Camp Nou

Even when it’s not a game day, a visit to Camp Nou is always exciting. Get to know Barça’s history at the museum, get a custom FC Barcelona jersey with your name on it at the FCBotiga, and tread the same path football titans like Johan Cruyff, Maradona, and Messi walked through the players’ tunnel and onto the pitch of the stadium.

camp nou at night
On game day, the Camp Nou vibrates with the chants of tens of thousands of fans

What you will find in this article:

  • Information about the Camp Nou Experience, including tickets and tours
  • Everything you need to know if you want to go a Barça game
  • Opening hours
  • Information on how to get there
  • Background information (history and facts) on Camp Nou
  • Tips for hotels and restaurants near Camp Nou

What is the Camp Nou and why should you visit it?

Camp Nou is the home of Football Club Barcelona, and the biggest stadium in Europe.

As one of the most successful teams in the history of the sport, the Camp Nou has seen great players like Kubala, Cruyff, Maradona, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Xavi, and Iniesta grace its pitch…

Not to mention the greatest of them all, Lionel Messi.

The stadium has over 98,000 seats, and it will soon be expanded up to 105,000 in an upcoming renovation.

The project is estimated to cost 600 million euros. You can see what it will look like in the following video:

If you’re a football fan visiting Barcelona you can’t miss the opportunity to visit one of the most storied football stadiums in the world.

Looking up into the stands from the players’ tunnel, you’ll see the same view many great players had before the whistle blew and the ball started rolling.

Plan your visit to Camp Nou

Would you like to go to a FC Barcelona match during your visit?

Check the program and find out when the home matches are, but keep in mind that the exact date and hour will not be confirmed until two weeks before the game.

You can still buy tickets further in advance, just be ready to be slightly flexible.

If you are planning on doing the Camp Nou Experience (the stadium + museum tour), know that on days that FC Barcelona plays at home, the museum remains open but certain parts of the stadium will be closed, such as the playing field and dressing rooms.

The tribune, which offers a fantastic view over the field, will close two hours before the match for visitors of the museum. So in order to not miss anything, check the program before your visit.

The tour lasts more or less one hour and a half.

Our personal tips

  • If you attend a match in the stadium, keep in mind that it can get quite chilly during the winter months, make sure you bring an extra sweater or blanket, and an umbrella is there’s a chance of rain. Most of the seating is not covered.
  • Bike to the stadium! From the centre it’s not far at all and you can park your bike easily and safely at the stadium. For the route, check ‘How to get to Camp Nou’ further down this article.
  • Forgot a supporter scarf? No worries, around the stadium you can buy all sorts of Barça stuff. If you prefer to buy it in advance, you can do so at various locations in the city centre.

Tickets for matches and the Camp Nou Experience

With a ticket for the Camp Nou Experience you can explore Camp Nou on your own, taking all the time you need.

You will have access to the FC Barcelona museum, the stadium (including the changing rooms for visiting teams, players tunnel and tribunes), and the multimedia zone.

You can buy tickets for the Camp Nou Experience at the ticket box of the museum, but if you order them in advance online you get a €2.50 discount.

After the purchase you will receive a voucher via email which you can use to pick up your tickets at the Camp Nou when you arrive.

The standard Camp Nou Experience is self-guided, but there is an audio guide available with a lot of interesting information on FC Barcelona, the Camp Nou and the Museum.

Camp Nou stadium with lots of people form above
Camp Nou stadium with lots of supporters

For Messi fans, there is the so called Leo Messi Tour, which gives unique insights into Messi’s life and story at the club.

Going to a FC Barcelona game

Many visitors come to Barcelona especially to attend an FC Barcelona match.

There are several locations throughout the city where you can purchase tickets, but the price is generally higher than buying them online.

One website that is very reliable is Viagogo, which allows you to select from multiple tiers of seating from all areas of the stadium.

Keep in mind: the further away from the pitch, the cheaper the tickets, but the less you can see — Camp Nou is much bigger than most other football stadiums so if you get seats near the top you’ll be really high up.

Practical information

Tour Tickets and Prices

  • Adults: €25.
  • Children until the age of 13 and 70+ seniors: €20 (20% discount)
  • Children under 6: free.

Game ticket prices for FC Barcelona depend on the quality of the opponent.

Generally speaking, the better/more famous the opposing team, the more expensive tickets will be.

Matches against Real Madrid always sell out and good tickets can cost hundreds of euros, while a regular league game against a team like Eibar or Málaga you’ll be able to find plenty of tickets for under €100.

If you manage to get a seat for 50 euros, you have a good deal.

Insider tip: Every Barça game has the potential to be magical, but if you want to experience a special atmosphere try going to a game against Español or Athletic de Bilbao.

Español is Barcelona’s city rival, and the atmosphere whenever these two teams play is electric.

Athletic de Bilbao is a quasi-rival and a good team that always plays hard against Barcelona.

Tickets to these two games will be cheaper than a Barça-Madrid, but the experience will better than most other La Liga matches.

Opening hours

  • Apr to Sep: 9.30 am — to 7.30 pm
  • Oct to Mar: 9.30 am to 6.30 pm
  • Sundays and holidays: 9.30 am to 2.30 pm

You can visit Camp Nou every day of the year except for December 25 and January 1st.

Important note: on game days and the day before Champions League matches (which are played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) there is limited access to the stadium and museum.

It’s best to check the official site of FC Barcelona and find out whether the museum and stadium is accessible.

How to get to Camp Nou?

Camp Nou’s address is Carrer d’Aristides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. The stadium has abundant parking space, but unless you’re a “socio” (a club member) it may be difficult to access. If you’re driving, just input the stadium’s name into your GPS and it will give you the best route and location.

  • Metro: It’s easy to reach Camp Nou by metro. The two nearest stops are Badal and Collblanc, both on the blue line (Line 5). The stadium is a 5 minute walk from the either, and there are signs on the street that tell you how to get there. You can get the blue line at Sagrada Familia, Diagonal, or at Sants Estació.If you are heading to Camp Nou from the center, you should take the green line (Line 3) and get off at Maria Cristina or Palau Reial, both of which are 5 to 10 minutes from the stadium. You can get the green line at Passeig de Gracia, Plaça Catalunya, or Liceu.
  • By bike: From the center (Plaça Catalunya) it will take you 30-45 minutes to get to Camp Nou. The fastest and best route is the following: bike from Plaça Catalunya to Rambla de Catalunya (on the corner you will see the clothing shop Desigual). Bike uphill until you reach the busy street Avinguda Diagonal. Cross Diagonal and take the bicycle lane on this avenue to the left. From here head straight until you get to Palau Reial. Cross the Diagonal and take the Carrer de Martí i Franquès downhill and you’ll see the stadium ahead.
  • By taxi: The fastest way to get to Camp Nou is by taxi, although it’s more expensive than public transport. You can hail a cab anywhere in the city or call for one (+34 933 033 033). From the center, it should cost around €10.the entrance of the Camp Nou experience Entrance of the Camp Nou stadium

What to see and do during your visit to Camp Nou?

These are the most important highlights in and near Camp Nou, the museum and the stadium are included in your ticket for Camp Nou Experience:

Museu FC Barcelona President Nuñez

FC Barcelona doesn’t just own the biggest stadium, it also has the best club museum in the world.

The pictures, paintings and trophies attract more people than any other museum in Barcelona: between 1 and 2 million visitors every year.

At the museum you’ll learn everything there is to know about the club: the dozens of trophies it has won, its most famous historical players, the individual accolades collected by its stars, and many other interesting things.

The Stadium

Camp nou pitch with fc barcelona logo
Walk onto the pitch through the players’ tunnel and view the stadium through Messi’s eyes

The Camp Nou Experience gives you access to the titular stadium. Such a storied location as Camp Nou has many interesting places to see and explore:

  • The press room where players and trainers give press conferences before and after a game.
  • The changing room of the visiting team.
  • The presidential box. The part of the tribune where ‘friends of the club’ watch the game. These are often politicians, important sponsors or former players.
  • The playing field. The field where games are being played is fenced off with railings, but you can walk around the edges of the pitch.
  • You can also sit in the Barça dugout and see the pitch and the stadium from the perspective of the coaches and players.

For the real fans: you can actually buy a piece of Barça grass!

La FCBotiga – The FC Barcelona Shop

You can find official FC Barcelona stores and loads of shops selling merchandise throughout the city, but the FCBotiga at Camp Nou is something else — a Barça megastore.

Besides the usual souvenirs and Barça jerseys, which you can customize with your name on the back, you can also find rarer items like old vintage t-shirts that are not stocked anywhere else.

La Masia

Near Camp Nou, on Carrer de la Maternitat, is the old football school where hundreds of young players have trained since 1979.

Xavi Hernández, Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta, as well as many other famous Barcelona players, spent their formative years here.

In 2011 the FC Barcelona youth school moved to the training complex Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, in the village of Sant Joan Despí, just outside of Barcelona.

The former academy building is not to the public but you can see it from the outside. No ticket is needed.

The ice skating rink

For the ones who prefer a little action while your fellow travellers enjoy themselves at Camp Nou, there is the ice skating rink.

The rink is used for figure skating and ice hockey, but anyone is allowed to skate there during visitor times.

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday from 10am-2pm and 5pm-8pm, Saturday & Sunday from 11am-2pm and 5.30pm-8.30pm.

The skate rink is next to Camp Nou. Note that gloves are compulsory and children under 13 have to wear a helmet. The entrance is €13,40 and this includes skates. Gloves cost €3.00 and a helmet also €3.00. You can buy your tickets at the door.

History of Camp Nou

After many years of use, Barça’s previous stadium “El Camp de Les Corts” had become too small to fit all the club’s fans. To remedy this the club began construction of Camp Nou in 1954.

It was completed in three years, and officially inaugurated on September 24th 1957, during Barcelona’s local holiday La Mercè.

The first match that took place in the new stadium was against the Polish team Warschau. FC Barcelona won the game with a 4-2 score, in what would be first of hundreds more victories that would come over the following years.

At first, there was room for 93.053 supporters, but the stadium’s capacity has been expanded with an additional 6000 seats since then. The cost of construction was 288,088,143 pesetas (over 1.7 million euros).

Aside from football, the Camp Nou also used to be a concert venue. Nowadays it no longer holds concerts, but in years passed world-famous artists such as Michael Jackson, Julio Iglesias and U2 performed in the stadium to crowds of tens of thousands of people.

The President Nuñez museum, named after the former club president Josep Lluís Núñez, was opened in 1984.

The idea for a FC Barcelona museum dates back to the nineteen twenties, but it took sixty years for it to actually be built.

The Camp Nou stadium full with supporters
Supporters in the Camp Nou stadium

Hotels near Camp Nou

    • NH Barcelona Stadium: The hotel offers view on Camp Nou and has a swimming pool on the roof. It’s only a few minutes walk to the stadium and metro stop Les Corts is also only 5 minutes away. For more info, prices and availability check booking.com.
    • Aparthotel Atenea Barcelona: This hotel is about ten minutes walking from Camp Nou. The rooms have a small kitchen and a sitting area and there is also an excellent restaurant at the hotel. It’s a three minute walk from metro Les Corts, which can get you to the city center. For more info, prices and availability check booking.com.
    • Yellow Nest Hostel: A cheap stay near Camp Nou? The Yellow Nest Hostel is not expensive and offers great service. Perfect for the ones that come to Barcelona especially for a match and don’t care too much for luxury. You share the kitchen and bathroom with other guests. For more info, prices and availability check booking.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Camp Nou” mean?

Camp Nou translates to “New Stadium”. Originally, the stadium was called “Estadi del FC Barcelona” –Stadium of FC Barcelona–, but the fans always called it Camp Nou. The club decided to hold a vote on the issue, and the members overwhelmingly voted for Camp Nou, so the stadium’s nickname became its official name.

Are there discounts on Camp Nou tour tickets?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Certain groups can purchase tickets at a lower rate (children, students, seniors), but there are no special discounted tickets to visit the Camp Nou.

Is it worth it to reserve tickets in advance?

You can buy tour tickets when you arrive at the stadium, but the queues can be quite lengthy so we recommend you book online in advance. If you pre-book you’ll get to skip the line at the ticket office.