I'm obviously partial to Paris, but Rome still works its magic -- even when it's steamy and swarming with tourists in July. The light and the colors never disappoint. Nor does the music, whether it's an opera extravaganza at the Baths of Caracalla or performances by singers as diverse as Bjork, Sinead O'Connor, Leonard Cohen or Paul Simon, each of whom passed through the eternal city in July this year. Best of all was a night spent sitting at the Spanish steps listening to favorite opera arias and duets. It was spellbinding. You gotta to hand it to those Italians and their love for music -- nobody else comes close.