History and description

The stadium in Mestalla opened on the 20th of May 1923 and could initially hold 17,000 fans. It was quickly expanded to a capacity of 25,000. During the Spanish civil war, the stadium served as a concentration camp and junkyard, and as a result got heavily damaged to the point that not much remained of it after the war.

Mestalla got restored after the war, but remained a modest affair until the club embarked on a grand redevelopment program called "Gran Mestalla?", which involved the construction of a new main stand and the expansion of all other stands. The project was finished in 1955 and increased capacity to 45,000 places.

In 1957, a part of the new stadium collapsed after the river Tùria flooded the city. However, the stadium was soon rebuilt and in 1962, Nottingham Forest was the first foreign team to play at Mestalla.

In 1969, the stadium was renamed after Luis Casanova, a former president who found the honour overwhelming and requested in 1994 to change the name back to Mestalla.

In the 1970s, Valencia considered moving to a new stadium on the outskirts of the city, but instead decided to redevelop Mestalla, which was necessary because of the upcoming 1982 World Cup. Works included the reconstruction of the bottom tier, which until then still consisted of a brick structure and was replaced by a concrete one.

During the 1982 World Cup, the Mestalla stadium in Valencia hosted all of Spain's three first round group matches.

The stadium remained largely unchanged for the next fifteen years. It underwent its last redevelopment between 1997 and 2001, when both ends and one side got expanded with an extra tier, and new access towers were built in the corners.

The stadium still lacks many modern facilities though, and Valencia announced plans for a new stadium in the north of the city. Construction of the 75,000-seat started in 2007 but stopped early in 2009 due to a lack of funding. Presently, it does not seem likely that construction will recommence any time soon.

(photos of the present Estadio de Mestalla below)

How to get to Mestalla

The Estadio de Mestalla is located east of Valencia's historic city centre. The walk from the cathedral or the main railway station (Estación del Norte) takes around 30 minutes. Alternatively, the stadium can be reached by metro. Metro stop Aragón, on line 5, is next to the stadium. Line 5 will also bring you to the airport. Another option is taking metro line 3 to station Facultats, which lies a five-minute walk north of the stadium.

Address: Avenida Suecia s/n, 46010 Valencia

Eat, drink, and sleep near Mestalla

The Estadio de Mestalla is located in a densely populated urban neighbourhood close to Valencia's city centre. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants within walking distance of the stadium, while more serious nightlife can be found a small walk away in the historic centre. There are a few spots of nightlife near the stadium, but it's worth exploring more of the city center for clubs if you want to enjoy a good night out. The beaches are also popular for partying, but you'll have to wander a bit to find them.

There are a great many hotels in Valencia, and some excellent choices that are close to Mestalla Stadium. Hospes Palau de la Mar, Hotel Husa Dimar, and SH Valencia Palace are all located near the historical centre, and can be reached in just 10 minutes on foot. Hotel Renasa, NH Villacarlos, and Hotel Kris Consul del Mar are also very close by, but may be a bit more expensive.

Looking for hotels near Estadio de Mestalla? We've got you covered! There are many great options in the historic centre, all within walking distance. Alternatively, consider a hotel closer to the beachfront.

Valencia Tickets

Tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Mestalla ticket windows, at the Valencia megastore on the Avinguda del Marqués de Sotelo right off Plaça de l'Ajuntament square, or through Fenamix sales points. Valencia's attendance rates are high in the league, but they sell out only a few high-profile matches per season. If you can't get tickets through Ticketmaster or Entradas.com, you can try websites like viagogo and ticketbis. These websites may be your only option if Ticketmaster and Entradas.com don't accept foreign credit cards.

Prices for tickets depend on the opponent, but can start as cheap as $10.00 for the upper tiers ranging up to $65.00 for the best seats at the main stand. Most tickets go for between $15.00 and $35.00. Tickets for the Barcelona and Madrid matches will be significantly more expensive.

Mestalla stadium tours

Valencia offer guided stadium tours through Mestalla, which lets visitors access the players' tunnel, press room, and dressing rooms. The tours last about an hour. The tours run continuously Monday through Friday from 10:30am to 2:30pm and 3:30pm to 5:30pm, and on Sundays they run from 10:30am to 1:30pm. On match days only, tours stop before the game begins at 5pm and don't include the dressing rooms.

To book a tour of Mestalla, you can do so online by filling out a form, by phone at +34963 372 626, or at the ticket window. However, it is not mandatory to do so.

Email [email protected] for more information.

Relevant Internet links

Valencia CF's official website, Valenciacf.com, and its tourism website, Turisvalencia.com, provide travelers with information on visiting Valencia. Metrovalencia.es provides travel information on the Valencia metro system. I was surprised that after the half-time whistle everyone immediately got out sandwiches. It looked strange. Valencia is a beautiful city and I would definitely recommend a visit to everyone. It was a great day!

I was surprised by the fact that after the half-time whistle everyone got out sandwiches. It looked strange. Valencia is a beautiful city and I would definitely recommend a visit to everyone. It was a great day!

My friend got the tickets through ticket master and they cost $30. The atmosphere alone was worth the entrance fee. They were sitting next to a few Athleteo fans in a predominantly Valencia section, but felt no bad vibes. Needless to say, I was wearing an orange hoodie and blue trainers so I was covered.

The atmosphere alone was worth the entrance fee. I sat next to a few Athletico fans in a predominantly Valencia section, but felt no bad vibes. Needless to say, I was wearing an orange hoodie and blue trainers so I was covered.