Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo: Guide for Visiting Fans

There are no roads to the stadium. You are arriving by water or on foot, and for most visitors that means the vaporetto.

By vaporetto: ACTV water buses serve the Sant'Elena stop, which is a 10-minute walk from the stadium through the Parco delle Rimembranze. The most useful lines:

• Line 1 departs from Ferrovia (right outside Venezia Santa Lucia railway station) and travels the length of the Grand Canal, passing under the Rialto Bridge and past Piazza San Marco before reaching Sant'Elena. It takes about 45 minutes and is the most scenic route in football.
• Line 5.1 departs from Piazzale Roma and sails around the north side of Venice, reaching Sant'Elena in about 30 minutes.
• Lines 4.2 and 5.2 approach from the east via the Lido and Giudecca.

A single vaporetto ticket costs €9.50 for 75 minutes, which covers the trip to the stadium but is expensive if you plan to use water buses all day. A 24-hour pass (€25) or 72-hour pass (€45) is better value for a match trip. Buy tickets at ACTV booths at the main vaporetto stops or use the AVM Venezia app.

By train: Venezia Santa Lucia is the main station, served by Trenitalia and Italo high-speed trains from across Italy. Milan is 2.5 hours, Rome about 3.5 hours, Florence 2 hours, Bologna 1.5 hours. From Santa Lucia, take Line 1 or walk. The walk from the station to the stadium is about 4 km along the waterfront, roughly 50 minutes through the heart of Venice, passing through Dorsoduro, San Marco, and Castello. It is one of the great pre-match walks in European football.

Venezia Mestre station, on the mainland, is an alternative arrival point with cheaper hotels. From Mestre, take a suburban train across the causeway to Santa Lucia (10 minutes, frequent service), then continue by vaporetto or on foot.

Flying in: Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland. The Alilaguna water bus runs directly from the airport to central Venice (about 90 minutes to Sant'Elena via Fondamente Nove). Faster: take the ATVO bus or local bus to Piazzale Roma (20 minutes), then vaporetto Line 5.1 to Sant'Elena. Total about 60-75 minutes.

There are no cars, no taxis, and no rideshare on the island of Venice. Water taxis exist but cost €70-130 per trip and are not practical for a matchday.

There is no parking at the stadium. There is no parking anywhere on the island of Venice. This is not an oversight.

If you are driving, your options are the mainland garages at Piazzale Roma (the last point accessible by car on the Venice side of the causeway) or Tronchetto. Both charge around €25-35 per day. From Piazzale Roma, take vaporetto Line 5.1 to Sant'Elena. From Tronchetto, the People Mover monorail connects to Piazzale Roma in 3 minutes, then transfer to the vaporetto.

Cheaper parking is available in Mestre. Park at the Venezia Mestre station lot or the nearby Park Stazione Mestre, then take the train across the causeway to Santa Lucia and continue by vaporetto. This is the most cost-effective approach if you have a car.

The stadium is on Sant'Elena, a quiet residential island on Venice's eastern edge. It has almost no hotels. That is fine, because all of Venice is your pre-match base, and getting to Sant'Elena from anywhere in the city is a vaporetto ride.

Castello is the closest neighbourhood with accommodation. It is the easternmost of Venice's six sestieri, quieter and cheaper than San Marco, and a 15-20 minute walk from the stadium. Hotels here range from small family-run locande to larger three- and four-star properties on the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront.

San Marco puts you in the centre of everything, with the widest range of hotels, but prices are steep and you are 30-40 minutes on foot from the ground.

Mestre on the mainland is the budget option. Hotels here cost a fraction of Venice island prices, and the commute is 30-40 minutes via suburban train plus vaporetto. If the match is your only reason for visiting Venice, Mestre is the practical call.

For an experience, stay on the Lido — the beach island east of Venice. It is quiet, has proper streets and hotels, and vaporetto Lines 1 and 5.2 connect it directly to Sant'Elena. Off-season rates on the Lido can be surprisingly good.

The immediate stadium area is residential parkland with almost nothing commercial. But the walk to and from the ground passes through some of Venice's best drinking and eating territory.

Bar Al Parco at the Sant'Elena vaporetto stop is the closest option to the ground. It serves coffee, beer, Campari Spritz, and simple snacks, and it fills with fans before kickoff. The terrace overlooks the lagoon. If you want one drink before walking to the gates, this is it.

Via Garibaldi is a 15-minute walk from the stadium, heading back toward the centre through Castello. This wide, tree-lined street is one of Venice's liveliest and is where the local matchday culture concentrates. Bar Strani is the focal point, a neighbourhood bar where Venezia fans gather. Further along the street, El Refolo serves excellent cicchetti (Venetian bar snacks) and wine by the glass. Bar alle Colonette is another local favourite with a waterside terrace.

For a proper sit-down meal, the restaurants along Via Garibaldi and the parallel Fondamenta di Sant'Anna serve fresh seafood and Venetian pasta dishes at prices that are lower than the tourist centre around San Marco. Arrive early because the locals eat here too.

Inside the stadium, concessions are basic. Beer, panini, coffee, and bottled water. Do not plan your meal around them.

Small bags and handbags are allowed. Large backpacks, suitcases, bottles, cans, and pyrotechnics are prohibited. Italian league standard security screening applies at the gates.

Gates open approximately 90 minutes before kickoff. The away section (Settore Ospiti) is accessed via a dedicated entrance. Follow steward directions from the Sant'Elena park — the walking routes for home and away fans are separated before you reach the stadium.

Bring your passport or photo ID. Italian league regulations require identity verification matching the ticket holder at entry. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the visiting club's allocation.

Weather: The stadium is completely open-air with no roof on any stand. Venice's lagoon climate means autumn and winter matches can be cold, windy, and wet. Dress for exposure. The stands offer no shelter at all.

The stadium's age (1913) means accessibility is limited compared to modern grounds. Wheelchair-accessible spaces exist but are few. The approaches from the vaporetto stop through the park are flat and manageable, but the stadium itself has steps and narrow passages. Contact the club well in advance to arrange accessible seating and to confirm the route from the vaporetto stop to the designated area. The vaporetto system has wheelchair-accessible boats on most lines, though boarding can require assistance from ACTV staff.

Away fans are typically allocated a section of the Tribuna or a designated block at one end. The stadium is small (capacity around 11,150) and every seat feels close to the pitch. Sight lines are good throughout, largely because the stands are low and the pitch is tight. There is no bad view at Penzo — just different degrees of proximity.

The ground's small scale means the away section is always close to the home fans. Separation is managed by stewards rather than by distance. The atmosphere is intense precisely because of this intimacy.

This is the away day you tell people about for the rest of your life. It is not the best stadium in Italy. The facilities are basic, the stands are exposed, the concessions are minimal, and the capacity is the smallest in Serie A. None of that matters.

What matters is that you are in Venice. You arrived by boat. You walked through a park along the lagoon to reach the ground. Across the water, you can see the Lido. Behind the east stand, the Adriatic. The sun sets behind the Venice skyline during an evening kickoff, and for a few seconds the entire ground goes gold.

Venezia's fanbase is passionate and their ultras, the Mestre-based groups and the Sant'Elena faithful, create an atmosphere that the small stadium amplifies. The club's recent history — promotion, relegation, promotion again — has created a fanbase that takes nothing for granted and appreciates every moment in the top flight. As an away fan, you are treated respectfully. Venice is a tourist city; visiting supporters are not an unfamiliar concept.

By vaporetto: Walk back to Sant'Elena stop (10 minutes). Lines 1, 5.1, and 5.2 run post-match. Expect crowding for the first 15-20 minutes. If you are heading back to Santa Lucia station, Line 1 is the direct route (45 minutes). If you need to reach Piazzale Roma for a car, Line 5.1 is faster (30 minutes). ACTV sometimes adds extra services for matchdays, but do not rely on it.

On foot: Walking back through Venice to Santa Lucia takes about 50 minutes. For an evening match, this walk through a lit-up Venice is arguably better than any vaporetto. The route through Campo Santa Maria Formosa, past the Rialto Bridge, and along the Grand Canal is safe, well-lit, and spectacular.

To Mestre: Take the vaporetto to Santa Lucia, then a suburban train to Mestre (10 minutes, runs until late). If you have parked at Mestre station, this is your exit.

Water taxi: An option if money is no object. Expect €80-130 to reach the airport, Piazzale Roma, or a hotel on the Grand Canal. Book in advance rather than trying to hail one post-match.

How do I get to Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo?

By vaporetto water bus. Take Line 1 from Santa Lucia station or Line 5.1 from Piazzale Roma to the Sant'Elena stop, then walk 10 minutes through the park to the stadium.

Is there parking at the stadium?

No. There are no roads on the island of Venice. Park on the mainland at Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, or Mestre and take the vaporetto.

What is the bag policy at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo?

Small bags are allowed. Large backpacks, suitcases, and bottles are prohibited. Italian league security screening applies.

Do I need ID to enter?

Yes. Italian league regulations require photo ID matching the ticket holder. Bring your passport if you are an international visitor.

How much does a vaporetto ticket cost?

A single 75-minute ticket is €9.50. A 24-hour pass is €25, a 72-hour pass €45. Buy at ACTV booths or the AVM Venezia app.

Is the stadium covered?

No. Stadio Penzo is completely open-air. There is no roof on any stand. Dress for the weather.

Where do away fans sit?

Away supporters are allocated a designated section, accessed via a dedicated entrance. Follow steward directions from the Sant'Elena park.

Can I walk from Venice city centre to the stadium?

Yes. From San Marco it is about 20-25 minutes on foot. From Santa Lucia station, about 50 minutes. The walk through Venice is part of the experience.