Tennis fans set their calendars by the events that transpire every year at the Italian Open, which is held in mid-May at the Foro Italica, near Mussolini's Olympic site. A California-based company, Advantage Tennis Tours, 33 White Sail Dr., Suite 100, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 (tel. 800/341-8687 or 949/661-7331; fax 949/489-2837; www.advantagetennistours.com), conducts tours to the Open that include 6 nights' accommodations in a deluxe Roman hotel, Center Court seats at three sessions of the tournament, city tours of ancient Rome, a farewell dinner, the organizational and communications skill of a tour hostess, and the opportunity to play tennis.
For travelers who want to experience and explore the homeland of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, VBT Bicycling Vacations (tel. 800/245-3868; www.vbt.com) offers 8-day vacations through Tuscany, Sicily, and Puglia. Accommodations are included in the overall package deal.
The best mountain adventure tours are offered by Mountain Travel-Sobek, 1266 66 St., Emeryville, CA 94608 (tel. 888/687-6235 or 510/594-6000; www.mtsobek.com). The best hiking tours of Italy are a feature of Above the Clouds Trekking, P.O. Box 388, Hinesburg, VT 05461 (tel. 802/482-4848; fax 802/482-5011; www.aboveclouds.com).
