Sport makes up such a huge part of our lives. Whether you like football (soccer to you Americans, sorry, I’m a British writer!), basketball, athletics, motor racing, or some other sport, supporting a sports team is a passion that millions of people around the world share. Great sporting cities are some of the best places to visit on holiday. Iconic stadiums, great atmospheres, and of course the added bonus of being able to see a live sporting event. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best cities to visit for sports fans in the world.
Best Cities to Visit for Sports Fans
Monte Carlo, Monaco
For fans of motor racing, it doesn’t get more iconic than the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. Held every year around the streets of the principality, the Monaco Grand Prix is perhaps the most luxurious sports event in the world. Multi-million dollar superyachts fill the harbor. World-famous casinos are filled to the rafters with punters. Every inch of hill, pavement, and grandstand is packed with race fans. Each paying a premium to see one of the sport’s most iconic sights. The event takes place in May every year and fans can book hotel packages along with their race tickets. Prices are steep but general access tickets are more affordable. If you arrive in Monaco on Wednesday or earlier, you can even walk the track before the action starts on Thursday. The racetrack winds around the streets of Monte Carlo and can be walked in a couple of hours.
Barcelona, Spain
Arguably the most successful football (soccer) team in the world, FC Barcelona is home to global superstars including Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique. Other iconic players such as Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho, and Xavi having graced the Camp Nou with their presence over the years. Barcelona is without a doubt one of the best places to visit for sports fans. If you’re in the city for a few days visit the stadium on a guided tour. Take in some of the trophies that the club has won over the years. Then experience the changing rooms, tunnel, and pitch utilized by some of the best players in the world. If you manage to get tickets to a match then you’re in for a treat. The entire city comes alive on match day. Public transport, bars, and restaurants will be heaving. Afterward, if Barca wins expect parties to last long into the night.
Tokyo, Japan
Japan is probably the best place outside of the United States to watch baseball. Tokyo is home to two teams – the Yomiuri Giants and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. An avid baseball fan is sure to enjoy watching the sport in a different setting. If that isn’t enough, there’s plenty more sport to enjoy in the city. For example, Sumo wrestling is renowned around the world. It’s a fabulous travel experience to watch a sumo match in the Japanese capital. Two wrestlers weighing 450 pounds will try to push each other out of a ring whilst the crowd cheers them on with enthusiasm. If this isn’t enough, the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games will take place in Tokyo in 2021.
London, UK
The English Premier League is the most famous football (soccer) league in the world. In fact, many of its top clubs are from the capital, London. Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Fulham are just some of the big clubs to be found in the city, with stadiums dotted across the city, each with an array of vociferous support that appears as if by magic on match day. As a result, crowds throng the streets and pubs are full to the rafters. The England national team plays their matches at Wembley Stadium, which is also used for boxing, American football, and more. London also hosted the Olympic Games in 2012, with venues such as the Velodrome still in use today. With such a vast array on offer, there is no doubt that London is one of the best cities to visit for sports in the whole world.
Boston, USA
The USA has many successful sporting cities, but Boston just about comes out on top. The Boston Bruins ice hockey team is one of the most successful in the country, whilst the Boston Celtics basketball team has won the NBA title an impressive 17 times, the first coming all the way back in 1957. Similarly, the New England Patriots are one of the most well-known and successful American football teams in existence. And who can forget the Boston Red Sox and historical Fenway Park? Known for its imposing left-field wall nicknamed the “Green Monster,” Beantown finally broke the “Curse of the Bambino” winning the World Series trophy in 2004. With this impressive sporting pedigree, it is little surprise that Boston makes it onto our list of the best places to visit for sports fans.
Best Cities to Visit for Sports Fans Recap
All in all, the locations mentioned in this article are great places to visit in their own right. London has a wealth of history and iconic landmarks on offer, Barcelona features great beaches and the works of Gaudi, whilst Monte Carlo has long been a playground of the rich and famous. But when their sporting pedigrees are added into the mix, these cities all come into their own. If you are able to get tickets for some of the iconic events hosted in these destinations then they are sure to enhance your trip.