Fiorentina Playbook: Your Unrivalled Experience Watching the Viola

As well as being the breeding ground for the Renaissance, Florence is famous for marvellous food and, of course, Fiorentina.

So, before enjoying a weekend in one of Italy’s most popular and beautiful cities, here’s everything you need to know. 

Where To Stay

Florence can be claustrophobic due to the combination of narrow streets and the sheer number of tourists. Our advice would be to stay out of the centre of town.

The area surrounding Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station is a good option and still close to the historic centre.

If opting for the more local feel and somewhere a bit quieter, then Santa Croce or Oltrarno are recommended, with a wide variety of Airbnbs, hotels and apartments available, still within walking distance to the centre.

Where To Eat

Florence is probably the only city in the country where one doesn’t instantly think of pizza or pasta when feeling a bit hungry. Here, it is all about the steak, or the bistecca alla Fiorentina to be precise. Many places do a Florentine steak, but few perfect it as heavenly as Trattoria Dall’Oste on via San Lorenzo. It isn’t cheap (the bill for two was €150), but it is worth every cent. And make sure to book to avoid disappointment.

For pizza and pasta, Il Mercato Centrale is excellent. The market, in the heart of the city, has two floors with vendors selling cheese, salumi, pesto, olives, fish, meat and just about everything else. If you don’t want a pizza all to yourself, or fancy sharing a pasta dish or a sweet breakfast with someone, this is the place. 

For fine sandwiches, look no further than Budellino on Via Dei Neri. This small-but-brilliant establishment will sort you out with some of the finest ingredients the city has to offer. Expect to spend about €8.

Where To Drink

It is hard to look past Bar Tabacchi Marisa just outside the Franchi. It has been a Fiorentina fans’ meeting point for years.

Further afield, Hops Pub is a good spot to soak in the atmosphere. Situated on the long stretch of road known as Viale Spartaco Lavagnini in the north of the city, it has several screens and a great selection of beers, wine, cocktails and pub grub.

On the other side of the River Arno lies a pub called The Old Stove while the Florence Irish Pub is about a 40-minute walk from the stadium and has scarves from all over the world pinned to the walls and ceiling. If you add one of yours to their collection you can exchange it for a pint, which would normally cost €6-€7. We’ve also written about the Green Store and how one local reckons they sell ‘the best pint of Guinness outside of Ireland’. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the Franchi on Viale Malta.

If an afternoon kick-off leaves your evening free, head to Bookstore Firenze, an unassuming bar lined with books that transforms into a live-events space with music, stand-up comedy and spoken-word performances. It’s tiny, but we recommend hanging around for a seat – you won’t be disappointed! Happy Hour is from 4pm to 9pm so head there early and stay until late.

Don’t Forget

Tickets – Can be bought through the club’s official website, usually a week before a game. You must be signed up to the club’s system in order to buy tickets. Fiorentina also sell hospitality packages.

Kick-off times will be moved for television, so bear that in mind when arranging a trip far in advance.

Merchandise – You can buy Fiorentina kits and clothing online at their official store. There is also an official store in the heart of the city on via Borgo San Lorenzo. 

Museum – Fiorentina do not have an official museum but there is the Italian football museum at Coverciano – the Museo del Calcio – a 20-minute bus ride from the centre. 

Did You Know?

Fiorentina unveiled a statue of Gabriel Batistuta following his decision to stay in 1993 after relegation to Serie B, but it was destroyed when he left for Roma in 2000.

Getting There

Florence’s airport, Peretola, is small considering the city is one of Italy’s busiest tourists destinations. If you do fly there, a regular tram runs to the city centre and takes about 20 minutes. Pisa is the busiest airport in the Tuscany region and is served by most airlines. From there it is less than an hour by train or car to Florence.

Santa Maria Novella, the city’s main train station, is well connected to every part of the country.

Need Another Football Fix?  

In 2025-26, Pisa and Fiorentina met in Serie A for the first time in 34 years. The city with the Leaning Tower is easy to get to if you want to double up on the top-flight action.

Further down the divisions, Livorno are in Serie C and just over an hour away while Siena, in the fourth tier, is a similar distance and they also play in a stadium named after Artemio Franchi.