One of Europe’s most beautiful and exciting capitals, Rome is rich in history, art, and culture. It is a safe, livable and modern city that offers the flair of southern hospitality. Located in central Italy and just 10 miles from the Mediterranean coast, Rome has a pleasant climate that invites prolonged strolls through the ancient Forum and medieval city streets. Artists have shaped the city’s image ever since Antiquity and their outstanding work and artistic sensibilities still can be admired in the Colosseum, Pantheon and Forum, as well as the Catacombs. A reemerging center of power during the Renaissance and Baroque, artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini came to Rome to create their masterpieces in the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Stanze, and St. Peter’s.