For groundhoppers and passionate fans alike, an away day is one of the most enjoyable experiences in football. The extra tension in the air and excitement of a journey make it an altogether different occasion when compared to a home game.
It gives you the opportunity to explore new towns and cities, new stadiums, and to meet new people. Thankfully, for supporters who enjoy such experiences, the United Kingdom is full of amazing cities that are well worth visiting over a weekend.
But what are the best UK cities for football away days? Let's take a look.
Also, check out our guide on how to save money on your away days.
London
While it is true that London is perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, it is arguably the best city in the United Kingdom for a football away day. It is the capital of England, so prices are high for things like food, drink and accommodation, but no city in Britain can match an away day in London.
There are a total of 16 London football grounds, ranging from the luxury of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Emirates to the modesty of Bromley's Hayes Lane and, of course, the footballing heritage that can be found at Wembley.
Add to that the sheer variety of pubs, bars and restaurants, as well as the excellent transport links throughout the weekend, and it is hard to argue against London being the best UK city for a football away day, albeit a pricey one.
Manchester
In many ways, Manchester is the London of the North. It has a wide variety of bars and restaurants, and despite being located a fair distance away from most of England, much like London, it has excellent transport links.
Manchester also boasts one of the largest football team rosters in the North of England, with a total of six sides currently in the country's top four divisions calling the area home, and many more doing so as you move down the footballing pyramid.
Boasting European giants like Manchester United and Manchester City, Manchester is also home to some fantastic smaller clubs such as Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County. In fact, unless you are desperate to visit iconic grounds such as Old Trafford, these smaller stadiums often actually provide a better atmosphere and a more enjoyable matchday experience as a result.
It also comes with the handy bonus of being cheaper than London.
Glasgow
However, we aren't just looking at England, and in terms of the UK, Scotland possesses some wonderful away-day spots in their own right. Arguably, the most iconic of all is Glasgow, which is home to the infamous Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers.
Glasgow is also home to Scotland's national stadium, Hampden Park. While arguably less iconic than Celtic Park and Ibrox, during Tartan Army matches, the atmosphere is just as good, if not better in some cases.
For the vast majority of football fans in the United Kingdom, this does represent a fairly significant journey and one that will likely require some planning in advance. However, if you are able to make the logistics work across a weekend, it is certainly a trip worth making.
Much like Manchester and London, you will find a plethora of bars, pubs and restaurants in the city to keep you entertained for the duration of your stay.
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Best UK cities for football away days: Honourable mentions
While we believe the above three cities to be the best in the UK for a football away day, there are plenty more worth considering, and they may even be more convenient for you in some cases. From England, Newcastle, Sheffield and Birmingham are all excellent cities to visit and are home to multiple iconic teams.
In Wales, Cardiff is the pick of the bunch, boasting Welsh giants Cardiff City as well as the wonderful Principality Stadium. Elsewhere, Belfast in Northern Ireland and Edinburgh in Scotland also represent excellent locations for a weekend football away day.