Visiting the Art Cities: When Italy consisted of dozens of principalities, its art treasures were concentrated in many small capitals, each blessed with the patronage of a papal representative or ducal family. Consequently, these cities became treasure troves of exquisite paintings, statues, and frescoes displayed in churches, monasteries, and palaces, whose architects are now world acclaimed. Although Rome, Florence, and Venice are the best known, you'll find stunning collections in Assisi, Cremona, Genoa, Mantua, Padua, Parma, Palermo, Pisa, Siena, Taormina, Tivoli, Turin, Verona, and Vicenza.

Dining Italian Style: One of the most cherished pastimes of the Italians is eating out. Regardless of how much pizza and lasagna you've had in your life, you'll never taste any that is better than the real thing in Italy. Each region has its own specialties, some handed down for centuries. If the weather is fine and you're dining outdoors with a view of, perhaps, a medieval church or piazza, you'll find your experience the closest thing to heaven in Italy. Buon appetito!

Attending Mass in St. Peter's Basilica: With the exception of some sites in Jerusalem, St. Peter's in the Vatican is Christendom's most visible and important building. The huge size of the church is daunting. For many visitors, attending mass here is a spiritual highlight of their lives. Your fellow faithful are likely to come from every corner of the world. See chapter 4.

Attending a Papal Audience: Many Catholic visitors to Rome eagerly await papal audiences every Wednesday morning, when the pope addresses the general public. If the day is fair, these audiences are sometimes held in St. Peter's Square. All are welcome. See chapter 4.

Riding Venice's Grand Canal: The S-shaped Canal Grande, curving for 2 miles along historic buildings and under ornate bridges, is the most romantic waterway in the world. Most first-timers are stunned by the variety of Gothic and Renaissance buildings, the elaborate styles of which could fill a book on architecture. A ride on the canal will give you ever-changing glimpses of the city's poignant beauty. Your ride doesn't have to be on a gondola; any public vaporetto (ferry) sailing between Venice's rail station and Piazza San Marco will provide a heart-stopping view. See chapter 8.

Getting Lost in Venice: The most obvious means of transport in Venice is by boat; an even more appealing method is on foot, traversing hundreds of canals, large and small, and crossing over the arches of medieval bridges. Getting from one point to another can be like walking through a maze—but you won't be hassled by traffic, and the sense of the city's beauty, timelessness, and slow decay is almost mystical. See chapter 8.

Spending a Night at the Opera: More than 2,000 new operas were staged in Italy during the 18th century, and since then, Italian opera fans have earned a reputation as the most demanding in the world. Venice was the site of Italy's first opera house, the Teatro di San Cassiano (1637), but it eventually gave way to the fabled La Fenice, which burned down in 1996 and is being restored; in the meantime, opera is presented under a tent at Palafenice. Milan's La Scala is possibly the world's most prestigious opera house, especially for bel canto. There's also a wide assortment of outdoor settings, like Verona's Arena, one of the largest surviving amphitheaters. Suitable for up to 20,000 spectators and known for its fine acoustics, the Arena presents operas in July and August, when moonlight and the perfumed air of the Veneto add to the charm. See chapters 8, 9, and 10.

Shopping Milan: Milan is one of Europe's hottest fashion capitals. You'll find a range of shoes, clothing, and accessories unequaled anywhere else, except perhaps Paris or London. Even if you weren't born to shop, stroll along the streets bordering Via Montenapoleone and check out the elegant offerings from Europe's most famous designers. See chapter 10.