ROME | The Italian International Open & Tour
Tour Overview
ROME | Enrichment
What to Expect
Come along with us as we experience the Italian Open “Internazionali d'Italia” one of the biggest clay court professional tennis tournaments in the world! It’s always a thrill to see our favorites play on the clay, especially in the grand Foro Italico with it’s intimate feeling stadium courts and Roman (replica) statues. We will attend both a day and night session and afterwards, our tennis professionals will be on hand to discuss what they thought about each match so that you can compare notes.
In addition to watching world-class tennis, we will see the sites of Rome that you have always heard of and a few more that you will delight in discovering. For those who have been to Rome before, we will take you to some lesser-known areas and even to the homes of a few friends!
Our accommodations include four nights in a lovely small, boutique hotel housed in a recently restored 19th-century palazzo. The hotel is located in the best and most central location in Rome. It is charming and not a standardized American hotel chain, so each room is different in exact size, shape, and decor. You’ll enjoy the neighborhood as it is full of coffee bars, restaurants, and even a morning open-air market full of colorful fruits, veggies, and flowers.
Your tour will include expert-led VIP private tours at such iconic landmarks as the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon. You will stand in awe in the Sistine Chapel and revel in the immensity and significance of St. Peter’s Basilica. Have you ever wondered what Rome was like 2000 years ago? You will get a sense of it with tours of the Forum and another underground site few tourists know exists.
What’s a tour in Italy without the most fabulous FOOD?! This tour will have you sipping wine and eating dinner in the home of friends and family members of our team. Have you ever gotten a true introduction to the traditional Roman pastas? Our guests adore our taste tour through them while surrounded by the stones of the theater where Julius Caesar was assassinated. You will also become an expert gelato maker after our class in the shop of our close family friend Massimo. We will make sure to finish the class with a taste of lots of different flavors!
We are serving up an unforgettable and authentic 4-Night Roman adventure wrapped up with top professional tennis. You will get to experience it all with real Romans who grew up here and know it intimately.
ROME | The Italian International Open & Tour
Day-to-Day
An example of a room at our boutique hotel in Rome
DAY 1
Buongiorno! We will welcome you to our Rome Italian Open tour at our lovely boutique hotel near Campo de’ Fiori in the central, historic area of Rome. Our tour guests rave about this small hotel and the nice buffet breakfast, so we know that you will enjoy it too.
This afternoon will be our opportunity to head out and help you get oriented to your central Rome neighborhood with a walking tour. We will visit Roman favorites such as Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Make sure you have your coins ready for the fountain, as you will want to guarantee your future return to the Eternal City!
For those who are interested, we may beat the jetlag and get out on the courts for a bit of tennis!
The Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica
DAY 2
We are up bright and early to visit another country—Vatican City. Before the sun rises, we will meet our fantastic trusted guide for a VIP tour of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. An early start helps us to miss most of the huge, body-to-body crowds usually present as you get into later parts of the day. This tour is a head-spinner. Not only will you experience the profound majesty of the Basilica, but you will also see some of Michelangelo’s most significant works, the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel and the poignant Pieta.
After lunch today we will try our hand at making gelato. You will have ample opportunity to try many of the flavors produced by the high-rated shop which is owned by a dear friend.
Depending on the Italian Open schedule, we may head to the Foro Italico for our evening session.
The Ancient Roman Forum and the Colosseum
DAY 3
Lace up your walking shoes this morning. We have lots of ground to cover! Today we will take a closer look at Ancient Rome. We'll travel together to visit the icon of the era, the Colosseum. We will then head over to Piazza Campidoglio, one of Rome's most beautiful squares, designed in the sixteenth century by Michelangelo and laid out between two summits of the Capitoline Hill. From here, we'll soak in a panoramic view of the Forum and more insights into what life was like for ancient Romans.
Next, we will visit a large palace that has secrets to share. Hiding underneath the building, several lavish ancient Roman homes were discovered. The excavations of these dwellings have been turned into an amazing multimedia experience that you won’t soon forget!
Tonight we will experience a multi-course dinner with a wine tasting with wines from many different regions of Italy.
By Itto Ogami, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54731715
DAY 4
Today we will enjoy a day at the Foro Italico to watch world-class tennis! The complex has a fascinating history as it was built during the time of Mussolini as the Foro Mussolini. The Fascists saw sports as a way into the hearts of young people and hoped that by building the complex they would be able to attract the 1940 Olympics to Rome. The red clay is waiting as you watch some of the game’s best and brightest serve and volley.
This evening we will head to the seaside town of Ostia, where we will enjoy a farewell feast in the home of a friend!
The Trevi Fountain
DAY 5
What an immersive Roman experience! After breakfast, we will say ciao for now. But not to worry, you’ve thrown your coins in the Trevi Fountain and you will surely return to Rome! Today, you may be furthering your adventures with us to other areas of Italy. Or perhaps you are striking out for explorations on your own or are headed back home. Regardless of your destination, we are happy to advise with planning your onward journey.
Visit our dedicated Tennis in Tuscany website!
ROME | The Italian International Open & Tour
The Details
What's Included
Four (4) nights accommodation {double occupancy} in a boutique hotel near Campo de’ Fiori in Rome
Please note that single occupancy carries an additional fee. Please contact us for more details.
Transportation {as needed for touring expediency}
As a bonus, those traveling onward to another Hub & Spoke tour will receive complimentary transfer service to the train station.
Please note that this tour is extremely walking intensive. On most days we will be walking more than 6 miles, mostly over uneven cobblestone roadways. Participants must be able to withstand the rigors of such activity.
Four (4) breakfasts
Three (3) lunches
Three (3) dinners
Expert-guided VIP tours on every single day of the tour
Museum tickets and admission fees on guided tours
All gratuities
Personalized support from our team members
Detailed itinerary, pre-trip notes & relevant reading material, and travel guidelines
Travel planning advice for pre/post-trip stays
Your Financial Responsibilities
You are responsible for airfare and transportation to and from the initial designated tour meeting location, passport fees, meals other than those described above, personal items, single-occupancy supplement, and any additional lodging nights. Unscheduled (and often spontaneous) optional activities may also be offered at an additional cost, such as tour extensions in lieu of leisure time, bike rentals, stops at specialty shops, and additional wine and liquor purchases.
If so desired, you are responsible for choosing and purchasing a travel insurance policy that best suits your particular coverage needs. Hub & Spoke highly recommends travel insurance.
Itinerary
The order of days listed and specific activities in the itinerary may change for any given tour, based on the availability of our preferred guides, the weather, and exclusive experiences.
Payment
A deposit of $1000 USD per person is due upon booking. The final balance is due no later than 120 days prior to tour commencement. Payment methods include Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Installments may be arranged directly with us.
Registration deposit and final balance are non-refundable. Travel insurance is strongly recommended and should include Trip Cancellation, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Baggage, and Accident and Medical Insurance. There are also insurance options that allow you to "Cancel for any Reason". Travel insurance options can be found at insuremytrip.com.
Pricing Adjustments
Pricing may be adjusted in the future due to inflation and currency fluctuations. Your price is only guaranteed at the time of your deposit.
Cancellation Policy
You will receive a full refund of your deposit if Hub & Spoke must cancel your tour.
Should you need to cancel up to 120 days prior to your tour commencement date, your full deposit may be applied to a future tour commencing within 12 months of your canceled tour.
If you cancel your tour between 119 and zero days prior to tour commencement, there will be no credits or refunds by Hub & Spoke, LLC. You will need to follow the conditions set forth in your travel insurance policy.
Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer
Hub & Spoke LLC and its owners and team members do not own or operate any entity which provides, or is to provide, goods or services to any Hub & Spoke tour, including accommodations, vehicles, meals, activities, or other services. Because Hub & Spoke does not exercise any control over the personnel, equipment, or operations of these suppliers, Hub & Spoke is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such third person, or of any other third party.
Hub & Spoke is not responsible for losses, injury, damages or expenses of any kind due to illness, pandemics, endemics, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws, or other such causes.
Hub & Spoke is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in any Hub & Spoke tour.
If in the unlikely event that Hub & Spoke must cancel a tour, the entire amount paid by the traveler will be refundable or carried as a credit toward another Hub & Spoke tour within 12 months of the canceled tour. Hub & Spoke will have no additional obligations, including costs or fees related to the issuance and/or cancellation of airline tickets or other travel reservations. This includes delays, cancellations, and any non-refundable expenses.
Individual travelers are responsible for purchasing a travel insurance policy that will cover certain trip cancellations and interruptions, emergency medical evacuation, loss of luggage or personal effects, and other such coverage. Hub & Spoke strongly encourages our guests to purchase travel insurance.