5. The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Pisa is an hour from Florence, and best done as a day-trip from there (about twenty trains a day;-The Tower is actually the bell tower for a stunning cathedral, with a baptistry, on the same site (known as the Campo dei Miracoli, or “Field of Miracles”)- The tower is really leaning over, but its completely safe, and you can even walk up it.

6. Pompeii. The ruins of a Roman city frozen in time by a volcanic eruption and untouched for centuries. Go early, and bring plenty of water; Pompeii is a huge site, and will take you much of the day to see properly.

7. Trevi Fountain, Rome. Almost everyone’s heard of it {”Three Coins in the Fountain”), and I’ve met many who thought such a “touristy” place was not worth visiting. Don’t make this mistake. The fountain is a marvel - a perfect marriage of art and architecture. Beautiful by day, spectacular at night, it should not be missed by anyone traveling in Rome. Go early and avoid the mobs.