Based upon my several days here now. I'm staying at a three star place, I expect a guy with your wealth to stay in the penthouse but on the street we are all equal. Bring a lightweight rain jacket/windbreaker. Don't know for sure about April but had rain this morning which then cleared of to sun. You'll have to do your own thinking on pickpockets but I got scanties with two pockets that dry overnight easily. Blush... I carry my passport there when traveling and a photocopy when stationary. My real one is in the safe in my room. Most rooms have safes you set your own combo to for your valuables. I wear a side belt loop money belt'ish thing for my visa card and the "big money", anything over ten bucks...uh, not really..but I keep a hundred or two in there and 30 to 60 in my pocket. Stuff is not cheap. The dollar has suffered a great deal to the Euro and is around 1.44 or so last I looked. But stuff is priced in Euros about the same number as you would expect to see in the states but...it's in the much more expensive Euros. Due to food allergies I have found it convenient to eat in Burger Kings at times 'cuz I can have it 'my way', senza mayo and ketchup, gimme a fork and knife. In McMinnville I expect to pay under six bucks for BK whopper meal. Here it is over six euros or about ten bucks. It was so in Amsterdam, Bern, and Milano. All about the same. A fancy bag in the window for 600 euross nearly 1000 bucks, etc.

If you go to see St. Peter's it's free and there's more than you can hope to see in a day but I did in a morning. It's incredible for sure. I went in the morning and waited in line but it moves pretty fast. Gorgeous!!

I you see the Capella Sistina I found it best to go later in the morning or just around lunch time and had no line. At first lights, so to speak, the line is around the block'ish. Be prepared to see about fifteen museums and halls along the way to the chapel which is the last in the trip. You can hire into a group and they tell you stuff or you can do as I did and just enter...what was it, 15 euros one way or the other a couple. I went at my speed without an audio thingy, ead what I wanted or moved on. Every item you see is numbered and you can hear what it is. Many have nothing to read so I missed a lot but have only so much energy to bring to bear and was glad to look and move. By the time you get to the chapel you will have seen soooooo many painted ceilings, walls, tapestries, items, reliquaries, art by Dali, Rodin, Matisse and many many others. I found the chapel ceiling awe inspiring based upon its history but it's a LONG way up there. The chapel is small compared to the number of people...and this is October...many seemed to be on the cell phone, some slept sitting on the wall benches, no photos are allowed.

IF you go to see the Pope speak on Wednesday morning at 1030 try to get next to the passage center going across the square and to the left side as his Pope mobile makes the passage (Not sure if it's raining) and you can get a good photo. Be there by ten. He is late. I missed a good photo for being only five rows back. Every one sits during the event after he is on the dais so don't worry about seeing then. I sat thru the entire event and it is in a dozen languages as pertained to the audience. A short speech is given in several languages and it took a total of about an hour and a half for it all. I couldn't see being in
Rome and missing it but many left after he was seated and during the event.

So many restaurants called pizzarias but most have more than pizza though many say Pizzariz/Ristorante. Eating on the street seating is fun if it's not too cold or windy. Near the Vatican there's a very large market, the Trionfal..I think it is..that is a mixture of supermarket goods each standing alone in the building. Meat, fish, fruit, veggies...all have many small markets. Fun to see. I'm cooking so have shopped there a couple times for chow.

I haven't gotten around much more than that yet. Hope there's some thoughts for you. Buon viaggi!!