Rome

Rome is the Eternal City, where 28 centuries of history stack upon each other — ancient forums beneath Renaissance palazzi, Baroque fountains around every corner, and the Vatican's treasures within. The Colosseum, Pantheon, and St. Peter's are essential, but Rome's soul is in its neighborhoods: Trastevere's ivy-covered lanes, Testaccio's food culture, and evening passeggiata along the Tiber. No city rewards wandering more, and none takes its food — carbonara, cacio e pepe, supplì — more seriously. History here is vertical: medieval churches stand on Roman temples, and Renaissance palaces incorporate ancient columns. The Appian Way offers cycling past aqueducts and catacombs, while the Janiculum hill gives sunset panoramas. Romans dine late, espresso is drunk standing, and the city's 2,000 fountains provide endless drinking water. Day trips to Ostia Antica and Tivoli add ancient ports and Renaissance gardens to the itinerary.