I would really like to see Real Madrid play before I leave Europe on October 23rd from Paris. I arrive in Barcelona tomorrow (Saturday) morning. I would like to spend a few days there before I take the night train to Madrid, then Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, Lagos, Lisbon, Madrid, Bilbao, and off to France. It seems as though this Sunday's league game against Alaves is one option, but then I have to make a 14 hour, mas o menos, round trip for one match. If I understand correctly, there are no league or Europe matches between now and the twentieth. The team web site does not give the Cup schedule. So, what are good matches to hit in the next two and a half weeks?? Much thanks.
Ok, I am thinking that Sunday's match against Alaves is the one to see. A good opponent whom the Merengues need a result against if they want to stay near the top of the Liga. I just hope that tickets aren't too hard to come by. The Copa games this early will probably not have most of the first team, and I doubt they will be very competitive anyway. They are out. So, I will try to catch a train to Madrid in Barcelona tomorrow morning, as soon as I get off the train from Geneva where I am now. With any luck, I will be staying in Madrid tomorrow night and going to a match at the Bernabeu on Sunday!! See you there.
There is no tickets for the game. Yesterday was sold the last tickets. All la liga game has been sold out this year because the team is playing pretty well at home. But this game have other another incentive - can be the game in which Ronaldo play his first minutes with the team. I think that you wouldn't have problems to get tickets. You would have to buy the ticket to the scalpers. If you go the sunday morning or in the afternoon about two or three hours before the game, many of scalpers will offer you tickets. The best ticket for me are "Primer anfiteatro preferencia". But they are expensive. Around 42$ For me, The best tickets Quality/price are: - Segundo anfiteatro fondo norte * - Segundo anfiteatro fondo sur * - Tribuna superior baja fondo norte * - Tribuna superior baja fondo sur * - Tribuna superior baja preferencia * * All these seats have roof - segundo anfiteatro lateral. This one haven't roof, it's the best option if it's a sunny day. These ticket are around 15-20$ the cheapest and 24$-30$ the more expensive. I think that you would have too pay around a 25% more of this price to the scalpers. More indications: "Fondos" are the seat behind the goals. If you wan't to see the "ultras" cheering the team you must buy "norte(north)" seats because the ultras are in the "sur(south)". "Preferencia" Are seat with roof in the lateral of the field. "Laterales". Are seat without roof in the latera of the field. This is the situation of the seats by height (from the ground to the sky): - Grada -Next to the field. -Tribuna- The most expensive tickets - Primer anfiteatro- My favourites - Segundo Anfiteatro - Best relation quality/price - Tribuna superior baja - Best relation quality/price - Tribuna superior alta - Tercer anfiteatro You don't worry very much about the seats because you can see the play very well in all the stadium seats. The "Bernabeu" is a very vertical stadium and even in the high seats you aren't too far of the field. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unless you're an architect and feel the need to see the Guggenheim, I'd skip Bilbao and go to San Sebastian instead. Bilbao as a city just isn't much to behold, and the river stinks like sh!t. San Sebastian, otoh, is beautiful. Go to the bars and restaurants in the Casco Antiguo (old port neighborhood on the Con.cha beach) and sample the most amazing array of tapas you'll ever find. Maybe Real Sociedad will be at home in el Anoeta while you're there. Enjoy the match tomorrow!
I agree...Bilbao only has the Guggenheim and not much else... San Sebastian has one of the most beautiful bays in Spain and why not the world. You can go up the Monte Higueldo and see one of the most beautiful and impressive views to see.... I think that between Bilbao and San Sebastian, go to San Sebastian although Bilbao isnt all bad
Bilbao's only an hour away on the bus from San Sebastian. You can do both in a day, if you want. (That's what I did). An architect friend implored me to go see the Guggenheim (and yeah, it's the only thing in Bilbao, except if you're there to see some futbol). I hadn't expected or wanted to go, but glad i did. I'm not an architect type, but wow... it's the coolest building I've ever seen! And it's much better up close walking along the river up to it than seeing it in pictures. If you're on the fence about going or not... my vote is go. They have lockers at the bus station, so you can leave your stuff there, and head up on foot (?30 min walk), or take the metro near to the Guggenheim (maybe one or two stops, then walk a small bit). Ask the info booth at the station. If you don't go into the museum (museum is closed on ?Mondays?, I think), you can be back at the bus station within an hour and half. Oh, and make sure you eat the tapas in Pays Vasco. The portions are huge, and the food is quite good.
Whew... That was a fantastic game. Zidane seems so much better in person, not just his dribbling but his passing too. His juggling made defenders look stupid a few times. Roberto Carlos was fantastic for the first half. Figo and Makelele were very good too. Ronaldo was just incredible while he was in. His touch is great and he got two even though he is obviously still learning how to play with the team. I was disappointed not to see Raul, but Ronnie is not a bad substitute. I bought a Tribuna Superior Alta seat from a scalper for $50, which is a hundred percent markup. After reading these posts, I´m guessing I either got seriously ripped off or the going rate went up a lot because the match was sold out and Ronaldo might play. Other sellers I asked wanted about the same for lesser seats. It was really cool though, so no worries. I´m staying in Huertas for a few more days before I head to Lisboa. If any of the Madrid people would like to get together, let me know. That would be cool. Just to clarify in regards to Bilbao: I was originally planning on seeing Barca-Madrid-Lisboa-Lagos-Sevilla-Cordoba-Granada, then heading back to Madrid and going north to France through Bilbao. Because I wanted to see the match today and go to El Rastro, all I saw of Barca was the train station. So, I plan on returning there and then going north, instead of going north right from my second time in Madrid (this is all assuming I don´t go right from Granada/Cordoba to Barca). It is unlikely that I will hit Bilbao, whether I want to or not, anymore. Thanks for the heads up though.
I'm happy that you finally get the tickets and you could watch the game. It's was a good game with great goals like the Zidane and the two first goals of Ronaldo with the team. And agaisnt a not easy team like the Alaves. You will be able to say in the future "I see the Real Madrid in Bernabeu when playing there players like Zinade, Figo, Raul, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, etc ..." Tribuna superior alta. I have my season seat in the "Tribuna superior Baja fondo Sur". Maybe we were few meters away. At the moment i'm not in Madrid, I'm this week in Valencia for work. But if you have any question about the city you do not doubt in asking me. You have many things to see in the city. If you like the museum and you have time you must see "el Prado" is one of the best museums in the world. You also have many historic buildings to see. If you want to buy RM items, near of Huertas in one of the street around the "Puertas del sol" the RM has open a MegaStore. There is a link with information of the city in english: http://www.munimadrid.es/Principal/ingles/portada.html If you arrived the saturday and you are in huertas. I think that you didn't sleep too much because Huertas in the weekend is party all the night. Other areas full of pubs and discos are Tribunal - Rock Music - and "Alonso Martinez" - Pop and Dance music similar to Huertas. You could see in this areas of the city many people walking on the street at 5.00 a.m - 6.00 a.m. Finally, I vote for San Sebastian. It's one of the best cities in the north of Spain. Bilbao is a not very attractive Industrial City.
"If you like the museum and you have time you must see "el Prado" is one of the best museums in the world. You also have many historic buildings to see. If you want to buy RM items, near of Huertas in one of the street around the "Puertas del sol" the RM has open a MegaStore. " I walked from my hotel to the Cibeles and then down past the Prado and Museo Thyssen to Atocha. Unfortunately, the museums and the Real Madrid trophy room were closed today. I am taking the night train to Lisbon tomorrow, so I guess I will be very busy before I leave. I´ve been to the Area:Real Madrid stores at the stadium, at the Centro Commercial, and the one at Sol right by El Corte Ingles. I am still looking for the same kind of twisty RM pen I bought last year in Barcelona, but haven´t had any luck...
What a bad luck! El Prado really is worth seeing... Lisboa is a beautiful city. Don't forget going to the districts of Chiado and Alfama.