USA Today has a great article from Rick Steves on what to look forward to in Italy in 2013.

Here’s an excerpt:

Italy has more of Europe’s cultural heritage than any other country — and the Italians are doing a fine job of sharing it with their visitors. Here is the latest, gleaned from my guidebook research for 2013:

Rome has made visiting the Vatican Museum easier. You can often buy same-day, skip-the-line tickets from the tourist-information office in St. Peter’s Square; it’ll cost the same price you’d pay if you had reserved online (15-euro ticket plus 4-euro reservation fee).

Massive crowds line up to see Florence’s cathedral — the Duomo — which is free to enter. Here’s how to skip the line: If you’re already planning to visit the cathedral-related sights — the Duomo Museum, Baptistery, and Campanile — that require a combo-ticket to see, buy your ticket first at the less-crowded museum. You can use it to enter through the cathedral’s exit, bypassing the lines at the front door.

Read the rest here.