Guided Tour of Wembley Stadium

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With football season on a break until August here, it's understandable some people may be a bit nostalgic already. Oh well, the good news is that now is a perfect time for paying a visit to the majestic Wembley Stadium .

Actually, the word 'majestic' doesn't do justice when we talk about this temple of football.



The "new" Wembley was finished in 2007, replacing the "old" legendary Wembley which was demolished in 2003.

With capacity for 90,000 seats spread over three tiers, the most famous football pitch is annually the stage for FA Cup finals, important friendly international matches and of course, it's the home of the England squad.



When there is no football on, Wembley also holds music concerts and special events such as the 2012 Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies, of course.

Anybody interesting in football (or not) should visit the stadium because it's one of the most famous tourist attractions of London and possibly the world.

The guided tour of Wembley costs £19 (adults), £11 (children –child under 5 –free) and it takes only 30 minutes to visit the from top to bottom.

It starts outside with the stunning view of the stadium and its iconic arch, besides the statue of Bobby Moore.



Actually, this legendary footballer is considered one of the best defenders of world class football and he is also a member of the world team of the 20th century. Nobody could better represent the sport in England.

Much more history was waiting for us inside the stadium because Wembley is enormous. Literally gigantic, in facts and figures.



It was quite funny when the tour guide, a very sympathetic Liverpool fan, warned me that "Brazil can have 5 World Cups but Wembley has 2.618 toilets. Beat that". It's really an impressive number.

I was quite impressed with the quantity of hair dryers available in the facilities too. It's not by chance that most footballers nowadays have a bit of metrosexual appeal. The changing rooms look more like spa rooms. They're comfortable and modern as anyone could imagine.



The English squad and any team invited to play at Wembley has a royal treatment indeed leaving no excuses for a bad performance on the pitch.

From the toilets to the conference room and the changing rooms, everything in Wembley is in large proportions.

But it's just when you take a seat in the empty stadium that it's possible to realise how impressive this temple of football is. Wembley has a circumference of 1km. It's a lot of rows to walk around.

Unfortunately, the grass in the pitch was being replaced because there was a U2 concert that week and the pitch was damaged. Gutted!



Sitting comfortably on Wembley seats for a few minutes, it was time to be educated about the history of Wembley itself. It's a moment to contemplate this gigantic piece of engineering with particularities such as the design of the sliding roof.



But the best moment of the tour is yet to come when you get closer to the FA Cup itself. It's possible to take a photo next to the iconic piece that represents the oldest football tournament in the world. It's certainly a great moment for any fan of the sport.



Besides the facilities already mentioned, the stadium has 34 bars, 8 restaurants and 688 food and drink service points. It's impossible not feel like making the most of it. And the souvenir shop is also a must see stop. Children will not resist it.

The tour of Wembley is certainly a unique experience and it should be on the bucket list of people visiting London.

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