re: Rome ideas and suggestions

Besides the normal big attractions (Colosseum, Forum, St. Peters, Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, Trevi fountain, etc.), I really recommend going to one of the big aristocratic mansions that are now museums. I went to the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, but the Galleria Borghese and Palazzo Colonna are even higher rated on TripAdvisor.

If you want something to do for several hours outside the city, I recommend the ruins of Ostia Antica, which was once the port city on the Tiber for ancient Rome, and which is well-preserved and will give you a great insight of what life was like in ancient Rome. It's a short hop away from the city on a commuter train.