Estadi Montilivi

Located in Catalonia, the Estadi Montilivi provides fans with a true sense of what a Catalonian atmosphere at a football match is like compared to the tourist-packed Camp Nou down the road. As the stadium is fairly small, you feel close to the pitch wherever you sit as the stadium is single-tiered all the way around the pitch with the exception of one mall upper tier on the southern side of the ground.

As the stadium is open with no roof you can also take in the breathtaking views of the City if you sit in this sole upper tier. The Estdi Motilivi is situated next to Montilivi Hill, while you can also see right through to Girona itself from the right seat.

Girona have announced spectacular and long-term expansion plans for the Estadi Montilivi that will last until the 2038/39 season. The stadium has been left to rot somewhat but the club are finally heavily investing to bring Girona supporters a new, state-of-the-art stadium without having to move from their spiritual home.

While the club are yet to announce how much the capacity will increase by, the plans include installing new stands across the whole stadium and adding a roof to allow the feverish atmosphere at the Motilivi to reverberate around the pitch.

The club have also announced that they will be building a commercial zone around the stadium which will be ready by 2033. This will enhance the matchday experience for supporters by bringing them to the stadium well before kick-off to enjoy a bite to eat and a drink.

In total, the project will cost around €50 million and will commence imminently.

The Estadi Montilivi is a must-visit for fans in Spain, particularly before the expansion and renovation works completely reshapes it. At present, away fans are only given a small portion of the ground in the corner between the Preferent and Gold Nord Stands but it is far from a hostile experience as the Girona supporters are generally very welcoming.

The only down side to sitting in this corner of the stadium is that you are nowhere near the one bit of shelter at the stadium which means if it rains (which is rare in Catalonia) then you won’t be safe from the elements. The food and drinks options inside the away end are very limited but that is expected to change with the renovation work.

The Estadi Montilivi isn’t the most straightforward stadium in the world to get to unless you don’t mind a lengthy walk. The closest railway station to the ground is Girona Railway Station which is 2.5km away. This equates to a 40-minute walk at a normal pace.

If the weather is having an off day or if you aren’t able to walk that far then there are buses from the railway station which take you much closer to the Estadi Montilivi. Get on an L8 bus and get off at UDG Montilivi – these buses run every half hour so you should never be waiting too long for one.

There isn’t much around the stadium in terms of bars and restaurants so your best bet is to make your way into Girona centre if you want to enjoy a few beers or a bite to eat pre or post-match. The centre is around 2.5km from stadium and you can either walk or take a direct bus there.

In Girona centre, you will be spoilt for choice but here are three top recommendations for both food and drinks:

• Bagels & Beers
• Keruntia
• Bestia

If you are insistent on being closer to the stadium for your pre-match drinks then your best bet is the Kmi-bar which is effectively the unofficial bar for Girona supporters on matchday. The bar is draped in red and white scarves and flags and there is a huge Girona logo plastered on one of the walls.

Despite the stadium only being small, Girona don’t have the largest fanbases in the world so tickets are usually quite easy to come by. The club sell them online and at the ticket office which is based at the stadium.

Ticket prices for a typical match at the Estadi Montilivi are on the cheap side and range from €10-25 depending whereabouts in the stadium you want to sit. When the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona visit the stadium to take on Girona, it is normal for tickets to be raised by €10 across the stadium.

During the 2022/23 season, Girona had an average attendance of 12,000 at the Estadi Montilivi. The record attendance at the stadium came in a match against Real Madrid in January 2019 when 14,158 supporters came through the gates to watch Girona take on Los Blancos.

At present, stadium tours aren’t offered at the Estadi Montilivi but the official club website says that they will coming soon.

Girona have two main rivals nearby:

• Barcelona
• Espanyol