Italian Hideaways

Book excerpt: Every traveler wants to feel as if they are the first to discover their destination--that's why staying somewhere fresh, somewhere that is still a well-kept secret, is so important. And the only thing more important than visiting the right town is staying in the right room at the right place. Travel journalist Meg Nolan has combed Italy for the most wonderful, off-the-beaten-path places to stay, from the to-die-for luxury of Ca Maria Adele, a magnificently renovated sixteenth-century palazzo in Venice, to the modest rustic charm of Hotel La Villa on Lake Bracciano, from the lush country villa La Quercia, nestled among private gardens and olive groves on the Mediterranean, to a spectacular rustic castle in the Tuscan hills. Featuring thirty destinations from around the country, and with more than 150 lavish photographs of stunning interiors and unforgettable Italian vistas, Italian Hideaways is an invaluable guide and the perfect book for anyone with a discerning eye for the classical beauty of Europe.