1000 SHARDS

We didn't get to San Gimignano, which is the other great old walled city in Tuscany (there are many). It's towers were a precursor to the modern skyscraper. There is a bus service that goes there from Florence or Siena, so you might do it as part of a tour.

We travelled from Rome to Siena then Siena to Florence by bus and I recall how dreamlike the Tuscan scenery was as we rolled by. It's quite hilly without really being mountainous. The colours are completely unique – the light hits the greens and browns in just such a way that makes it look like an oil painting. It's no wonder it inspired such great art.

ROMA

Rome is just amazing. We were staying out towards the main Termini, which was OK but a bit out of the way. We were also ripped off by two cabbies (a scam team) getting the four blocks from the station to our hotel, so it wasn't a great start. I think your Travestere district across the Tiber is probably a better option.

We did an Imperial Rome tour on the first day, which was great except the Swiss-German tour guide was trite and unbelievably annoying. I wished I had Clive James in my ear, or at least an Oxford History don. Anyway, the Colosseum, the old Senate/Forum ruins, etc., are all quite profound.

Again, the best tip I can give you is just to walk around and soak up the history and buzz of the place. Do the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, etc., and all that is great, but these landmarks are always jam-packed with tourists and local hawkers/pickpockets. I loved the moments that surprised me, like rounding the corner and seeing the Pantheon for the first time, which literally stole my breath away (see vid here). Or discovering Largo di Torre Argentina, a sunken square made from the excavation of four republican temples that is now a sanctuary for the homeless cats of Rome. Truly. In any other city this site would be a national treasure. But in Rome, with its embarrassment of archaeological riches, these ruins are overrun by stray cats, stalking one another around the 2,000 year old pillars while the caffeine-fuelled modern-day Romans zip around the streets above on Vespas, all attitude and noise and now.

Definitely grab an espresso at Sant'Eustachio cafe. Best coffee I've ever tasted – even though the waiter got annoyed at us because we sat outside and drank it but, apparently, only paid to stand inside and drink it. I offered to pay the difference but I think he preferred being able to flap his arms for a while.

If you're there on a Sunday, they had a children's market on at Piazza Novona.

Of course, you'll go to the Vatican. Try to get there about mid-morning, after the crack-of-dawn psychos but before the bulk of the tourists have risen and had their lazy espressos over breakfast. If you're feeling adventurous, climb the winding spiral staircase all the way to the Cupola atop St Peter's Basilica. You'll be buggered when you get up there (there is a lift option) and you have to endure lots of pushy latins (mainly from South America), but the view is spectacular.

I'm not a religious man, so I might be biased (or not), but the main thought I had when wandering past all the treasures in St Peter's and the Vatican Museum (Sistine Chapel) was that the Catholic Church did a bloody great job of getting hold of all this loot over the centuries. It was a big job, but someone had to do it.

Q&A

PARIS

Paris is just gorgeous, full of history and culture and tres chic. Similar to New York (in a very different way), I felt like we were on the set of a movie the whole time. We were staying in the Marais district, two blocks from the Bastille, which the mob stormed in 1789 to begin the French Revolution. There's an Opera House there now, which seems apt.

You're laughing on the barge, because all the cool stuff is on or near the Seine. We were in Paris for six days (I think) and did too much to recount here. It was also snowing hard for the first four days, so lots of the outdoor attractions were closed (Jardins de Luxembourg, Versailles, Rodin, the top of the Eiffel Tower). So I'll just give you my highlights.

Walking (or barging) along the Seine is pretty special. I did the Notre Dame - Eiffel Tower - Champs-Élysées route a couple of times. We skipped going inside Le Louvre. I went to Musee d'Orsay instead, which has half the queues and a great collection of impressionists and modern art. There's also a couple of interesting galleries at the Place de Tokyo across the river and just north-east of the Eiffel Tower.

The Left (South) Bank is really interesting, with lots of cafes, book shops and the Sorbonne (uni). Definitely walk the length of the Boulevard Saint-Germain. And buy at least one of those street crepes they sell everywhere. Lots of sweet options, but my favourite was ham and cheese (mm-mmmmh). The latin quarter has lots of bars and restaurants. If you're ever stuck for somewhere to eat, I'd recommend going there.

If you're looking for a good view, head north to Sacre Coeur in Montmartre, or, better still, to the skydeck at Monparnesse, the only tall building around (other than the Eiffel Tower).

I could go on, but it's best you make your own way. As I said, the best bits on our trip were those serendipitous moments of surprise. Go exploring, be open to new experiences and take a few risks. Most people don't get the opportunity to go on such an adventure very often, so bring back enough memories to keep your nostalgia norished until you get back there.

Have a brilliant time. Keen to read of your travels.