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Whatever the price, for some people the journey will be worth the expense. "Rome is the birthplace of Western civilization and Christian culture," observes Joan Lewis of the Vatican Information Service. "As long as you're not looking for something outlandish like a yacht that's going to cross two time zones, this is the place to be."
CITY OF LITE?
Paris may never be the same. In its eagerness to shed some of its vaunted intellectualism, France is trying on a newer look. To cackles of delight and a few clucks of disapproval, officials in the City of Light are planning to transform their revered Eiffel Tower into a gigantic Christmas tree, adorned with Godzilla-size ornaments, for Noel 1999.
About six miles from the Eiffel Tower, construction could begin soon on another outsize and controversial millennial project: a $42 million Earth Tower rising on wooden struts, bisected by restaurant and exhibition space and crowned by a floral halo of metallic petals. At 650 ft.--a height that will require passage of a special law in parliament--it would command stunning vistas comparable to those of the Eiffel and Montparnasse. Meanwhile, the Pompidou Center, with one of the biggest collections of 20th century paintings, is scheduled to reopen its doors at midnight Jan. 1, 2000, after being partly closed since September 1997 for a complete renovation. The theme of the featured exhibit: time.
For a real New Year's treat, you may want to consider a seat on a bateau-mouche, one of the many boats that cruise the Seine serving up romantic dinners and gorgeous views. Or try to reserve a table at Maxim's, where diners can enjoy a night of dancing with a live orchestra. Warning: a taste of the good life on this particular night could set you back $1,000--and that's before you figure in the hotel bill.
--With bureau reports