Mapei Stadium: Guide for Visiting Fans

Mapei Stadium is about 2–3 kilometres from Reggio Emilia's city centre, which makes it walkable in theory but unpleasant in practice. There's not much along the route and the last stretch is a fairly dull industrial road. The better option is the train: Reggio Emilia has two stations, and you want Reggio Emilia Mediopadana if you're coming from Milan or Bologna on the high-speed line, or Reggio Emilia Centrale if you're on a regional connection.

The nearest train halt to the stadium is Reggio Stadio, which is just a 7-minute walk away. From Reggio Emilia Centrale at Piazza Marconi, you can reach the stadium by walking or by taking bus line No. 05. Bus lines 02, 05, and M all stop near the stadium. From the AV Mediopadana high-speed railway station, take bus No. 5 in the direction of Mapei Stadium. The bus journey from Reggio Emilia Centrale takes about 10 minutes and costs roughly €1–3.

Flying in? Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) is your closest major hub — figure about 40–45 minutes by train with a connection through Bologna Centrale. Parma Airport (PMF) is technically closer in straight-line terms but has limited commercial services, so Bologna is almost always the practical choice.

Driving in from the A1 motorway, simply follow signs for Mapei Stadium from the Reggio Emilia exit. For rideshare, specify the Viale Olimpia entrance when booking your pickup or drop-off and you won't end up circling.

There are about a dozen parking areas available for fans who choose to drive. The nearby shopping complex — the "I Petali" centre behind the away end — has a significant number of spaces, and the official stadium website recommends these adjacent car parks as the primary options. This is your best bet: it's flat, well-lit, and you'll be walking to your gate within five minutes of parking.

Costs are typically in the €5–10 range for matchday parking in the surrounding lots, with some spaces managed by the municipality at lower rates. Arrive at least 90 minutes before kickoff — the lots adjacent to I Petali and along Viale Taddei fill up fast for top-half Serie A fixtures. The scattered street parking along Via Gramsci and Via Morandi fills next, and those add a longer walk. Away fans parking near the Curva Nord-side lots should note the walk takes you past home fan assembly points — it's fine, but be aware of your colours.

Stay in central Reggio Emilia, full stop. The area around Piazza Prampolini and the old town is pleasant, walkable, and has actual restaurants and bars that aren't hotel dining rooms. There are mid-range three-star hotels here that are genuinely comfortable, not the grim business-park variety. Avoid booking near the Mediopadana high-speed station unless your only goal is a fast train departure the next morning; there's nothing around it. The historic centre is only a €10–12 cab or rideshare from the stadium anyway, so the slight distance is irrelevant.

The Holiday Inn Express is the closest hotel to the stadium itself — right along Viale Felice Romano — which suits you if you just want convenience. For something more central, Hotel Italia and Hotel Cristallo are reasonably priced, while Hotel San Marco sits closest to Reggio Emilia Centrale station. If you want genuine Emilian character and a memorable street to walk out onto for breakfast, book around Piazza del Monte or Via Emilia San Pietro rather than the ring-road hotels.

The hard truth is that the immediate stadium environs have nothing worth writing home about for eating and drinking. There are no dedicated pubs around the ground, which means you're better off eating and drinking beforehand in the centre of Reggio Emilia. You can buy beer at the stadium, though expect it to be served in a food-court setting rather than a proper bar. So eat and drink in the city. Here's where:

Caffè Classico (Via Emilia San Pietro) — A reliable pre-match spot; aperitivo culture is alive in Reggio Emilia and this is a good place to experience it without tourist prices. Get there around 6pm, order a spritz, eat the free nibbles off the bar. This is how Italians do matchday prep and it's better than any sports bar.

Ristorante da Lino (city centre) — A proper old-school Emilian trattoria; the tortelli d'erbetta here is the real thing. Book ahead for evening kickoffs, because the locals eat here too.

Piedigrotta 2 — A restaurant with an outdoor terrace and a wood oven serving classic meat and seafood dishes as well as pizza, specialising in northern and southern Italian cuisine. Good for groups who can't agree on what to eat.

Don't skip eating in this region — Reggio Emilia is the birthplace of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the local food quality even in casual places is absurdly high. A bad meal here takes effort.

Gates generally open about 90 minutes before kickoff. Away fans enter via a dedicated entrance on the east side of the ground — follow the signage and don't wander toward home sections, as stewards are fairly strict about segregation. Bag policy follows standard Serie A protocol: no large bags, and they do check.

Arrive with time to spare because the security queue can move slowly. Stick to a small daypack or shoulder bag — something you could comfortably carry through airport security. Backpacks are generally waved through if they're not huge, but you'll get pulled aside for a manual search. Leave the big wheeled luggage at the hotel.

One quirk worth knowing: the stadium has a water-filled moat between the pitch and the stands intended to prevent pitch invasions — fed from a nearby river, there have been cases of bored fans successfully fishing in it. It's genuinely unique and slightly surreal, and it means there's no way to get closer to the pitch than your ticket says.

Mapei Stadium was built in 1994 following an English-style model designed to offer spectators maximum comfort and great sightlines from all seats. Accessible seating is available and distributed across the main stand (Tribuna) area and some lower concourse positions. Wheelchair users should contact Sassuolo's ticketing office in advance to confirm availability, as designated spaces are limited and can sell early. The main accessible entrance is on the west side (Tribuna principale), where level access from the car park is available without steps.

Elevator access is provided within the main stand for mobility-impaired supporters. Accessible toilets are located on the main concourse level. Assistive listening systems and dedicated sensory accommodations are not widely advertised for this venue — contact the stadium administration directly at info@mapeistadium.it to confirm current provision before your visit.

Away fans enter via a dedicated entrance on the east side of the ground. The away allocation occupies a section of the Curva Est (east end), which gives you a direct end-on view of the goal your team attacks in the second half. The sightlines from the away end are good — you're not stuck behind a post or looking at a pillar. The away section holds a few hundred comfortably and the acoustics in that corner carry better than you'd think given the open sky above.

If you want the best neutral viewing angle rather than the away end atmosphere, the Tribuna Laterale seats along the long side of the pitch offer the most balanced view. The four stands are very close to the pitch with no athletics track in between , so there genuinely isn't a bad side of the ground — though the Curva Nord (home end) is obviously off-limits in colours. Avoid the very back rows of any uncovered section in winter; without a roof, rain comes straight in.

Sassuolo fans are not aggressive — this isn't a hostile environment by any stretch — but the crowd is small enough that the atmosphere can be oddly flat in patches, which paradoxically makes it easier for away support to dominate the noise at certain moments. If your end travels in numbers, you can genuinely be heard here in a way that's impossible at San Siro. The thing that will catch you most off guard is not the crowd but the ground itself: Mapei Stadium was built without the running track that ruins so many Italian grounds, and you're genuinely close to the action. It feels like a proper football stadium rather than an athletics venue — which, in Italy, is still rarer than it should be. There's also something quietly absurd about the fact that the water in the pitch-side moat is real river water, and that people have actually fished in it. Only in Italy.

On foot / bus: The easiest and fastest exit. From Piazzale Atleti Azzurri d'Italia it's possible to reach bus line 05 heading back toward Reggio Emilia Centrale — buses run a modified post-match frequency but don't expect a fleet waiting for you. Give it 10–15 minutes after the final whistle before heading to the stop; the rush clears quickly at a ground this size. The walk to Reggio Stadio train halt is only seven minutes and regional trains run until late.

Driving: The lots adjacent to I Petali shopping centre empty faster than the street parking along Via Taddei because there are multiple exit channels. Realistically you're moving within 20–30 minutes of the whistle from those lots. The A1 on-ramp via Tangenziale Nord is your quickest route out regardless of which direction you're heading. Don't even attempt Via Gramsci immediately post-match — it narrows and backs up.

Rideshare: Uber and local apps (Cabify, FreeNow) operate in Reggio Emilia but surge pricing post-match is real. The opinionated tip: walk 10–15 minutes toward the city centre before requesting your ride. You'll get a faster pickup, a cheaper price, and a driver who isn't navigating a congested stadium forecourt. Wait 20 minutes after the final whistle if you don't fancy the walk — by then the surge has usually dropped and traffic is moving.

What's the best way to get to Mapei Stadium by public transit?

From Reggio Emilia Centrale, take bus No. 05 toward the stadium. From the AV Mediopadana high-speed station, bus No. 5 runs directly to Mapei Stadium. The nearest train halt is Reggio Stadio, a 7-minute walk from the gates.

What airport should I fly into?

Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) is the closest major hub, approximately 40–45 minutes by train via Bologna Centrale.

What is the Mapei Stadium bag policy?

Standard Serie A protocol applies: no large bags, and security does check. Keep it to a small shoulder bag or backpack. Nothing oversized or hard-sided.

How much does parking cost at Mapei Stadium? Expect €5–10 for matchday lots around the stadium and the I Petali shopping centre. There are about a dozen parking areas available , so you have options, but the closest ones fill up 60–90 minutes before kickoff.

Where do away fans sit at Mapei Stadium?

Away fans enter via a dedicated entrance on the east side of the ground. The allocation is in the Curva Est. Sightlines are good, and you have a clear end-on view.

What time do the gates open?

Gates generally open about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Is Mapei Stadium cashless? No — this is a standard Italian venue where cash and cards are both accepted. Bring euros for concessions if you prefer not to use a card.

When was Mapei Stadium built, and who uses it?

The stadium holds 21,525 and was built in 1995, replacing the Stadio Mirabello. It is currently the home ground of US Sassuolo and AC Reggiana.