The 2024/25 La Liga season is upon us, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid tipped to fight for the title again.
For fans looking to gain insight into the best football away days in Spain, here are the top five in the Spanish top flight – from Valencia to Girona.
Football away days in Spain
Sevilla – The Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium
Home to Sevilla, The Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium is one of the most picturesque grounds in the country. With just under 44,000 fans able to get into the stadium, Sevilla’s home matches are passionate and colourful affairs. The red and white flags of the Sevillistas create a cauldron, making it one of the toughest away games for visiting teams.
There is no shortage of food and drink suggestions near the ground, with bodegas and tapas bars aplenty. The surrounding streets around the ground have numerous bars and restaurants for a pre-match meal and drink, with Cruzcampo often cited as the main beer. La Despense der Fede and Panrallo Tapas are both worthwhile options for visitors prior to a match.
The ground is located near the city centre and can be reached via the metro system. Go to the station Nervion from Puerta de Jerez on line 1. It is only a 30-minute walk from the cathedral in Seville, for fans wanting to take in the city landscape.
Valencia – Mestalla Stadium
Home to the “steepest stands of any major ground in Europe”, Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium is one of the most notorious venues in Spanish football. If you’re in the area and want to watch a game, here are some tips to enhance your matchday experience.
The ground is approximately two kilometres northeast of the city centre, meaning you can walk to the stadium. You can also take line 5 towards Maritim Serrer using the city’s underground system before stopping at Aragon where the ground is only a few minutes’ walk away. Fans can also take lines 3 and 7 towards the Alameda station, which is just over 500 metres away from the Mestalla.
Bocadillo with serrano ham at Valencia CF (@valenciacf_en @valenciacf)
💶 €4.50 (£3.70) pic.twitter.com/hxJdsn5KB2
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) April 30, 2022
There are many places to eat and drink near the stadium and in the city centre. Right next to the ground is The Bar Cerverceria Splash, which is a popular pre-match spot for passionate Valencia supporters.
Further away from the Mestalla is La Paz, a well-known Valencian restaurant near the city beach, where the “Paella Valenciana” is often recommended to first-time visitors.
Real Betis – Benito Villamarin Stadium
This is the second Seville-based stadium suggested in this guide. Real Betis’ Benito Villamarin Stadium has a capacity of over 60,000, with the South Stand having only one tier, while the others all have three.
There are numerous bars on Avenida Padre García Tejero, namely Bodeguita Castulo, Cervecería Huracán, and Bar Uruguay. The former is a popular pre-match venue for home fans, with tapas and the local brew, Cruzcampo, served on tap.
The ground is located in the south of Seville and can be accessed via car and the metro. The following advice is suggested for supporters looking to use the city’s metro services to get to the stadium: “The Real Betis Stadium can be reached via metro services. The Santa Justa metro station in Seville is located in a central position between this ground and the Estadio Ramon Sanchez. Thus, around 30 minutes of walk will be enough to get around to this ground. If this is a little too much, one can hop on to the several bus services that connect to the stadium. There are several bus stops along the Avenida la Palmera.”
Athletic Bilbao – San Mames Stadium
San Mames Stadium opened in 2013 and has since become one of the best venues in Spanish football. Athletic Bilbao play their home games here, with over 50,000 supporters inside the ground for every La Liga match.
Fans are spoilt for choice in terms of eating and drinking near the stadium. Bar Café Pacifico and Gabino are bar and grill restaurants only five minutes away from the ground. Slightly further away are the likes of Le Bol Blanc, Baden Baden and Gu2.
The centrally located stadium is easy to access via the metro and on foot. From Casco Viejo or Abando stop at the station San Mames. If you’re coming from Guggenheim, you can go on the tram Euskotran.
It is around a 30-minute walk to get to Bilbao’s home ground from the city centre, which is located near the city’s two main railway stations.
Girona – Estadi Montilivi
Girona were the story of last season in Spain, finishing third in La Liga to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. Part of the City Football Group, the capacity of Girona’s Estadi Montilivi has been expanded to just over 14,000 in recent years.
Paella with a pint at Girona FC (@GironaFC)
💶 €10 (£8.50) all in pic.twitter.com/kf61wqPkLB
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) December 5, 2023
Advice on how to get to the Estadi Montilivi is as follows: “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.”
The best food and drink options in the Girona centre include bagels, beers, Keruntia and Bestia. River Café and Bar San Felix are worth visiting to sample these local delicacies. Closer to the stadium is the Kmi-bar, which is a popular pre-match venue for Girona supporters on matchday.