What is it about Italy that inspires passion, fascination, and
utter devotion? This quirky guide to the Italian way of life, with
its fifty witty mini-essays on iconic Italian subjects, will answer
that question as well as entertain and delight both real and
armchair travelers. Topics range from expressive hand gestures to
patron saints, pasta, parmesan, shoes, opera, the Vespa, the Fiat
500, gelato, gondolas, and more. History, folklore, superstitions,
traditions, and customs are tossed in a delicious sauce that also
includes a wealth of factual information for the sophisticated
traveler: - why lines, as we know them, are nonexistent in Italy-
why a string of coral beads is often seen around a baby's wrist-
what the unlucky number of Italy is (it's not thirteen, unless
seating guests at a table, when it IS thirteen-taking into account
the outcome of the Last Supper)- why red underwear begins to appear
in shops as the New Year approaches In addition to the lyrical and
poetic, "Italianissimo" provides useful and indispensable
information for the traveler: deciphering the quirks of the
language (while English has only one word for "you," in Italy there
are three), the best place to find balsamic vinegar (in Modena, of
course), the best gelato (in Sicily, where they first invented it
using the snow from Mount Etna). There are also recommendations for
little-known museums and destinations (the Bodoni museum, the
Pinocchio park, legendary coffee bars).This is a new kind of
guidebook overflowing with enlightening and hilarious miscellaneous
information, filled with luscious graphics and unforgettable
photographs that will decode and enrich all trips to Italy-both
real and imaginary.
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