The prospect of travelling abroad to Italy in order to watch live Serie A football can be daunting for a novice. Travel arrangements, ticketing and finding the best places to go can prove to be difficult and stressful if you are unsure of what to do. Reading this series of travel guides will hopefully serve to allay some of those fears, but for those wanting to watch Juventus, there is an organisation ready to help.
Around J has been set up by a native of Turin as a place where non-Italian Bianconeri supporters can meet with each other and share their experiences. “Around J is the biggest community of international Juventus fans created by a true Curva Sud fan born and raised in Turin,” their website reads. “Thanks to our presence on all the main online and social media platforms, we connect Juventus fans from all over the world and provide all the necessary information about the team from a fan’s perspective.”
Here, hotels are organised and events planned so that even those travelling alone from worldwide destinations can meet up with others in the same position. These events include meals out and wine tours at stunning locations that would otherwise prove inaccessible to those without local knowledge, whilst trips further afield take supporters to locations such as Mont Blanc and days out at Piedmontese vineyards.
A brief look at the testimonials page on their website only serves to highlight what a fantastic resource this group is for those travelling from abroad. “Around J turned what was already a special trip to Turin into so much greater,” said Andre from Jamaica. “The friendships and bond created with fellow fans and the experience they facilitate painted memories that can never be replaced. It just wouldn’t have been the same without their help.”
Turin itself can be accessed a number of ways, via direct flights to its Caselle airport – the most expensive option – or via cheap flights to Milan Malpensa airport. From the latter, a bus company named Sadem provide a connection to the Porta Susa train station in the centre of Turin. The third alternative is to catch a bus from Malpensa airport to Milan central train station, the journey taking less than one hour from here.
Hotel Ponte Sassi in the outskirts of the city provides reasonably priced accommodation, with regular buses and trams into the centre passing by right outside. A three-day ticket that covers both types of transport can be purchased in any tobacconists, covering all your needs for the entire weekend. This particular hotel is located just around the corner from the tramway up to Superga, a must-visit in order to see tributes to the crash that wiped out the entire Grande Torino side in 1949.
Juventus stadium is ultra-modern and provides an excellent matchday experience for those who visit. The museum is a must-see during your visit, but Turin isn’t just about its Old Lady. A trip to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino will be more suited to those looking for a more traditional atmosphere, and their newly built Stadio Filadelfia that will be used for training and youth team purposes has a history all of its own.
You will almost be spoiled for choice for places to eat and drink in Turin. Costadoro Coffee Lab Diamante is fantastically modern, and you will be surprised how cheap the coffee actually is. Caffe Torino (with the Martini sign outside) should also be on your to-do list. At Aperitivo time, try the buffet-style offering at La Drogheria in Piazza Vittorio Veneto or One Apple, owned by the brother of Antonio Conte.
Have a look on Google at Sfashion, a place with quirky decor that serves excellent wood-fired pizza, Casa Slurp for modern Italian cuisine, and Gramsci where the food and interior would make you think it is more expensive than it actually is. Lampara is a place that has traditionally been a favourite of footballers in the city, but in truth the best experience can be found in the unlikeliest of places.
The Huntsman pub on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II may look like somewhere to avoid from the outside, but inside it serves brilliant food and shows most Serie A matches on TV in the evenings. Fans of those teams are always in attendance, meaning that there’s always a great atmosphere to go with your dinner.
That’s it for Turin, but don’t forget to check out the other travel guides in the series, with Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan and Naples here and Verona to follow!
