Lonely Planet Italy (Travel Guide)

Product Information

Corniglia is the "quiet" middle village that sits atop a 330ft-high rocky promontory surrounded by vineyards. Do as the Romans do and head to the Castelli Romani 4 hills to feast on porchetta (boneless herbed roast pork) and other specialities at a fraschetta. Go face to face with world-famous Renaissance paintings at Florence’s premier art museum, the Galleria degli Uffizi 3. You’ll find Roman ruins layered upon 3000-year-old Greek streets, magical saints’ blood, frilly baroque palaces, and the best pizza you’ve ever had in your life.

On the surface, Italy looks like a movie scene coming to life, starting from its shape as a boot in the middle of the Mediterranean.Lampredotto In Florence, they like their cow’s stomachs boiled, sliced, seasoned and served in a bread roll. Signposting and information panels are often in short supply at Italy’s archaeological parks, so it pays to have a map or written guide. Reach into the fridge and you’ll come across paper wallets of thinly sliced hams, wedges of hard cheese for grating and softer cheeses for nibbling. Many of Italy’s royal residences have vast gardens which you can sometimes visit independently of the main buildings.

And we’re connected by the mark that the Catholic Church still has on our country – even though the Republic of Italy doesn’t have a state religion, the influence that Catholicism has over every aspect of Italian life is almighty. What’s new: we reveal what’s happening, from e-bike tourism in Tuscany, to Rome’s urban hostel boom, and a new zipline above Pacentro for cultured thrillseekers.A conversation held without driving home each idea with the help of a well-practised hand movement – and a swear word or two – is only half a conversation. Hotels and many restaurants close, but there are apartment rentals for the adventurous and romantic.

Hotels are more affordable, and the quality of food and services improve, freed from the high-season pressure.

Check out Lonely Planet's Discover Italy, a photo-rich guide to the country's most popular attractions. We’re united by many things, including our shared love for our heritage, which we hate to see disrespected, so my heartfelt advice is to not jump in any fountains or take stones from archaeological sites. I live in Bologna, where locals are conditioned to scoff at Modena, but my crush runs deep (many bolognesi have never even been!