During the days we must stay at home without matches to watch, let us start an online-travel to go into the most beautiful stadiums in the world and their attractive cities. Our 6th station is Old Trafford & Etihad Stadium, and their beautiful city Manchester.
Old Trafford Tour
Old Trafford is a 76,000-seater stadium that was once hailed as the top stadium in English Football but has remained relatively unchanged the past decade.
Old Trafford officially opened on 19 February 1910 with a match between Manchester and Liverpool (3-4). The stadium at that time consisted of one covered seating stand and open terraces on the other three sides. Capacity was slightly over 80,000.
In 2011, the stadium's North Stand got renamed Sir Alex Ferguson Stand in honour of the club's long-time manager.
The Red Devils announced in August 2019 upgrades to the venerable grounds that will include an "atmosphere section" for up to 1,200 spectators in the Stretford End first tier that will also include upgraded food and beverage options and more kiosks.
There also be upgrades to the VIP and several hospitality suites along with additional wheelchair and amenity suites across all four quadrants of the stadium.
Today Old Trafford is known by its nickname given to it by arguably its greatest star Bobby Charlton. Bobby called it the "Theatre of Dreams" a name which has stuck.
Outside of the stadium includes statues and sculptures that add vibrancy to the complex. The United Trinity, a statue of Manchester United's 'holy trinity' of George Best, Denis Law, and Bobby Charlton.
Old Trafford remains one of Manchester's top attractions, and offers daily guided tours around the grounds. You can end your visit with a trip to the stadium's own Manchester United Museum, to learn even more about the fascinating history of this enduring club.
Stroll through the museum to see memorabilia and artifacts that the club has collected over time. Through historical displays and state-of-the-art interactive exhibits, learn the history and legends behind the club that has united millions of fans worldwide.
Come and sit in the managers seat in the dugout, get a peek inside the players' locker room and walk through the tunnel, emerging onto the field as you imagine the roars of 76,000 fans in your ears.
Etihad Stadium Tour
Etihad Stadium, also known as Eastlands, was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Following the games, the stadium was converted into a football stadium as to provide Manchester City with a modern replacement for Maine Road.
The club moved into Etihad Stadium at the start of the 2003-04 season.
Manchester City announced in 2011 a sponsorship deal with Etihad Airways. The stadium was renamed to Etihad Stadium for the next 10 years.
The capacity of the stadium is now 55,097 and features a toroidal-shaped roof that is held together by a tension system. The roof of the stadium runs all around the stadium and is lower behind both ends, giving it a spectacular view.
Etihad Stadium is the centerpiece of Etihad Campus that also includes the Academy Stadium, team world headquarters, an indoor pitch, and the academy building that is linked with the with the main football stadium by a 60-meter pedestrian bridge.
Since moving to the Etihad Stadium, the average attendances have been in the top five in England. Fans are loyal towards the Sky Blues and the supporter groups are known to sing and chant throughout the 90 minutes of football.
Listen City fans' chant!
Etihad stadium tour is one of the most immersive tour experiences in football. Using the latest technology, dreams come true as you sit and interact with Pep Guardiola in the press room.
Feel totally immersed in the City Story via our new 360 degree cinema experience and be wowed by the stunning audio-visual experience in the First Team changing room.
Each area will be brought to life with interesting stories, facts and anecdotes.
Feel what it’s like to walk down the famous glass players tunnel, out onto the pitch
Go Pitch-side and get a Pep’s-eye view of the stadium from the dug-outs
Tour will finish in the City Store, where visitors who have taken this Stadium Tour can enjoy a 10% discount on purchases.
This is more than a stadium tour, this unique experience brings the magic of City to life!
Manchester Tour
As the commercial and cultural capital of Lancashire, Manchester is a celebrated center for the arts, media, and higher education.
Together with Salford and eight other municipalities, it forms the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, in which some three million people now live.
Want to catch this city at its coolest? These are the very attractive things in Manchester.
National Football Museum
Anyone with an interest in football should make a beeline to the National Football Museum, situated inside the dramatic glass building previously known as Urbis.
Find out more about your favourite sport, including an extensive look at the last time England won the World Cup, and take the chance to refine your own football skills.
John Ryland’s Library
Lovers of both books and architecture will delight in one of Manchester’s most beloved buildings.
This Neo-Gothic structure is filled with one of the most extensive collections of literature in the entire country, but it’s not just for academics. Spend a few hours getting lost in its many rooms, staircases and corridors to fully appreciate the attention to detail of the building.
Manchester Town Hall
Another impressive example of Neo-Gothic architecture, if you only have time to admire one building in the city, make it Manchester’s Town Hall.
The ornate ceilings, mural paintings, iconic bee mosaics and instantly recognisable clock tower make this one of the best examples of architecture from this time period in the whole of the UK.
Manchester Art Gallery
The city centre’s free-entry gallery often plays host to exciting exhibitions from world-renowned artists such as Joana Vasconcelos. Its permanent collections include an impressive array of costume, oil paintings and decorative arts, making this the perfect destination for whiling away several hours and getting inspired.
University of Manchester
Manchester's educational precinct, encompassing the University of Manchester (1851), includes a variety of institutes and halls of residence.
The university can claim three Nobel prizewinners: Ernest Rutherford (1871-1939); physician James Chadwick; and Sir John Cockcroft (1897-1967).
Housed in the university, the Whitworth Art Gallery is famous for its collections of British watercolors, drawings, prints, modern art, and sculpture, along with the largest textile and wallpaper collections outside London.