*Frommer's Italy Day by Day features regional and city itineraries that will help you maximize your time while touring the country's top sights. Tour the fabulous scenery of the Almalfi Coast, hike the Cinque Terre, drive through Tuscany's vineyards, explore Sicily's best ancient sites, or eat your way through the Piedmont. * Our authors, longtime Italy experts, hit all the highlights, from Milan's La Scala to Florence's Duomo to Rome's Colosseum. They've checked out all of the country's best hotels and restaurants in person, and offer authoritative, candid reviews that will help you find the choices that suit your tastes and budget. * You'll also get coverage of shopping and nightlife in the major cities; detailed full-color maps; 750 full-color photos, a full chapter on Italy's rich history and culture, information on special-interest tours, and advice on planning a successful Italy vacation. *Frommer's Italy Day by Day also includes a color fold-out map.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Best of Italy. Our Favorite Italy Moments. Our Favorite Small Cities & Towns. The Best Scenic Drives & Rides. The Most Scenic Places. The Best Markets. The Best Castles & Monasteries. The Best Piazzas. The Best Museums. The Best Ancient Ruins. The Best Churches & Cathedrals. The Best Architecture. Our Favorite Works of Art. Our Favorite Small Inns. Spotlight: Leonardo's Last Supper. The Best Luxury Hotels. The Top Food & Wine Experiences. The Most Memorable Dining Experiences. Can't Miss Festivals & Events. Chapter 2: Strategies for Seeing Italy. Chapter 3: The Best All-Italy Itineraries. The Best of Italy in 1 Week. The Best of Italy in 2 Weeks. Spotlight: The Great Churches. The South in 12 Days. Great Cities & Towns of the North. The Scenic North in 1 Week. Chapter 4: Rome. 13 Favorite Moments. The Best of Rome in 1 Day. Spotlight: Michelangelo's Pieta. The Best of Rome in 2 Days. The Best of Rome in 3 Days. Ancient Rome. The Roman Forum. The Best Museums. The Best Piazzas. Underground Rome. Piazza Navona & the Pantheon. Campo de' Fiori & the Jewish Ghetto. Trastevere. Via Appia Antica. Rome Shopping Best Bets. Rome Shopping A to Z. Rome Restaurant Best Bets. Rome Restaurants A to Z. Rome Hotel Best Bets. Rome Hotels A to Z. Rome Nightlife & Entertainment Best Bets. Rome Nightlife & Entertainment A to Z. Tivoli. Spotlight: Roman Emperors' Hall of Infamy. Ostia Antica. Rome Fast Facts. Chapter 5: Florence. 13 Favorite Moments. The Best of Florence in 1 Day. The Best of Florence in 2 Days. The Best of Florence in 3 Days. The Best Art & Architecture. The Uffizi. Piazza del Duomo. The Centro Storico. Oltrarno. Spotlight: Crazy for Calcio. Florence Shopping Best Bets. Florence Shopping A to Z. Florence Restaurant Best Bets. Florence Restaurants A to Z. Florence Hotel Best Bets. Florence Hotels A to Z. Florence Nightlife & Entertainment Best Bets. Florence Nightlife & Entertainment A to Z. Fiesole. Florence Fast Facts. Chapter 6: Tuscany & Umbria. The Best of Tuscany & Umbria in 3 Days. The Best of Tuscany & Umbria in 1 Week. Tuscany & Umbria for Food & Wine Lovers. Spotlight: A Grape Guide. The Best Art & Architecture in Tuscany & Umbria. The Best of Southern Tuscany. The Best of Umbria. Arezzo. Assisi. Cortona. Lucca. Montalcino. Montepulciano. Perugia. Pienza. San Gimignano. Siena. Tuscany & Umbria Fast Facts. Chapter 7: Bologna & Emilia-Romagna. The Best of Emilia-Romagna in 3 Days. The Best of Emilia-Romagna in 1 Week. Into the Riviera Romagnola. Art & Architecture in Emilia-Romagna. Bologna. Parma. Spotlight: Meet the Borgias. Ferrara. Ravenna. Bologna & Emilia-Romagna Fast Facts. Chapter 8: Venice. 10 Favorite Moments. The Best of Venice in 1 Day. The Best of Venice in 2 Days. The Best of Venice in 3 Days. Venice's Grand Canal. Spotlight: Is Venice Sinking? The Best Art & Architecture in Venice. Cannaregio & Castello. Santa Croce, San Polo & Dorsoduro. Islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Venice Shopping Best Bets. Venice Shopping A to Z. Venice Restaurant Best Bets. Venice Restaurants A to Z. Venice Hotel Best Bets. Venice Hotels A to Z. Venice Nightlife & Entertainment Best Bets. Venice Nightlife & Entertainment A to Z. Padua. Verona. Venice Fast Facts. Chapter 9: Milan, Lombardy & the Lakes. The Best of Lombardy in 3 Days. Spotlight: Hitting the High Notes. The Best of Lombardy & the Lakes in 1 Week. Into the Mountains. The Lakes at Their Scenic Best. The Lakes with Kids. Lombardy for Art & Architecture Lovers. Milan. Where to Shop. Where to Dine. Where to Stay. Nightlife & Entertainment. Spotlight: La Moda. Mantua. Bergamo. Milan, Lombardy & the Lakes Fast Facts. Chapter 10: Turin & Piedmont. The Best of Turin & Piedmont in 3 Days. The Best of Turin, Piedmont & Valle d'Aosta in 1 Week. From Mountains to Vineyards. On the Savoy Trail. Turin. Spotlight: Cinema Paradiso. Asti. Alba. Turin & Piedmont Fast Facts. Chapter 11: Liguria. The Best of Liguria in 3 Days. The Best of Liguria in 1 Week. Liguria's Best Art & Culture. Hiking in the Cinque Terre. Genoa. San Remo & the Riviera di Levante. The Portofi no Peninsula. Liguria Fast Facts. Chapter 12: Naples & Campania. The Best of Naples & Campania in 3 Days. The Best of Naples & Campania in 1 Week. The Best Ancient Sites. Spotlight: A Day in the Life of Julius Publius. Pompeii. The Best Outdoor Activities. The Best of the Amalfi Coast. Naples. Capri. Positano. Ravello. Sorrento. Amalfi. Naples & Campania Fast Facts. Chapter 13: Sicily. The Best of Sicily in 3 Days. The Best of Sicily in 1 Week. Sicily's Best Art, Architecture & Archaeology. The Best Sun & Sea. The Best of Western Sicily. The Aeolian Islands. Palermo. Siracusa. Taormina. Sicily Fast Facts. Chapter 14: Italy's History & Culture. Italy's 10 Greatest Cultural Hits. A Timeline of Italian History. Italy: A Brief History. Early Art & Architecture. Medieval Art & Architecture. The Renaissance. Beyond the Renaissance. Modern Art & Design. Music & Literature. Food & Wine. Chapter 15: The Best Special Interest Trips. Multi-Activity Outfi tters. Outdoor Activities A to Z. Learning Trips & Language Classes. Food & Wine Trips. Chapter 16: The Savvy Traveler. Before You Go. Getting There. Getting Around. Tips on Accommodations. Fast Facts Useful Phrases & Menu Terms. Index.

Author Biography

Sylvie Hogg (chapters 1, 4, 5, 6, 12, and 13) has been dutifully traipsing the bel paese, in the name of research for American and British travel guides, for the past decade. The Eternal City and all things ancient Roman are her fi rst love, though she also confesses a serious weakness for the natural splendor of the Bay of Naples and the wine of southern Tuscany. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, Tim. They had their fi rst child, a bambino, in July 2009. Stephen Brewer (chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 16) is an editor and writer who has worked in magazines, books, radio, and corporate communications for almost three decades. He had his fi rst sip of a real cappuccino in Rome in the early 1970s and has been savoring the pleasures of Italy ever since.