In Rome, there is the Spanish Steps!

Though the name may not be entirely accurate (they were built by the French), the Spanish Steps in Rome deliver true delight to visitors of any nationality. 'Ah,' some will say, 'they are just stairs'. A way to get from the Villa Mèdici to the Piazza di Spagna. But, as any traveler knows, it's how you get there that counts as much as the destination.

Constructed between 1723 and 1725 the Spanish Steps or Scalinata di Spagna are 137 steps arrayed near the Piazza di Spagna - a triangular outdoor plaza and one of Rome's most frequently visited tourist destinations.

These lovely steps, dark, elegant and winding up a moderate graded hill, connect some of the most active and delightful areas in Rome. At the same time, they are beautiful to see all on their own. A pleasure anytime of year, they are especially wonderful in spring when the city festoons the area with azaleas from its many municipal greenhouses.

They are alive with flowers, people and the hint of the warm summer to come. Rome can be hot, in the mid-80s, even in late October. Nearby are some of Rome's most upscale boutiques and dozens of restaurants, shops and sidewalk cafes. The steps themselves used to be a favorite place to rest and have a small lunch, though that is now forbidden. Naturally, Rome being Rome, that law is often ignored.

At the bottom is the La Barcaccia fountain (Fountain of the Old Boat), one of Bernini's many great outdoor works in the Eternal City. In the center is a sculpture of a ship that may have been designed by his son, Gian Lorenzo. Commissioned by Pope Urbano VIII Barberini in 1627, the water flows outward through 'leaks' in the ship.

While you are at that end, stop in and see the Keats-Shelley Memorial House. Then have something cool to drink in one of the numerous bars before starting your climb.

As you travel up, there are three large flat areas on which to rest and people-watch, shop or eat. At the top, be sure to look back and admire the stunning view before continuing on to the Church of Trinta dei Monti.

More formally known as the Santissima Trinita al Monte Pincio, construction began in 1502 but continued for almost two centuries. Built in the late Gothic style, the facade is neo-classical. Outside there's an obelisk, one of Rome's many instances of this Egyptian-style sculpture, first brought to Rome around the 3rd century AD.

Only a couple of blocks away is the infamous Via Veneto where many Italian girl was ogled and pinched in the 1950s. Today, the area is tamer but no less interesting. It's full of shops, restaurants and beautiful examples of Rome's architecture, old and new.

No visit to Rome would be complete without visiting this landmark of Rome. Though created by the French, and named for the long-gone 18th century Spanish Embassy to the Vatican, it is an international delight to all.

Parc Guell - The park that is a work of art...

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Parc Guell is yet another of architect Antonio Gaudi's great gifts to the city of Barcelona. Built between 1900-1914, this 20-hectare park sits on the hills to the north of Barcelona's main areas. It provides a peaceful oasis of lush greenery and outstanding architectural elements.

On the northern edge of town, visitors have a spectacular vista to see much of Barcelona arrayed below. The terraced gardens provide an excellent combination of the natural and artificial. Seating available shows another example of the colorful mosaic tile that Gaudi loved to incorporate in his design for the park.

Stop at the small cafe on the outer edge before entering and have a cool drink. Barcelona can get very hot and many of the hills are steep. For visitors needing a little more sustenance, there are several small restaurants to choose from. Note the outstanding dragon-themed fountain as you enter. Take a moment to enjoy the multi-colored tile adorning it. Then stroll down the flower-festooned walkways dotted with many mosaic tiles that show Gaudi's distinctive influence.

But there are just as many interesting sights further inside the park itself. There's a museum dedicated to Gaudi's art, filled with photos and other items both instructive and decorative. Once the architect's house, it contains furniture designed by Gaudi himself.

Outside once again, alongside the lush shrubbery reside many worthy sights, including sculpture, columns, restaurants and museums. Even the benches are works of art. There is one enormous, curved example that is famed throughout the city, the Paseo de Palmas.

Further on are still more examples of wondrous sights. The Hall of the Hundred Columns (Sala de las Cien Columnas) is an array of classical supports. But what they support is drawn from later styles, such as the romantic-era balcony, which is covered in mosaic tiles of a more modern design.

Nearby there's a walkway supported by twisted rock pillars, introducing yet another style. Irregular and organic in appearance, they demonstrate another facet of the organic eclecticism Gaudi embraced.

There are a number of entrances to the park and visitors will want to choose accordingly. Taking the metro to the Lesseps stop, brings one to the base. That leads to a steep climb up the hill on which the park rests. Challenging, but great exercise in Barcelona's fine air. Taking the metro to the stop at Vallcarca brings the traveler via outdoor escalators to the top of the park, allowing for an easy walk down the hill.

Admission to the park is free and most buildings open at 10 a.m.

The unique architecture of The Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou

Known to Parisians simply as Beaubourg (after the neighborhood), The Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou is a museum of modern art rivaling the best in New York or London.

By design, so to speak, the architecture of the 1977 building is in sharp contrast to the traditional surrounding houses of Paris' oldest district.

Looking like a cross between a hyper-modern factory joined to a low-rise office building, it accurately reflects its contents. The red, blue and green pipes on the rear are only one example of the tradition busting goals of its makers.

Air conditioning ducts are in blue, water pipes are green and electrical conduits are colored yellow. Escalators are in red and the ventilation shafts are white in the underground areas.

The architects goals were to 'turn the building inside out', and they've largely succeeded. A low glass box that looks like the scaffolding is yet to be removed, the modern heir to Bauhaus displays air-conditioning ducts and metal stairs on the exterior.All the better to provide space for works on the interior, so it's said.

Sponsored by and named after the French president, the museum is a faithful reflection of the art trends of the last century. Every recognized name of the last hundred years is here alongside hundreds lesser or entirely unknown. Among the collection of 56,000 works are well-known names such as Matisse, Pollock, Miro, Braque, Chagall, Dali, Duchamp, Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Klee... even Kelly and Warhol.

The Ten Lizes Warhol is not to be missed. An array of five small paintings atop another five, the work depicts Elizabeth Taylor in the now-familiar Warhol style. Multi-hued, multi-contrast and sharp-grained it presents Warhol at his Warholyist.

All the art movements of the last century are represented. There are examples of Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism along with many that have no names.

Built at a cost of $100 million, the cultural center houses four major activities within its million square feet: the exhibits, a reference library, a center for industrial design and a center for music and acoustic research.

Ride the Plexiglas escalator to the top where there is a panoramic restaurant, 'Le Georges' at level six. One can sit and look out on the street performers at the Place George Pompidou in front, or view the nearby Stravinsky Fountain.

Pricey, but with good views of the skyline, the visitor can see Montparnasse, the Eiffel Tower and much more. Rest and refresh before continuing to view the massive collection.

The museum is easy to find. Take the metro (subway) to Rambuteau or Hotel de Ville.

The Pantheon - The work of genius that stood the test of time

Few ancient buildings have survived the ravages of time so well as the Pantheon in Rome. It is the only example of similar age, size and span that remains intact. The fact is no accident - it's largely the result of superior engineering.

Often copied, sometimes equaled but never surpassed, it had more architectural innovations than most modern buildings. All the more remarkable, given that it was built around 125 AD under the aegis of the emperor Hadrian.

The plan is simple enough: a circular enclosure aside a rectangular entrance. The entrance sports a classic Greek portico of granite columns topped by a triangular pediment. There are three ranks of the 39 ft Corinthian supports, eight in front and two sets of four further in leading to the main rotunda. A rectangular section joins the portico to the rotunda.

But within that simple design are a dozen signs of genius.

The giant concrete dome topping the cylinder forming the major component was so well designed and built that no similar type would stand up under its own weight.

The dome is 142 feet in diameter (46 feet larger than that crowning the White House in Washington, DC), while the oculus at the peak is over 25 feet of that total. It stands as a result of its unusual composition, outstanding engineering and brilliant construction.

Just one example is the oculus in the center - the opening through the top. It decreases the overall weight and serves as a ring that distributes stress around its circumference. Imagine, by analogy, how difficult it is to crush a bicycle wheel.

It also serves to admit light to the interior. And rain, too it must be said, though the floor is an early example of slanting the floor toward drains.

The dome's tapering steps provide yet more evidence of the mastery of craft displayed by the dome's designer. It's 20 feet thick at the base, 7.5 at the oculus and composed of heavier material at the bottom, lighter as it rises. That doesn't seem so remarkable until one considers that many architects a thousand years later ignored this simple idea.

Nearly two thousand years after its birth the Pantheon in Rome is as stable today as when it was first built. Yet it was constructed without the benefit of machines or modern tools.

Nor did the Pantheon engineers have the advantage of modern transportation methods. All the materials were floated down the Tiber and moved to the site by man and animal on carts of the period.

Though its enormous bronze doors have been restored many times, no major structural work has ever had to be undertaken. This is all the more remarkable given the marshy land on which the structure is built.

By contrast, observe there have been several decades-long projects to preserve the Leaning Tower of Pisa, owing in part to the soft ground in parts of the site. The Parthenon in Greece, though a great building, was a virtual ruin 2,000 years after its birth.

The Pantheon in Rome was first converted to a church during the 8th century and continues to serve that purpose today. In fact, the building has been in continuous use since first being built.

This amazing building has often been copied, two notable examples being the British Museum Reading Room and the Thomas Jefferson Rotunda at the University of Virginia.

When in Rome, be sure to spend time viewing the original.