The Internazionali BNL d’Italia is an annual tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy, the Masters Series event at the Foro Italico. Aside from the Grand Slams, this is the highest-ranking tennis competition in the world, attracting the best male and female tennis players. The men’s competition is one of the 9 phases of the ATP Masters1000 circuit, while the women’s is one of the main WTA circuit competitions. The two competitions are currently held in separate weeks in May. The tournament is played on clay courts.

The event was previously known as the Italian Open and changed to its current name in 2002. The Italian tennis championship was first held in 1930 in Milan, where it was held until 1934 before being moved to the Foro Italico in Rome in 1935. Now is the highest profile tennis event in Italy; every year tennis enthusiasts from all over the round flock to the Eternal City to assist to the tournament.

In 2007, the Italian bank BNL becomes the “title sponsor” of the tournament. BNL has always developed strong relationships with Italian sport and its main associations: it has been the bank partner of the CONI (the Italian National Olympic Committee) for 70 years.

The spectacular Foro Italico was constructed between 1928 and 1938 and is located on the bank of the River Tevere. It hosts numerous sports venues including the Stadio Olimpico, which hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics.

Mussolini built the sports centre to encourage young Italians to keep both bodies and mind fit. As such, the track and the tennis court were embellished with colossal marble sculptures of athletes who preside over all athletic efforts whilst showing off their fine physiques.

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 it one of the most glamorous stops on the ATP World Tour. To enjoy all of it don’t hesitate to make a reservation at Yes Hotel or Hotel Des Artistes!

Tickets for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia go on sale on the Italian Tennis Federation website.

Our Blogger: Marcelo

If while visiting Rome you feel like escaping from its bustling- crowd streets Anzio is a very good option. Anzio (called Antium in ancient times) is a small town, only one hour direct train from Rome or by car, by Via Nettunense (SS207) or Via Ardeatina (SS601).

A quiet beach, restaurants that will offer you fresh sea food and now a fantastic exhibition that describes one of the most controversial Roman Emperor.

Nero was born at Anzio in 37 D.C. His birthplace was the site of a magnificent imperial residence. Tyranny and extravagance are concepts almost automatically linked with his name, he is remembered as the emperor who fiddled while Rome burned. Nevertheless the study of Nero is complex. Nowadays modern historians question the reliability of ancient sources when reporting on account of his behavior.

Many interesting works of art have been found in this picturesque town : the Fanciulla d’Anzio , the Borghese Gladiator (Louvre Museum) and the Apollo Belvedere in the Vatican were all discovered in the ruins of villas at Anzio.

The Exhibition "Anzio and Nero – Treasures from the British Museum and the Capitoline Museums" will take place in the The Museo Civico Archeologico of Anzio. Free admission!!! It will be open every day from 10:30 to 12:30 and from 16:00 to 19:30 (until 16 January 2010). So you can have a look at the extraordinary finds from the villa and other residences, scattered memories that will provide a clue about the man who ordered the execution of his own mother, and at the same time has been successful in diplomacy and trade during his rule.

One of the hit-points of the exhibition is the bronze statuette depicting a young emperor. It is assumed to be Nero. It was discovered in England near a Roman settlement in the first century AD and kept at the British Museum.

For further information you can send an email to info@yeshotelrome.com or info@hoteldesartistes.com. Check our availability at www.yeshotelrome.com or www.hoteldesartistes.com. We are located only two steps from the train station, from where you get the train to Anzio. We hope you’ll enjoy it!

After a long restauration process and the reinforcement of walls and ceiling, now, after 30 years of closure, finally visitors from all around the world will be able  to visit the “Hall tenth" of the Baths of Diocletian in Rome.

Finally, now that the Baths of Diocletian are open again the Romans and tourists, the public can see the tomb of Platorinus.

Gaius Sulpicius Platorino was one of three coin minters in the city, in Augustu’s age. His tomb was discovered on the right bank of the river tiber in 1880. It contained decorated cinerary urns and two statues of Platorinus and his daughter.

The funerary objects have now been reunited and the tomb of Platorinus has been reconstructed. it is located in the Hall X, the museum’s renovated space at Diocletian’s Baths in Rome.

The tomb of Emperor Marcus Aurelius will also be open for exhibition in the hall.

In the museum in the coming months will be shown the grave of Macrino too. He was a proconsul for Marcus Aurelius and he was erroneously identified as the man who inspired the movie "Gladiator" by Ridley Scott.

In the X hall you’ll find exposed too tombs, sarcophagi and reliefs with portraits of the deceased. Besides the great tomb that reigns in the great hall, called the Platorini, there are also two chamber-tombs dug out of tufa stone, discovered in 1951 in Quirino Majorana that were part of a necropolis of Via Portuense between the end of the first and the third century AD. Among the other exhibits on display in the hall from a sarcophagus via Labicana with Dionysus and Ariadne, and two large marble sinks.

The central part of the room has been left intentionally left empty to allow his organization of concerts and conferences, so that it can become a place of cultural events.

In fact, from April 4 to May 2, on occasion of "The Night of Museums" every Saturday evening meeting is planned with music, theater, literature.

Now the baths of Diocletian come back at the city, and we wait for the other rooms to be opened.

The Baths of Diocletian are only a stone’s throw away from Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel, your home away home in the Eternal City!

There are some practical issues that are common to all tourists visiting the eternal city. Most of them are impossible to know if you haven’t been to Rome, so here we show you a couple of things you might like to know before arriving.

Be aware of pickpockets

Rome is not a violent city. The only real danger are pickpockets. Be ware of them on the subway, or generally, wherever you find yourself in a crowd. They might steal something from your bags or backpacks or try to rip your purse to get what’s inside.

Be aware of taxi drivers

In Rome you cannot wave a taxi. There are two ways to get one: either you catch one from a taxi parking place (they’re located strategically, but that doesn’t mean that you’re garanteed to have one near) or you call one. A couple of numbers to get a taxi in Rome are 063570 and 064994 (add 0039 if you’re using a cell phone with a non-italian SIM card), but since the automatic system that manages the calls is not bilingual, you might need to ask for help if you’re not fluent in Italian. By the way, once you get a cab be aware of the drivers! Make sure they use the meter to calculate the fare.

Get a Roma Pass

The Roma pass  is a special ticket that costs 20 euros and gives you access to the public transportation system for three days and to two museums you can choose from a list. The possibilities include some of the best museums in Rome, like the Museum in Villa Borghese, the Capitoline Museums and the Colosseum. In case you decide the Roma pass is not for you, there are other options (that include only transportation, though). The BIT is a ticket valid for 75 minutes, the Daily ticket costs 4 euros, the three-day ticket costs 11 euros, and the week-ticket 16 euros. Tickets can be bought in all the subway stations, newsstands, and Tobacco Shops.

A final word on airports

It might sound silly, but make sure you know the airport where your plane is departing from. There are two airports in Rome: Fiumicino (also known as Leonardo Da Vinci airport) and Ciampino. If you are staying in a hotel near Termini station, like hotel Des Artistes or Yes Hotel, arriving to any of them is not difficult at all: there’s a train called the  Leonardo Express  that goes to Fiumicino from Termini and leaves in the minutes 22 and 52 past the hour, starting at 5:52 with the last train at 22:52. For Ciampino, there are a couple of bus companies that will take you from the station to the airport. The ride takes half an hour, depending on the traffic, and the prices are 4,50 or 6,00 Euros.

Now, if you want to save a couple of euros after a shopping spree in Rome, you can take a train to  Fiumicino Airport from Tiburtina subway station. The ride takes twice as long, but the ticket costs half the price than that of the Leonardo express. Your cheap option for the Ciampino airport is a bus that will take you from Anagnina (the last station on the red subway line) to the airport. That option should cost 2.20 Euros altogether, but make sure you get the right departure times so you won’t have problems getting there on time!

Last, but not least, make sure to get a room in a well-located hotel, near the most famous attractions in the city, Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel are two great options!

The Real Name

What can be surprising when it comes to talk about evidence of the past one could find in Rome ?

You might remeber that film (see the picture)…Yes, that one. Russel Crowe was named Maximus Decimus Merida, but that was not the real name of the Gladiator. 

A great discovery was made recently in Rome by a group of Archeologists! The tomb of the Roman commander who inspired the Gladiator of Ridley Scott, a magnificent funerary monument that came to light on the Via Flaminia, in the Eternal City.

The inscription discovered in the marble mauseoleo, give the name of Marcus Nonius Macrinus, the soldier Roman patrician, who would be named many centuries later as Maximus Decimus Merida, the heroe with the face Russel Crowe, to fight in the arena..
The archaeologist of the Superintendence of Rome, Daniela Rossi announced in a press conference at the headquarters of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage this "exceptional discovery" this month. "It’s been at least twenty or thirty years since pieces of such importance were found in Rome"

The monument is located close to Vitorchiano street and was discovered by chance during the construction of a building. The works had been stopped immediatly.
It is remarkable not only because of the beauty of the pieces considered individually , with fragments finely decorated, but also for the fact mentioned by Daniela Rossi: ‘’It is possible to recreate the whole monument. The tomb has been kept almost intact, this was produced by the action of the silt of the Tiber, the tomb had been covered by a flood’’.

So this flood, almost two thousands years ago, give us now in the present the chance to know a little bit more about the life of Mister Marcus Nonius Macrinus.

Do not miss this opportunity and visit this tomb, once you are in Rome.

Book our strategically located YES hotel  and make your Roman stay unforgettable!

Like every year, from 1980 Rome lights with the big stars of Rome  Athletics Golden Gala. A unique opportunity to see at the strongest athletes in the world, this year specially facing the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.

 
Among the guests expected, confirmed the presence of Andrew Howe, the young Italian talent (but parents of African-Americans) that points on strong long jump and was able to win the international fame thanks to his performance but also with its exuberant sympathy and enthusiasm.

But the most awaited international visitor in Rome  is certainly Yelena Isinbayeva, the queen of pole vault for

women, able to retrace the footsteps of the great Sergei Bubka, between a world record to another.

Recall also that the Rome  Golden Gala is the third point of the prestigious Golden League, the series of meetings that connects won one million dollars for those who are capable of winning in his specialty in all six appointments.

Place
At Stadio Olimpico
Address

Via dei gladiatori, 2 Rome
City

Rome
Date
July 11, 2008 from 19:45
Tickets: 06.20.38.29.34 (which can also be used to receive information on the type of sectors, prices, promotions and outlets where you can buy tickets). If you call from outside Italy dial 0039 before the number.

How to get to the Olimpic Stadium in Rome : if you decide to stay in a central Rome Hotel such as Yes Hotel Rome, you can get metro line A and get off at Ottaviano (direction Battistini), then bus 32 and get off at Largo T Cadorna Ostello della Gioventù, then walk for about one kilometer.

Anniversary

On April the 21^th is celebrated in Rome the legendary foundation of the City. According to legend, the foundation took place in 753 BC. The tradition says that the founders of Rome were the twins Romulus and Remus. 

Romulus and Remus were sons of Rea Silvia. She was the daughter of Numitor, king of Alba Longa. But Amulius, Numitor’s younger brother, in order to take the throne, expelled Numitor and forced Rea Silvia to become a Vestal virgin.

This would prevent any threat from her children, he thought. Nevertheless Rea Silvia conceived by intervention of gods and gave birth to twins, Amulius ordered the boys to be thrown into the river Tiber in a basket.

Romulus and Remus survived the attempt on their lives, however. They landed on a riverbank and were saved by a she-wolf. The twins are often pictured drinking the wolf’s milk. Recently there has been some polemic on whether Italian archeologist found the place where she-wolf saved the twins on the Capitoline Hill.

Faustulus, a shepherd, found the twins and raised them.

When time arrived and they were old enough, Romulus and Remus took their revenge on Amulius. They killed him and restored their grandfather Numitor as king of Alba Longa. Romulus and Remus decided to found their own city in the land in which they had grown up.

They argued about exactly where to start building and the rule of it, and eventually Romulus killed Remus. Hence Romulus actually founded Rome. They were believed to be descendants of the Trojan hero Aeneas.

Beautiful story, don’t you think?

In this Myth there are many interesting coincidences with other sacred stories: a virginal conception by divine intervention (Christ), babies left in a basket on a river (Moises), one brother’s killing (Cain and Abel). The fact that the twins were raised by a shepherd remind us the main activity of the first member of roman community. 

Spontaneously groups of people, like the ‘’Gruppo Storico Romano’’ or the ‘’Scuola Gladiatori Roma’’ meet in commemoration performing the ‘’The Trench Diggin’’ at 11.45 a.m. in Via Appia Antica 76 close to the Priscilla’s Tomb (Free entrance)

So, visit Rome in April. Enjoy variety of Special offers of fancy YES HOTEL, and wish Happy Birthday to ROMA- Eternal and always Gourgeous!

Piazza Navona is one of the major squares in Rome and is located in the heart of the historical centre . At its origins it was an ancient Circus during the time of the Roman Empire.
In the Circus there were important sport events like horse races and gladiators fightings .
During the renaissance the most famous artists contributed to make Navona Square even more beautiful, by making Borromini’s church and the Bernini’s Fontain of four rivers.
Legend tells that one of the statues in the Fountain raises a hand to wards the church to protect him self as if the church was to collapse.
This, because the envy and jealousy between Borromini and Bernini was very fierce during the 17 th Century.

There is also another beautiful building in the square, which is today home of the Brazilian Embassy in Rome . Navona Square is very popular both with Romans and tourists, in particular during Christmas, when there are a lot of stands selling toys, candies, and Christmas souvenirs.
During the rest of the year there are plenty of painters offering to paint portraits of the visiting tourists.
From Navona Square you can easily walk to Campo dei Fiori for a night drink, which is right behind the Embassy of France in Rome or to the Rome Pantheon to see one of the oldest Monument of Rome.
How to get to Piazza Navona from your Yes Hotel Rome ?
You can simply take bus 64 or 40 from the Termini train station in Rome and get off one stop after the Largo Argentina. The journey is about 15 minutes and remember to purchase your ticket or pass before boarding.

                                                  

When visiting Roma you are very likely to come across the letters SPQR.
It is used as a signature for the government; you will see it on coins, public documents, and also dedications of monuments and public works. In modern usage, SPQR appears in the coat of arms of the city of Rome, as well as on many of the city’s civic buildings and manhole covers. Benito Mussolini used it in his propaganda about the “New Roman Empire.SPQR is an initialism from a Latin phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus (”The Senate and the Roman People”), referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic,

 Here are some other interesting information about “S.P.Q.R.”

• In the movie Gladiator, Maximus has SPQR tattooed on his left shoulder.
• In the movie Titus, the radio microphone into which Saturninus speaks has the call letters “S.P.Q.R.”
• The experimental band This Heat wrote a song entitled “S.P.Q.R” which appears on their 1981 album Deceit.
• The SPQR logo also appears at the base of “The Angel of Independence” statue in Mexico City. Its relevance there is not clear.

Movies

Rome hosts the Cinecittà Studios, which is the centre of Italian cinema, and some of today’s biggest box office hits were filmed there, A given example is Gangs of New York.It was founded in 1937 by Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, the studios were bombed by the Western Allies during World War II. In the 1950s, Cinecittà was the filming location for several large American film productions like Ben-Hur, and then became the studio most closely associated with Federico Fellini.After a period of near-bankruptcy in the 1980s, Cinecittà was privatized by the government of Italy. 

 

……….Did You Know?……….  

 1) A reason why maybe Italy heads international fashion. Starting only in 300 BC, there were barbers in Rome.

2) The Italian flag is inspired by the French flag introduced during Napoleon’s 1797 invasion of the peninsula.

3) The famous children’s story, Pinocchio , was written by an Italian.

4) Italy’s contributions to science include the barometer, electric battery, nitroglycerin, and wireless telegraphy.

5) Eyeglasses are an Italian invention.

6) While “romans” is actually the root word for “romance”,  

                                                                                          
 

For information on great locations in Rome, Please visit: www.hotelrome.net