With a name so romantic it made Tom Hanks (the team’s most unlikely superstar fan) think it was an island off Sardinia, Aston Villa is Birmingham’s number one football team. The Villains play at Villa Park - a spectacular stadium that can host almost 43,000 fans. If you’re in town to watch them play, expect a great atmosphere and stands filled with claret and blue, the team’s colours. Tickets rarely sell-out, but if you do miss out on a chance to go on matchday, why not take a stadium tour instead to find out all about the club’s 150-year history instead?
Villa Park
Villa Park Stadium
Villa Park Stadium
Essential Information
Whether you’re visiting on a stadium tour or coming to cheer on the Villa on matchday, we’ve got all the information you need to kick off your visit in style.
Stadium Tours
Aston Villa organise guided stadium tours throughout the week, where you can gawp at the trophy cabinet, see the dressing rooms and take a peek into the manager’s office. On selected Sundays you can upgrade your tour to include lunch in one of the smart, corporate suites. Tours do not run on matchdays, the afternoon before, or the morning after a match. They generally start at 10:30 in the morning and cost around £15. Visit the Aston Villa website to book.
Ticket Information
As Villa Park is so large, many games don’t sell out so tickets can often be bought on the day. If you’re buying in advance, get your tickets online, in person at the Villa Village in Villa Park or in Birmingham city centre on New Street. If you need to collect your tickets on the day, head to the Trinity Road ticket office at the stadium - it’s open two hours before the match. Be warned that there are security checks, so don’t bring big bags with you.
Families
If you’re coming with younger members of the family, get to the ground early and head to the Family Fun Zone for bouncy castles and slides, challenge-based games, football activities and face painting. Kids will love Aston Villa’s club mascots Hercules, Bella and Chip -you’ll find the larger-than-life characters walking around the stadium. Then get them a mini hot dog from the family area and take your seats 45 minutes before kick-off to watch the players warming up.
Accessibility
If you’re coming with younger members of the family, get to the ground early and head to the Family Fun Zone for bouncy castles and slides, challenge-based games, football activities and face painting. Kids will love Aston Villa’s club mascots Hercules, Bella and Chip -you’ll find the larger-than-life characters walking around the stadium. Then get them a mini hot dog from the family area and take your seats 45 minutes before kick-off to watch the players warming up.
Eating and Drinking
With eating and drinking options both inside and out, you won’t go hungry when you visit Villa Park - and there’s more to be had than pies.
If you’re here to cheer on the Villa, you’ll find plenty of stadium kiosks serving Carlsberg, San Miguel and Somersby cider. Foodwise, there’s Pukka pies, hot dogs and junior meals for kids in the family area. The most popular food option has to be the hot roast pork baps with stuffing and apple sauce, made by Birmingham favourites The Snooty Pig. You’ll find them on sale in Holte Lower and Trinity Lower.
A short walk from the ground on Aston Hall Road is The Aston Tavern - a lovingly refurbished Victorian pub with high ceilings, original features and an enormous beer garden. Forego your pint and have afternoon tea - served on retro tea sets, it’s a feast for the eyes as much as anything else. On match days it costs £3 to get in - but you do get a hog roast baguette for free!
Getting to Villa Park
Villa Park is three miles north of the city centre and is easily accessible by train, car or bus. Or why not book into a Premier Inn near Villa Park? There’s one just a 15-minute walk away- and it will save you the pre-match schlep across town.
By car
Villa Park is under two miles away from Junction 6 on the M6 and three miles from Birmingham City Centre. If you’re coming for a tour, you can park in either of the on-site car parks (called North End and Holte End). There are 700 spaces, but on match days they’re for pass holders only.
By bus
You can jump on a number of buses to Villa Park. The main two are the number 7 and the number 11 which will drop you to the door, but the 65, 67, 104 and 114 also have stops that are in easy walking distance of the stadium.
By train
You can walk to Villa Park from two stations - there’s Aston station (on the Lichfield to Longbridge/Redditch line) and Witton station (on the Walsall to Birmingham New Street line) Both run regular services to and from Birmingham New Street in the city centre.