For Cologne newspaper journalist Michael Heinrich, a year-long posting as Itally correspondent is a dream coming true. His lawyer wife Susanne agrees to take her long-postponed sabbatical year there, but janitor Filippo and his hunky cousin Toni still hasn't finished the apartment in Principe Ercole's 'palazzo'. Angelic son Tobias and pubescent brat Caroline object being torn away from their world, but soon take to welcoming Romans. Roman utilities and Vatican bureaucracy test Michael's patience as well as Ercole's frisky niece Maria and Susanne's visiting parents. Controversial archaeology professor Neri offers Michael a 'steal' scoop on the missing main Etruscan sanctuary.