Rome

The Eternal City, ancient and powerful, moving, filled with life, art, wonder, and the seat of Christendom.

Stay at - The Excelsior

Go shopping - Via dei Condotti
Via del Corso
Piazza Navona

Eat at -La Pergola
Trattoria Monti
L'Eau Vive
Imàgo at the Hotel Hassler

Take side trips to - Assisi
Florence
Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este
Castelgandolfo

Be sure to visit - St. Peter's
The Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums
The Colosseum
The Catacombs
The Spanish Steps
The Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome

Best time of year to go - Holy Week through September

Best things to buy - designer clothing, leather, art and antiques, wedding dresses, stationery, religious articles

Best indulgence - sitting on the rooftop of the Hotel Hassler at the end of the day gazing over the Eternal City

Fly into - Rome Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) Airport (FCO)

Transportation - Get a private car and driver if you can. The Archeobus is a reasonably priced alternative for visiting Roman archeological sites. Watch out for gypsies if you're seeing the city on foot.

Venice

La Serenissima, the Queen of the Adriatic, an Italian wonderland maze of islands, bridges and canals, pigeons and brides, champagne and string music, a place for the eternal romantic to glide down a heavenly canal.


Stay at - Hotel Cipriani & Palazzo Vendramin, Giudecca Island

Go shopping - take the private launch to Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and start walking

Eat at - Fortuny Restaurant at the Cipriani
Osteria Enoteca San Marco
Harry's Bar

Take side trips to - Murano

Be sure to visit - Piazza San Marco
Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale di Venezia)
Bridge of Sighs
St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco a Venezia)

Best time of year to go - late summer

Best things to buy - Murano glass, masks, leather, lamps and lampshades, paper products, lace

Best indulgence - private gondola ride, sitting in Piazza San Marco watching brides, floating in the saltwater pool at the Cipriani

Fly into - Venice Marco Polo (VCE)

Transportation - Rail, bus and taxi all connect the airport to the city. When in the city, walk or take water transport. Hire a car and driver for excursions into the countryside. The Hotel Cipriani has a private launch which will take you to San Marco in four minutes.

Florence

The cradle of the Renaissance nestled amid golden Tuscan countryside, Florence is an Italian city beautiful.


Stay at - Villa San Michele in Fiesole, overlooking Florence

Go shopping - Downtown Florence, and on the Ponte Vecchio

Eat at - San Michele Restaurant at Villa San Michele, and have spectacular dinners with all of Florence at your feet

Take side trips to - Rome
Venice
Pisa

Be sure to visit - Il Duomo
Michelangelo's David
Uffizi Gallery

Best time of year to go - June or September

Best things to buy - Paintings, fine leather, antiques

Best indulgence - Getting a room with a view overlooking Florence in a monastery designed by Michelangelo

Fly into - Rome (ROM/FCO)

Transportation - Hire a car and driver to take you to Florence, or take the train, then take local transportation or day cars once there