Patterson pencils in ruled lines on the sheets to guide his writing and erases them when he is done, leaving black ink on creamy white pages.

WSJ: Unlikely NY scribe handwrites Good Book in 4 years

You can get a city license by answering correctly 97 of the 150 questions on the Sightseeing Guide Exam, which covers topics like landmarks, subway lines and history.

WSJ: Ever More Pointing, Talking: The Rise of New York City Tour Guides

Splurge on a private tour guide for the Vatican museums to avoid the hour-long lines outside.

CNN: 24 hours in Rome: Pizzas, piazzas and 'la dolce vita'