(English) Camp Nou, Much More Than a Club

Camp Nou is without doubt one of the most symbolic and most visited sites in all of Barcelona. Though Catalonia’s biggest city certainly isn’t short of tourist and cultural charms to enjoy, inevitably, Barcelona and football are two words that just go hand in hand, not only for football fans, but in the minds of everyone lucky enough to visit the city.

Barcelona is as much a part of Camp Nou as the stadium is a part of F.C. Barcelona’s rich and varied history. The ties are so great that the culés’ home ground has become one of the city’s biggest tourist icons and a must-see attraction for every visitor.

Opened on 24 September 1957 and originally simply known as the Barcelona Football Club Stadium, fans would go on to rename it Camp Nou colloquially, but it wasn’t until 2001 under the leadership of Joan Gaspart that the stadium officially changed its name. Regardless of how it’s referred to, Camp Nou has always shook with every goal, exploded with every celebration, vibrated with every pass, cheered with every kick and reverberated with every win – but it has also been a supportive home for the team and their fans in less good times. Few stadiums can encapsulate and represent quite as much for a team – and a city – as Camp Nou.

Camp Nou was the place where half the world fell in love with the dream team for their amazing skills in the game, and where Guardiola’s tiqui-taca reached maximum heights, not forgetting some of the historical matches and trophies won over the years, the latest coming from a victory for Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final this year.

But the charms and presence of Camp Nou go much further beyond the pitch itself. The stadium’s surrounding streets are a great example of the club’s very essence, which transcends the limits of Camp Nou. Hundreds of restaurants, bars, shops and traditional kiosks fill the stadium’s surrounding streets where you can continue the football party for as long as you want.

Hotel capacity in the area has also been bolstered by the magic of Camp Nou, and many fans choose to stay near the stadium to experience even more of the exciting atmosphere on match days, or perhaps to pay a visit to the stadium and the Barça Museum, open all year round (except 1 January and 25 December).

Just 15 minutes by car from Camp Nou, you’ll find on Avenida Parallel the Hotel HCC Lugano. This hotel is perfectly equipped with all the facilities needed to accommodate any football fan and are the best places for soaking up the magical spirit of Camp Nou.

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