Review by Barb & Ron Kroll

Travel Guide Book Title:

Tuscany and Umbria
(Lonely Planet) ISBN 978-1741043136

Theme:

Lonely Planet's guidebook begins with an introduction to the main tourist attractions of Tuscany and Umbria: Michelangelo's David, the Duomo in Florence, Gucci fashions, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the two-wheeled Vespa, Chianti wine and the town where St. Francis of Assisi was born.

Readers find travel tips on when to go to Tuscany and Umbria, costs, Internet resources, accommodations, food and much more.

Sample Items:

The Northern Umbria section lists the top five places to drive to in Umbria: Castelluccio, La Scarzuola, Lake Trasimeno, Monte Castello di Vibio and the wine region. A sidebar describes romantic hotels in Umbria for honeymoons: Fattoria Il Poggio, Il Torrione, Relais Alla Corte del Sole, Relais Borgo Brufa and Villa Zuccari.

The travel guidebook suggests itineraries of various durations and styles. Classic routes include a 10-day round-trip from Florence, five days Monteriggioni to Perugia and four days in Umbria (Perugia to Orvieto). Tailored Trips feature World Heritage Sites (Florence to Assisi) and Fine Wine (Florence in Tuscany to Toriano in Umbria). The wine route follows the Strada dei Vini Chianti Rufina and includes Brunello wines in a fortress near Montalcino.

A sidebar in Tuscany and Umbria describes Italian coffees like caffè corretto (espresso with grappa), caffè granita (sweet coffee with whipped cream) and macchiato (espresso with a bit of cold milk).

Notable Elements:

Tuscany is known for its Etruscan tombs. A sidebar describes the Tomb of the Infernal Chariot, excavated in 2003. A fabulous fresco surrounds the sarcophagus inside the intact 4th-century BC tomb. From the tomb, there are impressive panoramic views of the Val di Chiana, near Sarteano.

A sidebar organizes Florence highlights like the Uffizi with its great Renaissance art collection, the Duomo, baptistry and campanile, Michelangelo's David, side trips to Fiesole, an estate near San Miniato, to learn about truffles and Chianina cattle and to Il Chianti for a wine tasting tour.

The Food & Drink section of Tuscany and Umbria lists nine top schools for wine and Italian cooking courses, with driving directions and websites. Some useful Italian translations include birra (beer), bacio (cherry) and Avete un menu (scritto) in inglese? (Do you have a menu in English?).

Tone / Style:

Each regional chapter of Lonely Planet's Tuscany & Umbria helps readers organize tours. For example, the Northwestern Tuscany chapter provides the population of Pisa (87,700), information on Internet access (Internet Planet with hours, locations and costs), sightseeing details (e.g., the Leaning Tower allows 40 visitors at a time on guided tours) and festivals (e.g., Luminaria in June).

Restaurants and hotels listings include phone numbers, website addresses and food specialties (e.g., Tuscan antipasto at Antica Trattoria il Campano). The guide suggests detours, such as the diversion from Carrara to Fivizzano to tour the Castello di Malaspina, a family castle.

Visuals:

Small color images illustrate the Italian Icons, Natural Wonders, La Cucina Caldesi, Contemporary Art, Frescoes and Agriturismi sections of Tuscany and Umbria.

Besides regional maps, detailed city maps identify where to find post and telephone offices, police stations, tourist offices, cathedrals, palaces and museums (Sights and Activities), hotels and auberges (Sleeping), restaurants (Eating), cafés (Drinking), Entertainment, Shopping and bus stations (Transport).

Contents:

On the Road
Tuscany and Umbria Highlights
Destination Tuscany and Umbria
Getting Started
Events Calendar
Itineraries
History
Art and Architecture
The Culture
Food and Drink
The Environment

• Tuscany and Umbria Outdoors
• Florence
  • Orientation
  • Information
  • Dangers & Annoyances
  • Sights
  • Activities
  • Walking Tour
  • Courses
  • Florence for Children
  • Tours
  • Festivals & Events
  • Sleeping
  • Eating
  • Drinking
  • Entertainment
  • Shopping
  • Getting There & Away
  • Getting Around
  • Around Florence
  • Fiesole
  • Prato
  • Pistoia
  • Around Pistoia
  • Il Mugello
  • Il Chianti
  • West of Florence
• Frescoes
• Northwestern Tuscany
  • Pisa
  • Lucca
  • East of Lucca
  • La Versilia
  • Viareggio
  • Around Viareggio
  • Apuane Alps
  • Carrara
  • The Garfagnana
  • The Lunigiana
  • Villafranca
  • Pontremoli
• Central Coast and Elba
  • Livorno
  • Around Livorno
  • The Etruscan Coast
  • Isola d'Elba
  • Minor Islands
• Central Tuscany
  • Siena
  • Around Siena
  • San Gimignano
  • Volterra
  • South of Volterra
  • South of Siena
• Southern Tuscany
  • Grosseto
  • Around Grosseto
  • Massa Marittima
  • The Coast
  • Monte Argentario
  • The Islands
  • Lago di Burano & Around
  • Inland & Etruscan Sites
• Eastern Tuscany
  • Arezzo
  • Northeast of Arezzo
  • The Casentino Region
  • South of Arezzo
• Agriturismi
• Northern Umbria
  • Perugia
  • Torgiano
  • Around Torgiano
  • Deruta
  • Assisi
  • Spello
  • La Strada di Sagrantino
  • Trevi
  • Foligno
  • Gubbio
  • Around Gubbio
  • Parco Regionale del Monte Cucco
  • Città di Castello
  • Lago di Trasimeno
• Southern Umbria
  • Orvieto
  • Lago di Corbara
  • Todi
  • Monte Castello di Vibio
  • Campello Sul Clitunno
  • Spoleto
  • Norcia
  • Monti Sibillini
  • Valnerina
  • Terni
  • Narni
  • Amelia
  • Around Amelia
  • Carsulae

Directory
Transport
Health
Language
Glossary
Saints Glossary
The Authors
Behind the Scenes
Index
World Time Zones
Map Legend

Authors:

Nicola Williams, Alex Leviton, Alison Bing, Leif Pettersen, Miles Roddis

 
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