Italian Riviera & Piemonte

Between the suntraps of the Italian Riviera and the glittering glaciers of Mont Blanc, northwest Italy has more up its sleeve than you might suspect. Liguria is full of magic: the cliff-top Cinque Terre, the ancient olive groves of the entroterra, swanky resorts such as San Remo, Portovenere or Portofino, and Genoa "La Superba" with its insanely opulent palaces and Europe's biggest aquarium. Hilly southern Piemonte is the land of Barolo, truffles and gourmet dining. The former royal capital of Turin has splendid museums, gorgeous cafes, and mountains gearing up for the 2006 Winter Olympics. Add to this the lovely lakes of Maggiore and Orta, rice paddies, fairy-tale castles, medieval abbeys, delightful Aosta "The Rome of the Alps" and the biggest mountains in Europe. This guide contains: practical travel advice; over 450 hand-picked places to stay; over 300 restaurants, bars & cafes; 25 maps & site plans; color touring-map section; stunning color photography; beaches, ski slopes and mountain hiking trails.Pauls, Michael is the author of 'Italian Riviera & Piemonte', published 2004 under ISBN 9781860111471 and ISBN 1860111475.