Everyone who wants to visit Hellas Verona and the Stadio Bentegodi should read the cult classic 'A season with Verona' from writer Tim Sparks first. But with this mini-guide we'll help you a little bit on your way to the best football hotspots in this beautiful city.
In the great book 'A Season with Verona' from 2002, writer Tim Sparks starts his adventure with the hardcore Hellas fans in the Zanzi Bar. A café that still exists, near the Stadio Bentegodi, at the corner of the Viale Sansovino. In the stories of Sparks, it's a raw fan bar where the 'Brigate Gialloblù' used to gather. That's true, of course, but on weekdays it's a quite regular bar. Next to the door, there are a lot of Verona stickers, but inside you can drink a good cup of coffee or a cocktail. Only the steel bars in front of the window give away that some chairs have been flying around here in the past.
Many football fans thought it was an 'ugly' tournament, but 'Italia '90' was in some ways also the last old-fashioned World Cup, just before commerce took over in football. In the Stadio Bentegodi, you'll imagine yourself back in 1990 as not much has changed there since. The stadium of Hellas (due to financial problems the other home team, Chievo, doesn't have a first-team currently) is classic Italian, with a running track and a lot of concrete. Since the renovations, it's completely covered with a roof and is a little bit comparable with the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples.
The area where the Bentegodi is located is named 'Stadio'. The area is in stark contrast with the wonderful city centre, also named 'Little Rome'. Stadio is a typical Italian suburb with its monotone apartment blocks, but you'll find a lot of true football fans here.
In the area of Stadio, a little east of the Stadio Bentegodi, you'll find the great Osteria Riki & Mauri. Not only is the food incredible, but so is the affordable price. It's also a real Hellas Verona hotspot. Fans gather here on match days and drink a couple of beers in the pub of the place. During the week it's a classy and classic restaurant with football shirts and old Hellas pictures on the wall.
When visiting Verona you simply can't ignore the breathtaking Arena di Verona, one of the best-preserved amphitheatres of the world, dating from the year 30 A.C. The Arena is at its prettiest when you can visit a concert (mostly classic or opera, but also rock bands like Pearl Jam, The Who and Black Sabbath have played here). The club Hellas uses the famous theatre regularly as the decor for photo sessions or press conferences. Just like in 2019, when it was used for a special Christmas photo with all 500 members of the club. In 2026, the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics will be held here.
The romantic city centre of Verona is sort of an open-air museum, but there's also some football to discover as well. The club shop 'Hellas Store' is located in a beautiful place in the city, on the Via Carlo Cattaneo. And the historic Scudetto of 1985 was celebrated superbly at the Piazza Bra, right next to the Arena di Verona. A little further from the city centre you'll find 'Bar Hellas' at the Via Girolamo Campagna 6, a fun coffee shop painted in blue and yellow club colours.
The Stadio Bentegodi is actually way too big for Hellas Verona and because of that, it's never sold out. Tickets can be bought at Vivaticket, an Italian ticketing site used by several clubs. The general sale usually starts one week prior to the match.
At motorway A22 you'll see at exit Verona Nord the little football already on the signs. Take the exit, follow the ball and the signs with 'Stadio' and you'll reach the stadium in a couple of minutes.
From the centre of the city, you can take the bus to the Bentegodi: line 11, 12 or 13, stopping at Piazzale Olimpia. The buses pass the train station Verona Porta Nuova as well, the main railway station of the city. From this station, you can also walk to the stadium, which only takes you about 15 minutes.
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