Italy (Cadogan guides)

There are far bigger countries in the world, but none as consistently simpatico as Italy. From the Dolomites to the Straits of Messina, the big boot overflows like a Christmas sock with art, music, beautiful towns, lakes, mountains, beaches, and 300 kinds of pasta. Take a trip down the Amalfi Drive, spend a week in a Tuscan villa, enjoy an opera at La Scala, a boat ride on Lake Como, or dawdling in a trattoria under the stars. This guide contains practical travel advice; over 1,000 hand-picked places to stay; over 1,250 restaurants, bars & cafes; 89 maps & site plans; color touring map section; stunning photography; food & drink section with regional specialties and Italian menu reader. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 1,072 pages, color photos, maps)