal Iduna Park	Understanding the Südtribüne and Dortmund culture	The empty stand cannot reproduce matchday noise
5	Celtic Park	Supporter identity and European-night context	Tour access varies around fixtures
6	Allianz Arena	Arena design and Bayern museum	Check whether your ticket includes both tour and museum
7	Estádio da Luz	Benfica history and a strong stadium-museum pairing	Allow more time than a quick photo stop
8	Johan Cruijff ArenA	Ajax history inside the stadium	Choose a guided or self-guided tour; check the included route
9	Emirates Stadium	Arsenal club history	Check which areas are included on your visit date
10	Old Trafford	Scale and English football history	Check current access and matchday restrictions
11	Tottenham Hotspur Stadium	Engineering and behind-the-scenes operations	Compare the areas and activities included in each product
12	Camp Nou	Barça history during the stadium rebuild	The available route depends on construction

1. Santiago Bernabéu: museum and stadium views

The official Bernabéu site lists a panoramic interior stadium view, the Real Madrid Museum and a photograph with the European Cup as tour highlights. Check the itinerary for your chosen date; this description does not promise access to the roof or every part of the stadium.

For a separate match visit, read the Bernabéu matchday guide and use the Travel Planner to research fixtures and journeys. A stadium tour is not an attended match.

2–4. The tours that explain a football culture

Anfield is an option for exploring Liverpool’s club history. If you also have a match ticket, use the Anfield visitor guide for separate matchday planning.

San Siro is shared by AC Milan and Inter. Compare the current tour route and event-day restrictions before booking, and read the San Siro matchday guide if you also plan to attend a match.

A Dortmund tour and a match offer different ways to experience Signal Iduna Park. Check which areas your tour includes, and arrange a separate valid ticket if you return for a game.

5–8. Four options for a city trip

Celtic Park is an option for a Glasgow visit focused on club history. At Allianz Arena, compare an arena tour with museum-only entry. Benfica offers stadium and museum visits, while Johan Cruijff ArenA offers guided and self-guided stadium tours. Compare what your chosen ticket includes rather than assuming every format is the same.

Check the duration of each booked tour and leave enough time to travel between sites. Two tours and a match on one afternoon may conflict; do not reserve them until you have checked the times and event-day restrictions.

9–12. Choose these for a particular reason

Consider Emirates Stadium for Arsenal history, Old Trafford for Manchester United history and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the modern venue. For Barcelona, distinguish museum entry with a construction viewpoint from other separately sold experiences; check the current product and route before booking.

Do not select by brand alone. Ask what you want from the day:

History: Anfield, Celtic Park or Old Trafford.
Architecture: Bernabéu, Allianz Arena or Tottenham.
A stadium at a turning point: San Siro or Camp Nou.
Club museums: Bayern or Benfica.
A tour followed by a future match: Dortmund.

Tour or match: which should you choose?

Choose a match when an official ticket, confirmed kick-off and workable journey align. Choose a tour when you cannot get a match ticket or want to learn about the stadium during the day. If accessibility affects your visit, confirm the specific route, assistance and facilities with the operator before booking.

A stadium tour is a visit, but not an attended match. Use the Stadium Tracker guide to explore grounds, keep your travel wish list separately and log a match in Footbeen after attending it. Your personal map will then reflect the games you actually saw.

FAQ

What is the best football stadium tour in Europe?

There is no single best tour for every visitor. Compare the history or architecture you want to explore, the areas included on your date, accessibility and the price. This list offers ideas rather than results from testing all twelve tours.

Can stadium tours run on matchdays?

Sometimes, but routes and access frequently change around fixtures and other events. Use the club's official booking page for the exact day rather than relying on a general description.

Does a stadium tour count as groundhopping?

There is no universal groundhopping rule. In Footbeen, stadium progress is based on matches you attended. A tour is a separate visit; record an attended match when you return for a game.