Four Games in Four Days… How to Enjoy the Ultimate Calcio Weekender

With the new season up and running, it is the perfect time to start planning a trip to Italy.

Bucket-list destinations such as San Siro and the Stadio Olimpico will always be popular, while the calcio groundhopper might be looking at the second tier or the 60 teams scattered across three groups in Serie C.

But why not combine them? The spread of fixtures between Friday and Monday makes two-game weekends a no-brainer, while a hat-trick of matches is certainly doable.

And, this month in Lombardy, four games in as many days is a very real, very exciting option.

We’re using four northern teams as an example, but this is the type of trip that, from time to time, will be possible right across the country. All it takes is a bit of planning (and a touch of luck with the kick-off times).

Using Milan as a base, we’ve plotted a mammoth calcio weekender, but with no single journey longer than 90 minutes.

Day 1 – AC Milan vs Venezia (Friday August 28, 8:45pm)

Arriving in Milan in the afternoon is ideal for a late kick-off. It is Italy’s second-biggest city after Rome, but getting about is easy enough and you could start by heading for Piazza del Duomo and admiring the almost-700-year-old Gothic cathedral while sipping on an espresso. 

From there, you can get anywhere on the Metro. Brera, which is full of bars and restaurants, is as good a place as any, and our choice would be Veramente on Via Palermo, which is also a firm favourite among locals and a cornerstone of Milanese life. You are about a quarter of an hour from San Siro on the Metro, and it’s worth leaving room, and time, for a beer and sandwich from one of the many trucks outside the magnificent stadium.

After seeing the majesty of San Siro at night and under the lights, make your way back into the city. Brera will be waiting for you, or there’s always Navigli, with plenty of bars by the canal open late.

Game 2 – Monza vs Udinese (Saturday, August 29, 6:30pm)

Another evening kick-off gives you the chance for breakfast, and even lunch, in Milan before heading to Monza. This is a nice time to check out Navigli if you didn’t the night before, and there is an excellent pizza place on Via Carlo D’Adda, called I Segreti di Pulcinella. You won’t be under pressure to get to Monza – trains are regular from Milano Centrale and also from Garibaldi and the journey is about 15 minutes. Just buy your train ticket at the station.

Another city, another duomo, and Monza’s is worth seeing. It’s a short walk from the station and there are a few bars close by, including SAINT, which sits right on the square. From there it’s about a 45-minute walk to the stadium. The Brianteo is a small and homely ground, the opposite of the gargantuan Giuseppe Meazza, so you’ll be guaranteed a good seat anywhere. But only one stand is covered.

Keep an eye out for a man with a small van opposite the ticket collection booth at the Brianteo. He sells a litre of ale for €10. If you want to hang around, trains back to Milan go until around midnight (check on the day). Joe Scarpetta on Via Giuseppe Ferrari would be our choice for dinner in Monza.

Game 3 – Atalanta U23s vs Guidonia Montecelio (Sunday August 30, 6pm)

After the delights of the top flight, it’s time to dip down into Serie C.

Atalanta’s youngsters play in Caravaggio, and you can get a train from Milan, changing at Bergamo.

The Stadio Comunale di Caravaggio is tiny, with a touch over 2000 seats, and there isn’t much to do around the ground, but this is a chance to watch products from one of the best academies in Europe.

In recent years, the pathway to the first team for U23 players has been smoother at Atalanta than at Inter, Milan and Juve, and you will often spot the Percassi family, who own the club, and some first-team stars at the Serie C matches.

There is real trust in the project here and the model is often held up as an example to follow. Genoa boss Daniele De Rossi spoke highly of the set-up when taking ownership of Ostiamare in the same division.

A 6pm kick-off means there’s time to get back into Milan and find a TV for Cagliari vs Inter later in the evening.

Game 4 – Atalanta vs Bologna (Monday August 31, 8:45pm)

What a way to finish a weekend of calcio action… Atalanta hosting Bologna at the New Balance Arena.

These two have upset the established order in Serie A over the past few years, winning silverware at European and domestic level and finishing in the top four ahead of clubs with bigger reputations.

Have a slow breakfast at Pasticceria Sissi in Piazza Risorgimento, where they’re known for having some of the best pastries in Milan. 

For the pre-match meal, head for Bergamo early and find a spot there. Da Mimmo, a local institution that’s been in operation since 1956, is a good shout.

Getting to Bergamo from Milan is straightforward. A train will have you there in just under 50 minutes, with regular services throughout the day.

Atalanta’s New Balance Arena has been modified to a magnificent standard over the past six years and is now one of the most atmospheric grounds in the country. With the city divided into two parts, Citta Alta and Bassa, there’s plenty to do and see on a day trip, including stopping by Caffe del Tasso, one of the oldest coffee shops in Italy.

The stadium is around a 15-minute walk from the Citta Alta and, with its recent renovations, has a nice collection of bars and restaurants close by. After the game, getting back to Milan will take slightly longer than the journey out. Get a bus from the city, or get to the airport and take the shuttle from there. The journey will be a touch more than an hour.

A four-game weekend might not come along very often, but when it does, make the most of it. You’ll have earned your calcio stripes.