ITALIAN COUNTRY BOOK

The Italians have turned their passion for living into an art, and nowhere is their instinctive skill for la dolce vita so pure and exuberant as it is in the countryside. Italian Country celebrates the extraordinary appeal of Italy's country, mountains, and I seashore-among the most beautiful and beloved spots in the world for tourists and Italians alike. Catherine Sabino, coauthor of Italian Style, here leads readers on a tour of Italy's most refreshing havens in their best seasons: the golden fields and vineyards of Tuscany and Umbria in autumn, the snowy Alpine ridges in winter, the luxurious villas of Lake Maggiore and Lake Como in spring, and the beaches of the Riviera, the Amalfi coast, and Sardinia in summer.

More than 400 full-color photographs reveal the secrets of the Italian way of leisure, presenting the best of interior design, as well as an informative overview of the landscape, local colors, sports, handcrafts, and food of each region. Visits to cheesemaking shops, vineyards, and silk factories; maps of the favored "insider" excursions; recipes for such specialties as panzanella (bread salad) and zuppa valdostana (Valle d'Aosta onion soup); and a complete directory of home rental agencies, hotels, restaurants, and antiques and specialty shops make Italian Country both a sumptuous look at the Italian life-style at its best and an invaluable guide for vacation planning.

Italian Country invites readers to savor the joys of past visits, dream of trips yet to come, and introduce the spirit of Italian country into their homes.