Yes, the point of the study abroad experience is to immerse yourself in another culture. But for some American students and expats in Florence, keeping up to date with American sports is a hard habit to put on hold. Surprisingly, following the NFL is much easier than you would expect in a country that is so avidly devoted to the ‘other’ football: calcio. If you need a sports fix, head to Red Garter/Sizzler on via dei Benci, 32r. These adjacent venues are textbook American-style sports bars. You can sit down for your favorite game and enjoy a taste of home through the delicious range of burgers offered on the menu.
Finnegan’s Irish Pub (via San Gallo, 123r) is another sure bet, showing games every Sunday at 7pm and 10pm. Stick around and broaden your cultural experience: the pub also shows Irish rugby and soccer games as well as the standard EPL and Serie A soccer games commonly aired in Florentine bars.
At the corner of piazza San Pier Maggiore, the Lion’s Fountain Irish Pub (borgo degli Albizi, 34) also shows NFL games daily as well as MLB and NCAA games throughout the week.
The cross-cultural experience can go both ways: invite some of your new non-American friends over to watch the game. Rather see the action on the gridiron, diamond, or court? Go to a game in Florence: www.guelfifirenze.it.
