Bringing Tuscany Home

There is no doubt in my mind that Frances Mayes has cornered the Tuscany market. She has become the de facto expert on Tuscany. Her 2004 book 'Bringing Tuscany Home - Sensuous Style from the Heart of Italy' strays away from the world of travel (sort of) and enters the wonderful and competitive realm of home decorations. Her spin is, of course, Tuscany.

Beautiful photographs make this book extremely appealing as a coffee table item, although recipes for Tuscan meals as well as descriptions of Tuscan elements of design abound.

While I don't think I can take more of Tuscany, this book is definitely worth reading if you are willing to intimately know your destination.

So you want to go to Italy - Tuscany

But of course you want to travel to Tuscany. Why shouldn't you? You've seen the movie, you've read the book, now all you have to to is pack up and go. You know everything. Right? Wrong. NY Times writer Mark Bittman seems to find some hidden culinary gems in a little Tuscan town called Lucca (read The Riches of Lucca from the NY Times Travel Section).

Regardless, now is the time to go, as the options for exploring Tuscany at your own leisure have increased exponentially with the addition of famed fly and drive packages:

Tuscany - Montecatini Terme

Tuscany - Pisa

Tuscany - Siena

Journey through Tuscany and Umbria

Highlights of Italy

Happy travels, everyone!