Estadio Municipal de Braga

The Estadio Municipal de Braga is one of the most unique stadiums in European football due to the fact that it is effectively built into the side of the giant hill – the Monte do Castro quarry.

When designing and constructing the stadium, the club decided that they didn’t want to strip back the local architecture, and a direct result of that is the northern end of the stadium being completely open, with the giant hillside in the background.

While most football fans will have visited a stadium with an open end unused by supporters, you will be hard-pressed to find one as beautiful as this. As a result, it is seen as a bucket list stadium for many football fans across Europe.

The stadium was built in 2003, so it’s not as if this open end is an issue that the ownership is looking to rectify, either. So, if you do get an opportunity to visit the stadium in the coming years, you should get the full Braga experience.

In terms of fan experience inside the actual stadium, the view of the pitch from the away end is generally very good.  The away section is located in the upper tier of the second tier on the east side of the stadium, and fans are able to buy refreshments via a kiosk on the concourse.

Braga fans are some of the most passionate in Portugal, and they have been known to generate an incredible atmosphere at the Estadio Municipal de Braga, particularly for the biggest matches. Some of the Braga chants you can expect to hear on a trip to the stadium include:

• So por ti, Sporting de Braga
• Quero e viver pelo magico Braga
• E salta Braga, e salta Braga ole ole

As mentioned earlier, there is an open end on the north side of the stadium with no room for spectators, but there is also an open end on the opposite side, too. While the north side has the backdrop of a quarry, the south side is more sparse, but still beautiful and unique in its own right.

As a result, there are only two stands for spectators at the Estadio Municipal de Braga, both of which run parallel to each other along the sides of the pitch.

Both of these stands have two tiers, and for the best views, you are going to want to target the most central blocks, either at the top of the lower tier or at the bottom of the upper tier.

Seating plan

The area around the stadium isn’t the type of place to be packed out with bars, pubs and restaurants. Going slightly further afield, back towards the centre of Braga, the best pubs and bars include:

• SETRA – R. de Sao Joao nº15, 4700-325 Braga, Portugal
• Mal Amado – R. Dom Paio Mendes 87, 4700-424 Braga, Portugal
• LETRARIO – R. Dom Goncalo Pereira 35, 4700-426 Braga, Portugal

There are refreshment kiosks dotted around the Estadio Municipal de Braga, but don’t expect to be provided with an extensive menu of hot food. These kiosks offer cold food, snacks, and drinks to all supporters, including those in the away end.

Outside the stadium, fans can purchase traditional Portuguese dishes from vendors nearby if they want something a little more substantial.

For fans who don’t want to take their chance with food from local vendors, there are plenty of restaurants in the centre of Braga that are worth a visit. Our three recommendations are as follows:

• Han Table Barbecue Braga – R. Dr. Gonçalo Sampaio 27, 4700-321 Braga, Portugal
• Steakhouse Churrasqueira Nacional de Braga – R. Fotografo Arcelino, 4705-076 Braga, Portugal
• Dona Julia – Estr. Via Falperra EN 309, 4715-390 Braga, Portugal

The Estadio Municipal de Braga is around 2.2km from Braga City centre. Incidentally, the nearest railway station is located in the city centre, so all supporters are going to have to make an approximate 30-minute walk to the stadium.

There are no shuttle buses in operation to the stadium, so if you are unable to walk, then your best bet is to drive yourself or jump in a taxi. The stadium has reasonable car parking space, but all spots must be pre-booked.

The Estadio Municipal de Braga has a total capacity of 30,286. The stadium is strictly an all-seater with no safe standing sections installed. The capacity has remained the same since it was first built inthe early 2000s, and there are no plans for expansion.

Braga offer tours of their unique stadium all year round, so you don’t have to buy a ticket for a match to be able to see what all the fuss is about. As part of the tour, fans are invited to walk through the corridors of the stadium and visit the players’ dressing room before walking through the tunnel and onto the pitch.

As part of the tour price, guests are also admitted to the Braga museum, where they can learn more about the history of the club and the Estadio Municipal de Braga.

For all the information on availability and pricing, visit the official Braga website.

Braga isn’t on the same level as Porto and Lisbon in terms of major cities in Portugal, but there are still a few places worth visiting if you are in the area for a couple of days. Some of the best things to do/see in Braga include:

• Bom Jesus Funicular
• Bom Jesus Do Monte
• Se de Braga
• Jardim de Santa Barbara
• Praca de Republica

The idea of a new Braga stadium was first floated towards the end of the 20th century after Portugal were awarded the hosting rights for Euro 2024. After the decision to build was confirmed, responsibility was handed over to Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura to design the stadium.

It was de Moura who came up with the hillside design, something that later helped himto win a Pritzker Architecture Prize.

The stadium officially opened in December 2003, and six months later, it went on to host multiple matches at Euro 2004, putting it on the international stage for the first time.

Braga’s biggest rivalry is with Vitoria Guimaraes. The two clubs compete in what is known as the ‘Derby do Minho’, which is part of a long-standing conflict between the cities of Braga and Guimaraes, which pre-dates the formation of Portugal. The two cities are the biggest in the Minho region in northern portugal and matches between the two clubs are often heated, both on and off the pitch.

The record attendance at the Estadio Municipal de Braga is 30,186 for a match between Braga and CS Maritimo in February 2010.