This book focuses on two of the most popular reasons to visit Italy: shopping and the artisanal products for which Italy is famous. "Made in Italy" has become synonymous with style and craftsmanship, and every region of the country has its specialties: Venice is known for magical glassware designs, delicate lace, and luxurious velvet; Milan and Como for the finest of woven silks; the Dolomites and the mountainous regions of Calabria and Sicily for hand-carved wooden objects, among them the famously mischievous wooden peg-doll, Pinocchio; Florence for gold jewelry, leather, and straw goods; Naples for cameos; Assisi for embroidery; and Deruta, Gubbio, and many towns in Puglia and Sicily for their time-honored history of ceramic making.

A thorough appendix provides helpful addresses and phone numbers to accommodate planning your trip, including hotels, restaurants, wineries, and shops. Each spread features a sidebar with information on local delicacies to be tasted and imbibed, as well as where to find the town's choicest goods.

Whether you're an armchair traveller or an Italophile planning another trip, this volume provides an excellent guide.