Better than guidebooks, these first-person accounts paint vivid pictures of a traveler's experience in Italy. Like familiar music and favorite scents, they'll awaken a taste for adventure in those who have yet to travel, and bring back memories for those who have. Romance, surprise, discovery and wisdom all bubble through these authors' inviting pieces. Dive into Italy with these fresh storytellers and

• Sneak past Vatican guards to see Michaelangelo's Pietà
• Break out of a locked hostel to catch the morning train to Rome
• Find a surprise romance in the fresh sea air of Cinque Terre
• Meet your cheek-pinching, food-loving Sicilian relatives in the old country

Whether it's discovering the ruins of Pompeii, hiking the hilly back roads of Tuscany, or sleeping on a park bench in Venice, this collection of youthful adventures (and misadventures) will keep aspiring and experienced travelers laughing, cringing, and turning the pages for more.

"An inspiration and a springboard." Rick Steves

"They're riveting because they are real." The Seattle Times

"The work is intended to go deeper than a typical travel guidebook, to convey the youthful follies of journeying with a backpack." The Boston Globe

"What you learn is that travel puts you in situations you could never imagine and that young travelers on limited funds can land in some incredible circumstances." The Los Angeles Times