Italian Football Travel Guide

Is Italian football in crisis?

Of course it is, but then again, when isn't it?! No where else on the continent do they take their football so seriously and no where else is it so entwined in day-to-day life - the lines between politics, religion and calcio a constant blur, the game lurching from crisis to crisis.

But it's this passion that makes soccer in Italy so compelling, and an afternoon on the curva with the ultras is one of football's greatest experiences - worth a trip to Italy on its own.

But that's not all you get of course. There's the chance to stock up on tons of decent clobber, you'll eat and drink like a King, whilst all the time enjoying some of Europe's most jaw-dropping backdrops.

Enjoy!

Listed below are the 20 current Serie A sides.

Click on the club links for all you need to know about tickets, stadiums and vociferous ultras, plus where to go boozing after the match, where to do a bit of shopping and how get to town from the airport in the first place.

Atalanta

Cagliari

Catania

Empoli

Udinese

Stay up to date with Serie A fixtures, results and league tables at the official Italian FA Lega Calcio website.

The following books are also essential reading for anyone with an interest in Italian soccer travel and/or history: