Venezia Playbook: Your Unrivalled Experience Watching Calcio by the Lagoon

Venice is a city that feels almost unreal at first glance – a floating maze of canals, bridges and gravity-defying architecture where every corner looks like a painting. But beyond the gondolas and grand palaces, the city boasts one of Italy’s oldest and most unique stadiums.

Watching a match here is not just about the 90 minutes on the pitch; it’s a full experience. With boats of fans arriving across the lagoon, narrow streets filling with orange-and-green scarves, and the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo just a 30-minute walk from central Venice, this is a unique calcio adventure.

Here is everything you need to know.

Where To Stay

Venice cannot be navigated on wheels, so where you stay matters. Cannaregio is the most budget-friendly area, close to Santa Lucia train station and the waterbus routes that take you to the stadium. With its quieter canals, wine bars and bakeries, it is ideal for travellers seeking both atmosphere and practicality with a lower price tag.

If you would prefer to be at the heart of the action, San Marco places you among Venice’s most iconic sights. Expect higher prices, but waking up a short walk from the Piazza or overlooking the Grand Canal is hard to beat. For something more local, cross the Rialto into San Polo or Dorsoduro, where nightlife, traditional eateries and student energy make for a lively base.

Alternatively, stay in Mestre on the mainland. Hotels are cheaper, and you can be at the stadium within an hour after hopping on a train and then a ferry.

Where To Eat

Just seconds away from the Venezia store in Campo SS Apostoli is Trattoria Da Rino. Perched on the side of the canal, this traditional restaurant has a plentiful menu, but the Cacio e Pepe prepared in a giant Parmesan wheel right at your table is the crowd-pleaser. At a touch under €25 it is more expensive than your average bowl of pasta; however, it is worth it for the show.

We recommend starting your meal with capesante gratinate al forno – melt-in-the-mouth scallops topped with herbs and slightly caramelised cheese, you’ll wish you ordered more than one portion.

Out of the main tourist hub, La Colonna (Campiello Widmann già Biri) is where you’ll find locals popping in for lunch with their families. Just near the kitchen is a wall adorned with Napoli paraphernalia, a symbol of the owner’s calcio allegiance. However, the menu is definitely Venetian with classic dishes on offer, including sarde in saor (sardines in a sweet and sour marinade). Fresh, noticeably homemade and perfectly seasoned, there is something for everyone, with a particular emphasis on fish. The penne all’Amatriciana (€12) was rich and spicy, and the spaghetti vongole was packed full of mussels and coated in a beautifully light and herby sauce, priced at €13.50.

If you would prefer to graze your way through the afternoon to the evening, cicchetti is Venice’s answer to tapas – small, flavour-packed bites found in the city’s traditional bacari (wine bars). Everything from toasted crostini topped with creamy baccalà mantecato to paper-thin slices of salumi, marinated seafood, fried mozzarella, or even miniature sandwiches stuffed with local specialities. Venetians eat cicchetti standing at the bar with an ombra (a small glass of house wine), chatting, snacking and drifting from one bacaro to the next. It is one of the most authentic food experiences in the city: informal, lively and ideal before heading to a match or settling into a long evening on the canals.

Where To Drink

On the approach to the Penzo, the atmosphere builds. Fans trickle off boats and walk the lagoon-side paths. Arriving early is part of the fun – the Penzo may be small, but its setting is arguably the most unique in Italian football.

The closest place to the ground is Vincent Bar, a buzzing hub for Venezia fans. As kick-off approaches, this compact venue fills up, and the queue for a drink can be a bit of a free-for-all. Jostle for your place and enjoy the experience.

Before matches, fans congregate along the Via Garibaldi in Castello, sipping on drinks and enjoying the atmosphere. It’s a fantastic place to bar hop before heading down to the stadium, but an even better place to stop off after the final whistle as a midway point from the pitch back into the Centro Storico.

Don’t Forget

Tickets – You do not need to be a Venezia member to buy tickets, but the Penzo is one of the smaller stadiums in Italian football, so seats disappear quickly for big games. Tickets can be bought through the club’s official website and at the store located in Campo SS Apostoli. 

When collecting tickets at the stadium or an official pick-up point, remember to bring your ID and allow extra time, as the Penzo is only accessible on foot or by boat, which can cause queues.

Kick-off times may be moved for television, so keep your plans flexible when arranging a trip far in advance.

Merchandise – Official Venezia merchandise can be bought online through the club store or at the Venezia FC shop in the city centre (Calle Larga Mazzini, 4800).

Did You Know?

The club’s colours – black, orange and green – reflect Venice’s historic ties to land, sea and civic identity.

Getting There

Marco Polo Airport is on the mainland but perfectly connected to the city by waterbus (vaporetto), or you can get a bus or taxi to Piazzale Roma and then walk over the bridge into central Venice. Treviso Airport is another option, often used by budget airlines, with shuttle buses running directly to Piazzale Roma. When returning to the airport, leave plenty of time for the waterbus as they often don’t run to schedule.

From Santa Lucia train station, the easiest way to travel is by vaporetto. To reach the stadium, take a waterbus towards Sant’Elena or Lido, then enjoy the short walk along the lagoon to the Penzo. It’s one of the most scenic routes to a football match.

If staying in Mestre, trams and buses cross the causeway regularly. Hop off in Piazzale Roma and take the waterbus or enjoy the walk.

Need Another Football Fix?

Padova is just a 15-minute train ride away and has a passionate fanbase. Feeling adventurous? Head west, under an hour by train, where the Stadio Romeo Menti, home to Vicenza, offers one of the most atmospheric experiences in the region.