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This April, at the inaugural Anantara Concorso Roma, The Eternal City will play host to the most incredible collection of all-Italian automated masterpieces ever assembled.
If ever there was an event to encapsulate la dolce vita, it is the new Anantara Concorso Roma, presented by UBS. A spectacular collection of automobili Italiane from around the world, from 16 – 19 April the event will offer guests a lavish luxury lifestyle experience, showcasing the finest Roman hospitality and impeccable Italian cuisine while celebrating over a hundred years of the country’s storied automotive history. And as the setting for this new and spectacular concours, there really is no place like Rome.
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A breathtaking city of monumental buildings, ancient ruins and historical sites, it has a timeless allure and a metropolitan energy that is unmatched anywhere. Wherever you go there are architectural and artistic reminders of the past, from the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, right through to the modern day, each offering a romantic glimpse at the cultural heritage and elegant evolution that has shaped it into the ‘Capital of the World’.
Occupying pride of place at this celebration of magnificent motorcars is Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel, in the very heart of the city. A landmark Neoclassical building built over the ruins of the famous Diocletian Thermal Baths dating from AD 29 and located in the Piazza della Repubblica overlooking the Fountain of the Naiads, it is as grand, luxurious and palatial as any hotel in the city. As a backdrop to the precious metals that will be on display, it is simply unmatched and the perfect venue in which to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the very first concours d’elegance in the Eternal City – the Concorso Romano delle Carrozzerie, which took place in April 1926.
The inaugural version of the event was originally scheduled to welcome visitors in late April 2025. After many months of detailed planning and organisation, 50 cars had been carefully selected, hotel rooms booked, spectacular menus created and the date was set. Sadly, Pope Francis passed away and, out of respect, the decision was taken to postpone the concours for a year. However, there is an old Italian proverb that states, “Chi sa aspettare, ottiene ciò che vuole.” It means, “Those who know how to wait get what they want.” And we can confidently predict that the Anantara Concorso Roma, will be worth waiting for.
William E. Heinecke, Founder and Chairman of Anantara’s parent company, Minor International, and a self-confessed historic car enthusiast (with an impressive collection of classic Ferraris of his own), remains as excited as anyone to attend the concours’ debut, given the unavoidable delay that led to the rescheduling. “After the disappointment of having to postpone the inaugural event, the upside, and indeed the irony of the postponement, is that the anticipation is high and people are really excited about the launch event,” he said. “Anantara Concorso Roma has been attracting more interest than ever from all around the world, with many more car collectors and international VIPs keen to join us in Rome in April 2026.”
The delay also means the event will be bigger, better and even more glamorous. Headline sponsor Anantara has been joined by partners UBS, Richard Mille and Lockton. With the support of Roma Capitale, the city’s local government, there will be a larger showfield in which to display the automobiles.
Now extending beyond the original Casina Valadier, it encompasses the Piazza Bucarest and the hilltop gardens of Villa Borghese, with spectacular views of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and the Wedding Cake (Altare della Patria). A further addition will be the introduction of a Grand Palazzo dinner, a black-tie evening to be held at Palazzo Brancaccio near Santa Maria Maggiore.
In even better news for automotive Italophiles, instead of 50 vehicles there will now be 70 of the rarest and most beautiful cars on show. And as per the original remit, only Italian marques can enter. It was an idea the event’s Chief Judge and historic car expert, Adolfo Orsi Jnr, came up with, and one that Concours Director, Jeremy Jackson-Sytner, and the organising committee are sticking by.
“The decision to include only Italian cars was, to my mind, the correct one,” Jackson-Sytner said. “I think you could run the Anantara Concorso in this way every year and you would never run out of incredible Italian cars. You’ve got openwheeled racers from Itala, Fiat and Alfa dating back to the 1910s.
“Then you’ve got the early Ferrari racing cars from the late 1940s and the 1950s. There are the mid-century Grand Tourers. Rare prototypes, 60s and 70s Lamborghinis, like the Miura and the Countach. Right up to the Pagani Zondas, Maserati MC20s and a host of modern supercars. The list just goes on and on.”
For visitors staying in the city during the concours, two other hotels are worthy of recommendation. Firstly, NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento, a grand, recently modernised hotel close to the Roma Termini Station and within walking distance of the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. Alternatively, NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali is centrally located and sits right by the Imperial Forums and the city’s main shopping street, Via del Corso. It also has the Secret View rooftop cocktail bar, which offers superb cocktails and a truly special panorama of the Eternal City. Jackson-Sytner, meanwhile, is looking forward to seeing sights beyond the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum and the Pantheon. True petrolheads will no doubt agree with him.
“I am really excited about discovering a few non-traditional concours cars in the line-up,” he said. “I hope there are a couple of old gentlemen who have squirrelled away an old OSCA (Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili) or two in their garage, and we get the chance to display them. They might not have restored something to perfection, but to show cars that people simply haven’t seen for decades would be a huge treat.”
The Anantara Concorso Roma, presented by UBS, runs from 16 – 19 April 2026. VIP tickets are now sold out, but a limited number of entry tickets remain available. Don't miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the inaugural event: anantaraconcorsoroma.com