Ciao!

Word of advice re Rome (if this is your first visit): watch out for the goddamn pickpockets. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the most successful are the small ones.

(Was almost pickpocketed by a group of three kids)

This'll be my first trip to Europe, ever. So any advice is welcome. And I'll certainly look out for little Italian pickpockets.

I've been in San Marino 8 years ago. It's great (but that's how Italy is). Also check RyanAir. They have extremely cheap plane tickets, too. N.

Europe is cool, for travel, you'll love it.
However, I don't want to rain in your parade, but you were probably better off spending those extra $100 to fly directly to Rome. That kind of traveling can be very tiring. But, you are young, strong and adventurous, right? :-)

Yes, if you are planning to get to the main continent by air plane, probably your best bet is to check Ryan Air. They are one of those cheap buslike airlines. But, before you buy your ticket, make sure you know exaclty where are you departing from and where are you landing at. Usually, this will add to the price of the ticket, due to transportation. Also, the prices do not include taxes, one more thing to add. You will have to use your credit card and the price, if I remember correctly, are not refundable.

If you are in search for low prices, I wold say that your best bet is to take a bus. They tend to be the cheapest of all. Train is expensive in the main continent. They charge you per Km and every country has different prices.

Or you may even want to check a rent-a-car place and book it from the US. I did this once, it was very cheap. I paid for about one week and a half, $150, w/o gas, of course. Some times you can pick the car in one city and leave it in another. That is if you want to drive that long......:-)

Travel is so much more developed in Europe and that makes it easy for traveling around, that is compared to the US.

Enjoy your trip.
MB

Hey Miguel,
try to find St. Clemente church.

It not that famous although it should be because underneath the medieval church there is an early christian church and underneath that is a 1st century ad roman street with insulae on the left and right. In one of them you can still see a place of worship for Mithras, a god that came to rome from the near east just about that time.
Best thing: you can actually walk in the street! very narrow, though.
(In Rome every new house seems to have been built on top of the older one.
result: you can barely see rome's seven hills nowadays.)

here is st. clemente (with pic of ancient street)
http://www.initaly.com/regions/latium/church/clemente.htm

oh and if you really wanna stroll through an ancient town, visit Ostia, romes ancient port. mostly pretty emtpy there. not on the standard tour through rome.

archaeologists have excavated the whole town so that it still stands two stories high!!!
Including a roman bath and theater.

These two sights I found most impressive when visiting Rome, even more so than the Vatican and the vatican museum. (which were also great of course)