Udinese Playbook: Your Unrivalled Experience at a Northern Hidden Gem

Udine is the cultural and historical capital of Friuli, pocketed away in Italy’s north-east, and home to Udinese.

They have been Serie A regulars for a while now and if you are heading over to take in a game, we have got you covered.

Where To Stay

Mercatovecchio Luxury Suites sits in the heart of the city on Via del Carbone, not a hotel but a series of elegant rooms with a reception on the bottom floor. It’s nice and quiet as directly outside is pedestrianised.

B&B Hotel Udine offers three-star accomodation just 800 yards from the Palazzo Arcivescovile, one of the most historical buildings in the city dating back to the 16th century.

AirBnbs are also dotted around but given Udine’s small size there is not the mass availability there is in other cities.

Where To Eat

Osteria Romana Al Vapore on Vicolo Sillio does, as the name suggests, all things Roman. The classic cacio e pepe, at €12, is delicious, as is the salmon pinsa (€15). They also have an impressive range of secondi options, with chicken cooked a different way each time depending on the ingredients available.

Osteria Al Marinaio is a 20-minute walk south-west from the centre on Via Cisis and is worth the trek. This family-run place specialises in traditional Friulani dishes such as frico, cjarsons alle erbe and toc in braide, the latter a bed of soft polenta topped with a cheese fondue. The decor is stripped back, the staff are very welcoming and above all, the food is simply divine.

If you need to walk off dinner, you can stroll around Via Grazzano just down the road, which has two short segments of a canal that was buried in the 1950s and recently reopened.

For a nice wine list, hit Osteria Al Cappello on Via Paolo Sarpi. Located on the ground floor of a 16th-century building and a stone’s throw from one of the city’s most iconic places, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, Al Cappello has become one of the trendiest restaurants in Udine. It too serves local cuisine, but oddly enough has a dish with English roast beef that will set you back €15 while frico, polenta, orzotto (a type of risotto) and gnocchi feature on the menu.

But what separates Al Capello from its competitors is the wine, with a blackboard full of options. The restaurant also has outside dining but if visiting in the winter it is better to reserve a table, with space inside at a premium. The local dishes cost somewhere between €9-€12.

Where To Drink

A stalwart of the Udine bar scene is The Black Stuff on Via Gorghi. Opened in 1996, this Irish Pub is one of the best spots in the city for a pre-game pint. Given the name it is no surprise that Guinness flows here. The bar boasts of serving 6,000 pints in 24 hours and being the only Italian establishment mentioned in the Guinness museum in Dublin. The food is good too with burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and American bites on the menu.

For an aperitivo after the game, Sonar Cocktail Lounge is on Via Este. Open till 2am on weekends, it has cocktails and nibbles and a spritz is €4.

Taverna dell’Angelo on Via Lovaria is a mix between a traditional pub and a cocktail bar, serving everything from craft beer to a mojito via whisky and bourbon. Their sandwiches are around €6.

Don’t Forget

Tickets – Can be bought online via Ticketone and you need to register an account. Tickets normally go on sale about a week in advance and the bigger games sell out quickly, so keep an eye on the site and the club’s social channels for information.

Kick-off times will be moved for television, so bear that in mind when arranging a trip far in advance.

Merchandise – You can buy Udinese gear online through their official store and the club has a shop in the the city at Piazza Marconi 2 and at the stadium.

Museum – Udinese’s museum is inside the Bluenergy Stadium and is included in a guided tour. Tickets can be booked online here. 

Did You Know? 

Udinese played in the Champions League once, in 2005-06, finishing third in their group behind Barcelona and Werder Bremen.

Getting There

The nearest airport to Udine is Trieste, about 40km to the south. Journey by train can take 30 minutes to an hour and there is also a bus service. A popular choice is flying to Venice and taking the train north, a journey of 90 minutes.

Walking to the stadium from the city centre takes around 50 minutes or there is a bus from the train station.

Need Another Football Fix?  

Triestina – in Trieste – are in the fourth tier and if Venice does come in to your travel plans you could fit in a Venezia game.