Located halfway between Florence and Pisa, Empoli lacks its neighbours’ iconic landmarks and is often overlooked by visitors to Tuscany.

Similarly, the Stadio Carlo Castellani seldom features among the must-see stadiums in Italy, but a trip to Empoli is a great chance to take in some calcio action without much hassle.

Opened in 1965, the Castellani – or the Carlo Castellani Computer Gross Arena to give its full name – is a fairly basic ground with a capacity just north of 16,000.

A temporary stand was built in 1983 following Empoli’s promotion to Serie B, which was then replaced by a permanent stand in 1990 and the Curva Nord was extended in 1997.

But the Castellani is set to undergo a major overhaul, with Empoli joining the ever-growing list of clubs redeveloping their ground.

Last year the club unveiled plans for a €45m revamp project, which will increase capacity to over 18,600 seats with three of the four stands to be redeveloped.

“This is a project for our fans and for the city,” said Empoli president Fabrizio Corsi at the time. “We have been working on the redevelopment of the stadium for years, looking for the best solution from every point of view.

“We have developed a sustainable solution, a solid project, which transcends the sporting aspect and brings benefits for the entire area.

“This will be a stadium that will live seven days a week and will be a gathering space and a constant reference for the city.” 

Stadio Carlo Castellani factfile

• Capacity: 16,167
• Club: Empoli
• Opened: 1965
• Address: Via delle Olimpiadi, 50053 Empoli

How to get to the Castellani

The stadium is located in Empoli’s north-east, approximately a 15-minute walk from the city centre. 

From Empoli’s main train station

• 1 bus from Empoli Autostazione stop towards Empoli Autostazione – Six stops to Olimpiadi 1 stop, followed by a five-minute walk.
• 48/49 bus from Empoli stop towards Montelupo (Stazione FS) – Two stops to Piazza Gramsci stop followed by a 10-minute walk.

How to buy public transport tickets

Like some major cities in Italy, you can just tap your card when boarding public transport in Empoli instead of buying a ticket.

Tickets, however, are available at AT ticket offices and authorised selling points throughout the city. They are also available at vending machines at Empoli’s main train station.

Tickets can also be bought through the At Bus app, which can be downloaded on Apple Store and Google Play, and on board, albeit for a higher price.

A single ticket valid for 70 minutes from validation costs €1.30 or €3 if bought on board. 

How to get to the Castellani by train

Empoli is served by two train lines, Florence-Pisa and Empoli-Siena, with three services per hour on both.

Florence is about 30 mins away by train, while a trip from Pisa takes 40 minutes. A full timetable is available on Trenitalia’s website. The train station is about 20 minutes walk from the ground.

How to drive to the Castellani

The ground is approximately a seven-minute cab journey from Empoli’s main train station.

If you are driving to the ground on the A1 motorway take the Firenze Scandicci exit and follow the Strada di Grande Comunicazione Firenze-Pisa-Livorno. Then take the Empoli Centro exit and follow the directions to the ground.

If you are driving to the ground on the A12 motorway, take the Casello di Collesalvetti exit and follow the Strada di Grande Comunicazione Firenze-Pisa-Livorno. Then take the Empoli Centro exit and follow the directions to the ground.

How to buy Empoli tickets

Tickets can be bought online via empolicalcio.vivaticket.it, at the Empoli Store in Piazza della Vittoria, at the Empoli Point at the ground or at the Unione Clubs Azzurri.