In 2022, Futures implemented a new benefit to share agency success with the team: if we hit our targets for the year, the team will take a trip to a sporting event! The better we do, the better the event.

For the first trip in March 2023, the team headed to Rome to see Italy take on Wales in the Six Nations at the Stadio Olimpico. For the second trip in March 2024, we visited the sunny seaside city of Valencia to see Real Madrid play Valencia at the famous Mestalla Stadium. See below for a very detailed account of the weekend from Nathan Ingleton, a Software Engineer in the London office.

Day 1

After everyone arrived in Spain safely and checked into the hotel, the first order of business was to enjoy some local food. Paella is one of the main dishes of the country, so it was only fitting that we went to try some at one of the most historic restaurants in the town. La Pepica opened in 1898 and is famous for being Ernest Hemingway’s favourite restaurant in the city.

With everyone’s stomachs full of paella, we then gingerly made our way down to one of the many ports in Valencia. What better way to see the scenic city than a sunset boat cruise around the coast?

Our trip coincided with Fallas, an annual fire festival that celebrates the arrival of spring with a wide range of pyrotechnic, burning, and firework displays. There is even the odd firecracker going off in broad daylight, which makes for a very eventful experience for the average tourist! It also meant we had an amazing view of the fireworks above the city skyline.

The main event of the trip took place that evening as we saw a La Liga game between two giants of the Spanish league in Valencia and Real Madrid. It was a great decision as the game had everything: goals, drama, a comeback, and a red card!

Valenica surprisingly raced into a 2-0 lead, but Real Madrid being Real Madrid managed to claw back the deficit to 2-2. There was huge controversy in the final seconds of the game, when the referee blew the final whistle during a cross that was put into the Valencia box and dispatched by Jude Bellingham. The goal made it 3-2 to complete Real Madrid’s impressive comeback, but it was ultimately ruled out.

Real Madrid was furious at the decision as substitutions and staff surged onto the pitch in angst to confront the referee, who brandished Bellingham a straight red. Fortunately, we were sat amongst the Valencia fans who were relieved that their prayers were answered as they managed to hold onto a draw against the league leaders.

Day 2

During the morning, we had free time to explore the city so some of us went shopping, others went to the beach, and a few went on a run along the promenade.

After a successful Futures-led walking tour in Rome, we revived the tradition and hosted our own walking tour in Valencia. It was an excellent opportunity to explore the city and learn more about its history. We visited Serranos Tower, went into the Valencia Cathedral, and saw the outside of La Lonja. The tour concluded at the Mascletà, which is a pyrotechnic spectacle of firecrackers in the middle of the city that occurs during the Fallas festival.

In the evening, we did a tapas crawl around various spots in the city. Similar to the walking tour, this experience gave us a chance to learn more about Valencia whilst also sampling some of the delicious food the city has to offer. We visited three different tapas bars throughout the evening and of course ended the meal with churros.

We learnt countless facts about the popular food and drinks from our tour guides who were city locals. One of the crowd favourites was the popular cocktail called ‘Agua de Valencia,’ which translates to ‘Water of Valencia’ and sounds less potent than it actually is!

After the tapas crawl, we headed to a bar our guide recommended to enjoy some of the food and drink we just learnt about.

Day 3

On our final day, we checked out of the hotel and prepared for our flights back. Those with later flights headed to the Central Market for some food, last-minute souvenirs, and to soak up the sun for a few more hours!

The team trip was well organised, an enjoyable time, and an excellent team bonding experience! As you might imagine, planning a trip for 28 people required a group itself – big thank you to the organising committee and all the additional team members that helped plan activities throughout the weekend! Whilst the reward is only in its second year, it has certainly raised team morale and is a great insight into the culture here at Futures Sport & Entertainment.