Always fun in the breathtaking city of Florence: a quick visit to the Stadio Artemio Franchi of Fiorentina. Also: the capital of Tuscany is also home to one of the nicest football museums of Italy.
A semi-oval bowl in the open air, with just a covered main stand. Here you have the recipy for a classic Italian stadium: Architecturally, Artemio Franchi ticks all the boxes. The stadium of Fiorentina has also a beautiful, monumental entrance, like most old stadiums in the Serie A.
The splendid purple (‘La Viola’) of Fiorentina gives the stadium even more allure. The seats on the main stand have the club colours, on the opposite side purple seats form the club name 'ACF Fiorentina'. Also nice: you can see the green hills of Tuscany from inside the stadium.
A visit to Fiorentina can be combined perfectly with a vacation or a romantic weekend. That Florence on itself already is a simply breathtaking experience needs no further explanation. Take from the historical city centre an Uber or taxi to the stadium in the northeast of Florence: for a walk is it just too far. The neighbourhood around the stadium has its charm, but is not as beautiful as the city centre. But also nice: right next to Artemio Franchi you'll find an athletics stadium, a swimming pool and the skate park of the city.
You probably wouldn't expect it in the in some ways a little posh Florence - rather in Milan or Turin - but one of the best football museums of Italy can be found in this city. At the Viale Aldo Palazzeschi 20 is the 'Museo del Calcio' located, near the head quarters of the Italian football association. In a yellow building you'll find a treasury of Italian football souvenirs, among which original shirts and the four World Cups Italy won over the years. The charming museum is a little further from the city centre, but is absolutely worth a visit.
A little north of the museum you'll find the complex of the ‘Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio’ in the area of Coverciano, the head quarters of the Italian football association. (The offices of the association are in Rome, but the training ground of the national team is here.)
The complex is not hypermodern or superdeluxe, but is beautifully located between the plane trees, a bit like Milanello.
A classic among Fiorentina fans is Bar Marisa, right in front of the entrance of the stadium. Marvelous coffee and football shirts on the wall: this bar can live up to the standards of a perfect Italian coffee shop. You can also buy tickets for home matches of Fiorentina here, and the fan store of the Fiorentina is right next door.
Does your partner really hate football? Near the famous Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, in the heart of the city, you'll find the second fan store of Fiorentina. That might not sound that special - all fan stores are a bit the same - but the one of 'La Viola' is a nice exception. The shirts of Fiorentina are so classy and beautiful that its hard to keep your wallet closed.
If you're op vacation in Tuscany anyway, you can easily pay a quick visit to the other Stadio Artemio Franchi in the region. This same named, charming stadium of ACN Siena 1904 (Serie C) has exact the same name, named after the same former football director, and is really worth a visit. Beautifully located and old school. On week days, this stadium functions as parking garage as well. You park under the stands and can just walk in. Groundhopping was never as simple as it is here.
A match of Fiorentina is the summum of course, the atmosphere in Artemio Franchi is great and the fans are very fanatic. Tickets can usually be bought on the website of Fiorentina easily, or at 'Fiorentina Point' at the Via dei Sette Santi, two blocks away from the stadium.
Take at motorway A1 exit Firenze Sud and follow the road until 'stadio' appears on the signs. Artemio Franchi is also good reachable by train: in walking distance of the stadium you'll find train station Firenze Campo di Marte, where both regional trains (to central station Firenze Santa Maria Novella for example) and long distance trains to the rest of the country stop. From the city centre, you can also take bus 7, 17, or 20.
Images: Shutterstock, SANTOS
