The second-oldest stadium in Italy behind Genoa’s Luigi Ferraris, the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo may just be the most picturesque ground in the world.

It is not often, after all, that you can watch a match in a stadium nestled on one of the islands within the Venetian Lagoon. Surrounded on two sides by water, and only accessible by boat or foot, the Penzo, much like Venice itself, is beautifully idiosyncratic.

Situated at the south-eastern edge of the city on the island of Sant’Elena and named after World War I pilot Pier Luigi Penzo,  the stadium opened its doors in 1913 but bears no resemblance to the grand buildings Venice is famous for.

With basic, uncovered metal stands on three sides of the ground, the Penzo retained a dated, shabby-chic appearance and remained just about functional.

Capacity dropped from just north of 25,000 in the mid-1960s to barely above 5,000 due to the damage caused by the tornado that hit Venice in September 1970, but increased three-fold courtesy of the addition of temporary stands by the time the Lagunari returned to Serie A in 1998.

Venezia’s bankruptcies in 2005 and 2009 cast serious doubts over the Penzo’s future, but the stadium and the club were rescued by a consortium of American investors in 2015.

The Penzo received a facelift in 2021 following Venezia’s return to Serie A, but has lost none of its unique charm and deserves to be visited before it’s too late. 

Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo factfile

• Capacity: 11,150
• Club: Venezia
• Opened: 1913 (renovated in 2021)
• Address: Fondamente Sant’Elena, 30123 Venezia 

How to get to the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo 

Stadio Penzo is located on the island of Sant’Elena, adjacent to the grounds of the Venice Biennale. The stadium is accessible by foot or by vaporetto — the public water bus, which is operated by ACTV.

From Piazza San Marco

The Stadio Penzo is a 30-minute walk from Piazza San Marco and can be reached by walking along the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront past the Venice Biennale grounds and directly to the island of Sant’Elena. The closest water bus stop is approximately 10-minute walk from Piazza San Marco.

• 4.1 water bus from San Marco – San Zaccaria D stop towards Murano – Three stops to Sant’ Elena, Stadio Penzo C stop, followed by a five-minute walk
• 5.1 water bus from San Marco – San Zaccaria F stop towards Lido – Two stops to Sant’ Elena, Stadio Penzo C stop, followed by a five-minute walk
• B/R water bus from San Zaccaria stop towards Marco Polo airport – Two stops to Lido Stop, followed by a 15-minute walk

From Venice Santa Lucia train station

• 4.1/5.1 water bus from Ferrovia C stop towards Lido – Six stops to Sant’ Elena, Stadio Penzo C stop, followed by a five-minute walk
• 5.1/6 water bus from Piazzale Roma B stop towards Lido – Six stops to Sant’ Elena, Stadio Penzo C stop, followed by a five-minute walk

How to buy public transport tickets

Like in other major Italian cities, you can just tap your card when boarding public transport in Venice instead of buying a ticket.

Tickets, however, are available at AVM/ACTV ticket offices and authorised selling points throughout the Venice metropolitan area.

Tickets can also be bought through the AVM Venezia Official app, which can be downloaded from Apple Store and Google Play or online at veneziaunica.it.

Public transport tickets in Venice are split in two categories, those covering the mainland and those covering the water bus on the Lagoon. The former cost €1.75 for 75 minutes, while the latter comes in at €9.50 for 75 minutes.

How to buy Venezia tickets

Tickets can be bought online via VivaTicket or in person at authorised VivaTicket sales points and at the ground.