In Italy Online - Our Heritage - Italian Guidebooks

The Italy Discovery Journal helps children find an Italy they will love while they travel with their families in Italy. The Journal opens their eyes to today's Italian culture with so much to enjoy: food, drama, and a unique approach to life that makes Italy special. The author uncovers the goofy, mysterious, and strange aspects of history and art -- things that penetrate the attention of kids. Most guide books focus on churches and museums which can be monumentally boring to children who just don't have the historical perspective to appreciate their uniqueness and beauty, making them sometimes unhappy company while the family tries to get full value of an Italian holiday. The Italy Discovery Journal is not a standalone guidebook, but a personal guide and journal for kids 6-16 traveling in Italy. It is an eBook that is intended for printing on a home computer.

Italy With Kids, Second Edition
by Barbara Pape (Author), Michael Calabrese (Author)

Amazon Reader's Review: "Thank you, Barbara and Michael Pape, for doing the research and sharing your insights in this book that was constantly at my side during our recent trip. We read, and carried along, a few of the best guidebooks recommended, but Italy with Kids is the one that was the most helpful. Without repeating the well-deserved praise heaped on this book by a previous reviewer, I want to add some comments from our own experience:

First, the book reveals information about many places and activities that we would never have found on our own. For example, instead of carting the kids through Milan, we chose instead to visit Vinci based on the authors' discussion of this tiny town nestled in Tuscany where da Vinci was raised. Our visit to the Museo de Leonardino in Vinci which is housed in an old castle, was enchanting to the kids who could come up very close to many of da Vinci's inventions and notes. The museum was small, extremely child-friendly, and best of all - uncrowded (and for Italy in June that is rare indeed).

There are numerous other examples like this, and the section on Tuscany where we were based for much of our trip is outstanding. What other book mentions Snoopy's, a terrific gelateria in Cortona? Our 7-year-old had the important task of "rating" the gelatos we tasted in Italy, and found this one among his favorites. The book mentions the best gelato shops in many towns, a welcome treat after a day of sight-seeing and hiking up and down the steep streets. Unlike many other guidebooks, such small details as Pinky the cat who resides in the Fortress at Sirmione on Lake Garda were mentioned, and really drew the kids' attention. Of course, as soon as we arrived at the entrance, they asked where Pinky could be found and spent a good part of this visit entertaining the good-tempered feline, allowing us to spend some time enjoying the views and reflecting on the history of this intriguing fortress. In fact, I doubt whether we would have spent time at Garda at all if we hadn't read the book, heading instead for the more popular Lake Como on which most other guidebooks focus. Just as the Papes' noted, we were among the only American tourists in Sirmione, and we enjoyed several days with Italian, German and other European families. What the book says is exactly what you will find, and its descriptions go well beyond what other guidebooks typically provide.

In summary, this book is an outstanding resource for anyone traveling with kids...or who is a kid at heart. I am now waiting for books to be written on traveling with kids to other European countries. They will have a tough act to follow."

Italy's Best with Kids welcomes you to an Italy not found in other conventional family travel guides. Debra and David Levinson, along with their kids, Jacob, Isaac, and Ari, have stayed in over one hundred properties throughout Italy, to identify the finest hotels, inns, castles, villas, and activities for families. Those who have become accustomed to first-rate travel can now take their kids, self-assured, that it will be an enjoyable holiday for all. Moreover, the guide contains a narrative journey, which provides an intimate understanding and appreciation for the rich Italian culture. David and the kids have also contributed numerous stories with their own unique perspectives. Whether your family members are seasoned travelers or first-time adventure seekers, Italy's Best with Kids reveals how you can vacation with children of all ages, while never escaping the pleasures and romance of la dolce vita.

The author says: "With a four year old son and a one year old daughter, my personal goal was to write a book for preschoolers that exposed them to Italian language and cultural novelties, but was more than another picture dictionary. It had to be fun and engage the preschooler with familiar things from home, while sharing novelties from another country. Beautifully illustrated in original watercolor art, the 36 page book shares a tour of Italy through a child's scrapbook. Throughout the fictional story, the young boy and his teddy bear travel companion share their travel adventure, and teach twenty five Italian words along the way. Fantastico!"

When Father Jerome Tupa embarked on his Italian pilgrimage in the summer of 1999, he did so as a painter and a monk. With the heart of a priest and the hand of an artist, he experienced the essence of one of the world's most spiritual regions. Beginning in Milan and ending in Rome, Father Tupa retraced the steps of the pilgrims, drawing and painting the sacred imagery he encountered along the way. The outcome was a stunning collection of works in oil, watercolor, pen, ink, and pencil, many of which are included here in The Road to Rome. Although the pilgrimage is steeped in religious tradition and history, the art of Father Tupa is boldly original and undeniably modern. Painted in colors that explode with intensity, the architecture depicted by Father Tupa bends and reaches across the canvas with life and vitality. From the sunflowers of Urbania to the domes of Padua, Father Tupa paints Italy as you may have felt but have never seen before. How startling and ever more interesting does this journey become when you consider how limited spiritual art has been during the past century. Rothko's chapel and Matisse's chapel are highlights, with little company until now. Tupa's opulent oil paintings and lyrical watercolors and sketches are accompanied by Francisco Schulte's deeply informed text exploring the history and significance of each stop along the pilgrimage. A personal context is added through the inclusion of entries from Father Tupa's own travel journal. Whether he is sharing the story of how he met the pope or describing the experience of painting Rome's ancient Forum, he becomes a superb guide allowing readers to relive the pilgrimage as if they too were traveling through the Italian landscape. Every chapter is gracefully introduced with a prayer, written by the artist in praise of each location along The Road to Rome. Join Father Tupa and take a profound journey of the spirit as witnessed through the eyes of a very wise man and gifted artist.

Gelato includes reviews from over fifty shops located in Italy's most visited cities. Whether recommending the sublime riso (rice) gelato at Florence's beloved Vivoli or the breathtaking view of Capri from Naples' Bilancioni, each entry presents up-to-date information for travelers looking to optimize their gelato consumption, while enjoying an authentic Italian custom.

The cult of gelato is revealed with special "Gelato Lore" sections that explore the history and myths surrounding this long-revered treat. Stories range from Nero's quest for snow from remote mountains to how a Tuscan chicken farmer helped introduce gelato to France. "Tips & Info" sections assist readers on a variety of gelato-related matters, including how to spot a worthwhile gelateria and an explanation of the differences between gelato and ice cream.

It's the Italian Travel Consultant That Fits In Your Pocket
It can be intimidating, navigating an environment that's just different enough from our own to be unnerving, especially when a glitch occurs in your well-designed travel plan. Italy is a country, not a theme park, so it won't be meticulously signed and perfectly organized the way we'd prefer. And when you do need help, say, in the middle of the Florence train station, trying to choose the correct window to reserve your rail pass in time to make your train, your only assistance is either buried somewhere in a two-inch guidebook, back on our great web site, or at the information window, where there's yet another line.

No problem -- just reach for the Instructions.
Written by an American travel consultant who speaks the language, organizes travelers' time in Italy, and lives Italian life two to four months per year, this illustrated guide is packed with the most current, pertinent, easy-to-locate advice available. Because it focuses solely on the practical information, the Instructions contains many extra, more specific details the other guides simply don't have the room to include, and therefore makes them much more accessible.

No matter what your destinations or travel plans, you'll find all the critical info you need, including:

This elegant little guide is designed for easy reference; it’s portable, illustrated, color-coded, and includes an extensive appendix, index, and an English/Italian vocabulary in two forms: once in context within the chapter, and again in order by the English word, when you need help quick. There's even a lesson in pronunciation.

The great antique and flea markets of Italy are hard to find and equally hard to navigate once discovered. This slim, comprehensive and practical guide points travelers quickly and easily to the best such markets in all of Italy's regions. Whether searching for turn-of-the-century buttons or biscotti tins or men's hats from the 1940s, travelers will find this volume indispensable. Specific information is provided detailing what each market offers, from vintage furniture, jewelry, linens and lace, clothes, and enamel signs, to postcards, military paraphernalia, botanical prints, buttons, powder boxes, and perfume bottles. Organized by region, with locations and directions, opening days, hours, and contact information, the sidebars offer additional cultural information about each region, from culinary specialties to religious festivals.

The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink: An A-To-Z Guide With 2,300 Authentic Definitions and 50 Classic Recipes
by John F. Mariani

As more and more Italian foods and wines cross the seas, you may need to know the difference between terms like "passito" and "passato." According to the Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink, the first is a type of sweet wine, the second a pur�ed soup or smooth tomato sauce. Within the 2300 definitions, John Mariani includes the history of many items in this comprehensive yet concise guide. He explains the origins of popular dishes and why, for example, you won't find Veal Parmigiano in Italy. Along with information that will help cooks in tracking down ingredients there are recipes for Spaghetti Carbonara, Pasta & Fagioli, Zuppa Inglese, and other classics. The entries for regional Italian foods make this book a useful companion for travelers, and it's compact enough to fit in your carry-on bag.

The Heritage Guide Italy: A Complete Guide to 1,000 Towns and Cities and Their Landmarks, With 80 Regional Tours (Heritage Guides)
by Touring Club Italiano, Touring Club of Italy (Editor)

From Italy's preeminent publisher of guidebooks and maps comes this revised and updated edition of the definitive cultural guide to Italy. Written by a uniquely qualified editorial board of specialists, many of whom are respected art and architecture historians, Italy provides readers with fascinating information on the history, art, architecture, and lifestyle of Italy and equips them with the necessary tools -- exceptional maps, detailed itineraries, and carefully devised rating systems -- to delve into this country's treasures by themselves. At the beginning of the book are 80 excursions covering 1,000 cities and towns and extending from the Alps to the islands. Each excursion, accompanied by a color map, is a specific route through an area noteworthy for its artistic heritage or its landscape. At the heart of the book is an A-to-Z listing of cities, towns, landmarks, and monuments, each item paired with a description, historical background, and a rating system to provide readers with an understanding of the importance of each place, attraction, or site. Also included are practical travel tips, listings of accommodations and restaurants, useful addresses, detailed neighborhood plans, and dozens of full-color maps leading readers through the monuments, museums, architectural, and archaeological sites for which Italy is celebrated. This edition contains 20 percent new material, including an all-new introduction geared toward American travelers

Frommer's Italy's Best-Loved Driving Tours
by British Automobile Association (Author)

You are tootling along Italy's bucolic SS502, olive groves to the left of you, vineyards to the right of you, the rosemary-scented breeze in your hair, a picnic basket of focaccia, provolone, prosciutto, and a bottle of sangiovese in the back seat. All you need is a spare week, a charming companion, a rental car, and Frommer's guide to the pleasures of touring Italy by car. Italy's Best-Loved Driving Tours provides 25 motoring itineraries--all with easy-to-follow directions; quick approximations of how many days and miles/kilometers from start to finish; plus maps, photos, and descriptions of the highlights along the way, including coastal fishing villages, medieval towns, fortified hamlets, grand cathedrals, recommended walks, scenic passes, local shops, formal gardens, festivals, and historic sites. Some books serve as an inspiration and others as practical guides; this one does both.

Amazon Reader's Review: "It is wonderful to find a book so specific to this topic, since information on this topic is so rare. The information was so useful to planning a personal and meaningful trip to italy. It really increased our enthusiasm and anticipation for our trip."

More so than any other Western European nation, Italy presents an enormous diversity of individual towns and regions, each with its own culture and traditions. To help travelers experience this great variety, Daytrips in Italy features a wide range of adventures with easy reach of Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, and Naples. 65 photos. 47 maps

Garden Lover's Guide to Italy (Garden Lover's Guides to Europe)
by Penelope Hobhouse

This authoritative new series of guidebooks to the gardens of Europe is the perfect companion for any garden enthusiast, whether tourist or armchair traveler. Each title is a richly illustrated in-depth guide to over 100 gardens, from the famous to little-known hidden treasures, and features colorful photography and easy-to-read illustrations commissioned especially for this series. Also included are maps, directions, complete visitor information, special features, and neighboring sites of interest.

Each guide, written by a gardening expert, begins with a comprehensive background on the country's garden history and local climate. The most significant gardens in each volume are featured in even greater detail, accompanied by illustrated plans of the gardens and close-up views of particular features. The numerous color photographs and maps show travelers what awaits at each garden. The Garden Lover's Guides are indispensable aids for those planning European travel itineraries.

The seven hills of Rome, Vivaldi and Venice, the ruins of Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, pasta, cappuccino, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Armani, opera. Italy is a feast for the senses, and now this wonderful country--rich with history and physical beauty--is accessible as never before with Italy For Dummies. This concise guide pares down this complex destination and helps visitors plan the trip that's right for them. It includes:

Easy-to-do suggested itineraries that offer a taste of both cities and the countryside
Expert advice on finding the most charming small hotels and trattorie
Tips for avoiding the crowds and beating culture burnout
Essential information on Rome, Venice, Florence and Tuscany, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily

The Christian Travelers Guide to Italy
by David Bershad, Carolina Magone, Irving Hexham (Editor), Carolina Mangone

Seeing the need to fill a niche in the travel guide genre, general editor Hexham (religious studies, Univ. of Calgary) has created a series of guides designed to appeal to Christians. These guides do not lead tourists to the most popular bars or shopping districts but instead to the various Christian heritage sites in each country. Hexham's theory is that since there are travel guides geared toward other sociological groups (gays, singles, retirees), the market is also there to reach out to Christians who wish to explore the roots of their religion. His vast knowledge of history and religion makes these well-researched books a treasure trove of historical information. Each guide follows the same layout: Hexham begins with an overview of the history of each country from prehistoric times to the present. He then includes a chapter on literature, art, and architecture and lists what he considers the top ten Christian heritage sites in each country. Each entry thereafter is in alphabetical order by place name and includes some background information, specific sites to visit, and biographies of significant people associated with the site. In Great Britain, visit the birthplace of the Scottish Reformation in Edinburgh; in France, learn the difference between a Gothic-style cathedral (Notre Dame) and a Romanesque-style cathedral (St. Etienne Cathedral); in Germany, follow the progress and fall of the Holy Roman Empire by visiting Aachen; and in Italy, visit the ancient Roman ruins and learn their part in the history of Christianity, then visit the Vatican City, the seat of the Catholic Church.

Amazon Reader's Review: "This slender volume reads fast. A comprehensive study of Italian culture is beyond the scope of this book. The authors have arranged 74 brief "points" about daily life in Italy, alphabetically by subject, so the reader doesn't know what is coming next. If you look at the sample pages available here, you will get a sense of the leaps: we begin with an explanation of the Italian version of April Fool's Day, followed by four paragraphs on table manners, and then we're on to "attracting attention," and so on. From the very way it's organized, we are clearly in the realm of entertainment, although the information is accurate and certainly useful. There is a dusting of vocabulary, but it's not a course in Italian for travellers. I found it a delightful and fascinating read."

For more than ten years, Suzy Gershman has been leading savvy shoppers to the world's best finds. Now Born to Shop Italy is even easier to use and packed with more up-to-date listings and shopping secrets than ever before.

" With this guide in hand a trip to Italy could pay for itself."

Harpers Bazaar, April 1998

" Many fashion insiders are ignorant of the bargains to be found in Italy."
The Guardian, 09/09/01

" A no-nonsense list of discount retailers, a trailblazer in providing complete maps to the world of outlets in Italy."
Herald Tribune, May 2002

" Shopping in Italy can mean spending far too much money. A cheaper option is to follow Designer Bargains in Italy."
Harpers Bazaar, April 1999

Where to Wear Italy 2003 (Rome, Florence, Milan)
by Signorelli Alessandra, Lucie Muir, Heather O'Brian, Jill Fairchild

The Independent Walker's Guide to Italy: 35 Breathtaking Walks in Italy's Captivating Landscape (The Independent Walker Series)
by Frank W. Booth

At first glance, this book looks like a trail guide to 35 fabulous (they sound fabulous anyway) walks throughout Italy. In fact, it's a country guide that happens to focus on walks. The first walk is not described until page 64, after loads of advice on what to pack, where to stay and even what other travel guides are worth consulting. Booth injects humor throughout, starting with his explanation of how these walks help travelers avoid DROPS (Dreaded Other People). He includes walks between and around some of Italy's most popular tourist sites, demonstrating that one need not be a hearty mountaineer to avoid DROPS. The walks vary from two to nine miles so any steady walker can follow in Booth's footsteps and he claims even couch potatoes will be ready after a couple of months of home strolls. The guide richly details every walk and provides practical tips on length, transit time, and where to find toilets. For those with limited interests or time, Booth lists walks thematically (must-see walks, ancient ruins, fabulous forests, etc.) Any traveler who yearns to tread Italy's unbeaten paths should pack this witty and informative book.

Eating as the rationale for traveling through Italy, where food and culture are so naturally bound together, is the theme of Italophile Plotkin's latest book. His ardent admiration for the country and its cuisine is evident in his personalized tour through the nation's 22 regions, including the islands of Sicily and Sardenia. Guiding us through a land bountiful and diverse in terrain, history, and tradition, he explores each area's distinctive foods and wines. When not traveling, Plotkin lectures and writes about things Italian and has penned The Authentic Pasta Book and Opera 101. He uses his extensive knowledge to create a catalog of helpful restaurant reviews, recipes (indexed), a glossary of food terms, profiles of cities and their local histories (indexed), and anecdotes that blend into an informative, entertaining, comprehensive guide. This selection is a treat for any travel collection.

The Food of Italy is the book to get if you're traveling there. You know about the Coliseum, you've heard about the canals of Venice, but what should you order? Waverly Root supplies the answers in this travelogue focusing on the foods of various regions in Italy. Root, who made his living as a foreign correspondent and has written several volumes on his penchant for food, is an excellent guide whose descriptions will convince globetrotters that there's much more to travel than sightseeing. Along with The Food of France, this book won the 1990 James Beard Cookbook Award.

Useful information on tipping, eating hours, types of restaurants, and eating and drinking customs of the country. Dishes from every region are listed by course with descriptions of ingredients and preparation. A must for the traveler to Italy as well as Stateside cooks interested in knowing authentic recipes.

You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go -- they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!

Frommer's Italy from $70 a Day, 4th Edition
by Reid Bramblett (Author), Lynn A. Levine (Author)

Frommer's Dollar-A-Day guides show you how to travel in style-without breaking the bank. You'll find inexpensive accommodations that don't skimp on comfort. Affordable restaurants where locals go for a good meal. And all the best sightseeing and shopping values. Frommer's Dollar-A-Day guidebooks.

City Secrets: Florence, Venice, and the Towns of Italy
by Robert Kahn (Editor)

Every year, millions of tourists throng Italy, patiently standing in interminable lines to see the great museums of Venice, Florence, Rome, and other cities. Brandon, a former arts editor who lived in Rome for 20 years, asserts that in a year 2000 study, some 2.8 million Americans said they planned to visit Italy and 1.2 million said they wanted to explore less familiar sights. This guide is certainly intended for those who want to break away from the crowd and see the "hidden treasures" of Italy. Brandon points out that there are many seldom visited but highly important sights all across Italy, usually around the corner from the popular attractions, such as the Piazza and the Palazzo. While some feature works of great artists, the majority focus on unique, often ghoulish, subjects. In Florence, for example, the Museo della Storia e la Specola (a few feet away from the Pitti Palace) features a macabre collection of bones, muscles, tissues, and other flotsam of the human body, arranged into artistic representations. Packed with information rarely found in standard guides, this guide offers a fresh perspective on Italy's art and as such deserves a place in all travel collections. Highly recommended.

Travel Photography: A Complete Guide to How to Shoot and Sell
by Susan McCartney

This substantial and helpful book begins with an overview of the business of travel photography, both the joys and the hard facts, and then moves on to a candid discussion of the skills needed for success in the field. It also covers the essentials of equipment, including cameras, lenses, film, and accessories, as well as topics like technique, notably lighting, and photographing people, landscape, architecture, and still lifes on location. Ten self-assignments will help photographers hone their skills. Also included is good information on editing, assembling a portfolio, and promoting one's work. Travel photographer McCartney also addresses computers, digital imaging, and the Internet for photographers, as well as editorial and stock photography. This will be of obvious value to professional photographers who wish to do more location work. It should also appeal to amateurs who would like to explore travel photography as a serious avocation.

Compact and lightweight, Michelin sightseeing guides are designed to enhance the quality of your trip. Easy-to-follow driving itineraries and walking tours, supplemented by detailed city and regional maps, ensure maximum use of your valuable time. Principal attractions are thoroughly described and classified according to Michelin's time-honored rating system to allow you to organize your own tour.

An ideal guide for the independent tourist, whether visiting the highlights or venturing off the beaten track. In each guide you also will find abundant practical information, comprehensive suggestions on what to see and what to do, in-depth historical background and cultural heritage, and attractive line drawings and photos.

This newly revised guide gives a unique insight into Italy's glorious past and its ancient Christian and humanist traditions which have influenced Western civilization. The magnificent art treasures and the enchanting landscapes are complemented by the gastronomic delights of the regions. Includes over 1,000 descriptions of attractions, over 70 detailed maps, and over 80 color photos and line drawings.

Eyewitness Travel Guides
The perfect holiday companion
The guides that show what others only tell you

A new generation of highly visual encyclopedic guidebooks that guarantees you make the most of your visit - before, during and after your stay.
Hundreds of full-color photographs, taken especially for these guides, show you areas at their finest.
Unique 3-D aerial views and cutaways and floorplans help you explore public buildings and landmarks - no need to purchase other guides.
Hundreds of pages of Architecture, Villas, Islands, Museums, Towns, Galleries, Walks, Restaurants, Monuments, Churches, Beaches, Towns, Food, Tours, Archaeology, Temples, Hotels....everything to see and do....
The included Survival Guide shows you how to get around by car and public transportation, use local currency, and telephones�.includes a phrase book, and carefully selected hotels, cafes, and restaurants in all price ranges.

These award-winning, on-the-spot, visual guides are bursting with information and will help to make your trip hassle-free and pleasurable.

These Eyewitness Travel Guides help you get the most from your visit to Italy with the minimum of difficulty. The opening section highlights the region and sets it in its historical and cultural context. The regional chapters, describe all the main sights with photographs and detailed illustrations.

From the Dolomites to the Straits of Messina, the big boot overflows like a Christmas sock with art, music, beautiful towns, lakes, mountains, beaches, and 300 kinds of pasta. Take a trip down the Amalfi Drive, spend a week in a Tuscan villa, enjoy an opera at La Scala, a boat ride on Lake Como, or dawdling in a trattoria under the stars. This guide contains practical travel advice; over 1,000 hand-picked places to stay; over 1,250 restaurants, bars & cafes; 89 maps & site plans; color touring map section; stunning photography; food & drink section with regional specialties and Italian menu reader.

Need we say more? This book has been extremely well researched and organized by its author and publisher Margo Class�. It contains alot more than just hotel suggestions too. Each of the over 200 accommodations has been personally inspected by the Author at her own expense. No hotel or restaurant has paid to be listed in the book. Each of them is well documented, including addresses, phone numbers, credit cards accepted, etc. Updated in 2005.

Most tours of Italy take in a Renaissance church or 10, visit piazzas and Michelangelo statues, then add lots of espresso, pasta and wine for a lovely, standard Italian holiday. But Italy has other, less well-known treasures. The countryside is stunningly gorgeous, with scads of glorious mountains, ancient forests, more than 1500 lakes, miles of sandy coastline and some of the best hiking in the world. And Jepson does a remarkable job of providing all the practical information you need to partake and enjoy.

The Pilgrim's Italy: A Travel Guide to the Saints
by James Heater, Colleen Heater

The footsteps of pilgrims have echoed continuously through the halls of time, as seekers of all faiths search for deeper meaning and purpose in their lives. The tangible vibrations of the saints and their shrines provide a direct personal experience of Divinity and transform lives. This is the power of pilgrimage. Italy has long been the destination of countless pilgrims, yet The Pilgrim's Italy is the first comprehensive guide to the spiritual side of this ancient country. This unique guidebook offers all that is needed to visit profound pilgrimage sites, meditate on the lives of saints, and feel their blessings. Through step-by-step instruction, the authors provide simple meditation techniques to enhance the pilgrim's experience, as well as a wealth of practical information to make the journey a pleasant one. Features include:
* Inspiring biographies of the saints
* Location of hidden rooms with saints' relics
* Instruction on how to meditate with the saints
* How to find quiet areas for meditation and prayer
* Useful maps and directions
* Helpful references for lodging in monasteries

About the Authors
James and Colleen Heater are longtime practitioners of yoga who teach classes on meditation and inspirational music as members of a spiritual community in Northern California. Their honeymoon to Italy in 1998 became a pilgrimage and birthed the idea for writing a series of soulful travel guides. The following year, they returned to Italy to research over thirty-five shrines, and to revisit their favorite gelaterias.