Torres Playbook: Discover Sassari and Sardinia’s Oldest Football Story

Sardinia is usually experienced through its coastline, but travel inland to Sassari and you will find a different side of the island: a club old enough to have watched calcio take shape, in a city where football, identity and centuries of history are impossible to separate.

S.E.F. Torres 1903 and Ilvamaddalena, who were also born in 1903, are the oldest clubs in Sardinia.

The name comes from the Giudicato di Torres, one of the four medieval kingdoms that once divided the island, a detail that tells you a lot about how deeply the club is woven into the region’s sense of self.

Sassari is Sardinia’s second city, a stone built university town 30 kilometres from the coast, and Torres, playing in red and blue at the Stadio Vanni Sanna, remain its clearest sporting focal point.

The club has spent the last five seasons in Serie C, surviving a tense play-out in May 2026.

Where To Stay

For visiting supporters, staying close to the stadium is the simplest option. Hotel Marini sits directly opposite the Vanni Sanna, a practical four-star choice for anyone prioritising a short walk to the game.

Hotel Carlo Felice is a similar distance away, close to the PalaSerradimigni Arena.

For a base closer to Sassari’s historic centre, Hotel Grazia Deledda is a four-star option a few minutes’ walk from Piazza d’Italia and the Museo Nazionale Giovanni Antonio Sanna, putting the cathedral, the Fontana di Rosello and the city’s bars and restaurants within easy reach.

Sassari’s compact size means the centre and the stadium are about a 20-minute walk or a short taxi ride apart, so either base works well for a football weekend, and Airbnb and Booking.com also list a wide range of apartments and rooms across the city.

Where To Eat

Sassari’s food culture is proudly local, and many dishes you will not often find outside the province.

Trattoria Da Gian Luca, on the Monte Rosello and known for decades as Zio Martino, is something of an institution; its trippa al sugo is one of the first dishes locals point to when asked where to eat properly in the city.

Il Vecchio Mulino, tucked into the old town, serves traditional Sardinian and Sassarese dishes in a rustic setting built around locally sourced ingredients.

For something more contemporary, Trigu is Sassari’s most ambitious kitchen, a fine-dining address in the city centre offering a modern take on Sardinian produce.

Le Due Lanterne is a reliable choice for fish, popular with locals for a relaxed lunch or dinner in the old town, while Il Civico, also in the historic centre, offers a well reviewed take on Mediterranean and Sardinian cooking and works equally well for a pre- or post-match meal.

Where To Drink

Matchday and evening drinking in Sassari both tend to gravitate towards Piazza Tola, the square that sits at the heart of the city’s nightlife in the upper old town.

BNO, short for Birreria di Nord Ovest, is one of the main gathering points and a solid choice for a pre-match beer among a young, local crowd.

Cicchetto, also on Piazza Tola, leans towards wine and cured meats in a more modern setting, useful for a slower aperitivo before heading to the stadium.

Gambrinus Pub has the kind of pub atmosphere that suits home supporters and travelling fans alike, especially for catching other results.

Birreria Turondola, a short walk from the square, is worth seeking out for its craft beer, while Abetone Music Bar, on Viale Italia, between the centre and the Giardini Pubblici, rounds out the evening with a livelier, later crowd.

Don’t Forget

Tickets for Torres matches go on sale through Vivaticket, online and at authorised points of sale in the city, with a temporary sales point often set up in the days before big fixtures. The stadium ticket office on Via Romita is also open on matchday.

Prices vary by opponent and sector but recent fixtures have seen Curva tickets at around €10, Gradinata around €12, Tribuna Laterale around €20 and the covered Tribuna Centrale around €25, with reduced rates for various categories; always check the club’s official channels for the specific match, since pricing is set fixture by fixture.

The away fans are in the Curva Sud, accessed from Via Casu, with a maximum allocation of around 500 seats.

As with all professional football in Italy, a valid ID document is required for entry, and gates typically open around 90 minutes before kick-off.

The Vanni Sanna is currently operating at a reduced capacity of around 6100 as renovation work continues in phases; supporters with accessibility needs should contact the club directly in advance, since improved facilities for disabled spectators are among the works still being completed.

Did You Know?

The Vanni Sanna itself was known simply as Stadio Acquedotto for decades before being renamed in 2001 in honour of Giovanni Sanna, an Alghero-born player who represented the club before returning as coach and sporting director.

Getting There

The nearest airport is Alghero Fertilia, about 30 minutes from Sassari by car, with a direct ARST bus service, line 760, also connecting the two in around 40 minutes.

Olbia Costa Smeralda, Sardinia’s other main gateway for international flights, is a longer journey of around two hours.

Sassari’s railway station connects the city to Cagliari, Olbia and Porto Torres, useful for supporters combining the trip with other parts of the island.

Porto Torres, around 20 kilometres away, is Sardinia’s second-busiest ferry port, with regular sailings to Genoa, Civitavecchia, Barcelona and other Mediterranean ports, a realistic option for supporters travelling by car from mainland Italy or further afield.

Need Another Football Fix?

Sardinian football is defined by rivalries that rarely get to play out on the pitch. The Derby di Sardegna against Cagliari is the most historically charged fixture for Sassari, rooted in decades of island rivalry even though the two clubs have met rarely since Cagliari’s rise through the divisions.

Closer to home, the Derby del nord Sardegna against Olbia carries similar weight for supporters on the island’s north coast.

For those extending the trip, the coastal towns of Alghero and Castelsardo are within easy reach and offer a very different side of the province, ideal for a day out either side of a Torres weekend.