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Great article about Barcelona's stadium and things to see while there.

Everyone knows the Nou Camp is one of the world's top football arenas but the Barcelona fortress offers a whole lot more. As Manchester United followers prepare for Wednesday's visit, Ben Findon checks out the full Nou Camp experience.

Mas que un club – more than a club – is the Barcelona slogan.

It's even emblazoned across the seating at the ground. Tour the stadium complex and you will find the Nou Camp, Barcelona's famous home, is more, much more, than just one of the most impressive football arenas in the world.


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Based on a large plot of land in the residential district of Les Corts, a couple of metro stops from the main Sants rail station, The Nou Camp's perimeter takes a good 15 minutes to stroll around.

From every point the stadium towers above but once inside it is even more cavernous. That's because during one of the expansion projects, engineers excavated a whole new tier below ground level.

Inside the complex the first port of call is the club shop, built on two levels and featuring a mock terrace on which you can sit and watch reruns of Barcelona's triumphs played on big screens.

The shop stocks the obvious – replica kits, scarves and flags – and the more esoteric, such as Messi and Ronaldinho cartoon books and dog toys.
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Adjacent is the club museum, a real must to appreciate Barca's eventful history and proud place in Catalan culture.

Nearby is a restaurant, not a bad idea as the cafes and bars outside tend to be of the basic neighbourhood variety. A recent addition to the museum is a virtual experience show.

If you ever wondered how Carles Puyol feels as he leads Barca out in front of 98,772 deafening fans, this is as close as you will get.

And there's more. That circular building nearby is the Palau Blaugrana, a 7,200-seat indoor arena used for basketball, roller hockey and the like.

Basketball is big in Spain with 5,000 crowds the norm in Barcelona. Outside the perimeter fence, and across a perilous dual carriageway, is the Miniestadi, a perfectly presentable 15,000 capacity arena. This is the home of Barcelona B, and, occasionally, Andorra.

So to the Nou Camp itself, a human cliff-side of people on match-day, with the decibel level in danger of hitting jet-engine level if the hated Real Madrid are in town.

If the sight and sound doesn't move your heart and send tingles up your spine, please check your pulse. And yet this isn't good enough for the Barcelona hierarchy. The new generation of stadiums showcased by Munich and Wembley have prompted Barca to turn to Sir Norman Foster.

The world-renowned architect is working on a design that will take capacity back into six figures, provide a roof and encase it all in a mosaic that will radiate multi-hued brilliance on match nights.

The sky's the limit for Barcelona.

Nou Camp top tips

1. There's too much to do on matchday. Book a ground tour earlier in the day.

2. Buy match tickets on Barca's excellent website. The only league match certain to sell-out is against Real Madrid but remember dates (Saturday or Sunday) and kick-off times (various slots between 5pm to 10pm) are usually only confirmed a week or so in advance.

3. Don't try to join the away supporters from other Spanish clubs. They are housed in a tiny section in the highest tier and are subject to heavy security.

4. Pick up a copy of Barca Camp Nou, a 16-page tabloid that serves as a match programme. Available around the ground – and it's free.

5. After the match head back into town to the Placa de Catalunya, traditional gathering point for Barca fans.

6. Check the weather. Most of the Nou Camp is open to the elements and contrary to the song, the rain in Spain falls in plenty of other places in addition to the plain.

7. Check the weekend of your visit – or you could be watching poor relations Espanyol playing at the draughty Olympic Stadium.

Barcelona v Man Utd: Nou Camp experience - Football News - Telegraph