Rome
Likened to an open museum, Rome is spectacularly poised between the ancient world and the new, with its architectural heirlooms ranging enormously from Medieval to Baroque and Renaissance. Highlights include the Pantheon, Trastevere, Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Imperial Forums, and the evocative Colosseum where one can almost envisage 200,000 spectators eagerly cheering at gladiators during fierce mortal combat. Aside from exploring the superb ensembles of exuberant architecture strewn throughout the city, Rome also plays host to a bustling hub of cosmopolitan cafes and restaurants, galleries, and designer boutiques.
Also worth a visit is the scenic town of Tivoli, located less than an hours drive east of Rome. Famed for its quarries which yielded much of the travertine marble used to build Rome, Tivoli showcases a selection of fine Renaissance villas and beautiful landscaped gardens to leisurely explore.