Score with a city break

As Jo Caruana discovers, a quick trip away to watch your favourite team or a big match can prove to be the perfect escape in gorgeous cities throughout Europe.

Football – or any sport really – can make great travel inspiration, and there’s nothing quite as exciting as watching your team in action.

Experience everything from the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand to the players’ dressing room

Making that happen isn’t as complicated as you may think. If you can, get hold of tickets (try the official supporters’ clubs in Malta, all the big Italian and English football teams have one), and then use that as the excuse to visit the city in question for a day, weekend or even more.

With that in mind, we’ve put together quick, football-focused guides for three major football cities. Now all you need is your team scarf and you’re good to go.

Milan

AC Milan is a fantastic team to watch in action, while Milan has plenty to offer as a holiday destination – from great shopping to incredible nightlife. With daily low-cost Ryanair flights to the city available from March 31, you could even fly in just for one night to watch a Sunday evening game before the season ends, but we suggest you enjoy Italy’s fashion capital for a little bit longer than that.

You’ll end up at the San Siro Stadium, which is home to both AC Milan and Inter Milan. It opened in 1926 and can now accommodate 85,000 visitors, ensuring there’s a fantastic atmosphere here every game.

San Siro, the area surrounding the stadium, is actually pretty quiet and largely residential. There are a couple of hotels in the area, including Hotel Mélia Milano and Hotel Amendola Fiera, which are ideal if you want to be extremely close to the action, but there isn’t much else to do nearby and it can seem a little dead if there isn’t a game on that day.

For that reason we wouldn’t recommend staying close by, but in the centre – especially as it is so easy to reach the stadium by metro.

In the city itself there is a never-ending array of things to do. The most popular spots for eating and drinking are around Piazza Duomo, such as Caffe Miani and Bar Duomo.

Alternatively, Navigli in the south and Brera in the north are great for a quiet drink, while Corso Como is where the city’s crowd heads to spend its time – and money – on designer shopping and top-quality dining.

Manchester

Arguably the most important football city in the UK, the beautiful game is very much a way of life in Manchester. Home to the world-famous Manchester United as well as reigning champions Manchester city, you’ll definitely be among friends if you decide to head over for a visit.

Air Malta and Easyjet both fly regularly to the city from Malta, so the ball’s in your court, whether you’re planning a flying visit or something a little longer. You could also book Friday/Sunday flights to nearby Liverpool with Ryanair from March 31. Once in Manchester, Etihad Stadium, the home of Manchester City Football Club, may be top of your list to visit, and you can take a 90-minute tour that will give you a fascinating peek behind the scenes of the 2012 Premier League champions, and so much more.

Meanwhile, if it’s the Manchester United stadium you want, you can head to Old Trafford to take the Theatre of Dreams Stadium Tour and experience everything from the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand to the players’ dressing room.

Back in central Manchester, the recentlyopened National Football Museum is another must. It is open seven days a week and free to enter, and highlights include the ball from the 1966 World Cup final, Diego Maradona’s famous Hand of God shirt, and even the game’s very first hand-written rule book.

Of course Manchester has plenty to offer other than football, such as world-class culture, top restaurants and great shopping. If you want to get to know the city as a whole, it makes sense to base yourself in the centre, at a hotel like the Novatel or Ibis.

Nearby you’ll be able to enjoy culture and heritage at the Bridgewater Hall or Museum of Science and Industry, as well as sample Michelin-star cuisine at the Michael Caines at Abode Restaurant near Piccadilly Station.

Madrid

The home of Real Madrid promises very special experiences to anyone who visits the club.

A game here will catapult you into the presence of great players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and Iker Casillas, while the beautiful Bernabeu stadium is sure to be a highlight of your trip too.

A holiday to Madrid really does make for a great short getaway, especially as there are low-cost flights to the destination twice a week – on Tuesdays and Saturdays with Ryanair, with a Thursday flight also available from April 4. As most games are played here on Saturdays and Sundays, that works out quite well.

The Bernabeu stadium is definitely going to be top of your must-see sights in the city, and the behind-the-scenes tour is always memorable.

It will give you the time to appreciate the magnitude of the stadium from one of the eight glass elevators that surround it and you’ll also be able to visit the trophy room to read up on the club’s success story while watching loads of footage from key matches in its history.

Once again, it makes sense to stay in the centre of the city regardless of how much time you plan to spend at the stadium – especially as Estadio Santiago is located on the Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid’s principal avenues.

Highlights nearby will doubtlessly include Retiro Parc, a stunning open space ideal for soaking up the sunshine, and Gran Via, the main street, which is world-renowned for its art deco buildings, beautiful shops and even the Capitol Cinema and Bingo Hall.

Staying around here can be expensive, but we recommend the AC Hotel Aitana and Rafaelhoteles Orense for their style and service.

As for spots to eat and drink, little beats the atmosphere of Madrid’s marketplace, the Mercado San Miguel, for tapas and beer.