The Greatest Sports Bar: Florence Guide

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is the most famous beautiful city in all of Italy. It’s my favorite anyway. The city is famous for amazing monuments such as Il Duomo. An architectural masterpiece with its revolutionary design that is only standing thanks to groundbreaking engineering from its creator, Brunelleschi. But today, we’ll be looking at something a little different, we’ll be looking at where you can find the best sports bar in Florence. 

No specific categories, we’re just looking for great atmospheres, nice drinks and as the title says - they must show sports!

You may be hoping to watch a match from your league, whether it be the Premiership or La Liga. Equally likely is you’ll be hoping to catch an even bigger game! But where to watch Champions League Florence?

Let’s take a look.

Finnegan’s Irish pub is popular with expats and locals because it gives people a home away from home. Things like the music, darts and everything you would expect from a lively bar such as Halloween parties.

Saturday is the day to visit for football fans (or soccer, depending on where you’re from). Often showing game after game from midday until the evening when you can even watch the day’s other matches. This is only for the most fervent sports fan, personally, after watching a few matches I prefer to play darts/pool.

Finnegan’s Irish Pub is not only a great spot to watch some sport and have a drink. It’s just a 7-minute walk from the bar to the Galleria dell’Accademia. Making it a perfect choice for your traveling party. How? Well, go check out the statue of David, learn about Michelangelo, then go watch a match and have a beer. Perfect!

One of the most popular spots on our list, and this is down to a few reasons. Daunbailò is renowned for having a great atmosphere, which can set it apart from some rival bars. Doors are open until around 3 am so you can enjoy some time with friends long after the games have finished!

Something interesting for our American readers is that the bar shows loads of different sports. As with most sports bars, Daunbailò shows soccer and is one of only a few that shows NFL matches. Couple this with great beer and whiskey selections and it’s easy to say why Daunbailò becomes a favorite with expats. A great place to stop off whether you’re on holiday or an expat looking for a bar to become your local.

Daunbailò is in a fantastic location making it pretty easy to find. Just a 7-minute walk from Catedral Santa Maria di Fiore and only 8 minutes to Piazza della Signoria. The famous Ponte Vecchio bridge is just 8 or 9 minutes from the bar, giving you a few well-known spots to help you find it.

Friendly bartenders, great music and great beer make Daunbailò a must when looking for the best sports bars in Florence. Our next spot is just a 14-minute walk away. So let’s take a stroll through the streets of Florence, past Piazza della Signoria, to Reg Garter.

Red Garter is another great place to go when you’re looking for sports bars in Florence. Multiple TV’s showing different competitions make this an excellent choice to watch Premier League, Champions League or Serie A.

There’s nothing worse than getting a seat in the bar and having an obstructed view of the match. Settling in to watch the game only to realize you can barely see the screen because of the people standing in front of you. Not a problem here! Red Garter has a TV mounted high on the wall so unless the person in front of you is about 3 meters tall, you should be able to watch the match with no problems!

The bar is open from 4 until 4 (approx) and is another one found in a fantastic location. Just a few minutes walk from Basilica di Santo Spirito and Ponte Vecchio. The bar is a bit more of a party venue than other spots on our list and it’s not uncommon to hear karaoke as you walk in.

The food is a little expensive for what you get so we’d recommend just going for a drink rather than for lunch or dinner. We spoke to a few people who said they’ve had trouble with the security staff and their prejudices but as we didn’t experience this during our visit I can’t say more than it’s something to be careful of. Find the best NY city Tours with us and get an instant booking. 

Specializing in craft beer with friendly staff, you’re sure to feel welcome at Joshua Tree. Aside from watching the real thing on TV, you and your friends (or total strangers) can play table-football.

Craft beer and football, what a perfect combination! This is what makes Joshua Tree one of the best sports bars in Florence. Drinks are relatively inexpensive and the bar has some nice but understated decor. This makes it the perfect spot for a more laid back evening watching the match. Part of the reason for such a nice relaxed atmosphere is that the bar is never rammed with people. Still, a popular spot with locals though bettered only by our next bar.

Which is?

The Michael Collins Pub is just a stone’s throw from Accademia delle Arti del Disegno. Although admittedly at a kilometer it would have to be a hell of a throw. After spending the morning at the academy, walk via Ricasoli and a little further and you’ll find the bar.

The bar is even closer to the famous Uffizi Gallery (just 200 meters away!). You’d be hard pushed to find a better spot for your culture and sporting fix! Maybe fix isn’t the best word to use when speaking about sport in Italy but you know what I mean!

The Michael Collins Pub is more similar to Joshua Tree than Red Garter in terms of atmosphere. The laid back vibe is perfect for a Saturday afternoon watching the Premiership.

The bar is very British in both its vibe and appearance making it a home away from home for expats. Outdoor seating for fresh air at a half time and nice food into the late night hours are great but unspectacular. But with its proximity to fascinating cultural spots, it must be a contender to be your local while in Florence.

Order your drink before the half-time whistle or you’ll be waiting a while in the big rush for a pint!

The Fiddler’s Elbow is in Piazza di Santa Maria, just a two-minute walk from the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella.

As with many places on our list, Fiddler’s Elbow has friendly bar staff and even more importantly, reasonably priced drinks! The name is a giveaway that this is not a traditional Italian bar and feels much more like an Irish pub. Seating outside is great for a bit of people-watching if you want to have a smoke break or a change of atmosphere in between matches. If you don’t feel the need to step outside then you can take advantage of the pool tables and have a game of your own.

Each time we’ve visited this place it has been rowdy, even on what you would imagine to be a slow weekday. A small thing that this place has over some others, is that it has cider on tap, something we’ve found to be pretty rare in Italy.

The food, the service, the price and atmosphere? All great. An outside terrace, pool tables and TV for sport? Absolutely! The Fiddler’s Elbow fits all our criteria and more for visit-worthy sports bars in Florence and so we’re happy to recommend it to you!

Sure, visiting the Duomo or Uffizi Gallery are more common things to do in Florence, but there’s nothing wrong with watching a game! So there you have it, our list for the best sports bars in Florence. Enjoy a pint and a great atmosphere while you cheer your team to victory!