Kim Kavin - The Everything Travel Guide to Italy: A complete guide to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Capri - and all the breathtaking places in between

THE
EVERYTHING
TRAVEL GUIDE
TO ITALY

Dear Reader,

Oh, the cheese. Every spring when my plane is on its final descent into Rome or Genoa, I literally start to drool while thinking about mozzarella cheese. Yes, I know, I should be trying to decide whether to visit the historic Colosseum or the ruins of Pompeii or the canals in Venice, but theres just something about eating an insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri, with sliced tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil) in the land where it originated that makes it taste extraordinary. Its an incredibly good dish in a place where food is absolutely great.

And it keeps my belly full whether Im exploring the cliff-sides of the Cinque Terre or the stylish shops of Milan, the picturesque harbor in Portofino or the old walled city on Elba. Ive cruised Italys coastline, crossed its countryside by train, and walked its city streets until my feet went flat, and during every visit the nation has satisfied not just my belly, but also my mind and soul, offering a fantastic combination of history, nature, and beauty.

I hope this book helps you plan your own ideal vacation in Italy, even if you want to skip the insalada Caprese in favor of a Parma ham panini or a slice of Sicilian pizza. Thats one of the many things I love about Italy as a vacation destination: It offers a bit of something for every travelers personal taste.

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MANAGING EDITOR, EVERYTHINGSERIES Lisa Laing

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Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

THE
EVERYTHING
TRAVEL GUIDE
TO ITALY

A complete guide to Venice,
Florence, Rome, and Capriand all
the breathtaking places in between

Kim Kavin

Copyright 2010 by F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Media, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com

Contains material adapted from The EverythingLearning Italian Book,
2nd Edition with CD, by Ronald Glenn Wrigley, Copyright 2009 by
F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-60550-092-5, ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-092-8.

ISBN 10: 1-60550-166-2
ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-166-6
eISBN: 978-1-44050-180-7

Printed in the United States of America.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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For Miriam Toohey

Acknowledgments

This is my sixth EverythingGuide for Adams Media, and all six projects have come to me with help from literary agent Jacky Sach at Bookends, LLC. I am grateful for continuing support from her, as well as from Editor Lisa Laing and the entire team at Adams Media.

I have been fortunate to visit Italy at least once a year for the better part of a decade thanks to boating and travel magazine editors who send me off in search of interesting stories. Special thanks to Richard Thiel of Power & Motoryacht and Doug McWhirter of Robb Report for helping to fund my overseas adventures.

Thanks also go to my friend Elena Patriarca, who is always a pleasure to see when Im in and around Genoa. Her help with local transportation and restaurants has been invaluable over the years. Special thanks to Glenn Wrigley, too. He wrote The EverythingLearning Italian Book, 2nd Edition with CD, from which parts of this book have been adapted by Adams Media.

My parents, Marc and Donna Kavin, and my sister, Michelle Kavin, are wonderful supporters of everything I doand excellent distractions when I need a break from writing. I love and appreciate them dearly.

Last on this list but first in my heart is Sean Toohey, who always understands when I am still typing long past midnight. He is the partner of my dreams.

Top 10 Things to Do in Italy

Roar like a gladiator as you make your way through the arches and into Romes Colosseum.

Prevent your mouth from falling agape as you look up at Michelangelos Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Smooch beneath the city lights during a romantic sunset gondola ride along the Venice canals.

Shop for stylish new shoes in Milan before they become available anywhere else in the world.

Stop for a mid-morning espresso in a seaside village after hiking along the Cinque Terre.

Drive alongside locally built Maseratis and Lamborghinis (if you can keep up the pace, that is).

Cock your head for a straight-on view of the leaning tower in Pisa.

Stand on the old rock walls of Elba island and contemplate Napoleons exile.