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Home / Type of trip / Active / 8 great family holidays for football fans

8 great family holidays for football fans

June 12, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 22 Comments

Football in the garden. Copyright Gretta Schifano

If you have football fan in the family (I have two) they may be keen to either play or watch football when you’re on your travels, or even to have some expert coaching. There are many hotels and resorts around the world offering football-themed breaks. Some places have incorporated football into their very design while others offer skills coaching for kids. Some of the coaching is free, some of it’s not and it’s a good idea to book before you go. Here are some of the best football-themed destinations – and if you’re going to be playing, remember to take your boots and kit!

La Manga Club, Spain

The luxurious La Manga Club resort in southern Spain has a football academy which is open to children between the ages of three and eighteen years old. The football centre at the club has first class facilities, including eight grass pitches. It has served as a training base for teams such as the English and Spanish national teams as well as Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid. There’s also a fantastic gym and indoor fitness pool at the resort. I stayed at La Manga Club for two weeks on a family summer holiday, and my son and his friend were delighted to spot some professional Spanish players who were staying there at the same time as us – check out my full review in my post What’s it like to stay at La Manga Club.

If you have a football fan in the family, it's great if they can still enjoy their passion while on holiday. From football courses for kids to stadium tours to watching matches, there are many ways to do this when you're travelling - click through for ideas and details.

Hilton at St. George’s Park

St. George’s Park in Staffordshire is the England Football Association’s National Football Centre, and it’s where the national teams train. When they’re here, the teams stay at the Hilton hotel on site, where you can also stay as a paying guest. We spent an enjoyable weekend there – our room was called the Kevin Keegan Suite. A highlight of our stay was a behind-the-scenes tour of the St. George’s park training facilities and pitches. You can read all about it here: Hilton at St. George’s Park review.

St. George's FA National Football Centre. Copyright Gretta Schifano

St. George’s FA National Football Centre. Copyright Gretta Schifanov

Verdura Resort, Sicily

The German national team trained at the beautiful Verdura resort before the 2010 World Cup. The luxury resort is on the Sicilian coast and is owned by Rocco Forte. Children aged five to sixteen years can take part in the Juventus FC Training Camp on the resort’s full-size football pitch. My son really enjoyed the coaching when we stayed at the resort for a couple of days when we visited Sicily on a family summer holiday – you can read my review here. Both of my kids say that Verdura is their favourite place that they’ve ever stayed, and my husband and I loved it there too.

Forte Village, Sardinia

Sardinia’s luxurious Forte Village resort is home to a Chelsea Football Club Soccer School. Children staying at the resort aged between four and fourteen years old can apply for a place at the soccer school during the summer season. There are specific courses at different times for goalkeepers, strikers, defenders and playmakers.

Amari Buriram United, Thailand

The Amari Buriram United claims to be the only football-themed hotel in Thailand. The hotel is in north east Thailand, right next to the home stadium of the local football team, Buriram United. The building is modelled on a sports stadium and most rooms look onto a central area with a mini football field and a swimming pool.

Amari Buriram United deluxe room. Image courtesy of Amari Buriram United

Amari Buriram United deluxe room. Image courtesy of Amari Buriram United

Hotel Football, England

Hotel Football has its own five-a-side pitch on the roof. It’s right next to Manchester’s Old Trafford Stadium and is co-owned by ex-Manchester United footballers Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. Apparently the plan is to open further Hotel Footballs (or should that be Hotels Football??) in other cities. I think that my son would definitely be keen to stay in an Arsenal one.

First Choice holiday villages

Kids staying at a First Choice Holiday Village can improve their football skills at the International Football Academy. The coaches are FA or UEFA qualified and run two, three or four-day courses with sessions lasting for two hours. The sessions are open to kids of all abilities between the ages of five and sixteen years old.

Butlins, England

Butlins offers free football coaching for kids staying at their three resorts at weekends and during school holidays. The coaches are FA qualified and the sessions take place in a dedicated football area.

Wembley. Copyright Gretta Schifano

My son loves football and I know that he’d love any of these places (although maybe not the one in Manchester as he supports a rival team), but they all look like they’re great destinations in their own right, even if you’re not a football fan. I’m not into football at all but I’ve been to an Arsenal football match with him and on tours of Wembley Stadium and the Amsterdam Arena and actually quite enjoyed it.

Do you have any football-themed destinations to add to the list?

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Related

Categories: Active, Where to stay
Tags: Football breaks, football holidays, football hotels, football World Cup

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  1. Malcolm @ Playmakers says

    October 10, 2019 at 12:31 pm

    Thank you for sharing the information. This would help me to make my child happy!

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      October 11, 2019 at 2:30 pm

      You’re very welcome!

      Reply
  2. Helen @ Witty Hoots says

    June 15, 2014 at 4:37 pm

    I’d love to visit some of these but must admit that I have no interest in football, so maybe a visit that is not in footie season!
    Helen @ Witty Hoots recently posted…Mock Chicken Korma with a KickMy Profile

    Reply
  3. Shell Louise says

    June 15, 2014 at 11:05 am

    I’m so happy that neither the husband or the son like football 🙂
    Shell Louise recently posted…Alphabet project – E is for EllaMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Fritha says

    June 14, 2014 at 8:03 pm

    I’m going to be a #worldcupwidow over the next little while so won’t show Tom these (although he would love it!) x
    Fritha recently posted…Sailing Boats in ParisMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Globalmouse says

    June 14, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    Love the sound of Hotel Football – what a crazy, cool place!!
    Globalmouse recently posted…Venice – in 24 hours (with children!)My Profile

    Reply
  6. Sarah Bailey says

    June 14, 2014 at 1:01 am

    I never knew there was so many places you could go to play football on holiday – I have to admit I don’t have many football fans in the family (which is probably a good thing as I don’t understand it lol) x
    Sarah Bailey recently posted…Father’s Day at Sainsbury’sMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Jenny says

    June 13, 2014 at 8:20 pm

    Football themed hotels sound amazing for football fans!
    Jenny recently posted…Win a copy of Reloved magazineMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Michelle says

    June 13, 2014 at 4:38 pm

    Wow – did not know you could go on football themed breaks! My son and hubs would love that…me probably not so much! The boy is downstairs watching the latest game, and I’m up here working – I’m happy with that situation!!!
    Michelle recently posted…House Renovation – Part Two: Kitchen InspirationMy Profile

    Reply
  9. PinkOddy says

    June 13, 2014 at 5:52 am

    We are off to Butlins today! Does this mean that the football sessions are going to be packed now.
    PinkOddy recently posted…Dressing Up Ideas for Imaginative Play #KidsCo-opMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      June 13, 2014 at 10:45 am

      It could do! Best get there early.

      Reply
  10. Jane @ northernmum says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:30 pm

    am not a fan (of football), but my husband would love all of these!
    Jane @ northernmum recently posted…The Al Fresco Diaries: The endMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Foz says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    I’m not into football myself but these looks great for football fans!
    Foz recently posted…Time to start thinking about nursery!My Profile

    Reply
  12. Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D) says

    June 12, 2014 at 6:58 pm

    I shall point my husband to these I am sure he will be interested.
    Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D) recently posted…Strawberry Yogurt Pops.My Profile

    Reply
  13. Cass@frugalfamily says

    June 12, 2014 at 6:38 pm

    Thanks for that – the Hotel Football sounds like somewhere my football mad lot would enjoy!
    Cass@frugalfamily recently posted…Thrifty Thursday – 15 Ways to save money in the kitchen….My Profile

    Reply
  14. Hannah Staveley says

    June 12, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    Looks very good , have to say not a fan of football .x

    Reply
  15. Angela Spicer says

    June 12, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    I didn’t know themed hotels for football existed. I’m not that heavily into the sport though.
    Angela Spicer recently posted…Pig Goes PopMy Profile

    Reply
  16. Lisa Prince (@BEAUTY_IIAO) says

    June 12, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    we are not much of a football fan family but i do think it is good that there are things like this available x

    Reply
  17. S J Thurley says

    June 12, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    My hubby would love this, hes totally outnumbered in our house so might pack him off on his own for a week xxx

    Reply
  18. Zena's Suitcase says

    June 12, 2014 at 11:29 am

    Wow, I didn’t realise there were such thing as football themed hotels. Great post for the World Cup!
    Zena’s Suitcase recently posted…The Breastfeeding Diaries: Dealing with VisitorsMy Profile

    Reply
  19. you baby me mummy says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:46 am

    My hubby would love all of these, me less so! 🙂 didn’t know Butlins offered free coaching though x
    you baby me mummy recently posted…Gratitude List #1My Profile

    Reply
  20. Polly says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:11 am

    I’m most definitely not a football fan, but sure my husband would appreciate these!

    Reply

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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