Van Allen - 50 Places in Rome, Florence and Venice Every Woman Should Go

S ECTION I
R OME

S ECTION II
F LORENCE

S ECTION III
V ENICE

Praise for Susan Van Allens
100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

This book makes me want to pack my bag with the lightest of clothing and follow Susan Van Allens alluring suggestions for traveling in Italy. Her knowledge reveals an intimacy with the country and a honed sense of adventure. Andiamo!

Frances Mayes, author of Under The Tuscan Sun

Susan Van Allen might be the best girlfriend you never met a virtual passport to a girl-friendly ride up and down the boot.

Pittsburgh Tribune

A wonderful gift for any woman traveling to Italy. With Susans advice you wont be overwhelmed and youll discover how nurturing it is to travel in a country that has honored us since we all descended from Venus.

Marybeth Bond, Author, Gutsy Women and
Best Girlfriend Getaways Worldwide

One of the most innovative and fascinating travel guides dedicated to Italy...It fills a gap on the shelves at the right time. No ordinary directory of addresses, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go is an authentic portrait of Italy from the charmed perspective of a woman, a writer and an experienced traveler.

Select Italy

Its as if Susan has left us a trail of succulent ravioli criss-crossing the country, and we follow along gleefully, nibbling on one delightful, enlightening morsel after another.

Nan McElroy, Author, Italy: Instructions for Use

I knew that Italy was the land of la dolce vita and far niente, but this is the first book to present an organized way to find your way through her earthly and soulful wonders. I want all my girlfriends to have a copy of 100 Places.

Camille Cusumano, editor of Italy, a Love Story

Susan Van Allens writing makes the magic of Italy jump off the page. She has a knack for capturing the charms, quirks and authenticity of this magnificent land. Dont go to Italy without reading this!

Kathy McCabe, Editor and Publisher,
Dream of Italy Travel Newsletter

Italy has a new portrait: sexy and savvy. 100 Places makes a gal smile in English and Italian, to eat up this compendium of Italys most delectable womens outings.

Anne Calcagno, author of Pray For Yourself

No matter how many times youve been to Italy and think you know it, reading Susan Van Allens book almost guarantees a return tripa delightful book youll only put down long enough to check the flights to that fascinating country.

Carol Coviello-Malzone, author of
Flavors of Rome: How, What & Where to Eat in the Eternal City

Susan Van Allen is taking the travel book industry by storm... The practical information combined with intriguing details are a must have for those who are hunting for the hidden gems dItalia.

BellAvventura

Males Weigh In:

Part guidebook, part history, and part manual to the good life in the land of La Dolce Vita, Susan Van Allens magnum opus on all things Italian is essential reading for women (and men) who either want to get the most out of their next trip or want to be spirited back to their last.

David Farley, author of An Irreverent Curiosity

That old Freudian chestnutWhat do women really want?! has been answered once again. Susan Van Allen has romped through Italy and picked the very best, mixing dreamy delights with drops of dainty decadence. She suggests readers: treat this book like a cookbookand make a full meal of it. you couldand you should.

David Yeadon, author of Seasons in Basilicata

Copyright 2014 Susan Van Allen. All rights reserved.

Travelers Tales and Solas House are trademarks of Solas House, Inc.,
2320 Bowdoin Street, Palo Alto, California 94306. www.travelerstales.com

Art Direction: Stefan Gutermuth
Cover Photograph: @ leoks (Shutterstock)
Author Photograph: Veronica Puleo, VeroFoto
Interior Design and Page Layout: Howie Severson

Distributed by Publishers Group West, 1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94170

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Van Allen, Susan.
50 places in Rome, Florence and Venice every woman should go / Susan Van Allen. -- First edition.
pages cm -- (100 places)
Summary: With passion, humor, and helpful details, this book inspires readers to discover masterpieces, sensual delights, and adventures in Italys best cities. Susan Van Allen, savvy girlfriend whispering in readers ears, cuts through guidebook gobbledygook and steers women to create the Italian vacation of their dreams-- Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-1-60952-096-0 (paperback) -- ISBN 1-60952-096-3 (paperback)
1. Rome (Italy)--Guidebooks. 2. Florence (Italy)--Guidebooks. 3. Venice (Italy)--Guidebooks. 4. Women--Travel--Italy--Guidebooks. 5. Women travelers--Italy--Guidebooks. 6. Italy--Guidebooks. I. Title. II. Title: Fifty places in Rome, Florence and Venice every woman should go.
DG804.V24 2014
914.563204--dc23

2014032561

First Edition
Printed in the United States
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my grandparents, Nana and Papa,
who sent postcards from Italy

Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life.
A NNA A KHMATOVA , R USSIAN POET

R OME , F LORENCE , V ENICE Say the words and iconic images emerge: Colosseum, Duomo, Grand Canal.

These places first dazzled me in postcards, sent by Papa, my grandfather, who traveled back to Italy, his homeland, every August. Theyd clunk into the metal mailbox of the ranch house I grew up in on the Jersey shore. Id stare into those postcards of fountains and piazzas, glancing up at our flat backyard of scruffy grass and a rusty jungle gym, Country Squire Station Wagon in the driveway. Could this be real?

Travel dreams came true, and I stepped off trains into the abundant pleasures of Italy, beyond postcards, to the taste of my first Roman artichoke, smells of leather shops in Florence, songs of gondoliers.

Decades of travel and making lists of advice for girlfriends inspired my first book, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go . Wonderful surprises followedletters, meetings with readers from far-flung places, who came back with thanks and stories of their Italian adventures.

Men tell me: Its not just for women! I agree, though the fact is this: Something clicks with us females, from the moment we touch down in Italy, and were surrounded by goddesses and Madonnas. We immediately feel lightened up, unbound, welcomed by the spirit of the pleasure-loving goddess Venus and the compassionate Blessed Virgin Mother, who side by side inspire us to enjoy every step we take.

This book is an invitation to discover the Big Three beyond the postcards and to revel in their feminine appealsfrom such delights as paintings in Florence where females are glorified, churches in Rome that honor female saints, and places where women have flourished, such as Peggy Guggenheims museum in Venice. I guide you to have fun in my favorite caffs, gelaterias, shop in the best places for ceramics or jewelry, and treat yourself to adventuresbe it rowing in Venice, jewelry making in Florence, or a cooking school in Rome.

With so many treasures to choose from, Italy may be overwhelming, so I urge you to follow your mood and open yourself to spontaneity. Rather than Must See lists, I propose Golden Daysmatching one site with a nearby great restaurant, not packing too much in, but savoring your time Italian style, at an Old World pace.