Rome, London, Moscow; Our correspondents take you around the world

Imagine being ordered by your boss to live in an exotic place people dream about visiting all their lives. Your job? Explore it, master it and translate it for hundreds of thousands of readers back home.

The foreign correspondent is a traveler by profession, a tourist by default. The best are wanderers with an eye for the curious, if not the curio, the guts not to settle for the guidebook hotel, a comfort with the crude yet a taste for the fine, and the luxury of being around long enough to learn locals' most precious secrets.

Starting in this edition of Travel, we present the first of a three-part series on the favorite discoveries of the Tribune's foreign-based correspondents -- from Beijing, Beirut, Islamabad, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, Moscow, New Delhi and Rome.

For these travelers, sightseeing includes battlefields, filthy refugee camps and the detritus of car-bombed intersections. But, when they are not tied up reporting and writing world history's first drafts, they can find moments to seek out the world's pleasures too.

This is not the beaten path, but have no fear: One lesson of traveling the world so much is that the world is not as intimidating as it sometimes seems. But, just for good measure, our world travelers have included their safety tips as well.

-- Hugh Dellios, Tribune foreign editor

\ Alex J. Rodriguez,

Moscow

1. My favorite place: The Bolshoi Theatre. Russian opera is magnificent, and the place to enjoy it is the Bolshoi, where the baritones, tenors and sopranos of one of the world's greatest opera companies fill the theater's shimmering, gilded hall with the brilliance of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. The 184-year-old building is undergoing a massive renovation and is slated to reopen in 2009. In the meantime, the Bolshoi's opera and ballet companies perform at the New Bolshoi Theatre adjacent to the Bolshoi. As sublime as Bolshoi opera is, it's amazingly affordable; ticket prices are as low as $13.

2. Best place no one knows about: There are a host of places in Moscow to experience the Russian steam bath known here as the banya, and most tourists find themselves at Sandunov, a pricey, 112-year-old bathhouse dressed up in rococo decor. But banyas aren't just about the building; they're about the steam, and one of the Moscow banya world's hidden gems is Seleznyovskaya Baths. The building's far from fancy, but the eucalyptus-scented steam is always, as Russians put it, "light and dry." The plunge in the plunge pool that follows a steam session is always the right temperature -- ice-cold enough to withstand no more than a 3-second dip.

3. Best meal for taste and ambience: Moscow has plenty of Georgian restaurants, and most execute the Caucasian cuisine ably. But Tiflis in Moscow's posh Ostazhenka district is a cut above. Everything they do -- Georgian cheese-stuffed bread called khachapuri, lamb stews steeped in tarragon, parsley and sour plums -- reminds diners who have been to Georgia of how it's done in Tbilisi. In summer, get a table outside on one of the restaurant's verandas.

4. Why you should come here: The energy. Moscow isn't as pretty as Russia's cultural capital, St. Petersburg, but it's the engine that drives Russia, and it has a frenetic, intoxicating energy that never disappoints. Night life here can be as serene as a night of cool jazz at a swanky bar or as raucous as the strobe-lit, techno-pop dance clubs that pulsate into the wee hours.

5. A shopping tip : Russia's distinctive blue-white Gzhel pottery is a must for any souvenir shopper, but be careful where you buy it. Moscow's souvenir shops and kiosks are notorious for selling fake Gzhel. You're better off heading to the source, to the village of Gzhel just 32 miles from downtown Moscow, where the pottery is still made and you can be sure you're getting the real thing.

6. Best way to get around: There are actually two. Moscow's subway system, known simply as the Metro, is one of the world's best. Its 12 lines and 176 stations are laid out so well that you never have to transfer more than twice. And Moscow's subway stations are renowned for the Soviet-era mosaics, statues and artwork that make the Metro a cultural landmark in its own right. But if you're in a super-hurry or it's after 1 a.m., when the Metro shuts down, gypsy cabs known as chasniks are a good alternative. The drivers don't have taxi licenses, but they're much cheaper than regular cabs and usually know the city like the back of their hand.

7. Safety/security tip: There are crosswalks, but Moscow motorists usually ignore them. Pedestrians should expect a BMW or a Land Rover barreling toward them to maintain speed. The best advice: look both ways, several times.

8. When friends come to visit I always take them to ... Expeditsia, an edgy, upscale restaurant that specializes in Siberian cuisine. For ambience, they've wedged an arctic rescue helicopter into the back of the dining room. But it's the food that beckons. Its signature dish is stroganina, slices of fresh raw Siberian fish served with an array of sauces and best accompanied by an ice-cold shot of top-shelf vodka. Also on the menu: reindeer, elk aspic and smoked lamprey.

9. Best photo op: If you happen to be in Moscow in winter, Red Square on a December morning with a dusting of snow on the paving stones, St. Basil's Cathedral in the background, and the brick-red wall of the Kremlin to one side provides a memorable snapshot setting.

10. Don't miss: The Tretyakov Gallery. Overshadowed by fame and grandeur of St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum, the Tretyakov, nonetheless, has a magnificent collection that includes works by Chagall, Andrei Rublev and Mikhail Vrubel.

\ Christine Spolar,

Rome

1. My favorite place: The Pantheon -- but only in the early morning. I walk into the vast rotunda, rich in purple and ochre marble, at least once a week. On any given morning it is cool and quiet and a lovely retreat from jumpy, modern-day Rome. It also turns into an overrun tourist site shortly after 10 a.m. Go after 8:30 a.m. and have the place nearly to yourself.

2. Best place no one knows about: Villa Torlonia, the home of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his family from 1925 to 1943. It opened to the public in 2006, and you can stroll as Il Duce once did. The grounds are beautiful, and the permanent exhibition is quite good, with many historical photos. I went in the spring to see a lovely art exhibition of Carlo Levi, author, painter and anti-fascist -- a nice, ironic offering from the villa's curators.

3. Best meal for taste and ambience: My Italian friends tell me it is overpriced, but I still find Ristorante Vecchia Roma, steps from the Jewish Ghetto, the best place to have a tasty Roman meal in a walkable neighborhood and on a quiet terrace. The antipasti and the sweets are the menu's best, and the fruit granita is unlike anything else I've had. My idea of a good meal there: a lot of appetizers, a light pasta and a round of desserts. If you're headed toward Trastevere, which abounds with cheap outdoor dining, check out Ripa 12. This is an affordable fish restaurant where the longtime owner buys well. Fresh grilled anchovies are a great starter. The pasta vongole -- pasta with clams -- cannot be beat.

4. Why you should come here: Architecture, art, atmosphere. Take your time and stare.

5. A shopping tip: Buy nothing that is not extraordinary. The dollar's slump against the euro conversion has made Rome expensive. All the designers are here, of course, but be ready to pay the price. The only place I regularly buy leather belts and purses is Ibiz, a leather shop and studio at Via Chiavari near Campo dei Fiori. In Italy, at small stores, always check to see if paying with cash will drop the price. Sometimes it does.

6. Best way to get around: Walk. Rome is a walker's city. But if you arrive exhausted from a train ride, the taxis at Termini Station are fair and good. I also take advantage of the bus system. It usually is good and easy to use, but buy tickets before you board. It costs a euro a ride, and tickets are sold at small stores or tabacchi by a sign with a big white T. Bus 40 is an express bus that runs between the train station and St. Peter's Square; it is safer than Bus 64, which runs the same route with more stops. Pickpockets look for easy targets on the 64.

7. Safety/security tip: Pickpockets troll the major tourist sites and buses that service tourist attractions. Young women should be careful in clubs or even walking in the wee hours in neighborhoods such as Trastevere. I am extremely wary of using the Metro subway late at night.

8. When friends come to visit, I always take them to ... The fruit and vegetable market at Campo dei Fiori and nearby Piazza Navona. The market is a nice place to wander and a good place to stop, at the open-air cafes, for a midmorning coffee or late afternoon aperitif. If you want to buy a few pieces of fruit, don't help yourself. Point to the fruit you want, and the vendor will assist. Piazza Navona is simply one of the most beautiful squares to see.

9. Best photo op: Anywhere. In Rome, you'll be smiling. The Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain are two unbeatable backdrops. But go early or late for good photos. In summer, the sun is peeking out around 5 a.m. Any time after 7 p.m. until about 9 p.m., the light is fine.

10. Don't miss: Gelato and pizza -- but did I really need to tell you that? I tend to eat Italian ice cream whenever I spy fresh, intense possibilities: such as cocomero (watermelon), pompelmo rosso (ruby-red grapefruit) or cocco (coconut). Buy small cones; that way you can walk off the calories and save room for, well, another. I also tell friends that, since moving to Italy, I consider pizza a major food group. I eat at least a couple slices a week. (In the states, I rarely ate pizza. I confess: I don't even like deep-dish pizza.) But pizza at Rome's takeout joints is light, chewy and infused with simple flavor. A small slice with olives or anchovies or fresh arugula and tomato -- and, yes, I could go on -- should set you back at least a couple euros.

\ Tom Hundley,

London

1. My favorite place: The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, a short train ride from London's Charing Cross Station. Britain's maritime history is rich, and this museum, which also includes the Royal Observatory, is one of the country's best. It's also free. The collection includes Admiral Lord Nelson's uniform from Trafalgar, complete with fatal bullet hole.

2. Best place no one knows about: Brick Lane. You may have read Monica Ali's novel of the same name, but few tourists actually make it to London's ethnically diverse East End. Brick Lane is lined with excellent and reasonably priced curry restaurants, and a few bagel and corned beef emporiums left over from the days when this was a mostly Jewish neighborhood. Lots of galleries, spice markets and street art. Aldgate East is the nearest Tube stop.

3. Best meal for taste and ambience. Langan's Brasserie on Stratton Street, just off of Piccadilly. Try this place for English cooking at its tarted-up best and a noisy, well-heeled crowd of London's power brokers.

4. Why you should come here: Even though London is expensive, it's very accessible, there's lots to see and do, and there's no language barrier.

5. A shopping tip: Don't. Unless you are managing a hedge fund, shopping in London is prohibitively expensive. If you must shop, go to funky, youth-oriented Camden in North London; you might find a few bargains.

6. Best way to get around: Public transport. Buy an Oyster Card at any Tube station and get the best daily rate on the London Underground and the city's extensive bus network. Turn in the Oyster Card at the end of your trip for a cash or credit refund on any unused pounds.

7. Safety/security tip: London is a pretty safe city, but keep an eye out for drunken louts near pubs and clubs, especially around closing time.

8. When friends come to visit I always take them to ... Harrods food hall. A not-to-be-missed spectacle on the ground floor of the famous Knightsbridge department store. The display is eye-popping and mouth-watering. You can sample the wares at about half a dozen informal (but expensive) restaurants and counters in the food halls.

9. Best photo op: Take a trip in the London Eye, the giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the Thames. Great for aerial shots of the city.

10. Don't miss: Having a pint at the local pub. Ours was the White Horse on Parsons Green in Fulham (Parsons Green Tube stop). Friendly crowd, good food and on warm summer nights, the ambience spills out onto the nearby green -- a kind of London block party.