ROME, ITALY

It is hard to describe Rome in a few words. Rome is a city so vast and rich in art, historic ruins, monuments and exquisite views, that words can hardly do it justice. Rome’s deep history mixes with its cosmopolitan surface on every corner. This former capital of the Roman Empire has preserved its charm and independence throughout the centuries.

Rome's history can be read in every monument and palazzo; in fact, each and every stone bears witness to the periods of splendor, decay, wars, and numerous architectural styles. The city could be described as a gigantic open-air museum, visited each year by millions of tourists, scholars and pilgrims from all over the world. Just as Rome was not built in a day, the many fascinating destinations within the city walls mean that all of Rome cannot be seen in a day either.

It is hard to believe that Roman civilization began with a small settlement of shepherds and farmers near the Tiber River on Palatino, (one of the seven hills on which Rome was built and where many of the Roman... more