Fodor's. For Choice Travel Experiences. Fodor's helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you're at the helm, Fodor's offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It's like having a friend in Italy -Your vacation never looked better. This Fodor's full-color guide paints an unforgettable picture of Italy with vibrant maps, vividly illustrated features, and stunning color photos. -Updated annually, Fodor's Italy provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook. -Fodor's Italy features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime. -If it's not worth your time, it's not in this book. Fodor's discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor's Choice designations, ensure that you'll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Italy. -Experience Italy like a local Fodor's Italy includes Rome, Florence, Venice, and much more -Fodor's Italy includes unique photo-features that impart the country's culture, covering Ancient Rome, Venice's Grand Canal, the Cinque Terre, and much more -Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include "Top Reasons to Go," "Word of Mouth" advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls. -Full-color pullout map. Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
From ancient Rome to Venice's Grand Canal, this Fodor's full-color guide paints an unforgettable picture of Italy with vibrant maps, vividly illustrated features, and stunning color photos.
Experience Italy............
11Whats New............12
Whats Where............14
Italy Planner............16
Italy Today............18
Italy Top Attractions............20
Top Experiences............ 22
Quintessential Italy............24
Making the Most of Your Euros............26
A Great Itinerary............27
Part I: Rome & Environs
Whats Where............32
Rome and Environs Planner............34
Top Rome Attractions............36
Top Rome Experiences............38
Getting Here and Around............40
Rome Today............42
Eating and Drinking Well in Rome............44
A Great Itinerary............46
Chapter 1: Rome............47
Navona and Campo: Baroque Rome............60
Corso and Spagna: Piazza Venezia to the Spanish Steps............65
Piazza della Repubblica to Quirinale............69
Villa Borghese and Piazza del Popolo............73
The Vatican: Rome of the Popes............75
The Ghetto, Tiber Island, and Trastevere............90
The Catacombs and Via Appia Antica............95
Where to Eat............96
Best Bets for Rome Dining............98
Where to Stay............111
Best Bets for Rome Lodging............112
Nightlife and the Arts............ 127
Shopping............132
Chapter 2: Side Trips from Rome............137
Welcome to Lazio............138
Rome Side Trips Planner............140
Ostia Antica............141
Tuscia............144
Tivoli and Palestrina............149
The Castelli Romani............153
Part II: Northern Italy
Whats Where............162
Northern Italy Planner...........164
Northern Italy Top Attractions............166
Northern Italy Top Experiences............168
Northern Italy Today............169
A Great Itinerary............170
Chapter 3: Venice............173
Welcome to Venice............174
Venice Planner............176
Eating and Drinking Well in Venice............180
Piazza San Marco............182
Dorsoduro............196
San Polo and Santa Croce............201
Castello and Cannaregio............206
San Giorgio Maggiore and the Giudecca............212
Islands of the Lagoon............213
Where to Eat............216
Best Bets for Venice Dining............218
Where to Stay............227
Nightlife and the Arts...........239
Shopping............242
Chapter 4: The Venetian Arc............245
Welcome to The Venetian Arc............246
The Venetian Arc Planner............248
Eating and Drinking Well in Venetian Arc............250
Padua............252
Vicenza............260
Verona............269
Treviso and the Hillside Towns............276
FriuliVenezia Giulia...........286
Chapter 5: The Dolomites............299
Welcome to The Dolomites............300
The Dolomites Planner...........302
Eating and Drinking Well in the Dolomites............304
Trentino............306
Bolzano (Bozen) ............316
Alto Adige and Cortina............320
Heart of the Dolomites............329
Chapter 6: Milan, Lombardy, and the Lakes............335
Welcome to Milan, Lombardy, and the Lakes............336
Milan, Lombardy, and the Lakes Planner............338
Eating and Drinking Well in Lombardy............ 340
Milan............342
Pavia, Cremona, and Mantua............371
Lake Garda............380
Lake Como............388
Lake Maggiore............396
Chapter 7: Piedmont and Valle dAosta............399
Welcome to Piedmont and Valle dAosta............400
Piedmont and Valle dAosta Planner............402
Eating and Drinking Well in Piedmont and Valle DAosta............404
Turin............406
The Colline and Savoy Palaces............418
The Monferrato and the Langhe............424
Valle dAosta............429
Chapter 8: The Italian Riviera............441
Welcome to The Italian Riviera............442
The Italian Riviera Planner............444
Eating and Drinking Well in the Italian Riviera............446
Riviera di Levante............448
Genoa............468
Riviera di Ponente............481
Chapter 9: EmiliaRomagna............489
Welcome to EmiliaRomagna............490
EmiliaRomagna Planner............492
Eating and Drinking Well in Emilia-Romagna............494
Emilia............496
Bologna............511
Ferrara............521
Romagna............526
Ravenna............529
Part III: Central Italy
Whats Where............538
Central Italy Planner............540
Central Italy Top Attractions............542
Central Italy Top Experiences............544
Central Italy Today............545
A Great Itinerary............546
Chapter 10: Florence............549
Welcome to Florence............550
Florence Planner............552
Eating and Drinking Well in Florence............556
The Duomo to the Ponte Vecchio............558
San Lorenzo to the Accademia............572
Santa Maria Novella to the Arno............579
Santa Croce............582
The Oltrarno............586
Where to Eat............596
Best Bets for Florence Dining............597
Where to Stay............607
Nightlife and the Arts...........616
Sports and the Outdoors............617
Shopping............617
A Side Trip from Florence: Fiesole............622
Chapter 11: Tuscany............625
Welcome to Tuscany............626
Tuscany Planner............628
Eating and Drinking Well in Tuscany...........630
Lucca............632
Pisa............637
Chianti............641
Hill Towns Southwest of Florence...........654
Siena............660
Arezzo and Cortona............671
Southern Tuscany............676
Chapter 12: Umbria and the Marches............683
Welcome to Umbria and the Marches............684
Umbria and the Marches Planner............686
Eating and Drinking Well in Umbria and the Marches............688
Perugia............690
Assisi............696
Northern Umbria............705
Spoleto............712
Southern Umbria............718
The Marches............725
Part IV: Southern Italy
Whats Where............732
Southern Italy Planner............734
Southern Italy Top Attractions............736
Southern Italy Top Experiences............738
Southern Italy Today...........739
A Great Itinerary............740
Chapter 13: Naples and Campania............743
Welcome to Naples and Campania............744
Naples and Campania Planner............746
Eating and Drinking Well in Naples and Campania............748
Naples............750
Herculaneum, Vesuvius, and Pompeii............772
Ischia and Procida............776
Capri............788
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast............796
Chapter 14: The Mezzogiorno............813
Welcome to The Mezzogiorno............814
The Mezzogiorno Planner............ 816
Eating and Drinking Well in the Mezzogiorno............818
Bari and the Adriatic Coast............820
The Gargano Promontory............826
The Trulli District............828
Salento and Ports of the Heel............ 832
Basilicata............838
Calabria............842
Chapter 15: Sicily............849
Welcome to Sicily............850
Sicily Planner............852
Eating and Drinking Well in Sicily............854
The Ionian Coast............856
Siracusa............871
The Interior............878
Agrigento and Western Sicily............882
Palermo............893
The Tyrrhenian Coast............904
The Aeolian Islands............905
Italian Vocabulary............910
Travel Smart Italy............915
Index............939
About Our Writers............959
ITALY IN FOCUS
Rome
Ancient Rome: Glories of the Caesars............50
Agony and Ecstasy: the Sistine Ceilin............80
Venice
Cruising the Grand Canal............183
The Venetian Arc
Palladio Country............263
Milan, Lombardy & the Lakes
The Fashionistas Milan............366
Piedmont & Valle dAosta
On the Trail of Barolo............425
The Italian Riviera
The Cinque Terre............455
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia, One Taste at a Time............505
Florence
The Duomo............566
Whos Who in Renaissance Art............587
Tuscany
Grape Escapes: The Pleasures of Tuscan Wine............645
Sienas Piazza del Campo & the Palio............664
Umbria & the Marches
Assisis Basilica di San Francesco............701
Naples & Campania
Pizza Naples Style............764
Ancient Pompeii, Tomb of a Civilization............777
Sicily
Sicilys Valle dei Templi............884
MAPS
Rome Metro and Suburban Railway............49
Baroque Rome............61
Piazza Venezia to the Spanish Steps............67
Il Quirinale to Piazza della Repubblica............70
Villa Borghese to the Ara Pacis............75
The Vatican............77
The Ghetto and Trastevere............92
The Catacombs and Via Appia Antica ............96
Where to Eat in Rome............100-101
Where to Stay in Rome............116-117
Ostia Antica ............142
Side Trips from Rome............145
Piazza San Marco............191
Dorsoduro............198
San Polo and Santa Croce............202
Cannaregio............206
Castello............209
Islands of the Lagoon............215
Where to Stay and Eat in Venice............222-223
Padua............253
Vicenza............261
Verona............271
Treviso & the Hillside............277
Friuli-Venezia Giulia............287
Trento............307
Bolzano............317
Alto Adige and Cortina ............321
Milan............346
Po Plain and Lake Garda...........373
Western Lakes............389
Turin............408
Piedmont............419
Valle dAosta ............430
Riviera di Levante............449
Genoa............472-473
Riviera di Ponente............482
Emilia............499
Bologna............512
Romagna............527
Ravenna............532
Duomo to the Ponte Vecchio............559
Uffizi Floor Plan............563
Michelangelo Country: San Lorenzo to the Academia............ 575
Santa Maria Novella to the Arno............580
Santa Croce............583
The Oltrarno ............594
Where to Eat and Stay in Florence............600-601
Lucca............634
Pisa............638
Chianti and the Hill Towns Southwest of Florence............642
Siena............662
Arezzo, Cortona, and Southern Tuscany............673
Perugia............691
Asissi............ ............698
Northern Umbria706
Spoleto............713
Southern Umbria............719
The Marches............726
Naples............754-755
Bay of Naples............775
Capri............791
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast............797
Puglia............823
Basilicata and Calabria............839
Eastern Sicily and the Aeolian Islands............858
Ortygia Island, Siracusa............875
Western Sicily............889
Palermo............895
Travel Times by Train............922-923