A Driving Tour of the Amalfi Coast

National Geographic Traveler has the scoop on driving the scenic roads of the Amalfi Coast. You'll find tips on what stops to make, what routes to take and how to avoid crowds (and the dangerous traffic that comes with them). Here's a couple of tips from me: don't drive the roads at night and make sure your car is small-not like the huge station wagon I drove the last time I was there!

Angels and Demons Walking Tour

Tomorrow is the big day-Angels and Demons opens all over the U.S.! If you are headed to Rome, you can take a walking tour of the major sites. For $74 per person, Viator will take you to the famous and not so famous places mentioned in Dan Brown's book. They will even read some of the passages aloud at a few sites to truly bring the book to life. If a guided tour (that costs money!) is not your idea of chasing down Angels and Demons, talk a walking tour by yourself. MSNBC has created an Angels and Demons 48 Hour Itinerary that you can follow on your own. They even recommend restaurants and shopping, like TAD department store, along the way. Diverti te!

Cycling in Tuscany and Umbria

National Geographic Traveler's list of 50 Tours of a Lifetime includes a biking tour of the Italian countryside. The Tuscany and Umbria Insider tour will take you to Cortona, Todi, Assisi and Siena -cycling all the while. And you'll have cooking lessons, chocolate-making demonstrations, wine-tastings and picnics along the way. Backroads hosts the trip and offers 100 hiking, backpacking and cycling trips throughout Italy, many of them family-friendly.

WalksInsideRome.com

Travel and Leisure recently featured a walking tour website that will customize a day of sightseeing and eating in Rome for you. WalksInsideRome.com will take you to the open-air markets, bakeries, pizzerias and wine bars to sample the culinary delights of Rome-and see how the Romans make them. WalksInsideRome has dozens of customizable private and semi-private tours for art and antiquities connoisseurs, fans of opera, Angels and Demons and La Dolce Vita, and special itineraries designed for kids. The tours are not cheap, but take it from me-having a guided tour of Rome is always worth it. You will never regret a penny spent on your own private Rome. If you like the tours of Rome, they also offer guided walks in Venice, Florence, Trieste and Friuli.

Tour Sicily by Cycle

InnTravel, a British holiday outfit, is offering unique bicycle tours of Italy. There are two tours of Sicily: The Realm of the Baroque, which is a gentle tour of the beaches, ruins and cathedrals of southeast Sicily (Siracusa and Ragusa are included) and Golden Cities, a more challenging ride through western Sicily beginning at Monreale, travelling down to Selinunte and ending in Marsala. The tours include bicycle rental, hotel accommodations, breakfast and many other meals. The tour company transports your baggage for you from town to town so you can be free to enjoy the scenery as you ride unencumbered. InnTravel also offers biking and walking tours and villa rentals in many other regions of Italy, including Sardinia and the Veneto.

Hiking Mt. Etna

If you would like to see an active volcano up close, be sure to take a day trip to Mt. Etna. Not only will you experience lava flows and craters but you will be able to see some of the interesting sights on the mountain itself, including villages, views and a Norman castle made entirely of lava. The Co.Ga.Sicily.Tour company is a reputable touring outfit operating from Catania. For 55 Euros per person, a vulcanologist will pick you up at your hotel and take you to Mt. Etna for the entire day (lunch not included). My sources tell me to ask for Giuseppe as your guide. Etna makes for a fantastic all-day excursion from Taormina or Catania. Have fun and wear sturdy shoes!

Italian Hand Gestures Decoded

The Italians are the most expressive people on earth. Not only is their spoken language beautiful, but they can speak an entire language with their hands. If you've ever wondered what all those signs can possibly mean, click here for a funny (and informative) video detailing all you've ever wanted to know about Italian hand gestures. The video was put together by Nada's Italy, a tour company devoted to the authentic experience of Italian language and culture.

Roman Nights at the Theater of Marcellus

As part of Estate Romana (Roman Summer) the Theater of Marcellus is host to a number of theatrical and musical performances. This week you can hear Liszt, Bach, Beethoven, Haydn, Chopin and Brahms all performed live starting at 8:30 pm. If you arrive at 8:00 pm you will receive a tour of the archaeological ruins of the Theater as well. See the website for details. Tickets are 15 Euros for the concert and tour.

Guided Tours of the Stadium of Domitian by Night

Underneath Piazza Navona are the foundations of the Stadium of the Emperor Domitian. These foundations actually provide the racetrack shape of the present-day piazza. On Sunday, August 24th, you can go beneath the piazza and see the remnants of the stadium for yourself. This rare guided tour begins at 8:00 pm and costs 5 Euros. To reserve tickets individually or for groups call 06 4391597; 339 1998481; 349 7820922 or email artable@libero.it. The tours meet at Piazza di Tor Sanguigna 13. See the Estate Romana (Roman Summer) website for more details.

The Domus Aurea-Nero's Golden House

The emperor Nero built an extraordinary palace in Rome after a great fire destroyed many of its neighborhoods in 64 CE. The palace covered nearly 200 acres and was so spacious that the emperor set a 35 meter tall bronze statue of himself in the vestibule. It is from this colossal statue that the Colosseum derives its name, for the emperor Vespasian demolished parts of the palace and in its place erected his own amphitheater near the statue (and redesigned the statue as Apollo). During the Renaissance, amateur explorers and archaeologists found their way into the debris filled underground rooms of what remained of the palace. They found frescoes and mosaics covering the walls and floors which inspired the grotesque motifs of Renaissance decor. You can discover for yourself the power of Nero's artistic inspirations, as several rooms of the palace were opened to the public a few years ago. These rooms are located on the Oppian Hill, across the street from the Colosseum. Reservations are obligatory and can be made by phone or on-line. See the RomaTurismo website for opening hours and details.

Mausoleum of Costanza

For Roman architecture buffs, there is no better place to experience the excellence of Roman engineering than the Mausoleum of Costanza on the Via Nomentana. The circular temple, built for the emperor Constantine's daughters and later turned into a church, contains a spectacular dome and exquisite mosaics from the 4th century CE. Nearby is the Church of Sant'Agnese which contains extensive catacombs. The mausoleum and catacombs are open daily 9-12 and 2-6, closed Mondays and Sunday and holiday mornings. Be sure to call ahead just in case!

Roman Houses on the Caelian Hill

Under the Basilica of Saints Giovanni and Paolo (John and Paul) are several ancient Roman dwellings purported to be the residences and final resting places of John and Paul, two officers of the court of the Emperor Constantine who were martyred under the rule of the Emperor Julian (361-363 CE). The residential complex is decorated in wall paintings from the 3rd century to 12th century and depict many themes from mythology and early Christian iconography. The site is located not far from the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum and can be visited every day except Tuesday and Wednesday. Once a week the complex is open at night for special tours. Be sure to visit the website to book these tours in advance.

Rome-A Festival of Music

Martin Randall Travel, a UK based touring company, has an exciting package for travelers who love music. Seven private concerts in palaces and churches from February 3-9 of 2008 are available to participants in their "Rome-A Festival of Music" tour. The packages start at 1,990 British pounds and include flights from the UK, hotels, three dinners, all breakfasts, drinks during some performances, transport to and from the airport and to some concert venues, lectures on the music, tips, taxes and private views of galleries (most notably the Galleria Borghese and the Sistine Chapel-priceless). If you do not fly from the UK and make your own air reservations, there is a reduction of 120 British pounds. The company has a myriad of tours in Rome and Italy throughout the year, so if music isn't your cup of tea (or espresso) there is certainly something else for you.