Key facts
| Address | Visnezade Mah., Dolmabahce Cad., Besiktas/Istanbul, Turkey |
| Postcode | 34357 |
| Capacity | 41,188 seats |
| Club | Besiktas J.K. |
| Build Date | 11 April 2016 |
| Architect | Bunyamin Derman, Metin Demir |
| Average Attendance | 29,872 (Season 2018/19) |
| Record Attendance | 39,623 (20 April 2017, Besiktas – Lyon) |
| Stadium Cost | £98 million |
| Roof | Lightweight cable roof |
| Who is the owner of Vodafone Park? | Besiktas J.K. |
| Pitch Size | 105 m by 68 m |
| Where is Vodafone Park located? | 41°02′21.14″N 28°59′41.07″E |
| Nickname | Eagle’s Nest (Kartal Yuvası), Vodafone Arena |
| Surface | Hybrid grass |
Seating plan
The Inonu Stadium was the name of the venue which was home of Besiktas for decades. It all started in 1947 when the old venue opened its doors. In 2013, the İnonu Stadium was dismantled, and Vodafone Arena was built instead. This marvellous ground features 144 executive suites, VIP parking, ultra-modern digital displays, mobile centre, premium-class restaurants, high-speed Wi-Fi, and so much more.
Vodafone Park has an elliptical form. Unlike its predecessor, it has no tartan track inside the stadium. However, the new arena’s design repeats the idea of perfect symmetry of the old venue by extending the main arc between the two old towers throughout the structure.
The West and East stands are the longside stands of the Eagle’s Nest. Correspondingly, the South and North stands are located behind the goals. The categories of seats include the following:
- Executive suites;
- 1903 Lounge;
- VIP seats – the lower centre of the West tribune;
- Cat 1 seats – lower tiers of the East and the West tribune;
- Cat 2 seats – upper tiers of the East and the West stands;
- Cat 3 seats – the North and South stand seats.
In 2015, the venue received the Environmentally Friendly Award. The stadium is also used as an entertainment and fashion centre. Numerous concerts, performances, and fashion shows take place there on non-matchdays. Vodafone Park is an important hub of activity in a vibrant and modern city of Istanbul. On August 14, 2019, it hosted the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.
Tickets
Vodafone Park is a spectacular venue. Undoubtedly, you’ll have a great pleasure being present at the match on this marvellous ground. Ticket Compare can help you to purchase tickets to any event taking place there. You don’t even have to be in Turkey to get those valuable tickets. Thus, it is a perfect timesaving solution which is available to every football fan in the world.
If you want to buy tickets in some other ways, consider the following options:
- The official website of Besiktas;
- Ticket office near the stadium.
The cheapest tickets for the ordinary Turkish Super League game cost about £8-9, while the Category 1 tickets cost £16-24. The ticket prices depend on the type of competition and game status.
Hotels near
The wonderful football ground which is known as Vodafone Arena is located about 5 miles away from the Old City in Istanbul. Both the stadium area and the Old City area have tons of accommodations for the travellers. Below you’ll see some recommendations.
Cheapest offers
- Linden Houses – is around a 15-minute walk away from the Eagle’s Nest in Istanbul. Furthermore, the city’s major attractions, such as Taksim Square and Dolmabahce Palace are also within walking distance. You can stay as cheap as £30 per night there.
- Newway Apartments – is a wonderful choice for a big family or a group of travellers. The studio can be rented only for £36, while the larger apartment with two bedrooms costs £49. It is approximately a 12-minute walk from the ground of Besiktas.
- Park By Clover – is a fabulous accommodation in the heart of Istanbul. It’s located a mile away from the sports ground. A nice bar, private parking, proximity to metro and bus stations are among its good features. The price is £46 per night including a continental breakfast.
- Besiktas Hotel – can be found in the heart of the city centre, 15 minutes walking from Vodafone Park. The rooms for £52 have many great facilities including a fridge, a minibar, air-con, and so on. Breakfast is included as well.
Highest-rated
- Away Hotel – is 15 mins’ walk from the incredible ground of Besiktas. It features soundproof large and clean rooms with many great amenities. The hotel has a few £54 – rooms at the basement level. The comfort rooms cost £77.
- The St. Regis Istanbul – is located near numerous restaurants and bus stops in a very lovely neighbourhood. It’s less than 1 mile away from Vodafone Arena. This premium-class hotel is ready to welcome you for £291 per night.
- Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul – is literally a 5-minute walk to the football venue. If you can afford to pay £232 per night, you’ll have a wonderful experience there. Some of the rooms and suites have amazing Bosporus view, while the others feature lovely garden views.
- Park Hyatt Istanbul – Macka Palas – is another extraordinary hotel with the large and luxurious rooms starting at £182. Everything including the location is perfect about this place. It’s also less than 1 mile away from the stadium of Besiktas.
How to get to
Istanbul has a lot of transport options. The football ground of Besiktas has a very convenient location in terms of transport hubs. One of them is Taksim Square, which is the busiest metro station in Istanbul. It is located less than a mile away from the stadium, and it’s a pleasant area to have a short walk.
By Metro – line 2 (green line) of the Istanbulian metro connects Taksim Square with multiple locations within the European part of the city. The transit complex is also served by the Kabatas-Taksim Funicular line (F1).
By Bus – multiple bus stops can be found within walking distance from Vodafone Arena. Among them are the stops of the bus lines 70KE, 28, 30A, DT1, 32T, 36T, 62, 89C, 92T, and so much more. Use Google maps to find the most convenient bus routes, considering your current location and the traffic jams.
By Ferry – if you are going to the football stadium from the Asian side of the city, you can take the boat starting at Uskudar and arriving at Kabatas. Dentur and Mavi Marmara serve it. The boats go every 15 minutes, and the Bosphorus trip takes 20 minutes.
By Car – if you plan to explore Istanbul behind the wheel, sat-nav will be extremely helpful. Use the stadium’s address to get there: Visnezade Mah., Dolmabahce Cad., 34357 Besiktas/Istanbul.
By Plane – the distance from the new airport in Istanbul to Vodafone Park is 27 miles. The quickest way to get to the stadium is the car ride, which can take at least 40 minutes. IST-19 bus can bring you there within 1 hour 40 minutes.
Parking
It’s not always easy to park at the venue when it’s fully packed, but you still can find a solution. The approximate matchday paid parking price near the largest sports venue in Istanbul is about £4.
Eating out nearby
Former Constantinople is famous for its food originating from many cultures. You can find many great restaurants at Taksim Square and nearby. It is around a 15-minute walk away from Vodafone Park. The area is often packed with tourists. The atmosphere of the holiday is always in the air. Below you’ll find some recommendations, although there are much more great spots to eat out in the largest city in Turkey.
Pubs, bars & cafes
- Citylights Bar – this amazing place has wonderful views and a relaxing atmosphere. If you want to drink some cocktails near the Eagle’s Nest, it’s the right spot to go. It’s seconds away from the ground of Besiktas.
- James Joyce Irish Pub – is located about 1 mile away from the stadium in Istanbul. You’ll enjoy high-quality service as well as the interior with a touch of fancy and vintage ambience. Everyone speaks English in this great Irish pub, so it’s even possible to believe you are in Ireland.
- Pub Crawl Istanbul – is located within a 15-minute drive from Vodafone Arena. If you are looking for the best bar and clubbing experience in Istanbul, Pub Crawl will gently guide you into the best hidden gems of the city. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet many foreigners.
Restaurants
- 34 Restaurant Istanbul – can be reached within a few minutes walk from the sports ground. They have the outside dining area with hookah. The food is very good, and the portions are big. You can try to order mixed meze platter, as it’s a very good choice.
- Guler Ocakbası Restaurant – is a 15-minute drive away from Vodafone Park. Everything is amazing in this place – the food, service, and prices. The commercial environment of Istanbul, and especially Taksim, is rather harsh and the locals can be quite pushy. But in this restaurant, it’s so much different.
- Bosphorus Terrace Restaurant – has a wonderful location. You can even walk there from the stadium. The walk will take about 20 minutes. The most incredible features of this restaurant are the Bosphorus views, super polite staff, and the quality of dishes.
Things to see at the stadium
Besiktas neighbourhood is located in a marvellous area of the city in front of the lovely Bosphorus. There are plenty of old and modern places of interest near the stadium. You’ll certainly love to go shopping in the modern malls and explore the new plazas. But also you can find the ancient palaces and mosques there. Speaking about Vodafone Arena itself, it’s a very modern venue with many spectacular things to observe. One of the exciting factors is the inimitable passion of Besiktas fans. The words can’t express it. You have to experience it!
Tour
Standard stadium tours with a guide cost 50 TL (about £7) at Vodafone Arena. Discounts are available for children, seniors, and big groups. You can get some more details here. Unfortunately, the tour is in the Turkish language, but you can rent an audio-guide, and it is affordable. During the tour, you’ll have a unique opportunity to access the private areas of the ground, visit several tribunes, enjoy various stadium views, hang out at the media room, and so on.
Museum
Besiktas JK Museum is the largest sports museum in the country. It features many trophies and interesting memorabilia, as well as some innovative interactive activities such as Virtual Reality, the crowd noise room, and the karaoke room. Information boards are available in English, which is very convenient. You can get more info about the timetable of Besiktas JK Museum at the club’s official website. By the way, “JK” stands not for “just kidding” but for “Jimnasti Kulup”, meaning “Gym Club”.
Fan store
You can shop for the most popular Besiktas merchandise online. Go to the club’s website and find “Besiktas Shop” button at the top. If you would like to select from thousands of club-related items, you’ll need to visit the official store known as Kartal Yuvasi. And, of course, Besiktas FC has many stores throughout Istanbul. There is one at Vodafone Park, and more stores at Cevahir Mall, Bagdat Street, and the airport.
Things to do in Istanbul
Former Constantinople is a stunning metropolis which is split between Asia and Europe. It is a unique place which is well worth your attention. People often say that some city is the “city of contrasts.” Speaking about Istanbul, it’s certainly true. You can hear many languages on the streets of Istanbul, find numerous historical artefacts dating back to various epochs, and try rare meals from each corner of Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond.
Sightseeing tour
Istanbul is a rare gem in so many contexts. There are several different tours which can help you to explore this fantastic city. You may choose one of the routes of hop-on-hop-off bus service as the introduction. Many Bosphorus Strait and Black Sea tours are available. You shouldn’t miss a chance to enjoy the lovely city views which can be only seen off the boat. Among the other great tours the following can be mentioned: Classic Istanbul Tour, Food and Culture Tour, Princess Island Tour, and numerous historical tours.
Top 3 places to visit
Grand Bazaar – is one of Istanbul’s symbols. It’s the largest covered market in the world. Therefore, visiting this one-of-a-kind place of interest is highly recommended. Ceramics inspired by the Blue Mosque, ornamental Turkish lamps, hookahs, rugs, jewellery, soap, sweet treats, Turkish tea, and spices are among the most popular souvenirs you can purchase at Grand Bazaar at a superb price.
Aya Sofya – is also known as Hagia Sophia. It’s one of the most cherished landmarks in Turkey. Although there are so many other great pieces of architecture in Istanbul, Aya Sofia is truly incredible and boasts with the unique history. It was a church, a mosque, and now it’s a marvellous museum.
Istanbul Archaeology Museum – is one of the best museums in the Middle East featuring unique artefacts from the whole region. It consists of the main Archaeology Museum; the Museum of the Ancient Orient; and the Tiled Pavilion of Mehmet the Conqueror. All three are worth your attention.
