Publisher's Synopsis
Tuscany is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Florence, is home to some of the world's most recognizable Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo's "David" statue, Botticelli's works in the Uffizi Gallery, and the Duomo basilica. Its diverse natural landscape encompasses the rugged Apennine Mountains, the island of Elba's beaches on the Tyrrhenian Sea, and Chianti's olive groves and vineyards.
The reader will avoid the common mistakes of renting a villa. Explore the white "fusilli" backroads of Tuscany, bargain in the open-air markets in towns that do not appear on any map. Shop Deruta, home of the magnificent Majolica ceramics. Encounter a shadowy band of gypsies, a ring of pickpockets, watch a Perugina prostitute pose. Have lunch at Maria de' Medici's. Take the waters at the Grand Spa at Montecatini and shop the horsemeat at Lucca's legendary market. Stay in a palace in Spoleto. Join the first-night Roman crowd for the Diva's performance. Along the way, even the foreign language impaired learns enough Italian to make dinner reservations, bargain at the markets, and make friends. Funny, informative, thoughtful, and unexpected.
