How to visit Rome’s Olympic Stadium

The Stadio Olimpico is on the banks of the Tiber river, about two miles north of the center of the city.

It’s in an area called Foro Italico which is next to the upmarket areas of Ponte Milvio and Fleming, and just over the river – via the “Ponte Musica” millennium footbridge – from the area of Flaminio and the Piazza Mancini bus station.

Unfortunately the stadium is not well served by public transport from the city center. Here are all your options.

Getting to the Stadio Olimpico by taxi or Uber

This is feasible but in the pre-match period your driver will likely be diverted to the highway north of the stadium to drop you on the far side from the Foro Italico. Read more about Rome’s rules around Uber…

Getting to the Stadio Olimpico by bus

Many bus lines in the north of the city terminate at Piazza Mancini, which is just over the river from the stadium. However not many buses from the city center go there. The 628 and the 82 do stop at the Foro Italico, but bear in mind that during match times the buses are massively oversubscribed by locals, and the routes change, with a revised drop-off point that may be several hundred yards away. How to use Rome’s bus system…

How to get to Rome’s Olympic Stadium by tram

There is a tram terminus at Piazzale Flaminio (metro: Flaminio) from which tram Line 2 goes directly to Piazza Mancini, which is the tram stop just over the river from the stadium.

You can use a regular transport ticket or pass to ride the tram, or tap a contactless card when you enter the vehicle.

Warning: before matches this tram stop gets extremely crowded and sometimes it could be an hour or more before you can board.

Getting to the Stadio Olimpico by Metro

The nearest metro stations are Lepanto and Flaminio, both on Line A. Unfortunately they’re both about 2 miles south of the stadium.

If you get out at Flaminio you could walk or try the tram; if you get out at Ottaviano you will have to walk (see below).

How to walk to the Stadio Olimpico

It’s about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the northernmost point of the city center – Piazza del Popolo (metro: Flaminio), which allows you to reach the stadium on foot in about 30-40 minutes.

Alternatively you can walk from the nearest metro stop on the other side of the river, Lepanto, in approximately the same time. Here are the walking routes:

How to buy online tickets for a match the Olympic Stadium

To buy tickets to a football match to sit with home fans, the only place is the official ticket page of the relevant team:

• AS Roma
• SS Lazio
• For rugby international tickets you need to buy from the notorious TicketOne website
• For concerts you will need to follow specific ticketing instructions for that gig.

 
Tickets to the legendary Curva Sud are reserved for season ticket holders.

If you are following an away team, you should buy tickets your own team website or supporters club.

How to buy tickets for a match at the Olympic Stadium in person

Sale of tickets for the stadium is handled by a company called Vivaticket. They have outlets all over Italy. In Rome you can find their nearest outlet on the interactive map on their website (to set the map to Rome, first select “Lazio” for region, then “Roma” for province).

Can I buy tickets from a scalper/tout outside the stadium?

Authorities have clamped down on this practice, and now you are required to show ID at the gate that matches the name on the ticket. Some people occasionally get through without showing ID but this is a high-risk strategy and we do not recommend it.

You  have two choices:

• Go near the stadium to enjoy the pre-match atmosphere (and post-match tension) then stay where you are when others go into the stadium.
• Stay in the city and find a lively bar that is showing the game.
  
  

Each choice has its own pros and cons: to go near the stadium means you endure all the transport inconvenience and overcrowding before the match and potential for clashes after – but you will be able to hear the roar of the crowd and soak in the atmosphere. For this we recommend Piazzale Ponte Milvio. Get off the #2 tram at the Tiziano stop and walk over the ancient Roman footbridge. The area is crammed with bars and restaurants and is a natural focal point for fans before and after the game.

To stay in town you may have less atmosphere but at least you are spared the travel woes. To get as much atmosphere as possible we recommend Scholar’s Lounge Irish pub right on Piazza Venezia, which shows all major sports (including Formula 1 and Premier League clashes too).

Further north in the centro storico is the Highlander Scottish pub that shows many major football and rugby matches. In trendy Monti you will find the game being shown in Finnegans, a defiantly football-only Irish pub. For Six Nations rugby we recommend yet another (and very authentic) Irish pub in Monti, the Druids Den.

If the match is a Roma one, or better still a Roma-Lazio derby, then you do not need to look for the match: it will come to you in every bar and restaurant in the city.

For important internationals, too, the city sometimes erects a maxischermo (big screen) in open spaces such as Piazza del Popolo and Circo Massimo.

Yes indeed. Romanisti can visit:

• The original AS Roma stadium – now derelict, but undeveloped. Combine this with a visit to Testaccio.
• Official AS Roma stores – for an up-to-date list of addresses and opening hours see here.
• If you have the patience, you can take the Metro and bus out to the Fulvio Bernadini Training Centre at Piazzale Dino Viola near Trigoria to join other tifosi waiting to see if their heroes might appear. We recommend driving here, but if you don’t have a car you can take the 73 or 731 bus from outside the EUR Fermi station on Line B of the metro.

Yes! The stadium can be visited on a guided tour on days when there aren’t events happening. 

Book a tour of the Stadio Olimpico >