Ahh… Roma. La Dolce Vita! I know it, I love it, and I live it. I have never been the same after visiting Rome and its beautiful neighboring villages. And what an honor to have been able to actually enjoy visiting with friends that welcomed us with open arms and made us feel like we were part of their own famiglia.

But you too can enjoy this romantic city. Although Rome is one of those places you feel you know well before you ever go there, once you visit, you will never be the same.

We know their food (to some degree), we often include them in our language (Rome was not built in a day, When in Rome do as the Romans, All roads lead to Rome…), we know of the Colosseum, the Forum, the Capitol, the Vatican, we know they are beautiful people (Rudolph Valentino, Sofia Loren, John Travolta, Leonardo DiCaprio, Annette Funicello and the list goes on), but we have really met them when we arrive, and we really know them when we spend time around them.

But can we enjoy Rome and get to know them if all we have is a one week vacation? The answer is yes. Here in America, we often think we cannot take a trip to Europe if all we have is one week. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit even if I have to do it in even less time. It’s all about planning. I always take an overnight flight to Europe and I make sure I fall asleep, that way I can start enjoying myself the minute I am off that plane. Keep in mind jetlag is usually felt most when we get back home, at least that’s how it’s been for me on most of my travels.

So here are a few places you may want to visit while in Rome. You may want to visit the Museum of the Palazzo dei Conservatori where you will find Greek and Roman sculptures, Etruscan vases and paleochristian sarcophagi. The National Museum houses the most important archaeological collections in the world and the Barracco Museum, with Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian and Etruscan relics arid to the National Museum of Castel Sant’Angelo. The imposing complex of the Vatican Museums contain an outstanding number of masterpieces and in the center of Rome, we can admire the Roman Forum and the universally known Colosseum. You may also want to visit Tivoli to see Villa Adriana. And if you want more, there is also St Peter’s Cathedral, Sistine Chapel, Campo de'Fiori, Tastevere, La Bocca Della Verita, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and much more. You will have time to enjoy the major sights, or just pick those that you think would be your favorites and visit those first. And believe me when I say, your week’s vacation will be filled with wonderful memories. If time allows, visit the villages and cities outside of Rome. I recommend Tuscany. It really is beautiful Under the Tuscan Sun!

…But there is more to enjoy while in Rome. If you think buildings, museums and the Colosseum are the only beautiful architectures you will find during your visit, think again… I promise you will be turning your head from right to left and back again, glancing at the beautiful men and women just walking the streets any time of the day and night.

And there is even more to enjoy in this city aside from the architecture, sculptures and beautiful people. In Rome, and Italy in general, you also enjoy great food. Actually, you eat well, and you drink better! Pretty much anywhere you go you find great food, excellent wine, and often the most beautiful music in the distant background, allowing you to have a romantic conversation with your loved one. In most hotels, by simply asking the concierge for recommendations or other hotel guests you come across during your stay, you may learn about awesome restaurants where you may enjoy a great meal.

Some all-time favorite dishes for those that have visited Rome are Gnocchi alla Romana (semolina flour or potato mashed into tiny cylinders with tomato sauce), Abbacchio (roasted suckling lamb), Porchetta (roasted suckling pig) and Spaghetti alla Vongole Veraci, my all-time favorite!

And of course, you would want to complement your meal with a nice bottle of wine, bright whites with white meats, robust reds for red meats, and then there are rosés, the sparkling wines, the fortified wines, the liqueurs and the grappas. There is something to go with every stage of your meal, from the aperitivo to the dessert.

Rome is just a wonderful place to visit, and after writing this, I am ready for my next trip. Great food, excellent wine, wonderful music and beautiful architecture are all I need to satisfy my senses.

So my advice to you is - Get out of Living La Vida Loca and start Living La Dolce Vita!

And to our friends, the entire Famiglia Ranucci – E 'stato scritto in onore di voi con tutto il nostro affetto.