Lonely Planet: The world"s leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Italy is your passport to all the most relevant and up-to-date advice on what to see, what to skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Listen to your gondolier sing sweetly while gliding past centuries-old Venetian palaces, sample olives and wines as you traverse the storybook hills of Tuscany, or lose yourself amid thousands of years of Roman history and art; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Italy and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet"s Italy Travel Guide: Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries show you the simplest way to tailor your trip to your own personal needs and interests Insider tips save you time and money, and help you get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - including hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, and prices Honest reviews for all budgets - including eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, and hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer and more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, cuisine, wine, customs, and more Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 135 colour maps Useful features - including Eat & Drink Like a Local, Outdoor Experiences, and Month by Month (annual festival calendar) Coverage of Rome, Turin, Piedmont, the Italian Riviera, Milan, the Lakes, Dolomites, Venice, Emilia-Romagna, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Naples, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia, and more The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Italy, our most comprehensive guide to Italy, is perfect for those planning to both explore the top sights and take the road less travelled. Looking for just the highlights of Italy? Check out Lonely Planet"s Discover Italy, a photo-rich guide to the country"s most popular attractions. Looking for a guide focused on Rome, Florence or Venice? Check out Lonely Planet"s Rome guide, Florence & Tuscany guide, and Venice & the Veneto guide for a comprehensive look at what each of these cities has to offer; Lonely Planet"s Discover Rome, a photo-rich guide to the city"s most popular attractions; or Lonely Planet"s Pocket Rome, a handy-sized guide focused on the can"t-miss sights for a quick trip Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet, Cristian Bonetto, Alison Bing, Abigail Blasi, Kerry Christiani, Gregor Clark, Duncan Garwood, Anthony Ham, Paula Hardy, Vesna Maric, Virginia Maxwell, Brendan Sainsbury, Helena Smith and Donna Elizabeth Wheeler. About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world"s leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet"s mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves in. TripAdvisor Travelers" Choice Awards 2012 and 2013 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category "Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other." -The New York Times "Lonely Planet. It"s on everyone"s bookshelves; it"s in every traveller"s hands. It"s on mobile phones. It"s on the Internet. It"s everywhere, and it"s telling entire generations of people how to travel the world." -Fairfax Media (Australia)