Baroque-en hearted? Revive your spirits with a walk past Rome's most beautiful and unusual Baroque fountains. At the foot of the Spanish Steps, elegant cafes once favored by visiting Brits and Americans surround the central fountain. The water pressure here was so low that the artist had to sink the fountain into the ground to get any water going through it, so he went ahead and designed the fountain to look like a sinking ship. There's no shortage of water pressure at the nearby Trevi Fountain, a Baroque extravagance designed by master sculptor Bernini. At the Pantheon, you'll see the largest concrete dome ever constructed. An oculus, or hole, in the dome lets sunlight into the beautiful temple, dedicated to all the gods.

Gods and gladiators, glory and gore. Ancient Rome lives on in its spectacular monuments, flavoring the frenetic present with tastes of the past. Don a space-age Whisper headset to get the inside scoop on the most spectacular, the Colosseum, a grisly battle arena that seated more than 45,000. An enormous retractable roof awning system kept spectators cool on sunny days. The nearby Forum provides a glimpse into everyday ancient life, with markets, meeting places, and temples all combined into one vast space. Move into Christian Rome at St. Peter’s Basilica, the triumphal Renaissance church flanked by rows of columns radiating outward like welcoming arms. Within the church Michelangelo’s masterpieces are on display, the “Pietà” in the main church and the recently restored ceiling frescoes and “Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel. Continue your trek through time at Piazza Venezia, site of the enormous monument to Victor Emmanuel II, Italy’s first king, and of the Palazzo Venezia, where Mussolini set up his headquarters and from whose porch his mother was said to eavesdrop on citizens below. (The Sistine Chapel is closed on most religious holidays and Sundays, except for the last Sunday in each month).

Imagine the centuries of history at Castel del Monte, as it is believed to have been used as a hunting lodge, a citadel, a refuge during a plague, a prison, and many other things since it was erected in the 1240’s by the Emperor Frederick II, and dubbed his “most fascinating castle.” Castel del Monte’s octagonal shape makes it unique and unusual, unlike any other castle in the region.

Located in the heart of the “Trulli Valley,” this quaint and beautiful town of Alberobello is comprised of approximately 400 traditional dwellings with unique and distinctive conical stone roofs, known as trulli. Nearby, you will visit the most famous caves in Italy, The Caves of Castellana. Here, you will marvel at the spectacular multicoloured stalagmites, stalactites, lakes and underground caverns. You will never forget the impressive White Grotto, which consists exclusively of pure white crystals.

You will make a stop in the city of Matera for a walking tour of one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Since most tourists have yet to discover this most unusual cave-dwelling district, you will be one of the lucky few who get to enjoy the old world nuances of Matera’s picturesque streets overlooking impressive cave filled cliffs.

From the Bay of Naples the island of Capri is less than an hour away by boat. Weather permitting, you will take a boat to the Blue Grotto, where sunlight reflected from beneath the water bathes the cave in a silver-blue light.