It must have been some sight for young Scot Lennon Miller.

The teenager, only in Italy for a few weeks, was on Udinese’s team bus heading down Via Contessa Matilde in Pisa before turning off towards the Stadio Arena Garibaldi for the afternoon clash with Alberto Gilardino’s side.

From the comfort of the bus, Miller would have been able to see the stadium and the lop-sided landmark the world knows Pisa for, the Leaning Tower, at the same time.

Only 500 metres separates them, a walk of a few minutes depending on your pace. 

If one timed it right, it would have been possible to watch from the top of the tower as Udinese’s Spanish striker Iker Bravo scored the only goal of the game. Granted, the view on one side is restricted, but still, getting a glimpse of top-level calcio while standing on a UNESCO World Heritage site is a rare thing.

So, how close to stadiums are Italy’s other famous landmarks?

Milan

Standing at a specific spot high on the iconic Basilica Santa Maria Nascente in the middle of Piazza del Duomo, which took some 600 years to build, the famous red girders of the San Siro are visible in the distance. 

To many, as wonderful as it is, the ancient cathedral is only the second-greatest monument in the city, with the Giuseppe Meazza topping the list. 

Even non-football lovers make a trip out to the San Siro borough to catch a glimpse of the imposing structure, one of the great footballing arenas.

It is roughly 6km door to door (or cathedral to cathedral).

Rome

The Colosseum – over the centuries a place of tigers, naval battles and Russell Crowe in a toga – is Italy’s most-visited tourist attraction.

In 2023, the last year records are available for, some 12 million people rocked up at the world’s largest amphitheatre. In a capital city full of things to see and do, the Colosseum stands above them all. 

So, from one sporting arena to another, the home of Serie A rivals Roma and Lazio is also worth a visit.

The distance between the Colosseum and the Stadio Olimpico is just over 6km, with the Olimpico tucked away in the northwestern corner of the Eternal City. 

Naples

The biggest historical landmark in the area, Pompeii, isn’t technically in the city.

The ancient Roman city, destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, attracts millions of tourists every year, with Naples an obvious base for a trip to see the ash-coated ruins.

Pompeii is more than a fair trek from the Stadio Diego Maradona, at a shade under 50km, while Quartieri Spagnoli, host to the now-world famous mural of Maradona, is just over 5km from the old ground where Napoli clinched their fourth league title back in May.

But what is impressive, on a clear day, is the view from the top of Mount Vesuvius – over the bay and the city with the Maradona there if you look hard enough. 

Florence

The majestic city of Florence has such an abundance of breathtaking monuments, statues, art, buildings and views to take in, that a trip to the Stadio Artemio Franchi might not sit too highly on many bucket lists.

Yet the stadium is not that far from the city’s main attraction, the Duomo.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which was only completed in 1903 after more than 600 years of work, stands in the heart of the city. The Franchi is less than 3km away, making it easy enough to reach the stadium, built by famed Italian architect Pier Luigi Nervi, on foot.

Visitors can take a nice 40-minute walk right through the city, cross the bridge over the Firenze Campo Marte railway station, and arrive at the Franchi with plenty of time to spare.. perhaps enough to grab a porchetta panino from one of the food vendors dotted around.

Venice

The city and its lagoon has long been a UNESCO World Heritage Site staple, and given the size of the place, it’s no surprise Venice is the main challenger to Pisa’s crown.

Reaching the Stadio Luigi Penzo is perhaps one of the most unique experiences in world football. A water taxi (vaporetto) takes passengers to the lagoon of Sant’ Elena, or there is the option of a walk from Piazza San Marco, the biggest tourist attraction in the city. At under 3km it won’t take too long.

While the Penzo is at the end of arguably the coolest route to reach a stadium in Italy, the Garibaldi in Pisa remains the closest to a national monument.