Engineers love Venice – a completely man-made environment rising from the sea, with no visible means of support. Romantics revel in its atmosphere of elegant decay, seeing the peeling plaster and seaweed-covered stairs as a metaphor for beauty in decline. And first-time visitors are often stirred deeply, awaking from their ordinary lives to a fantasy world unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. –Reprinted from Rick Steves’ Venice, Italy

Pages: 352 pages

Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches

Weight: 13.6 ounces

Maps: Rick Steves includes hand drawn maps in his books which can be helpful in showing you the layout of an area but are not helpful in getting you to a specific place, especially in larger cities where more street names and landmarks would be helpful. You will definitely need a supplemental street map to accompany those in this book.

Pictures: There are no photographs to speak of

In few places can it be claimed that the entire city is one panoramic work of art. There seems barely a building in Venice that does not contain hundreds of years of precious historical testimony. Of course, much changed down the centuries. A great deal of the city’s early Romanesque and Byzantine buildings were swept away to make room for Gothic splendours. – Reprinted from Lonely Planet Venice and the Veneto

Pages: 308 pages

Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 9.6 ounces

Maps: The maps in the Lonely Planet books are the best I have found in any guidebooks. There are city maps, regional maps and a country map. You can actually use the street maps to find your way around a city.

Pictures: There are a limited number of photos.

Ever since Grand Tourists invaded in the 18th century, Rome has been a major tourist attraction. Every year millions of visitors pour into town, lured by a reputation that modern advertisers would be pushed to improve.

The city’s main gateway is Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (aka Fiumicino), although if you are flying with a low-cost European airline you’ll probably land at Ciampino. Both are well connected with the city centre. Once in town, you will find the centre is best explored on foot – it’s not big and the streets are wonderfully vibrant. – Reprinted from Lonely Planet Rome, Italy

Pages: 322 pages

Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches

Weight: 11.4 ounces

Maps: The maps in the Lonely Planet books are the best I have found in any guidebooks. There are city maps, regional maps and a country map. You can actually use the street maps to find your way around a city.

Pictures: There are a limited number of photos.

Italy has created many of the world’s most sublime works of art, literature, and architecture, spawned some of the greatest empires of the ancient and medieval world, and since World War II, has emerged as one of Europe’s wealthiest and more economically vibrant countries. It also designs and produces many of the world’s most exquisite fashions, has evolved one of the world’s finest cuisines and posses a medley of landscapes as beautiful and varied as any in Europe. Few cultures are as beguiling, and few countries are as rich and endlessly fascinating.- Reprinted from National Geographic Italy

Pages: 400

Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches

Weight: 1.4 pounds

Maps: Regional maps, limited number of street maps. Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

Florence, Italy is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. It is known for it's art and architecture and the thousands of tourists that traipse through the city each year. At first glance the city appears dark and gothic but there are a number of green spaces and of course the Arno River. Touring churches, art museums, palazzi and visiting stores both expensive and not so expensive are favorite activities of vistors to Florence. But the thing I like best about Florence is that there is so much free entertainment from listening to musicians perform near the Uffizi or on the Ponte Vecchio to watching the people in one of the many Piazze.

Pages: 210

Dimensions: 8 x 4.7 x 0.7 inches

Weight: 9.6 ounces

Maps: Detailed street maps of Florence and Siena

Pictures: Good pictures of most major sites

Tuscany is a storybook landscape, home to medieval hill towns, fabled wines and, as crucible of the Renaissance, an unrivaled collection of artistic masterpieces. - Reprinted from the Top 10 Travel Guide for Tuscany

Pages: 160 pages

Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.4 inches

Weight: 7.5 ounces

Maps: There are very small maps of Tuscany and Florence and an even smaller one of Siena.You will need a supplemental map of Florence to help you get around the city.

Pictures: These books have pictures though because the books are small, most of the pictures are small

Florence overflows with art and architecture, a city-size shrine to the Renaissance whose streets and galleries are filled with the paintings and sculptures of Europe’s greatest artistic flowering. – Reprinted from National Geographic Traveler

Pages: 336

Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches

Weight: 1.3 pounds

Maps: Regional maps, limited number of street maps.  Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

The uniquely romantic city of Venice was built entirely on water and has managed to survive into the 21st century without cars. Narrow alleyways and canals pass between sumptuous palaces and magnificent churches, colorful neighborhood markets and quiet backwaters, unchanged for centuries. – Reprinted from Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide for Venice

Pages: 160 pages

Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches

Weight: 7.5 ounces

Maps: There are very small maps of Venice including one showing the vaporetto routes.

Pictures: These books have pictures though because the books are small, most of the pictures are small

The Flip Video Camcorder is the new must have gadget. Oprah, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal say so and they can’t all be wrong. You can watch Oprah backstage with her Flip Video on YouTube.

The Flip Video allows you to capture memories as they happen. This pocket-sized gadget is a camcorder that lets you capture video images everywhere and anywhere. With a Flip Video you can take a video of the view from your hotel in the Cinque Terre to send to your co-workers slaving at their desks. At home you can take a video of your baby’s first steps and send them to grandparents within minutes of that first tentative toe touching the ground.

Northwest Italy boasts major cities, but its greatest lures are sublime food and wine, its many outdoor activities, and the beauty of its magnificent mountain and coastal landscapes. - Reprinted from National Geographic Traveler

Pages: 240

Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 12.8 ounces

Maps: Regional maps, limited number of street maps. Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

Venice is a city beyond description and compare.  Or as the English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning put it in 1851: “Nothing is like it; nothing is equal to it, not a second Venice in the world.” – Reprinted from National Geographic Traveler

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches

Weight: 1.1 pounds

Maps: Regional Venice, Italy maps, limited number of street maps. Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

If you get it right, traveling in Tuscany and Umbria is one of those rare experiences in life – like a perfect spring day or the power of first love – that cannot be overrated. Despite incessant praise, the bellezza (beauty) of this region continues to defy description, for Tuscany and Umbria, it seems really do have it all; extraordinary art and architecture; colorful festivals; a season-driven cuisine emulated the world over; and a never-ending landscape of olive groves, vineyards, and poplars. In few places do art and life intermingle so completely. –Reprinted from Lonely Planet Tuscany and Umbria, Italy

Pages: 444 pages

Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches

Weight: 11.2 ounces

Maps: The maps in the Lonely Planet books are the best I have found in any guidebooks. There are city maps, regional maps and a country map. You can actually use the street maps to find your way around a city.

Pictures: The Lonely Planet books have some photographs and sketches.

Palermo is a city that’s quite apart from the rest of Sicily’s urban spaces. Though it’s on the traditional end of the scale, it carries with it a sense of unpredictability and adventure: its streets are jam-packed with traffic; its markets are a hive of hollers, smells and countless gastronomic offerings; the winding, palazzo- strewn streets of the old quarter contrast with the wide boulevards and glam shops of the new town. It’s a European city with a chaotic nature and a penchant for rule bending. –Reprinted from Lonely Planet Sicily, Italy

Pages: 332 pages

Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.8 inches

Weight: 11.2 ounces

Maps: The maps in the Lonely Planet books are the best I have found in any guidebooks. There are city maps, regional maps and a country map. You can actually use the street maps to find your way around a city.

Pictures: The Lonely Planet books have some photographs and sketches.

Rome is an unforgettable city. Still, we sometimes need a book to jog our memories. “Four Seasons in Rome” is just that book.

And if you have never been to Rome? This is the book to get you to save your pennies so you can make the journey.

Mr. Doerr does a wonderful job of relating the feel and uniqueness of each season in Rome. This book is at times thought provoking and inspiring. The book manages to be all this in just a little over 200 pages.

I have started downloading podcasts of Italian lessons to my iPod and it is working very well. I can listen to the podcasts while I am taking a walk or traveling.  Of course, people look at me oddly since I am talking to myself while I walk. There are a bunch of free podcasts you can subscribe to at iTunes if you have an iPod.

Many sites other than iTunes also offer free and subscription based podcasts. I subscribe to the free ones and if I like them I either make a donation to that organization or if they have a higher level subscription rate that adds value I will buy that.

You could keep visiting Italy for the rest of your life and still not exhaust all it has to offer. It’s a treasure chest of art, a living tableau of human history, a culinary delight and a natural wonder with everything from craggy mountains and glistening glaciers to sparkling seas and golden beaches. –Reprinted from Lonely Planet Italy

Pages: 926 pages

Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.5 inches

Weight: 1.5 pounds

Maps: The maps in the Lonely Planet books are the best I have found in any guidebooks. There are city maps, regional maps and a country map.  You can actually use the street maps to find your way around a city.

Pictures: The Lonely Planet books have some photographs and sketches.

Rome is a city of popes, emperors, romance, sunny days, and fountain filled piazzas; a city filled with museums, galleries, churches, and glorious monuments to almost a thousand years of empire. – Reprinted from National Geographic Traveler

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 1.1 pounds

Maps: Regional maps, limited number of street maps. Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

The best of Florence lies mostly on the north bank of the Arno River. The main historical sites cluster around the redbrick dome of the cathedral (Duomo). Everything is within a 20-minute walk of the train station, cathedral, or Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). The less impressive but more characteristic Oltrarno area (south bank) is just over the bridge. Though small, Florence is intense.–Reprinted from Rick Steves’ Florence and Tuscany

Pages: 408 pages

Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 1 inches

Weight: 1.1 pounds

Maps: Rick Steves includes hand drawn maps in his books which can be helpful in showing you the layout of an area but are not helpful in getting you to a specific place, especially in larger cities where more street names and landmarks would be helpful. You will definitely need a supplemental street map to accompany those in this book.

Pictures: There are no photographs to speak of

Rome is magnificent and brutal at the same time. It’s a showcase of Western civilization, with astonishingly ancient sites and a modern vibrancy. But if you are careless, you’ll be rundown or pick-pocketed. And with the wrong attitude you will be frustrated, by the kind of chaos that only an Italian can understand. On my last visit, a cabbie struggling with traffic said, “ Roma Chaos”. I responded, “Bella Chaos”. He agreed.

While Paris is an urban garden, Rome is a tangled forest. – Reprinted from Rick Steves’ Rome, Italy

Pages: 376 pages

Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches

Weight: 12.8 ounces

Maps: Rick Steves includes hand drawn maps in his books which can be helpful in showing you the layout of an area but are not helpful in getting you to a specific place, especially in larger cities where more street names and landmarks would be helpful. You will definitely need a supplemental street map to accompany those in this book.

Pictures: There are no photographs to speak of

Italy is the cradle of European civilization, established by the Roman Empire and carried on by the Roman Catholic Church. As a traveler there, you’ll see some of the world’s most iconic images from the 2,000-year history: the Coloseum of Ancient Rome, the medieval Leaning Tower of Pisa, Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Venus that signal the Renaissance, the Trevi Fountain, and the Italian city that preserves this legacy in a state of elegant decay – Venice.

Beyond these famous sites, though, Italy offers Europe’s richest culture. Traditions still live within a country that is vibrant and fully modern. Go with an eye open to both the Italy of the past and of the present. –Reprinted from Rick Steves’ Italy

Pages: 800 pages

Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 1.2 inches

Weight: 1 pounds

Maps: Rick Steves includes hand drawn maps in his books which can be helpful in showing you the layout of an area but are not helpful in getting you to a specific place, especially in larger cities where more street names and landmarks would be helpful. You will definitely need a supplemental street map to accompany those in this book.

Pictures: There are no photographs to speak of

La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind, Review submitted by Susan Willey Spalt

La Bella Figura Field Guide to the Italian Mind is a fascinating exploration of Italian life as told by an Italian author as he takes his readers on a ten day “tour of Italy.” Severgnini is also the author of Cioa America, which humorously chronicles his family’s time in Washington, DC.

Severgnini’s observations are as funny as they are true. The quirks and glories of Italia are explained: Why it is immoral to drink cappuccino after 10 AM; why one never puts cheese on clam sauce; why one does not eat meat and pasta in the same course. He also explores such topics as the art and confusion of Italian conversation, Italian holidays and the perils of Italian traffic.

Rome is over 3,000 years old: that’s a lot of history. Ruins from ancient Rome are everywhere. You will be walking down a street and see an ancient column roped off right next to a very modern parking meter. Churches, ruins, fountains, piazze and the Vatican are all popular places for visitors, both local and foreign.

Pages: 192 pages

Dimensions: 7.5 x 3.9 x 0.7 inches

Weight: 5.6 ounces

Maps: There is a map of Rome, but it is very small.  You will need a supplemental map of Rome to help you get around the city

Pictures: These books have pictures though because the books are small, most of the pictures are small

The island of Sicily is Italy’s largest region and is also it’s most varied. In terms of geography, there are offshore islands, endless coastline, rugged mountains, rolling Wheatfield’s and volcano’s, but its history and architecture are also of note. Sicily formed a significant part of the Greek empire, was strategically vital to Rome, and was invaded by the Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish and Bourbons, before unifying with Italy. Each conquest left its mark, to create a palimpsest of cultures on the island. - Reprinted from the Eyewitness Top 10 Guide to Sicily

Pages: 160 pages

Dimensions: 7.5 x 4 x 0.5 inches

Weight: 6.4 ounces

Maps: There is a map of Sicily and a street map of central Palermo and a very small almost unreadable map of Siracusa

Pictures: These books have pictures though because the books are small, most of the pictures are small

The Rough Guide to Italy is your ultimate handbook to one of Europe''s most beautiful countries. From the capitoline museums in Rome and the stylish shops of Milan to eating Pizza in Naples and watching the spectacular Palio race in Siena, this guide captures all of Italy’s highlights in a full colour introduction. The top hotels, bars and restaurants are all uncovered in the detailed listings section with the new ‘Author’s Pick’ feature highlighting the very best options. The guide also takes a detailed look at Italy’s history, art and groundbreaking film industry and comes complete with maps and plans for every area. The Rough Guide to Italy is like having a local friend plan your trip! – Reprinted from Amazon.com

Pages: 1224 pages

Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.3 inches

Weight: 1.5 pounds

Maps: Excellent maps by city and region

Pictures: Very few pictures

Rome, Italy is over 3,000 years old: that’s a lot of history. Ruins from ancient Rome are everywhere. You will be walking down a street and see an ancient column roped off right next to a very modern parking meter. Churches, ruins, fountains, piazze are all popular places for visitors, both local and foreign.

Pages: 216

Dimensions: 8 x 4.5 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 10.4 ounces

Maps: Detailed street maps of Rome, including Vatican City. A metro/subway map is located on the inside of the back cover

Pictures: Good pictures of most of the major sites

It is no mystery why Venice, Italy appears on many lists as the number one “dream destination” of people planning a foreign vacation. Venice is mysterious, romantic and well a little intimidating without some help from a guidebook. The canals combined with narrow alleyways create an extraordinary city.

Pages: 214

Dimensions: 8 x 4.7 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 11.2 ounces

Maps: Detailed street maps of Venice. A map of boat routes is located on the inside of the back cover. Venice is a very difficult city to navigate and I have yet to find a map that can get me where I want to be. I generally get around my taking note of landmarks on my route.

Pictures: Good pictures of most major sites

It was a dark and stormy night, not to mention cold and icy at the start of the 14th book in Donna Leon’s “Blood from a Stone” featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti.

Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti takes on the murder of a street vendor. Anyone who has ever been to Venice, or New York City for that matter, has seen street vendors selling fake pocketbooks and other fashion accessories. In this mystery, Donna Leon tells us how these illegal immigrants live and survive in Venice.

Southern Italy boasts active volcanoes, the sublime landscapes of Capri and Amalfi, mountains that are still the haunt of bears and wolves, the country’s most famous ancient site – Pompeii – and historic cities such as Naples and Lecce. – Reprinted from National Geographic Traveler

Pages: 240

Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches

Weight: 15.2 ounces

Maps: Regional maps, limited number of street maps. Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

PlanetFone came through for me once again. I recently visited Italy with two friends. Because there were three of us traveling together we rented hotel suites and apartments.

I decided to rent a phone from PlanetFone because of my experience with them when my sister had her purse stolen in Termini Train Station in Rome. My traveling companions agreed it was a good idea.One has a parent who is quite ill and she wanted a phone number where she could be contacted in case of an emergency.

Once again PlanetFone came to the rescue.  We rented an apartment in Venice that was near the Rialto Bridge, but to get to the apartment you have to walk through a number of winding streets, cross a few bridges, well you get the picture. If you have ever been to Venice you know how easy it is to get lost.

The Romantik Hotel Villa Pagoda is located in Nervi, Italy just outside of Genoa. The hotel is in a renovated 200 year old villa. I lived in Nervi as a child and was eager to stay there on one of my trips to Italy. There are not many hotels located in Nervi so I was excited when I found the Hotel Villa Pagoda.

I recently stayed there with two other friends. We rented a small suite with 2 single beds and a small sitting area that had a day bed. We also had a large bathroom that was clean and well-stocked with toiletries. The shower was comfortable but not as large as you would find in hotels in the US.

The nicest thing about our rooms were the three windows, two of which looked out on the Mediterranean Sea.

The hotel has its own private walkway (about 100 yards) down to the Anita Garibaldi promenade. The promenade runs along the rocky shore for about a mile, from the old harbor to Capolungo Village. There are a number of restaurants with good food and spectacular views along the promenade.

Finally, Teva sandals you can wear on your next hike and out to dinner after. These Teva sandals have the traditional straps you find on Teva's but the straps look like leather (I have no idea if they are actually made of leather or not). Because they look like leather these Teva's can be dressed up or dressed down.

Like most Teva's, the Teva Leather 2 Sandals are waterproof, so there is no need to worry about getting them wet whether you are walking in the rain or hiking through puddles.

The Teva Leather 2 Sandals are perfect if you are trying to pack light for your next trip because you can wear them all day and out for a night on the town.

Looking for a gift for someone who loves Italy? Check out one of the following:

A Culinary Traveller in Tuscany: Exploring and Eating off the Beaten Track is a gem of a book. Author Beth Elon takes readers through the few parts of Tuscany that have not yet been discovered by the thousands (or is it millions?) of tourists that visit Italy every year. The reader will be transported into the kitchens of more than 50 restaurants where cooks reveal their recipes.

The book is divided into sections organized by the different regions of Tuscany; with some jaunts into what I believe is Liguria. The regional sections begin with explanations of what makes Tuscan cooking so unique. You'll read about a bean so beloved by a village that it's been elevated to cult status-but that is totally unheard of a few kilometers down the road and the endless array of vegetable tarts found only in Lunigiana and Garfagnana.

Ms Elon has organized ten itineraries that include stops at gourmet shops, food festivals, greenmarkets, and private kitchens. She includes recipes and descriptions of different regions, along the way pointing out overlooked art, architecture, historic sites, churches and museums.

Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2006: The Travel Skills Handbook (Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door)

Rick Steves is a well-known author of European travel books. I have been using his guidebooks for at least 10 years and find them to be among the best of the many books available.

When I first started using Rick's guidebooks he was much less well known than he is today. Ten years ago it was possible to visit places he recommended without seeing hoards of other Americans. Unfortunately his popularity has grown to the point where one mention by him and people start to flock to what were once out of the way areas.

Nevertheless, I still recommend his books for the common sense advice that they provide. Before traveling to Europe for the first time in a long time I read "Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door" and found the advice invaluable. I still highly recommend this book for anyone going to Europe for the first time.

It must be the weather in Venice that makes Commissario Brunetti of the Venice police so melancholy. Donna Leon paints a picture of Venice that is both dreary and wonderfully mysterious. Her mystery series shows us the city that tourists see as they spend their 2 allotted days visiting the Doge Palace and St. Mark's cathedral and the city that the natives both love and hate.

This is the Venice where it rains so much that planks are laid out over the piazze to save shoes when the water rises to knee height. The winding alleys and streets and the maze of canals are vividly described in each of Donna Leon's books.

It is interesting to read a story that takes place in a city where everything depends on the water. Water, that as Commissario Brunetti describes it, you would not even want to stick your hand in because it is so polluted. Vaporetto's are labeled like New Yorkers label their buses. You catch the number 5 boat at one corner to be dropped off at another.

Rome, Italy Hotel Description: The Hotel Genio is located within a stone's throw of Piazza Navona. It takes less than 5 minutes to walk to this beautiful Piazza know for its famous Bernini statue, The Four Rivers.

The easy access to Piazza Navona also means easy access to numerous restaurants. Though the restaurants can be touristy, they still offer good food and good people watching opportunities. On the quick walk to the Piazza Navona you will pass a glass encased view of Roman ruins. As often happens in Rome, you just happen upon structures from ancient times with little warning.

The best thing about the Hotel Genio in Rome is the rooftop terrace. From the roof you can look over Rome in all directions. You can see the domes and spires of churches all over the city. There is a particularly beautiful view of St. Peter's. A metal, spiral staircase takes you to the top level of the roof so you can be above many of the surrounding buildings.

Taormina, Sicily Hotel Description: The first thing you need to know about the Hotel Caparena is that it is located on the beach and not in the center of the town. The second thing you need to know is that a train runs about 40 yards in front of the hotel and you will hear the train day and night if you leave your windows open. Having said that the beach is beautiful and closing your windows keeps out the noise of the train.

The Hotel Caparena is located about a 15 minute car ride from the center of town. The hotel runs a shuttle that will drop you off and pick you up but you need to call the reception desk well in advance to let them know you will be taking the shuttle. The shuttle holds about 6 people so if the hotel is crowded you may have trouble getting a spot. The staff at the reception desk will call you a taxi which costs about 12€ each way. You can easily catch a taxi back to the hotel from the center of town.

The train station for Taormina is located quite a distance from the center of town.  The hotel was actually closer to the train station than a hotel in town would be. The taxi to the hotel cost 16€.

If you want a view of the sea you need to ask for it or you could end up with a view of the road.

You will find this hotel listed under different names: Hotel Lido Caparena, Hotel Caparena, Caparena Hotel, Hotel Caparena and Wellness Club, Lido Caparena, etc.

Is Sicilian Inspector Montalbano retiring? Say it's not so! In his seventh Inspector Montalbano mystery Andrea Camilleri continues his entertaining series set in Sicily.

With frustrations increasing over his department's actions while providing security at the G8 summit in Genova, Montalbano becomes disillusioned and considers retiring. He is beginning to feel old and to add to his miseries his favorite restaurant has closed. For someone who analyzes, evaluates and enjoys his food with a zeal found only in italy this is a true disaster.

Just in the nick of time Montalbano discovers a corpse. Actually he bumps into it while taking a swim in an attempt to relax and put his frustrations behind him. This discovery arouses his curiosity and he begins to investigate the death.

What could be better than a culinary trip through Southern Italy, including Sicily? Wait! Southern Italy? Like many people who have spent time in Italy, I usually mean northern Italy when I talk about my favorite country. Like many Italians, I have had the same prejudices about Southern Italy.

I have not explored much of Southern Italy, but my recent trip to Sicily was such a beautiful experience, not to mention a delicious one, that my curiosity and my appetite is whetted to see other parts of the Italian South.

This desire has been heigthtened by Salute!, a book by Gail and Kevin Donovan, and Simon Griffiths, with Robert Castellani, which describes a fascinating trip through much of Southern Italy and Sicily. The authors include a husband and wife team, a chef who runs a restaurant in Australia, and a photographer.

International cell phone rentals are the way to go for US residents traveling abroad. International cell phones are very expensive for US residents and don't make sense for most of us. If you travel internationally only a few times a year and then only for pleasure, international cell phone rental is the answer.

My sister rented a PlanetFone when were traveling in Rome. I have to admit that I was more than a little skeptical but it turned out to be a lifesaver when her wallet was stolen in Termini Train station. She was able to call her husband from the train and he cancelled all their credit cards before the train left the station.

PlanetFone makes international cell phone rental easy and convenient. In our case, my sister was in New York City for a wedding and the phone was delivered to the address where she was staying. When she returned home she put the international cell phone in the mail and the deal was complete.

It took me many years of traveling all over the world to learn that I cannot travel with any less than three pairs of shoes and that one of those pairs of shoes should be Teva Sandals. Rick Steves recommends that women take no more than two pairs of shoes. I say you can take at least three pairs of shoes and still travel with only carry-on luggage. I never check luggage on my way to a travel destination and I always take three pairs of shoes.

I resisted buying my first pair of Teva's for years, but now I am a convert. I am a shoe person; I have three closets and one basket full of shoes. I still do not find Teva’s to be particularly appealing, but I have to say for comfort and practicality you cannot go wrong with Teva's.

At the start of Sarah Dunant's novel, In the Company of the Courtesan, it is 1527 and Rome is being sacked by Spanish and German invaders. Fiammetta Bianchini