This year in the Italian city-break stakes, all eyes are on Rome.
It is hoped that Holy Year, which occurs every 25 years, along with the millennium, will bring more visitors than usual to the city – 30m to be precise.
With 8m of these expected from around the world, Rome has been gearing up for this event for the past year.
Italian State Tourist Board director for UK and Ireland Edoardo Betti said: “The improvements are very visible and 99% complete.
“With all the restorations, renovations, and openings of things which had been closed for years, Rome really will be a new city,” he added.
Reassuringly, public transport has also been improved, with two new kinds of bus.
“Unfortunately Rome will never have an extensive underground system – every time they dig, they find the remains of a Roman villa. The problem with the Rome of today is that it was built on top of the Rome of 2,000 years ago” said Betti.
Independent Italian specialist Citalia said that Rome – traditionally its best-selling city – is performing very well, with bookings up 17%year-on-year.
Citalia public relations manager Amanda Ramsay said: “We have contracted extra hotels to cope with the anticipated rush for the Holy Year.
“Citalia could benefit from growth in visitors of about 25% from the UK,” she added.
Among the new properties in Citalia’s Citybreaks in Italy brochure is Rocco Forte’s latest venture, the Hotel de Russie. RF Hotels no doubt hopes this will give the rival Hotel Eden – previously owned by Rocco Forte – a run for its money. The Hotel de Russie opens its doors in April.
Though the Holy Year and millennium combined is, said Betti, one of the most important events in the life of a Roman Catholic, conventional tourists are as important as ever to the Italian market.
Thomas Cook Holidays product manager for cities, Sophie Longlands, said: “We will carry more visitors to Rome this year, but they are more likely to be going because they have heard of all the improvements, rather than for religious regions.”
She added that Rome had moved up into Thomas Cook’s top five city-break destinations.
Thomas Cook Holidays’ lead-in for two nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at a central two-star hotel is £255 until March 11, going up to £305 at other times.
As with other cities, operators have found a profitable market in extra services and excursions, from which agents can also benefit.
Magic of Italy public relations manager Yasmin Sethna said that pre-booked tickets to museums and galleries – especially those with timed entry systems – are popular, as are tickets to the opera or ballet.
Sharing the spotlight with Rome is Bologna, one of the European Cities of Culture for 2000. Operators have responded by increasing their programmes to this previously overlooked city.
Cresta now has four hotels in Bologna, which it features as the primary city for the surrounding Emilia Romagna region.
Brand manager Ian Lomas explained: “This is the first time we have offered Emilia Romagna as a region in its own right. It has a strong individual heritage though, home to institutions such as Ferrari, Ducatti and Pavarotti. Its presence will continue to grow in the Cresta brochure.”
Cresta’s peak season lead in for Bologna is £311, including scheduled BA/Alitalia flights and three nights’ bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the three-star Re Enzo hotel.
Italian city breaks
Magic of Italy: offers the five-star deluxe Hotel Eden in the city centre, just a short walk from the Spanish Steps, at £419 per person per night in the peak season, including scheduled British Airways flights from Heathrow. Additional nights are available from £190, bookable through the Magic Cities brochure. Pre-bookable excursions include the ‘monuments of Rome’ and ‘ancient Rome’ tours, at £20, or a trip to the Tivoli gardens for £30.
Simply Travel:offers the four-star Hotel Ponte Sisto from £450 for three nights’ bed-and-breakfast accommodation in peak season, including scheduled BA or Alitalia flights from Heathrow. Additional nights are available from £82. Pre-bookable add-ons include city tours and ancient Rome tours at £20 respectively, a day trip to Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento from £65, and Orient Express travel to Venice, prices depending on availability.
Citalia: will be offering the five-star deluxe Hotel de Russie when it opens in April. This new Rocco Forte-owned property costs from £179 per person per night for late April departures, with scheduled BA/Alitalia flights from Gatwick, Heathrow, and some regional airports. Junior suite upgrades are available from £145 per night, and Citalia offers one free night on stays of seven nights or more in August. A range of excursions and pre-bookable tickets are are also available.