Football Breaks: Barcelona Hotels versus Manchester Hotels

Catalans are a lucky bunch. They have what is arguably the greatest team in club football representing them - home to seven of the 23 players that played in Spain’s world cup finals team – or eight if you count new signing David Villa. The region is also amongst one of the richest in Spain and has weathered the heavy storm of recession very well exporting, among other things, financial services and the greatest, most saleable brand of global football. Share the passion, culture and prosperity at the best Barcelona hotels.

There are two football clubs in the city but most people generally try to go to the Nou Camp to watch the big boys, FC Barca. For those who do not want to brave the crowds that regularly fill the 100,000 seat Stadium, a quiet tour during the day is a good option. Barca’s best game days are against fierce rivals Real Madrid or local city rivals Espanyol where good tickets will be far easier to come by, and fans can sit in the comfort of a brand new 40,000 seat stadium.

Outside of football Barcelona has much to offer the experienced traveller and the adventurous football fan. Explore the narrow passageways of the ancient gothic city and see some of the works of visionary architect Antoni Gaudi, including La Sagrada Familia, his unfinished masterpiece. Or for those who would prefer to do some traditional holiday activities the Playa Barceloneta is a place where you can relax on sandy beaches and take a dip in Mediterranean Sea. Having been the main focus of the Olympic redevelopment the area is home to an impressive aquarium, a marina and an IMAX cinema. The development also has a large shopping centre, a good choice of restaurants and is surrounded by the most modern Barcelona hotels.

If you want to stay in the UK but still want a place that has parallels with Barcelona, visit Manchester, the home of Northern Soul. You can go to the 78,000 capacity ‘Theatre of dreams’ and watch the 18 time English champions Manchester United play at home, or venture across town to Eastlands and watch their newly minted local rivals Manchester City play at their new stadium. Again it is best to book early at any time of year because Manchester hotels have a high weekend occupancy rate, especially when one or both of the city’s clubs play home games.

Manchester has a vibrant and eclectic mix of old and new, both in town and by the redeveloped docks. For keen shoppers there are boutiques such as Oi Polloi which imports the latest fashions from New York, but for a wider selection try Kendals (House of Fraser). For a good night out go to the Printworks complex for a selection of clubs and bars that are popular with the locals, the most popular being Opus and Tiger-Tiger. For those who prefer more atmospheric bars and live music, head to the Northern Quarter.