Frommer's Florence, Tuscany and Umbria Book

	List of Maps	vi
	What's New in Florence, Tuscany & Umbria	1
1	The Best of Florence, Tuscany & Umbria	5
1	The Best Tuscan & Umbrian Experiences	5
2	The Best Hill Towns	6
3	The Best Festivals	8
4	The Greatest Artistic Masterpieces	9
5	The Best Offbeat Sights & Experiences	10
6	The Best Wines & Vineyards	11
7	The Best Museums	13
8	The Best Etruscan Sights	14
9	The Best Luxury Hotels	15
10	The Best Moderately Priced Hotels	16
11	Florence's Best Rooms with a View	17
12	The Best Countryside Retreats	18
13	The Best Restaurants in Town	19
14	The Best Trattorie in Town	20
15	The Best Countryside Trattorie	22
2	Planning Your Trip to Tuscany & Umbria	23
1	The Regions in Brief	23
2	Visitor Information	27
3	Entry Requirements & Customs	28
4	Money	30
	The Euro, the U.S. Dollar & the British Pound	31
	What Things Cost in Florence	33
5	When to Go	34
	Tuscany & Umbria Calendar of Events	35
6	Travel Insurance	41
7	Health & Safety	43
8	Specialized Travel Resources	44
9	Planning Your Trip Online	48
	Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource	50
10	The 21st-Century Traveler	50
	Online Traveler's Toolbox	52
11	Getting There	53
	Flying with Film & Video	57
12	Packages for the Independent Traveler	61
13	Escorted Tours	62
14	Special-Interest Vacations	63
15	Getting Around	65
16	Tips on Accommodations, Villa Rentals & Farm Stays	71
17	Tips on Dining	74
	Getting Your VAT Refund	75
18	Recommended Books & Films	76
	Fast Facts: Tuscany & Umbria	78
3	Settling into Florence: Birthplace of the Renaissance	84
1	Essentials	84
	The Red & the Black	89
	The Neighborhoods in Brief	90
	Fast Facts: Florence	95
2	Where to Stay	97
	Family-Friendly Hotels	104
3	Where to Dine	116
	Family-Friendly Restaurants	121
	A Big Step Above Ice Cream: Florentine Gelato	124
4	Exploring Florence	134
1	Seeing the Sights	134
	A Man & His Dome	140
	Around Piazza della Signoria	142
	Rising from the Blast	148
	Michelangelo: The Making of a Renaissance Master	163
2	Shopping	178
3	Florence After Dark	184
	Cafe Culture	186
4	A Side Trip to Fiesole: A Perfect Summer Escape	188
	A Countryside Stroll in the City	189
5	The Chianti, Siena & the Western Hill Towns	192
1	Wine Tasting in the Chianti	192
2	Siena: A Taste of the Tuscan Middle Ages	206
	Siena's Cumulative Tickets	213
3	San Gimignano: The Medieval Manhattan	232
4	Volterra: City of Alabaster	240
	In Search of Alabaster	241
5	Massa Marittima: An Overlooked Gem	248
6	Lucca & Northwestern Tuscany	253
1	Prato & the Virgin Mary's Girdle	253
	Italy's Best Biscotti & Tuscany's Top Theater	258
2	Pistoia: Where Romanesque Meets Renaissance	260
3	Montecatini Terme & Monsummano Terme: Spas & Saunas	267
4	Lucca & Its Mighty Medieval Walls	271
	Walking the Walls	276
5	North of Lucca: The Garfagnana & the Lunigiana	285
7	Pisa, Tuscany's Coast & the Maremma	288
1	Pisa & Its Tipsy Tower	290
	Pisa's Perpendicularly Challenged Tower	296
	Pisa's Sunken Archaeological Treasure	298
2	Livorno: A Busy Port City with Great Seafood	303
3	Elba: Tuscany's Island Resort	307
4	The Maremma: Tuscany's Deep South	314
8	Southern Tuscany	317
1	Montalcino: Home of the Mighty Brunello	319
	Sampling the Vino	320
2	Pienza: The Ideal Renaissance City	326
3	Montepulciano & Its Noble Wine	331
	Underground Tunnels & Nobel Wine	334
	A Famous Spa Town En Route to Chiusi	339
4	Chiusi: In the Footsteps of the Etruscans	340
9	Arezzo & Northeastern Tuscany	344
1	Arezzo: Where Life Is Beautiful	346
2	Sansepolcro: Artistic Treasures Off the Beaten Path	354
3	Cortona: "City of Art"	359
4	The Western Valdichiana: Exploring the Chiana Valley	368
10	Perugia, Assisi & Northern Umbria	372
1	Perugia: Capital of Umbria & Quaint Hill Town	372
	Perugia's Medieval Pompeii	379
2	Assisi: An Artistic Pilgrimage	388
	The Genius of Giotto	395
3	Gubbio: Town of Festivals	403
	Lunacy & Death, Eugubian Style	409
11	Spoleto & Southern Umbria	414
1	Spoleto & the Spoleto Festival	414
2	Todi: A Taste of the Middle Ages	424
	Mad Monks & Christmas Carols: Fra' Jacopone	427
3	Orvieto: Etruscan Ruins & Fine White Wine	429
	Orvieto's Liquid Gold	433
	Tunnels in the Tufa	436
Appendix A	Tuscany & Umbria in Depth	442
1	A Look at the Past	442
	Dateline	442
2	Art & Architecture 101	453
3	A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria	463
Appendix B	Useful Terms & Phrases	470
1	Molto Italiano: A Basic Italian Vocabulary	470
2	From Antipasti to Zuppa Inglese: Italian Menu Terms	471
3	Knowing Your Apse from Your Ambone: A Glossary of Architectural & Art Terms	476
	Index	482