Cranking it up in the Curvas… Calcio’s Best Atmospheres of the Season

From the top end of Serie A to the lower reaches of the calcio pyramid, one thing can just about be guaranteed.

The atmosphere at grounds up and down the peninsula is as chaotic and colourful as it was back in the days when Italian football ruled the world.

The stadiums may be in need of some TLC but think flares, pyros, jaw-dropping tifos, packed curvas and huge flags. And the noise. The constant, organised noise produced by the ultras that makes what happens in the stands, to a calcio tourist, often as exciting as the action on the pitch.

Picking the best experience we had this season was impossible, so this is our favourite five.

Pescara – Stadio Adriatico

Pescara’s bid for a great escape ultimately ended in disappointment and they slipped out of Serie B despite rallying in the second half of the season.

But don’t let the thought of Serie C put you off a trip to the Stadio Adriatico. The third tier is full of thrills and spills and Pescara’s ground can produce an atmosphere that holds its own with stadiums in the top division.

Ahead of their clash with Bari we listened to the Curva Nord as it belted out the 1987 Italian pop hit Gente di Mare. That’s Italian for ‘People of the Sea’, a very apt choice for a club a 10-minute walk from the Adriatic. Games against Bari are a big deal in this neck of the woods so the crowd were on fine form (and so were the team, winning 4-0).

Awash with blue and white flags and scarves held aloft, the Curva was engulfed in the smoke of pyros being set off. A sight to behold and one that made the hairs stand up on the back of the neck.

Regardless of Pescara’s relegation, there will be more of the same next season.

Sambenedettese – Stadio Riviera Delle Palme

One that will live long in the memory was Sambenedettese against Ascoli in the Marche derby.

A 39-year wait for these two to meet on league duty at the Riviera delle Palme meant fireworks on and off the pitch.

Such is the vitriol between the sides that Ascoli fans were banned but Samb supporters made up for the lack of visitors.

The team bus arriving to the stadium was beyond anything we had seen in Serie C. The night turned crimson red as flares lit up the sky, bangers and chants from thousands of fans echoed for miles… it was truly like a scene from Apocalypse Now.

It continued inside the ground, with smoke from flares choking the air around us, even though we were well away from the ultras in another stand. This game meant everything to the Samb fans, who needed a result.

Ascoli emerged winners in the end, but the experience was a real highlight of the season. A showcase of what Serie C can deliver.

Genoa – Stadio Luigi Ferraris

There are few places better to watch football in Italy than Genoa, where the beautiful game is an obsession. The Stadio Luigi Ferraris is steeped into Italian football culture and yet completely different from anything you will see across the country, with its iconic design resembling an English-style ground with steep flights of steps behind the goals instead of the traditional curvas.

Genoa may be floating in the lower half of Serie A and Sampdoria have treaded water for a second consecutive season in Serie B, but there is never a bad time to watch football at Marassi, where the atmosphere will always leave you wanting more.

We were there for Genoa vs Parma and were treated to a rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone and loud, relentless support from both Gradinate, which were a sea of red and blue.

The Rossoblu toiled fruitlessly for an opener, but you wouldn’t have known such was the deafening support throughout the 90 minutes.

Get down early, take in the sight of one of the host venues of Italia 90 and grab a beer across the road at Roxy Bar, then sit down on the Scalinata Montaldo before heading in. This is a special place.

Rome – Stadio Olimpico

It may sound obvious, but the Rome derby makes the list. It took Serie A and the city council months to agree on a kick-off time, but when they eventually did they could not have picked a better day.

Bathed in May sunshine, there was a carnival atmosphere at the Olimpico – at least on the Giallorossi half of the divide, as the Curva Nord remained empty while Lazio fans protested against the ownership of Claudio Lotito.

The Curva Sud, however, more than did its part, producing a stunning tifo mocking the boycott and celebrating gleefully when a Lorenzo Pellegrini brace secured a first Serie A double over Lazio in a decade and kept the Giallorossi on course for Champions League qualification.

Venice – Stadio Pierluigi Penzo

The Penzo is Italy’s second-oldest football stadium, having opened its doors in 1913 and the only one accessible by boat. In itself that should be enough to make the venue a must-visit, even more so considering Venezia are planning to leave their iconic ground by the end of next season.

And then there is the atmosphere. This season we made it into the Curva Sud, the home of the ultras, for a win over Reggiana, and were treated an unforgettable afternoon.

It was colourful, loud, chaotic and it was spectacular. The smoke from black, orange and green flares drifted across the lagoon as the relentless noise of drums and chants filled the air.

The Penzo’s final season will be made even more emotional as Venezia have just won promotion back to Serie A at the first time of asking.

This is a unique ride. Buy a ticket and get on it before it’s too late.