Page 360 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Rome

358  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Sports

Do not be surprised if the peace of a Sunday afternoon in everybody, though it is best to
Rome is interrupted by the honking of cars and people call first if you want to play on
shouting. It simply means that one of the home soccer the weekend, when demand
teams has won at the stadium and the whole city appears and fees are much higher.
Country Club Castel Gandolfo is
to be celebrating the result. the newest club and Circolo del
Soccer is Italy’s national sport, but other sports also attract Golf di Roma Acquasanta the
a large following, and Roman sports fans have a varied choice oldest and most prestigious.
of events and activites to watch or participate in. Within the city’s ring road is the
You will find times and venues for most spectator sports course at the Sheraton Golf
listed in TrovaRoma (see p346), as well as the local sections Hotel (closed Tuesdays), which
offers special play-and-stay deals.
of La Gazzetta dello Sport or Corriere dello Sport. One of the many important
competitions on the various
Soccer Clubs where membership is not golf courses around Rome is the
An Italian soccer match is an required include Tennis Club Circolo Golf Roma Coppa d’Oro
experience not to be missed for Nomentano, the Circolo Tennis (Gold Cup) in April.
the quality of the play and the fun della Stampa in northern Rome,
atmosphere, though hooliganism and the Oasi di Pace, just off the
has begun to raise its ugly head. Via Appia Antica. Large hotels Car and Motorcycle
Racing
Rome has two teams, Roma offer tennis for a reasonable price.
and Lazio, and they take turns The Crowne Plaza requires a Motorcycle racing takes place on
playing at the Stadio Olimpico small annual membership fee various Sundays throughout the
(CONI) on a Sunday afternoon at on top of the court price, which year at Vallelunga; be prepared
3pm, in the Campionato Italiano in cludes the gym and the pool for some expensive entrance
(Italian championship league). (in the summer). fees. Every November the track
Seats can be scarce, so get also hosts the Six Hours of
tickets in advance from the Horse Racing and Vallelunga Race for sports cars.
stadium (€20 to €100) from noon
onward on the day itself, or Horseback Riding Rugby
through club websites (www. Important races include the
sslazio.it and www.asroma.it). Derby in May and the Premio With the formation of the
The cheapest seats are in the Roma in November. There are Federazione Italiana Rugby
Curve and Distinti stands; the both flat races and steeple- and, since 2000, Italy’s
mid-price and most expensive chases at the Ippodromo partici pation in the Six Nations
are in the various Tribuna delle Capannelle. tourna ment, rugby has been
sections of the stadium. The International Horse Show, increasing in popularity. In
On Wednesday evenings there organized by the Federazione winter (usually Feb–Mar) there
may be international competi- Italiana Sport Equestri (FISE), is are a couple of inter national
tions – the UEFA Cup or the held in May in Piazza di Siena, games in Rome. The home team
Coppa dei Campioni (European Villa Borghese (see p260). It is one is drawn against two
Championship Cup). In between of the most important social and other member “nations” each
these, teams battle it out for the sporting events in the calendar, year: France, England, Scotland,
national Coppa Italia. and has a great setting. Ireland, or Wales.
Through the FISE, it may be
possible to find a riding club
Tennis that will take you on a trail ride Rowing
A major event, the International in the countryside around In mid-June, an Oxford/
Championships go on at Foro Rome, but most do not accept Cambridge (universities) crew
Italico for two weeks in May. The short-term members. challenges the historic Aniene
world’s top tennis stars thrash it crew to a race taking place
out on clay courts at 1pm, and Golf alternately on the Tiber and the
8:30pm from Tuesday to Friday, Thames in England. The best
and at 1pm only on weekends. Even the most elite golf clubs view is between the Margherita
Buy tickets in advance either will accept a touring golfer and Sant’Angelo bridges. The
directly from the Foro Italico or with a home membership and race usually starts at around 6pm.
from a ticket agency. handicap. Many clubs close on Another event is the battle
If you wish to play, there are Mondays and on weekends, between the Roma and Lazio
now more than 350 tennis clubs when they host competitions crews, from Ponte Duca d’Aosta
in Rome. It is essential to reserve and guests cannot play. Prices to Ponte Risorgimento, on the
at least a week in advance, and range from €55 to €100. The same variable date as the Roma-
there is usually a court fee. Olgiata Golf Club is open to Lazio soccer derby.

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