There are some football trips where the fixture makes the weekend — and a local derby at one of Italy’s most recognisable old-school stadiums certainly falls into that category.
Our latest football trip took us to Verona and the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi for Hellas Verona against Vicenza, a Veneto derby returning to the stadium after a nine-year absence.
The Bentegodi had already been high on our list of Italian grounds to visit. Its distinctive architecture, Italia ’90 history and passionate Hellas support make it an interesting destination for any football groundhopper. Throw in a local derby and we couldn’t have picked a much better day to experience it.
This is our guide to watching Hellas Verona — from getting to Verona and exploring the city to tickets, the stadium, atmosphere and what happened when the two sides finally met on the pitch.
Getting match tickets
Ticket sales were difficult as sales to residents of the provinces of Vicenza and Padua were prohibited, which had an obvious impact on the away support. Due to this we were unsure if we would be successful, however using our hotel postcode as a place of residence allowed easy access in the end.
Getting to the Bentegodi
Getting to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi from the centre of Verona is relatively straightforward. The stadium sits to the west of the historic centre and is around a 25–30 minute walk from Piazza Bra and the Arena di Verona, making walking a good option on matchday.
The route also takes you close to Verona Porta Nuova railway station, from where the Bentegodi is only around a 15-minute walk. We chose to walk, which gives you the chance to see more Hellas shirts and scarves appearing as you get closer to the ground and enjoy the gradual build-up to the match.
Outside the stadium
One piece of advice we’d give anyone visiting the Bentegodi is don’t head through the turnstiles too early. There’s plenty happening around the outside of the stadium before kick-off, with numerous official Hellas Verona merchandise stalls selling shirts, scarves and other club souvenirs, alongside a good selection of places to grab food and a drink.
It all adds to the pre-match atmosphere and is worth allowing some time to explore. Once you enter the stadium, the options are more limited, so we’d recommend enjoying the food, drink and merchandise stalls outside before making your way in. Arrive at the Bentegodi early — but don’t necessarily enter early!
A Reminder of Italia ’90
One of our favourite details around the Bentegodi is the Italia ’90 signage still proudly displayed high on the outside of the stadium. The ground was renovated ahead of the 1990 World Cup and hosted four matches during a tournament that remains hugely nostalgic for football fans of a certain generation.
More than three decades later, Hellas Verona have retained these visible reminders of the tournament rather than hiding that part of the stadium’s past. Looking up and seeing the Italia ’90 branding feels like a small time capsule from one of football’s most iconic World Cups and adds another layer of history to a visit to the Bentegodi.
Pre-match atmosphere
As kick-off approached, the Bentegodi gradually began to come alive. Hellas supporters gathered in the stands and the noise started to build, with large yellow and blue flags being waved across the home end as the teams prepared to emerge. It provided a great splash of colour inside the huge concrete bowl and was our first real taste of the atmosphere Hellas Verona supporters are known for.
There’s something particularly impressive about seeing traditional flags filling an Italian curva, and against the backdrop of the Bentegodi’s sweeping stands it made for a brilliant build-up to the derby.
Inside the Bentegodi
One of the first things that caught our attention inside the Bentegodi was the away section. The segregation certainly isn’t subtle! A huge curved metal fence separates the supporters, complete with rows of projecting spikes that make it look particularly formidable when the stand is empty. Add in the faded running track, concrete and huge sweeping stands and it’s another feature that gives the Bentegodi that unmistakable old-school Italian stadium character.
The Match – Hellas Verona v Vicenza
The derby itself certainly delivered. Hellas found themselves a goal behind before substitute Daniel Mosquera completely changed the game. Coming off the bench, the Colombian striker scored twice in quick succession to turn the match around and give Hellas a 2–1 victory over their local rivals.
His second — and ultimately winning — goal sparked brilliant scenes inside the Bentegodi, with supporters jumping, embracing and celebrating wildly in the stands. We managed to capture those celebrations on video, and it was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our visit.
Final thoughts
A football trip to Verona offers so much more than simply ticking another stadium off the list. The Bentegodi is a proper old-school Italian ground, packed with character, history and reminders of Italia ’90, while the Hellas supporters provide the colour and passion you hope to experience when watching football in Italy.
Add in a local derby, a comeback victory and the celebrations of a late winner, and we couldn’t really have asked for a better first experience of Hellas Verona. With one of Italy’s most beautiful cities to explore away from the football, Verona is a destination we’d definitely recommend to any football groundhopper looking for their next European weekend.
Want to Experience a Football Weekend in Verona?
Trips like this are exactly why we created Covert Football Trips.
Verona is already one of Italy’s great city-break destinations, but combine its historic streets, incredible food and drink with a match at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi and it becomes a fantastic destination for a European football weekend.
Watching Hellas Verona is about much more than the 90 minutes. From the yellow and blue colours appearing around the city to the merchandise and food stalls outside the ground, the Italia ’90 history of the stadium and the passion of the supporters inside, there’s plenty for a travelling football fan to experience.
Since 2019, Covert Football Trips has been sending supporters across Europe, taking care of the travel, accommodation and match tickets so you can concentrate on enjoying the weekend.
Our Mystery Football Weekends could see you discovering a city and football experience like Verona without knowing your destination until it’s revealed. Alternatively, our European Match Breaks are perfect if you’d rather choose where your next football adventure takes you.
Could Verona be your next European football trip?
