A trip to Rome is as much about lapping up the dolce vita lifestyle as gorging on art and culture.

Idling around picturesque streets, people-watching on pretty piazzas. We have put together a fantastic itinerary that will keep you busy and allow you to see the best bits of the city whilst soaking up some world class tennis and improving your own game.

Here are our insider “Best Bits” for Rome

Rome’s climate in late spring makes May a perfect time to visit for a city break, so join us for a long weekend. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the city in the day and at night, alongside your tennis activities.

History is around every corner of Rome.

In the ‘Eternal City’ you can discover the cultural remnants of the Roman Empire, awe-inspiring Renaissance art and numerous historic landmarks.

Colosseum

Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete and it is the largest amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. You can spend hours wandering around the Colosseum, imagining how it must have been at times of its greatest glory and admiring its magnificent architecture. Then you can explore a model showing how ingeniously were animals and people transported inside the arena and how dead bodies were transported out.

After leaving the Colosseum, if you’re not feeling too tired, it’s worth going to Palatine hill (you can buy combined ticket Palatine Hill + Roman Forum). The main gate is located opposite the Colosseum, between admirable ruins of Roman Forum, which are monumental but it is not that easy to find the right entrance for the first time. The best way is to go on Via Sacra, which goes in the middle of the Forum and leads you around ruins of old palaces, temples and markets to Temple of Vesta. Then, you can go back and follow the route to Palatine hill, which is a quite vast area, with lots of villas, ruins and corridors, which connect buildings with Farnese Gardens. There you’ll find a great amount of ruins so it is easy to get lost, which is why it is useful to have a guide book with map (our favourite is Rough Guide). From the Palatine hill is a beautiful view, you can see the Colosseum on one side and Circus Maximus on the other. For those, who are not as tired, there is a museum with many ancient sculptures and marble portals. Walking around and exploring every part of this area can take you up to four hours.

Roman Forum

To get to Roman Forum, after leaving the Palatine hill, walk through the gate next to Colosseum, and go down the Via dei Fori Imperiali to Imperial Fora. There you can explore the ruins of ancient temples and columns, admiring forums of Augustine, Nero and Trajan. To finish your trip, You can head to Capitol. Its name is derived from “caput mundi” – head of the world. Its past influence is demonstrated by the fact that from its name was derived the word “capital”. On the Capitol hill is located the most symmetrical square in Rome – Piazza del Campidogli, designed by Michelangelo. On the edge of the square you can find a monument of the founders of the Holy City.

Vatican Museums

The best way how to visit the Vatican Museums is to by a ticket with the option to skip the line. This ticket can be purchased online up to 60 days in advance before visiting the museums and Sistine Chapel. You have to decide on the date and time of entering the museums (you have to meet it unless you will have problems with entering). This “skip the line” ticket can be reserved on the official Vatican website: https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceLivelloVisita=9&step=1.

If you get an early slot it is worth going straight into the Sistine Chapel, because it will get more and more crowded throughout the day. On the way there you could stop in Rafael’s halls, where you can  admire the beautiful decorations and paintings. If you are lucky you might find a free seat in the Sistine Chapel, so you can the magnificent decoration without being disturbed. It is advised to take a guide book or read about the decorations beforehand because there is so many layers and meanings that it’s hard to spot everything without a guidance. The rest of the museums is gigantic so it’s better to decide early which parts you want to visit otherwise you could spend a couple of days there just walking around.

St. Paul’s Basilica 

From Vatican Museums you can head to St. Paul’s Square, where you can explore the great Bernini’s architecture and admired impressive proportions of the square. In front of the Basilica is usually many people, having all the same goal – get inside the biggest church in the world.

When you reach the entrance to the church, go at first to the right, walk past the changing rooms and go to the ticket office, where are sold tickets approving entry to the cupola of the basilica. There you pay 7€ per ticket and wait for the elevator which takes to the inside terrace of the basilica (walking is 2 Euros cheaper, but it is 300 stairs more).

To get on the top to the cupola you have to continue on the narrow stairs (there is 320 stairs and who suffers from claustrophobia or is not fit should rather give up, because the walk is really hard and the hall around stairs really narrow). There is stunning view of the Rome, Vatican Museums, Gardens and residence of the Pope.

When you have enough of views of Rome, you can go down and enter the Basilica. It is gigantic, the whole area is divided into many naves, which are interesting on their own and the first one, on the right side from the entrance is decorated with Michelangelo’s Pieta, which he made, when he was only 23 years old. Walking around the Basilica takes more than an hour and then you can go to take a look at the crypt with remains of St. Paul, which is connected to many others, where are buried some of the Popes. The entrance to the crypt is located in the middle of the dome’s nave and without a map, which you can get in the changing room, is hard to be find.

The Internazionali BNL d’Italia features the best players at the Foro Italico in Rome.

The tournament is one of the three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events contested on clay, but the event is more than just tennis; it is a total entertainment experience. High fashion, fine food, fabulous shopping and celebrity musical performances have made the tournament one of the most glamorous stops on the ATP World Tour. Rafael Nadal has won a record seven titles in Rome.

The hotel benefits from the outdoor Pool with Whirlpool tub!

It is open from June to September, from 9:00 am to 18:00 pm, with assistance for bathers, café-bar, loungers and umbrellas. Please note that the use of the swimming pool comes at a surcharge of € 15.00 adult

Professional staff, 4-star Superior comfort and services.

The Excel Roma Montemario welcomes you to a scenic, sheltered haven just outside the city centre.

 

In the heart of the Natural Reserve of Montemario, the resort is ideally situated in the immediate proximity of the Olympic Stadium and the Foro Italico, a short distance from Prati district and the Ordinary Court of Rome, only 2 km from the Catholic University and the Gemelli General Hospital, only 5km from the Vatican city.

 

Romans take their food and wine seriously…

You will never be stuck for somewhere to enjoy a good meal in Rome. Roman cuisine is set it apart from the food of all other Italian cities. Local specialties such as cacio e pepe (pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper), carbonara (pasta with egg, cured pork jowl or belly, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper), roasted lamb, and assorted offal, can be found in a variety of restaurants ranging from simple international venues to Michelin-­starred restaurants.

We have put together an itinerary that works from a logistical perspective and keeps you fuelled for tennis but also allows you to see some of the best sights Rome has to offer.

Our weekly programme

• The tennis programme consists of 12.5 hours of tennis incorporating morning coaching sessions, and afternoon matchplay sessions and an end of week social champagne tournament.
• The programme has been devised with the main emphasis on improving your doubles; our aim is for you to go home a better doubles player with an improved understanding of your positioning, movement and tactical play. As well as improving your doubles play we will also be giving you personal technical tips which you can work on to further help improve your game.
• For those that want to play singles we arrange box leagues that can be played outside of the program times.
• Our programme is as flexible as it need s to be and we can tailor your holiday to your exact needs. You can play as much or as little tennis as you want. You can rest assured that all abilities will be catered for, from absolute beginners to County and National standard players. Private lessons with one of our professional coaches can be arranged in resort for an additional cost.
• The week is as much about having fun as it is about meeting new friends and playing tennis.

Refresh your body with a visit to the Spa

At the Excel Montemario spa their expert consultants and therapists offer soothing treatments.

Rome’s nightlife starts late…

It is not unusual for locals to meet up for dinner around 9. 30 or even 10. Rome is unique when it comes to nightlife and entertainment. It is different from any other capital in the world, yes there are surely loads of bars, pubs & clubs spread all over the city but the best way to enjoy the culture, vibe and spirit of the city is outdoor.

As the weather is mild here for most part of the year, every square turns often into a big outdoor bar. The locals love their evening ”passeggiata” (slow walk through the old town), strolling around the cobble stoned streets, sipping a beer while chatting with friends

Only a short Distance from the airport…

From Fiumicino Airport

Option 1, travel time about 1 hour: taxi (minimum fare €65,00).
Option 2, travel time about 1 hour 20 minutes: take the Leonardo Express train to Termini Train Station in Rome; change and take the metro Line A to Lepanto; then take the bus number 913 for Montemario Station and get off in Monte Gaudio, opposite Via Degli Scolopi, 20m on the left.

From Ciampino airport

Option 1 , travel time about 1 hour: taxi (minimum fare €65.00).
Option 2, travel time about 1 hour 15 minutes: take the bus to Anagnina terminus; change and take the metro Line A to Lepanto; then take the bus number 913 for Montemario Station and get off in Monte Gaudio, opposite Via Degli Scolopi, 20m on the left.

Example Itinerary

• 4 * hotel accommodation
• 4 nights B&B Board Basis
• Full hosted itinerary with guide
• Price based on 2 sharing a room
• 12.5 Hrs professional tennis programme
• 2 tickets to the ATP/WTA 100 Masters tounament
• Concierge booking service
• Organised evening meals and activities
• Organised sightseeing/activities
• WIFI
• Fully ATOL protoected

Not Included

• Transfers