5 reasons to book with us

Find the best chic, boutique & luxury hotels
Lowest rates guaranteed
Reviews by professional travel writers
Highly detailed hotel information
Looking for help? Speak directly to our travel consultants

Need ideas?

Try the TI hotel hotlists for shortcuts to some of our favourite hotels around the world.

Legend

Recommended
tour operators

Football in Venice

As most regulars have credit-card style season tickets, those queueing at the booths are mostly passing trade - including a surprising number of tourists, who trek out to the stadium on impulse

In association
with

Articles

Byron liked to present Venice as a living paradox: the Bridge of Sighs had “a palace and a prison on each hand”; a gondola looked like “a coffin clapt in a canoe”, yet could “contain a deal of fun”. A connoiseur of contrasts, he surely would have appreciated the setting of Venezia AC’s ground. The Penzo stadium - a pile of scaffolding that might have started life as one of the exhibits at the nearby contemporary art Biennale - stands at the eastern tip of island Venice, next to the austere Gothic church of Sant’Elena. Though the football may leave something to be desired, the view over the lagoon from the top of the stand is breathtaking.

This is one of the few football grounds in the world that most supporters approach by boat. On alternate Sundays, when Venezia is playing at home, the No 1 vaporetto - normally packed with camera-toting tourists - is comandeered by groups of fans in green, orange and black scarves. They disgorge at the Sant’Elena stop and troop across the park - a real one, with real swings and real kids swinging on them, quite a rarity in Venice - towards the stadium, stopping perhaps at Pampo’s for a quick glass of wine.

As most regular supporters have credit-card style season tickets, those queueing at the booths are mostly passing trade - including a surprising number of tourists, who trek out to the stadium on impulse, unable to face the thought of another Vivaldi quintet played in period costume. Last season, there was always a healthy Japanese contingent, come to cheer on centre-forward Hiroshi Nanami. But Nanami has moved on, and after two seasons battling to stay up with the big boys in Serie A, the team kicked off in September 2000 back in its natural home - Serie B.

Last time I took in a match at Sant'Elena - it was Venezia-Udinese, I seem to remember - I looked down the long avenue that leads past the stadium to the church of Sant'Elena. A sandalled monk stood in the doorway, watching the crowds filing into the wrong place of worship. He was reflecting, perhaps, on the vanity of human passions. Or the merits of the four-four-two formation.

The Stadio Penza is in Sant’Elena, the stop before Lido on the No 1 vaporetto. Tickets can be bought directly on match days. Kick off for Sunday afternoon matches is 3pm summer time, 2pm daylight saving time.