The Champions League Final will take place in Kiev on 26 May. It is the first time it will be held in the Ukraine and the second time it is hosted by an Eastern European country, after the 2008 final in Moscow.

Ukraine is not a touristy country and not many people know it well, so this event will give us the chance to learn a bit more about its history and discover the sights in the capital (there are quite a few!). We would like to propose a weekend break in Kiev, a city full of monuments, markets, churches, and, of course, football!

Along with Madrid, Milan is the city with the most European cups and Champions League trophies. While Madrid’s ten trophies are held by the competition’s overall master, Real Madrid, in Milan the spoils are divided between the two continental greats – AC Milan (with seven trophies) and Inter Milan (with three). The balance will of course tip in favour of the Madrilenians on 28 May, but the hottest question right now is whether Atlético Madrid is capable of finally ending its run of bad luck and conquering the greatest of finals to be crowned emperor of football on the continent. We’ll know the answer in a few days’ time.

At My Vueling City, we know only too well that the king of sports moves masses, and that hordes of people will be descending on Milan to witness one of the greatest spectacles in the world. We are aware that fans will be going on a lightning visit which, in many cases, will be less than 24 hours. No problem, as Milan has a lot to offer. Following are some tips for making the most out of this getaway. The idea is you get to see something more than the area surrounding San Siro, the stadium hosting the final.

Lightning Visit

San Siro stadium is quite far from the city centre, but it is well connected. You can get there easily by taking buses 95, 49 or 72. Tram no. 24 also has a stop there. But, the metro is clearly the fastest way of reaching the stadium – the recently unveiled Line 5 goes there direct. Curiously, the two great local soccer clubs share the stadium and, when it is Inter Milan’s turn to do so, it changes its name to Giuseppe Meazza. During the soccer season, both teams play there on alternate Sundays. On the day of the final, there are unlikely to be any guided tours but, if you visit the stadium any other time, we can recommend two. Both include a tour of the stadium, built in 1920, and visits to the players’ changerooms and to the AC Milan and Inter Milan Museum.

For those of you who will only be around for a few hours, we can recommend a walk through the inner city to give you a taste of the capital of Lombardy. Start with a stroll down the Corso Buenos Aires. This broad avenue is the backbone of the shopping district. Be sure to stop off at the Torrefazione Caffè Ernani, at Corso Buenos Aires 20. A visit to the café is essential if you want to perk up fully after the trip. They serve their own coffee, ground and roasted on the premises. Their espresso is highly aromatic and the best thing of all is the price – just one euro. Continuing down the avenue towards the centre, you will go through the Porta Venezia gateway, a sign you are entering the city’s historic centre. On the right (to the north) you will see a stunning park, the Indro Montanelli Gardens, a green lung which is ideal for having a picnic or for going for a run. Inside the park stands the impressive Villa Comunale, which currently houses the Natural History Museum. Further along what has now turned into the Corso Venezia, the avenue is lined with the storefronts of such exclusive brands as Dolce & Gabbana (which features a barber’s shop) and Vivienne Westwood. After crossing the Piazza San Babila, we recommend heading straight along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II where big brand stores have taken over the street level. Here, the tall buildings house a number of shopping malls or galleries. The street eventually leads into the Piazza del Duomo, presided over by Milan Cathedral or Duomo di Milano with its characteristic spires. This formidable construction built of pink Candoglia marble rivets the attention of most tourists who flock to the square. Another building well worth visiting is the Museo del Novecento as it affords the best views of the Cathedral. We realise that time is at a premium and that trippers will have their mind on nothing but a ball and 22 players. However, with a view to going back to Milan at a later date, we recommend you visit the museum as it features works by some of the leading artists of the early European avant-garde, notably De Chirico, Fontana and Marinetti. Lastly, take a stroll in the Quadrilatero d’Oro, undisputed as the most acclaimed shopping precinct in the world. The “Golden Quadrilateral” with its cobbled streets roofed with translucent barrel-vaulting leaves sightseers open-mouthed.

This route will surely have whet your appetite to see more of the city, but football is football and you probably don’t have much more leeway if you’ve come specifically to see the final. Further posts about Milan will follow soon, so keep your eye on the blog. If you fancy seeing the city for yourself, check out our flights here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS, John Seb Barber, Jose Luis Hidalgo

Turin has two football teams – Torino FC, and the more famous Juventus FC. Most Turinese are Torino FC fans, despite the fact that Juventus is far better known around the world. Witnessing either of them playing a home match is quite an experience. But, let’s focus on the latter, as it has now regained its place among the finest teams and because it’s playing style is dazzling.

The Juve or Vecchia Signora – “Old Lady”, as it is known among the Turinese, shuns the customary dictates of the catenaccio – the typically Italian, ironclad defensive system – instead engaging in a more flashy, attacking play more in keeping with Dutch or English football teams.

The 80s – Italy Sparkles; Turin Sets the Play

Juventus lived out its golden age in the nineteen eighties, when its lineup featured such figures as Michel Platini, who was awarded three Ballon d’Or in a row and captained his French national team to its first European title win in the 1984 European Cup. But, Platini was not the only major figure in that prodigious team. Also playing in that squadra were the likes of Stefano Tacconi, Cesare Prandelli, Zbigniew Boniek, Massimo Bonini, Gaetano Scirea, Sergio Brio and Antonio Cabrini. And, that in itself was nothing! Indeed, that squad of soccer wizards achieved what no other team had managed before – they won all possible international titles in a single year. In the 1985–1986 season, they lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup (against Oporto), the UEFA Super Cup (against Liverpool), the UEFA Champions League – then known as the European Cup – (also against Liverpool) and the Intercontinental Cup (against Argentinos Juniors), a feat that has only since been equalled by the Guardiola-era FC Barcelona. Italian football was then at the pinnacle, way ahead of the rest. On a national level, its team had won the World Cup at Spain ‘82 while, on a club level, with Juventus and, later, AC Milan, the Calcio’s hegemony of Europe lasted until well into the following decade. In those days of slick football, Italy was on the lips of everyone. The boot-shaped country became the favourite European holiday destination; its fashion, led by such brands as Versace, began to set global trends, while even its music, in the form of Italo-disco, crowded out the first positions on continental hit parades.

Tears, and Some Joy

The distinction of being the club that has lost most Champions League finals earns it a special place in our heart. While the eighties saw it rolling in celebrations and titles, the nineties were more of a torment. It wasn’t until eleven years later that the Bianconeri managed to win Europe’s major football competition, and that was after a penalty shoot-out against Ajax; but, it was all misery thereafter. They lost three finals in the space of seven years – against Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and AC Milan – while their supremacy in Europe fizzled out. That is, until this season, when they are again peerless Italian league leaders – they are more than ten points clear of the second placed team – and have once again classified for a Champions League semi-final, something they hadn’t achieved since 2003. What is this success down to? A combination of veterans –Buffon, Tévez, Pirlo– and new talent –Morata, Fereyra, Pogba. But, part of the reason lies with their coach, Massimiliano Allegri, who in his first season has set a seal of versatility on a team capable of attacking and defending at will.

The City of “Le Zebre”

Turin is a city that effectively revolves around its most international football team. The Calcio is still the favourite topic of conversation at any of its markets, cafés and restaurants. But, where you breathe the purest footballing atmosphere is of course at the Juventus Stadium. Located at 50 Corso Gaetano Scirea, this spectacular colosseum designed by the architect, Gino Zavanella, was unveiled in 2011 to replace the historical Stadio delle Alpi.

The stadium houses the J Museum, one of the most important soccer museums in the world. It was inaugurated on 16 May 2012 and comprises several rooms exhibiting trophies awarded to the club, as well as jerseys worn by the leading footballers in Juve’s history, and interactive areas full of historical photos of the Turinese club.

The area surrounding the stadium is traversed by a Walk of Fame featuring the names of the fifty most famous players inBianconerohistory, as elected by Juventus fans via the club’s website. Among the most illustrious names we find historical figures of world football such as Roberto Baggio, Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini, David Trezeguet, Alessio Tacchinardi, Dino Zoff, Alessando Del Piero and Pavel Nedvěd.

Come and discover one of the cities with the greatest footballing spirit on the planet. Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Juventus FC, forzaq8

By Panenka www.panenka.org

Panenka, a soccer magazine anyone can read, transports us to other countries through their passion for the sport. This time they take us to the Portuguese capital where they show us their perfect eleven, both for those places related to the football game and for those touristic places.

Sports Eleven

1 Sintra A young and wealthy José Alvalade met football in the festivities of this city. On his return to Lisbon, he decided to found a football club.

2 Estádio Nacional do Portugal Headquarters of the final of Taça, hosted the first game in the history of the European Cup: Sporting-Partizan.

3 Estádio José Gomes The home of Estrela da Amadora, a football club that was founded looking at the sky is in the district of Reboleira, in Amadora.

4 Estádio Francisco Lazaro The oldest club in the city is Futebol Clube Benfica also known as “Fofó”, nothing to do with SL Benfica.

5 Estádio do Restelo One of the greatest prides of Belém is Os Belenses and its premises, from where you can see the river Tagus.

6 Estádio da Luz Renovated in 2003, the stadium of Benfica will host the Champions League final in 2014. The statue of Eusebio will greet the winner.

7 Franco Farmácia In the back room of this pharmacy in Belém, Benfica was founded and was given the red color and the eagle as a symbol.

8 Império Pavilhão Bonança Benfica basketball and hockey teams have their court here, along with Da Luz,

9 Estádio da Tapadinha In the district of Alcântara stands Atletico Clube de Portugal, former League champion and now in Second Division.

10 Estádio José Alvalade Also remodeled in 2003 for the Euro Cup. In the first match `played here, Sporting da Liboa vs. Manchester United, Ferguson fell in love with Cristiano.

Clube Naval de Lisboa 11 Founded in 1892 on the banks of River Tagus, is the best association to practice water sports in the city.

Tourism Eleven

A Torre de Belém Built in 1515 and World Heritage Site, is the first lighthouse the ships coming from America see.

B Pastéis de Belém In the bakery of the same name they sell these famous sweets of cream with a secret recipe for over 200 years.

C Monumento a los Descubrimientos A 52 meter long monument to commemorate the discoverer of Madeira, Azores and Cabo Verde.

D A Brasileira A meeting point for cultural Libon between Chiado and Bairro Alto. A statue of Fernando Pessoa included.

E Elevador de Santa Justa To link the districts of Baixa and Chiado Pombalina rises this amazing elevator building.

F Praça do Comércio It is the most important square in the city, former home for the Royal Palace, destroyed by an earthquake in 1755.

G Praça Dom Pedro IV – Known as the Rossio Square, this is the lively and noisys place in the city. Perfect for eating or extending the night.

H Catedral de Lisboa Also kown as “S锑, the oldest building in the city. Dates from S. XII and has a strong Romanic style.

I Museo del Fado In the district of Alfama, the Portuguese style reference, Fado, was born. Amalia Rodrigues sang Fado as anyone.

J Oceanário de Lisboa It is the second of these characteristics in Europe, with over 450 different aquatic species.

K Puente Vasco da Gama Above River Tagus, its 17 km. make it the longest in Europe. The best postcard of Lisbon.

BY Panenka www.panenka.org

Illustration by Pep Boatella / @pepboatella

Why not take a trip to Lisboa? Have a look at our flights here!