Frommer's Northern Italy

Chapter One

Northern Italy's riches are vast, varied, and yours to discover, from art-packed museums and mosaicked cathedrals to Roman ruins and hill towns amid vineyards that produce some of Europe's best wines. You can dine at refined restaurants that casually flaunt their Michelin star ratings, or chow down with the town priest and police chief at osterie (small local eateries) that have spent generations perfecting traditional recipes. You can spend the night in a sumptuous Renaissance villa on Lake Como in the Alpine foothills where Napoleon once stayed (the Villa d'Este), or in a converted 17th-century Venetian palazzo where the room opens directly onto the Grand Canal but costs a mere $109 (the Hotel Galleria). Here's a short list of the best of what northern Italy has to offer.

1 The Best Travel Experiences

Gondola Ride in Venice: Yes, it's hokey. Yes, it's way overpriced. But when it comes down to it, there's nothing quite so romantic after a long Venetian dinner as a ride on one of these long black skiffs, settling back into the plush seats ... read full excerpt from Frommer's Northern Italy: including Venice, Milan & the Lakes, 2nd Edition ebook