Susan Van Allen’s Italian travel book 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go is part travel guide, part “inside peek”. Broken down into topic areas such as beaches, sights, beauty spas and cooking schools, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go points out spectacular unknowns in addition to well-known “gotta see ‘ems”. A few on her list?

• The Palazzo Barbarini in Rome
• The Florentine home of Elizabeth Barrett Browning
• The Peggy Guggenheim collection in Venice
• The romantic and undisturbed temple of Segesta in Sicily
• Michelangelo’s Pieta in St. Peter’s basilica

I particularly enjoyed how destination write ups come with accessible hours and possible literary pairings, as well as a clear inside knowledge of each location. While anyone traveling to Italy would find this title helpful preliminary reading, I think this title would be of particular use to expats or travelers exploring Italy through an extended stay.

Related Reading: 11 Things to Do in Bolzano, Italy.

Photo Credit: Traveler’s Tales