How to root for your home team from florence

Time for a bit of a geographic detour: Last week, the Kansas City Royals (from Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.) won the World Series for the first time in 30 years. That means, that in my lifetime, I had never seen my home team take the crown. Rather, I lived through 27 opening days hearing the same half-hearted, “maybe this will be our year.” By the time I was a teenager I was numb to the sentiment. I surrendered to the fact that being a Royals fan would never mean reveling in World Series glory. That is, until now. It is a good week to be from Kansas City and an even better week to be in Kansas City.

So where am I going with all this hometown pride on an Italy blog? Well, while I was celebrating in the streets, my two close friends from KC were frantically texting for help from Italy. Months in advance I had helped them plan their very first trip to Europe, and on the evening of our World Series win, they found themselves stranded in Rome. Never in a million years would I have considered being stranded in Rome a problem. But on this particular night, as all of Kansas City came together, I couldn’t help but feel for these two lifelong Royals fans halfway around the globe. As I sent them running for an American bar in Rome to catch the game at midnight, it made me remember those moments in Florence when I couldn’t help but feel a pang of homesickness and disconnect when my hometown teams had a big game.

While Meg and I typically advocate for all things local, we understand that sometimes cheering for your teams from the other side of the world can do the soul some good. Luckily, with a plethora of sports bars (American, English and Italian) in Florence, you will never have to feel “stranded” when your team is headed for a championship. Not to mention, there’s nothing quite like finding your sports soul mate in a complete stranger when you find yourself cheering for the same team from the other side of the world together.

So if you’re a sports fan, before heading out for your trip, semester, or life abroad, keep these bars in your back pocket to cure this particular pang of homesickness.

Finnegan’s | Via San Gallo 123r

The Red Garter | Via de’ Benci 33/r

The Lion’s Fountain | Borgo degli Albizi 34

Michael Collin’s Pub | Piazza della Signoria 30r

Uncle Jimmy’s | Via de’ Pescioni 5/r

Astor | Piazza del Duomo 20/r