Valencia, Levante face-off with history written deep

KOLKATA: Spain's third-biggest city is home to two La Liga clubs, with Valencia CF and Levante UD playing a huge role in the daily life of its 800,000 residents for the last 100 years.

With both clubs' stadiums located relatively close to the tourist and commercial centre, supporters arriving from overseas can use football as a stepping-off point to learn more about the great history of the city and wider region.

Many of Valencia's other most popular tourist spots have links with one or both of the clubs, while visitors who take the time to explore some of its hidden corners can discover just how deeply football is written into the fabric of the city.

Mestalla

Valencia CF's Mestalla stadium has hosted the club's games since May 1923, making it the oldest football ground in

LaLiga Santander

.

The 55,000-seater stadium has been regularly renovated over the decades and hosted games in both the 1982 World Cup and 1992 Olympic Games, with its orange seats featuring the black bat with extended wings from the club's crest being particularly iconic.

An official tour brings visitors through the history of both the stadium and the club, telling the story of Valencia CF's six LaLiga Santander titles and the exploits of famous past heroes including

Mario Kempes

,

Fernando Gomes

and current La Liga ambassador

Gaizka Mendieta

.

Around Mestalla

A must for many Mestalla match-goers is Bar Manolo del Bombo, run by legendary Spain fan Manolo who follows his club and national team far and wide. The national treasure has decorated his establishment with hundreds of flags, scarves, photos and other souvenirs from his travels. Its address - Plaza del Valencia Club de Fútbol - tells you just how close it is to the stadium.

Estadi Ciutat de València

Levante UD's home ground is the Estadi Ciutat de València, located in the Orriols district just to the north of the old town. The 26,354-seater stadium, built in 1969, bounces on matchdays, when Los Granotas' loyal fanbase are in full voice.

The stadium's refurbishment - with the installation of a brand-new roof, new lighting and new video scoreboards - has turned the Estadi Ciutat de València into one of the leading mid-sized stadiums in European football.