So sad the Piazza Venezia and its' surrounding area was under construction during the time of our…read morevisit. This is one of the most iconic and central squares in Rome, and I can even see some of its' elegance peeking out from behind the construction area.

A must stop if you're looking for free things to do. There are options to pay like they have a…read moremuseum and some other stuff otherwise you could totally walk through the piazza completely free. Many picture areas and has bathrooms, though it was crowded.

When we were in Vatican City in the afternoon, we skipped the plaza. We came back in the early…read moreevening and it was much less crowded. The square is directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Both are named after Saint Peter, an apostle of Jesus whom Catholics consider the first Pope. There is an obelisk in the center and 284 columns that create the elliptical shape of the square.

This is the area around the Vatican…read more It's gorgeous! I absolutely love the fountains and statues in this area. So much amazing architecture. When you step into this piazza, I feel like you get a sense of the Holy Spirit. I mean, how can you not when you are so close to the Vatican? There's a peaceful atmosphere here.

It was even better than I thought it would be. Listening to Rick Steves' audio guide ahead of time…read moretotally helped with navigating around the site. I also purchased a very thorough map (Ostia Antica Modern Passion) for a few euros that was recommended at the ticket office. It came in very handy because it's actually quite a long walk, and almost impossible to see everything in 3 hours. This map actually helped in prioritizing the must see sights. Our online ticket timed entry was 9:30am, but you can just purchase it there. There really wasn't a whole lot of people around on a weekday. There's a free public restroom and vending machines with water next to the ticket office. The only other restroom is near the café. Just start on the main road and work your way up. Everything is well marked with interesting facts and descriptions. It was amazing to see the well-preserved buildings and mosaics intact. It didn't seem like that in Pompeii. Then again, this ancient port city had been covered by sand dunes for centuries compared to a pyroclastic flow & ash. It's great that some of the dedication plaques and mosaics have not been unearthed and placed in a museum. Most of them are the originals. The statues and other artifacts are in the museum on site. Do not leave without visiting that museum. It's next door to the café. What I love is that they have steps leading up to viewing points. There was one at the Baths of Neptune and another near the Thermopolium of Via di Diana. Take advantage of these viewing areas. You'll be amazed at what you can see up there. There is one at the Theater overlooking the Plaza of the Guilds, but the theater is currently under renovation or construction. I didn't get that chance, but there is a lovely view of it from the corporate guild as you're walking around that square. It was interesting to look at all the mosaic merchant signs. You can get an idea of what they were selling by the picture & design. I'm not going to ruin it for you. There is so much more to see and write about. It's a must visit in my opinion. Especially if you're into seeing what Roman city life was like back in that time period. There are birds and flowers all over. Mainly just poppies that randomly pop up here and there. It's peaceful & quiet compared to Ancient Rome. I don't think many people know about it. There is a cute café, bookstore, and museum past the warehouses (Horrea) to the right towards the Tiber River. It was a very relaxing time. Check it out if you're staying anywhere near the airport.

Ostia Antica is often suggested as a convenient alternative to Pompeii and without the mass…read morecasualties. And it is both convenient and not tragic. This ancient Roman port city of approximately 50,000 residents has some must see elements, many of which are only found by extensive exploring: Necropolis as you enter Baths of Neptune and amazing mosaic Condo complex Communal toilets Granaries for storage of grain from Alexandria Millstones Tip: it is a huge site; use the bathroom at the entrance before you enter; the only other bathrooms were at the cafe and bookstore Tip: you navigate most of the site on an ancient road; it is very uneven; wear sneakers! Tip: rent the headsets, which provide helpful commentary

We came here as an optional day trip on our Trafalgar tour. Our guide was very knowledgable about…read morethe villa and it's history. I simply can't imagine the obscene amount of wealth it must have taken to build this villa. The gardens and fountains are absolutely breathtaking. The fountains are gravity fed so that the farther down you go among the gardens, the higher the water sprays. Definitely worth the day trip as the villa is amazing and Tivoli is a great little town.

Gorgeous old villa and gardens with multiple beautiful fountains. If you like gardens, i think…read moreyou'll love this place, especially in the spring! You walk through the beautiful palace rooms first, then go down to the beautiful gardens below. Comments are available in both Italian and English. A couple of things to note: 1) there are drinking water fountains and clean, free restrooms (and a small cafe) at the site. 2) lots of walking and oodles of steps. 3) there's a cool outdoor water fountain organ that plays every couple of hours. 4) our mapping program gave us the wrong entrance info; if you are walking there, I suggest you double check with a local to make sure you are going the right way ( there are several gates, but all but the one entrance gate are closed). Be warned: There are 2 lines to get in. One (on the left) for those with pre-paid tickets, and another long line on the right side for those that need to buy their tickets there. If you've already bought your tickets online, go up to the front and ask the cashier if you can skip the line if you've already paid. We unnecessarily waited a long time on a very hot day because some random rude tour guide thought it would be funny to give us the wrong info that we had to wait in line even if we had a ticket already. Don't forget your camera; the photo ops are amazing!

Stunning building and well maintained garden. The whole place is now open to the public due to the…read moregenerosity of Pope Francis. I hope Pope Leo and all the other future popes will keep this beautiful place open to the public. The observatory tour (additional cost) in my opinion is a ripoff. The tour guide basically just showed us the way and had very minimal explanation about the history of the place. You can learn about it yourself from just reading the signs.

This retreat of the popes has only been open to the public since 2014 so take advantage and visit…read more But book ahead so you don't miss out on the tour of the gardens.

If you know me, you know I love a good cathedral and this one is pretty great…read more Orvieto is a gorgeous, perfect hill town crowned with this jewel of a church. Started in 1294 (!) it took 300+ years to build. There's plenty of art including spectacular frescos by Signorelli. When you look at the elaborate decor - inside and out- reflect that most of this is hand laid mosaic work. Incredible

If you can only visit one place in Orvieto, the Duomo should be it! This strikingly beautiful 14th…read morecentury cathedral is likely the crown jewel of the small mountain town. It has amazing statues (check out all 18 of them, including the two right in front of the altar-- the unbelievable Angel of the Annunciation and the Virgin of the Annunciation! ) masterpiece frescos, and stained glass windows so vibrant that they etch into your heart! For just 5 Euros (at this writing) the beauty and memory you get is simply out of this world. A true marvel !!!