Rome

Rome greeted me with the golden glow of late afternoon sun washing over ochre-colored palazzos. I checked into the iconic Hotel de Russie near Piazza del Popolo, taking a seat in their secret terraced garden for a signature Stravinskij Spritz (€26) accompanied by green Castelvetrano olives and freshly baked focaccia.

My mornings in Rome always begin with espresso and art. Standing beneath the giant unreinforced concrete dome of the Pantheon at 8:30 AM, watching a single shaft of sunlight pierce the 30-foot oculus, feels like stepping back two millennia into the Roman Empire. We walked down through the Piazza Navona to marvel at Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers before stopping at Roscioli for breakfast—a warm, cream-filled maritozzo brioche bun and a velvety cappuccino (€6).

In the afternoon, I had private VIP access to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel after public hours (€380). Standing alone in the hushed silence of the Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes towering overhead in vivid restored color, is an experience that brings tears to your eyes. Later, we explored the Colosseum's underground arena floor and the Roman Forum, walking the exact stone paving stones where Julius Caesar once stepped.

Dinner in Rome is a sacred ritual. In Trastevere, we tucked into Da Enzo al 29 for the city's finest carciofo alla giudia (crispy fried artichoke) and a plate of cacio e pepe made with sharp Pecorino Romano and toasted black pepper that coated every strand of handmade tonnarelli (€18). We finished the night by walking to the Trevi Fountain at midnight, tossing a gleaming euro coin over our left shoulder into the illuminated turquoise waters to ensure our return. Rome never fails to steal my heart.