The Bernabéu is both Real Madrid’s home ground and one of the most recognizable sports venues in Madrid. Its scale can be difficult to read from the streets around Paseo de la Castellana: the stadium has been enlarged and redesigned several times since the club opened it in 1947. A visit today combines that long sporting history with a modern tour experience, but the route, opening times and access to particular areas can change around matches and other events. Treat the club’s live booking information—not an old travel listing—as the final word before you go.
Real Madrid began pursuing a larger stadium after Santiago Bernabéu became club president in 1943. The new ground, first known as Nuevo Chamartín, opened on 14 December 1947 with a friendly against Portugal’s Os Belenenses. Real Madrid won 3–1, and Sabino Barinaga scored the first goal at the venue. In 1955, members voted to give the stadium the name of the president who had championed its construction. The club has expanded and modernized it repeatedly, responding to changing expectations for crowd access, shelter, lighting, hospitality and broadcasting.
