So I finally got around to visiting Estadio de Mendizorroza yesterday! Woke up stupid early, grabbed my backpack, and double-checked my train tickets. Figured taking the train would be easiest since driving in Vitoria-Gasteiz sounded kinda messy. Packed some water and snacks too – stadium prices always suck, right?
Getting There Was… An Adventure
Hopped on the train feeling all organized. Got off at the main station and pulled out my phone map. Instantly got confused. The walk looked straightforward on the screen, but the streets around here twist like spaghetti. Wandered around for like 20 minutes, looking like a total lost tourist. Tried asking a couple of folks, but my Spanish is legit terrible. One guy just waved vaguely uphill. Gave up and followed a group wearing team scarves – genius move! They led me straight to the place.
Saw the stadium entrance. Not obvious at all! The main gates looked closed up tight. Had to walk the entire perimeter near that big parking lot before finding the dinky sign saying “Visits & Tours”. Seriously easy to miss. Nearly walked into the club store thinking it was the tour office.
Inside The Beast
Paid for the basic tour – tried paying with card first, machine went nuts. Cash worked fine though. Guide was this super chill local guy named Luis who knew everything. Small group, maybe 10 of us. He kicked it off near the tunnel entrance.
- The Tunnel Walk: Felt super cool stepping out into the empty stadium. The pitch looked crazy green under the sun. Tried imagining the noise on match day – must be insane.
- The Stands: Climbed up into one of the main seated areas. Luis pointed out the oldest sections and where the hardcore fans sit. Legit steep stairs! Held onto the railing tight.
- Press Zone & Boxes: We wandered past the glass-fronted commentary booths and a couple of the hospitality boxes. Peeked inside – fancy chairs, mini fridge. Felt kinda fancy!
- The Locker Room! Highlight for sure. Got to go into the away team’s locker room. Basic benches, hooks on the walls, smelled faintly of old sweat and cleaning stuff. Luis showed us the tiny shower area and where players might psych themselves up. Took loads of pics.
Luis kept pointing out little details – scratch marks on a tunnel wall from cleats, faded player signatures near the home dugout. That stuff makes the history feel real, you know?
Wrapping Up
The tour ended near the club museum entrance. Didn’t go in this time, but it looked small and packed with stuff through the glass doors. Ducking back out the way we came felt weirdly abrupt. Ended up sitting at a cafe across the street having a very expensive beer, just staring at the stadium walls. Took the slow way back to the station, no need to rush. Legs were tired!
Was it worth it? Totally. But man, plan the route beforehand! And wear comfy shoes – you walk a ton. Pay cash just in case. And go with the vibe, soak up the history. Seeing where those players actually stand… hits different than just watching on TV. Even bumped my head on a low beam in the tunnel – now that’s a proper football memory!