The previous April, I used to be in Rome able to witness the debut of what promised to be the town’s first nice celebration of automotive class: the inaugural Anantara Concorso Roma. Collectors had gathered from throughout the globe, Piazza della Repubblica shimmered with anticipation, and the marble halls of the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi had been abuzz with conversations of Ferrari, Lancia, and Fiat.
However Rome, because it typically does, reminded us that custom is larger than anyone occasion. Information of the Pope’s passing swept by means of the Everlasting Metropolis, and with it got here the respectful postponement of the concours. The town’s collective coronary heart turned towards reflection.
And but, standing there, I couldn’t assist however really feel that this pause was solely a prelude. Rome doesn’t do issues midway. When she makes you wait, it’s as a result of one thing grander is coming.
With new dates set, April 16–19, 2026, the Anantara Concorso Roma is returning, not diminished however magnified, promising a weekend the place la dolce vita involves life fulfilling the goals of petrol-heads and collectors alike.
Residing Historical past at Palazzo Naiadi
The official host resort, Anantara Palazzo Naiadi, is not only a spot to remain, it’s a part of Rome’s soul. Rising above the traditional ruins of the Diocletian Thermal Baths, the Nineteenth-century marble palace curves round Piazza della Repubblica like an amphitheater. Its neoclassical portico greets you in just about the grandest method potential, welcoming every visitor as if you’re royalty.
Once I walked by means of its marble corridors this Spring, I felt the layers of Roman historical past whisper—emperors as soon as bathed right here, centuries earlier than collectors would collect to toast classic Alfa Romeos on the rooftop terrace. This can be a resort price trying out whether or not you may be attending the concorso or not.
Anantara Concorso Roma
The lineup for 2026 reads like a dream for any automotive fanatic, a gallery of Italian artistry and engineering. The 1902 FIAT Kind 12/16hp, one of many earliest survivors of Italy’s automotive daybreak. A 1951 Cisitalia 202 SC Gran Sport Cabriolet, a rolling sculpture that helped form post-war design. And maybe most evocative of all, the 1963 Ferrari 275P, a automobile that embodies the golden age of Italian racing.
To see them not in a museum, however fairly displayed in Villa Borghese’s Piazza Bucarest or rolling by means of Rome’s cobblestone streets, is to see Italian craftsmanship the place it belongs, beneath the Italian solar, surrounded by centuries of structure.
A Weekend of La Dolce Vita
That is no odd concours. It’s as a lot in regards to the way of life as it’s in regards to the vehicles.
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Wednesday begins with personal excursions and curated looking for early arrivals as a result of in Rome, a tailor or a jeweler’s atelier might be simply as iconic as a Ferrari’s silhouette.
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Thursday night time brings a rooftop welcome reception at Palazzo Naiadi, the place prosecco is bound to move.
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Friday delivers pure theatre: the Giro d’Anantara, the place homeowners take to the streets, engines echoing in opposition to historical partitions, earlier than gathering for dinner at Casina Valadier within the gardens of Villa Borghese.
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Saturday is Judging Day, punctuated by a Champagne reception, elegant lunches, and a black-tie dinner at Palazzo Brancaccio.
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Sunday closes with awards, culminating within the announcement of Better of Present.
For many who wish to immerse themselves, VVIP packages provide lodging at Palazzo Naiadi, connoisseur eating, and premier entry to each gathering. Weekend passes with and with out lodging can be found, whereas day passes begin at simply $110 USD, making it accessible for anybody desperate to witness this new Roman custom.
