Guests at Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese can enjoy curated experiences that combine exploration of Rome with professional photography guidance. Led by Ryan Neeven, founder of @DoorsofItaly, the Photography Around Rome program offers guided photo tours that focus on the city’s iconic sights, culinary moments and contemporary architecture while teaching techniques to capture them beautifully.
Ryan Neveen © Courtesy Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
Each day features guided outings with hands-on advice about lighting, composition, camera settings and storytelling through images. Beyond the most famous viewpoints of the Eternal City, Neeven leads guests to lesser-known architectural treasures such as Quartiere Coppedè and to atmospheric Roman coffee shops, ideal for capturing everyday life. The itinerary also embraces modern Rome with visits to sites like MAXXI to admire Zaha Hadid’s work, La Piccola Londra (The Little London), Parco della Musica and the Foro Italico, offering a varied visual palette for photographers of all levels.
Ryan Neeven has photographed more than 28 countries and contributes to magazines and international campaigns in hospitality, tourism and editorial photography. His experience helps guests refine their own photographic approach while discovering the city.
The Photography Around Rome package starts at €9,000 and includes a three-night stay in a premium luxury room at Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, daily breakfast, plus entrance fees and travel expenses for the guided tours described above.
© Courtesy Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
In addition to photography experiences, Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese offers an indulgent Romantic Roman Proposal package. This bespoke proposal service can include exclusive use of the hotel’s rooftop restaurant with city views, floral design by a leading local florist, live music, a dedicated photographer and videographer, and other romantic touches. For couples who prefer a classic Roman moment outside the hotel, a chauffeured vintage Fiat 500 tour provides a charming and intimate way to propose at one of the city’s celebrated romantic locations.
The proposal experience is crafted by the hotel concierge, Agostino Sità, who, as president of Rome Les Clefs d’Or, can arrange access to special corners of the city. The romantic sequence typically begins with check-in to an elegant suite, cocktails in the suite’s private terrace Jacuzzi, followed by sunset dinner at Settimo—Settimo’s garden-inspired setting offers panoramic views and an aphrodisiac tasting menu. The evening is enhanced with floral décor, a live violinist, a poetry reading and a Champagne toast. To commemorate the moment, the hotel provides a framed photograph engraved with the proposal date.
© Courtesy Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
The Romantic Roman Proposal package starts at €11,000 and includes one night in suite accommodation for two, exclusive use of the Settimo terrace for dinner, an evening Fiat tour and the other amenities listed as part of the offer.
Located on a quiet street near the heart of Rome, Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese occupies a restored 19th-century palazzo within easy walking distance of major cultural landmarks and green spaces, including Trevi Fountain, Villa Medici and the Spanish Steps. Settimo, the hotel’s rooftop lounge and restaurant, provides a garden-like retreat with sweeping views over the Villa Borghese gardens and St. Peter’s Basilica, making it an ideal setting for both photography-focused stays and unforgettable romantic moments.