Bilbao: As fans jetted off to the Spanish city for the Europea League final - these are Europe's top cities for a football break

Football fans may have jetted off to Bilbao ahead for the Europa league final, but it’s another Spanish city that has been named the best football city break. New research has revealed the best cities to visit as a football fan this summer, ranking cities on team quality, local attractions, hotel options, weather and more.

1. Madrid, Spain - 8.59 football city break score

The best city for a football break is the Spanish capital, home to Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, with a score of 8.59 out of 10. Madrid ranks highly for its number of restaurants, attractions, and Google searches for tickets.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are two of the most successful teams in Spain and Europe, with the second-highest average UEFA coefficient and the second-highest number of trophies. Real Madrid have also won more UEFA Champions Leagues than any other team, with 15 in their history, more than double any other club.

2. Milan/Lisbon - 7.96 football city break score

Milan and Lisbon share second place, with a football city break score of 7.96 out of 10. Both cities are home to two successful teams, with Milan sharing Inter and AC Milan and Lisbon sharing Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

Milan

Inter Milan and AC Milan share one of the most iconic stadiums in the world, the San Siro. Its iconic status comes from its design, history, and cultural significance, viewed on the same pedestal as the Duomo Cathedral. The San Siro was previously going to be demolished to make way for a new stadium. However, a local heritage commission deemed the stadium to have ‘cultural interest’, which has since prevented any plans to tear it down. Sharing 99 trophies between the two sides, including 10 UEFA Champions Leagues/European Cups and 39 Serie A titles, Milan ranks highly for its number of trophies and UEFA Coefficient.

Lisbon

Lisbon’s high score is due to its warm weather, number of restaurants and hotels, and the stadium’s close proximity to the airport. The clubs based in Lisbon are also very successful, earning 134 trophies in their respective histories, with Benfica earning 83 trophies and Sporting Lisbon winning 51. Although the Portuguese league isn’t considered to be one of the top five leagues in Europe, both clubs are known for their academies and player development, with several top players starting or breaking out at these clubs. Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafel Leao, and Luis Figo all began their careers at Sporting Lisbon, whilst Ederson, Angel Di Maria, and Ruben Dias their youth at Benfica.

Rome, Italy - 7.71 football city break score

In fourth place is Rome, with a football city break score of 7.71 out of 10. Rome is home to two of Serie A’s top teams, Roma and Lazio. The Derby della Capitale is one of the fiercest rivalries in the world, stemming from location and historical social differences within the city. Both teams also share a stadium, the Stadio Olimpico, which seats over 70,000 supporters. Further intensifying the rivalry between these two clubs is the fact that they’ve won the same number of trophies, winning 17 each.

Rome ranks highly for its restaurants, attractions rated three out of five stars, hotels, weather, and UEFA coefficient. It’s also a desirable place for football fans, with more than 100,000 searches for tickets. The only downside to Rome is that its football stadiums are far away from the airport. The Stadio Olimpico is 47 km away from the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, and it takes almost 40 minutes to get there.