The official name is SS Lazio, the SS standing for Società Sportiva, or Sports Club. It was founded in 1900, and since then, the story of the club’s squadra di calcio is one of mostly top-tier football, a few trophies, some financial problems, a couple of scandals that almost took them down, and a history of right-wing, even fascist,…

The Lazio-Roma derby, known as the Derby della Capitale, or Capital Derby, is said to be one of the most intense in world football. Other than sharing a city and a stadium, the antipathy goes back to the founding of Roma, when a leading fascist government official in Rome wanted to improve the city’s record against the dominant teams from…

SS Lazio Women 2015 were actually founded in 1969 under another name, and in 1975 became part of the parent club. They were a force in the 1980s with four league titles, but then they faded. The 2015 refers to a reorganization as an independent business owned by the Lazio men’s team. They are now in Serie A Femminile for the 2023-24 season,…

There seem to be two of them, and with our limited Italian, we can’t sort out which is more of a big deal. One is called “Lazio Grande Lazio” and the other “Vola Lazio Vola.” The former is a bit more upbeat and…

The Stadio Olimpico was first built in 1937, but due to World War II it wasn’t properly finished until 1953. It got  some work done, and its current name, when it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1960 Olympics. It got even more work, and its roof, for the 1990 World Cup, in which it hosted five games, including the Final. It…

GETTING THERE: Stadio Olimpico (Google Maps link) is just northwest of the city center, in the 1960 Olympic village along the River Tiber. The closest tram stop, on Line 2, is just across the river at Mancini. You can also take the Metro to Ottaviano, then bus 32 to right by the stadium. PUBS: There is a cluster of places to eat and drink just…