Cold Nights and Red-Hot Atmospheres… Five Serie B Trips to Make this Winter

There is nothing quite like football in winter, is there? The nights draw in, the air turns chillier and suddenly you are left wondering if the big coat would have been a wiser choice.

And that is not exclusively a British debate, either. Italy may have much nicer weather than the UK, but watching football on the peninsula in winter will test your resilience too.

On the plus side, shorter days mean the floodlights go on much earlier, which in turn sets the scene perfectly for some evening blockbusters.

Here are five second-tier fixtures where the atmosphere under the lights should be so good, you might not notice how cold it’s getting.

Pisa vs Palermo, October 28

The Leaning Tower of Pisa and the surrounding square are all lit up on a brisk late-autumn evening and you find yourself thinking that not much could improve this particular moment.

Except, of course, making the 10-minute walk to the Arena Garibaldi to watch Filippo Inzaghi’s Palermo take on his former side, Pisa. The Garibaldi may be a relic, but it can still produce a tremendous racket, and there can be few better occasions than the visit of one of the promotion favourites, who should arrive in Tuscany with a large away support.

The Garibaldi’s uneven structure means it is one of those grounds from which you can admire the city’s skyline in the background, and that only adds to the charm. The downside, of course, is that the lack of cover on three stands leaves it exposed to the elements and leaves it very cold in winter. But still, this has the makings of a midweek calcio cracker.

Tickets for Pisa matches are sold by their official partner TicketOne. Keep an eye on the club website, but they normally go on sale about a week in advance.

Pisa International Airport is well connected to the UK, with daily flights from London Stansted, six flights per week from Manchester and three services from Edinburgh.

Benevento vs Avellino, November 7

The fourth-biggest stadium in Campania – after Napoli, Avellino and Salernitana – the Stadio Ciro Vigorito is one of the liveliest grounds in southern Italy at the best of times.

And the atmosphere will be ramped up when Avellino are in town for the latest instalment of the Derby dei Liquori. Yes, that means the Liqueur Derby – and it is one of the fiercest rivalries in the south. So, what better way to experience it than with a late kick-off in the crisp winter air?

Off the beaten track, Benevento will not be teeming with tourists at this time of year, as winters in Campania are a world away from the picture-perfect warm springs and summers that make for the ideal Instagram shot.

While Benevento’s average attendance falls short of the stadium capacity, this fixture will be in demand, so keep an eye on the club website and social channels for ticket details, and consider getting the Fidelity Card, which allows you to buy tickets for high-profile matches.

Don’t forget to try a Strega, the local spirit. This, after all, is the Derby dei Liquori.

Benevento is about an hour by train from Naples, which is well connected to UK airports.

Padova vs Vicenza, December 5

Veneto can be an acquired taste in December, with fleeting glimpses of the sun on foggy mornings and cold afternoons. Then again, Padua in the winter light is a sight to behold, its streets awash with Christmas decorations but not quite as rammed as some of its regional neighbours.

Conversely, the Stadio Euganeo is nobody’s idea of a must-see attraction, its concrete structure long considered one of the biggest eyesores across the Italian football landscape. And yet, with the new Curva Sud finally opened earlier this season, Padova’s home looks better now than it has at any point over the past three decades.

Heading into the recent international break, Padova were second in the standings for stadium fill rate this season, at 93.6% and behind only Avellino. The visit of Vicenza for one of Veneto’s fiercest derbies should guarantee a full house and a great atmosphere, as there is no love lost between these two. So, again, keep an eye on the club website and social channels to find out when the tickets go on sale.

Will it be cold? Yes, the Euganeo’s lopsided structure will see to that. Will it be worth it? Put it this way, the evening kick-off allows you plenty of time to head back and sample some of Veneto’s finest red wines should you need a winter warmer or two.

Padua doesn’t have an international airport, but you can fly into Venice from several UK cities and then take the train.

Palermo vs Cremonese, December 9

Cast against the backdrop of Monte Pellegrino, there are few more impressive settings in Italy than the Stadio Renzo Barbera. And the same goes for the atmosphere.

At a shade north of 31,400, Palermo have by far the highest average attendance in Serie B and the Barbera is an ebullient cauldron of noise and pink and black flags, soundtracked by the Curva Nord.

The atmosphere, if anything, gets even more raucous under the floodlights and serves as a reminder that this really is a club that should be gracing the biggest stages in Serie A.

Better still, the climate in Palermo remains mild even in December, meaning a light jacket will suffice when attending a night game at the Barbera. And if you rush back at full-time, you may still find the Christmas markets open in the old town.

Tickets go on sale about a week in advance and the hospitality packages are also worth looking at. There are daily flights connecting London Stansted and London Gatwick with Palermo.

Sampdoria vs Hellas Verona, December 27

As far as belated Christmas presents go, it’s hard to top a game under the lights at the Luigi Ferraris. The sight of the Gradinata Sud engulfed in flares, tifos swaying as the entire ground belts out Sampdoria’s anthem, Lettera da Amsterdam, is enough to get any football fan giddy.

And with the Blucerchiati struggling in Serie B this term, the arrival of Hellas Verona should make the atmosphere even better. Plus, it is a chance to relive your Football Italia memories as this is a fixture between two of calcio’s fallen giants.

Genoa gets cold in winter, but that is a welcome change from the humidity that permeates the city during the summer months and the stadium’s compact structure makes it slightly warmer than grounds with a running track.

There are four flights a week from London Stansted to Genoa.