WOW.

No, really.

WOW.

You would think that in a city with such wide streets that nothing could sneak up on you in Rome. Nope. You’re wandering along, debating which gelateria to stop at and BAM! There’s the Pantheon.

The Pantheon.

You continue on your way, window shopping at the high end fashion stores and PRESTO! You’re suddenly climbing the Spanish Steps.

You walk up from the subway station and TA-DA! The Colosseum.

The Colosseum.

You can’t turn a corner in the Eternal City without bumping into a major monument or historical landmark.

Fancy Arches!

If your inner nerd isn’t drooling over Palatine Hill, the Roman Senate, Capitoline Hill, Piazza del Popolo, and other relics from ancient Rome, you are ambling around the trendy Trastevere neighbourhood with picture perfect little Italian cafes with red checkered tablecloths, admiring Bernini’s sculpture work at Piazza Barberini, or checking out Pincio Hill or Castel SantAngelo for a panorama of Rome.

Whatever else you choose to do, be sure to elbow your way through the hordes of tourists at the lovely Trevi fountain to toss in a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder with your back to the fountain. Not only does that coin go toward feeding the needy in Rome, it is also supposed to ensure that you return to Rome one day.

Fontana di Trevi.

Trust me, you’ll need and want to visit this place more than once. A lifetime isn’t enough to explore the Eternal City.